One of the most destructive elements to a house is water damage. For every fifty homeowners, one will submit a claim for water damage every year. Water pouring out from a ruptured main or seeping from a loose fitting or gasket can destroy the interior of a house. Anytime there is unwanted water in your home that can’t be cleaned with a towel or two, you realize that you need help. But who should you call? What is the difference between plumbing and restoration services? To help you figure out if plumbing, restoration or both services are needed, we’ll break it down.
While restoration and plumbing services complement each other, they are vastly different. The most significant difference is the extent of the damage and the seriousness of the situation. Typical plumbing issues, such as a leaking toilet seal or a clogged pipe can be fixed within a few hours. But mold remediation, damaged drywall, or problems with a flooded basement can be more challenging to remedy and take much longer to fix. It’s important to act quickly as soon as you discover a problem but the first thing you should do is stop and take a breath. Assess the problem and figure out what’s happened. It’s quite possible you need more help than a plumber can provide. That is when a restoration company can step in.
What Does a Plumber Do?
Plumbers are the pipe experts. From pipes to toilets and faucets, they can help you handle the plumbing throughout your home. Plumbers are trained to find the source of a leak, the reason for the crack in the pipe, and fix the problem right away, preventing any additional damage from happening. A plumber will not only stop the flow of water in the case of a leak, but will also unclog or unstop a blockage. Lack of water in the house could mean a main water pipe has burst, or that there is a major leak street side, leading to your home.
What Does a Full-Service Restoration Company Do?
`Plumbers deal with pipes, drains, toilets, faucets, and showers but what about the other damage? Once the source of the water leak has been repaired, a full-service restoration team will completely restore and protect a home. This involves clearing standing water, drying out and disinfecting the affected area, removing water-damaged materials from your home, treating mold, and disposing or other hazardous materials. Once that clean-up process is done it’s time to begin repairs.
Proper water damage repair professionals will rebuild the areas of your home that were impacted by the damage. Sometimes that means replacing drywall, windows, tiles, and refinishing hardwood. The type of services that you can expect typically include:-
Replacing flooring
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Cabinet replacement
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Hanging drywall
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Roof repair
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Siding repair
- Replacement windows
Gray and Black Water Damage
The restoration versus plumbing comparison wouldn’t be complete without mentioning gray and black water problems – these are potentially serious. Dealing with gray or black water is a health hazard and can cause severe illness. Gray and black water are dangerous because of what they contain. Gray water may consist of relatively harmless materials like soap, or may contain chemicals, dirt, oil, gas, paints, solvents, etc. Black water is sewage – bodily waste products – and is teeming with harmful bacteria. A black or gray water crisis may require a two-pronged attack. A plumber would handle water supply, pipes, drains and septic flow issues. Cleaning up the mess is for the certified restoration specialists.
A professional restoration service is certified and trained to handle the situation. They will assess the structural issues caused by the water damage, which could have long term safety and property value consequences, if not fixed properly. The affected area will be sealed off and air flow controlled to prevent cross contamination. Complete cleaning and sanitation is then conducted to ensure a healthy environment.
When to Bring In Xtreme Home Improvement
The next time you encounter a “plumbing” issue, remember what plumbers can’t do that restoration specialists can handle. In the case of a small, temporary problem, like a cracked or broken pipe, give your local plumber a call. If you’re worried about damage and repair beyond that pipe, contact a restoration company. But if you do, make sure they deliver a full-service solution. Some water damage companies don’t do any repairs. They may sell the whole job but only clean up and remove debris, leaving the remainder of the work for another contractor.
At Xtreme Home Improvement, you get that extra “oomph” of home care. This means we provide a professional restoration service that handles the cleanup, recovery, reconstruction and plumbing. We are just the company you need for any property damage situation or home construction project. You can count on our trained, certified, and licensed emergency response team available 24/7 to assess your situation.