getting started and preparing for your emergency

What happened?

How large is the affected area?

When did it happen?

Finding out what happened gives us a good idea of how to prepare for the water damage. this also gives us a preliminary glimpse into some of the niche techniques and processes we may need to prepare to employ for your specific loss. 

When did it happen?

How large is the affected area?

When did it happen?

The time between your call and the start of the loss is an important factor in how the remediation will move forward. for example:

0-3 days- still within time frame for mitigation

3-5 days- may require more demo and less drying due to risk of mold

5+ days-highest likelihood of materials needing to be removed and replaced. 

How large is the affected area?

How large is the affected area?

How large is the affected area?

This question is hugely important as it gives us our biggest clue in how to prepare for your water damage. knowing if the loss was only confined to one floor vs running between multiple levels significantly changes how we approach the loss. this also helps us in knowing how much equipment to bring to successfully start the drying process and water removal. 

What materials are affected?

What materials are affected?

How large is the affected area?

This is also extremely important to know before we arrive on site. This information can determine if we need to bring specialty equipment, tools to remove flooring, machines for water removal etc. Its also great information for an open dialogue on the scope of the project between us, that way we know what major steps will need to be taken and convey that information to you. i.e. removing vinyl flooring in an affected room. 

Where are you?

What materials are affected?

Have you filed a claim?

This is helpful in knowing whether or not we can reach you, we service Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties, so if your out of our range we can recommend someone that is able to give you help when you need it. its also useful to communicate how long its going to take for us to get to you, allowing both of us to plan better.

Have you filed a claim?

What materials are affected?

Have you filed a claim?

Mitigation and restoration services can get expensive quickly. Of course we can work with any situation that may be specific to you at the time. 

Categories of water and what they mean

Cat 1:

Cat 1:

Cat 1:

image1

This type of water is usually clean and considered to be of no health concern when handled properly and in a timely manner. ex. a supply line from the home. Water in this category can be dried and poses no danger. 


Cat 2:

Cat 1:

Cat 1:

image2

 Also called "grey water", water in this category is mildly contaminated may contain such things as urine or mild filth but not feces. The water may come from washing machines, sump pump failures/overflows or from cat 1 water that has sat longer than 3 days or traveled through layers of building material. This water can be dried in most scenarios with the addition of disinfectants. 

Cat 3:

Cat 1:

Cat 3:

image3

This water is considered to be grossly contaminated, and poses a significant risk to health. it may come from sewage backups, flood waters, or may evolve from extended periods of stagnation. this one requires PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when remediation is taking place. Any material coming in contact with this water will be removed/replaced. 

In conclusion

When it comes to water damages all of them are different, there's no one master way to handle them all. However, with the fundamentals of the industry and the experience we have at Pro-Tech we can adapt to any situation and provide professional quality work when it comes to your home. We hope this helps any person curious as to the first steps and some behind the scenes work that goes into the business. Feel free to call or email us if you have any questions or comments!