Lorena Distefano “We had a water leak in our kitchen that flooded our whole downstairs and Dry More came in and did an amazing job drying everything out. When you're dealing with such a stressful event it is good to work with a company that is very competent ...more
How to Save Money on Water Damage Restoration
Article by David Selter
Deductibles can be high on water damage claims, which means more money out of your pocket. And when it comes to Flood Insurance, money out of pocket is a given since flood insurance was never mandated by Congress to make you whole again, but just to make your home livable to avoid an area wide housing crisis. So how can you save money during a Gulf Coast flooding event? Well besides the usual storm preparations that we hear ad nauseam on the local news, you need to act quickly.
Even though drying equipment is at a premium when flooding has occurred, if you act fast enough you may find some that some air movers and dehumidifiers are still available to rent. Getting the drying equipment from a rental center is fine, but renting it from a water restoration company is ideal. They have the formulas that tell you how much equipment is needed based on the size of the areas effected in your home. And some of these companies also include delivery and pick up, AND daily moisture readings so that you have documentation of the drying process. This is extremely important when dealing with flood insurance, which requires such documentation for you to get reimbursed. And remember to document all of your own time that you put into restoring your home. Flood insurance may also reimburse you for that depending on the situaton their various rules. Moisture readings are also import so that you can see for yourself when things are dry so you’re not spending more for equipment than you need to.
Another costly factor you can save on is any tear out of unsalvageable materials like wet drywall. If you have a handyman or contractor that you have already used, that could be a cheaper alternative to restoration companies who will be swamped during a flood. And if you rent your equipment from a restoration company, they can refer contractors that they have worked with who can help you with any tear out that is needed. But remember to keep all receipts and to document everything.
You must act quickly after flooding occurs since everyone will be busy and may not have what you need, or not want to take the time to explain things to you or give out referrals. We’ve been through many floods and have always given out information and referrals to homeowners. We even had Channel 2 News film Amy Davis following us around for a day after a flood to get useful information for homeowners. And we’ve made supplying drying equipment to homeowners a priority. But we’ve also heard from our customers that it is not a priority for a lot of other companies, so act quickly if you want to do what you can yourself to cut costs. If you wait, you may have nothing to do it with.
