Water Damage & Flooded Basement Restoration Services

Why Your Water Restoration Company Should Be Certified

By the RestorationSOS Educational Staff

Water damage restoration can be a difficult area to navigate. When it happens you have to move fast, at least if you want to avoid future problems. This means choosing a water damage restoration company to come and do the work. The problem? There are a lot of names under the water restoration listings and choosing the one that you can entrust your home to may prove problematic if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The water restoration industry is a largely unmonitored and unregulated one which means that pretty much anybody can offer water restoration services and say they are in the business. Shooting in the dark means you may get a qualified provider or an incompetent hack. One gets you the results you want; the other gets you deeper in trouble.

The good news is that the industry has done a remarkable job of policing itself, namely through the foundation of certification outfits such as The Clean Trust (formerly the IICRC). The Clean Trust establishes standards, practices, and ethics for the restoration industry, providing training, certification, and continuing education in virtually every area of the business.

Some obvious differences between certified and uncertified companies:

• Certified companies will answer their own phones 24/7 and have a technician out to your home the same day. Uncertified companies will give you a voicemail and a promise to get back to you the next business day.
• Certified companies have trained and experienced technicians. Uncertified companies may have the owner’s nephew taking a semester off from college.
• Certified companies will have the latest in equipment and procedures, and know what to do in a given situation. Uncertified companies will have a mop, a bucket, and no real plan of what work should be performed.
• Certified companies will have a 100% guarantee on work performed. Uncertified companies will say "Call us if you have a problem."

Actually, some of these uncertified companies may mean well and some may actually do a good job, but what you need is a company that has taken the time, effort and money to properly equip its personnel, and is accountable to a governing body. In the worst-case scenario, you may end up with a scam artist who has no interest in your home at all beyond parting you with your money. You may end up with a half-done job (or no work done at all) and out several hundred or even thousands of dollars.

Don’t take chances with your home or business. Look for a water restoration provider that sports the Clean Trust seal. You can rest assured that you are dealing with a reputable organization, and that there is proper accountability in the event of an irresolvable issue.

Recommended Reading
Checklist for Choosing a Qualified Restoration Contractor
Choosing Contractors for Water Damage Restoration
How to Find Good Water Restoration Contractors