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Water Damage Restoration

If you have had a water damage emergency or have discovered mold growing in your home, read the information guides below on what to do and what not to do in such instances. Then, call Tus Group at 703-481-1261 to schedule an estimate. We are available outside of regular business hours for emergency water damage restoration and mold remediation. Please note that water damage and mold remediation estimates are considered service calls and are not free. A consultation fee is charged for water damage restoration and mold remediation services. However, if you do book a job, this consultation/service call fee may be waived.

Whether caused by a natural or man-made disaster, water damage is a fast and silent destroyer of furnishings, equipment, and building interiors. Timing is crucial to the prevention of the growth of destructive mold and mildew, which can appear within 24-48 hours. Every hour that passes means more damage to your home or building and its contents.

Tus Group is the local leading authority on loss mitigation and can offer homeowners information to prevent a minor loss from turning into a major loss. Tus Group will provide you with the following information:

• What is the most important step to take to ensure safety and eliminate hazards?
• How to care for furniture in the affected area to prevent damage.
• How to best remove standing water, and dispose of the discharge water.
• What type of water damage must a homeowner NEVER attempt to care for.
• When does mold begin to appear, and how to prevent it.
• What are antimicrobials? Who should use them and when?
• Can hardwood flooring and drywall walls be restored?
• Are floods covered by insurance?...

Tus Group is an IICRC certified firm that is experienced in helping homeowners for many years to reduce the loss in time and money. If you need additional information, please don't hesitate to call 703-481-1261 today!

What to Do in Case of Water Damage

Most water damage is not weather-related! Toilet overflows, broken washing machines supply lines, faulty plumbing, and other indoor accidents cause the majority of floods. The following information will help you save thousands of dollars when you are facing water damage.

Do:

• Safety first! If water is in the walls or ceilings, turn off electricity and remember that soaked ceilings may fall. Also, use caution on wet, slippery surfaces and put on personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary.
• Eliminate the source of the water. Know where your water shut-off valves are, or contact a plumber.
• Remove as much water as you can from the carpet, walls, and floors using a wet vacuum or mop.
• Remove personal belongings and furniture. Place plastic or aluminum foil between furniture legs and wet carpeting. Move oil paintings and other art objects to a dry place.
• In summer, turn on the air conditioning; in winter, turn on the heater and open the windows occasionally, which will allow moisture to escape.
• Set up the dehumidifier, air mover, etc. to dry the building structure and wet material. If the drying process is started quickly, damage can be minimized.
• If the water appears grossly contaminated, then a specialized expert may be necessary to assist in damage assessment.
• Call Tus Group at 703-481-1261 for further information.

Insured's Responsibility: The insured is authorized and required by their insurance company to take appropriate action to minimized loss. Failure to do so may absolve the insurance carrier from liability.

Do not:

• Do not use any power equipment or electronics while standing in water, or while items are wet.
• Do not use light fixtures if wet.
• Do not leave any colored items on carpeting.
• Do not leave wet fabrics in place.

A Few Simple Precautions

In the United States, over 1,000,000 structures are affected each year by water damage, resulting in over 3 billion dollars in insurance claims. Approximately 70% of all property damage claims are water-related. The odds are 1 in 20 that your home will suffer a water damage claim this year.

The leading causes of water damage are washing machines, icemakers, water heaters, toilets, broken pipes, faulty construction, accidents, ground water intrusion and river flooding.Water damage can be a traumatic experience. Most people have no idea what to do when it happens. Carpet pads and sub-floors can remain wet for weeks or even months, even though they may feel dry on the surface.

Any time a structure gets wet, health hazards increase substantially. Dormant mold and mildew spores germinate, bacteria begin to multiply and viruses become more active. A few days after the damage has taken place, the environment typically changes dramatically for the worse. People with allergies are the first to feel the negative effects of the increased fungi and bacteria, followed by senior citizens and children.

Wet materials need complete drying and restoration quickly, or people can become sick. Response time is critical in reducing the risk of "sick building syndrome." How do you avoid getting your feet wet in the first place? A few simple precautions can save you from "water, water, everywhere" - the stress and expense of a flooded home:

• If your water heater is more than 12 years old, replace it.
• Periodically inspect washing machine hoses for wear or bubbles.
• Don't skimp by buying the least expensive product when installing new supply lines to toilets or icemakers. Spending a few more dollars can save you a fortune.
• Wrap exposed pipes during periods of cold weather.
• Clean your gutters every fall. Clogged downspouts and foundation drains can cause ground water intrusion, which is rarely covered by insurance policies.
• Finally, if you are leaving town for more than a few days, turn the power to your water heater off, shut off the main water supply valve to your house and flush a toilet on the lowest floor to drain the system.

Questions? Please call us at 703-481-1261! Advice is always free! We are fully certified in Water Damage Restoration.

Water Damage Classification

Categories of Water

According to the IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration (IICRC S500), there are three categories of water that cause damage in buildings.

Category 1

Water originates from a sanitary source and poses no substantial risk from dermal, ingestion, or inhalation exposure. However, it may not always remain clean after it comes into contact with other surfaces or materials.

Category 2

Water contains significant contamination and has the potential to cause discomfort or sickness if contacted or consumed by humans. It may contain potentially unsafe levels of microorganisms or nutrients for microorganisms, as well as other organic or inorganic matter (chemical or biological).

Category 3

Water is grossly contaminated and may contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents. Such water sources may carry silt, organic matter, pesticides, heavy metals, regulated materials, or toxic organic substances.

Time and temperature can also affect the quality of water, thereby changing its category.

Classes of Water Damage

According to the standard IICRC S500, there are four primary classes of water damage.

Class 1

Involves the least amount of water, absorption, and evaporation. It affects only part off a room or area, or larger areas containing materials that have absorbed minimal moisture. Little or no wet carpet and/or cushion is present.

Class 2

Involves a large amount of water, absorption, and evaporation. It affects at least an entire room of carpet and cushion (pad). Water has wicked up walls less than 24 inches. There is moisture remaining in structural materials and substructure soil.

Class 3

Involves the greatest amount of water, absorption, and evaporation. Water may have come from overhead. Ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, cushion, and subfloor in virtually the entire area are saturated.

Class 4

Relates to specialty drying situations. Wet materials with very low permeance/porosity (e.g., hardwood, plaster, brick, concrete, lightweight concrete and stone). Typically, there are deep pockets of saturation, which require very low specific humidity. These types of losses may require longer drying times and special methods.

Water Damage Restoration Procedures

Water damage restoration procedures vary depending on the class of water damage and the contamination of water. Below are procedures that are used when water is clean.

Dry carpets

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  Step 1: Locate and mark wet areas

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  Step 2: Extract water from carpet and padding

  Step 3: Apply disinfectant if necessary

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  Step 4: Dry carpet, structure, and padding

  Step 5: Re-stretch carpets if necessary

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  Step 6: Clean carpets

Dry walls and cabinets

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  Step 1: Locate and mark wet areas

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  Step 2: Dry walls and cabinets

Dry hardwood floors

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  Step 1: Locate and mark wet areas

  Step 2: Dry hardwood floors

Client Testimonials

• "We used Peter Tu at a rental property (for water damage restoration) and we were so impressed we had him get our new home ready for us. We felt so comfortable we even gave him a key and he did the work (air duct cleaning and carpet cleaning) while we had a peaceful, restful vacation."

  ~Katy Slater, Reston, VA

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  "Dear Peter, Many thanks for helping us to resolve our basement flooding problem, especially since you rushed to our home at midnight to help us put in specialty fans to dry the floor. Your kind heart and eagerness is so rare. Thanks again for all your help!"

  ~Yu's, Ashburn, VA

Photos

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  Carpet: Wet Area Locating and Marking

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  Carpet: Water Extraction

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  Carpet Drying

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  Hardwood Floor Drying

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  Walls: Wet Area Locating and Marking

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  Wall Drying

Certification

Your home deserves the best care it can get, and you can rest assured that it will with Tus Group Our specialists are carefully trained and certified by the best organizations in the industry. The following are certifications obtained by Tus Group Owner and President, Peter Tu.

• Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC, The CleanTrust)
• Applied Structural Drying
• Applied Microbial Remediation Technician
• Carpet Cleaning
• Fire & Smoke Restoration
• Dri-Eaz
• DriZone Applied Structural Drying
• Mold and Sewage Decontamination
• Unsmoke System and Procedures
• Odor Removal, Decontamination, and Disinfection
• Disaster Restoration
• Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
• Board for Asbestos, Lead, Mold, and Home Inspectors Mold Remediator Supervisor License #3386000011

Our Service Areas

Tus Group provides services in the following areas: Northern Virginia, Loudoun County VA, Prince William County VA, Fairfax County VA, Arlington County VA, Sterling VA, Ashburn VA, Vienna VA, Great Falls VA, McLean VA, Reston VA, Herndon VA, Fairfax VA.