Restoration Glossary

Actual Cash Value vs. Replacement Cost Value

Actual cash value is replacement cost minus depreciation. Replacement cost value pays to replace with new materials, on many policies in two payments, with the depreciation held back until the work is done.

Air Mover

An air mover is a portable, high-velocity fan used in water damage restoration to push air along floors, walls and other wet surfaces so that moisture evaporates faster.

Air Scrubber

An air scrubber is a portable filtration machine that draws room air through a series of filters, such as a pre-filter and a HEPA filter, and returns it to the room to remove airborne particles while restoration work is under way.

ANSI/IICRC S500 Water Damage Restoration Standard

The ANSI/IICRC S500 Water Damage Restoration Standard, formally the Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration, is a voluntary, consensus-based procedural standard published by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification that describes the procedures and precautions for restoring buildings and their contents after water damage.

ANSI/IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard

The ANSI/IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard, formally the Standard for Professional Mold Remediation, is a voluntary, consensus-based industry standard from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification that describes the procedures and precautions for remediating mold in buildings and their contents.

Basement Flood Cleanup

Basement flood cleanup is the staged work of making a flooded basement safe, removing the water slowly, taking out materials that cannot be cleaned and dried, and then cleaning and drying what remains.

Biohazard Cleanup

Biohazard cleanup is the professional removal, decontamination and disposal of blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious materials from a property, done by trained workers under written safety plans.

Building Envelope Water Intrusion

Building envelope water intrusion is outside water, such as rain or groundwater, getting past the roof, walls, windows, doors or foundation and into the building or the hidden layers inside its walls.

Cavity Drying

Cavity drying is the drying of the closed air spaces inside walls, ceilings, floors and cabinets after water damage, for example by moving dry air through them via small holes instead of removing the finished surface.

Certificate of Completion in Restoration

A certificate of completion in restoration is a signed statement from the contractor, which the property owner may countersign, that the agreed restoration work has been finished, and it can trigger final payment, a lender release or the end of a claim file.

Certified Restoration Professional: see Restoration Company Credentials and Certifications

Clean Water, Gray Water and Black Water: see Category 1, 2 and 3 Water Damage

Contents Inventory for Insurance Claims

A contents inventory is an itemized list of damaged belongings with descriptions, quantities, ages and values, used to support the personal property part of a claim.

Contents Pack-Out and Storage

Contents pack-out is the inventorying, packing and removal of belongings from a damaged building so they can be cleaned off site, stored and returned after repairs.

Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier is a machine that removes water vapor from the air, lowering humidity so that wet building materials can give up their moisture to drier air.

Demolition vs. Drying in Restoration

Demolition versus drying is the choice, made material by material after a water loss, between tearing out wet material that cannot be saved and drying it where it sits.

Dew Point

Dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, so that cooling it any further, or touching it to a surface at that temperature, makes liquid water begin to condense.

Dry Smoke vs. Wet Smoke Residue

Dry smoke and wet smoke residue are the trade’s two main fire residues: dry smoke is made of loose, non-smeary particles from a freely burning fire, and wet smoke is tacky, penetrating, strong-smelling residue from a smoldering, oxygen-starved fire.

Dry Standard

A dry standard is the moisture reading of the same kind of building material in a part of the same building the water never reached, used as the reference for what “dry” looks like for that material in that place.

Emergency Restoration Service

An emergency restoration service is the first-response work that stops damage getting worse: stopping the source, extracting water, securing the building and starting drying. It is mitigation, not the full repair.

Emergency Water Extraction

Emergency water extraction is the removal of standing and pooled water from a building, with pumps or wet vacuums, as the first physical step of water damage work and before drying equipment goes in.

Equilibrium Moisture Content

Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) is the moisture level at which a material such as wood, is neither gaining nor losing water, because it has settled with the temperature and relative humidity of the air around it.

Fire Damage Restoration

Fire damage restoration is the work of making a building and its contents safe, clean and repairable after a fire: securing the structure, removing soot and smoke residue, treating odor and rebuilding what burned.

Fire-Damaged Structural Materials

Fire-damaged structural materials are the load-carrying parts of a building, such as framing, beams, joists and their connections, whose strength may have changed because heat charred, weakened or burned through them, and whether any of it can stay in place is an engineering decision, not a cleaning or visual one.

Flood Cut in Drywall

A flood cut in drywall is the removal of wet or contaminated drywall along a level line placed above the highest point that water reached or wicked, so the wall can dry, be inspected and be rebuilt from the cut upward.

Flood Damage Restoration

Flood damage restoration is the cleanup of a building after rising water from outside, such as a river, storm surge or heavy runoff. Floodwater is treated as Category 3 water, so porous materials it touched are generally removed rather than dried.

Gradual Water Damage Exclusion

The gradual water damage exclusion is a home insurance policy clause that removes coverage for damage caused by water that leaks or seeps over a long time, as opposed to a sudden discharge.

HEPA Filtration

HEPA filtration is air filtering with a high-efficiency particulate air filter, a pleated mechanical filter rated to remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns across when tested under set conditions.

Hidden Water Damage

Hidden water damage is wetness or moisture harm inside a building’s walls, floors, ceilings or other cavities where it cannot be seen from the surface, such as from a slow leak, a past event or water that traveled away from its source.

Hydroxyl Generators in Restoration

Hydroxyl generators in restoration are air-treatment machines that use ultraviolet light and a catalytic surface to produce hydroxyl radicals, highly reactive oxidizing molecules that makers say react with odor molecules and other airborne compounds, and that restorers use as an air-treatment step alongside cleaning.

Hygrometer

A hygrometer is an instrument that measures how much water vapor is in the air, shown as relative humidity in percent, and a thermo-hygrometer also shows the air temperature, and in some models the dew point.

IICRC Standards in Restoration

IICRC standards in restoration are voluntary, consensus-based industry standards published by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a nonprofit, that describe how professionals should carry out work such as water damage restoration, mold remediation and fire and smoke damage restoration.

Infrared Thermography vs. Moisture Measurement: see Thermal Imaging for Water Damage

Insurance Adjuster

An insurance adjuster is the person who investigates a claim, inspects the damage and decides what the policy pays. A company adjuster works for the insurer; a public adjuster is hired by the policyholder.

Insurance Depreciation and Recoverable Depreciation

Insurance depreciation is the amount an insurer subtracts from the cost of a damaged item because of its age, wear and condition, which may be paid back later as recoverable depreciation if the policy allows.

Moisture Content

Moisture content is the amount of water held in a material, written as a percent of the material’s oven-dry weight: the weight of the water divided by the weight of the material with all its water removed, times 100.

Moisture Control and Mold Prevention

Moisture control and mold prevention is the practice of keeping liquid water and humid air from reaching the materials in a building long enough for mold to grow, by fixing leaks, drying wet items quickly, ventilating and keeping indoor humidity in range.

Moisture Intrusion vs. Condensation

Moisture intrusion is water entering a building from outside or from plumbing, while condensation is water vapor from the indoor air turning to liquid on a surface colder than the air’s dew point; both leave damp materials, but the cause and the fix differ.

Moisture Log

A moisture log is the running written record of a water damage drying job, listing the air and material readings taken on each visit, where they were taken, what equipment was in place and the goal the materials must reach before drying can stop.

Moisture Mapping

Moisture mapping is the practice of recording moisture readings at marked locations on a sketch or floor plan of a water-damaged building, so the wet area, its edges and its change from day to day can be seen at a glance.

Moisture Meter

A moisture meter is a handheld instrument that estimates how much water is in a solid building material, such as wood or drywall, by sending a small electrical signal into it and reading how the material responds.

Mold Air Sampling

Mold air sampling is the collection of a measured volume of air, such as with a spore trap that catches particles on a slide or cassette, so a lab can count and identify the mold spores in it at that place and time.

Mold Containment

Mold containment is a temporary sealed enclosure, built from polyethylene sheeting around the area being cleaned and kept at lower air pressure than its surroundings, so mold spores and dust released during removal do not spread to the rest of the building.

Mold Inspection vs. Mold Testing

Mold inspection vs.

Mold Remediation

Mold remediation is the removal or cleaning of mold-damaged materials and the correction of the moisture problem that let it grow, using containment where the area is large. Killing mold is not enough; it has to be removed and the moisture source fixed.

Mold Remediation Protocol

A mold remediation protocol is the written plan that sets the scope, containment, removal methods and clearance criteria for a mold job. In some states it must be written by an assessor who is separate from the company that does the removal.

Mold Surface Sampling

Mold surface sampling is the collection of material from a surface, by pressing tape on it, rubbing a swab over it or cutting out a small piece, so a lab can examine what fungal structures are present on that spot.

Mold-Resistant Materials

Mold-resistant materials are building products, such as gypsum wallboard with treated facings or fiberglass facings, made to resist mold growth better than ordinary products when they get damp, but no material is mold-proof and none removes the need to keep a building dry.

Negative Air Machine

A negative air machine is a portable fan unit with a HEPA filter that pulls air out of a sealed work area and sends it outside, so the area sits at lower air pressure than the rooms around it and dust and mold spores do not leak out.

Ozone Treatment for Smoke Odor

Ozone treatment for smoke odor is the use of an ozone generator, a machine that deliberately makes ozone gas, in an unoccupied building so the gas can react with odor compounds, followed by airing the building out before anyone returns.

Photo Documentation for Restoration Claims

Photo documentation for restoration claims is a dated set of photographs and video that shows the damaged property, the affected contents and the work done, taken before cleanup or repairs change the scene, and kept with receipts and written records.

Porous vs. Nonporous Materials in Mold Remediation

Porous vs.

Post-Construction Cleaning After Restoration

Post-construction cleaning after restoration is the final cleaning of dust, debris and residue once repairs are finished, done before the home is handed back and before belongings are returned.

Post-Remediation Verification

Post-remediation verification is a documented check, made after mold cleanup and before containment comes down or rebuilding starts, that the work followed its written plan, that visible mold and the moisture problem are gone, and that the area is ready for repair.

Post-Restoration Inspection

A post-restoration inspection is a final walkthrough, done by the property owner, the contractor or an independent professional, that compares finished restoration work with the written scope, the signed changes and the drying records before the final payment is made and the job is closed.

Proof of Loss

A proof of loss is a formal, signed statement you give your insurer that describes a loss and the amount you are claiming, and some policies require it to be sworn.

Protein Smoke Residue

Protein smoke residue is the clear film, which can be invisible, left when meat, fish or fowl burns slowly or carbonizes, as in a kitchen fire, and it is known for carrying a highly obnoxious, persistent odor even when little damage can be seen.

Psychrometrics in Water Damage Restoration

Psychrometrics in water damage restoration is the measurement of moist air, using temperature, relative humidity, dew point and grains per pound to show how much water the air holds and whether it can take up more.

Public Adjuster vs. Insurance Company Adjuster

A company adjuster is an employee of your insurer, an independent adjuster is hired by your insurer on contract, and a public adjuster is a licensed professional you hire to prepare and negotiate your claim for a fee.

Questions to Ask a Water Damage Restoration Company

Questions to ask a restoration company are the checks that confirm its licence, insurance, written scope, drying documentation and who is responsible for each phase before you sign anything.

Refrigerant vs. Desiccant Dehumidifier

A refrigerant dehumidifier removes water by chilling air on a cold coil until vapor condenses, while a desiccant dehumidifier removes it by passing air over a drying material that adsorbs the vapor and is then heated to release it.

Relative Humidity

Relative humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air compared with the most vapor that air can hold at its current temperature, written as a percent, so 100 percent means the air is saturated.

Restoration Change Order

A restoration change order is a written document, signed by the property owner and the contractor, that changes the agreed scope of work or price after the contract is made, and states what is added or removed, what it costs and how it affects the schedule.

Restoration Company Credentials and Certifications

Restoration company credentials and certifications are the documents, listings and claims a restoration company offers to show it is qualified, and they fall into different kinds that prove different things: an industry certification, a state licence, insurance, a trade membership, a training course certificate and a marketing claim.

Restoration Company Response Time

Restoration company response time is the gap between your first call and a stated step of the job, and the phrase has no fixed meaning: it can point to the call-back, the crew arriving, water removal starting, or drying equipment running.

Restoration Contractor

A restoration contractor is a company that responds to property damage from water, fire, smoke, mold or storms by making the property safe, drying and cleaning it, and, in some cases, rebuilding it, using trained staff and specialized drying and cleaning equipment.

Restoration Contractor Red Flags

Restoration contractor red flags are patterns that suggest a company will not protect you: pressure to sign an assignment of benefits, no written scope, no drying records, full payment upfront, or door-knocking after a storm.

Restoration Estimate

A restoration estimate is a company's itemized proposal for the drying, cleaning and repair work it plans to do. Mitigation and reconstruction are priced as separate documents, and a good estimate lists quantities, not just totals.

Restoration Project Scope and Timeline: see Restoration Scope of Work

Restoration Scope of Work

A restoration scope of work is the written description of the work a restoration company agrees to do, covering what, where, how much and when, so that you, the company and your insurer can compare the same plan.

Restoration vs. Reconstruction

Restoration, or mitigation, stops the damage and returns materials to a dry, clean condition. Reconstruction rebuilds what could not be saved. They are separate phases, often separate contracts, and the rebuild is the stage where you can compare bids.

Restoration Warranty and Workmanship Guarantee

A restoration warranty and workmanship guarantee is a written promise from a company to fix defects in its own work for a stated period, and it is different from a manufacturer warranty on a product or your insurer’s coverage of the loss.

Restoration Work Authorization

A restoration work authorization is the document you sign to let a restoration company begin described work at your property on stated terms, and it can be the first paper handed over after a loss.

Salvageable vs. Non-Salvageable Materials

Salvageable materials are building materials and belongings that can be cleaned and dried back to a safe, sound state after water damage, while non-salvageable materials are those that cannot and must be removed and replaced.

Sewage Backup Cleanup

Sewage backup cleanup is the removal of Category 3 water that has come up through a drain or overflowed from a sewer line, followed by cleaning and disinfecting the area. It is hazardous work done with protective equipment.

Sewage Contamination in Buildings

Sewage contamination in buildings is the presence of waste water from a sewer line, drain or overflowing system inside a building, where it can carry bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals into the air, the materials and the people who touch them.

Smoke Damage Restoration

Smoke damage restoration cleans soot and smoke residue from surfaces, contents and air systems, and treats lingering odor, which can stay in porous materials long after the fire is out.

Smoke Odor Removal

Smoke odor removal is the work of finding what holds a fire’s smell, cleaning or removing those materials and residues, and only then treating the remaining air, because smoke odor soaks into porous materials and cavities and cannot be fixed by spraying the room.

Soot Removal

Soot removal is the staged cleaning of the fine, dark residue that incomplete combustion leaves on walls, ceilings, contents and building systems, done with dry methods first and damp methods after, because soot is oily and smears when rubbed or wetted too early.

Standing Water Removal: see Emergency Water Extraction

Storm Damage Restoration

Storm damage restoration repairs a building after wind, hail, rain or fallen trees: temporary protection first, then drying, cleaning and repairs. Whether the loss counts as wind, water or flood damage changes which insurance policy responds.

Structural Damage Assessment

A structural damage assessment is an examination by a qualified professional, such as a building inspector or licensed engineer, that decides whether a damaged building is safe to enter and what must be repaired.

Structural Drying

Structural drying is the controlled removal of water from building materials using air movement, dehumidification and temperature, with moisture readings taken to show when each material reaches its drying goal.

Subfloor Moisture

Subfloor moisture is the amount of water held in the structural layer beneath a finished floor, such as plywood, oriented strand board or a concrete slab, measured as a percentage of the material’s weight.

Sudden and Accidental Water Damage

Sudden and accidental water damage is water damage that happens quickly and unexpectedly, such as a burst pipe or a failed washer hose, which most homeowner policies cover, per the Texas Department of Insurance, when the policy wording and the facts fit.

Thermal Fogging

Thermal fogging is a smoke odor treatment in which a machine heats a deodorizing solvent into a fine fog, with particles close in size to smoke, so that the product reaches the cracks, crevices and pores where smoke settled, and it is used as one late step after cleaning, not as a stand-alone fix.

Thermal Imaging for Water Damage

Thermal imaging for water damage is the use of an infrared camera to map surface temperatures on walls, ceilings and floors, so a technician can spot cool patches that may mean evaporating water, then confirm the finding with a moisture meter.

Vapor Pressure Differential

Vapor pressure differential is the difference between the water vapor pressure at a wet material and the water vapor pressure in the air around it, and it sets which way, and how fast, moisture tends to move.

Water Damage Behind Baseboards: see Hidden Water Damage

Water Damage Categories

Water damage categories are a three-level ranking of how contaminated water is, from Category 1 (clean) through Category 2 (gray) to Category 3 (black), based on where the water came from and what shape it is in after it touches building materials.

Water Damage Classes

Water damage classes are a four-level rating of how much water a space’s materials absorbed and how hard that water will be to dry out, from Class 1 (least absorbed, easiest) to Class 4 (water held deep in dense materials, hardest).

Water Damage Inspection

A water damage inspection is a structured check of a building after a water event to find the source, trace how far the water traveled, identify which materials are wet, and set the category, class and scope of work before restoration begins.

Water Damage Insurance Claim

A water damage insurance claim is a request to your insurer to pay for a covered water loss. Whether it is covered depends on the cause of the water, the policy wording and its exclusions, not only on the damage.

Water Damage Restoration

Water damage restoration is the work of removing water, drying and cleaning a building and its contents, and repairing what cannot be dried after a leak, flood or sewage loss. It runs in phases: emergency mitigation first, then drying, cleaning and reconstruction.

Water Damage Restoration Cost Factors

Water damage restoration cost factors are the variables that move a restoration invoice: the water category, the area and materials affected, the equipment days, access, and the demolition and rebuild scope. HyreRestore publishes no average price.

Water Damage Restoration Timeline

A water damage restoration timeline is the sequence of phases from the first call to the final repairs. How long each phase takes depends on the water category, the materials, the equipment and the drying readings, so no honest timeline fits every loss.

Water Migration

Water migration is the movement of water and moisture through a building from where it entered to other places, by running down, soaking up through porous materials, riding on moving air, or spreading as vapor.

Water-Damaged Drywall

Water-damaged drywall is gypsum board that has absorbed water from a leak, flood, roof failure or humidity, and that may swell, soften, grow mold or lose strength unless it is dried or replaced.

Water-Damaged Hardwood Flooring

Water-damaged hardwood flooring is wood flooring that has taken on moisture from a leak, flood or humidity and swelled, cupped, crowned or buckled, or that has gaps and finish damage after drying.

Water-Damaged Insulation

Water-damaged insulation is insulation that has absorbed water from a leak, flood, roof failure or condensation and may no longer insulate, dry out or stay free of mold.