Water Removal vs Water Damage Restoration

The main difference between water removal and water damage restoration involves the process. As noted, water removal is essentially preventing any further damage from contact a professional occurring. In other words, it’s what professional restoration contractors do before they get to the restoration step in an effort to contain the amount of loss a property suffers.

This might include preservation of the property’s structural integrity, removing contents from the property that can be salvaged, and tarping off or containing other areas of the property where water damage could potentially spread.

Eventually, removal also involves removing water from the property to essentially eliminate the threat of further spread and property damage. Extracting water from the property is typically performed using a commercial-grade truck-mounted extractor to remove any standing water. Following this, water is often removed from carpeting or other soft surfaces with portable extractors.

Water Removal Fan & Dryer

After removal occurs, water damage restoration begins. This is the process of restoring the property to pre-loss condition. The severity of the property damage will largely reflect the amount of restoration that needs to be performed.

In some cases, setting up air movers and dehumidifiers on the property is enough to adequately dry the property out. In other cases, drywall will need to be cut out, carpeting and carpet padding removed, and antimicrobials applied to prevent subsequent mold growth.

It also often consists of contents restoration to return the likes of a property’s hard and soft goods to pre-loss condition. In addition to that, if building materials need to be removed from the property, reconstruction may be required before the property can be returned to its pre-loss condition.

As you can see, it’s impossible to restore a water-damaged property until it’s properly mitigated, as professional restoration contractors need to know what needs to be done first. This cannot be learned until the situation is contained and damage doesn’t risk spreading any more throughout the property.

What does a water restoration company do?

The main role of a water damage restoration company is to take the necessary steps to return your property to pre-loss condition. As we noted in the previous section, the overall water damage restoration process consists of a variety of steps to ensure the property is properly restored and subsequent damage and mold growth does not take place.

Your restoration company – in conjunction with a team of professionals – will usually work with your property owner’s insurance company to help file claims and ensure things go smoothly from start to finish. While it is possible for separate companies to handle removal and restoration, it’s often easy for property owners to have one company that does both.

RestoreMasters, for instance, helps you every step of the way with cleanup, water removal, mold remediation, smoke and fire damage restoration services, roofing, interior and exterior construction.