Water Damage Restoration Timeline In Your Charlottesville Home

There is one thing that you will just never have enough of – time. Time is especially important when it comes to water damage restoration, and the longer water is present, the more damage there will be. This is precisely why time is so important in ensuring the best, and least extensive, water damage restoration for your home. Think you have time to waste when it comes to dealing with water damage in your Charlottesville home? The following timeline will make you think again and help to show just how ever second counts when it comes to water damage restoration. 

Water Damage Restoration In Charlottesville

• Within the first few minutes of water exposure, all materials within the flow of the water will become exposed and begin to absorb any excess moisture available. For paper goods, this means they will become fully saturated and even begin to deteriorate literally within minutes of being exposed to water. Other porous materials like wood, drywall, sheet-rock, insulation, and textile goods will absorb water molecules until they have become fully saturated. 
• Only 24 hours after water damage has occurs, materials like carpet padding, carpet, upholstery, and other textiles will have become heavy and sodden because of over-saturation. Because of this, dyes from colored fabric can begin to bleed out. Building materials that have absorbed water and are still exposed to it will begin to deteriorate, warp, and swell under the excess weight of the moisture (drywall, insulation, and sheet-rock are especially more susceptible to damage early on since they are so porous). Wood will begin to swell, buckle, and even bend or warp, while metal objects will begin to tarnish. Paper goods will no longer be salvageable at this point.
• At 48 hours from water exposure, microbial mold growth will begin. Mold thrives off of porous materials, especially when moisture is so readily available. Mold can grow and spread very quickly, so by this time mold restoration will also be required. Wood products will begin to bend under the weight of water, metal objects will begin to corrode, and other materials like insulation, drywall, carpet, and other textile goods will continue to deteriorate. From this time on, water contamination levels will begin to rise and are considered a threat. 
• If water is present 72 hours or more, microorganisms can begin growing in the water, along with chemicals released from objects and materials that have been left soaking in the water. This makes water contamination high and very unsafe. Few items are considered salvageable at this point, and structural damage is likely to ensue. Walls, framing, insulation, and other building materials will require replacing rather than repairing, and mold damage will be a major problem. Water damage restoration at this point, while still doable, will be a much more labor intensive project requiring much more work, time and replacements. 

It is clear to see that the best way to handle water damage restoration is, well, quickly. This is why Restoration 1 of Charlottesville is available to take your call 24/7 so we can get a start on your water damage restoration project as soon as possible.