While water damage can be devastating to experience, professionals specializing in restoration can bring your property back to its best condition. In your area, you’ll be able to find a water damage restoration firm, but what should you ask before hiring them?

How to Hire a Pro for your Home Water Damage Restoration

Do you Know How to Tell if you Have Water Damage?

Many homeowners don’t know until it’s too late! The Porch gives good tips on what to do if you discover your home has been damaged by water. Once you discover it, you will need a professional. Here’s tips to find the right professional.

Do they Have Reputable Water Damage Experience?

Reputable companies will discuss their team’s expertise and experience on their websites, usually showcasing pictures of previous projects.

This is incredibly important, as it provides visual evidence that the business in question has encountered water damage before, and has the skills to handle your problem. You should also look for testimonials on their website or social media pages; these are written by previous customers, and offer an honest view of their work. They will also likely list some of their business clients for further peace of mind.

You’ll also be able to find reviews of the firm’s services online – having the word of customers just like you can help you find the best firm.

Is the Water Damage Restoration Professional Licensed?

Only work with licensed water damage repair specialists: any firm that doesn’t have a license, or claims to have one without being able to prove it, may well be uninsured and unethical.

Reputable businesses are happy to provide information on their licensing, but if you’d rather not ask them directly, simply check online. Searching for the company’s licensing information will lead you to detailed information on their certifications and standing. You can also check with your state’s attorney general’s office to ensure the contractor is licensed and past customers haven’t lodged complaints against the service.

Do they Have the Right Tools for Water Damage Repair?

Water damage restoration businesses must have the latest, most efficient tools to restore your property. Though this obviously incurs expense, any company using outdated or ineffective equipment could potentially cause more damage, or fail to solve the problem

Ensure your Water Damage Restoration Team is always available

The best water damage repair enterprises offer round-the-clock services today. Having access to specialists 24/7 gives you peace of mind at any time, providing vital reassurance in an emergency situation.

If you wake to find your property flooding, ravaged by a storm, or simply soaked from a leaking pipe, you want to know professional help is at the other end of your phone. Professional water damage restoration businesses will state on their website if they offer a 24/7 service.

Will they Agree on Costs Before Work Begins?

Always agree on a price before the firm starts to work on your property.

Speak with the water damage professionals over the phone or in person, and establish complete costs from start to finish; reputable firms will not deliver hidden charges or add further costs later on in the process. Ensure your team is cleaning the water damaged home correctly with these tips.

Do a little research into your local water damage restoration firms, don’t be afraid to ask the above questions, and you’ll soon have your property as it should be.

Home Design Ideas to Protect Against Water Damage

Below are a few tips on how to design your house and to be aware of how to avoid water ruining your structural, architectural home and interiors.

Outdoor Living Spaces: Examine the Flow of Water

As you design your house, get to know the flow of water around your house in outdoor living spaces and around the foundation. This is so as to identify the angle of the ground as it can lead water to or from your house. It is of course advisable to design and build your house in such a way that water flows away from the house and not towards it. Determining the flow of water is easy as it can be achieved by observing how water runs or builds up when a storm or flooding occurs.

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Install Water Control Valves:

Installing water valves is a precautionary measure that should be taken when designing your house so as to protect it from water damage. Installing proper water valves, be it an exterior or interior valve, is very important and it is recommended that a home owner should install gate vales. These are somehow intricate and are controlled manually. They, however, are sturdy and provide seals that are stronger compared to the check or flap vales which open robotically to let water flow out and close when water attempts to get in. Be sure to install valves on all pipes going into the house. For the sewer system, it is advisable to install a sewer or septic line check valve which allows waste to flow only one way. This will go a long way in making sure that you do not find yourself knees deep in human waste. It is also important to install French drains. This is especially so for people living on a slope and have a damp cellar or a wet lawn all the time. This drain will collect all the water in your courtyard and reroute it safely away from your house.

Install Water Detection Devices:

To protect your house from water damage, install a water detection device. This is a small electronic mechanism that sets off an alarm when its sensor makes any contact with humidity. The main advantage of this device is that it can sense low levels in humidity or sluggish leakages that are not noticeable most of the time. This water detector should be installed near home appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, sump pumps, water heaters and even toilets. This will go a long way in preventing serious water damage and even the growth of mold.

These are just but a few tips on preventing your house from water damage and the consequences that usually follow. By using the tips above, a home owner can reduce or stop any water related damages thus saving him or herself a lot of money.

For more home maintenance tips on Stagetecture

Because of global climate change, cities that used to be safe from flood are getting flooded. Since most people on those cities are not prepared for floods, they will often have water-damaged appliances after floods. What should you do when your appliances are damaged by water?

Image via: Dyna Contracting

Before you do anything . . .

It may be possible to repair water-damaged equipment or appliances. But it takes a trained technician to do it. If you don’t have a good working knowledge of electrical systems and that particular equipment, do not try fixing it yourself.

The first thing you should do is contact the manufacturer to get information on how to fix it or if the appliance can be fixed at all.

Trying to fix it yourself can put you and those around you in danger. Plus, it can worsen the damage on the equipment.

Image via: Archipelago Hawaii

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Replace equipment if . . .

According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, equipment must be replaced if the following parts are damaged by water:

• Molded case circuit breakers
• Low voltage fuses
• Switches
• Components containing semiconductors and transistors
• Electronically controlled and solid state contactors and starters
• Overload relays
• Electronic trip units or LV power circuit breakers
• All kinds of transformers except current transformers
• Fittings
• Outlet and junction boxes
• Wire or cable listed for dry locations
• Surge protective devices
• Wiring devices
• Arc fault circuit interrupters
• Ground fault circuit interrupters
• Lighting fixtures, ballasts, LED drivers
• Signaling, protection and communication systems

Image via: Katrina Mojzesz

May be reconditioned if . . .

Some damages may be reconditioned with the help of the manufacturer. If the following parts are damaged by water, contact manufacturer for guidance and how to get the device reconditioned.

• Panelboards
• Switchboards
• Manual and magnetic controllers
• Motor control centers
• High-voltage circuit breakers
• Low-voltage power circuit breakers
• Protective relays, meter and current transformers
• Low voltage switchgear
• Medium voltage switch gear
• Conduit and tubing
• Wire or cable suitable for we conditions
• Cable tray
• Fire pump controllers
• Motors

Why they’re Dangerous

Electrical distribution equipment and motor control equipment both have protective components. These components are essential to ensure safe operation of these machines. Flood water contains minerals and contaminants can result to corrosion. Aside from that, water can cause loss of lubrication and insulation.

According to the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Guide:

“Corrosion, loss of lubrication and insulation quality can also be expected in contactors and starters. Solid-state motor controllers, adjustable speed drives and those electromechanical contactors or starters with integral electronic circuitry will be more severely affected by water.”

Water can result in corrosion, insulation damage and also damage to the core winding. Water can also damage the fluids inside the transformer. When these things happen, the transformer won’t be able to do their intended jobs.

It may be tempting to try to recondition expensive equipment on your own but to keep yourself safe, always consult the manufacturer. When in doubt, the best course of action would be to refrain from using the equipment altogether until a qualified technician repairs it.

Duke Briggs is a DIY enthusiast and writer. He contributes to www.GosuReviews.com, a site that helps consumers make informed decisions on their purchases. 

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.