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Flood Restoration
If you’re a victim of a burst pipe or a flood event, there are seven questions you need to ask of a professional flood restoration company.
Health Risks of inadequate or no carpet restoration:
The two biggest health issues associated with wet or damp carpets are:
MOULD: – Mould can grow on the carpet backing and/or the gripper under the carpet. – Internal brick walls will “wick” water into the bricks – only proper equipment can detect this. – Carpets touching wet walls will draw the moisture back into the carpet – allowing mould to grow.
BACTERIA: – The reason many carpet smell when wet is due to bacteria in the carpet fibres… – Bacterium flourish in the presence of moisture and debris in carpet fibres.
Breathing in mould spores or bacteria can pose serious health risks for you and your family – the longer the carpet stays damp, the more these organisms will thrive!
The 8 Most Important Questions You Should Ask Before Engaging a Restoration Company
| QUESTION S YOUSHOULD ASK | FIRST CHOICE | OTHERS |
|---|---|---|
| Can they give you a likelihood of successfu l restoration – before starting the job? | Every type of floor covering reacts differently when flooded. Some floor coverings(wool carpet for example) can be difficult to restore to pre -damage condition. Our experience allows usto informyou of the likelihood of a successful outcome. | ? |
| Can they give you a comparison of the restoration cost versus replacement cost? | As First Choice are a leading supplier of floor coveringsto the Insurance Industry, Commercial and Retail clients, we can accurately value the replacement cost of most types of floor coverings – before we start any restoration process. This allows you to make informed decisions . | ? |
| Can the restoration company determin e if your insurance company islikely to reimburse you for the costs? | - Whilst the cause of most major floodsis obvious, other water damage situations can be difficult to diagnose. Our technicians are trained to seek out common causes of water damage – in most cases we can advise if your Insurance Company will cover the restoration costs | ? |
| Can they provide referencesfrom othersatisfied clients? | Insurance Companies process a LOT of flood claims. As a result of this, many Insurance Companies rely on First Choice to provide our expertise to assist their clients. | ? |
| Can they give you an estimate of what the total cost will be? | At First Choice, we have seen it all – fromsmall floodsto houses which are under water. Our experience means we can provide a reasonably accurate cost to restore your home to pre -damage condition. | ? |
| Do they have the right qualifications and experience ? | First Choice have flood restoration certificationsfromthe world ’sleading flood restoration training organisations. - As members of the Carpet Cleaning Association of WA, all our techniciansreceive ongoing training to stay up to date with the latest technology and techniques - As a majorsupplier to the Insurance Indust ry, First Choice have successfully restored hundreds of wet carpets | ? |
| Do they have the right equipment? | First Choice has a large inventory of commercial grade equipment including Dehumidifiers, Air Movers, Ozone generators – all vitally important to a successful flood restoration. | ? |
| Do they have police clearance and liability insurance? | For peace of mind, a ll our technicians have Police clearance and First Choice maintain our 10mPublic Liability Insurance | ? |
The First Choice Difference.
As a major supplier to the Insurance Industry, First Choice have seen all types of floods.
We take the worry out of your situation with our expertly trained team who have been restoring
flooded W.A. buildings since 1986
In that time, we have seen a lot of “dodgy” carpet restorations. Here a few tips to try and take the
guess work out of who you should use to restore your home to a safe and sanitory condition:
All decisions start with information..
Making logical and sound decisions without all the relevant information will often result in a wrong
decision – this can cost you time and/or money and may even put your health at risk.
WET FLOOR COVERINGS ASSESSMENT:
We start every flood restoration job with a detailed assessment of the following:
Tick – How long has the carpet been wet?
Tick – Age and condition of the wet floor covering – will the floor covering survive a restoration
attempt? (see our section on common floor covering problems)?
Tick – Type of flood – is it fresh water, gray water, storm water etc?
Tick – Extent of flooding – is it the entire room or just a small section?
Tick – Can the floor covering be restored to pre-damage condition – are there any rust or timber
stains on the surface of the floor coverings (these can be difficult to remove)?
Tick – Have the walls in the room absorbed a lot of water – re-laying a restored floor covering
against a wet wall can cause future problems (mould on the edge of the carpet etc.)?
Tick – Can the affected room be left unoccupied during the restoration process?
Tick – Is the floor covering going to be cheaper to replace than restore?
Most floor covering restoration companies make money by restoring wet floor coverings – not by
removing them. This can lead to compromised decision making, they make decisions in their best
interests – NOT YOURS. You benefit from First Choice either restoring or replacing – what ever is
best for you.
Many restoration companies cannot even correctly identify what type of carpet you have, let alone
estimate the replacement cost. All of this leaves you at the mercy of single option restoration
companies – all except First Choice!
As a major wholesaler of floor coverings, we will estimate the replacement cost of the floor covering
versus the restoration cost
At First Choice, we will examine and document the condition of your floor coverings and discuss the
potential outcomes and associated costs with you BEFORE we attempt any restoration.
We take the worry out of your situation with our expertly trained team who have been restoring
flooded W.A. buildings since 1986
In that time, we have seen a lot of “dodgy” carpet restorations. Here a few tips to try and take the
guess work out of who you should use to restore your home to a safe and sanitory condition:
All decisions start with information..
Making logical and sound decisions without all the relevant information will often result in a wrong
decision – this can cost you time and/or money and may even put your health at risk.
WET FLOOR COVERINGS ASSESSMENT:
We start every flood restoration job with a detailed assessment of the following:
Tick – How long has the carpet been wet?
Tick – Age and condition of the wet floor covering – will the floor covering survive a restoration
attempt? (see our section on common floor covering problems)?
Tick – Type of flood – is it fresh water, gray water, storm water etc?
Tick – Extent of flooding – is it the entire room or just a small section?
Tick – Can the floor covering be restored to pre-damage condition – are there any rust or timber
stains on the surface of the floor coverings (these can be difficult to remove)?
Tick – Have the walls in the room absorbed a lot of water – re-laying a restored floor covering
against a wet wall can cause future problems (mould on the edge of the carpet etc.)?
Tick – Can the affected room be left unoccupied during the restoration process?
Tick – Is the floor covering going to be cheaper to replace than restore?
Most floor covering restoration companies make money by restoring wet floor coverings – not by
removing them. This can lead to compromised decision making, they make decisions in their best
interests – NOT YOURS. You benefit from First Choice either restoring or replacing – what ever is
best for you.
Many restoration companies cannot even correctly identify what type of carpet you have, let alone
estimate the replacement cost. All of this leaves you at the mercy of single option restoration
companies – all except First Choice!
As a major wholesaler of floor coverings, we will estimate the replacement cost of the floor covering
versus the restoration cost
At First Choice, we will examine and document the condition of your floor coverings and discuss the
potential outcomes and associated costs with you BEFORE we attempt any restoration.
CASE STUDIES
Case Studies – other restoration companies:
On numerous occasions, First Choice have been appointed by Insurance Companies to provide a
second opinion on other restoration companies workmanship.
Case Study 1:
A home owner notified their Insurance Company that there was still an unusual odour in the
carpets after they were restored by the Insurance Company’s appointed restoration company.
The Restoration company returned to the premises on 2 x separate occasions to inspect the
restored carpets – and reported there was nothing wrong with the restored carpet.
The Insurance Company then appointed First Choice to provide a second opinion. We attended
the premises and began our “fact finding” process:
– We asked how long the carpet had been wet before the restoration company attended – we
were advised it was 7 days.
– We asked if the carpet had any odours whilst it was wet – apparently it had quite strong
odours..
– We asked if the carpets were lifted during the drying process – they were not.
– We asked if the carpets were lifted during the following inspections – they were not.
– We asked if the representatives from the other restoration company who re-inspected the
carpet were qualified – they advised he was the general manager…
We then began our investigations:
– We examined the condition of the carpet
– It was an old (we estimate 10+ years) and fairly worn carpet.
– The surface fibres appeared clean and without any stains.
– We performed a moisture test on the carpet – the carpet was indeed dry.
– Upon lifting the carpet, we identified significant mould growth on the carpet backing and
underlay – a serious health concern.
– The carpet rubber underlay had also perished – not uncommon for this type of underlay,
but could also have been caused by the water.
Conclusion:
It appears that the restoration company who “restored” this carpet did not do a proper assessment
on the condition of the carpet BEFORE attempting the restoration.
Most importantly, the restoration company did not perform a proper assessment AFTER
restoring the carpet
On numerous occasions, First Choice have been appointed by Insurance Companies to provide a
second opinion on other restoration companies workmanship.
Case Study 1:
A home owner notified their Insurance Company that there was still an unusual odour in the
carpets after they were restored by the Insurance Company’s appointed restoration company.
The Restoration company returned to the premises on 2 x separate occasions to inspect the
restored carpets – and reported there was nothing wrong with the restored carpet.
The Insurance Company then appointed First Choice to provide a second opinion. We attended
the premises and began our “fact finding” process:
– We asked how long the carpet had been wet before the restoration company attended – we
were advised it was 7 days.
– We asked if the carpet had any odours whilst it was wet – apparently it had quite strong
odours..
– We asked if the carpets were lifted during the drying process – they were not.
– We asked if the carpets were lifted during the following inspections – they were not.
– We asked if the representatives from the other restoration company who re-inspected the
carpet were qualified – they advised he was the general manager…
We then began our investigations:
– We examined the condition of the carpet
– It was an old (we estimate 10+ years) and fairly worn carpet.
– The surface fibres appeared clean and without any stains.
– We performed a moisture test on the carpet – the carpet was indeed dry.
– Upon lifting the carpet, we identified significant mould growth on the carpet backing and
underlay – a serious health concern.
– The carpet rubber underlay had also perished – not uncommon for this type of underlay,
but could also have been caused by the water.
Conclusion:
It appears that the restoration company who “restored” this carpet did not do a proper assessment
on the condition of the carpet BEFORE attempting the restoration.
Most importantly, the restoration company did not perform a proper assessment AFTER
restoring the carpet
FLOOD HANDY HINTS
If you have a flood in your premises, the following handy hints can minimise the extent of the damage:
DON’T: – Use coloured bath towels to soak up the water – the dyes may transfer onto the carpet.
DO: – Place foam or plastic under the legs of timber furniture
– to prevent further damage
– Switch off all power boards which are on the floor
Before you have a flood: –
Don’t leave electronic devices (laptops, phones etc.) on the floor – these items will be the first to be damaged (often irreparably)
– If storing items on floors (under beds etc.), put them in plastic crates – this prevents water getting to them directly.
– Examine flexi-hoses under sinks and vanities regularly – look for rust spots on the stainless steel braiding. Don’t attempt to replace any damaged hoses yourself – incorrect installation may cause premature failure.