In most cases, yes. The building itself can usually be saved, even when some materials and contents cannot. What matters most is how long the water sat and what kind of water it was.
Three things decide how much can be saved.
Time. Water removed within the first day or two does far less damage than water that sits for a week. After about 48 hours, mold growth becomes likely and more materials have to come out.
Type of water. Restoration standards group water into three categories. Clean water comes from a supply line or faucet. Gray water comes from sources like a washing machine or dishwasher. Black water includes sewage and outside floodwater. The more contaminated the water, the more porous material must be removed.
Materials. Some materials dry well and some do not.
- Usually saved: wood framing, concrete, tile, solid hardwood caught early, and most hard furniture
- Sometimes saved: drywall, carpet, and cabinets, depending on the water type and how long they were wet
- Usually replaced: carpet pad, insulation, particleboard, and anything soaked by sewage or floodwater
Contents follow the same rules. Hard items can usually be cleaned. Soft items such as mattresses and upholstered furniture often cannot be saved after contact with contaminated water.
A professional inspection answers the question for your property. Technicians measure moisture in each material and decide what can be dried in place and what must be removed. Drying in place, when it is possible, costs less than tearing out and rebuilding.
The sooner the work starts, the more can be saved. PuroClean of Waxahachie responds 24 hours a day across Ellis County at (945) 259-7876. See how our water damage restoration process works.
