Water damage is the most common form of damage that is found in homes and buildings because there are so many potential causes that can go undetected.  Excess water can get into your home due to weather conditions such as rain or floods as well as internal issues including burst or leaking pipes, leaking fixtures, roof leaks, or even high humidity.  The extent of water damage can be deceiving as much of it can get absorbed into the porous building materials of your home.  It is often tempting to fix it yourself when you have water damage, but it is better to hire a professional to handle the water damage restoration because they have the experience and right equipment to thoroughly remove hidden water and moisture.

The following are the top reasons to hire a water damage professional instead of attempting DIY water damage restoration:

Location of Hidden Water Damage and the Source of the Damage

The trickiest part about water damage is trying to determine the full extent of the damage.  Water easily gets absorbed into building materials such as insulation, wood, and drywall and if it is not fully removed from these materials, the damage will only get worse and eventually cause mold and mildew to grow. Experienced water damage restoration professionals know how to look for hidden water damage as well as the source of the excess water or moisture to prevent further damage.  Much of the hidden water damage can be very difficult to find without enough experience.

Professional Grade Equipment

Another advantage of hiring a water damage restoration professional is that they use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that excess water and moisture has been removed.  This advanced drying equipment consists of shop vacs, air movers, and powerful dehumidifiers.  Air movers help the drying process by encouraging evaporation and they can also bring the humidity level of your home to an acceptable level.  Powerful dehumidifiers are used to remove water completely from the air, structural elements, and furnishings in your home.

Quick Response and Restoration

Most water damage restoration professionals will respond within 2 to 4 hours of your initial call to help contain the damage and prevent it from spreading.  It is of extreme importance to respond to water damage quickly because it can start causing minor damage within minutes and cause more serious damage to your home and furnishings as well as mold growth in just a couple days.  Water damage restoration technicians will arrive in teams that can work on several different aspects of the restoration simultaneously.  This will not only speed up the restoration process, but it will also shorten the drying time.

Mold Remediation

One of the worst potential outcomes of water damage is the growth of mold and mildew.  Mold needs a source of moisture to start growing and once it forms, it will cause damage on the surfaces it grows on and increase the risk of certain health effects such as allergies and infection.  Professionals that provide water damage restoration also have the right equipment and cleaning products to provide mold remediation.  Mold remediation is best handled by a professional because of how dangerous it can be to your health and they can also handle potent cleaning products and chemicals used to remove mold that can be hazardous if they are misused.

Reduction of Health Risks

There are several inherent health risks in dealing with water damage as the excess water could contain sewage, bacteria, and other microorganisms that can cause negative health effects.  Water damage technicians are aware of this and will take the right measures to remove hazardous materials and prevent them from causing negative health reactions.

Reduction of Overall Costs and Losses

While it may seem like hiring a water damage restoration professional will actually increase costs, in the long run it will save money.  Hiring a professional to do the restoration right away will prevent the water from becoming absorbed into the building materials where it can cause much more extensive damage and mold growth.  The restoration for extensive structural damage caused by water and mold growth is a lot more expensive than simple water damage restoration and doing the job yourself will also cause the damage to spread and become more expensive to fix.

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Help with Insurance Claims

If your home or personal belongings are damaged due to excess water or moisture, it is necessary to file an insurance claim to compensate for the damage.  Many water damage restoration professionals work with local insurance providers and can help with the paperwork needed to file a claim.

Hiring a professional for water damage restoration has many benefits over DIY water damage restoration that will save you time and money.  As soon as you notice water damage in your home, call a local, trusted water damage restoration service provider.  They will arrive on the scene quickly to limit the spread of the damage and begin the restoration.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.