Water damage repair and restoration are highly specialized, emergency, and expensive services. Water damage to a building can happen due to extreme weather like storms or unprecedented flooding. In routine times, severe or mild water damage can be caused by clogged drains and gutters, leaking pipes in washing machines or water heaters, damaged sprinkler systems, blocked drains, and malfunctioning AC condensers.

Complications caused by residential water damage
Mold and mildew are the more visible consequences. These are allergens and can lead to multiple health issues and bad odor. If the water is not drained and moisture is not dried and left unattended, it can lead to stains and cracks in the walls as well as the foundations of your home. It can also lead to electric damage. Delayed repairs are not eligible for home insurance claims. The estimated cost of cleaning one inch of floodwater damage is $25,000. Immediate repair and restoration will save you from a huge expense.

Work done by water damage restoration companies
The process of water damage repair has the following five distinct processes.

• Inspection and assessment: Experts will assess the extent of damage and estimate the amount of work required using specialized equipment. They will grade the damage from Class 1 to 4 and categorize water contamination from Level 1 to 3. They will give you the estimated time and cost of the repair or restoration process.
• Water removal: They will remove water using extractors like high-power vacuums and pumps. Once the water is removed, they will examine the floors and decide if the floors or tiles have to be removed.
• Drying and removing moisture: The company will use industrial-grade dehumidifiers to remove moisture from areas that are tough to reach and continue to monitor the level of moisture in the walls and flooring.
• Cleaning : Once the home is completely dry, they begin with professional home cleaning by wiping, dry cleaning, or spraying sanitizing agents. During cleaning, all damaged material will be safely disposed of as per prescribed safety norms.
• Restoration : All damaged material will be restored or replaced. The extent of replacement will be based on the extent of damage as well as your budget. In cases of flood damage, restoration work will be much more expensive and extensive as many parts of the building will have to be reconstructed completely.

Time taken for water damage removal and restoration
If the damage is small, caused by leaking pipes or an AC condenser, and if you notify immediately, the repair can be completed in three days. However, more serious and unreported damages can take up to two weeks for restoration. Depending on the area of the damage and the estimated time taken for restoration, you might have to make alternative arrangements for accommodation till the restoration work is complete.

Qualification for a water damage repair service
An organization known as The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) sets the rules and standards for all water damage repair and restoration work. Hire companies that are certified by IICRC. The company should employ certified and trained professionals. The company should be on call 24×7 and have a team that is ready to visit your home within 30 minutes to one hour of your call. They should be able to assess the damage and prepare an estimate of costs quickly, have the capacity to move the equipment quickly, and start the repair and restoration. Check if the company helps you with raising a claim with your homeowner’s insurance provider.

Top and highly reviewed water damage restoration companies
Based on the above parameters and the quality of work, below are some of the top water damage restoration and repair service companies in the country.

• Puroclean
• Service Team of Professionals
• ServiceMaster Restore
• Amerestore
• BMS CAT