Attention FOrt Myers, Home OWners -Find the difference between Water Damage vs. Flood Damage11/24/2018 What’s The Difference Between Flood Damage and Water Damage?
If you have homeowners insurance you might think your home is safe, but are you confident that your home is protected against flooding and/or water damage? It’s important to know the difference between both types and whether or not you’re covered. For starters, it’s good to know the difference between flood damage and water damage. What is Home Flooding? A flood is external, resulting from heavy rains, tsunamis, storms, mudslides, hurricanes, and overflowing rivers. Basically, if there is a natural disaster your home may be in danger. Flooding is a type of water damage but is not referred to that because it is very specific. Since water damage is a general term, you can not substitute it with a more specific term, but flooding (being a branch of water damage) can be substituted with the more general term. This can be very helpful when you are calling for repair services because if you let them know what kind of incident you have, they will come more prepared to solve that problem. If you are experiencing abnormally aggressive weather, you should keep yourself updated on the National Weather Service. They may advise you to seek higher ground or even an evacuation if things are really bad. What is Home Water Damage? Simply speaking, this is any harm that is caused by water, which technically includes flooding. This is a general term compared to other terms that specify what kind of damage has happened. That being said, this general term can be more easily applied to more internal incidents, resulting from leaks, pipe bursts, appliance malfunctions etc. This can be mixed up with more specific kinds of damage since both cause damage to your home in similar ways. When communicating about this kind of incident in your home, it’s appropriate to refer to it just as water damage. If you’re speaking to someone in hopes of helping you with your problem, you need to specify by first introducing the problem and then include the source or affected area, e.g. “I have water damage from a heater leak” or “I have water damage on my ceiling”. Flood Damage Insurance This kind of insurance is not typically covered by any home insurance policy. Instead, it is offered through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private insurers. Since the number of people who are actually at risk is very small, it’s not covered by most insurance policies. If you live in an area that is normally or constantly affected by flooding, it might be a good idea to apply with the NFIP. Water Damage Insurance Most homeowners insurance policies cover water damage. However, it never hurts to make sure that you are covered. Some policies only cover specific types of damage, so it’s good to make sure what is and is not covered. It can also be covered individually by normal insurance providers. How We Can Help You When You Have Flooding in Your Fort Myers Home? At Affordable Water Restoration, we offer guidance through the filing process. We’re experienced in dealing with small to large insurance companies. If you ever need water damage restoration or unsure of the insurance process, contact us (239) 645-7472 Affordable Water Restoration 11300 Lindbergh Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (239) 645-7472
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One of the most important steps in a water damage event is dehumidification. It is essential to get the humidity back to pre-loss conditions so there is no mold growth. The normal indoor humidity levels are around 40-60%. When a water damage event occurs, the humidity rises and there is a lot of excess moisture trapped in the air which is stagnant for mold to grow. Dehumidification is the process of removing moisture from the air. There are two types of dehumidifiers; low-grain refrigerant which operates on the condensation and desiccant which operates on absorption. Low grain refrigerants are the most commonly used which have the ability for cooling the evaporator to significantly lower temperatures using different exchange systems. LGR dehumidifiers come in various sizes which are rated by the pints of moisture removed from the air. A lot of structural building materials are porous like wood, and drywall which can soak up a lot of moisture. When drying out a house it is important to control the humidity to minimize moisture migration secondary damages and microbial amplification. Dehumidification can also expedite the drying time and can be monitored using hygrometers which detect a variety of things like temperature, humidity, grains per pound, condensation etc. It is very important to control the humidity and temperature of the air for successful drying after water damage. At Affordable Water Restoration, we monitor the psychometric readings daily and notate them in dry logs which insurance companies often require. We have every sized dehumidifier for small or large losses.
Affordable Water Restoration 11300 Lindbergh Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (239) 645-7472 Roof leaks in your home or business can be very difficult. Whether it is from high winds, hail, or torrential rains a roof leak can cause a lot of problems to a home including water damage. A roof leak can be caused by improper installation a just wear and tear over time/age. The two most important things to do after noticing your roof leaking is to temporarily fix the leak (a tarp) and get a moisture inspection to identify any signs of water damage to the property. It can be very difficult to notice small leaks because it’s going to affect the attic first and then work its way down towards the structure. One reason it can be difficult to spot a leak is because the insulation in an attic often acts as a sponge but can only hold so much moisture and once it soaks up all it can take then it can quickly spread to the materials around it. i
Here are a few signs to look for to spot a roof leak
Time is of the essence to stop further damages from occurring. An attic may even have electric cords and pipes which can be a big fire hazard. The attic can also contain feces, bacteria, animals, urine, dirt, insulation etc, which the water will have to flow through in order to reach the structure of the property. Once this happens the water can get contaminated. Whether the leak is small or large the water will penetrate all porous materials and if not handled correctly mold can quickly grow and contaminate the entire structure which can have a ton of health risks and issues. Water flows to the passage of least resistance and loves metal so once it gets in the structure it can quickly spread to various areas. If you believe you have a roof leak make sure you call Affordable Water Restoration. We have a lot of experience in water damage and dehumidification in Fort Myers and will even bill your insurance company directly so you do not have to pay for our services. We are professionals when it comes to insurance companies and have trained licensed insurance adjusters on staff to handle the insurance company so you don’t have to. Affordable Water Restoration 11300 Lindbergh Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (239) 645-7472 Water damage in a home can be very stressful and frustrating and most of the time it is a customer’s first time experiencing such an event. This is why at Affordable Water Restoration our IICRC trained water damage professionals will guide you every step of the way including dealing with your insurance company. Our main goal is to help the customer while drying out the property efficiently and quick as possible to bring the property back to pre-loss conditions. Water quickly soaks into porous materials such as drywall, insulation, cabinetry, carpentry, textiles, etc. It is very important to mitigate the damages as soon as possible to salvage the affected materials and to prevent secondary damages to the structure such as mold. The IICRC is the main standard of care for all restoration projects which stands for institute of Inspection cleaning and restoration certification. Affordable Water Restoration is proud to be IICRC Certified. There are 3 categories of water damage, however the amount of time, temperature, humidity and any possible chemicals or contamination in a home can have a factor on classifying the category of water. Category 1- Water that originates from a sanitary water source and that does not pose as a substantial risk of your health. A few examples of are but not limited to broken water supply lines, tub or sink overflows with no contaminants or fallen rain water. Category 2- Water that contains a significant amount of contamination and has the potential to cause sickness or discomfort. A few examples are but not limited to the drain of a washing machine/dishwasher, overflow from a washing machine, broken aquariums, or seepage due to hydrostatic pressure. Category 3- Water that is grossly contaminated and contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents and can cause significant reactions to humans if contacted or consumed. A few examples are but not limited to sewage, ground surface water and rising water from rivers or streams, sources carrying silt, organic matter, pesticides, heavy metals or toxic materials. There are also four classes of water damage which can provide a point of reference to aid in recommendations of the type, size and amount of equipment initially installed on a water damage project.
We take pride in delivering excellent results every time we're called. Throughout the years, we have become one of the leading flood damage and fire damage companies in the South West Florida Area. Our professional restoration cleaning experts understand the complex nature of restoration jobs. This helps us deliver excellent results for each of our clients. Call us today for your restoration needs! Affordable Water Restoration 11300 Lindbergh Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (239) 645-7472 24/7 SERVICE
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