When we are dealing with flooded and water damaged properties, water extraction and removal is typically the first step in the water damage restoration process. There are endless reasons as to why a property can flood and be impacted by water damage, however regardless of the cause of the water damage situation the excess water will need to be extracted and removed from the property as fast as possible.
The longer excess water sits in a property, the more damage it will do and the further it will penetrate into the structural materials of the property. Water and moisture will wick up gyprock walls, penetrate deeply into concrete sub-floors, start to buckle and cup timber floors and soak into carpets and underlay. Carpets and flooring that could have been saved will no longer be restorable if left wet and untreated for too long.
Fast effective water extraction to avoid mould & structural water damage
Fast water extraction will prevent mould and costly remediation works
The faster excess flood water can be extracted and removed from a water damaged property the better. Fast water extraction will protect the home occupant from potential health issues and costly repair and remediation costs. Most professional water damage restoration companies will offer a 24/7 emergency water extraction service in order to get to the water damage as fast as possible to reduce future issues.
Extracting excess water as fast as possible makes good sense and will save costly repairs and remediation works, some of the benefits of water extraction are listed below.
- Health benefits – removing excess moisture and high humidity from the property.
- Reduce the risk of mould – fast water extraction will limit any mould outbreaks.
- Avoid costly repairs – no need for building repairs if the water is extracted and remediated as fast as possible.
- Reduced remediation costs – no need for mould remediation if attended to fast enough.
- Avoid mould damage to content items.
- Convenience – no need to move out of the property if water is extracted and remediated in a timely manner.
Water extraction equipment & machinery.
Truck-mounted water extraction.
Truck mounted water extraction refers to the machine itself. A truck mounted machine is an extraction unit that is permanently mounted in the van or a truck and delivers high performance vacuum power for very efficient water extraction. These types of units would typically be used on large residential or commercial water damage restoration jobs. This machine remains in the vehicle and vacuum hoses are reeled out to the water affected areas to perform the required water extraction.
Portable water extraction
A portable water extraction machine is just that! it is portable. These units can be wheeled into the job and close to the water affected areas, whilst these machines are not as powerful as a truck mounted unit, they are very versatile and are often used in difficult to access areas. Portable machines will still extract water efficiently, however the process may take a little longer when using a portable extraction machine.
Water extraction tools
Water extraction tools are accessories that are used to assist with the water extraction to increase the airflow to enable more water to be removed during the extraction process. These include some of the following.
- Ride-on extractor
- Extreme extractor
- Water claw
- Roller vac
- Carpet wand
Does water extraction remove all of the moisture?
This simple answer to this is NO. Professional water extraction will remove the bulk of the standing water however water damage restoration and structural drying will still be required to remove the remaining moisture from the property. Once the standing water has been removed and extracted drying equipment will need to be installed to complete the structural drying process.
Without proper structural drying the property is still at risk of mould outbreaks and ongoing building and structural issues. Moisture will need to be removed from concrete sub-floors, walls and all structural building materials to bring the water affected property back to pre-loss condition.
Mould and bacterial issues from excess moisture.
Mould outbreak due to water not being extracted fast enough!
The longer excess water sits untreated in a flooded property, the greater the risk there is for mould and associated bacterial issues to set in. Given the right conditions with increased moisture and high humidity levels mould growth can begin within 48hours. Once there is a significant amount of mould within a water affected property the water damage restoration process becomes more complex and far more costly.
Once mould begins growing in this ideal wet, humid environment it can start to cause extensive damage to not only the house structure but to furniture and content items within the property. Content and furniture items that could have easily been cleaned and restored may need to be disposed due to mould contamination resulting in a very costly exercise.
Health effects from the increased moisture & mould
Health risks and damage to property due to mould
If the property is significantly impacted by a mould infestation then it is likely that the home occupants will need to move out of the property and extensive mould remediation works will need to be conducted. Depending on the levels and the severity of mould within the property mould remediation works can take several weeks to complete. Invasive works and removal of some building materials may also be required to effectively eradicate the toxic mould within the property.
Once the mould has been remediated and the indoor environment within the property is at a safe level, some building re-instatement works may be required. Mould can have devastating effects on a property and even more so on the health of the property occupants, it is always best to avoid and prevent mould issues where possible.
Why choose Flood Fixers for water extraction in Adelaide.
The helpful team at Flood Fixers is always available 24/7 for emergency water extraction in Adelaide. We respond fast to your emergency call for water damage help in Adelaide no matter what suburb you live in we will be there fast. Our dedicated team of expert water damage restoration technicians will always make you a priority and will always respond as fast as possible to limit the water damage to your property.
