When your home suffers serious water or fire damage, it can be disheartening to see the destruction that was caused. However, keep in mind that not all hope is lost. Reconstruction is the process of repairing a damaged area to get it back to its previous state. At California Steam Clean, our dedicated team of experts is here to help you.

Examples of Fire and Water Damage (And How They’re Caused)

Water damage can occur for several reasons. This includes everything from a bad winter storm that severely damaged your roof to a serious sewage backup or unexpected flood. The same thing applies to fire damage, which can be caused by a faulty electrical wire, kitchen mishap, or adjoining home.

When these types of damages occur, they must be treated as the serious catastrophes they are. Water damage can destroy the interior of your drywall, kitchen cabinets, and hardwood floors, requiring them to be completely removed and restored. Flood damage can also cause electrical wires to short out and cause shock injuries. Smoke damage can severely discolor your walls, chip your paint, and cause your entire home to smell like smoke.

Regardless of the type of damage that occurred, your home could be at risk of structural damage and mold growth. Even worse, these problems can negatively affect your health. Knowing how this type of damage is repaired can help alleviate your worries about how to get your home back to normal.

The Reconstruction Process

After experiencing flood or fire damage, your first step is to contact your insurance carrier to file a claim. Before the reconstruction process begins, take photos of the damage to show the evidence of the severity.

Once this is taken care of, contact a reconstruction company to come to your home. Depending on the type of damage, you may need to vacate your home. However, chances are you’re probably already doing this. Once your reconstruction team comes out to the property, they will assess the damage to develop a plan of attack. Because of how quickly further damage can result after the initial onset, many reconstruction companies operate on a 24/7 basis to assess the situation quickly.

During the assessment, your team will determine what is damaged, what needs to be thrown out, and inspect areas that may not be visible to the untrained eye. For example, just because you can’t see mold growth after a flood doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Your reconstruction team will also have the right tools and resources to treat and sanitize affected areas, such as an ozone treatment technique to remove smoke, and dehumidifiers to absorb excess moisture. This includes the resources to safely remove and reinstall drywall and other affected areas of your home.