Reads
What sizes up a water damage job: seven factors a contractor weighs
No page can price your wet house, and this one does not try. It lists what a contractor weighs when sizing a job, from how long the water sat to what it soaked, with the EPA and CDC pages behind each factor.
The factors side by side
| Factor | What changes the job | What to record or ask |
|---|---|---|
| Time wet | Longer means more material to remove | When it started, if known |
| Source | Drain or creek water adds cleanup steps | Where the water came from |
| Materials | Porous items are likelier to go | What the floor, wall and ceiling are made of |
| Spread | Wall cavities and rooms below add scope | Which rooms and which levels are wet |
| Access | Stairs and crawl spaces add setup | How the room is reached |
| HVAC | A wet system needs inspection first | Whether the air handler or ducts got wet |
| Drying goal | The EPA's target is 15 percent or less on a meter | How readings will be shared |
No dollar figures appear here, since none of the pages opened for this site publish them for Georgia water damage work.
Hours on the clock
Time is the first factor because it decides what can still be dried. A day of wetness is the EPA's threshold for mold in building materials and furnishings, and its guide asks for areas and items that got wet to be dried within 24 to 48 hours. Water that sat for days opens a bigger job than water caught the same hour.
Where the water came from
The CDC treats water from drains, toilets and creeks as possibly carrying sewage, and says to discard what cannot be disinfected. The EPA's advice for sewage and other contaminated water is to hire someone with experience in that kind of job. A leaking supply line and a backed-up sewer can wet the same floor and call for very different plans.
What it soaked
Sealed, hard surfaces can be washed with detergent and water and then dried all the way. Carpet and ceiling tiles, which are porous, may have to be thrown out if mold takes hold, the EPA says; its general rule is to discard whatever absorbs a lot of water and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried.
How far it traveled
Water follows pipes, joists and drywall seams. A stain on one ceiling can sit above a wet wall cavity and soaked insulation. A sagging ceiling, the Red Cross notes, has soaked up water and gotten heavy, which often widens what has to come down.
How easy it is to reach
Stairs, finished basements, tight closets and crawl spaces all change the setup. UGA Extension's checklist has homeowners look in crawl spaces for mold, moisture, water damage and leaks, and a crawl space that stayed wet is its own small job.
What the HVAC system did
The EPA says most HVAC systems cannot dry a flooded home when humidity is very high, and advises against using one the flood affected. The CDC wants a flooded system inspected and cleaned by someone experienced in mold cleanup before it is turned on. Ductwork that took on water adds a task.
Want to talk through your own list?
The water extraction page shows how those factors play out on a soaked floor, and the record checklist helps you gather what a contractor asks about. Call (678) 737-4866 and describe the room, the source and how long the water has sat.