We get this question a lot. In the event of a water emergency, you have so many options that it can be confusing what the appropriate plan of action should be. Should you call a plumber? How about your insurance company? Maybe you should just try to clean it up yourself.
Perhaps we are biased, but, we honestly believe that the first call should be to a certified and trusted water mitigation company. IRS has been helping individuals and companies in the Las Vegas Valley get back on their feet after water disasters for years, and because this is all that we do day-in and day-out, we have a better idea of the immediate courses of action that should be taken than either of the other options presented earlier.
Insurance companies are concerned with their bottom line, first and foremost. They typically will send out their Preferred Vendor, which is usually the company that will do the work for the least cost to the insurance company, but usually to the detriment of the homeowner. When we deal with Insurance Companies, we find that adjusters are unfamiliar with how much work goes into each job and will usually fight us on paying for things that we know are important. We can only imagine how much work goes undone or overlooked when they send out a Preferred Vendor.
Plumbers may be able to repair piping and locate sources of leaks, but are typically not in the Restoration Business. In our opinion, water needs to be turned off immediately (which is something that IRS or yourself can take care of, read more here…) and drying needs to be started as soon as possible, but, a burst pipe can always be repaired later.
This isn’t to say that their services are any less valuable. However, when it comes to water damage, speed and efficacy are our two most valuable assets. The faster we can dry out water damage, the less of a chance that it can become something else unexpected later down the line. This includes mold and mildew which, under ideal circumstances, can begin their growth in only 48-72 hours if not properly dealt with.
On the issue of Insurance, because it is something that we deal with as a business on a daily basis, we know that filing a claim can be daunting to many people (read more here…), but there may be good reasons to not file a claim, including the cost of the work being lower than your deductible. Avoiding filing a claim can, in some cases, be a benefit to you. And, if that’s the case, we do certainly let you know because we have your best interests in mind here at IRS.
