What Happens After You Call Us

Most people call us on the worst day they have had in a while. You do not know what happens next, and nobody has time to explain it while the water is still moving.

So here it is, start to finish. This is what we do and when we do it.

What happens when you call?

Someone picks up. Our line is answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

We ask what happened and where the water or smoke is. If we can help you stop it getting worse before we arrive, we will tell you on that call. Sometimes that is as simple as where to find your water shut-off.

Then we head your way. We are usually there in about an hour.

What do we do when we get there?

We walk the damage with you. This part is free.

We look at what got wet or burned. We use moisture meters to find water inside walls and under floors, because most of it does not show on the surface. We tell you what we are seeing while we are standing next to you.

Then we explain what we would do first. You will know the plan before we touch anything.

What do you need to sign?

One form, called a work authorization.

That form does two things. It lets us do the work. And it lets us talk to your insurance company for you. Without it we cannot do either.

Read it. Ask us what anything means. We would rather spend five minutes on it than have you unsure later.

What comes out of the house?

Whatever is holding water and cannot be dried.

That usually means soaked carpet pad, wet drywall along the bottom of a wall, and insulation. Wet insulation does not dry in place. It holds water against the wood framing, so it comes out.

We take photos of everything before it leaves. Those photos go to your insurance company.

One thing we do not do is handle your belongings. We are not a contents company. If your furniture or clothes need cleaning, that is a different company, and we can point you to one.

What equipment do we set up?

Air movers, dehumidifiers and air scrubbers.

Air movers push air across wet surfaces. Dehumidifiers pull the water out of that air. Air scrubbers use HEPA filters to clean the air in the work area.

Where the job needs it, we build containment. That is plastic sheeting that keeps dust and dirt in one room instead of moving through your house.

Every piece of equipment is cleaned before it comes in. Houses are different. Some have pets. Some have people with allergies. We do not bring equipment straight from one home into another.

How long does the drying take?

Most homes dry in two to four days.

It depends on how much got wet, what it is made of, and how long it sat before anyone got there. A basement found the same night dries faster than one found on Monday morning.

Why do we come back every day?

To take readings.

We measure the moisture in your walls, floors and framing each day. Those numbers tell us if the drying is working. If a wall is not coming down, we move equipment or add more.

The readings decide when we are done. Not the calendar, and not a guess. Ask to see them. We will show you.

What happens when the drying is finished?

We pull the equipment out.

Our office calls you to go over the drying records. There is a form to sign saying the work is complete, which your insurance company asks for.

You may see some things left behind, like staples in the floor or peeling paint. That is normal at this stage. It gets handled when the room is put back together.

Please be careful in that space until it is rebuilt. Uneven floors and exposed tack strip are easy to trip on.

What red flags should you watch for?

A company that will not show you moisture readings. Readings are the proof. No numbers, no proof.

A company that gives you an exact final price on day one. Nobody can see inside a wall. Anyone who prices it before opening one is guessing.

A company that wants you to wait for the adjuster before starting. Waiting lets the water spread. Most policies ask you to stop the damage getting worse.

A company that brings in dirty equipment. Ask if it was cleaned. It should have been.

Who do you call?

Us. Any hour, any day of the year. We are usually at your door in about an hour.

We will walk it with you, tell you what we see, and tell you what we would do next. That part costs you nothing.

The same sequence runs whether the call is about flood cleanup, sewage cleanup or smoke damage. What changes is the equipment, not the way we treat you.