Why You Should Repair Water Damage Quickly

It is an unfortunate reality that many people underestimate the potential damage water can cause with even limited exposure time.  Chemistry teaches that water can be a base or an acid depending on environmental factors meaning that in high acid environments, water acts as a base and in low pH environments, water is slightly acidic.  The mutable nature of water affords water the ability to carve through solid rock to create beautiful natural wonders but this same ability can also destroy drywall, plumbing materials, and other common building materials.  This point, however, is often forgotten when people deal with water damage.

When dealing with water damage, many people simply focus on the top layer of water and neglect to do anything for the layers of water that have penetrated the subsurface or been absorbed in to the gypsum board (aka drywall and sheetrock) and sill plates usually due to the double whammy of they do not understand the risks and they do not have the proper extraction equipment.  Wikipedia reports that gypsum board is "easily damaged by exposure to water" and "supports the growth of mold."  While gypsum board is treated to make it more water resistant, should the gypsum board be punctured or should water, as in the case of water damage, collect around the unprotected area of the gypsum board, the porous gypsum board will then readily absorb and hold the water.  The longer this absorbed water stays inside the gypsum board the more damage it causes.

Unlike fire damage that leaves a visible and generally static path of damage, water damage can be subtle and can manifest its destruction over a period of time.  Opposed to the immediate destruction caused by fire, water, similar in many ways to stress, can slowly chip away at the host until it requires extensive repair at a cost that is MUCH higher and over an area MUCH larger than initial exposure would have been required to treat.  The subtle nature of water is what causes water damage to be regularly underestimated and, therefore, undertreated in real world case scenarios.

Unfortunately, despite the best intention and valiant effort of many honorable do-it-yourselfers, their efforts are for naught as they simply lack the equipment needed for remediation and such equipment is not commonly available at your local rental shop.  At best these people may have access to a commercial carpet cleaner which can effectively remove the top layer of water but does little to penetrate the subflooring or remove the absorbed water so they will stop when the area feels dry and will leave a fan on.  This method is very similar to the method employed by remediation professionals in the infancy of the water restoration profession but this was soon sent to pasture as it was quickly shown to be ineffective, at best, and a catalyst for decomposition and mold growth, at worst.

The best way to combat water damage, and to prevent the short and long term devastation caused by water damage, is to call a professional water damage restoration company as soon as the damage is found.  While the honorable do-it-yourselfer will have the unrelenting urge to break out their equipment and assist the professional water damage restoration company, the best way a do-it-yourselfer could assist the company is by disabling the source of the water damage (if possible), ensuring the area is free from electrical risks, and ensuring the affected area is free of debris and physical hazards (if possible) so that the professionals can extract the water as quickly as possible to minimize the restoration time.

Proper timing is essential for the fastest restoration.  Now you know.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

What is that Smell?

You smell it... a foul stench that permeates the air and chokes the oxygen from you as you struggle to breath without holding your nose but you cannot find the source of the stench.  You have searched everywhere you can think to look but the smell persists and you wonder aloud if it is actually worsening.  You know it can't have anything to do with your recent water damage as you called the best carpet cleaner in the phonebook - the "family" owned operation with the big ad - and you were there when they removed the water.  They gave you full disclosure concerning a "little" dampness and even added a pleasant smelling chemical as you are a wonderful customer.  So, then, what is that smell?

That smell can be any number of maladies ranging from decomposition of hidden organic materials through the silent yet continual destruction of your walls through mold.  Such maladies omit a foul and offensive odor and each could have been avoided or abated by using a professional water damage restoration company.

The carpet cleaner was introduced herein as a generic but realistic scenario as this scenario plays out on a daily basis.  Most victims of water damage severely underestimate the scope of work that is required to indemnify the situation while simultaneously fearing the perceived cost to fix the situation.  While the carpet cleaner is working to the best of the cleaner's ability, a carpet cleaning company is NOT a professional water damage restoration company and is ill equipped, at best, to address the bevy of tasks required to properly remediate the water damage despite its best effort and honorable intention.  Additionally, most carpet cleaners are paid from the pocket of the water damage victim whereas a professional water damage restoration company can handle the entire restoration project thereby restoring the scenario to it preloss condition with, in many cases, little to no out of pocket money from the water damage victim as the water damage restoration company bills the water damage victim's insurance company for its service.

So rather than argue to defend the integrity of that nice man from the carpet cleaning company and wondering what that smell is, hire that nice man from that professional water damage restoration company and enjoy your restored asset without smell and without the risk of future problems stemming from an underestimation of the damage the water caused initially.  Better yet, tell your family and friends how that nice man from the water damage restoration company was able to complete ALL of the work without taking money from your pocket and how happy you are with the work!  They need to know.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Water Damage of the Rich and Famous

Despite the house, the cost of the house, or even the architectural design of the house, no home is immune to the effects of water damage.  It has been widely publicized that Pop sensation Rihanna is looking to short sale her 8,250 square foot, 8 bedroom, 10 bathroom, Beverly Hills home due to "extensive damage from moisture and water intrusion."  Despite paying $6.9 million for the home about two years ago, the singer is looking to sell the home at a $2.5 million loss.  Citing damage to, "but not limited to", the roof, windows, doors, and balconies, one would have to wonder who in their right mind would buy this home knowing what is already disclosed for any where near the amount offered?

While her asking price for this rapidly depreciating asset may be otherworldly, her desire to take the money and run is prudent.  Not counting the money she is losing every moment professional corrective measures are not taken, or are delayed, thus allowing the water to continue to damage her home, the unseen damage is likely to be much more of a financial abyss then the immediate $2.5 million loss.  It seems unlikely that this slow seeping water damage is acute so this damage has, most likely, been steadily increasing in volume for some time (a period most likely longer then her two year ownership) so the hidden damage can be extensive.  Then there are the health considerations that run tangent to chronic water damage including toxic black mold.  The inherent heath risks of black mold are well known and well documented and the chances for Rihanna's home being a black mold hotspot are good.

For the record, we take nothing at face value and have found the actual listing online.  While Rihanna's home is quite a bargain, considering and compared to similar listings in the Beverly Hills area, and her full disclosure is admirable, we feel the chances of the house being sold "As-Is" with " EXTENSIVE damage from moisture AND water intrusion" and with "encroachment issues and other problems" is limited.

At this point, we feel, the only way for Rihanna to stem the financial loss she continues to incur is by using an independent water damage restoration company to mitigate the damages and stop the water damage at its source.  Hiring a professional, certified independent water damage restoration company is a prudent financial step as such company can restore the home to its preloss condition thereby negating the immediate $2.5 million loss which could allow Rihanna's undervalued home, for the market it is in and based on comparables, to achieve its true value and sell for much more than $4.5 million.

Best wishes Rihanna.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.