Restoration answer hub
Clear answers when you need them.
100 plain-language answers to the questions West Michigan property owners ask after water, fire, mold, sewage, and storm damage. Reviewed by Ryan Penny, IICRC certified, family-owned in Grand Rapids since 1981.
Water Damage
24 answers- What is Category 1 water in restoration?
- What is Category 2 water in restoration?
- What is Category 3 water in restoration?
- What is dry standard in water damage restoration?
- What is the IICRC S500 standard?
- What is water damage mitigation?
- What is a Class 1 water loss?
- What is a Class 2 water loss?
- What is a Class 3 water loss?
- What is a Class 4 water loss?
- What is the difference between water damage mitigation and restoration?
- What are moisture meter readings in water damage restoration?
- What is an LGR dehumidifier?
- What is a psychrometric reading?
- How long does water damage drying take?
- What pathogens are in sewage backup water?
- What is a desiccant dehumidifier?
- What are air movers used for in restoration?
- What is antimicrobial treatment in water damage restoration?
- What is frozen pipe burst water damage?
- What is supply line water damage?
- What is roof leak water damage?
- What category is basement flooding?
- What is a flood cut in water damage?
Fire & Smoke
17 answers- What is protein smoke in fire restoration?
- What is char in fire damage restoration?
- What is soot in fire restoration?
- What is fuel oil smoke (puff-back)?
- What is the difference between ozone and hydroxyl generators?
- What is thermal fogging in fire restoration?
- Does a fire contaminate the HVAC system?
- What is pyrolysis in fire damage?
- What is the IICRC S700 standard?
- What is smoke odor sealing?
- What is the difference between wet smoke and dry smoke?
- Is fire department water damage covered by insurance?
- How is contents cleaning done after a fire?
- Is soot acidic or alkaline?
- What is dry ice blasting in fire restoration?
- What is emergency structure board-up?
- What is the insurance claim process for fire damage?
Mold Remediation
15 answers- What is the IICRC S520 mold remediation standard?
- How fast does mold grow after water damage?
- What is Condition 1 in mold remediation?
- What is Condition 2 in mold remediation?
- What is Condition 3 in mold remediation?
- What are the mold remediation containment levels?
- What is post-remediation verification (PRV)?
- What are mycotoxins?
- What is HEPA negative air in mold remediation?
- What is the difference between visible and hidden mold?
- What is the difference between air sampling and swab mold testing?
- Does bleach kill mold?
- What are the health effects of mold exposure?
- What causes attic mold?
- How is crawlspace mold remediated?
Biohazard & Trauma
6 answers- What is the IICRC S540 standard?
- What is the process for unattended death cleanup?
- What is the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard?
- What is the hoarding cleanup severity scale?
- What is Regulated Medical Waste?
- How is a meth lab decontaminated?
Storm & Winter
6 answers- What is an ice dam?
- What is a hail damage test square?
- What is shingle creasing from wind damage?
- What is an emergency roof tarp-over?
- How do you prevent frozen pipes?
- Is flood damage covered by homeowners insurance?
Insurance & Claims
18 answers- What is Xactimate in insurance restoration claims?
- What is an HO-3 homeowners policy?
- What is the difference between actual cash value and replacement cost?
- What is depreciation in a homeowners insurance claim?
- What is the deductible on a water damage claim?
- What is Loss of Use (Additional Living Expense) coverage?
- What is a water back-up endorsement?
- What is an insurance adjuster?
- What is an insurance supplement on a property damage claim?
- What is a contents pack-out in a claim?
- What is a homeowners insurance policy endorsement?
- What is Coverage A on a homeowners policy?
- What is coinsurance on a homeowners policy?
- Why is the mortgage company on my insurance check?
- What is the insurance appraisal clause?
- Can I choose my own restoration contractor?
- What is a preferred vendor program?
- Who owns the depreciation holdback on an insurance claim?
Cost & Pricing
7 answers- How much does water damage restoration cost per square foot?
- How much does fire damage restoration cost per square foot?
- How much does mold remediation cost?
- How much does biohazard cleanup cost?
- What is the emergency dispatch fee for restoration?
- How much does a dehumidifier cost per day?
- How much does an air mover cost per day?
Equipment & Terms
7 answers- What is a HEPA filter in restoration equipment?
- What is an air scrubber in restoration?
- What is a thermal imaging camera used for in water damage?
- What is the difference between penetrating and non-penetrating moisture meters?
- What is a Phoenix Guardian dehumidifier?
- What is Injectidry interstitial drying?
- What is a truck-mount water extraction unit?