Water damage restoration....worth it?

Relatively new homeowner here and we just had a pipe burst for the first time. We believe it was the line for one of the hose bibs, but was leaking into the house. We are fortunate we caught it quickly (can't say for sure but probably within 30 minutes or so), but that was still enough time for a huge puddle to emerge in the master bed/bath that ran out in the adjacent garage (presumably along the slab). We have the water shut off while we wait for a plumber and got it mopped up. I "think" we caught it quick enough that there isn't any meaningful damage to the interior. Floor (laminate) seems none the worse for wear, but we'll see if anything bubbles up later today or tomorrow. Soaked a couple things we had on the floor in the closet. However, it obviously was also in the walls and underneath the floorboards given it didn't come from anywhere visible and ran out into the garage.

Would you call water damage restoration for something like this? My only real concern is mold developing in spaces we can't readily see/access. I don't know if this is something you'd almost always want to do for pipes burst in walls as there "could" be water pooled somewhere we can't see. I don't have any reason to believe there is and have heard from others these companies are....less than forthcoming. I'm a bit hesitant to have someone out and potentially sink thousands of dollars for a relatively minor leak in the grand scheme of things that was caught fairly quickly. I doubt the costs rise to a level we'd hit our deductible so insurance is likely not an option, but I guess you never know...

 

thanks in advance for any help

 

If it was clean hose water and you caught it that quickly I would not feel obliged to call a water remediation company. I would get heaters / fans working in that area to dry things as fast as possible and you can spray a bleach and water solution to prevent mold after it is dry.

I will say that the laminate worries me. Don’t be surprised if it starts to swell and buckle as the water soaks up into the fiberboard underneath. Hopefully you had the “water resistant” laminate and you caught it quick enough before it got totally underneath it.

Either way good luck.

 

I’d avoid heat sources. Just move air over the affected areas to dry out (unless you’re in a climate where it’s currently below freezing).

heat + water (before evaporation) can cause warping damage in just about every substrate used to construct a home.

 

good point, I assumed it was a freezing climate as the hose bibs typically burst as a result of not turning off water supply and bleeding the pipes during freezing temps.

 

From his signature, looks like he's way up north in our neighborhood country so freezing will be an issue.
Agree moving air to air dry would be best at this point, however, keep tab on that area and immediate are around it as sometimes the water would get into place unseen and you may only see parts of the damage.
I would say call if you feel un-safe or un-sure about it and just want a piece of mind. I think they (water damage/restoration companies) charge a fee for checking/inspection, and if that would make you feel better, I say do it. Plumber should be able to tell you the exact location of leak/rupture and give you an idea of how bad the situation is, use that and go with your guts, or piece of mind. I get it, most will make a hella out of it just to get you to pay for a service you may or may not need and that sucks, but I would rather be safe than sorry.
Oh, they might need to cut out the area of the busted pipes to repair the pipe, take a look when that happens, might be able to tell how good/bad it is, too. Down south it is recommended to treat and replace at least 4' from the ground, but up north I am not sure what the codes are so you might also wanna check that.

 

Also a dehumidifier would help

 

Also @irontmp - if you're even remotely handy with a mud knife and paint brush, cut some holes in your sheet rock at about 6" from the floor where the water drained or ran. 5-6" diameter should suffice - just to get visibility to make sure there isn't any pooling water left behind. While thats open get a bottle sprayer and hit the inside of the wall in that area with some bleach (you can dilute a little) as it's drying out. You can even cut a larger 16" by 18-24" rectangle on your stud centers to get a better look and more access. Should help stabilizing the repair too if you can get it on the studs.


a $30-50 (dont know exact prices but probably close) 16" tornado fan will have you dried out in 24 hours. a scrap piece of sheet rock and $30 in paint and mud will have you back to good as new in no time. I wouldn't mess with a restoration company for this - sounds pretty minor. with 30 minutes before shutoff you probably only put about 60-80 gallons of water out (depending on well or city water). Sounds like a lot, but if you watched it run down the slab in your garage it was diverting and moving pretty efficiently. Again, this is without looking at it first hand and not seeing any pics.


edit:
https://www.tornadofans.com/collect...-12-high-velocity-metal-floor-fan-1650-cfm-ul
(it's a 12" fan)

 

We had a P trap break in the upstairs bath and did exactly what you described. Down the walls, behind the downstairs 1/2 bath, hallway closet, under baseboards, over the wood laminate (that was new). We ended up filing a claim with our homeowners insurance company and they covered everything. It was about a $7k claim.

 

Late to the party, but this is what I do for a living. Would be glad to discuss with you if you still have any questions/concerns.

“My office”…