Water Damage Restoration

As soon as possible. Mold can begin growing on wet building materials, carpet, and furniture within 24 to 48 hours, and clean water can become contaminated the longer it sits. The IICRC S500 water damage standard calls for a prompt response, and the sooner professional drying starts, the more of your home can usually be saved instead of torn out. Mountain Air Restoration provides 24/7 emergency water damage response across Central Oregon.

If it is safe to do so:

• Stop the water source. Shut off the main water valve or the valve at the fixture.
• Turn off power to wet areas at the breaker. Never stand in water to reach an electrical panel.
• Stay out of rooms with sagging ceilings, and don't use ceiling fans or lights in wet ceilings.
• Move valuables, electronics, papers, and area rugs to a dry place. Put foil or plastic under furniture legs.
• Blot up excess clean water with towels. Don't use a household vacuum on water.
• Photograph the damage for your insurance company.
• If the water is sewage or outside flood water, stay out of the area, keep children and pets away, and don't run fans, because they can spread contamination.

The IICRC S500 standard groups water by how contaminated it is, and the category determines what can be saved:

• Category 1 (clean water): broken supply lines, sink overflows, rain coming straight in. Many materials can be dried in place.
• Category 2 (gray water): dishwasher or washing machine discharge, or a toilet overflow with urine only. It has significant contamination.
• Category 3 (black water): sewage, outside flood water, or water that has sat long enough to grow bacteria. Porous materials it touched, such as carpet, pad, and drywall, are generally removed and thrown away.

Water can get worse over time. A clean-water leak left for several days can become Category 2 or 3.

Most structural drying takes 3 to 5 days. Hardwood floors, plaster, concrete, cabinets, and water that has reached wall cavities or crawlspaces can take longer. Our technicians take moisture readings at every visit and record them in a drying log. Equipment is removed only when materials reach their drying goal, which is the normal moisture level of matching unaffected materials in your home.

Drying only works when it runs continuously. Turning equipment off lets moisture move back into materials, makes drying take longer, and raises the risk of mold. If noise or a tripped breaker becomes a problem, call us, and we'll adjust the setup. Expect a modest increase in your electric bill. Some insurance policies reimburse it.

We save materials whenever industry standards allow. Materials are removed when water is trapped behind them and can't be dried in place, when they've been touched by Category 3 water, or when they're swollen, delaminated, or already growing mold. Carpet pad is almost always replaced because it holds water like a sponge. A "flood cut," where drywall is removed 2 to 4 feet up from the floor, lets air reach the wall cavity so the structure dries faster.

In older homes, Oregon requires an asbestos survey before materials are disturbed in homes built before 2004, and lead-safe work practices apply in homes built before 1978. We handle both as part of the job.

Often yes, if it's clean water and it's caught quickly. The carpet can usually be dried and re-laid, though the pad is normally replaced. With sewage or flood water (Category 3), industry standards call for the carpet and pad to be removed and thrown away.

With clean-water losses, most families stay home while the drying equipment runs. We recommend staying out of the affected area and possibly relocating when there is sewage or floodwater, mold, or demolition dust, or when someone in the home is very young, elderly, pregnant, immunocompromised, or has respiratory problems.

It depends on your policy, and only your insurance company can confirm coverage. Sudden and accidental losses, like a burst pipe or appliance failure, are commonly covered. Long-term leaks, maintenance issues, and groundwater are commonly excluded, and outside flooding usually requires a separate flood policy. Mold coverage is often limited.

We document everything insurers expect, including photos, moisture readings, drying logs, and itemized estimates, and we work directly with your adjuster. You have the right to choose your own restoration contractor.

When appropriate, yes, especially with contaminated water. We use EPA-registered products according to their labels. Antimicrobials support the restoration process but are never a substitute for removing contamination, cleaning, and drying. Let us know about any chemical sensitivities.