Ever found water oozing out from your walls or simply where it shouldn’t be? It generally happens when you aren’t expecting. Either when you are back from vacation and find a flooded basement or a long haul of dishes after a party with a leaking dishwasher. That’s when you need water mitigation solutions and restoration services.
So what differentiates these two terms? Well, water mitigation mainly focuses on prevention before any further damage by drying surfaces and cleaning up. Whereas, restoration works on repairs and restoring your property back to its pre-damaged state.
Understanding these processes is key when dealing with water damage. It helps you know what to expect when the experts come to your rescue. So, let’s explore the mitigation vs restoration and the impact of both methods.
Table Of Content
- What is Water Mitigation?
- Methods of Water Mitigation
- What is Water Restoration?
- Methods of Water Restoration
- Water Mitigation VS Water Restoration
- Common Myths Between Water Mitigation and Restoration
- Summary
What is Water Mitigation?
Water mitigation means acting fast to stop more damage when water unexpectedly enters any property. It’s important to do this before anything else because waiting can make problems worse. So, if your house catches fire and there’s water everywhere? Delaying cleanup can mix the water with smoke, making things smelly and dirty. Similarly, if there’s a leak, mold can grow quickly, which is harmful to health.
Water mitigation professionals will fix leaks, clean up the mess, and cover broken windows to prevent more water or animals from getting in. They’ll also remove debris and water and strengthen weak parts of your building.
However, water mitigation only works if take prompt action so it is important to resolve this within a day. The longer you wait, the worse it gets, and eventually, you might need to replace things instead of fixing them, costing a lot more money.
Methods of Water Mitigation
Water mitigation involves necessary steps to manage water-related issues effectively. Here’s how water mitigation professionals handle the challenge:
Removal of Affected Materials: The first step is to take out soaked items or those on surfaces like carpets, flooring, beams, or furniture. Usually, most of these are damaged by water so it is important to remove them to avoid spreading more moisture and reduce the risk of mold growth.
Utilization of Commercial Grade Equipment: After that, water mitigation experts use advanced equipment and techniques to clean and dry the affected area effectively. They use powerful pumps, fans, and dehumidifiers to speed up drying and prevent further damage.
Cleaning and Disinfecting: Many items from water damage can be made as good as new just by cleaning them to remove bacteria or contaminants brought in by the water. This keeps occupants safe when they return to the property.
Property Protection Measures: Moreover, your property windows and doors are also boarded up in the process to protect the property or take other precautions against weather or intruders.
What is Water Restoration?
Water restoration, meaning repairing water damage, focuses on fixing and restoring a home or property after the water has caused harm. Trained water restoration experts get to work repairing and rebuilding the parts that got messed up, with the goal of making your place look like it did before the water trouble started. They’ll replace broken walls and floors, get rid of any mold that’s grown, fix up any damage to the roof, and make sure the humidity levels are back to normal. So, it’s basically a process of naturally bringing your home back to its original, undamaged state after water has caused problems.
But remember, water restoration can only start after the water mitigation process, where immediate actions are taken to stop further damage, is completed. So, it’s all about fixing things up naturally after water trouble strikes.
Methods of Water Restoration
Fixing Damaged Flooring and Walls: Experts check and fix any water-damaged flooring or walls. They replace damaged materials or repair salvageable ones to restore the area’s strength.
Repairing Roof and Ceiling Damage: Specialists inspect the roof and ceiling for water damage from leaks or flooding. They fix any issues to keep the structure strong and stop more water from getting in.
Deep Cleaning: After that, the affected surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to get rid of germs and dirt. Restoration experts often use special techniques to clean water-damaged carpets, rugs, and furniture, removing moisture and dirt effectively.
Preventing Mold: According to Main Spring Recovery, homes affected by water damage have up to a 50-100% chance of developing mold. So, experts take steps to stop it by drying the area well and use mold-killing products to keep mold from growing, keeping everyone safe from its harmful effects.
Water Mitigation VS Water Restoration
Water mitigation and water damage restoration may seem similar, but they’re different processes happening at different times. Here’s how both are different:
Common Myths Between Water Mitigation and Restoration
Since both mitigation and restorations are widely used, misunderstandings are common. However, property owners should know the difference and understand the truth behind these myths to address water damage quickly and effectively. These myths include:
Water Damage Only Caused by Major Floods
Reality: This is not the case; water damage can happen from burst pipes, leaks, or small incidents. It’s essential to address it promptly to prevent further problems.
Insurance Covers All Water Damage Costs.
Reality: Coverage varies, so understanding policy terms and documenting damage is crucial for claims.
Doing It Yourself Works the Same As Professional Services.
Reality: Professional services have the expertise and tools for effective results, reducing future issues.
Both Mitigation Restoration Processes are Interchangeable.
Reality: No, both these terms are different. While mitigation stops damage from getting worse, restoration fixes and returns the property to how it was before it got damaged.
Water Damage Only Affects Visible Areas.
Reality: Not always, because sometimes water sneaks into hidden spaces like gaps between walls, flooring or roofing, damaging surfaces if not handled.
Summary
Still confused? Hope Not! If you are a property owner, knowing the critical differences between water mitigation and restoration is essential to prevent major water damage. Water mitigation is the initial step of the process to prevent more damage, while restoration repairs and restores the home back to its original look. Experts use a combination of both these methods as a complete solution to all water-related issues.
At True North, we focus on mitigation and restoration, offering reliable solutions to protect your property and bring peace of mind.