Water Mitigation vs. Water Restoration

Water damage can be a double whammy for a homeowner. Not only is there the loss of damaged items inside the home to deal with, but there is also sometimes damage to the property itself. When it comes to fixing the problems that come with water damage, there are two aspects to consider: water damage mitigation and water damage restoration.

Here is some more information about each to get a better idea of the differences between the two.

Water damage mitigation

Water damage mitigation is the part of the process that prevents further damage to your property and belongings. It is not focused on repairing or replacing what’s already been damaged but, rather, on trying to avoid things from getting any worse. This is not the same as water damage restoration, which will be discussed later.

Mitigation includes removing damaged furniture and materials, including building materials like flooring and drywall. Once this is accomplished, any salvageable materials will be cleaned and disinfected. This is vitally important and should be done as soon as possible to ensure that any mold or bacteria issues are neutralized before they spread too much.

This part of the process will also handle getting water out of the home and drying it out. This is done with commercial-grade equipment and should be handled by a professional who knows how to get the most out of the gear.

Another aspect of water damage mitigation is making sure the home is structurally stable. Depending on the amount of water damage, this may be a more pressing issue than anything else going on. This may include boarding up broken windows or spreading out tarps over certain areas to protect the home and prevent further damage while the restoration process begins.

Water damage restoration

On the other hand, water damage restoration focuses on repairing the damage done to the property. This takes place after the mitigation process. The goal of water damage restoration is (as the name suggests) to restore the home to its original state before the water did its damage.

The actual steps involved in this process will vary depending on the type of damage that was done. One common step is replacing damaged walls and flooring. Some materials, such as these, may be removed from the house during the mitigation process to prevent, for example, the spread of mold. The restoration process will then begin to look at replacing materials that have been damaged beyond repair.

Another step in the restoration process is eliminating mold. This is tricky business, as mold is a sneaky adversary and can pop up in unexpected places down the road if not fully eradicated very soon after water damage has taken place. This will likely involve humidity and moisture testing to ensure it does not have any hiding places in which to grow freely. Restoration will also likely include repairing any roof damage, beginning with an inspection to determine the extent of the damage.

You may be able to hire one company to handle both the mitigation and restoration parts of the process. If you need water mitigation or water damage restoration services, contact our pros at Ahold of Mold Environmental today.

Categorised in: Water Damage Restoration