reduce the cost of water damage restoration

Water is essential in most homes, but when not properly contained, it can cause damage to the building materials used in the house and can create mold or mildew problems. A water damage restoration service or contractor specializing in dealing with these issues is a good resource when making repairs and ensuring you don't have future issues after finishing repairs. 

Damage Assessment

One of the hardest things to deal with when you have water damage inside your home is determining just how far the problem goes. Water damage can be limited to a single area or can extend beyond the area that you suspect it is in. 

Knowing how to assess the damage and make repairs is critical, and working with a qualified water damage restoration contractor is one way to do that. A contractor who deals with water damage daily will have a better idea of where to look for issues and how to resolve them effectively. 

For instance, a broken or cracked pipe that has been leaking for a long time may eventually cause visual damage to the ceiling or wall in your home. If the leak has been ongoing, the wood behind the wall may be saturated with water and need some attention.

If the water follows a pipe and travels to another area before you notice it, the damage can be more extensive than you think, and the contractor will need to determine the best course of action. A fiber optic camera can be helpful in these situations because it will allow the contractor or water damage restoration service to see behind the partition without opening it up and doing more damage than necessary.

Making Repairs

Once the water damage restoration contractor determines the extent of the damage, they can make a plan for repairing it and how to best get to the area. If the water caused a lot of damage, the contractor may need to remove a large section of a wall or ceiling to get all the wet material out. 

Damaged sheetrock, studs, and insulation can be pulled out, and damaged materials replaced after drying out the area. Often chemicals used to combat mold and mildew are sprayed on wood or other materials that are not being replaced and can help combat future problems inside the space.

If the damage encompasses a large area from flood or storm damage, the same procedures are used but on a much larger scale. A flood that does a lot of damage inside the structure may mean ripping out most of the wallboard and replacing a lot of structural wood to ensure the house is safe after the repairs.  

Contact a local water damage restoration service to learn more.