Water Damage FAQ

Water damage can be cause by many incidents, such as, fire sprinklers, broken supply lines under a house or inside, toilet overflows, etc. However, we like to break down most of our water damage into to 3 phases: 1) Inspect damage; 2) Drying strategy, use of dehumidifiers, air movers or specialty drying equipment, such as, truck mounted desiccant units and 3) Restoration of water damaged building materials, such as, drywall patch, flooring repair, painting, baseboard and door casing replacement. This is only an example of the restoration process but some claims can be more complex depending on their individual scenario, such as, having tenants, or extensive damaged of contents.

According to CSLB, any contracted work for more than $500 that requires the altering or construction to any building (home or business) must be licensed through the California State License Board. Most water damages consist of removing and or drying building materials that requires extensive knowledge. Since water damage restoration is a specialty trade, hiring a licensed water damage contractor is ideal. As license contractors with water damage expertise, we are familiar with dealing with insurance companies, adjusters, and being well-versed in almost all avenues of construction from plumbing, electrical, up to architecture and engineering vs the average contractor that is used to only handle buildings from ground up or through a private contract not involving insurance. We are capable of navigating our clients through the insurance claim while being able to be California compliant with proper licensing and insurance.

Water damage can be very bad depending on the conditions. In our experience, simple small leaks over time seem to be the worse because they may go unnoticed for a long time and often time develop mold. Also, many property owners may ignore a small leak and in some cases these leaks may cause damage to the property’s structural members to the point they need to be completely removed and replaced. A common mistake is to assume that the water damage will “dry out on its own.” Yes, it will, but what additional damages might that cause? We advocate and encourage our clients to contact us instantly via text, phone call or FaceTime, to assess a possible water damage concern because with water damage, time is of the essence.

Visual signs of water damage consist of cracking, bubbling and/or peeling paint, dark spots, and discoloration that keeps getting worse day by day. Musty odors are another sign of water damage. Also, an increase in your utilities bills and sounds of running water or hissing noise from possible pinhole leak in a supply line. Mold growth is another indicator of a water damage which can be an active or past water issue.

We recommend you reach out to your agent to file a claim with your insurance carrier while also describing your damage to the agent who can provide you with an overview of your policy and what you would essentially be covered for.

Generally, policies cover for “sudden and accidental.” For example, if your water heater was to rupture on the second floor and cause damage to drywall, flooring and cabinets an insurance carrier would typically cover the resulting damage according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Unresolved maintenance issues, replacing or repairing of the source of damage, water backup from an outside sewer drain or city line, poor maintenance around sinks, toilets, bathtubs.

The best way to prevent water damage is to have an inspection program in place. This might sound like a lot but it’s essentially like the initial home inspection, when you bought the property. In most cases, property owners only do it when they purchase a property and never have it done again. We have a “water damage preventative” package that consist of an inspection of the property to note where potential water damage issues may be present and how they should be corrected. If interested, email info@first2respond.com and mention the “water damage preventative” package in the subject line.

Depending on the category of the water and what areas are affected in your home. It is possible to dry out and restore a property while keeping you and your home safe. This is achieved, by creating drying chambers with 6 mil polyurethane, tension post, and HEPA negative air machines/Air scrubbers.

These repair cost will vary depending on what type of materials are affected and need to be restored. Another factor is how many drying units (equipment) will be required and for how long will the drying process take. Ultimately an experienced estimator will provide you with an estimate for the water damage repair work at no cost. On average, water damage dry out will range from $2000 – $5000 depending on the process.