The risk of flooding is growing, with a 2023 report finding that almost 18 million US properties are at a substantial risk of flooding. This only includes environmentally-caused floods. Homes are also at risk of pipe burst plumbing issues and other leaks. With not much you can do to prevent your property from flooding, it is important to fully understand the potential damage, remediation processes, and restoration processes. Your education on the topic is your greatest tool. Let’s take a look at the difference between water mitigation and water damage restoration.
Water Mitigation vs. Water Damage Restoration
Your home’s purpose is to keep you warm, dry, and safe. But sometimes, unexpected disasters cause water to enter your home. When this happens, there are two methods of controlling and fixing the damage caused by the water. Understanding this process and how these two methods are used is essential to restoring and drying your home as quickly as possible to avoid worse damage.
Water mitigation is the first step after a leak or flood. It ensures that your home will not suffer further damage. It is done during or very soon after the water event. Although this is a temporary solution, it is crucial to do after a flood. The second step to take after a water event is water damage restoration. After the home is free of water and items holding onto water, water damage restoration professionals will repair existing water damage to restore your property to its original condition. This is a permanent solution that includes replacing damaged items and restoring and rebuilding your home.
Types of Water Damage
The reason water damage is so unpredictable and therefore damaging is because it can come from outside or inside your home. Exterior water comes from water rising, leaky gutters or ground water. Interior water can come from burst pipes, backed-up toilets, broken water heaters or overflowing tubs. There are three types of water, each of which has a different cost associated with the mitigation and restoration services.
- Clear Water: clean, potable water from water supply pipes.
- Gray Water: murky water that has been previously used in dishwashers, tubs, or washing machines.
- Black Water: water from toilets or sewage lines that is contaminated and very dangerous
What is Water Mitigation?
Water mitigation is essentially stopping the flow of water by addressing the source and removing water from inside the home. Mold moves fast so water mitigation specialists have to move faster. Within a few hours of the flooding, you should be contacting a local specialist. They will check on the severity of the water damage and stability of your structure. Before removing your furniture and belongings, they will use water pumps and commercial-grade vacuums to remove all existing water in your home. Once all your belongings are removed, they will use large fans to dry out your property to combat potential mold growth.
What is Water Damage Restoration?
Once your house is dry, the work is still not done. Even if your walls and floors appear dry, it is likely that the water has caused structural damage to your home, that, if left unchecked, will cause even greater damage in the future. A water damage restoration company will restore the home to its original condition by removing water-damaged drywall and other structural elements, removing the floor, replacing subfloors, and removing mold growth. Lastly, your water damage restoration specialists will check your home’s moisture levels to ensure that there will be no mold growth in the future.
