Water Damage Restoration Process

Water damage gets worse by the hour: drywall wicks water up, wood swells, and the EPA advises drying wet materials within 24–48 hours to help prevent mold growth. A clear process is what keeps a leak from turning into a rebuild — and what gives your adjuster the proof they need. Here is exactly what happens on a Vault job.

The nine stages of water damage restoration

1. Initial call and triage

Call (385) 250-2825. A Vault crew member answers live, 24/7 — no call center. If every technician is on a job, the call rolls to the owner’s cell, not voicemail. We ask for the address, where the water is coming from, when it started and any safety concerns, and talk you through shutting off the water if it is still running. The time your call was answered is logged and printed on your work order.

2. On-site assessment and moisture mapping

On arrival the crew checks for safety hazards, confirms the source is stopped and photographs the damage. Then we map the water: FLIR thermal imaging to see where it spread, Delmhorst and Protimeter meters to confirm it, and reference readings on dry materials of the same type to set the dry standard. See moisture detection.

3. Category and class determination

We classify the water by how contaminated it is (Category 1, 2 or 3) and by how much has to evaporate (the drying class). Category decides what can be dried in place and what has to go; class decides how much equipment the drying chambers need. See Category 1, 2 and 3 water damage.

4. Scope development

You get a free written estimate. For insurance jobs the scope is written in Xactimate, the estimating software insurers use, so your adjuster can review it line by line. Typical Utah water mitigation runs $3,500–$8,500.

5. Water extraction

Standing water comes out first — the faster it is removed, the less soaks into floors and walls. See water extraction and, for below-grade losses, basement flooding.

6. Targeted removal (when required)

We remove only what the readings and the water category say has to go — typically carpet pad, wet insulation and drywall that has swollen or absorbed contaminated water. Flood cuts are done inside ZipWall containment with 6-mil plastic, a zipper door and a HEPA air scrubber. See flood cuts explained.

7. Structural drying and daily monitoring

The wet area is closed off as a drying chamber with air movers and dehumidifiers. A technician returns every day to take readings, log them and adjust the equipment. See structural drying and dehumidification.

8. Verification of dry standard

Equipment stays until the wet materials read the same as the dry reference materials measured on day one. Drying ends on the numbers, not on a calendar.

9. Documentation package delivery

You and your adjuster get the photos, moisture readings, drying log and Xactimate scope. For insurance jobs we bill State Farm, USAA, Allstate, Farmers and Bear River Mutual directly — you pay your deductible and any non-covered items. See insurance claims coordination.

Arrival times

Inside Provo city limits, Mon–Sat 8 AM–5 PM, we guarantee a crew within 45 minutes — miss it and the on-arrival emergency inspection is free. Average arrival elsewhere: Provo 34 min, Orem about 41 min, Lindon 44 min, Springville 48 min, Mapleton 52 min; Vineyard typically under 60 minutes. See emergency water damage response.

What to do before we arrive

• Stop the water at the fixture valve or the main shut-off if you can do it safely.
• Stay out of standing water near outlets or electrical devices; turn off power to wet areas only if the panel is dry and safe to reach.
• Take photos and video of the damage before anything is moved.
• Move valuables, electronics and rugs off wet floors.
• Don’t use a household vacuum on water, and stay away from sewage or floodwater (Category 3).

Step-by-step first aid for common losses: burst pipe, frozen pipe, wet basement.

After drying: repairs

Once the structure is dry, the areas that were removed can be rebuilt — drywall, insulation, trim, flooring and paint. Vault handles reconstruction as a licensed Utah general contractor, so you don’t have to find a second company. Typical reconstruction runs $4,500–$9,500. See drywall repair after water damage.

If mold is part of the job

When water sat long enough for mold to start, the mold is handled under sealed containment with HEPA negative air by our AMRT-certified crew. After remediation, clearance is done by our crew, with air samples analyzed by Sporecyte, an outside lab. See how to prevent mold after water damage.

Our written warranty

• 24-month workmanship warranty, transferable once if you sell the home.
• 90-day mold warranty from post-remediation clearance; reinspection within 7 business days and re-remediation free if it comes back.

Full terms on our warranty page.

Who does the work

Every stage is handled by Vault’s own W-2 crew — no subcontractors: Marcus Wheeler (Senior Water Damage Restoration Tech, WRT/ASD/AMRT), Daniel Hoffmann (Emergency Response Tech, WRT/ASD), Ryan Bautista (Mold Remediation & Drying Specialist, WRT/AMRT), Elena Fritsch (Restoration Project Manager, WRT/ASD) and Joseph Miles (Contents Cleaning & Restoration Specialist, WRT/ASD). Meet them on our team page. Vault is family-owned and veteran-operated, founded in August 2020 by Timothy Ellis.