Water Damage Restoration: How to Choose a Cleanup Company, and What the Job Involves

Your First Steps: Safety First

Your safety and the safety of those around you are the most important concerns after water damage. Take these immediate steps to protect yourself and your home.

Safety Checklist

• Handle electricity with care. If there is standing water in your home, and you can safely turn off the main power switch from a dry spot, do it. If you need to walk through standing water to reach the main power switch, do not try to turn it off yourself. Instead, call an electrician to do it for you. An electrician should also check your home’s electrical system before the power is turned back on. Never use electric tools or appliances, or turn power on or off, while standing in water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or think there might be a leak, turn off the main gas valve right away. Open all your windows, leave your house immediately, and contact the gas company or the police or fire department. Do not do anything that could create a spark, and do not go back inside until you are told it is safe, advises the CDC.
• Dry quickly to prevent mold. The CDC recommends cleaning and drying your home within 24 to 48 hours after a storm or flood. This helps stop mold from growing. Open doors and windows and use fans to blow air outside.
• Protect your home from more damage. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) states you must protect your home from further damage. This might mean boarding up windows or cleaning up standing water.

What Water Damage Cleanup Involves

Water damage cleanup is a multi-step process to make your home safe and dry again. It often requires professional tools and expertise.

Cleanup Process Steps

1. Secure your home. Before you start cleaning, make sure to put up temporary weather barriers, like tarps on the roof, windows, or doors. This keeps more rain or bad weather out while you work, as suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
2. Remove standing water. If you have standing water, you can use a wet-dry shop vacuum, an electric-powered water transfer pump, or a sump pump to remove it. Always wear rubber boots in wet areas. If the water is several feet deep, be careful not to remove it too quickly. The EPA warns that removing deep water too fast can make walls and floors crack or collapse.
3. Dry everything completely. After removing standing water, you need to remove moisture. Use fans and dehumidifiers. Place fans at a window or door so they blow air outwards, which helps prevent spreading mold. Everything in your home must be completely dry before you repair or replace walls and flooring. This prevents mold growth and keeps your home structurally sound, according to the EPA.
4. Discard damaged items. Throw away anything that cannot be cleaned or dried quickly, especially items that were soaked with sewage or floodwater. This includes mattresses, carpeting, carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings, and paper products. Remove and discard wet drywall and insulation. The CDC also advises thoroughly cleaning all wet surfaces like flooring, concrete, wood, metal furniture, and appliances with hot water and detergent.
5. Check your HVAC system. If your home was flooded and closed for several days, assume mold is present. Have your heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system checked and cleaned by a maintenance professional experienced in mold cleanup before you turn it on. If the HVAC system was flooded, turning it on could spread mold throughout your house, warns the CDC.
6. Address asbestos safely. If your vinyl floor tile might contain asbestos, do not try to remove it yourself, even if it is damaged. Hire a professional who specializes in asbestos removal, as recommended by the EPA.

When to Call a Professional

While some minor water damage can be handled yourself, certain situations require the expertise of a qualified professional to ensure safety and proper cleanup.

Call a Professional If:

• Mold is extensive. The EPA suggests getting professional help if the moldy area is larger than about 10 square feet (roughly a 3-foot by 3-foot patch).
• Water damage is severe. If there is extensive water damage throughout your home.
• Contaminated water is involved. If the water damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water. The EPA advises hiring a professional with experience cleaning and repairing buildings damaged by contaminated water.
• HVAC system is affected. If your heating and cooling system may be contaminated.
• Asbestos is present. If you suspect materials like vinyl floor tile contain asbestos. An asbestos professional should handle its removal.
• Electrical or gas systems are compromised. If you cannot safely turn off power or gas, or suspect damage to these systems, call an electrician or your gas company.

How to Choose a Cleanup Company

Choosing the right water damage cleanup company is important for a safe and effective restoration. Take your time to find a reputable professional.

Steps to Choosing a Company:

1. Get multiple estimates. Ask for estimates from more than one company. Make sure all the quotes include the same services so you can compare them fairly, advises the NAIC.
2. Check their experience and references. The EPA says to ensure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Ask for references and contact them to hear about their past work.
3. Verify licenses and insurance. Before hiring, get a copy of the contractor’s identification, business license (check the expiration date), proof of workers’ compensation insurance, and proof of liability insurance. The insurance proof should show the insurance company’s name, phone number, and policy number. Call the insurance company to verify the coverage. The NAIC explains that a licensed contractor has met specific requirements and passed exams, while a registered contractor has simply provided contact information to a government body.
4. Ask about permits. Ask the contractor to show you any required building permits, as recommended by the NAIC.
5. Be wary of large upfront payments. Reputable contractors usually do not ask for a large payment upfront, according to the NAIC.
6. Follow EPA guidelines. If you hire a contractor to clean up mold, ask them to follow recommendations from the EPA’s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings or similar guidelines from other professional or government organizations.

Working with Your Insurance Company

Your homeowners insurance policy can help cover water damage, but you need to follow certain steps and understand your rights.

Insurance Claim Steps:

1. Contact your insurer immediately. The NAIC’s consumer guide to home insurance advises contacting your insurance agent or company as soon as possible to file a claim.
2. Document everything. The insurance company will assign a claims adjuster, who might be an employee or an independent contractor. This adjuster will likely want to meet you at your home to inspect the damage. Keep detailed notes and track the dates of all conversations you have with your agent or adjuster.
3. Understand Assignment of Benefits (AOB). An AOB is an agreement where you let a third party, like a cleanup company, act on your behalf and seek payment directly from your insurance company. The NAIC explains that an AOB is a legal contract. If you sign one, the third party files the claim, makes repair decisions, and collects insurance payments without your involvement. You are not required to sign an AOB to get repairs done. You can file a claim directly with your insurance company, which allows you to keep control over your policy’s rights and benefits. Make sure you understand what you are signing away and that the repair company is trustworthy if you consider an AOB.

When this advice may not fit

This advice might not apply to every situation. You should seek different help if:

• There is major structural damage to your home that needs immediate expert assessment.
• The water damage is due to a lack of maintenance, such as a roof that leaked because it simply wore out. Homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover repairs for items that wear out over time, as you are responsible for upkeep, according to the NAIC.
• You are unable to safely follow the initial steps yourself, such as turning off utilities or removing standing water.
• The damage is extensive or involves unknown hazardous materials beyond what is mentioned here.