A pipe breaks and water is everywhere. The insured
calls the agent and the process begins. The sooner the
Policyholder calls the quicker the response and, normally,
the lower the total costs of restoration.
Although many issues can be discussed involving water
damages, in this article we’re going to concentrate
on just one—the carpet. If all the dollars spent by
the insurance industry on property claims, floor covering
is, by far, the most expensive category. It stands to
reason that if we can save floor coverings affected
by water damage the savings, on a national scale, would
be significant.
As with any loss, health and safety is of primary importance.
The customer should be cautioned about electrical hazards,
slip and fall and falling debris, such as drywall or
acoustical ceiling tiles.
Quick response is of the essence. The longer the unwanted
water is allowed to remain, the more likely the carpeting
will experience permanent damage. Because of this, regardless
of the hour, the restoration process should begin without
delay.
Some customers attempt to extract the water themselves.
While this can be of some benefit, a shop vacuum, towels
and ceiling fans are absolutely no replacement for professional
extraction and drying equipment. It is very important
to get a professional mitigator on site as soon as possible!
The very best opportunity to save carpet (and other
items) is to have professionals on site immediately.
The initial stage or phase of the restoration process
includes addressing safety issues and employing “contain
and control” procedures. Standing water must be pumped
or extracted to prevent migration of water into adjoining
areas and sub-surfaces. Professional moisture meters
are used to determine the exact location and extent
of water damage.
The first step professional restorers take is determining
the category of loss: (A) is this a Category-1 loss?
(clean water source;) (B) is this a Category-2 loss?
(gray water: with some contamination but not including
pathogens or sewage;) or (C) is this a Category-3 loss?
(black water: involves sewage and known contamination.)
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