When water is spreading through your home, figuring out who to call can be confusing. Do you need a plumber? A roofer? Your insurance company? Or a water damage restoration company?
In many cases, you may eventually need more than one professional. But if water has already damaged your home, a full-service restoration company can often be the best place to start.
Stopping the source of the water is only one part of the problem. Water that has reached drywall, flooring, ceilings, insulation, cabinetry or other building materials also needs to be assessed, removed and properly dried.
A full-service restoration company can manage that process while coordinating plumbers, roofers or other specialized trades when required.
For homeowners throughout the Lower Mainland, this can mean one point of contact to help manage the loss from the initial emergency through drying, repairs and reconstruction.
Who Should You Call First for Water Damage?
If water has caused damage to your home, contacting a professional water damage restoration company is often the logical first step.
A restoration company can assess what has been affected, determine how far the moisture has travelled and begin taking steps to limit further damage.
Depending on what caused the problem, another trade may also be required.
- A burst or leaking pipe may require a plumber.
- Water entering through a damaged roof may require a roofer.
- A failed appliance may require a plumber or appliance technician.
- Water entering from another condo unit may require involvement from the strata or property manager.
- A significant loss may also need to be reported to your insurance provider.
The advantage of working with a full-service restoration company is that you do not necessarily have to coordinate every part of the response yourself.
Premium Restoration provides flood and water damage restoration and can manage the damage while coordinating the appropriate trades required to address the source and restore the property.
Why Isn’t Fixing the Leak Enough?
Fixing the source prevents additional water from entering the property. It does not remove the water that has already been absorbed by the building.
A plumber may successfully repair a burst pipe while moisture remains inside:
- Drywall
- Insulation
- Flooring
- Subflooring
- Baseboards
- Cabinets
- Wall cavities
- Ceilings
The same principle applies to a roof leak. A roofer can repair the area where rain entered, but water that travelled into the attic, insulation, ceiling or walls may still require professional drying.
Water can also travel farther than expected. It may move behind baseboards, underneath flooring or through wall and ceiling cavities before there are obvious signs at the surface.
If you are concerned that moisture may have spread beyond what you can see, knowing the common signs of hidden water damage can help you recognize a problem that needs further assessment.
Do You Need a Plumber or a Water Damage Restoration Company?
Sometimes you need both.
If there is a plumbing issue but no resulting property damage, a plumber may be all that is required.
For example, a minor leak that is caught immediately before water reaches surrounding building materials may simply need a plumbing repair.
The situation changes once water has escaped and affected the home.
A plumber repairs the plumbing problem. A restoration company addresses the damage created by the water.
For a larger loss, a full-service restoration company can also coordinate the plumber or other trade required to repair the source while the restoration team deals with the affected property.
This can be particularly valuable when water is continuing to spread and several parts of the response need to happen quickly.
When Should You Call a Water Damage Restoration Company?
Professional restoration should be considered when water has moved beyond a small, easily contained surface spill.
You should consider calling a restoration company when:
- There is standing water in the home.
- Drywall or ceilings are wet.
- Flooring or subflooring has been affected.
- Water has spread into more than one room.
- Water has travelled between floors.
- Cabinets or built-in finishes are wet.
- The loss involves sewage or potentially contaminated water.
- You cannot determine how far the moisture has spread.
- The damage is significant enough that an insurance claim may be required.
The visible wet area does not always show the full extent of the problem.
Professional moisture detection can help identify what actually became wet and determine which materials can be dried and restored and which may require removal.
What Does a Full-Service Restoration Company Handle?
One of the main advantages of working with a full-service restoration company is having one team oversee the larger recovery process.
Depending on the cause and extent of the loss, the restoration process may include several stages.
1. Assess the Damage
The affected areas are inspected to determine the extent of the water damage, identify immediate safety concerns and establish what needs to happen next.
Professional moisture detection can also help locate water that may have travelled beyond the visibly wet area.
2. Stop or Coordinate the Source Repair
Before successful drying can take place, the source of the water needs to be controlled.
Depending on the cause, this may require a plumber, roofer or another specialized trade.
A full-service restoration company can coordinate this work as part of the overall restoration rather than leaving the homeowner to manage several separate contractors.
3. Extract the Water
Standing and excess water is removed using professional extraction equipment where required.
Removing as much water as possible early in the process helps prepare affected materials for structural drying.
4. Find Hidden Moisture
Water does not always stay where it first appears.
Moisture meters, thermal imaging and other professional assessment methods can help identify water in walls, floors, ceilings and concealed spaces.
5. Dry the Structure
Professional air movers and dehumidification equipment may be used to remove moisture from affected materials and manage conditions inside the property.
The equipment required and the drying plan will depend on the materials involved and the extent of the loss.
6. Monitor the Drying Process
Drying should not be judged only by appearance or touch.
Moisture levels can be monitored throughout the process to determine whether affected materials are returning to appropriate conditions.
7. Protect and Restore Contents
Water damage does not always stop with the building itself.
Furniture, personal belongings and other contents may need to be moved, protected, inventoried, cleaned or restored.
Premium also provides professional contents restoration services when belongings are affected by a property loss.
8. Repair and Rebuild
Once mitigation and drying are complete, damaged areas may require new drywall, flooring, paint, cabinetry or other repairs.
Premium’s residential restoration services can take a home from emergency mitigation through repairs and reconstruction, helping reduce the need for homeowners to manage multiple contractors independently.
Who Do You Call If Water Is Leaking Through the Ceiling?
Water coming through a ceiling can have several possible sources.
If there is a bathroom, kitchen, laundry room or plumbing line above the affected area, the source may be plumbing related.
If the ceiling is below the attic or roof, damaged roofing, flashing or another exterior component may be allowing water into the home.
Water can also travel along framing and other building components before appearing somewhere away from the original source.
If water is close to electrical fixtures or the ceiling is sagging or bulging, stay clear of the affected area and treat the situation as an urgent safety concern.
Premium’s guide on what to do if water leaks through the ceiling explains the immediate steps homeowners can take and when professional restoration may be required.
Should You Call Your Insurance Company for Water Damage?
If the loss may involve an insurance claim, notify your insurer or broker promptly and follow the requirements of your individual policy.
At the same time, water can continue moving through a property while a claim is being opened and reviewed. Appropriate steps to prevent additional damage may need to begin before the entire claims process is complete.
Documentation can also be important after a significant water loss. This may include:
- Photos and videos of the affected areas
- Information about the apparent source
- Moisture readings
- Records of affected materials and belongings
- Restoration estimates and scopes of work
- Records of emergency services and repairs
Premium can document the restoration process and communicate with insurers and adjusters as required.
For more information about the early stages of a claim, read Premium’s guide to making a water damage insurance claim in BC.
Who Do You Call for Water Damage in a Condo or Strata Property?
Water damage in a condo or strata property can involve additional moving parts.
A leak may originate inside one unit and affect another. Water may also come from a common building component or system.
If water is entering your unit from another part of the building, notify your strata or property manager promptly.
Depending on the situation, the response may involve:
- The strata or property manager
- A restoration company
- A plumber or another specialized trade
- The owner or resident of another unit
- One or more insurance providers
Responsibility for repairs or costs should not be assumed simply based on where the water originated. The circumstances of the loss, insurance coverage and applicable strata documents can all play a role.
From a restoration standpoint, the immediate concern is identifying how far the water has travelled and limiting additional damage to affected units and building materials.
Who Do You Call for a Sewer Backup?
A sewer backup requires a different response from a typical clean-water plumbing leak.
Sewage and wastewater can contain harmful contaminants, so unnecessary contact with affected water should be avoided. Keep children and pets away from the affected area.
Professional cleanup may involve water extraction, removal of contaminated materials, cleaning and sanitizing, structural drying and repairs.
Premium provides professional sewage backup cleaning and restoration throughout the Lower Mainland.
What If You Don’t Know Where the Water Is Coming From?
Not every water loss has an obvious source.
Sometimes the first indication of a problem is:
- A ceiling stain
- Bubbling or peeling paint
- Damp drywall
- Warped flooring
- Swollen baseboards
- A musty odour
- Unexplained moisture around cabinetry
Do not assume the source is directly above or beside the visible damage.
Water can travel along pipes, framing and other building components before appearing elsewhere. It can also remain concealed beneath flooring or inside walls after the original leak has stopped.
A professional assessment can help identify affected areas, investigate the likely source and determine what needs to happen next.
How Quickly Should You Call About Water Damage?
Significant water damage should be addressed as soon as practical.
Even after standing water is removed or a leak stops, building materials may continue holding moisture.
Water can spread into drywall, insulation, flooring, subfloors, cabinets and concealed cavities. As more materials become affected, drying and restoration can become more involved.
Prompt extraction and structural drying can also help reduce the conditions that allow mould to develop.
If you are concerned about moisture remaining after a water loss, Premium explains the relationship in its guide to how long mould can take to grow after water damage.
Can You Clean Up Water Damage Yourself?
Not every water incident requires professional restoration.
A small amount of clean water that is confined to a non-porous surface and cleaned up immediately may be manageable without professional help.
Professional assessment becomes more important when:
- Water has penetrated porous building materials.
- Drywall, flooring or insulation is wet.
- Water has entered concealed spaces.
- There is a significant amount of water.
- The affected area cannot be dried quickly.
- Sewage or other contamination is involved.
- The source or extent of the damage is unclear.
Household fans may make a surface appear dry without addressing moisture deeper within the structure.
After significant water damage, the goal is not simply to make the room look dry. It is to determine what became wet and properly dry, clean or restore the affected materials.
One Call Can Help Coordinate the Water Damage Recovery Process
Water damage can involve several different professionals, but homeowners should not necessarily have to manage every part of the restoration separately.
If water has already damaged your property, a full-service restoration company can be a logical first call.
Premium Restoration can assess the loss, begin emergency mitigation, coordinate the appropriate trades, provide water extraction and structural drying, assist with insurance documentation, and complete repairs and reconstruction when required.
That means the leaking pipe, damaged roof or other source is not treated as a completely separate problem from the wet walls, damaged flooring and repairs that follow. The recovery can be managed as one coordinated process.
Premium Restoration provides 24/7 water damage response for homes, businesses and strata properties throughout Delta, Abbotsford, Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Langley, Chilliwack, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and surrounding Lower Mainland communities.
If water is actively damaging your property or you are unsure what to do next, call Premium Restoration at 604-943-7673 for 24/7 assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Who to Call for Water Damage
Should I Call a Plumber or a Restoration Company for Water Damage?
If you only have a plumbing problem with no resulting property damage, a plumber may be all you need. If water has reached drywall, flooring, ceilings or other building materials, a restoration company should also be involved. A full-service restoration company can coordinate plumbing or other trades when required while managing the resulting water damage.
Can a Restoration Company Coordinate a Plumber or Roofer?
A full-service restoration company can coordinate specialized trades when they are required as part of a property restoration project. This allows the source repair, mitigation, drying and subsequent repairs to be managed as part of the same overall restoration process.
Should I Call Insurance or a Restoration Company First?
Your insurer or broker should be notified promptly when a significant loss may result in a claim. However, urgent steps may also be required to limit additional property damage. A restoration company can assess and mitigate the loss while documenting the work for the claims process.
Who Removes Water From a Flooded Home?
A water damage restoration company can extract standing water, assess affected materials, establish a structural drying plan and monitor moisture levels throughout the drying process.
Who Should I Call If I Don’t Know Where the Water Is Coming From?
If water is damaging the property and the source is unclear, contacting a full-service restoration company can help get the response started. The affected areas can be assessed and the appropriate trade can be coordinated once the likely source is identified.
The Bottom Line
When water damages your home, the answer is not always as simple as choosing between a plumber and a restoration company.
The source needs to be stopped, but the damage the water has already caused also needs to be addressed.
If water has reached drywall, flooring, ceilings, insulation or other building materials, a full-service restoration company can help coordinate the complete response, from identifying affected areas and arranging necessary trades to structural drying, insurance documentation and reconstruction.
For 24/7 water damage restoration throughout the Lower Mainland, call Premium Restoration at 604-943-7673.
