Water Damage FAQs

How long will it take for my building to dry?

As you’d expect, every building dries differently, so the time varies. We typically have our clients’ buildings dry three to four days after water loss. This process includes removing standing water and non-salvageable material and restoring the property to the industry set dry standard.

There are several factors, including response time, extent of the damage, electrical capacity of the structure, type of damaged material and amount of personal property on-site. Our technicians are trained to utilize all available resources to reduce the drying time of your property.

The quickest way for your property to be dried is with a thermal energy drying system. The thermal energy drying system is considerably faster than traditional drying equipment, which will also lead to shorter overall restoration time.

The drying process includes variety of drying equipment, with some of the most common ones being high velocity commercial grade air movers, large industrial dehumidifiers and injection type drying equipment. RestorationHQ trucks are equipped with today’s state-of-the-art drying equipment allowing every project to be set up with both the tenant and the overall cost and efficiency of the project in mind.

You might see mold growth in your water-damaged property within 24-72 hours. It’s crucial that you contact RestorationHQ immediately after the water intrusion has occurred so that we can start the drying process before mold begins to grow.

Each insurance provider and coverage plan is different, so there is no right answer encompassing all clients; however, most of our clients’ insurance providers cover all damages caused by sudden and unexpected occurrences such as a burst pipe. Many do not cover on-going issues like slow leaks resulting in mold growth. We encourage our clients to speak with their insurance providers to find out exactly what is covered in the event of disasters.

Again, each disaster occurs in a unique fashion. We cannot provide a cost estimate until we see the extent of the damage. Many water loss damages, however, are covered by insurance plans, so the cost may be minimal to the client.

Part of our promise to all clients includes dried property in accordance with the dry standards set by the IICRC S-500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration. In addition to those guidelines, we also conduct our own rigorous drying inspections and progress checks using thermal imaging cameras, thermo hygrometers and moisture meters. We combine all field-gathered findings and images in a comprehensive report for our clients at the end of every project. The report is crucial to not only the tenant/occupant, but also to the property manger/owner. Inside each one, our clients find very detailed descriptions of the affected areas and the extent of the damage, including descriptions on all taken steps and procedures done by RestorationHQ to restore the property to pre-loss conditions.

RestorationHQ technicians are trained to minimize the possibility of mold growth development after water intrusion or saturation. As with many instances resulting property damage, time is very important when addressing saturated building materials to avoid further damage. If your property is properly and quickly cleaned and dried, that will eliminate the potential for mold growth. Visible microbial growth can be harmful to your structure and to occupants regardless of where in your property it grows. Microbial growth can cause a multitude of problems, some as simple as allergy symptoms and others as severe as infections.