Emergency Restoration Services
When an emergency happens in your home, call us. You will be connected with a real person who will walk you through what is happening, tell you what to do right now to keep yourself and your home safe, and get a technician moving. If the situation is urgent, we aim to be at your place within the hour.
Important: If you smell gas, get everyone out of the house first, call 911, then call us.
What Happens When You Call Us
The first thing we do is listen. Then, we ask questions about what you are seeing, hearing and smelling right now, because the answers change what we tell you to do in the next five minutes and how fast we need to be there. These are the kinds of questions you can expect:
- Is there plumbing leaking that you cannot shut off, or cannot find?
- Is there sewage on the floor that you cannot close a door on to seal in?
- Is there a door, window, or wall that is no longer secure, so someone could get into your home?
- Are you exposed to chemicals, mould, or an unpleasant or hazardous smell?
- Do you smell gas? If so, get out of the house and call 911 before anything else.
- Is the water flow increasing?
- Is the power out in part of the house, or has water gotten into light fixtures, outlets or the breaker box?
- Is water dripping into a tub, or has the dripping already stopped? In that case, would you rather we came out tonight, or can you sleep and have us there first thing in the morning?
What Counts as an Emergency?
Some situations need us on-site right away, while others can safely wait until morning. Here is how we determine the urgency and severity of the situation:
When the situation is still getting worse or is unsafe, we head over right away. Water you cannot shut off, sewage you cannot contain, an opening that leaves your home unsecured, dangerous smells, or water anywhere near electrical circuits is a call-us-now situation.
It is often safe to wait until morning when the damage has already happened and is contained. If the water has stopped, the source is shut off, the affected area is small, and you are not dealing with a safety hazard, attending four to eight hours later is very unlikely to change the outcome. For example, mould does not establish itself that quickly. In the meantime, we will talk you through containing it: shutting off your water main, closing doors to the affected room, turning the bathroom fan on, and moving what you can off wet flooring.
If you want us there right away regardless, we’re there. Sometimes, peace of mind is the thing that matters most, and that is a good enough reason on its own.
What We Handle on an Emergency Call
No two emergency calls are alike. Depending on what we find, a first visit can include:
- Containing the affected areas so damage, moisture and contaminants do not spread through the rest of the house.
- Addressing the source of the problem, including bringing in plumbers when the source is plumbing.
- Removing hazards and making the space safe to walk through.
- Removing drywall and flooring where it needs to come out.
- Installing air scrubbers and drying equipment as soon as it is safe to run them.
- Bringing in our contents division, either on the first trip or in the days that follow, depending on what your belongings need.
- Sitting down with you to go through your whole situation, not just the room the water is in.
- Talking through your insurance coverage, including whether your policy allows you to move out while the work is done.
- Providing educational material on mould and the drying process, so the decisions you are making are informed ones.
- Providing a form for you to sign before any work begins, so you stay in control of what happens in your home.
- Answering every question you have, as many times as you need to ask it. We’re here to help.
What You Can Expect From Us
To be heard, to be safe, and to be taken care of, with whatever direction you need from our technicians or our office. You can also expect to always have your home treated with the care it deserves by people who are gentle, careful, and respectful, leaving it as clean as they possibly can. No matter the emergency, you can expect a process similar to this:
- We answer your call, talk through what is happening, and give you direction you can act on immediately.
- We explain your options. That includes how insurance is likely to treat your claim and what the best course of action looks like from here.
- You sign the work authorization. Nothing starts until you have agreed to it in writing.
- We contain the area and address the source of the flood, damage, or mould.
- We remove or address hazards to ensure the space is safe.
- We install air scrubbers and drying equipment as soon as it is safe to do so.
- We test for asbestos-containing material before demolition, and return on a separate trip to remove drywall or flooring once the results are back.
- Equipment comes out only when it is safe to remove it, confirmed by readings rather than by how things look.
- We clean up and make the area ready for repair.
- You get full documentation, including: an extensive damage assessment report with a work order to rebuild, an emergency invoice with every charge documented, and a quotation from us to complete the repairs. This documentation is prepared so your insurer, adjuster, or contractor can act on it directly.
What You Can Do Before We Arrive
Only complete these steps if it is safe to do so. Your belongings are not worth protecting if your safety is at risk. Contents can be replaced far more easily than you can.
In Any Emergency
- Work on staying calm and thinking through your safety plan. Having one in place before you ever need it is a good idea. Sometimes, making a cup of coffee or grabbing a comfort snack is genuinely what helps you think clearly under stress.
- Know your insurance deductible and any exclusions in your policy ahead of time.
- Secure valuables or heirlooms before we arrive if you are concerned about them.
For Floods
- Know where your water main shut-off is before you need it.
- Use towels or blankets to keep water from spreading onto unaffected flooring, if it is safe to get close to it.
- Put buckets under water dripping from the ceiling until help arrives.
For Mould
- Contain the room if you can by shutting the door, and keep unaffected rooms ventilated. If it is in a bathroom, run the bathroom fan.
- Do not touch the mould. Disturbing it releases spores and can spread the problem through the rest of your house.
For Wind Damage
- Stay out of the room if the structure may have been compromised.
- Secure heirlooms and valuable belongings only if you can do it safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can you get here?
When a situation needs an emergency response, we aim to be at your place within the hour.
Is it an emergency if the water has already stopped?
Often it is not, as long as the source is shut off, the area is contained and small, and there is no safety hazard. In that case, it is usually fine to sleep and have us there first thing in the morning. That said, if you would rather we came right away, we will.
Will mould grow overnight if you come in the morning instead?
Not in four to eight hours. Mould takes longer than that to establish itself, which is why a contained, stopped leak can safely wait until morning. What we do not recommend is leaving it for days, which is when people typically start to see drywall darkening or baseboards turning black. Please ask us directly about your concerns when calling our number.
What should I do if I smell gas?
Get everyone out of the house and call 911 first. Only call us after this is done.
Do you start work as soon as you arrive?
We start by making the situation safe and containing it, then we sit down with you. Nothing beyond that happens until you have signed the work authorization, so the decisions about your home stay yours.
Do you deal with my insurance company?
Yes. We go through your coverage with you, including whether your policy would cover moving out during the work, and we provide a full damage assessment report, a documented emergency invoice, and a quotation to rebuild that your insurer can work from.
What happens to my belongings?
Our contents division handles them, either on the first trip or in the days after, depending on what is needed. We will walk through what can be cleaned, what needs to be stored, and what cannot be saved.
Do you serve rural and agricultural properties?
Yes. We work across Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, and beyond, including rural and agricultural properties where outbuildings, wells and septic systems need the same careful attention as the house. If you live in Surrey, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Rosedale, or Hope, give us a call, and we’ll let you know what we can do.