Restoration Company to Cancel Fla. Liens, Repay Overcharged Customers

January 5, 2006

  • January 5, 2006 at 7:00 am
    LL says:
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    Good for Reeves. Unfortunately $15000 is the average water extration co.s are charging insurance companies, leaving horrible black marks on insured\’s record.

  • January 7, 2006 at 5:51 am
    Gomer says:
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    LL: What are \”black marks\”?? How do you know what the \”average\” charge is??

  • April 20, 2006 at 5:59 am
    Aimee Beck says:
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    \”black marks\” are tickers on your insurance policy that increase your premiums and can even lead to loss of coverage. If your drying cost is going to be $2-3k but your insurance premium is going to go up close to the same amount annually by claiming the water loss, it is often recommended that you pay the loss out of pocket where possible, although I have never personnally recommended this. It is something you may wish to discuss at length with you agent.

    It is difficult for the average homeowner to know what the average charge is for water extraction and structural drying. For that matter, it is difficult for the average insurance agent to know too, even though insurance and contractors frequently use the same pricing tool (Xactimate). There are many variables that affect the cost of drying.

    We have billed smaller jobs (small partial saturation vs. whole house water loss) as low as $1200. We have had larger residential losses (4000 sf total structural saturation) that has billed at $16,000.

    Why is there such a difference? There are several major factors.

    1. Size of saturated environment. (How big is your house/office/building?)
    2. Level of saturation. (How much water came in?)
    3. Type of saturation. (How did the water enter? Rising water, top down water, surge?)
    4. Length of saturation time. (How long has the structure been wet?)

    Questions 3 & 4 are closely tied to each other in water restoration. We are concerned with a water loss developing from a clean water loss to a sewage loss. According to industry standards (see IICRC.org) tide surge water losses are Category 3 (also known as sewage or black water losses. These losses are reportedly to be extracted, porous materials and contents discarded and interior structure rebuilt. Clean water losses left over 72 hours generally turn to Category 3 losses in a humid environment such as the gulf coast and Florida. This is when you develop secondary damages and mold issues.

    In order to prevent secondary damage, it is imperative that not only extraction, but drying also be completed as soon as possible.

    This is, of course, AFTER the technician has extracted the water from your floors. Hint: if he looks like you when you vacuum your carpets, its not being done right. Put on a pair of jeans and get down on your knees after extraction is finished. Wait 10 seconds and stand up. The pants should be DAMP at the pressure point ONLY. If they are very wet and wet beyond the pressure point, there is still a LOT of water in your carpet.

    Be sure the technician checks your walls where the carpet or floor is wet up to the baseboard. In Southeast Florida (spring time) water saturates drywall upwards as fast as 3 3/4 inches in 22 minutes. In tests, water has wicked (absorbed) up drywall as high as 2 1/2 feet over a 36 hour period.

    These walls need to be dried too, not just your floors and carpets. Many restoration companies use traditional extraction and drying methods such as pulling the saturated carpet to remove the pad then, after extraction,
    \”floating the carpet\” or placing air movers under carpet to expedite drying of the carpet.

    Traditional dehumidification with air movers is still the most common method of structural drying used today. High heat drying is also becoming an accepted practice. While the huge trailer-mounted desiccant dehumidifiers are more visible, a patented high heat system called convectant drying is also available. Unlike the huge desiccants, the convectant trailers run on standard 110 outlets. They do not require the trailer-mounted generators to power them and so a ideal for whole house drying and commercial applications. Additionally, large desiccants remove 100-250 gallons of moisture a day while the convectant drying trailers remove 300+ gallons per day.

    Remember contents, saturation levels, type and length are all factors in what is the best way to extract and dry your structure. Ask the technician for his IIRCR or ASCR card. If he doesn\’t know what these are, get him out of your building – QUICK. Only certified restoration technicians should be doing this work.

    In cases of disaster emergencies, only use LOCAL companies. The organized ones will have out of state contacts and resources that they call in and monitor for quality control if they can\’t meet the immediate demand. Drying in Connecticut is different than the drying in Florida of the gulf coast. If the out-of-state company is untrained in drying in this environment they can\’t be effective.

    There is simply too much information about this subject to continue here. For more information, go to http://www.wateroutsefl.com.

    A. Beck
    Water Out of SE Florida

  • October 22, 2007 at 8:24 am
    Ken Horvath says:
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    New line of Controlled Heat Technology Structural Drying Systems is available. Starting 1850 cfm units for only $3,900.00

    Ken Horvath
    602-723-2534



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