This is the firsthand story of someone who experienced water damage and used a water damage restoration company:
May 2nd, 2016: The day I had realized I was now a victim to water damage.
It’s always ironic to me when a doctor comes down with the flu. Or when a midwife brings her own child into the world. But I had never imagined the lack of humorous irony I would feel when I, the girl who markets First Call Cleaning & Restoration, would have her own water damage to deal with.
I walked into my bedroom exactly like I had every day for a month. Today was the same as any other day. I opened the closet to access a filing cabinet that contained reference books. I quickly noticed today would not be like any other day. My carpet was soaking wet, and water began puddling at my feet.
Working for a disaster remediation company I was very familiar with the process of mitigating and restoring property that has been affected by water. Though, until this day, I didn’t know the process of personally coping with the effect of water in your home. It’s confusing, intimidating, and all too irritating. I was overwhelmed with a melancholy feeling from the very beginning.
May 2nd, 2016: The day I felt uncomfortable in my own home.
I will be sharing my experience with you all. I want to spread awareness and shed some light, and maybe a little encouragement, on how to deal with water damage happening in your home.
DAY 1
The problem has come to light. My closet smells musty. “OH GOD,” my foot is soaking wet. I touch my hand to the wall, it’s ice cold and moist. Along with this discovery lurks a crushing sense of misfortune. My hands clasped to my face and tears fell from my eyes as I realized how upside down my home was about to become.
I live in an apartment; therefore, I was at the mercy of a property manager and a maintenance man. First step, get a professional on this. Moisture levels have been taken and the problem has been assessed. I’m beginning to see some light within this gloomy situation.
Here is where my experience within the office of First Call Cleaning & Restoration didn’t pay off.
Step two, bring in a second professional to dry out my floor.
Up comes my carpet and down goes two massive air movers, along with an even larger dehumidifier to dry out the carpet, the subfloor, and the walls, and manipulate the temperature and humidity within the room in order to control moisture levels.
But wait, all of the contents must be removed from my closets. Most of my clothes are now crammed in a closet that isn’t mine and the rest are lying on the floor in the other bedroom.
“Okay, this isn’t that bad. This will all be okay.”
At this point I’m trying to coax myself out of a meltdown because I’m a neat freak. But here’s the point where coaxing myself didn’t seem to fit the bill anymore: These air movers are LOUD.
I slam my bedroom door in hopes to block out the noise coming from the equipment and lock my frustrations back there with it also. All day I’m engulfed in frustration and worry.
Day 1 of my water damage ends with me sleeping (more like napping) on the couch, while optimistically calling it a “couch-bed” in order to make myself feel better. These walls are still mine. The furniture and the things within these walls are mine. But this space, no. This space is not mine anymore. And this will be life for the next 72 + hours. Couch-bed and all.
FINALLY
Friday, May 6th, had arrived and I walked into the quietest house I had experienced in a long time. *Okay, so it was 5 days… but I digress. The fans were gone. The dehumidifier was gone. There were no more drop cords and water tubes running down my hallway and into my bathroom sink. And the noise, most importantly, the noise of it all was gone.
*Side note: living with your home in turmoil while still trying to manage your personal/parental/corporate life on an everyday basis will make time seem like it’s moving 397505x slower than usual.
If you’re thinking about, or about to be, living in an apartment, get ready for no one to tell you ANYthing. One day you can walk into your house and have 3 strangers in your bedroom ripping up carpet and yelling at each other without your approval.
That was how my week of water damage went. Strangers in my home, lots of yelling, and nothing getting my approval. There I was, calling/emailing/begging for answers while everyone else kept on like it was something they see every day. Granted, this is their job, so I can see how their lack of sympathy was somewhat normal.
What was odd for me to process was the fact that I deal with this every day. I see water damage and fire damage every single day.
I deal with these random events all day, 5 days a week. Why was this affecting me so badly? Why was this unlike any other water damage I’ve been around? What made this different from the fire damage I saw last week, or the mold infestation I visited last month?
I’ll tell you, because it was mine. This time it was much more personal than “Mr. Smith’s” house down the road. This was my home, these were my things, and I was surrounded by talks and thoughts of water damage 24 hours a day for 5 days.
So, this time the lack of sympathy hit me to the core. Not knowing what was going on was just downright annoying.
My advice to you if you’re dealing with any damage restoration in your home is to just be patient. I understand your confusion and your angst for everything going on in your home. Just remember, you’re dealing with professionals. They should be trained and certified, most of them even hold special licensing to practice damage restoration.
If you’re still uneasy, do your research, look into their reviews, get in touch with the people who they’ve done work for. After all, they are occupying your home. If you’re the homeowner, request that project managers seek your approval, or at least inform you, of plans to complete the mitigation and remediation process of the damage clean up.
When to Call a Water Damage Restoration Company
As the story above indicates, essentially, you should contact a reliable water damage restoration company like First Call as soon as you realize there is a moisture or potentially hazardous situation in your home, office or business.
Following are some situations where you should call a water damage restoration company:
When there has been extensive flooding
Obviously, if your home has been flooded, you need to contact First Call so we can immediately work with you to resolve the situation before mold can take hold and spread throughout your home or business.
But sometimes, the damage from flooding may not be as obvious. Just because there’s been no obvious damage doesn’t mean there may not be problems. If you experience a musty smell, you should contact us to be sure there are no issues that will amount to larger problems later.
Any time there has been a leak
Pipes that burst or leak can cause damage, even if it is just a “small” drip. These small leaks can grow into bigger problems such as creating a breeding ground for mold.
Any time you see evidence of problems
Wet carpet. Damp drywall. Moisture collecting in areas of your house. These are all situations in which you should contact First Call. Remember that what you can see only represents a small part of the issue, and what is unseen may indicate a larger problem.
When buying a home
Have you noticed outdated carpeting that has a musky smell? We know your home is probably the most significant investment you’ll make, and we can work with you to inspect any areas of concern. This will help ensure that your home has no water, mold or damage due to severe weather.
How Much Do Water Damage Restoration Companies Charge?
How much a water restoration company charges depends upon many factors, including:
- The size and scope of the project
- The extent of the damage
- The array of services needed (for example, if you need extensive repair to hardwood floors)
First Call will work with you by providing all documentation needed, and we’ll even deal directly with your insurance company, saving you time and taking the headache out of restoration.
First Call Is Always the Right Call for Restoration Services in Burlington, Greensboro and Raleigh Areas.
Once you understand how restoration companies work, you gain a better understanding of why they are so important and how they safeguard your home from extensive damage.
For decades, First Call has been the leader in providing services ranging from crawl space encapsulation to mold removal.
