This is a very common question that we run into when talking to people who have experienced this type of problem. Obviously, we make a living doing this type of work, however, that doesn’t change our answer, which is no.
With the exception of very small water based problems, you won’t save money by trying to do it yourself. In fact, it will almost always cost you more in the long run. Here’s why: most water damage issues involve a two part solution:
#1 – Removing all the water from the location
#2 – Professionally drying the impacted area
While some people can accomplish the water removal (although it takes 3 times as long as we can do with our equipment), they can’t successfully dry the area. Simply letting it “air dry” just won’t work as the areas that are not completely dry will continue to incur damage and mold will most likely grow in those areas. Plus, the longer an affected area is left wet, the odds of being able to salvage property like carpet, furniture, personal belongings goes down dramatically. There is a “window of opportunity” that varies based on a number of factors, and once that window closes, even professional restoration companies can’t clean the affected items. While trying to deal with a water problem or flooding with a wet/dry vac and some towels may sound like an opportunity to save money, it really isn’t.
At the end of the day, we can save you time, headache, your health, and money versus you trying to handle the problem yourself.
