Flooding is a severe problem that affects many people every year. However, when it comes to flood damage restoration, there's more than meets the eye. Effective flood damage restoration comes down to three main steps: inspection, mitigation, recovery.
Floods happen worldwide, especially in flood-prone areas—like the areas of Louisiana near the Gulf coast. This area is at particular risk because the consistently warm temperatures encourage mold growth.
Flood damage restoration can be complex, but recovering from this disaster can go smoothly with the right flood damage mitigation plan! This blog post will discuss three steps to flood disaster recovery: inspection, mitigation, and recovery. These are all essential steps in flood damage restoration!
The most significant and most intense source of flood damage is from large-scale flooding, courtesy of heavy downpours. Louisiana is right in the path of many hurricanes and tropical storms every year, so we have plenty of experience with this broad level of flood damage restoration.
Other causes of flood damage that we run into are plumbing issues within the property. Burst pipes aren't common this far down south, but the occasional plumbing issues create a massive inflow of water that requires professional intervention. For example, a broken, leaking water heater can dump large volumes of water in the basement, leaving a standing layer of water on the property's lowest level.
The third major cause of water intrusion that requires flood damage restoration comes from leaking roofs. Water can enter through the roof for several reasons, including clogged gutters, damaged shingles, and compromised flashing. The professionals at Living Solutions Construction have extensive experience with roofing as well as flood damage restoration—our expertise makes us uniquely suited for handling this type of flood damage!
The first step in flood damage restoration is the initial assessment and inspection. After receiving a call from a property affected by flood damage, one of our team members will come out to the property to determine the extent of the damage.
Proper documentation is essential during this step so that insurance agents can handle claims promptly. Images of the water damage and the estimate for the required flood damage restoration are crucial pieces of evidence for the claim.
During this step, we also determine the cause of the damage and determine the characteristics of the water. In short, water comes in three classifications:
After the initial inspection and estimate, the flood damage restoration professional works on mitigating the damage to the property. In short, mitigating means reducing or limiting the damage caused by the water.
The first part of mitigation depends on the water's source. Unfortunately, once floodwaters enter the home, there's little anyone can do besides waiting for the storm to subside. Flood damage restoration professionals often wait for storms to end before making trips to affected properties.
In the case of roofing leaks or plumbing issues, stopping the water becomes the main priority. Tarping a roof ensures no more water enters the property, and turning off the water and fixing the broken pipe prevents water from the plumbing from entering the home.
Once the water's source is cut off, flood damage restoration professionals can remove large pieces of furniture from the space and work on water removal. Our experts use industry-standard fans, vacuums, and dehumidifiers in the process of removing the water from the property.
The final step in flood damage restoration is recovery—in short, making the property back to the way it was before. Some call this step restoration, but the industry typically agrees that restoration is the entire process, from inspection through the finish line.
Recovery of the property begins as soon as the property is dried out. In addition to no more standing water, there are also normal humidity levels.
Your flood damage restoration expert will take stock of the flood damage and develop a plan for rebuilding. In addition, our expert documentation helps ensure insurance agents complete your claim and get you your money back for recovery.
Additionally, our team helps save any contents that we can salvage. We're often able to find a way to dry out items you may believe lost!
Contacting flood damage restoration experts as soon as you realize there's water entering your home is crucial so that mold doesn't grow. Mold can form within as little as 48 hours, turning a flood damage restoration job into a much broader scope recovery than before.
While the experts at Living Solutions Construction also have extensive experience in mold remediation, even slight mold growth puts the health of anyone within the property at risk.
Regardless of the cause of the water damage, our three-step approach to flood damage restoration helps get your property back to the way it was before. First, inspection, followed by mitigation, then recovery is a proven method for saving as much of your property as possible whenever you're faced with a flooding disaster.
Our experts have experience working with insurance agents so that your claim gets processed as fast as possible, meaning more money back to you while you recover from the flood damage.
Remember: fast action prevents mold growth! If you are in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area and need a flood damage restoration expert, call Living Solutions Construction or reach out via our contact page. Please take advantage of our free inspections and get your life back in order after a flood!
