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Dealing with Your Insurance Company Regarding Water Damage or Mold: PUDDLES Can Help!

March 3, 2025

Hurricane Helene, flooded this home (all 2,700+ sq ft) in Crystal River, FL with Cat 3 water.

We conducted a 2’ flood cut throughout the entire house, sprayed with antimicrobial, and dried the home in 3 days. 



These silent invaders thrive in the damp, humid environment typical of bathrooms (think of extended hot showers), often growing unnoticed within walls, under floors, and behind fixtures. The mold you can see (if any) usually pales compared to the mold you cannot see, which poses a greater challenge to your health and the integrity of your home or business.


Understanding the Complexities of Insurance Claims for Water Damage and Mold

As a homeowner in Crystal River, FL or West Central Florida, dealing with water damage or mold removal can be a nightmare. Not only is it a health hazard for you and your family, but it can also cause significant damage to your property. In such situations, homeowners often turn to their insurance companies for help. However, dealing with insurance claims related to water damage or mold remediation can be a complex and time-consuming process. 


For example, “hurricane claims” always take longer than you think mainly because your home is one of hundreds, if not thousands, that were similarly affected at the same time. Your insurance company and their adjusters become inundated, literally overnight, with thousands of claims within the same geographic area. 

Why Insurance Claims for Water Damage and Mold Can Be Complex

Insurance claims for water damage or mold can be complex for several reasons. One, insurance policies often have exclusions and limitations that can make it challenging to get coverage for water damage or mold. Additionally, insurance companies may require extensive documentation and evidence to support your claim, including photos, receipts, moisture readings, and other records. Moreover, insurance adjusters may dispute the extent of your damages or the cause of the water damage or mold. Unfortunately, your entire experience will be significantly impacted by who you get as the field adjuster and the insurance/claims adjuster. 

How PUDDLES Restoration Can Help.

PUDDLES is a Certified Firm with the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), with specialize certifications as: 


  • Mold Remediation Specialist (MRS);
  • Commercial Drying Specialist (CDS);
  • Water Damage Restoration (WRT);
  • Applied Structural Drying (ASD);
  • Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT); and
  • other certifications


PUDDLES understands the complexities of insurance claims related to water damage and mold removal in Crystal River, FL and West Central, FL. Based on our experiences, we offer a range of services to help homeowners and businesses navigate the insurance process. Our team will assess the extent of your damage, document it thoroughly, and provide you with the evidence you need to support your claim. One of our recent claims from Hurricane Helene, after deleting hundreds of pictures, resulted in 963 pictures and 13 videos to submit to the insurance company. As a courtesy to you, we can work directly with your insurance company if you wish.

Water Damage Repair Services

If you are dealing with water damage, we can help. PUDDLES water damage repair services in Crystal River, FL or West Central, FL, include water extraction, structural drying, and mold remediation. PUDDLES use the latest equipment and techniques to ensure that your home is thoroughly dry. Moreover, we work quickly to minimize damages and reduce further problems.

Mold Cleanup Services

If you have mold, PUDDLES can also help. PUDDLES’ mold cleanup services in Crystal River, FL, include mold inspection, mold removal (i.e., mold remediation), sanitization, among other things.  We use advanced techniques to execute the mold remediation, including containment procedures, removal of contaminated materials, HEPA filtration at 700 cubic feet per minute, cleaning the affected substrate(s), application of EPA approve anti-microbials, etc.

 

Dealing with insurance claims related to water damage or mold can be very stressful and overwhelming.  We have witnessed first hand the manner in which you can be treated if you get an insurance representative who is having a bad day; and when that representative is overworked with hundreds of claims, it can be worse for you. PUDDLES can help you navigate the insurance process as we have done for many clients.  

 

We care about our client’s property and aim to leave your homes or businesses better than we found them. The added stress of returning your property to its pre-damaged condition is one less thing for you to be concerned about. We are here to help you and make what is often a catastrophic, once-in-a-lifetime experience into a not-so-bad, distant memory! Call us now or visit our website to learn more and schedule an appointment. 


PUDDLES  Restoration

Website:     www.PUDDLESrestoration.com
Phone:       
(352) 722-3790

Email:         Info@PUDDLESrestoration.com

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What Happened After removing the old flooring from a home in Belleview, Florida , the flooring company uncovered water on the slab that was trapped under the underlayment. Unbeknownst to the homeowner, water was slowly penetrating the vertical exterior walls via hairline fractures. Both the cracks in the stucco and in the concrete slab itself were resolved, but the flooring company wanted the concrete slab moisture levels below a specific percentage. What We Did Florida tends to have elevated levels of humidity, including Belleview, Florida. To increase the drying efficiency, we sealed all the windows throughout the house with 4 mil plastic to prevent any moisture penetration. We placed a Phoenix DryMax XL Pro dehumidifier and a Dri-Eaz Stealth AV3000 axial air mover in each room. We also implemented the use of a heater to increase the internal temperature slowly to draw the moisture out of the concrete.
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