Based on a search using Gemini for information on the question “what are the most common residential damage restoration questions being asked today?”, here are the top results.
Obviously, we all want service providers to be competent to do the work needed so most customers have questions about experience and training. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points have been owned and operated by a family that has been in this industry since 1991. We apply the 34 years of experience to everything we do. Not only are we IICRC certified, but our founder was also a trainer that taught other ServiceMaster owners and technicians about disaster restoration services to strengthen the ServiceMaster Restore services that are offered to you. That experience and training as well as our industry certification keeps us very well qualified to assist you with your loss.
Customers also want to know that they are working with a reputable company. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points are part of the ServiceMaster Restore network. We are preferred providers for most insurance companies and also assist homeowners who are not filing claims using industry standard protocols and pricing. To find more information about claims with our main insurance partners, visit our insurance carriers page. Even if your insurance company is not listed here, we can work with your adjuster directly or through you to help make your claim run smoothly and keep you on the path to recovery. Our company is licensed, bonded, insured and certified as per the requirements of our insurance partners and the ServiceMaster Restore network.
Whether or not you have ever gone through this process before, it is normal to have questions about expectations for your specific loss. We are available 24/7 for emergencies every day of the year including holidays because you need help right away, and we are here for you. We gladly share testimonials from our customers. You can see what our customers have to say on our Testimonials page or through Google. Click HERE to see Google reviews for ServiceMaster of Gwinnett.
Different types of disasters have different processes and equipment required to help you recover from your loss. Customers want to know a timeline for the process, what work will be needed, what type of equipment we use and how both the customer and the adjuster are provided with documentation of the work performed. Very general descriptions of each type of disaster restoration in a residential loss have their own pages on our website.
· For water damage, go to our water damage mitigation page.
· For fire & smoke damage, go to our fire damage page.
· For mold damage, go to our mold damage page.
For more specific details regarding what is needed for your specific loss, we need to have our technician evaluate your home and the damage from your disaster before we can estimate a timeline, the amount and type of work needing to be performed or even the equipment that will need to be used. For insurance claims with our main insurance partners, we upload photos, notes and documents through a claim assignment that links us to the claim file and the assigned adjuster. For all insurance companies, we also communicate regularly by phone calls, site visits and emails to be sure everyone is kept informed and all appropriate approvals for work performed are received to protect the customer. With claims, the customer is updated during site visits and when setting appointments by phone during the job. When work is completed, the customer is provided with an estimate which details the work performed and the invoice for services rendered that is also submitted to the insurance company. For homeowners that have not filed a claim or are having us work through them instead of with the adjuster directly, we provide a review of the damage the technician found and an estimate for services recommended for this loss. The homeowner pays half the estimate up front and the remaining balance due at the end of the job. We supply the homeowner with any documentation needed such as a photo report to document the damage and the work performed at the home. The process is documented by photos of the affected areas before any work was performed, photos of the areas after unsalvageable materials have been removed, photos of the equipment used and photos of the same affected areas after the work is completed. There is also a “drying report” for water damage restorations that includes the readings of the affected building materials from each appointment, notes about the job progress including scope of work, adjuster approvals and updates shared during the time that we are working on your home.
Of course, if you are not filing a claim, pricing is an issue. Our pricing does vary slightly depending on who is paying the bill. The pricing for work performed through a claim is controlled by the price scale set by the insurance carrier in their contract with ServiceMaster Restore. For jobs where the customer is paying the bill, the pricing is set by the industry standard for IICRC certified professionals for that type of disaster restoration work. The technician will provide you with an itemized estimate after his initial evaluation so you can see the breakdown of what is needed and what it will cost to perform those services.
It is no surprise that water damage gets the most questions because it is the most common disaster that requires a restoration service. In our experience over the last few years working in northeast Georgia, the most common source of water damage is leaking or burst pipes in the building cavities (walls, ceilings and under floors). This type of water damage is followed by toilet overflows and leaks not including sewage and septic line backups which tend to come up toilet drains among other drain types in the home. We looked at septic/sewage backups separately because they can also come up sink, tub, shower and even appliance drains (dishwashers and clothes washers). Third place water damage is caused by hot water heaters leaking or bursting. There are many other ways a home can be damaged by water, but these are the top three reasons we are called to help a homeowner with water damage. We published a blog post about hidden winter water damage. While this article was written to help customers find water damage from thawing pipes damaged during a freeze, it is a good reference for looking for water damage anytime. Customers do ask how long it takes to dry a home once they do call us to mitigate water damage. That is a tricky question because the answer depends on many variables that range from whether the source of the loss has been repaired yet or not, to how large of an area was affected and how saturated the building materials got before drying begins, to whether testing is needed before any demo work can begin. A small water damage mitigation takes 3-4 days to dry. Larger or more complicated water damage mitigations will take longer. Our technicians are better able to provide you with a reasonable timeframe for your situation after they have had a chance to evaluate your water damage and confer with your insurance claims adjuster. Many people ask about drywall after water damage. Drywall's core is made of gypsum, which can absorb water. When this happens, the gypsum weakens, and the drywall loses its structural integrity. The paper facing of drywall also deteriorates when wet, further contributing to its weakness. The absorption of water leads to warping, bulging, sagging and soft spots that do not return to a smooth surface when dried. The drywall areas directly affected usually have staining or discoloration that comes from the contaminants left behind when the water evaporates. The most important problem when drywall is affected by water damage is that the water can become trapped in the cavity behind the drywall leading to mold growth. We wrote a blog post about what you need to know about mold growth when you have a water loss which answers several questions about water damage and mold.
General questions about disaster damage include what kind of damage is caused by each type of loss. The pages on this website for each type of loss discuss what potential you may see afterwards. Go to the disaster restoration page and select the type of loss you wish to learn more about, and you can read about what kind of damage is caused by that type of loss. Electrical wiring is another topic of interest for any sort of disaster damage. Wiring can be damaged by water, mold and fire. Wiring can also be the source of loss for a fire in a home, so it is important to check it regularly and have it repaired if you see any signs of damage to the wiring or the item that is receiving the electricity it carries. When wiring is frayed or damaged, it is extremely dangerous so it is safer to have a professional electrician fix it, but if you must handle it, be sure the power to that wire is completely cut off. If you have an area that has standing water that may have contact with wiring or any other source of electricity, do not enter that area until it has been safely checked to avoid fire, burns or electrocution. Wood floors can be damaged by fire, water and mold. Does that automatically mean they must be replaced, or can they be repaired? Scratches and scuffs may be able to be addressed by deep cleaning the wood flooring followed by buffing or polishing the surface. Dents and gouges may require the application of wood filler that is sanded after it dries then apply a finish that matches the rest of the flooring. Warping and buckling are more major damage. Mild warping or buckling can sometimes relax when fully dried if caused by water damage. In that case, some sanding and refinishing may be required to make it match the rest of the room. In more severe cases, replacement of the damaged boards will be necessary. If the damage is caused by water, you must make sure both the flooring and the subfloor underneath the flooring are fully dried because water trapped between the wood planks and the subfloor can lead to mold growth under your floors.
There are a lot of questions about disaster restoration and your insurance. Unfortunately, the answers vary widely from one carrier to the next and even from one policy to the next even with the same carrier. This is why insurance companies have adjusters manage claims instead of just processing payments for invoices sent to them. Each claim is unique and complex so all questions about what is covered or not should be addressed to your adjuster directly. You can ask your insurance agent general questions about what is covered by your policy, but once you file a claim, any questions about that particular loss should be directed to the adjuster. We are frequently asked what is covered or not during disaster restoration jobs we perform for our customers. We always refer the customer back to the adjuster for answers to those questions. We also provide regular updates and supporting photos and documents, so the adjuster is best equipped to help you with your claim because he or she has the most well rounded view of your loss and what is needed to restore your home.
These questions highlight the key concerns homeowners have when facing damage to their property. Make sure you hire a qualified professional to help you understand the extent of the damage and navigate the insurance claims process.
