Your Ultimate Guide to Water Damage Restoration

Your Ultimate Guide to Water Damage Restoration

Water damage can occur in a variety of ways, from pipe leaks to failing sump pumps to heavy rains. When these events occur, the water spreads fast, absorbing into porous materials and furnishings, such as drywall, carpeting and furniture. Once saturated, these materials can get soggy, warp, and rot, and then begin to show signs of mold growth.

But whenever moisture enters your home and sits there unchecked, it can pose a health and safety threat to occupants because it can encourage the growth of mold over time. In addition to that, it can compromise the structural integrity of your home. To avoid these problems, it’s important to enlist the help of professionals for water damage restoration services as soon as possible after the flood or leak.

In this guide, we’ll go over the top reasons why water damage restoration is important as well as the top signs of water damage that you should be on the lookout for.

3 Reasons Why Water Damage Restoration is Important

Here are the top reasons why professional water damage restoration is so important.

1.   Safety

The water that has saturated your flooring and furniture may pose a health and safety risk on its own. If it’s black or gray in color, it could be contaminated. Black water in particular is bad because it can hold toxins and pathogens that pose a risk to occupants. Water damage restoration pros arrive with protective gear to guard against contaminated water.

2.   Commercial-Strength Equipment

You may be able to mop up small areas of moisture on your own, as long as they are a one-time occurrence. But if you’re talking a heavy water presence over a large area, whether during a freak rain storm or recurring problem due to the grading of your yard, you need professional attention.

Experts trained in water damage restoration can extract large volumes of water quickly, then address the resulting damage, including mold growth. The average homeowner doesn’t have the skill, patience or equipment to not only remove the water, but dry out the area and remove the offending materials. In fact, where mold is concerned, you shouldn’t handle this substance at all, as it can pose serious health threats.

Professionals are trained in the latest techniques to mitigate the damage, bringing with them commercial strength water extraction equipment, industrial fans, vacuums, and pumps.

3.   Mold Remediation

Whenever you see excessive moisture or water, mold is likely right there, proliferating as you speak. As it grows, mold spores are released into the air, which you then breathe in. The result can be throat, skin and eye irritation, as well as nasal stuffiness, coughing, and wheezing. A professional knows how to handle and remove mold safely thanks in large part to the use of protective gear, state of the art equipment, and the proper supplies.

Have you experienced water damage recently in your home or business? Time is not on your side, so call a trained professional right away. They can promptly inspect the area, assess the damage, and devise a restoration plan to get all that excess water out, fully dry the area, clean the area and sanitize it.

It’s only after all this has been done that you can even think to replace, repair or restore the materials.

6 Signs of Water Damage You Need to Look Out For

Now, let’s move on to the signs you should be looking for. After all, no homeowner wants to discover they have suffered water damage in their basement or other area of the house. Water damage spreads, often leading to mold, which will grow on any surface it comes into contact with. Spores can even travel through the air, and after landing on damp walls or flooring, can grow into a colony within 24 to 48 hours.

Prompt removal is essential to prevent foul odors from developing and further saturation of your carpeting and furniture, as well as the growth of mold and toxic mold.

The worst part about water damage is that it rarely stays in one spot. It spreads, invading other areas of your floor, eventually reaching walls and ceilings if it is not stopped.

Aside from the obvious pooling water or puddles, other signs of water damage can include anything from musty smells to dark or wet spots. Unfortunately, water damage isn’t always apparent or obvious right away. Sure, sometimes, it’s clear when you have suffered damage, such as after a burst pipe sprays water everywhere, or a big rain storm floods your basement. But in many cases, water damage is subtle and gradual.

Be on the lookout for these common signs, and call your trusted water damage restoration company in Michigan immediately.

1.     Pooling Water or Puddles

See an unusual puddle? Clean it up, then keep an eye on it to see if it returns. If so, you have a leak or some seepage.

2.    Sound

Sometimes you will hear water damage before you see it. You may detect a dripping sound, a rushing sound, or maybe you will hear a sound similar to creaking floor boards. Of course, these sounds could also be signs of a perfectly functioning and normal plumbing system, so to be more specific, be alert to any signs that those sounds have changed.

3.     Smell

Dampness has a distinct odor that is often accompanied by a musky smell, of which mold is often the culprit.

4.     Discoloration

Be on the lookout for streaks of water running down the sides of your home. This could be due to an overflowing gutter, which causes distinctive watermarks.

5.     Coldness

If your home is getting difficult to heat and maintain comfort, dampness could be affecting your walls. Water and moisture tend to draw heat out of walls to evaporate, which leaves your home colder as a result.

6.     Mold

Just like there is no smoke without fire, there’s no mold without water damage. Mold is a sign of too much moisture. Not only must the mold be cleaned up and removed, the source that has fueled it must be addressed as well, or else the mold will just come back. Mold comes with many adverse health reactions, such as runny noses, scratchy eyes and throats, headaches, and nausea. Toxic mold is even worse, with chronic exposure leading to anything from asthma and lung infections to seizures and even death. You can’t see it, but it’s there, lurking behind your walls and under carpets.  

Contact 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration Services

Calling us at the first sign of damage is key before the situation worsens. This will help you lower the costs of the total repair, as well as ensure we can treat the problem in time. Our team will arrive with powerful pumps that can quickly and efficiently extract the water from floors, rugs, carpets or drywall thanks to a commercial-strength, truck-mounted water removal system.

To book water damage restoration in New Hudson MI or surrounding areas, contact us at (248) 491-3088.

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Would recommend this company. On time and courteous. Excellent job on my carpet which was extremely dirty looks great now.
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We have a carpet that was the best quality at the time, but is 30 years old. It had so many stains, I was sure they were permanent. The owners showed up with state of the art equipment and 'steam' cleaned, not hot water clean, and got almost every stain and mark out of this old carpet. It honestly looks like new. The only stain remaining was because it was actual wood stain and you have to replace the carpet with that much damage. The steam allows you to walk on the carpet in 6 hours instead of the usual 24. We are selling this house and the carpet was the only sore spot, but not anymore. I will recommend this company to family and friends with a clear conscience.
Tom T.
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On time. Easy to contact and schedule appointment. The carpet looks great!
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Very professional. Did a great job. They are the only carpet cleaning company I use.
Absolutely awesome experience! I needed anti-microbial cleaning for a guest coming with severe allergies. They arrived promptly, were fast and efficient and I’ll recommend them all day long.
Ann I.
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Excellent, thorough duct and carpet cleaning. Will definitely use them again!
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Did a first-class job on time and very professional. No pricing games just a good honest job at a good fair price.
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Claude was a great guy and too informative. He explained me of every bit of the services that he was doing. I would definitely try him all the time and would recommend him :-)
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After our crawlspace flooded due to a frozen pipe, we could not have asked for a better experience or better service than what Claude provided. One of the perks of a small town and local business - we called in the later evening hours on a weeknight, expecting to get voicemail and/or be told we would have to wait a couple days, but Claude was there with a pump within 20 minutes! A good 2-3 feet of water was pumped and gone by the next morning allowing us to quickly get our pipe fixed and boiler up and running so we could heat our house. Claude brought a blower over, checked in with us regularly, and finalized his part by spraying to prevent mold. Friendly, knowledgeable, and more than fair in pricing. We highly recommend this local small business!
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They are the best .fast and professionalTotally would recommend.
Cid C.
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Very knowledgeable and arrived right on time. Happy with cleaning and would highly recommend. Plan to use again.
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1st class carpet cleaning lives up to its name! Great work and left us with clean carpet and furniture that we thought needed to be replaced! All at affordable pricing and friendly service.
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These gentlemen were very professional! They really know their craft!
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Excellent service and quality work and did two of our rugs for free!!
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Very professional, attention to detail and customer service oriented. Recommend this company highly.
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I called First Class to get my air ducts cleaned and I actually was able to see all of the dust and dirt coming out off the vents. They were very proffessional and nice I would recommend them 100%. I’m planning to get my carpets cleaned by them afterwards.
Moustapha A.
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The company did an excellent job in cleaning and removing all the dirt. The carpet looks brand new. Will use them again. They definitely stand by their name!!!!
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Awesome job and Paul was very thorough and courteous. Will use again.
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I called 1st Class and was able to schedule a weekend appointment. Paul, the technician who cleaned the carpeting, has been with the company for almost 20 years. He was very thorough, hard working, and pleasant. The carpeting looks fantastic, and the price was reasonable!. I will certainly use 1st Class again and will recommend the company to my friends and family members!
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Great experience! Very professional. They cleaned my air ducts and dryer vents and did a fantastic job. I’ll have them back to do the carpets soon.
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First Class Caroet Cleaning is great. Paul the technician was helpful and informative. The old stains stains that had been long term and reappearing are now gone. I’m pleased with all of the serviced. The fragrant deodorizer really helps my home smell lovely. Thank youI’ll be calling First Class again during the winter.Thank you again. Awesome company. Awesome technician.
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See
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The crew took extra time to ensure our office carpeting was cleaned properly. They showed us potential problem areas and made recommendations without being aggressive about it. Well done / highly recommended.
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Family owned and operated certified cleaning company
claude H.
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Great customer experience. Very impressed with the final results. Will definitely be using them any time I need my carpet cleaner. Strongly recommend. They removed stains that other carpet places couldn't. Thank you 1st Class!!
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First of all, let me thank Claude and his team, Paul for having excellent job done.When I first called Calude, I was not sure about this company but he gave me reasonable rate and told about what they do as part of cleaning process.He sent the person on time. We are very about Paul who did excellent service. He is very patient.I sincerely recommend to any one who needs support from Claude and team should really go without any hesitation.Claude; Thank you very much. I want to say sincere thanks to Paul as well,.Best wishes and regardsSarma
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Great job! Very professional. Would definitely use again!
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Prompt, courteous, personable; great company, job well done.
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These guys were top notch! They were courteous, efficient and very knowledgeable. We've been putting our duct cleaning off for years, and we are so glad we chose this company! They did such a great job on our ducts, that we decided to have them clean a couch and chair for us. Definitely give them a call for your ducts or furniture.
Bob W.
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I was very satisfied with the customer service from first class. I called for mattress and upholstery cleaning and they were out within 24 hours. They did a very thorough job quickly and were friendly and pleasant and respectful of my home. I will be using them again.
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This company CARES deeply about the work they do. They are prompt, efficient, personable, knowledgeable, forthcoming with explanations of what is being done and how they stay very close to the industry and top standards which they use to guide and enhance their already outstanding service. Truck-mounted equipment, pre-treat that breaks down the 'stuff' in the carpet that needs cleaning and a thorough steam 'rinse'... a very positive experience with fantastic results from a great company. Don't bother with anyone else!
Carla L.
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Claude and PaulCame to my home on time and gave me a 30 minute heads up, they came in did a wonderful job.I will have them back for my next cleaning.
Healing P.
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Great service! They came out on short notice and did an awesome job. I will be using their service in the future. Thx!
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Excellent service. Fast yet detailed and professional.Had some wet carpet from a small flood. They came, assessed and completed the job properly and recommended the correct follow up to prevent mold.Great team. Thank you.
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I always call 1st class when I need my carpets cleaned ! They are 1st class!!!! The best...
Y J.
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Did an awesome job.Vedy good people to call for carpet cleaning services
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They are amazing! Super friendly and understanding and right on schedule! They did a spectacular job cleaning! We had just painted our house and they got nearly every stain out! They are quick and had our whole house done (1700 square feet) done in about an hour or less! I would highly recommend!
Jimmies310
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This was the first time I used First time . Very professional and did a great job.
Rick S.
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Great service from this company, I've had them come out multiple times now. They are always on time, friendly, do the job quickly and the carpets look great!
Kapre D.
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Cloud was on time and did an awesome job... I will be using this company again...☺
Sheyna W.
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FAST! professional arrived before TIME... Very nice fast on the carpet cleaning process. Gave me pointer's about in the near future up keep for my carpet. Will use this company again. THANK YOU
Quan W.
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I needed my carpet cleaned ASAP and they were able to fit me in even though it was next day and they were booked. I also had a glue stain on the carpet from the previous owners that they got out for me! They were quick and got everything done right! I appreciate them for being so helpful but getting me in as soon as possible! I will definitely recommend 1st class carpet cleaning to anyone I know!
Charlene A.
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So friendly! Very quick and professional! Very fair price. And accommodating! Will use again!
Carlie W.
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Great service! My appointment was originally scheduled for the weekend but he was able come sooner and even taught me how to best care for my carpet. I would definitely recommend!
Shayla P.
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Great job, friendly and effecient. Explained clearly stain cleaning. Informed me about the condition of my new carpet and that it would be in my best interest to contact the manufacturer. Really appreciated that advice. Would recommend.
Gary L.
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Very good job cleaning the carpets in a pretty badly neglected room. Vast improvement, quick and reasonable price. Worked with me to get it done as soon as possible.
DOBSON10
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From my first call, Claude was polite and professional. We were able to schedule carpet cleaning after a move out. He called the morning of the appointment to confirm and give a ETA. Claude arrived on time, walked the carpet with me and discussed any problem areas. The carpets were deep cleaned and many long time stains came up. I appreciate Claudes great service and attention to detail. I would recommend 1st Class Carpet Cleaning to family and friends. We will definitely call him to service our new home. Thank you Claude, again!! October 2016November 4, 2016. Called Claude to clean the carpets in our new home. Our finished basement had many stains and hadn't been steamed in a long time. Claude took extra care to steam and extract trouble areas and out did himself today. The near white carpets turned out amazing. He was professional and gave personal service, remarkable in this day and age of dying customer service. I will continue to call him to take great care of our carpets and recommend him to my neighbors and family. A+++ Thank you!!
Elizabeth A.
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Nice father and son company added deodorizer and good sanitizer. Will use again
Van37 J.
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1st Class was truly first class! Very efficient, family-friendly, professional, and thorough. I couldn't be more impressed!!
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