Your Maple Grove, MN Water Damage Experts

While water damage can cause immediate damage to your home or business, it’s not always easy to notice the subtle signs that it’s happening. Some events like major floods are impossible to miss, but if you’re dealing with a smaller water damage problem here are some things to look out for:

• A damp smell, especially if accompanied by early signs of mold that might look like spots of dust or dirt.
• Cold rooms that have a difficult time retaining heat. This not only increases your energy costs — it’s also an indicator that the inside of your walls might be damp.
• Discoloration on ceilings or walls, especially if it appears in streaks.
• A sound of dripping or running water in a place you usually don’t hear it, which can indicate that water damage is happening behind-the-scenes.

We wish we could give you a straight answer, but the truth is that the amount of time it takes to repair water damage to your home or business depends on the circumstances each individual scenario. Some cases of water damage can be easily repaired in less than a day, while other severe instances will require up to a few weeks to completely restore.

The biggest factors are the size of the affected area and the amount of time the damage has been present. For example, if you catch a small leak right away, we should be able to repair within the same day. If, however, your basement floods while you’re gone on vacation and you don’t realize it until the water has completely soaked through your drywall, the process will take longer.

We’ll work with you at the start of your restoration process to come up with an anticipated timeline so that you can plan accordingly.

Water damage costs vary greatly depending on the severity of the damage to your property. Generally, the sooner you find and report a problem to a professional, the less it will cost to repair your home or business.

Every individual case of water damage is unique, and it’s difficult to predict every associated cost until the repair is underway. If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Water damage to your home may or may not be covered by your insurance, depending on your specific policy.

Generally, home insurance covers “sudden internal” water damage. This accounts for things like a leaking roof, toilet or sink overflow, and vandalism.

If water damage is the result of a flood or any sort of neglect on your part, however, your homeowners insurance policy usually won’t cover the repair costs.

It’s best to get in touch with your insurance provider directly to confirm what is and isn’t protected by your current policy. You can typically add extra insurance coverage for floods in $5,000 increments for about $50 a year.

Sometimes water damage is inevitable, like when a massive storm strikes with little warning. Often, though, there are steps you can take to prevent your home or business from being damaged in the first place.

• Regularly check for cracks and leaks. It doesn’t take a large opening in your roof, ceiling, or walls for water to get through and cause damage. If you notice anything that looks unusual, get it checked out immediately.
• Clean your gutters at least twice a year. If water can properly drain from your roof, the chances of it building up and leaking into your home are quite small.
• Keep your sump pump in working condition. Basement sump pumps do wonders for preventing floods from damaging your lowest level by keeping water levels low. Perform annual sump pump maintenance checks to make sure yours is always up to the task. It’s also a good idea to have a backup sump pump in case something goes wrong with the first one — we recommend a battery-operated unit in case the power goes out.
• Make sure your yard allows water to drain away from your home. Certain types of landscaping can help reduce the risk of a flood damaging your home by helping water drain away and out of your yard.