What Happens if Water Damage is Left Untreated

If you’re asking this question right now, you could be going through one of several scenarios. You may have experienced water damage in Dallas and your budget is tight, leading you to wonder whether you can postpone the repairs for a while without repercussions.

Another scenario is that you shouldn’t physically be at your property for several days, weeks, or even months after the incident, you can’t postpone your trip to fix the water damage, and your home will be empty while you’re gone.

Whether you fall into the first or second category, or you’re simply lazy, this post will help you understand what happens after water damage and how bad it can really get. So, let’s get right into it!

How long does it take for water to cause damage?

It can take anywhere from an hour to a full day for water damage to take a full swing. Furniture or drywall that is damaged will bulge, crack, and swell. Your paint will start peeling or bubbling, and mold will grow around the damaged area. These are just a few examples of water damage signs.

If you have recently experienced water damage, act quickly. Attempt to prevent additional water from entering the property on your own. If you are unable to do so – perhaps due to a dangerous sewage backup or a leak that you simply cannot repair yourself – contact a professional, such as Big D Water Damage Restoration. 

Does water damage get worse over time?

The quick answer is YES, water damage worsens over time. The answer to the follow-up question, “How bad can water damage get?”, depends on a variety of factors, including the extent and severity of the damage, the types of materials affected, and the location of the damage, to name a few.

To give you an example, basement water damage can obviously cause much bigger problems than kitchen water damage, given the location of the problem in your home. Flooded basement can cause cracks in your foundation and wooden beams rotting, among other things like mold which will eat up much of your organic materials in the basement. 

This can lead to altering of your entire home’s structure, which is something that can be irreparable in many cases. 

Of course, water damage in the kitchen should not be overlooked, but given the circumstances, you should be much more concerned in the first scenario. However, let’s also discuss what might occur in your kitchen for the sake of argument.

Your wooden materials – which are likely to make up the majority of your kitchen – would be soaked up, as would your drywall (which must be replaced if it is only more than 1% wet), and mold would most likely begin to grow quickly, given the humid conditions and the presence of many organic materials, one of which is your food.

Will water damage go away on its own?

Another straight answer – NO. If the conditions are right, the water itself may dry out on its own, but the harm it did won’t go away. Your peeling paint will not simply repair itself. Your drywall will not restore itself. Mold also won’t stop growing on its own. Furthermore, because nothing was done, the water may return at some point because the moisture source was not repaired. You must take action to remove water and stop more harm.

We understand that it is easier said than done. You may not know where to begin, so here are a few pointers on what to do immediately after water damage. 

What to do immediately after water damage?

1. Family and pets should be evacuated from the flooded room(s).
2. Pick up the things you can’t risk losing. This should only be done, though, if you are physically capable of carrying them out and can do so without endangering your health.
3. Call a friend or neighbor to assist you if you need to leave the house.
4. Try to obtain coverage by contacting your water damage insurance provider.
5. To begin the cleanup, get in touch with a Dallas water damage restoration business. They should ideally also take care of your insurance matters.
6. If you’re repairing water damage yourself, make sure the house is completely dry and look for mold. If you’re working with an expert, they’ll handle this.

Water Damage Restoration Dallas, TX

Water damage is not something to take lightly. If you are exposed to a lot of contaminated water, you risk becoming seriously ill. We definitely do not advise delaying water damage restoration in Dallas, TX in any way. Instead, we urge you to take the appropriate measures we’ve gone over. If you don’t, it will just lead to more problems later on.

Big D Water Damage Restoration can handle any restoration job, whether it’s a single room or an entire floor, mild or severe damage, polluted water or not. For the best water damage restoration service Dallas TX has to offer, contact us at (469) 750-3109. 

So, to wrap it up, if you’ve been searching for any of the following:

• Water damage restoration Dallas
• Water damage Dallas TX
• Water damage cleanup Dallas

Call Big D Water Damage Restoration today!

The post What Happens if Water Damage is Left Untreated appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Dallas TX.

source https://restoration-dallas.com/what-happens-if-water-damage-is-left-untreated/

Signs Of House Water Damage

What are those weird black spots in the corners of my walls? Why is my paint peeling? My water bill has been unusual the past few months, why is that? And what in the world is this weird and somewhat musty smell? 

If you’re asking yourself some or all of these questions, you’re probably seeing typical signs of water damage. Hold on, no reason to panic. First, we’ll go over what exactly you should look for to verify you have water damage in your house and then what to do next. Stay tuned!

In a Hurry? Here Are Quick Signs to Take and Inspect For:

1. Increased water bills
2. Mold
3. Musty odors
4. Uneven/warping floors
5. Water sounds
6. Peeling paint
7. Wall stains and cracks

Need further insight? Wonder what to do next? Great, keep on reading!

Water Damage Signs to Look Out For

Let’s cover each of the bulleted signs from the first paragraph in more detail. 

Increased water bills

If your wallet is suffering due to increased water bills, even if everything seems fine on the surface, stay on high alert. Your wallet could take a much harder hit down the line if the leak keeps going at it for months (or years). Inspect for a leak if you have a suspicious water bill lately. 

Mold

The most obvious visible sign of water damage is mold. If it exists in a property, it poses a health risk to all family members, including pets. One of the most dangerous mold species, Black Mold (officially known as Stachybotrys chartarum), can go as far as to cause respiratory problems. 

The tricky thing about mold is that it can sometimes be hard to detect. Mold grows in dark and damp areas, often lurking in the shadows. However, if you have a lot of it, it can be pretty hard to miss unless you don’t check the room very often (like, for example, the basement). Furthermore, mold is usually followed by a very unpleasant, musty odor.

If you’ve noticed that but you can’t see mold, perhaps you should do a little more digging or even hire a professional mold inspector to help you. But there’s a catch…

Musty Odors

Presence of musty and damp odor doesn’t ALWAYS have to be a sign of mold, only water damage. We don’t need to describe how dampness smells – stale and pungent, exceptionally uncomfortable. Sniff around if you’ve noticed such a smell and try to find a leak. Be careful though, inhaling too much of this smell can potentially cause you to feel dizzy and nauseous. Use your own judgment to tell if you can access the potentially hazardous area on your own.

Uneven/warping floors

In this case, depending on the situation, you may WANT the cause to be water damage instead of something else. That “something else” can happen to be foundation damage which at times can be extensive and very expensive to fix. 

In a nightmare scenario, water damage occurred in your basement and has damaged the home’s foundation, potentially to the point of it being irreparable. 

Please note that this does not AT ALL have to be the case. Most of the time, your hardwood floors simply warped due to a leak. Do further investigation, please.

Water sounds

Weird dripping sounds that keep your children awake at night? No, it’s not ghosts but there’s still a reason for concern. Inspect for a leak if these sounds are persistent, especially if some of the previously mentioned signs are also present.

Peeling paint

Peeling paint can be caused by multiple things, but one of the most common perpetrators is water damage. To simplify, paint doesn’t get along with moisture and dampness, and it starts flaking off due to the paint’s adhesion being weakened. 

If you’ve properly painted your walls and they were clean prior, there’s a good chance that your paint is peeling because of water damage. 

A good tip we’ve mentioned above for you to use if you’re unsure is to look for all or multiple signs from this list, not just one. You may be unsure if the peeling was caused by water damage, but when combined with presence of mold and bad smells you do get a very clear answer in most cases.

Wall stains and cracks

Wall cracks can be caused simply because of the house “settling” and those pose a tiny annoyance inexpensive to fix. However, wall cracks AND stains/discoloration can indicate a leak. The discoloration is typically light brown or beige.

And that wraps it up! So, what to do now?

If you’ve identified water damage in your house, just follow the next steps. 

How to Deal With Water Damage in Dallas, TX

Water damage doesn’t necessarily always result in a disaster, although it’s best to act quickly and not give it any chances! By promptly responding to the issue, or hiring a professional who will promptly respond for you, you can mitigate the damage and repair your property fully. However, more severe cases will pose a bigger challenge, one you definitely don’t want to DIY. 

Call Big D Water Damage Restoration if you can’t or don’t want to deal with the damage yourself. Our professionals know exactly how to act and what equipment to use in each case. For a 5-star water damage restoration service in Dallas, pick up the phone and call +1 (469) 750-3109.

Big D Water Damage Restoration provides the following services:

• Water removal
• Basement damage restoration
• Sewage cleanup
• Flood damage restoration
• Fire damage restoration

These articles also may be helpful to you!

• Water Damage Restoration Costs in Dallas, TX
• How Long Does Water Damage Restoration Take
• Is Water Damage Covered By Insurance

The post Signs Of house Water Damage appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Dallas TX.

source https://restoration-dallas.com/signs-of-house-water-damage/

Water Damage Restoration Costs in Dallas, TX

When faced with a tough property loss, the first thing that probably came to your mind, after making sure everybody is safe, was the repair and restoration costs. 

We’ll not hold back, water damage restoration in Dallas can get costly. How costly, of course, depends on the situation and that’s exactly what we’re going to explore in this quick article – average water damage restoration costs and what determines them. 

In a Hurry? Here are Quick Points to Take Away:

1. In most cases, homeowners or their insurance will pay $1,500-$5,000 for water damage restoration
2. Water damage restoration costs are determined by water damage category, extent, severity, location in homes, and types of materials damaged, along with the scope of work required to repair the property

Need more explanation? Keep on reading!

Average Water Damage Restoration Costs

As mentioned above, average water damage restoration costs range from $1,500 to $5,000. Low end projects can cost only $400-$500 while higher end ones can go up to $15,000, with extreme cases even hitting 6 figures. 

Big advice to you is to try obtaining water damage insurance coverage. In a perfect world, your restoration company will help you deal with insurance.

Factors that Impact Water Damage Restoration Costs

Extreme cases are, well, extreme and rare so you don’t have to worry about paying tens of thousands of dollars for your restoration project. This is only at times when a home or its foundation is flooded with several feet of water and the property is almost completely destroyed. 

However, your quote can still get pretty high so let’s now cover what determines that quote in a little bit more detail.

Water damage category

Water damage category is one of the factors that will have a say in your project costs. Water damage “category” simply refers to the type of water that has spread through your property and damaged your materials. There are 3 water damage categories according to IICRC’s S500 Standard:

• Clean water – uncontaminated or less contaminated water usually coming from supply line leaks, toilet tanks, rain, and snow
• Gray water – contaminated water coming from appliance overflows, toilet overflows, AC leaks, and other similar causes
• Black water – highly contaminated and dangerous water coming from sewage and natural disasters like floods and hurricanes

The more dangerous the type of water damage, the higher the restoration costs. This is because more work will be required to extract the water and disinfect the area and also partially due to increased risk of contamination for our technicians.

Extent and severity

Here we have the most obvious factor – or two factors – extent and severity. Let’s start with the extent. 

Simply put, the bigger the area that’s affected, the higher the costs. One room restoration will obviously cost less than an entire floor restoration.

And then comes the severity. Some might think that higher extent automatically means higher severity but that doesn’t always have to be the case. 

Higher severity means a lot more work and materials involved. Sometimes all you have to do is fix the moisture source, extract the water, and dry out the area but at other times you might have to remove and replace drywall and hardwood floors. In the case of the latter, not only is there more work involved, but also, as we’ve said, more materials. 

If your water damage has been standing for a while, chances are mold has grown. In this case, you can add mold removal costs – which by themselves are already pretty high – to your overall project quote.

Location in property

Water damage location plays a big role in quotes, with basement flooding restoration sometimes being on the lower end of room restoration costs – a few hundred dollars – while at others being at the very highest due to severe structural damage – this can cost thousands upon thousands, with a chance of the damage being irreparable. 

Bathroom restoration tends to cost multiple thousand dollars in a lot of cases as well, while living rooms with minor floor and wall damage usually not going as high.  

Mold in any room will add to your costs too, with crawlspace mold being the most expensive to remove.

Type of materials damaged

This one ties to the previous factor. Floors and drywall tend to be the most affordable to fix or replace, with ceilings and roofs being somewhere in the middle (usually above $1,000). However, plumbing can cost a few thousand dollars to restore.

Also, is furniture cleanup involved? Is the electrical system damaged and therefore posing dangers of electrocution? These factors play a role too. 

All of this information so far will be explained by your restoration professional. If they don’t bring it up for some reason, make sure to ask questions.

How to Restore Water Damage in Dallas

It’s always advised to call in a professional. However, this comes from A professional so we can see why you wouldn’t be down for that at first. You can try DIY-ing but first MAKE SURE that the damage is not contaminated and that it’s contained to a relatively small area. Also make sure there’s no mold and moisture behind walls. 

If this sounds like something you can’t or don’t want to do, again, call somebody who makes a living doing it. Even if you try to find damage behind the surface on your own, you may miss it. It’s not easy. That’s why we’re here.

Big D Water Damage Restoration is ready to help you with water damage restoration in Dallas, TX. We have the know-how required to tackle even the most severe types of water damage and are willing to work around-the-clock until your property and precious belongings are fully repaired and restored. Call us and let’s get started!

Big D Water Damage Restoration provides the following services:

• Water removal
• Basement water damage restoration
• Sewage cleanup and restoration
• Storm and flood damage restoration
• Fire damage restoration

That’s it, we’re awaiting your call!

The post Water Damage Restoration Costs in Dallas, TX appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Dallas TX.

source https://restoration-dallas.com/water-damage-restoration-costs-in-dallas-tx/

How Long Does Water Damage Restoration Take

How Long Does Water Damage Restoration Take in Dallas, TX

We understand that life in Dallas, TX can get really busy, and now all of a sudden for all of those activities to come to a halt, or at least be made more difficult because you have water damage in your property?

Perhaps you’re running a business and your commercial property suffered water damage or you’re a web developer working from home that has been flooded, causing your work to be negatively impacted. 

You may be a mother of three and don’t want your kids to be near any contaminated substance that has even the slightest chance of hurting them.

We completely feel you and get that you need water damage restoration done ASAP. And this is what begs the question – how long does water damage restoration take?

Let’s explain the typical timelines and what determines them.

In a Hurry? Here are Quick Points to Take Away:

1. Typical drying time is 3-7 days
2. Repairs usually take 1-2 weeks
3. Expect at least 2 weeks for the entire project to be completed

Water damage restoration timelines are split into drying time and the following repairs/reconstruction. Then, the timelines for each of the two parts are determined by their complexity and materials involved. 

Need more clarification? Keep on reading!

How Long to Dry Out Water Damage

How long it takes to dry out water damage depends on materials affected, severity of the damage, and drying process.

Wet Materials

Different materials are affected by water in different ways. For example, carpets are some of the fastest to dry, taking only a day or two in most cases. Drywall drying also takes only a couple of days. 

However, materials like masonry and hardwood flooring can take up to several weeks, depending on the following factor – severity of the damage.

We also have to take into account the property itself. Some older buildings and materials may fail if we dry too aggressively, leading to a slower drying process to preserve the property successfully.

Severity of the Damage

What determines the severity of your water damage situation? Multiple things:

1. What category is your water damage?
2. How long has the damage been standing for?
3. How high is the humidity in the area?

Let’s start with the first. Water damage can be split into 3 categories – clean, gray, and black water. If you’d assumed that clean water would be the fastest to dry and black the slowest, you’d be correct. The more contaminated and dirty the water, the longer the drying process because we also have to make sure that the area is disinfected properly. 

Then, if the damage has been standing for some time, the materials will have soaked up more of it, leading to longer drying time. 

And the humidity levels of the surrounding areas and also the weather conditions will also impact drying time.

Drying Process

Obviously, the knowledge and skills of your drying technicians will have a say in how long it takes to dry out water damage in your Dallas, TX home. 

Equipment will also play a role. The more powerful the equipment, the faster the drying time. Keep in mind that the most powerful equipment will also be really loud and cause unbearable heat, disrupting your daily functioning in the property. You’ll have to see if you’re okay with this or not. 

As you can see, there are many things to consider when trying to answer the question “how long it takes to dry out water damage”, so make sure that your restoration specialists are on-top with their communication and that your situation is clearly explained. 

To learn more about how drying works, check psychrometrics.

How Long Do Repairs After Water Damage Drying Take

The answer to this question will almost always depend on how long the drying process took. If drying was a breeze, then that means that there’d not been a lot of water (and the water likely hadn’t been contaminated), leading to not many – if any – repairs and replacements being required.

However, if there is one foot of water in your property, not only will it take much longer to dry, but the amount of materials that will have to be replaced and repaired is bigger. A general estimate is 1-2 weeks but it can take much longer than that at times.

For example, in case of severe floods, water damage repair can take from several months up to a year!

Water Damage Restoration - Final Timelines

Expect at least 2 weeks of water removal and restoration if you have extensive damage. If you need more help and consultation, make sure to call Big D Water Damage Restoration. Our experts will happily take your request in and dispatch a team of skilled restoration technicians to your doorstep to begin drying. 

We repair:

• Basement flooding
• Sewage backups
• Flood damage
• Fire damage

We’re awaiting your call!

The post How Long Does Water Damage Restoration Take appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Dallas TX.

source https://restoration-dallas.com/how-long-does-water-damage-restoration-take/

Is Water Damage Covered By Insurance

In a Hurry? Here Are Key Points:

1. Water damage may or may not be covered by your Dallas homeowners insurance. It all depends on the cause. If the water damage was accidental and resulted from a building failure then yes, you should receive coverage. 
2. Water damage that happened as a result of negligence and inconsistent maintenance will most likely not be covered.
3. Flood damage necessitates separate flood insurance policy.

After spotting signs of water damage in your home, you may have discovered that you have had a months-old leak and now want to know if you can get coverage for the repairs. Or, you may be in a situation where sewage backed up and created a giant mess on your first floor, causing you to have the same question in your mind – is water damage covered by insurance? 

In this article you’ll swiftly learn about water damage insurance, most common causes of water damage, which causes of water damage are covered by insurance and which are not, and then finally how to file an insurance claim for the highest chances of success.

We know you have no time to waste so let’s go!

Water Damage Insurance - How Does It Work?

Water damage insurance refers to standard protection you get from your homeowners insurance policies. It’s specifically for sudden and accidental water damage which came from an indoor cause – busted pipes, roofing leaks, and others. It will NOT cover water damage that happened due to a lack of maintenance. Also, only the water damage restoration costs will be covered, not the repair costs of the actual cause. For more clarification, keep on reading.

Common Causes of Water Damage - Are They Covered?

You probably already know what caused water damage in your specific situation but let’s do a quick roundup of the most frequent causes and then point out if they are covered.

Plumbing Failures

When they fail, pipes can result in heavy damage. Pipe bursts can flood entire rooms and make your property temporarily uninhabitable. 

Homeowners insurance will cover water damage restoration costs from sudden and accidental pipe bursts. The main point is that you’re not solely responsible for the leak and that an outside force played a role as well. For example, your pipe may have froze and then busted. 

However, that can’t be said for gradual damage caused by a leak that has been ignored or just never been found due to a lack of checkups and maintenance. In this case, you bear all responsibility and therefore likely won’t get coverage for restoration. 

Note that you may not get coverage for the actual pipe replacement, but will for the damage that that pipe caused by leaking.

Appliance Failures

What about, let’s say, washing machine leaks?

Same thing! If the damage was sudden and accidental, you should get coverage. If you were just lazy and ignored obvious signs that some maintenance is required – or you didn’t check enough to find the less-obvious – then you most likely won’t. 

As long as the damage came from the inside of your property and was accidental, you will be covered, regardless of whether the perpetrator was a washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator, or water heater.

Sewage Backups

Sewage backups aren’t typically included in a homeowners insurance policy. This is unfortunate because in many cases, you might not at all be responsible for your sewage backup. For example, one of the most common causes of sewage backups is – or are – tree roots which penetrate through the pipe and cause the wastewater to be pushed back to your property. And, obviously, this is totally out of your control. 

However, many insurance companies offer an option to add coverage for sewage cleanups to your typical policy. So, to sewage-proof yourself from now on, you can consider purchasing this addon.

Roofing Leaks

As you might have guessed, water damage from roofing leaks that were caused by a covered peril – strong winds and storms, faulty installation or accidental cracks – will be covered. Now, again, insurance will pay for the water removal and restoration costs, not for the roof repair itself. 

Floods

Flood damage restoration is not covered by your standard policies. You need to get a separate policy for that – a flood insurance policy. You purchase this policy through the National Flood Insurance Program managed by FEMA. 

How to File a Water Damage Insurance Claim

Now that you know if your water damage can be covered or not, for those who can get coverage, here are a few tips on how to file a successful claim. 

Obviously, call your agent ASAP and report a claim. This should be done right after you’ve determined what caused your water damage and can that cause get coverage. Also, call a water damage restoration company like Big D Water Damage Restoration to help you with the cleanup and repairs. 

And here comes the crucial part – document EVERYTHING. Pile up as much evidence as possible. Record multiple in-depth videos and explain exactly what happened. Don’t leave any guessing to your insurance company. Take pictures of all damaged items and surfaces. Your restoration team will also take photos, but the biggest initiator has to be you. If you can’t approach a damaged area for safety reasons, make sure to communicate this to the restoration team. 

The documentation will help you in all your future meetings and negotiations. In an ideal case, your restoration company will handle a good portion of the work with the insurance company and will help you navigate the whole process.

Water Damage Restoration Dallas, TX

Need help with water damage? Call the Big D Water Damage Restoration team today! We’ll help you deal with all types of water damage and repair and restore your property in the fastest time possible. We can deal with basement damage, sewage backups, flood damage, and even fire damage. If you’re looking for the best water damage restoration Dallas, TX has available, call us today!

The post Is Water Damage Covered By Insurance appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Dallas TX.

source https://restoration-dallas.com/2023/01/24/is-water-damage-covered-by-insurance/

How a Water Damage Restoration Team Transforms a Water-Damaged Space

 When a space is damaged by water, it can be overwhelming and stressful for anyone to deal with. However, with the help of a professional water damage restoration team, the space can be transformed back to its original condition. These teams are highly trained and equipped with the necessary tools and techniques to remove water, dry out the area, and repair any damage caused by the water.

One of the main benefits of hiring a water damage restoration team is their ability to quickly and effectively remove water from the affected area. They use specialized equipment such as pumps, vacuums, and dehumidifiers to extract water and dry out the space. This ensures that mold and mildew do not have the chance to grow, which can cause additional damage and health hazards.

In addition to removing water and drying out the space, water damage restoration teams also have the expertise to repair any damage caused by the water. This can include repairing or replacing walls, floors, and ceilings, as well as restoring any damaged furniture or personal belongings. They also have the ability to detect and repair any hidden water damage that may not be immediately visible, such as water infiltration in walls or under floors.

Overall, hiring a water damage restoration team is the best course of action when dealing with water damage. Their expertise and specialized equipment can effectively remove water, dry out the space, and repair any damage caused by the water. This not only restores the space to its original condition, but also ensures the safety and health of those living or working in the space. Don't let water damage take over your space, call a professional water damage restoration team today.