WATER DAMAGE REPAIR
Professional water damage repair services in Wausau and all of Central Wisconsin
#1 Water Damage Repair Company in Wausau and Central Wisconsin
In Wausau and Central Wisconsin, NorthStar Restoration Services is your go-to expert for water damage restoration. With over a century of combined experience, our skilled team quickly addresses water-related issues using advanced techniques to restore your property swiftly and effectively. We're dedicated to delivering
top-notch service to help you swiftly recover from water damage.
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YOU WANT NORTHSTAR
- Dedicated Project Manager
- Sewage Backup Clean up and Disinfection
- Water Removal and Structural Drying
- Debris Removal and Disposal
- Content Manipulation
- Drying Progress and Documentation
- Complete Reconstruction and Renovation Partner
Comprehensive Water Damage Solutions for Every Situation
If you’ve suffered extensive water damage to your property, you need to enlist the help of NorthStar Restoration Services. We have over 100 years of combined experience helping customers recover from flood damage using modern drying technology. Our commitment to client satisfaction ensures those affected are able to return their properties in no time.
From professional water removal solutions to sewage clean up services, you can count on NorthStar to help with your property. With our highly trained team paired with our commitment to excellence, you can rest assured knowing that you’ve partnered with one of the top-rated flood restoration companies around. We’ll do everything we can to help clean and restore your property to what it once was.
No job is too big or small! Our solutions are tailored to meet the needs of any situation, so you’ll never pay more than you have to. Whether it’s a commercial building devastated by river overflow or a simple bathroom flood, our focus is to get businesses back in business and families back in their homes.
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU EXPERIENCE FLOOD, WATER OR SEWER DAMAGE:
Fill out our contact form or call us at (866) 439-9318 right away. The faster you act, the more money you’ll save.
If it’s a plumbing/sewer issue, turn off the water at the main if you can do so safely.
When we get there, we’ll immediately get to work to make it right again.
WATER DAMAGE DOS AND DON'TS
Water Damage from Clean Water
Water damage arises from fire damage, broken pipes, blocked drains, malfunctioning appliances, storms and other causes. The appropriate treatment depends on the nature of the damage. Some water carries contaminants and should be considered hazardous (See Water Damage from Contaminated Water). Whatever the origin, the prospects for restoration depend largely on the speed with which your building and personal property can be dried. Even clean water can generate mildew and other bacterial growth if neglected.
DO
- Call NorthStar Restoration Services to process a water damage situation properly, with the appropriate commercial drying equipment.
- Note: Prompt dry-out action in this regard is recommended to prevent further damage and personal loss. Prompt dry-out of water damaged property is the best action to prevent the growth of mold and other microbials. The longer you wait, the worse the situation may get.
- Call a qualified remediation contractor at NorthStar Restoration Services for mold and fungal damage.
- Open drawers and cabinet doors for interior drying, but do not force open stuck drawers or doors.
- Place aluminum foil squares or china saucers under furniture legs to avoid carpet staining.
- Ventilate wet areas. Turn on air conditioning for accelerated drying in the summer.
- Stay out of rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water.
- Transport computers to a dry environment, remove cases and blow dry with low-pressure air, remove lamps, telephones, decorative items and any other pieces from wet furniture tops.
- Freeze valuable books and documents to retard mildew growth until drying can be performed.
DON'T
- Do not touch anything with your bare hands. Oil from your hands can permeate upholstery, walls and woodwork, causing additional damage.
- Do not wipe or attempt to wash fire residues from walls, ceilings or other absorbent surfaces.
- Do not use carpeting or upholstered furniture impacted by heavy smoke residues or debris.
- Do not use food items or canned foods exposed to heat.
- Do not turn on computers, TVs, stereos or electrical appliances until they have been cleaned and checked.
Water Damage from Contaminated Water
Raw sewage and flood waste contains bacteria and other micro organisms which are extremely hazardous to human health. These can be transmitted by touching contaminated areas on shoes. Children, elderly, and pets are especially vulnerable. Frequent hand washing is an important preventative measure. Absorbent materials such as carpeting and drywall most likely will not be restorable after direct contact with sewage or flood contaminated water.
DO
- Treat all water-impacted surfaces and furnishings as toxic, until property is decontaminated
- Keep children and pets out of contaminated areas.
- Call NorthStar Restoration Services for this type of damage.
DON'T
- Use over the counter germicidal products on contaminated surfaces. They do not fully eradicate bacteria and other micro organisms.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Not many things are more of a headache to clean up than water damaged carpet. Even in the smallest of cases, there is always a scramble to get everything dried and cleaned to avoid unsightly stains and musty odors. So you can imagine the damage that even an inch of water in your living room may cause.
In many cases, simply throwing the carpet out and starting over with new would be the preferred course. If you wish to save your carpet, the good news is that you probably can, as long as the carpet has been wet for less than 48 hours, and if the water involved was not sewage based. Mold often takes no longer than 72 hours to form and spread. It can be difficult to clean thoroughly after that time. Your best course of action is to call NorthStar Restoration Services immediately for help. Our experienced professionals will help you determine if you should replace your carpets after water damage.
Water damage to your home may or may not be covered by your insurance, depending on your policy. Generally, home insurance covers “sudden internal” water damage. This accounts for things like a leaking roof, toilet or sink overflow, and vandalism.
If the water damage is the result of a flood or any sort of homeowner neglect, your insurance policy usually will not cover the costs. If you’re unsure what’s covered and what’s not, it’s best to touch base with your insurance provider to get an answer. You can normally add extra insurance coverage for floods in $5,000 increments for about $50/year.
While flooding is impossible to miss, some events may be hard to notice, especially if you’re dealing with smaller water damage problems. Here are some signs you are experiencing water damage:
- A damp smell, especially if accompanied by early signs of mold that might look like spots of dust or dirt.
- Cold rooms that have a difficult time retaining heat. This not only increases your energy costs — it’s also an indicator that the inside of your walls might be damp.
- Discoloration on ceilings or walls, especially if it appears in streaks.
- A sound of dripping or running water in a place you usually don’t hear it, which can indicate that water damage is happening behind-the-scenes.
Sometimes water damage is inevitable, like when a massive storm strikes with little warning. Often, though, there are steps you can take to prevent your home or business from being damaged in the first place.
- Regularly check for cracks and leaks. It doesn’t take a large opening in your roof, ceiling, or walls for water to get through and cause damage. If you notice anything that looks unusual, get it checked out immediately.
- Clean your gutters at least twice a year. If water can properly drain from your roof, the chances of it building up and leaking into your home are quite small.
- Keep your sump pump in working condition. Basement sump pumps do wonders for preventing floods from damaging your lowest level by keeping water levels low. Perform annual sump pump maintenance checks to make sure yours is always up to the task. It’s also a good idea to have a backup sump pump in case something goes wrong with the first one — we recommend a battery-operated unit in case the power goes out.
- Make sure your yard allows water to drain away from your home. Certain types of landscaping can help reduce the risk of a flood damaging your home by helping water drain away and out of your yard.
It can be clean, dirty, or anywhere in between. Knowing what kind of water problem you have will go a long way towards telling you how to fix it. You should understand the various categories of water and why they are classified as such.
The type of water damage you have and its treatment depends largely on the category of water involved. According to the IICRC S500 Standards and Reference Guide for Water Damages, water damage is typically defined by one of the three following categories:
Category 1 Water
Also known as Clean Water, this is water that is uncontaminated at the source and as such does not pose a threat if exposed to or consumed by humans or animals. Broken water lines or overflowing tubs or sinks would be examples of Clean Water.
Category 2 Water
Also known as Grey Water, this water may contain some varying degrees of contaminants at the source and may cause discomfort or illness if exposed to or consumed by humans or animals. Examples of Grey Water would include toilet water with urine present, sump pump failures, and discharge from dishwashers or washing machines.
Category 3 Water
Also known as Black Water, this refers to water that is highly contaminated at the source and may cause serious illness or even death if consumed by humans or animals. This water contains grossly unsanitary agents, harmful bacteria and fungi, and is usually the result of sewage based spills. Other sources may include seawater, rising water from rivers or streams, ground surface water or standing water.
PROUDLY SERVING CENTRAL WISCONSIN
- Abbotsford
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- Greenwood
- Hatley
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Proudly providing disaster restoration and cleaning services to Clark, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Shawano, Portage, Taylor, Waupaca, Wood and Counties.
- Mosinee
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- Rhinelander
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- and every small town in between!
