flood-damage-to-home

Our guide for water damage restoration services

At Malkin Cleaners, we provide professional water damage restoration services. Our team has decades of experience helping homeowners recover from water damage in their homes. Over time, we’ve developed a refined work process that ensures our customers’ homes are fully restored after water intrusion. Here, we explain our comprehensive water damage restoration services to help you understand the process and ensure you’re ready when we visit your property.

Note: After a flood, many homeowners want to start rebuilding their property immediately. However, rebuilding too quickly can lead to mold growth, insect infestation and deterioration of building materials. Most porous building materials need to be replaced after a flood.

The first precautions to take. When we arrive at the flood site, our team takes several precautionary measures. These include

  • Check for gas leaks and fire hazards.
  • Watch for wildlife that may have entered the floodwaters.
  • Wear a respirator in case of mold intrusion.
  • Inspect the house from the outside for structural and electrical damage.

Step 1: Contact your insurance company

Once we’ve carried out an initial assessment of the property, our water damage repair contractors help the homeowner contact their insurance company, ensuring that they immediately begin reviewing the case for compensation and using the most up-to-date information from inside the home. This is an ongoing process that involves taking photos, providing updates to the insurance company and working with an expert to assess damage and restoration potential as the project progresses.

Step 2: Check electrical systems

The safety of the homeowner and his or her family is paramount at every stage of our work. In Step 2, before we begin our water damage restoration service, we ensure that electrical systems have been de-energized, and check that there are no ground wires or other dangerous elements in the system before entering the area.

Step 3: Furniture removal begins

In Step 3, we begin the removal process. This involves the removal of carpets and rugs, as they may contain contaminants that could have an impact on the family’s health. We remove waterlogged carpets and cushions to clear pathways between rooms in the house. We then begin removing all upholstered furniture that has been affected by the flood waters. Solid wood and metal furniture can be cleaned and restored, depending on the extent of the damage. We work with homeowners to determine furniture damage and clean-up options. Once all damaged furniture has been removed from the home, we begin the drying process using industrial drying equipment to speed up the return of the furniture to the home.

Step 4: The cleaning process

We begin the process of removing water from the structure of the house.

  • Cleaning and removing walls : We remove water from the property’s walls using state-of-the-art equipment. We take the time to remove baseboards and drill holes in plasterboard to drain the wall. We then discard the flooded plasterboard. If there are any undamaged panels, we can remove and replace them after cleaning. We also remove any fibrous insulation affected by flood waters. At this stage of the water damage restoration service, we begin using industrial dehumidifiers and drying equipment to dry out open walls and protect the rest of the property structure.
  • Floor cleaning and removal : Next we move on to the floor. A long-term flood will destroy most floor coverings, so it’s important that we can start the floor cleaning process as quickly as possible. We start by removing submerged floors that have swelled due to flooding. Affected areas will be removed to prevent the entire floor from rising. We then begin the process of cleaning and drying the remaining floor coverings, while replacing any badly damaged areas.
  • Mural treatments : For many homeowners, wall finishes can be difficult to manage in the event of flooding. The chemicals used in the finish can leach into the water and present a significant health risk. We handle this job with the highest level of expertise. We clean and dry wall finishes as soon as the flood water has drained from the house. We also take care to remove lead-based paint and mold from walls, to protect homeowners and their families for years to come.

Step 5: Electrical equipment evaluation

This is the electrical equipment assessment. We examine the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, home entertainment devices and all electrical outlets in the home to determine if any electrical damage has occurred. We’ll then work with an electrician to make sure any damage is resolved before you start using the home.

Step 6: Mold prevention

Every element of our work as home water damage restoration contractors is done with mold prevention in mind. We begin our mold prevention work as soon as we enter the home, but in Step 6, we review our process to ensure that mold is not present in all areas of the home. This involves a thorough inspection of interior spaces and the deployment of a humidifier to remove all moisture from the property during the drying process. If mold is discovered, we carefully use the latest technologies, such as HEPA filters, to remove mold from the property and help homeowners secure their property for the long-term future.

Our mold prevention strategy ensures that there is no mold in the home when we begin rebuilding during the recovery process.

Step 7: The rebuilding process

Once all parts of the house are dry and all traces of mold have been expertly removed, we can begin the rebuilding process. This can take some time, depending on the extent of the damage and the needs of the property. Our staff includes trained specialists in the fields of construction, carpentry and plumbing to carry out a reconstruction that adds value to your home and ensures the property is returned to pristine condition.

Make Malkin Cleaners your local emergency flood damage restoration company.

We have the experience, expertise and turnaround time to get your home back on track as quickly as possible. Don’t wait for other companies to take on your project. We can provide the level of service you need to preserve your home for years to come. To learn more about our work process, or to speak to a specialist about your water damage restoration service questions, CONTACT US NOW.