How Quickly Does Water Cause Permanent Damage to My Plantation Home?

5/23/2020 (Permalink)

We offer turnkey restoration services, from assessment, mitigation, and remediation through build back.

Local Water Damage Experts at SERVPRO Train and Prepare for Rapid Residential Cleanup for the Plantation Community

Water damage does not wait for resolution patiently. It has a destructive timetable that is as predictable for water restoration professionals as it is devastating for Plantation homeowners. Some of the damage occurs just minutes to hours after the water event, and the severity of the consequences increases exponentially. Experts recommend contacting water restoration professionals immediately after the discovery of a water loss to arrange for swift removal of the damaging fluids and application of the industry’s best practices supporting structural drying.

What Kind of Immediate Damage Does a Water Emergency Cause?

When your Plantation home needs water cleanup, damage to some surfaces, fixtures, and contents begins immediately. Many structural components, furnishings, and personal possessions are composed of permeable materials, ready to absorb fluids and suffer breakage or swelling.

Damage Begun if Cleanup is Delayed

First minutes to a few hours
    •    Documents, pictures, books, and other papers become soggy, with pages weakening and sticking together, bindings and glues loosening, inks spreading, and images blurring.
    •    Stain, varnish, and paints can transfer from wooden furniture legs and supports to carpeting, rugs, and floors.
    •    Textiles stretch or shrink, depending on composition, and dyes can run and stain adjacent surfaces.
    •    Electronics and electrical cords short out and expose occupants to the risk of shock.

Up to 24 hours
    •    Pressed wood and particleboard furniture and supports swell and warp.
    •    Hardwood frames on furniture swell and distort.
    •    Metal fasteners tarnish.
    •    Drywall and ceiling tiles bulge and begin to crumble, increasing personal safety and property damage risk when significant quantities of collected water force a structural breakdown.
    •    Insulation compresses, packing down between walls.
    •    Carpets stretch and become prone to rips and delamination.
    •    Laminate flooring peels and disintegrates.

24 hours to a week
    •    Mold growth commences on all surfaces and contents.
    •    Water quality deteriorates, with pathogen growth possible.
    •    Door and window frames swell, preventing security issues due to improper closure.
    •    Metals corrode, and fasteners break down.
    •    Hardwood floors cup or crown, and planks or strips can buckle, pulling up from the subfloor.

7 days or more
    •    Structural supports can fail.
    •    Molds, mildews, and other hazards proliferate, affecting air quality and infecting surfaces.

How Do Professional Water Cleanup Crews Manage Water Cleanup?

When SERVPRO arrives, our project manager does a safety analysis. Once safety hazards are controlled, our Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)-trained technicians begin work.

Emergency Services

    •    We use pumps and extractors to clean up standing water.
    •    We employ moisture detectors and meters, along with thermal imaging, to locate hidden water and evaluate absorption levels in structures.
    •    Weep holes are punched in ceilings and walls to avoid a sudden collapse during a water release.
    •    Weakened structures are identified, and supports installed if indicated.
    •    Flood cuts and other controlled demolition strategies release water and provide access for structural drying.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Surface soils are cleaned away, and potential microorganism growth inhibited through the application of EPA-registered products.

Drying out All Affected Spaces

Our Applied Structural Drying (ASD) technicians use the moisture data gathered earlier in the project to determine appropriate drying goals. They calculate the number of air movers and heaters needed to facilitate evaporation, taking care to position the equipment at proper angles. Dehumidifiers condense or absorb the water vapor, collecting it for disposal.

What Help Is Available for Cleanup of Water-Logged Contents?

Any furnishings, household goods, and personal possessions in the path of the water loss face ruin without professional cleanup, drying, and disinfection. Whether we set up a protected space on your property to process the damaged items or pack them out to our production center, our trained contents processing employees evaluate and plan for restoration. Unique and innovative resources are available to save time, expense, and memories.

    •    Freeze-drying can mitigate further damage and remediate harm for wet papers and photos.
    •    Immersion and ultrasonic cleaning tubs remove soiling from solid objects.
    •    Industrial washer and dryers and upholstery cleaning equipment return textiles to their previous function and appearance.
    •    Small, contained drying spaces accelerate and control the drying of furniture and electronics.

Who Offers Rebuilding and Repair Services After Water Cleanup?

Our construction division addresses and arranges for the build back of structures damaged by the water incursion. Our contractor license permits us to complete the circle, rehabbing, and replacing materials altered or removed to aid in water cleanup and drying. After we perform the last walk-through, you can enjoy your home, “Like it never even happened.”

Why choose SERVPRO of Ft. Lauderdale South for your water cleanup needs? We offer turnkey restoration services, from assessment, mitigation, and remediation through build back. Call us at (954) 776-2000.