How to Choose a Restoration Company That Remediates Primary Damage and Reduces Secondary Damage

2/9/2022 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Carrollton provides a rapid response to a water damage disaster scene. Upon arrival, the mitigation process begins immediately. The team’s skill in mitigating primary and secondary water damage speeds up the recovery process while lowering overall costs.

Locally owned and operated, SERVPRO of Carrollton provides water damage restoration and cleaning services to Farmers Branch, TX, and the surrounding area. The team understands the stress and disruption that results from a sudden flood, water intrusion, or other accident. Crews arrive on the scene within an hour to begin the process of inspecting, assessing, and restoring the damaged property. This rapid response is crucial to prevent secondary damage from occurring. Water damage restoration specialists make a distinction between primary water damage and secondary water damage.

What is primary water damage?

Primary water damage is the damage caused at the time of the water intrusion. Examples of water intrusions include a burst supply line, a leaking or overflowing toilet, a ruptured pipe, roof damage from severe weather or a fallen tree, a flash flood, water from extinguishing a fire in a home or business, or an HVAC condensate pan leak.

By quickly removing the water and drying the affected areas, primary damage may be minimized in its severity or reversed if the water and moisture are immediately removed from the affected areas and items. More severe incidences of primary water damage may not be reversible, and extensive repair, reconstruction, or replacement may be the only solution. Examples that require more attention include short-circuited electronics and electrical devices, ruined household paper products and foodstuffs, collapsed ceilings, and stained or faded upholstery.

Keys to successfully mitigating primary water damage

A rapid response from the property damage restoration team is a key factor in successfully mitigating primary water damage. Hopefully, the property owner can identify the source of the water intrusion and reduce or stop the flow. If the leak is hidden, inaccessible, or too large for the homeowner to manage alone, the team from SERVPRO may stop the water flow by shutting off the water supply from the main shut off valve. This is a temporary solution and the water source will need to be identified and repaired prior to restoration of the affected area. The specialists then act to prevent any further water damage to personal belongings, furniture, and appliances. Almost immediately, the water removal and drying process will be initiated.

The rapid and thorough removal of water from water damaged areas is also crucial in mitigating primary water damage. Technicians utilize powerful equipment to rapidly extract the water, and industrial-strength fans and dehumidifiers remove the residual moisture from the air. To make the environment safe for humans and pets, technicians clean and sanitize the structure. Then, repairs, restoration, and reconstruction are implemented to return life to normal as soon as possible.

What is secondary water damage?

Damage from prolonged exposure to water and moisture after the initial water intrusion event is referred to as secondary water damage. It can begin almost immediately after the initial water intrusion. The main causes of secondary damage include delays in mitigating the initial intrusion and undetected or hidden water leaks. Failure to completely remove water and moisture can also result in secondary water damage. Qualified, reputable property damage restoration specialists are able to minimize or prevent secondary damage.

Examples of secondary water damage include:

• buckling floors
• swollen molding and baseboards
• cracked plaster and warped drywall
• wood rot
• mold and mildew

Some instances of permanent secondary water damage include wood rot which must be removed and replaced. Carpeting contaminated with mold, mildew, or sewage must be removed and replaced. If warped flooring is dried quickly and returns to its normal shape, it may not need to be replaced.

Unfortunately, secondary water damage is often permanent, more time-consuming, and substantially more expensive to deal with than primary water damage. The mitigation of primary water damage is often less costly and less time-consuming than the repair, replacement, or reconstruction services required for secondary water damage.

An understanding of the differences between primary and secondary water damage helps homeowners, property managers, and businesses grasp the crucial importance of the following steps:

1. Pre-qualification of a property damage restoration company before a disaster strikes
2. Mitigation of the initial water intrusion at its source either before or soon after the property damage restoration crews arrive
3. Notification of the pre-selected water damage restoration company
4. Rapid response and arrival on scene by the damage restoration team
5. Immediate initiation of the water removal, drying, and dehumidifying process
6. Implementation of the water damage restoration project

The consequences of a DIY water damage restoration project

A DIY water damage restoration project often involves delayed water removal, drying, and dehumidification. Precious hours can be lost securing the necessary equipment. These delays can result in extensive secondary water damage. Efforts to save money in the short term may lead to damages that are substantially more costly and time-intensive to repair.

Further details about SERVPRO of Carrollton’s water damage restoration services can be found by contacting the office by email at office@SERVPRO10952.com or by phone at (972) 446-0383.