What You Need To Know Right Now!
Water damage arises from fire damage,
broken pipes, blocked drains, malfunctioning appliances, storms and
other causes. The appropriate treatment depends upon the nature of the
damage. Whatever the origin, the prospects for restoration depend
largely on the speed with which your building and personal property can
be dried.
DO:
- Call Champion Restoration at 281.599.9393 (a certified fire and water
damage restoration company) as soon as you discover water damage for a
free repair estimate. If water is removed within the first 4 hours, it
will minimize material damage and reduce drying times.
- Take pictures of damaged areas for your insurance adjustor; sometimes workload hinders their immediate response.
- Remove standing water from flat surfaces by sponging and blotting.
- Place aluminum foil squares or wood blocks under furniture legs to avoid floor staining and damage to furniture.
- Remove saturated rugs from wood floor surfaces.
- Open all doors and drawers in affected areas to speed up the drying process.
DO NOT:
- Do not call your agent or insurance company first. Call Champion Restoration at 281.599.9393 (an
IICRC Certified Water Restoration Company) before you call anyone else. Why? You need to know the
cost to dry down and repair your property so you can compare that cost
with your deductible. When you call the insurance company or agent to
notify them of a loss they are then obligated to open a claim. Often
the repair cost will be less than your deductible, and therefore your
responsibility. However the result will be a “no-pay claim” which will
go on your loss history report; this can result in higher premiums or
even uninsurable status. Champion Restoration (a reputable restoration company) will come out,
at no charge, and asses the damages to better educate you, the
homeowner, so you know the next step to take.
- Do not wait for the
insurance company to respond before you take action. Even clean water
can generate mildew and other bacterial growth if neglected.
- Do not remove
wet carpet, pad, sheetrock or trim with a clean water loss; most can be
professionally, dried in-place, except fiberboard materials, and
evaluated after drying.
- Do not operate TVs, vacuums or other appliances while standing on wet carpet or floors; serious injury may result.
- Do not leave wet fabrics in place; space them apart and dry as soon as possible.