Disaster cleanup is something you hope you will never have to worry about. However, the unfortunate truth is that this type of situation can arise when you least expect it, whether you’ve had a fire in your home or you’re dealing with a natural disaster in your area. If you find yourself in need of cleanup after an event like this, you may have a lot of questions about how the process works. Unfortunately, many people also have misconceptions or believe myths about disaster restoration, and this can be detriment to you as the property owner as well as the insurance and restoration companies you’ll be working with throughout the process. To get a better idea of what to expect from your restoration and repair, read through the list of misconceptions below.
1. Myth: If your carpet is dry, the rest of the home is dry too.
Many homeowners and property owners alike believe that the carpet is the last part of the home to dry. In turn, they also think that if the carpet feels and looks dry, the rest of the home has finished drying too. This is unfortunately not true. There may be layers of water damage going on that you can’t see within your home, and it may take much longer for deeper problems to be resolved. A professional trained in restoration services will be able to tell you when your home is completely dry and ready to be entered once again.
Truth: Just because the carpet is dry, that doesn’t mean the whole house is dry. This is also not an indicator of the safety of your home after a disaster.
2. Myth: It’s cheaper or easier to clean up after a disaster yourself than to hire a company.
It’s a common misconception that DIY cleanup is feasible or reasonable after a disaster. However, if you have had fire damage, water damage, or smoke damage in your home, you are much better off getting in touch with a professional company to handle the cleaning and restoration process. The company you choose will take care of the more complicated parts of the cleanup of your home and ensure that everything is safe before you return to your property. They will also help with restoring and salvaging your furnishings and working with your insurance, too.
Truth: It’s much more convenient to hire a restoration company to handle cleanup. It can save you money and effort in the long run.
3. Myth: It’s cheaper to just replace your belongings than to try to salvage them.
Although you may believe that your furnishings and other belongings are ruined beyond saving and that it’s much cheaper to just buy replacement products, this isn’t always the case. Some items may be unable to be salvaged, but many can still be repaired and restored. Your restoration service company will be able to examine each item individually and let you know whether or not it can be repaired so you can make this decision on a case-by-case basis.
Truth: While this may be the case for some items, many can be salvaged. When you hire a restoration company, the technicians will help you with the repair and restoration of your furnishings as part of the cost.
4. Myth: Heat is the biggest problem in a fire.
While heat is a contributing factor in the damage caused by fire, it’s not the leading problem when you are dealing with a fire in your home or property. In fact, the biggest issue related to fire is smoke. Your restoration company will help you with smoke damage repair in your home following a fire and will ensure that you can get back into your home safely and efficiently without risking your health and wellbeing by exposing yourself to smoke. Water damage, too, is an after-effect of a fire, and this quickly leads to mold and mildew as well. Just like with smoke damage, your restoration professionals will help you clean up water damage and mold after a fire has occurred.
Truth: Smoke damage is the most significant problem after a fire, and water damage is also a big issue. A professional team of restoration service technicians will be able to assess and clean up all of these.
5. Myth: If an area or surface feels dry, it doesn’t have any mold.
Just because something feels dry, that doesn’t mean it’s free of damage altogether. It’s entirely possible that water seeped into surfaces and structures in your home during the disaster and immediately after began growing mold and mildew almost immediately. If this happens, the item or surface in question may not feel wet, but it still may have a lot of issues going on that you just can’t see.
Truth: Mold and mildew are extremely common after water damage has occurred. Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours after water damage takes place. Only a professional can make sure your home is free from mold and safe to enter.
6. Myth: If your home doesn’t smell, then there’s no underlying damage.
If your home has an unpleasant smell after damage has occurred, then it’s pretty easy to tell that there’s something going on in terms of damage, even if you can’t see it. However, if your home smells fine, you may be tempted to believe there is no more damage to be concerned about. In many cases, this isn’t true, and you may end up exposing yourself and your family to harmful mold spores, bacteria, smoke damage and more by entering your home when it isn’t fully cleaned and safe. Get in touch with a restoration professional to assess your property and handle sewage cleanup, mold removal, smoke repairs, and more.
Truth: Smells are not the only indicator of underlying damage, but it may take a professional to find out for sure what’s going on with your home.
7. Myth: All the cleanup will take place inside your home.
While the majority of the cleanup will occur within your home, your restoration company may remove furnishings and other household items to clean and restore elsewhere. The company you choose should be up front with you about this and let you know of their intention to move these items before doing so. When restoration has concluded, they will return the salvaged items to your property.
Truth: Some cleanup and repairs may take place on-site at the location of your restoration company.
For assistance dealing with disaster restoration needs in the Naperville, Illinois area, get in touch with Restoration Techs today. Whether you need an estimate or emergency services, we are available 24/7 to help you with any type of damage cleanup and restoration you may need. Give us a call at 800-600-3594, or fill out the form below, for more information.