Water Damage Restoration · Carpet Water Damage · Water Extraction & Damage Restoration

Water Damage Restoration  (Our 24-Hour Emergency Certified Response Team is standing by at (818) 889-0407.  It's important to get standing water removed and dried as quickly as possible so please call us as soon as the damage is discovered.)

Whether you simply neglected a running bath too long or the recent storm soaked your carpet in water several feet deep; repairing water damage requires immediate and deliberate action on your part. It's easy to fail to take the appropriate steps to repair water damage out of fear of the expense an yes, water damage restoration can be an expensive process but cost varies widely depending on the severity of the damage and how quickly you decide to do something about it.  We understand that water damage clean up isn't fun. However, failure to act against water damage can jeopardize the value of your property can be hazordouse to your health due to mold buildup. So if you are sitting at a home now looking at a flooded basement or a soaked carpet and wondering what you do, take it one step at a time and work your way through this nine-step action plan:

1. Shut off your electricity. Be wary of power failure as the power can suddenly come back on.
2. Check your walls for signs of structural damage. Drywall doesn’t like lots of water and prolonged exposure to moisture can lead to both rot and mold.
3. Turn off gas to the house. It is better safe than sorry.
4. Take pictures for insurance purposes. This is good just in case you decide to file a claim. If you are going to report it you want to do it within the first 24 hours but don’t call your insurance company just yet. More on this a little later.
5. Get rid of the water. Pails may work for some jobs. Rent a pump to remove large quantities or check to see if your fire department can pump it for you. Be aware that quick removal could cause a cave-in. Shovel out any muck and hose down walls and floors to clear the silt. If the water level is not high, use a mop or wet/dry vacuum to remove as much water as possible. Many supermarkets rent wet/dry vacuums that can do a good job.
6. Deal with wet carpets. Once the water is gone, you have to contend with wet carpets. If you were unfortunate enough to be flooded by sewage, river water or saltwater, I am sorry to tell you that your carpets are going straight into a dumpster. If your floor was is carpeted and you were flooded by clean water, lift up the carpet and discard the carpet pad (this is cheap to replace). Then elevate the carpet on blocks or something that won't absorb moisture, in order to dry it. Once water is removed, you have a 48- to 72-hour window to clean, dry and sanitize the floor and furnishings before mold starts to grow. Mold is not something you want to play around with. Mold destroys building materials and can trigger allergies and cause flu-like illnesses. Once it starts to grow, most items simply aren't salvageable.
7. Dry out the affected area. Get the carpets and floors and affected ceilings, if any, BONE DRY. Close off the affected area, set up a dehumidifier and multiple fans. If your carpet isn't completely dry within 48-72 hours of getting wet, discard it as mold will render your carpet useless. Take a sniff check if you have doubts about how much time has passed. Machine wash or dry clean area rugs. to prevent discoloration or bleeding, you should place plastic or aluminum foil under wooden furniture legs. If your ceilings are soaked and sagging from the weight of water, you can punch tiny holes in the ceiling to relieve the trapped water. Just make sure you place something underneath the holes beforehand that can collect the trapped water. I should mention at this point that most normal people do not have access to the kind of professional equipment to do this step well, and it really helps to call a water damage restoration company for this task. Your house may feel like summer in Las Vegas and look like a construction zone for 2 or 3 days but it is better to be safe than sorry. Accidents happen. See below for more on hiring water damage restoration experts.
8. Check your walls. Gut wet walls, because wallboard, paneling, insulation and other such building materials will not dry quickly enough to prevent mold and rot. Toss anything that is not completely dry within 48-72 hours.
9. Restoration. Once the affected area is bone dry, the homeowner should begin the process of putting his house back together again including wallboard, insulation, ceilings, carpet pads, and carpets. For those who are handy or blessed with handy spouses, it could be a matter of running to Home Depot. For most of us, however, it will involve dealing with a water damage repair expert, reputable handyman or several contractors depending on the damage: carpenters, drywall experts, painters, and floor/carpet professionals.

Advice about Water Damage Contractors and Insurance: How to choose your contractor. Water damage restoration experts know that time is on their side and they will press you to make a decision quickly. Nonetheless, you should seek whenever possible to get at least two cost estimates before making a decision on a contractor for the job. Don’t be shy about asking questions and investigating inconsistencies between the advices of different contractors. When selecting a contractor, look for qualities like speed, competence in water cleanup practices and certification or training in water damage restoration and mold remediation. Do yourself a favor before you pull the trigger on an estimate, look up the contractor's report with your local Better Business Bureau. The internet makes it easy to check online, for your convenience I have included links to some common BBB websites below:

Insurance: to file or not to file. That is the question. Though some may disagree, I would wait until you get those cost estimates from the water damage restoration experts before deciding whether or not to file a claim with your insurance company. Most restoration companies can be on the scene within a few hours depending on the location of the disaster. Depending on the size of your deductible, you may be better off just keeping this to yourself.

To restore carpets back to their original appearance we usually follow the following regime:

1. Extraction: Vacuum out the maximum amount of water from the flooded area.
2. Biocide: Treatment is sprayed to kill and inhibit the growth of microorganisms including mold, bacteria, viruses and other microbes that grow as the result of water damage.
3. Psychometry: Defined as the science of drying, this is the ongoing process of monitoring the humidity levels within the affected areas. Our specialized moisture meters can measure the levels of humidity behind the walls and in other covered areas, as well as on exposed surfaces. As such we know when the surface is in fact dry, not just dry to the touch.
4. Evaporation: Air movement through blowers, which act as powerful fans to circulate the air. Dehumidifiers may be used to remove moisture from the air, especially when it is impractical or impossible to let in a draft of fresh, dry air from outside.

Question. Why wouldn't I report this incident to my insurance company?
Answer. If the damage is severe you should contact your insurer right away. We all maintain insurance for such abnormal events which we cannot afford. However, most water damage repair needs are confined to a specific area of the home. Most insurance policies have deductibles of $500, $1000, $2000 or more. In many water damage cases such as leaks and spills, the cost for restoration and repair may well be under or under your deductible level. Why file a claim with your insurer and damage your record with the insurance company (which keeps your insurance costs low) when you are only going to get a small check from them. Save it for the hurricane or the earthquake save it for the sustained roof leak or the discovery of toxic mold.

Question. Can I use my own dehumidifier instead of calling a water damage restoration professional?
Answer. Maybe, if your damage is confined to the area of a small closet or you happen to own a large industrial dehumidifier which professionals use, you can try. You would also need several industrial fans to circulate the air in the effected area in a circle around the room. Otherwise, I am sorry to say that I would recommend calling a pro. Why take the chance?

Question. How do I know if I have water leaking in or a condensation problem with my wall?
Answer. One test of a water leak from a wall is to tape some plastic or some aluminum foil to the place you think the water is coming from. Securely tape each side of the plastic or foil. Give it a few days and check it. If you see moisture on the outside of the plastic or foil then your basement has a moisture issue. If, on the other hand, you see that moisture has formed inside the plastic or foil between the wall, you can be pretty sure that you have a wall leak.

Question. What can I do if my neighbor caused my water damage?
Answer. If your neighbor leaves their sprinkler or hose running too long or their water pipe is allowed to get old or clogged or leak continuously, it could result in water damage to your own property for which your neighbor is legally responsible. When your neighbor is careless or acts unreasonably with water causing damage to your property, it is possible to sue for compensation for your losses. One would hope that the neighbor puts a stop to the source of the water, but if not, one can also ask the court to order a stop to your neighbor's actions. Of course, as in all things involving your neighbors, it is probably wise to save legal recourse as a backup to simply going to your neighbor's house to talk about the problem.