Category Archives: Water Damage

 

When drywall is affected by water damage it can hold a lot of water and sometimes fall apart.  If the drywall is not properly dried or removed in a reasonable amount of time, the home could be at risk for mold damage.  Drywall does not always need to be removed during a water damage restoration project but when it does it can be a messy process if you don’t use the proper equipment.

A common tool for water damage restoration companies is a dustless drywall saw, shown in the video above.  The saw is connected to a vacuum that collects the dust while it cuts the drywall.  This can save a restoration contractor lots of time cleaning up a job and save a customer from having a layer of dust on everything in the home.

The drywall saw is set to cut the thickness of the drywall.  Typically 1/2″ to 5/8″.  We set our saw to cut just before the wood studs to ensure we aren’t cutting into the wood that holds the wall up.  When we are finished making the initial cut, we have to come back through and use a razor knife or utility knife to make the final cut before removing the drywall from the wall.

After the drywall is removed, we like to put the pieces into a thick plastic bag before carrying it out of the home.  These bags are typically 6 mil clear poly bags.

If don’t have access to a drywall saw or you are a home owner looking for a DIY approach you can use a drywall saw to make the initial cut and then make the final cut with the razor/utility knife.

 

NEED HELP WITH WATER DAMAGE? CALL (317) 315-5071

 

Basement Water Damage

Restorex Disaster Restoration helps a lot of customers who experience water damage in their basements. We understand the stresses and anxieties that come with a flooded basement. The video below gives a brief overview of the required steps to properly clean up a basement after it has been affected with water damage.

 

Basement Water Damage Clean-Up Process

Step 1: Water Damage Inspection

Step 2: Water Removal

Step 3: Removals

Step 4: Drying Equipment Set up

Step 5: Equipment Monitoring

Step 6: Final Evaluation

 

Water Damage Inspection

The water damage inspection for a flooded basement is to determine the extent of the water damage in the affected basement. The flooring can be visually inspected but sometimes the water can affect carpet pad without showing on the carpet surface. How Restorex Investigates Water Damage.

The next step is to determine if the water affected the walls.  Typically, the water will only reach 1-2 inches throughout the basement.  The walls can show wetness up as high 12 inches.  The paper on the drywall will wick the water up the surface showing the wall to be wet above the baseboards.

 

Water Removal

The most effective way to clean up a flooded basement is with water removal.  We are able to remove water from basements with extractors.  We use the best water extractors on the market and they can remove water through the carpet and pad.  During extraction we will need to move the furniture and contents in the basement to run the extractor over all the affected areas.

 

Removals

Depending on the extent of water damage we might be required to make removals of certain building materials.  In a basement with water damage, this can include baseboards, drywall and insulation.  Every basement is built differently so it just depends on the initial inspection to decide what is required to be removed.

At this time we would spray a plant based anti-microbial product call Benefect.  This product is a hospital grade disinfectant and will help prevent any microbial or mold growth during the water damage cleanup process.

 

Drying Equipment Set Up

Drying equipment is used to remove the remaining water from the basement.  Standard drying equipment for water damage restoration projects are Low Grain Refrigerant (LGR) Dehumidifiers, Electric Heaters, and Air Movers.  This equipment provides the necessary energy to remove the water from the affected materials. Read about Restorex’s water damage equipment.

 

 

Equipment Monitoring

The drying equipment needs to run for a minimum of 3 days.  During those 3 days we need to stop by to check on the equipment.  During these visits we will make sure all the equipment is running properly and get temperature and relative humidity readings.  These readings tell us if the equipment is creating a good drying environment.

 

Final Evaluation

After 3 days we will inspect the basement and determine if the building materials have been dried to their original moisture content.  If everything has dried properly, we will remove the drying equipment and adjust the furniture and content back to their original locations.  The water damage repairs will come after the drying is complete.

 

 

NEED HELP WITH WATER DAMAGE? CALL (317) 315-5071