Guides / The basics

• What Is Water Damage Restoration?

  Water damage restoration is the licensed, standards-based process of removing water from a structure, drying what's left before mold can take hold, and handing off to a separate rebuild phase once it's dry. The process follows the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard, and in Michigan it splits into two licensing lanes regulated differently under state law: mitigation (drying) and reconstruction (rebuilding).

• Basement Flooding: What to Do, in What Order

  Check for electrical and gas hazards before you enter standing water, stop the water at its source if you can do so safely, document everything with photos before you move or discard anything, then start extraction. Michigan has a federally declared flood disaster on record (FEMA DR-4607-MI), basement flooding is common enough that most cities and counties here run their own claim process with a 45-day filing deadline, and insurers expect homeowners to follow this order when a claim is filed.

• What Is Mold Remediation?

  Mold remediation is the process of fixing the moisture source, containing the affected area so spores don't spread, removing material that can't be cleaned, and HEPA-cleaning what's left, following the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard. It's different from mold removal: removal cleans what's visible, remediation treats the cause so it doesn't come back — which matters in Michigan, where sewer backups and storm flooding give mold a moisture source that a simple surface clean won't fix.