Frequently Asked Questions

Water Damage

There are a variety of factors to that impact drying time including source of water, duration of exposure, weather, construction and how quickly emergency mitigation begins. Commonly, items including carpet, drywall and floors can feel dry to the touch, but hidden moisture is still causing secondary damage. Though each situation is different, most property takes three to five days to reach dry standards.

We use specialized moisture metering equipment to take psychrometric readings daily to accurately determine whether your items are completely dry.

Please do not change the temperature settings on either your home HVAC system or any of our drying equipment. Any changes you make may prolong the drying process.

In most cases, the carpet can be saved. However, in cases of Category 3 water including sewage, rising flood waters from rivers or streams or other contaminated water sources, the carpet and padding must be replaced.

Not necessarily. We use specialized drying systems to dry wood floors more efficiently with a minimal amount of refinishing. Quick action is the key. Wood floors should never be allowed to sit for days prior to requesting emergency services.

Probably not. Due to the type of construction of laminate floors, the substrate permanently swells when exposed to significant amounts of moisture.

Not usually. If items need to be moved out we will let you know in advance.

Since outside weather conditions vary radically, even over a few hours, opening and closing windows and doors may compromise the drying chamber and prolong the drying of your home or business.

Please try to keep traffic to a minimum for both the safety of you and your family and speed of drying.

Water flows into drywall, baseboards and sub-floor. To successfully dry these areas requires high velocity air movers and/or heat to accelerate the evaporation of moisture. Dehumidifiers are critical to remove the excess moisture from the air to prevent secondary damage. Please do not turn off or reposition the equipment without speaking to either your Project Manager or Restoration Specialist.

Based on average electrical rates it can cost as little as $1 per day to operate the drying equipment.

Taking a do-it-yourself approach to water damage often compounds the problem. Without the proper training, specialized equipment and experience it is virtually impossible to accurately diagnose the severity and scope of damage. Typically, even carpet cleaners and less experienced water damage companies lack the training and fail to understand the proper steps and precautions to take, leaving you with an even bigger problem (secondary damage) than you had originally. The use of non-commercial equipment, such as a shop-vac, will not properly remove water from the carpet and pad, leading to potential problems such as mold.

Hard surfaces typically can be cleaned and sanitized. Any porous materials including drywall, ceiling tiles, insulation, OSB, chipboard, etc. must be removed for health and safety of you and your family.

The property owner is ultimately responsible for payment. Before work can begin the owner signs a form authorizing the work and payment. In the event of an insurance claim the deductible is collected prior to beginning the emergency services and the remainder is billed directly to the insurance company.

Absolutely. Under the law, it is your right to determine which restoration company will perform work in your home or business. It doesn’t cost any more or less to have the job done properly. The most important factor is making sure the damage is handled correctly the first time. BenchMark Restoration works with you and your insurance company, if appropriate, to restore your property quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.

Choosing properly certified and trained restoration professionals is possibly the single most important step in choosing a restoration contractor. Not only are BenchMark’s Restoration Specialists certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning & Restoration Certification (IICRC), but the entire firm is certified as well. Our specialists attend accredited continuing training programs several times per year to stay abreast of technical changes in this rapidly advancing field. BenchMark invests a significant amount of time and money in training, equipment and technology to ensure you the best results in restoring your water damaged home or business.

BenchMark Restoration & Cleaning is here for you. Please call us any time to ask questions or to discuss any concerns you may have. Our focus is not just restoring your home or business; it is restoring your life to normal as quickly as possible. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Carpet Cleaning

It’s very easy, really. Simply have any plants, knick-knacks, lamps, loose or breakable items removed from rooms we will be cleaning. We will be happy to move any chairs, tables, sofas as needed.

There are seven different carpet, rug and fabric cleaning methods and they all have their place. BenchMark is experienced in all of these methods, including hot water extraction, bonnet cleaning (commonly known as the Chem-Dry™ method), ProCap™ Cleaning, dry powder cleaning, Rug Spa™ washing, and several other cleaning systems for specialty fabrics. However, virtually every wall-to-wall carpet manufacturer recommends Hot Water Extraction, also known as Steam Cleaning , for cleaning residential carpets because it offers the most thorough cleaning. Our proprietary DrySteem™ method combines the deep cleaning power of steam cleaning with the fast drying convenience of dry cleaning methods.

Benchmark Restoration & Cleaning uses only the finest BioCare™ Cleaning Solutions. BioCare™ is a line of sustainable, natural bio-derived cleaning solutions that are plant based and hypo-allergenic. Benchmark Restorations used green cleaning before it was 'cool' and as always, we use only the finest quality cleaning solutions.

Most carpet manufacturers recommend that your carpet be cleaned every 12 to 24 months. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests even more frequent cleaning, depending on your carpet's use and traffic. Carpet subjected to extreme soiling or heavy use, pets, particularly high traffic areas, or carpet installed in homes occupied by persons with allergy or respiratory problems require greater cleaning frequency. Carpet receiving limited traffic needs less frequent cleaning. Regular vacuuming and immediate attention to spots and spills will keep your carpet cleaner longer.

Absolutely, if they are a high quality protectant and properly applied. Protectants not only prevent spills and spots from becoming permanent stains, but also make your regular vacuuming more effective by creating an invisible shield around each fiber. BenchMark uses only the finest carpet protectants available.

This is a very common misconception. When a carpet is new the fibers are tightly twisted and upright, causing spills to bead up but foot traffic and wear cause the fibers to slightly untwist eliminating the beading effect. Top quality carpet protectants like Fibergard or Scotchgard are designed to allow spills and dry soil to release from the carpet upon cleaning, not to make spills bead up like wax on a painted car. Several industry studies have shown that regular, annual cleaning and re-application of the factory protectant can double the life of your carpet.

Years ago carpet cleaning detergents left a sticky residue that could cause carpets to resoil. Some inferior carpet cleaners still use that type of product. BenchMark uses only the finest, custom formulated non-residual cleaning solutions that will help your carpets stay cleaner longer.

AVOID GROCERY STORE SPOTTING AGENTS. They typically use harsh chemicals that can discolor and damage your carpets, are high pH and strip off the factory stain resistant coating, and leave a residue that resoils very quickly. We recommend our Spotter Blotter as a mild, residue free spotting solution or see our Spot and Spill Removal Guide.

Absolutely, Berber is a weave, not a particular type of fiber. Berber is simply a type of loop construction that my come in olefin, nylon, wool or a blend. Berber requires a more thorough cleaning than other carpets because the "flushing" action needs to take place to get under, around and through the loops. Other companies that are not as thorough as we are have a lot of problems with Berber because they leave soil behind that can “wick” back to the surface.

Yes, we have special products that we use for wool. We use lower pressure, lower temperature and take special drying precautions for cleaning wool.

Pet Odor

In most cases, yes. For more information please see our Pet Odor Removal page or call one of our Customer Care Coordinators for the best way to address your specific situation.

Upholstery Cleaning

For most fabrics BenchMark uses our exclusive DrySteem™ system. This system leaves very little moisture in the fabric when we are completed. Typically the furniture will be dry to the touch in less than one hour; however fabric type and soiling condition can extend drying times. Fabric Protectant will dry very quickly, but will take approximately 24 hours to completely cure.

Regular cleaning and maintenance is the key:

The best answer is “It Depends.” It depends on fabric, construction, use, even how much cooking is done in the home. A good rule of thumb for pieces used regularly is every 12-18 months. Since upholstery fabrics are more delicate than carpet, mild soiling conditions can leave permanent discoloration. If there is visible soiling, act quickly and have it cleaned as soon as possible.

Oriental & Area Rugs

Yes and No. If the rug is a machine tufted carpet similar to normal wall-to-wall carpet; yes. However, if the rug is hand tufted, woven, has fringe or made of natural fibers such as wool, cotton or silk, in-plant cleaning is your best option. For more information our Oriental Rug page for more information on our Rug Spa™ process.

With proper care Oriental Rugs can last for several lifetimes. A few tips to prolong your rug are:

Yes, but be careful to avoid the fringe.

This is a common misconception. Lanolin, the natural oil in wool, is completely removed before the raw wool is spun into thread. If it was left, the rug would attract soil like a magnet. Wool, though extremely durable, can be damaged by harsh cleaning agents; therefore Wools of New Zealand, who tests wool cleaning products, recommends that only Wool Safe products be used.

Yes, dry-clean only, unless last resort spot cleaning. Spot cleaning and extraction can cause discoloration or water rings on sisal.