Water damage, whether brought on by an appliance leak, a burst pipe, or a natural disaster, can quickly become a serious issue for homeowners and needs to be fixed right away to avoid lasting damage. In addition to mold growth, which poses a slew of health risks, water damage can cause considerable damage to your home’s structural integrity, resulting in rot and warping of floors, ceilings, and foundations.
With a rise in online tutorials and rental equipment, it can be tempting to try and remedy the situation on your own. That said, more often and not, the DIY route leads to more setbacks and damage, more time spent fixing the problem, and more expenses down the line to correct mistakes. In this article, we’re breaking down the real dangers of DIY water damage restoration and why some things should be left to the experts.
Why DIY Restoration Seems Appealing (But Isn’t)
Taking matters into your own hands instead of hiring and spending money on professional services is often an appealing option. After all, why wait for someone else to do the work when you can simply follow an online tutorial, rent the required equipment, and get it done yourself? The issue is, it’s never that simple.
The Rise of Online Tutorials and Big Box Rentals
These days, you can learn just about anything online, including restoration work. Additionally, customers can rent tools from big-box retailers to complete projects on their own. While access to knowledge and resources is, of course, valuable, in the case of restoration work, it can also raise other concerns.
When “Saving Money” Becomes Costly
On the surface, there are a few perceived positives to completing restoration work on your own, including:
Immediate cost savings
Rapidity and not having to wait Control over the project
Not having to contact a company
That said, this might be a short-sighted view. According to a survey released by hippo, “More than half (58%) of responding homeowners spent more than anticipated on DIY projects due to errors.” Self-execution was cited as one of the main obstacles, along with a lack of preparation, unanticipated setbacks, and inaccurate budgeting. Avoid thousands in costly repairs. Contact Superior today for professional water damage restoration services.
Health and Safety Hazards Are No Joke
While the structural integrity of your home is of utmost concern, so is your health and safety. Restoration work comes with a fair amount of safety hazards that homeowners should be made aware of, should they choose to DIY water damage restoration.
Risk of Mold and Bacteria Exposure
Mold can begin to grow and spread in as little as 24 hours. Mold can contribute to congestion and other symptoms such as coughing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and wheezing. Hidden mold growth in the home may be indicated by the following warning signs: A musty odor
Discolored drywall
Peeling of wallpaper or bubbling paint
Warped flooring
Mold can cause health problems, but the water itself can also contain harmful bacteria and contaminants, depending on where it comes from. While clean water, which comes from a clean source, is the least harmful, grey and black water, which come from unclean sources, can contain pathogens such as bacteria and hazardous substances as well as urine. When exposed to these contaminants, health concerns such as E. coli, Salmonella, and hepatitis A are possible.
Structural, electrical, and slip hazards With water damage also comes the potential for physical risks. Wet floors create a slippery environment, floodwater in the home increases the potential for electric shock, and wood rot can weaken a structure, causing it to break down and collapse. For these reasons, it’s important to have your home professionally assessed at the first sight of water damage to ensure your environment and members of your household remain safe.
You Likely Don’t Have the Right Equipment
The truth is, professional equipment is more powerful than store-bought or rented equipment. While dehumidifiers and fans can be purchased, successful water damage restoration requires more advanced resources, including moisture meters, air scrubbers, and HEPA vacuums.
Commercial-grade Drying Vs. Dehumidifiers for End Users Common dehumidifiers are ideal for everyday use in smaller spaces to combat moisture and humidity in the home. In contrast, commercial-grade drying tools, such as industrial air movers, are used for larger spaces and can cut drying times in half, ensuring mold does not have time to grow.
Moisture Meters, Air Scrubbers, and HEPA Vacs—Why They Matter
Moisture meters, air scrubbers, and HEPA vacuums are commonly used by professionals during the water damage restoration process.
Moisture meters—a moisture detection tool used to measure moisture levels in a given area of the home.
Air scrubbers—a machine used to pull and eliminate bacteria, mold, and other irritants from the air.
HEPA vacuums—High-Efficiency Particulate Air vacuums contain filters that allow them to trap micron-sized particles and contaminants.
Each of these tools serves to locate and eliminate issues that may be missed with DIY methods.
What You Can’t See Is What DIY Misses Much of restoration work has to do with what the eye can’t immediately see. Between hidden water damage behind walls, under baseboards, within HVAC systems, and even in crawlspaces, successful restoration is not simply cosmetic work. Rather, it inspects and gets to the root of the damage to stop the problem at its source and prevent future issues.
Hidden Water Behind Walls and Under Floors
Sometimes, water can be trapped behind walls or under floors. With DIY methods, these areas may not be fully dried, which can cause delayed and/or long-term damage, including wood rot, foundational cracks, and warped subfloors.
Your Insurance May Not Cover DIY Mistakes
Depending on your policy, your insurance company may not cover mistakes made during the DIY process. In addition, self-performed repairs prior to professional evaluation may delay insurance claim filing. Insurance companies often require that extensive damage be treated by certified professionals with proper equipment to ensure a property meets set standards and does not experience further damage. Should you not meet these standards, you could potentially void your claim altogether.
Case Study: A DIY repair that seems “simple” opens a whole new can of worms After a customer attempted to restore water damage on their own, one of our technicians responded to a call. While attempting to solve the problem on their own, they discovered an even greater issue—asbestos.
Considered a “wonder fiber,” asbestos was heavily used during the Industrial Revolution as an insulator. Although asbestos fibers once served as excellent insulation, inhaling them can cause severe damage to the tissues of the lungs, resulting in scarring and making it increasingly difficult to breathe over time. Unfortunately, this customer’s entire home was contaminated when they discovered the hidden asbestos. What started as a DIY water damage restoration project took a sharp turn and quickly required more than this customer was equipped to handle on their own.
To promptly address the issue and tackle both the asbestos and water damage, they called on Superior. Our certified technicians were able to come in, perform a professional asbestos abatement process, and restore their home to its pre-water-damaged condition, ensuring this family had peace of mind re-entering their home.
Why Certified Pros Make a Difference
When handling water damage, it’s important to work with trained, IICRC-certified professionals who know how to properly assess and address various cases of water damage. Even though it may appear to be a minor leak to you, a professional will be able to determine the true severity of the situation and develop a strategy that meets your requirements. Superior’s 24/7 response, advanced tools, and customer-first guarantee
Having served the Seattle area for over 85 years, we know a thing or two about water damage. Between our rapid response times, IICRC-certified technicians, and exceptional customer care, we take pride in helping put our community’s lives back together.
