Beginning a water damage restoration company can be daunting. What equipment is needed? Do you provide additional services now or later? So many factors come into play, but first and foremost you need the right water damage restoration equipment. With that comes the question of what features to look for and which brands carry the best products.
If you’re starting out, or even in your first or second year of business, you may still have questions surrounding products, services, and the scope of your work.
Check out our extensive guide for water damage restoration contractors and all-purpose/crossover products for future services.
- I Want to Start Doing Water Restoration - What Do I Need to Do?
- Should I Offer Additional Services?
- What Features Should I Keep Mind with Water Damage Restoration Equipment?
- What Equipment and How Much Water Damage Drying Equipment Do I Need?
- What Are Some Pro Tips?
I Want to Start Doing Water Restoration – What Do I Need to Do?
States do not carry a license requirement for water damage and restoration, but the ANSI-IICRC certification can be a requirement with claims adjusters and insurance agents. Using the IICRC standards—set forth by board professionals—familiarizes you with industry-standard applications, ethics, techniques, and terminology for cleaning, inspection, and restoration.
IICRC Certification
The IICRC certifications include 28 classes that cover a range of industry-specific services or tasks. Professionals in their field can also purchase IICRC-issued manuals for updates on a range of remediation and restoration tasks. Generally, the one course any contractor needs is the Water Restoration Training (WRT), which is readily available in all states.
IICRC certification is not mandatory or required, but many professionals are looking to insurance adjusters and agents for job referrals and recommendations. Claims adjusters and insurance agents are more likely to turn to IICRC-certified professionals because of their knowledge and industry certification.
Most agencies only want to pay out once to professionals to fully execute a job to completion and may not recommend your business to a customer without certification. A IICRC-certified business can also obtain a listing through the IICRC website where customers can access and find certified professionals in their respective state.
You’ll Also Need:
- Liability Insurance
- Bonding Coverage
- Business License
-
Water Restoration Equipment
- Commercial Truck or Van
- Moisture Meters
- Air Movers/Centrifugal fans
- Air Scrubbers/Negative Air Machine
- Dehumidifiers
Should I Offer Additional Services?
Adding additional services not only streamlines decision-making for customers--hiring one company as opposed to vetting various companies--but additional services allows you to increase your profits without subcontracting out to other businesses. 
Consider certifications or licensing requirements and what additional services you would be willing to offer to determine what all-purpose/crossover products you might need. Some service(s) include:
- Reconstruction + Remodeling
- Carpet + Rug Cleaning
- HVAC + Duct Cleaning
- Furniture Cleaning
- Steam Cleaning
- Painting
What Features Should I Keep in Mind with Water Damage Restoration Equipment?
Finding the right equipment comes down to the specific working mechanics and outcomes needed to efficiently dry out any space. When shopping around here are some key points to keep in mind.
Rotomolded Equipment
More expensive than its injection molded counterpart, rotomolded equipment exteriors are durable, hold up in extreme temperatures, withstand knocks from job sites, and are more forgiving on walls and other home structures.
Rotomolded air movers, dehumidifiers, and accessories are uniform throughout, designed for even plastic thickness, so there are no weak or thin areas of the body that collapse inward when they are moved or handled. Additionally, the durable plastic material easily withstands harsh temperature fluctuations, so no warping or cracking occurs in either end of the temperature spectrum.
Lastly, rotomolded plastic, as opposed to stainless steel exteriors, leaves fewer gouges, dents, and scratches in corners, door frames, or walls. The worst you can experience is paint scratches or blemishes, which are easily repaired.
Tracking & Monitoring Water Measurement + Drying
WDR equipment varies from brand to brand and product to product. However, a few key features to really keep in mind include moisture detection and real time drying.
For example, some moisture meters detect moisture or water damage in a variety of surfaces, as well as mapping out moisture damage and reading elevated, normal, or low levels of moisture during drying.
Further, real time drying helps to automatically adjust fan speed, defrost cycles, and more to help speed up drying times in varying conditions and structures.
Daisy-Chain Connectivity + Low Energy Usage
Another key factor to review is the low amp usage. Products with minimal amperage usage are better suited for daisy-chaining capabilities and are least likely to trip breakers in client homes.
Further, low-amp, daisy-chained equipment works well when there are limited outlets, as they usually feature onboard GFCI outlets. Lastly, grouped or daisy-chained equipment minimizes tripping hazards on job sites.
Stackable
Stackable equipment affords more space for transporting and storage. It easily fits and locks together, offering a stable, secure means for transportation with tie downs.
Additionally, this allows you to make use of space by storing equipment vertically, giving you more room for additional equipment and tools in warehouses and closets.
What Equipment and How Much Water Damage Drying Equipment Do I Need?
Water damage restoration start-up costs will vary, especially if you’re looking at administrative costs, vehicle purchases, and IICRC training. Equipment costs are going to be the bigger out-of-pocket expense, even if you’re purchasing used equipment. Spend your money wisely and focus on the needed, most-necessary equipment.
Preferably, equipment that cost less to run—less amp usage, high CFMs, and daisy-chain capability—with less drying time on a structure will yield more jobs and less time on-site.
Water Damage Drying Equipment
Don’t neglect or skimp on the right water damage restoration tools. Diagnostic tools and drying equipment will enable you to not only compete but efficiently provide restoration services and return homes and/or businesses to pre-loss condition.
Moisture Meters
WDR contractors should always equip themselves with a moisture meter. Designed for measuring, mapping, and locating moisture damage in a variety of surfaces, moisture meters help contractors locate moisture—from light to severe—and map out the best strategy for drying. Further, moisture meters can help contractors gauge the ideal amount of dryness for carpeting, sheetrock, wood, and tile.
Air Movers
Air movers or water damage fans are essential to any contractor, as the lightweight rotomolded bodies are easier to transport, carry upstairs, and aren’t as maintenance laden as standard fans. Pair a few air movers—axial or centrifugal—with one dehumidifier per room, and position in a formation that allows for sufficient airflow and drying.
- Axial Fans: A contractor with an arsenal of axial fans will find they have enough bandwidth to dry more surface area. Axial fans offer longer wind throws for ventilation and direct air. Use axial fans for top-down drying.
- Centrifugal Fans: Centrifugal fans are great for drying in hard to reach areas—under sinks, baseboards, toe-kicks—and are preferable when drying under carpet and padding. Just like axial fans, centrifugal fans move air across wet surfaces, evaporating moisture into the air. With the use of warm air from the centrifugal, the water vapor is taken in by the dehumidifier. In addition to axial fans, a sufficient number of centrifugal fans are preferred.
Air Scrubber/Negative Pressure
Air scrubbers are essential to restoring customer homes to pre-loss condition. Not only can a miasma of stale odors or smoke-riddled air be present, but existing particulates—dust, dander, VOCs, and more—can be kicked up and dispersed by the use of air movers.
Air scrubbers help reduce the amount of airborne particulates and improve indoor air quality (IAQ). Some air scrubbers feature an option for ducting and negative air pressure.
Using a vacuum force, these negative air machines help to reduce the spread of contaminants to other portions of a home during water restoration, painting, and sanding, or where asbestos or lead paint are concerned.
Low-Grain Refrigerant (LGR) Dehumidifiers
In addition to the preference claims adjusters and insurance companies have for low-grain refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers, it is also important to know why they work so well.
LGR dehumidifiers squeeze more moisture out of the air, compared to most standard dehumidifiers with their double-step air cooling process. Through either air-to-air or heat pipe cooling, air is thoroughly dried out using either two-step process. The lower the operating temperature, the better it draws moisture out of the air.
LGR dehumidifiers are known for their continuous ability to remove moisture from the surrounding air with as little as 35 GPP (grains per pound) under 40% humidity. Use LGR dehumidifiers in freezing or baking hot conditions.
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What Are Some Pro Tips?
- Claims Adjusters/Insurance Agents: With more referrals from claims adjusters and insurance agencies, finding jobs and customers through these channels are a great way to grow your experience and references. Additionally, claims adjusters or insurance agencies are more likely to work with contractors with the proper equipment.
- Additional Services Offered: Most contractors see the need to add or offer additional services. After some time in the business, you’re missing out on extra dollars to subcontractors. Adding all-purpose or crossover products for supplementary work makes decision-making for customers that much easier. Adding services such as commercial or residential clean-up, painting, sanding, or home remodeling will further increase your profits, experience, and referrals.
- Franchise: A bigger question to consider is whether you’re willing to go the franchise route. Most contractors want to remain independent, as opposed to working through a main entity that defines the standards, practices, and everyday business operations. However, independent contractors also face several hurdles including bonding, insurance, and hiring.
- Employees: Will you be working alone, or will you eventually need to grow out your team? In the beginning, most situations will dictate contractors work alone. As your business grows, additional work may necessitate the need for additional employees.
- Service Areas: Determine the areas or locations where you will do business. Will it be in-town service? What about mileage? Are you willing to drive 20 miles out for a job? Determining your service area will also shape your competition and marketing.
- Marketing: Marketing your business will yield you more work and visibility, but do you know where to start? Should social media marketing be in your plan? Will you do it yourself, or do you plan on hiring someone to handle social media marketing and administrative tasks? How about press releases and bylines in trade magazines? Will you delve into search engine optimization and paid per click advertising? Research and understand the various marketing avenues your business could potentially take.
- Seasons: Seasons may also dictate how busy—or not busy—you are. Spring, summer, and winter tend to be the busiest seasons for water damage restoration. Depending on your location, weather, and temperature, you could face periods of downtime or unseasonably high job referrals. Take into account equipment, services, and resources.
Questions?
The beginning stages of any business set-up starts with a few hurdles, but the right equipment for small water restoration contractors helps for sure footing in the business.
Review our best water damage restoration products here, or give us a call today at 1-800-934-9194 to speak with our knowledgeable sales team for more information on our brand and product lines of WDR equipment.
