Frequently Asked Questions

Water damage starts immediately after a major water or sewer loss. The moisture will bind itself to any possible structural elements over time, making it more difficult to address the longer you wait.

Do not assume anything about the scope of your water damage based on what is seen in plain view. Water follows the path of least resistance, including beams and other structural elements. This means certain water losses can actually move throughout a house before you ever notice it.

That depends on the severity of the damage. A restoration company can inspect a home and give you a full report on water damage before moving in.

It’s difficult to know without an inspection because water sometimes moves to locations that are harder to see.

First a restoration company will perform a thorough inspection throughout the structure. It might not sound necessary, but this is the proper procedure due to water’s ability to move with little hinderance.

We want to make sure that water is not getting trapped under your flooring, compromising vapor barriers, etc. Having moisture in your insulation can also cause major issues, usually leading to mold. Everything we do is to ensure a dry environment to avoid mold growth.

This is why an inspection is recommended, it will help decide if restoration is necessary.

An inspection will help dictate the overall scope and requirements for proper water extraction and drying. Once work is completed we will administer tests that will prove the structure is dry.

Call a local certified, licensed and insured restoration company. They will evaluate your home and see which steps need to be taken.

Mold can begin to grow in as few as 48 hours depending on environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture and more.

In the case of water damage, your coverage and deductible depend on your policy. Our goal is to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.

Yes, you can get sick from sewage water. Sewage backups are extremely contaminated and you should never make contact with it. We do not recommend being near a sewage backup without safety coverings and proper equipment.

Sewage spills are more complex than traditional water losses due to the grossly contaminated water. These types of extractions require specific equipment, bodily protection and proper procedures.

Sewage contamination will remain until it is properly removed.

Call a professional company to avoid the risks that come with cleaning up grossly contaminated water. Licensed, insured and bonded companies will have the right equipment and protective coverings to approach this safely.

The average water damage repair is between $2000 and $20000. There are many factors including how much your insurance’s deductible is, etc. An inspection will provide a lot more information.

Once the building is deemed safe for entry, a restoration company can run an inspection to learn more about the scope of damage before beginning any work.

That will depend on the scope of damage and your home insurance policy.

Fire damage can originate from residential fires, wildfires, and more. Sometimes you are less affected by fire but very affected by smoke. Residential fires are particularly toxic because that smoke carries all kinds of elements from batteries, devices, appliances, and more. Severe fire damage can create a risky environment which might require a structural engineer to clear the space for reentry.

It depends on the smoke, but fire damage causes substantial harm to the air quality around it.

A small fire can still produce a large amount of smoke damage. Smoke can go throughout a structure and its AC/heating systems. This smoke infiltrates air ducts, filters and more with toxic carcinogens.

Although smoke may seem like a simple bad odor, it is extremely harmful to humans and animals.

For some cases its more obvious due to the present ash/soot in that environment. Restoration companies should take samples for testing while completing a thorough inspection to find smoke damage in hard to reach places, such as attics, crawlspaces and ducting.

That depends on the amount of damage and/or odor present. Smaller jobs can be 2-3 days or less but substantial damage/odor from fire could take weeks. You will learn more during your initial inspection with a restoration company.

Removing smoke or fire damage involves a wide range of removal, cleanup, and disinfection processes. Technicians will wear full personal protective equipment for their own safety and to avoid cross contamination of the environment as it gets cleaned.

Fire and smoke creates toxic environments that should be inspected and cleaned by professionals for your own safety. If you have any doubt that your environment is compromised as a result of fire/smoke, call a professional immediately.

Fire or smoke restoration starts with an inspection. Once the cleanup work has been completed, the environment will be tested to ensure safe reentry by its occupants.

In a large fire, restoration companies have to wait to be cleared by a structural engineer. Once the space is considered safe to operate in, we can begin the inspection. Then we will remove damage, disinfect, and perform final testing to ensure a safe environment. Small fires will still be inspected thoroughly for smoke damage.

That depends on how severe the damage from the fire is. Larger flames could lead to reconstruction, which can turn projects from days to weeks based on the scope. Smaller flames have a much smaller overall scope for cleanup.

In the case of fire damage, that is typically covered by your home insurance. Our goal is to help you maximize insurance and reduce out-of-pocket expenses. We recommend going through your policy to understand the fine print and deductible for restoration services.

We do not recommend living at home after a fire due to the structural damage caused by fires and smoke. Having a professional inspect your home can help identify elements (such as air quality) that would cause harm to inhabitants.

Once a structure is considered sound and there are no major health concerns with air quality, it may be safe to occupy the structure (assuming there are no other concerning variables.) Ultimately, this will be decided on a case-by-case basis after an inspection.

Mold is never a good thing to live with. How severe is the odor? How much visual mold is there? Is there any mold in the insulation or other locations that are difficult to see? A proper inspection will answer those questions and determine the safety.

That will depend on where mold is located and how severe the growth is. Call a professional like Pure Restore to perform an inspection and we can help plan those next steps.

When we perform mold remediation, we will test the environment afterwards to ensure the environment is safe for occupancy.

Disturbing mold can actually cause it to release spores, making matters worse. This is a standard defense mechanism that mold uses to spread. By not removing it properly you would risk making matters worse. Call a licensed, bonded and insured professional like Pure Restore to handle mold remediation.

Getting mold removed professionally is the only way to ensure it won’t continue to grow. Its possible mold has already found itself in another part of your house which you can’t see because spores move freely with air. Spending a lot of time around a moldy environment will cause acute or chronic illness to people if proper safety equipment isn’t used.

By using equipment that properly filters and cleans air, plus technology that manages air movement in your house. We will also disinfect surfaces and remove affected material as needed. Testing can prove that the mold has been removed.

Typically from water damage. It doesn’t take much, and not addressing water damage within 48 hours will give mold increasing opportunity for growth. Certain temperatures or humidity levels will also affect how quick it grows and spreads.

Mold doesn’t need much to keep growing. If the moisture is present and it goes unnoticed, it can keep developing colonies until you notice health issues, odor, or visual indications of mold.

Mold can grow anywhere with the right conditions, especially moisture.

Many people notice one of the following: odor, visual growth, or acute/chronic health issues are usually how people find out about mold growing.

Mold is toxic to humans and their pets, and there is no “good’ mold. Anytime you have mold in your environment, it should be removed as soon as possible. There is a common misconception that “black mold” (Stachybotrys chartarum) is the worse form of mold, but for your safety you should have zero mold growing in your environment.

Mold coverage isn’t guaranteed by your policy. Research the fine print of your home insurance plan. Sometimes mold damage is only covered if it’s related to a covered peril.