Water Damage Restoration

Water damage to a property can occur as a result of flooded rivers following extreme weather conditions, storm damage, burst pipes, washing machine leaks etc.

The severity of the water damage can vary dramatically depending on the source of water, the duration of the damage, construction of the building, materials affected and the time from the incident to installing a balanced drying system.

Regardless of the severity, it is in the insured’s and the insurer’s best interests to employ a qualified professional restoration contractor to carry out restorative drying to the property. Inadequate techniques and incomplete drying by unqualified contractors can result in an escalation of the claims cost as well as damage to any repairs carried out after the drying process has been stopped. 

When we receive a new instruction on a water damage claim we aim to be on-site within a few hours in order to prevent secondary damage. We assess the level of damage to establish what may be salvageable and take necessary steps to protect these items from further damage. We pump out or extract any excess water and then install a balanced drying system using dehumidifiers and air movers to stabilise the property. As part of the initial service we carry out any necessary cleaning and then sanitise the affected areas to protect the health of the occupants. 

After the emergency response, our technicians attend the property on a regular basis to closely monitor the drying process. By taking moisture readings of the affected materials and relative humidity / air temperature we can optimise the drying time by ensuring the drying system is balanced, i.e. the rate of dehumidification of the air is faster than the rate of evaporation of moisture from the affected materials. When the moisture readings of the affected materials reach their pre-loss, safe levels, the drying process will be stopped and the property certified to be dry. 

Water damage occurs in two stages:-

Primary Damage - This is as a result of direct contact with the water

Secondary Damage - Typically this is a result of rising relative humidity within the property or simply moisture travelling to areas previously unaffected.

Secondary damage can usually be prevented by a speedy response from a professional restoration contractor.

Water damage is divided into three categories:-

Clean Water - A leak from a “clean” water pipe within the property.

Grey Water - Dishwasher / washing machine waste, sink / bath waste pipes etc from within the property.

Black Water - Contaminated water such as sewerage, river flood water, or any water from an unknown source outside the property. This could potentially carry pathogens, which could cause serious illness in humans.