While most people think water damage means doom and gloom for their investment, it’s not always the case. There are silver linings many fail to discuss when they find themselves with water where it shouldn’t be: it can actually make your home better than before. Not just fixed. But better.
Of course, this sounds all too good to be true. But modern restoration work doesn’t just replace what’s wrong; it upgrades systems, and in some cases, improves materials and provides documentation that adds value down the line.
Buyers Want This Documentation
One thing few people realize until they go to sell their home is that restoration documentation is worth its weight in gold.
Professional restoration companies will take baseline readings – moisture, thermal, air – and provide detailed documentation of their findings and actions taken. This way, things are not painted over and hidden, but instead, you have a paper trail indicating that someone who knew what they were doing got into the guts of the system, patched it up, and resolved the issue.
Not only do buyers appreciate seeing this documentation, but inspectors revel in it. It shows that something went wrong but was rectified instead of some fly-by-night DIY. Compare that with sellers claiming, “oh yeah, we had a small leak once but dried it out ourselves” and you’ve got red flags everywhere.
It’s not worth it. Peace of mind goes a long way. Homes with proper documentation sell faster (and for better prices) than homes that have mysterious stains or half-hearted explanations about previous problems. If you want to secure your property value despite water damage, call a top-rated water restoration company to get the job done properly and create adequate documentation.
Better Materials Go In Than What Came Out
From a monetary perspective, one of the best things about restoration work is that professionals are not looking to replace with the cheapest possible hardware store options.
Instead, they’re using commercial grade products that sometimes outshine what was originally put in.
Moisture resistant drywall goes in the most common places for moisture intrusion. Subpar R-value insulation gets replaced with better moisture barriers and R-values. Low quality floorboards become something worthy of looking at. Realistically, restoration is a chance to upgrade instead of getting the status quo back.
Insurance companies understand this. They are restoring things to pre-loss condition, but pre-loss condition does not mean the same 1985 version bought at the most reasonable price on clearance at Home Depot. It means using today’s standard materials, which are always better than what’s in place.
After water restoration, homeowners will often find that the areas affected by water are now their nicest spots in the house. Why? Because of proper restoration – not thanks to it.
The Structural Details No One Talks About
Water damage will result in people opening up things most don’t see on a regular basis. Once professionals get access behind the walls and ceilings after water damage, they can see what’s inside your walls.
However, they might realize there’s something in there unrelated to the water damage but has since been uncovered as an issue.
Maybe it’s buried electrical that’s no longer up to code. Maybe it’s plumbing that was planning on giving out in another year anyway. Maybe it’s framing that’s not up to snuff, but no one really knew until that drywall came down.
Good water restoration companies won’t leave you hanging to dry (pun intended). They’ll address these findings as part of the restoration effort or flag you for attention. Either way, a problem that could have gone awry down the road is caught now since it’s opened up and accessible.
Thus, a home has better structural integrity than before it got compromised – through no spin, but from practical application because a professional got in there and did what was necessary.
Better Water Management Systems
Professional water restoration doesn’t just fix what’s already done – but assesses how it may have happened and how it can prevent it from happening again.
This could mean foundation cracking that means drainage is needed; it could be sump pump systems that need an upgrade; it could be moisture barriers put in place where there were none; it could be re-grading landscapes to emphasize that water needs to go away from the house as opposed to toward it; it could be supply lines that desperately need replacement efforts since they will burst – and leak – again.
These improvements have value. A home with proper water management systems is better than one without. Future buyers know theirs will be better off without the same problems. Insurance companies sometimes give them better rates because better coverage exists.
Better systems are often rolled into the restoration effort since insurance will pay for at least parts of them. Thus, homeowners get more extensive protection without having to pay out of pocket for an entire preventative makeover.
The Energy Efficient Factor
When insulation is replaced post-water damage, it’s replaced with insulation up to energy code standards. Energy codes have only gotten stricter over time – which means whatever went into your home prior to water damage may not even hold a candle to what’s replaced after water mitigation.
Windows and doors that need replacement post-water damage generally are more energy efficient than anything manufactured even ten years ago – a vast change from any windows from 1985.
This newness boasts real numbers – ask for examples when attempting DIY restoration versus getting a professional on board. Homeowners will find that their heating and cooling bill is smaller as well; improved air transfer can only help those who are crazy enough to call cheap avoidance efforts, “saving money.”
Buyers, appraisers, and anyone involved in resale appreciates added value from proper energy efficiency resources put into place after professional water restoration efforts since they operate at standards far superior to anything prior.
The Certification Factor
Many times, professional restoration companies boast certifications or warranties for their work for years down the line.
It’s one thing for someone to give you a pat on the back for something you did without proper certification; it’s another to assess a five- or ten-year certification for professionalism guaranteed from a company willing to transfer those efforts onto any future owners down the line.
If someone was good enough with their work to stand behind it for ten years – even five – for peace of mind, that’s much more convincing than someone saying they took care of the problem themselves.
The Peace of Mind Factor Over Long-Term Value
Finally, nothing protects value over time like proper peace of mind. Proper peace of mind comes from knowing something is done correctly and by someone else – no DIY minimal risk solutions.
When a problem is restored correctly – and everyone sees that ownership gets absorbed – there’s no need for mold remediation again. There’s no need for structural assessments again. There’s no need for re-drying debris again.
Everything gets done right the first time. The value remains because nobody returns with vengeance or unaddressed repeat problems three months later or at subsequent inspections down the road because you didn’t want to pay someone else instead of yourself at first.
Water damage seems like it’s going to ruin your life, but it doesn’t have to ruin your financial future as well. With proper water damage restoration efforts, your home can emerge healthier, better documented, more attractive to buyers than before – but only if it’s all done properly in its moment of need first.