Frequently Asked Questions About Water Damage in Savannah, GA

How long it takes a property to dry after water damage depends on many factors, like where the water came from, its location and duration, the kind of building materials involved, the weather conditions, and how fast emergency services begin. Even if your carpet feels dry, deeper layers such as the padding and subfloors might still be wet. At ServiceMaster of Savannah, we carefully check and make sure everything is dry through consistent monitoring and evaluation. Drying time usually takes about three to five days, but sometimes longer, depending on the conditions.

Using specialized equipment from ServiceMaster of Savannah is the best way to truly know if everything’s dry. Touch alone may be misleading.

Not necessarily. ServiceMaster of Savannah optimizes the temperature for ideal drying conditions. Please don’t change the settings or turn off your HVAC system, as it could extend the drying time.

During drying, wood floors need to be evaluated. ServiceMaster of Savannah uses specialized drying systems and dehumidifiers to help these floors dry properly and return to their original shape. Because hardwood is dense and because of urethane finishes, it might dry slowly. If you’ve filed an insurance claim, your insurance adjuster will help you decide if the floors should be refinished or replaced.

ServiceMaster of Savannah will check the extent of the damage and the construction of the furniture to see if it can be fixed. First, it needs to dry before the damage can be evaluated properly. Furniture that cannot be saved will be documented for you. If things have to be thrown away, we’ll ask you to sign a customer release form.

If you file an insurance claim, your insurance representative may provide guidance. But deciding what to do is ultimately up to you. Think about safety first. While ServiceMaster of Savannah‘s tools is designed to be as childproof as possible, it’s crucial for the property owner to watch out and make sure kids don’t play with them. Dehumidifiers and air movers will be loud and might make your place feel drafty for some days. They need to stay on, so if the noise bothers you, think about staying somewhere else for a bit.

During the drying process, you might notice some strange smells. Heightened heat and humidity levels can lead to increased odors that may be coming from old spills or building materials drying out. It’s different from mold smell, so note the distinction. As things dry up and humidity levels drop, these smells should go away on their own. We often use deodorizers to help reduce these smells.

Most times, you won’t need to move things out. But if it’s necessary, ServiceMaster of Savannah will tell you beforehand.

ServiceMaster of Savannah‘s team will check for moisture, assess the extent of the damage, and might take out parts of your ceiling for better airflow. If the insulation is wet, it may need to be removed, too.

It’s not always recommended to open your windows to help with drying. The weather outside can change, so ServiceMaster of Savannah will tell you when it’s appropriate to do so.

ServiceMaster of Savannah advises you to keep the traffic to a minimum in the affected area. For safety, wear shoes if you do.

Some reasons your carpet might not be saved:

• Delamination (occurs when the backing separates from the carpet fiber)
• Loss of adhesion (caused by extended water exposure or the carpet’s old age)
• Stains that won’t come out
• Carpet covers wood flooring (to salvage the wood flooring)
• Contamination from sewage

Some floors are non-porous and don’t let water through, preventing proper drying. ServiceMaster of Savannah checks specialty floors and makes an effort to restore them.

ServiceMaster of Savannah usually doesn’t remove carpet from stairs for safety. Exposed tacks or staples are dangerous. But sometimes, removing carpet from stairs is needed to protect hardwood steps or if there’s contamination from sewage. Taking off tack strips is not advisable as this can harm the floor or subfloor. Be very careful if you see exposed tack strips or if the carpeted stairs are damp. If the old carpet can no longer be saved, it’ll be removed when installing a new one.

ServiceMaster of Savannah takes a sample of your pad to find a matching one. If we have the exact one, we’ll use it. If not, we’ll get one just as good, thick, and dense. The color might be different depending on when it was manufactured.

ServiceMaster of Savannah takes your rugs to our warehouse for special care. We dry them the right way so colors don’t mix or fade. Once dried and cleaned, we’ll give them back to you.

When there’s water damage, walls, floors, and other surfaces soak up the water. To dry them, ServiceMaster of Savannah uses high-velocity air movers to expedite the release of absorbed water into the air. Dehumidifiers keep your property safe and help it dry faster. Please don’t switch off or move these machines without informing ServiceMaster of Savannah first at (912) 244-6966.

The experts at ServiceMaster of Savannah set up and watch over special equipment to dry things out quickly. Make sure nobody switches off or moves this equipment. If the power goes off or if the equipment turns off, call ServiceMaster of Savannah right away at (912) 244-6966.

Running each piece of drying equipment typically costs under $1 a day based on average electrical rates. However, the exact cost might change based on your local electricity rates.

ServiceMaster of Savannah can clean and sanitize hard surfaces. But items we can’t sanitize need to be thrown away. Porous items like drywall, ceiling tiles, and paneling, if wet or damaged, should be removed when ServiceMaster of Savannah comes for the emergency visit.

As the property owner, you are responsible for payment. You’ll sign a form authorizing the work and its cost. If you file an insurance claim, ServiceMaster of Savannah generally collects only the deductible amount and bills the balance to your insurance provider as a service to you. If you have a large loss, your mortgage company may be included as a payee on the payment from your insurance company, and you may need to obtain a signature from them as well. If your claim is not covered or you decide not to file a claim, you will be expected to pay in full at the time of ServiceMaster of Savannah‘s service.