Repair of water damage

What is restoration drying?

Water damage is when water prevents the proper use or affects the value of any property, either currently or in the future.

The keyword is Restore: Return to normal state.

The action required is to remove abnormal or excess moisture from the affected materials, until they have been fully dried and restored to their normal, pre damaged state.

For more information contact our experts.

Causes of water damage

Floods caused by rivers: Every year heavy rains occur in much of our geography, followed by floods appearing on the news. This is a growing phenomenon as climate change takes hold.
Floods caused by the sea: Sea floods are generated by high tides combined with strong winds. The result is extremely severe as structures are affected very quickly by salt water. When a weather phenomenon like a hurricane combines with this, the damage is even greater.
Pipe Freezing: Pipe breakages occur after extraordinarily prolonged cold weather. In cold climates it is customary to insulate pipes well, but this is not fool proof and mistakes can be made. Burst pipes can cause a huge amount of damage, especially if they are not found for a long period because the property is unoccupied.
Faulty or defective appliances: Appliances have a finite lifespan and when this time passes, they will eventually breakdown. Damage depends on location, amount of water, and time spent leaking. Examples: Dishwashers, washing machines, ice machines, air conditioners, etc.
Defective seals on equipment: A jammed float valve or worn anti-return valve can lead to a large leak. Examples: Fire sprinklers (very common in commercial buildings), sinks, showers, bathtubs, jacuzzis, spas, etc.
Damaged or defective construction: There is a higher than average incidence of water damage in new construction. Sanitation drainage systems are highly likely to fail in the first heavy rain due to dirt, substandard construction, and component failure. Some trades can damage pipes during their work. New covers may leak. When commissioning, pipes, installed plant and equipment may leak.
Accidents and negligence: A wide variety of accidents and negligence happen frequently; leaving a tap running, breaking an aquarium in a house move, a split hose, etc.
Vandalism and crime: This usually occurs when a property is left empty or uninhabited, maybe during a period of renovation before the property is occupied. It usually takes a while to discover and therefore the damage can be serious. Example: Ground floor window left open.
Firefighting: Fighting fire usually involves large amounts of water. It most often affects a much larger area than was affected by the fire. Thus, the problem is compounded after the fire until the assessors and contractors arrive. Like any damage, drying should be initiated as soon as possible to avoid further or secondary damage.
High ambient humidity: Hygroscopic materials can be adversely affected by excess moisture (usually above 60%) and damage can occur. A restoration professional can help to recover some materials: books, paintings, musical instruments, doors, etc.

Residential market

This is vast because most damage is caused by faults in appliances, seals, and leaking pipes. It occurs all year round with a slight peak in Spring due to weather conditions (burst pipes or storms).

Industrial and commercial market

The commercial market varies greatly by region and time of year. It involves important cases in schools, factories, shopping centres, health centres, public buildings etc. They involve much larger areas and often require a much higher volume of assistance, possibly within a tightly scheduled timescale.

Contact your nearest office.

Restorative drying and the insurance industry

A high percentage of insurance claims are caused by water damage and there is a great deal of misinformation surrounding the possibilities of modern damage restoration services. Millions of pounds/euros a year could be saved.

One of the functions of dehumidification equipment manufacturers and damage restoration companies is to educate insurance professionals about the benefits of modern restoration. Restoring no longer means gutting buildings, incurring weeks or months of renovations. Now the industry has the technical ability to restore damage faster than ever. Drying and restoration with qualified professionals using the latest technology in drying techniques can save thousands of pounds/euros in insurance compensation, especially when compared to repair or reconstruction costs.

Reasons to offer restorative drying

Important service to the community

Incidents of water damage are a traumatic experience and many people don’t know what to do next. There are no other professionals around who can meet the needs of both the insured and the insurance company. Restorative drying is a unique service, not offered by builders or maintenance firms.

Reduces health risks

When a structure gets wet, health risks increase substantially. Fungal spores germinate, bacteria multiply and viruses become more active. Within a few days of damage, the atmosphere dramatically worsens. People with allergies are the most affected, followed by the elderly and children. Wet materials require quick total drying to prevent people becoming ill. Response time is critical to reducing the risk to diseased building syndrome.