Water damage cleanup and water damage mitigation are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but are actually different concepts entirely. Water damage mitigation is all about minimizing the damage caused by a flood or leak as quickly and effectively as possible. Water damage cleanup or restoration, on the other hand, is centered around repairing the damage caused by the flood or leak.
Water Damage Cleanup In San Rafael
From our water damage professionals at Bravo Restoration in San Rafael, here are the keep components of both water damage cleanup and water damage mitigation.
What Does Water Damage Cleanup Entail?
Remove Damaged Items And Materials
The atmosphere of a flooded home is not a good place for your valuable belongings to be, especially for those that were damaged in the flood. To prevent further damage to them and allow them to dry out more quickly, it’s important that you remove them from your home as quickly as possible.
Cleaning And Disinfecting Damaged Materials
The materials in your home that were affected by the flood will likely be damaged by more than just moisture. Floodwater often contains significant levels of contamination so failing to clean and disinfect these materials will lead to greater damage in the long run and potential health hazards for you.
Extracting Floodwater From The Home
It is paramount that floodwater is removed from a home as quickly as possible after a flood. The sooner you do this, the less severe the damage will be. Make sure you don’t waste any time before calling for professional help to remove the floodwater from your home.
Drying Out The Remaining Moisture
Along with removing the floodwater, you will also need to dry out any remaining moisture in your home. This will prevent further damage in the future and reduce the likelihood of mold damage occurring.
What Does Water Damage Mitigation Entail?
Replacing Damaged Walls And Flooring
Any parts of your home that were damaged beyond repair, will need to be replaced. Walls and flooring are often the first to go so water damage cleanup often includes replacing these parts of a home.
Eliminating Mold
Mold is sometimes an inevitable consequence of water damage. As a result, water damage restoration often includes mold removal as well.
Conducting Humidity And Moisture Tests
Humidity and moisture tests come at the end of the water damage mitigation and restoration processes. These are done to ensure that all possible remaining water damage issues in your home have been resolved. If a home does not live up to every standard of humidity and moisture levels, then there is more work to do.
As you can see, water damage cleanup and mitigation are two different concepts. If your home is ever flooded, it will be important for you to understand the distinctions between them. Even more importantly, however, it’s critical that you contact a certified water damage restoration company like we at Bravo Restoration in San Rafael for help as soon as possible after the flood.