The two primary disasters that plague the minds of homeowners is fire and flood. Water damage in response to a fire can cause extensive damage as well. The next problem after the flood, if not dried out rapidly in a timely manner is the formation of damp loving mold. Walls, upholstery and carpets are the primary sites for this infestation.

Emergency Water Extraction & Structural Drying

In flooding, it doesn’t matter if it is caused by a force of nature or an overflowing washer machine or burst pipe. The first order of business is water removal. If deep water like a basement is involved, pumps will have to be used. Shallower standing water can be vacuumed up using a wet ‘n dry vac. The drying utilizes multiple fans to circulate the air to dry out carpets and walls. Some flooring such as engineered wood may be susceptible to water damage and need replacement.

Damaged Drywall Replacement

Then there is the restoration effort. Fire will cause structural damage, where most flooding incidents are cosmetic damage. Sheet rock, the most prevalent wall material is compressed ground mineral between two paper outer surfaces. For all of gypsum board’s kudos as a building material, it is not a very water-resistant material. If the water is shallow enough only the bottom edges of the walls need to be replaced, same with mildew restoration.
Deep water flooding may require the removal and replacement of all the wallboard.

Electrical & Gas Systems After a Disaster

Wiring should to be checked and gas systems expunged. Water is heavy, natural gas systems are low pressure, about 10 psi at the home connection, mains at about to 200 psi. Water can easily over come the static pressure in the in-house distribution lines and flood the gas lines in the home. Momentary ground fault because of rising water may short or burn wiring before the tripping of the breakers. The framing member need to be dried out to prevent mold in the wood.

Deep Upholstery Cleaning

In floods the structures are not the only items affected. Furniture and fixtures are affected. Furniture is generally constructed of wood or wood products like particle board. High-end furniture consists of many hardwood components that are moisture resistant and not overly affected by immersion. Low end particle board products can disintegrate when exposed to water. Upholstery, particularly fabrics absorb water. Long term immersion can allow mold growth in upholstery. So, water removal and drying should be done as soon as possible to preserve fabrics from mold and component disintegration.

Fire & Water Damage Restoration & More in Quincy, Macomb, Hamilton, Warsaw & East Alton Illinois | Hannibal, Missouri

Fires leave behind smoke and soot. This and shallow depth water extraction follow fire. Water damage on a small localized fire can exceed that of the fire itself. Structural damage from a severe fire may be total. The fire department will issue a report for your insurance company. Security of the premises is important to prevent looting. Anywhere there is water, there exists the potential for mold growth, and there is a lot of water put on a fire by firefighters. They wet down everything to prevent the spread of a fire, hence water damage can be extensive. Restoration following a fire is a contractor service to rebuild the structure to nearly like new condition or better. As a total service company from water removal to reconstruction, we at the American Hometown Services can provide total recovery so you can get back to your life. And as such extensive rebuilding is often required after a fire or flood, we find that many of our valued clients choose to take this opportunity to remodel their homes as opposed to just restoring it to what it was previously. Contact American Hometown Services for all your damage restoration and remodeling needs!