Our Guide to the Water Damage Cleaning Service

Here at Malkin Cleaners, our team has decades of experience helping homeowners recover from water damage issues in their home. Over this time, we’ve built a refined working process that helps ensure our clients’ homes are fully restored after a water intrusion event. Here, we’ll explain our full water damage cleaning service to help you understand the process and to ensure you’re ready when we visit your property.

Note: After building owners experience a flooding event, many want to begin rebuilding the property immediately. However, rebuilding too quickly may lead to mold growth, insect infestation, and deterioration of the building materials. Most porous building materials must be replaced after a flood.

The first cautionary steps

When we arrive at the scene of the flooding event, our team will take several initial cautionary steps. These steps include:

Checking for gas leaks and fire hazards

Watching for wildlife that might have entered the flood waters

Wearing a respirator in case of mold intrusion

Inspecting the home from outside to check for structural and electrical damage

Step 1: Contact with your insurance company

Once we have conducted our initial assessment of the property, our home water damage repair contractors will help the homeowner in contacting their insurance firm, ensuring that they begin reviewing the case for an insurance payout immediately and using the latest information from within the home. This is an ongoing process that involves taking photos, providing updates to the insurance company and working with an adjuster to assess the damages and the potential for the restoration as the project moves forward.

Step 2: Checking electrical systems

The safety of the homeowner and their family is paramount in each element of our work. During step 2, before we begin on the water damage cleaning service, we check to ensure that electrical systems have been turned off and we check the system for ground wires and other unsafe elements before entering the area.

Step 3: The furniture removal begins

In step 3, we begin the removal process. This involves removing carpets and carpet pads as they may contain contaminants that can impact the health of the family. We remove water-logged rugs and pads to ensure pathways are clear between home spaces. We then begin removing all upholstered furniture that has been impacted by the floodwaters. Solid wood and metal furniture can be cleaned and restored depending on the extent of the damage. We work with homeowners to determine the damage of furniture and the potential for cleaning. Once all damaged furniture is removed from the home, we’ll begin the drying process using industrial drying equipment to speed-up the return of the furniture to the home.

Step 4: The cleaning process

In step 4, we take on the process of removing water from the structure of the home.

Wall cleaning and removal

We remove water from the walls of the property using the latest equipment. We take the time to remove baseboards and cut holes in wallboards to drain the wall. We then discard any flooded drywall. If there is undamaged paneling, we may remove it and replace it after cleaning. We also remove any fibrous insulation that has been impacted by the flood waters.

At this stage of the water damage cleaning service, we begin using industrial dehumidifiers and drying equipment to dry the open walls and protect the remaining structure of the property.

Floor cleaning and removal

We then move onto the flooring. Long-term flooding will destroy most flooring finishes and so it’s important we’re able to take on the flooring cleaning process as quickly as possible. This begins with the removal of submerged flooding that has swelled in the flood. Affected sections will be removed to prevent the entire floor from buckling.

We then begin the process of cleaning and drying the remaining flooring while replacing areas that are significantly damaged.

Wall finishes

Wall finishes can be a difficult area to manage during floods for many homeowners. The chemicals used in the finish can leach into the water, causing a significant health hazard. We will handle the work with the highest level of expertise. We clean and dry the wall finishes as soon as flood water is removed from the home. We also take great care in removing lead-based paint and eliminating mold from the walls, to ensure homeowners and their families are protected in the years to come.

Step 5: Assessment of electrical equipment

For step 5, we begin this assessment of your electrical equipment. We’ll review your HVAC systems, your home entertainment products, and all outlets in the home to determine if any electrical damage has occurred. We’ll then work with an electrician to ensure any damage is resolved before you begin using the home.

Step 6: Mold prevention

Each element of our work as home water damage repair contractors is completed with the goal of mold prevention. We begin our mold prevention work the moment we enter the home, but in step 6 we review our process to ensure that mold is not present in any areas of the home. This involves completing a full inspection of interior spaces and deploying a humidifier to remove all humidity from the property during the home drying process. If mold is discovered, we carefully harness the latest technology, such as HEPA filters to remove the mold growth from the property and help homeowners secure their property for the long-term future.

Our mold prevention strategy helps ensure that mold is not present in the home as we begin rebuilding the home during the recovery process.

Step 7: The rebuilding process

Once all areas of the home are dry and all traces of mold have been removed expertly, we’re then able to begin the rebuilding process. This may take some time depending on the extent of the damage and the requirements for the property. Our staff includes trained specialists in the areas of construction, carpentry and plumbing to complete a rebuild that enhances your home and ensures the property is returned to immaculate condition.

Make Malkin Cleaners your local emergency flood damage restoration company.

Here at Malkin Cleaners, we have the experience, the expertise and the response times to ensure that your home is returned to peak condition in a consolidated timeframe. Don’t wait for other companies to take on your project. We can provide the level of service you need to safeguard your home for the years to come. To discover more about our working process, or to speak with a specialist now about your water damage cleaning service questions, please call us today.