Winter Weather Brings Rain and Cold Temperatures…Time to Prepare to Work with Water Damage Companies
Checklist to help in both emergency and non-emergency situations
(Woodinville, WA) November 11, 2010—One local expert encourages you to find the 24 hour number to
your insurance company to prepare for a possible problem with water and mold caused by the onset of
winter weather. Craig Hawkins has more than 20 years of experience working with insurance companies
and owners to clean up damage from rain, water and freezing temperatures. He now runs a company
that specializes in water damage and mold remediation. Remediation is a fancy term for the unique
training and knowledge to not only dry out water damage but also eliminate a dreaded four letter word
that brings fear to homeowners—MOLD.
Hawkins says in the case of an emergency such as a broken pipe or toilet flood, its best to immediately
call your insurance company. The company will then refer you to a Water Damage Company. For a
non-emergency such as a leaking roof, drainage issues or water in a crawlspace you’ll need to ensure
the company is prepared to handle the job. “One of the more common occurrences we encounter with
homeowners is a discolored ceiling, wall or floor from a water leak, “said Craig. “Unfortunately, it only
takes 24-48 hours for mold to start growing. Since there is no state or federal regulations in this area,
most Water Damage Companies who claim to do this type of specialty work do not have the training
and experience to remove mold safely.”
Hawkins recommends the following brief checklist to determine whether or not a Water Damage
Company can dry out water damage and even more importantly safely remove mold:
1- Guarantee- Most Water Damage Companies will not offer any guarantee to remove mold
damage.
2- Experience- Most Water Damage Companies do not have the certification, training and
experience to remove mold damage.
3- Containment- A 1” X 1” area of mold creates millions of spores that are released into the air
during the cleaning process, which can be very dangerous to the health of everyone in the
home. Only Water Damage Companies that utilize what’s called a Negative Air System to
contain the contaminated air are able to prevent health issues.
Craig Hawkins and his team at Enviroshield have more than 20 years of experience in water damage and
mold remediation. They’re certified, utilize a Negative Air System and provide a 25-year guarantee on
all work. For more information visit www.enviroshield.com