Yakima, WA
(509) 452-2464

Before you call

Frequently asked questions

Get your answers here before giving us a call. If water is coming in right now, skip the reading and phone the First Response Team at (509) 452-2464.

Call us first. Our water damage page says it plainly: call us before you call your insurance company. We make first contact within 30 minutes, start stopping the damage, and keep insurance approved photo documentation from the first visit so your claim has what the adjuster needs. We work with all insurance providers.

The First Response Team answers 24/7. Our promise is first contact within 30 minutes and someone on site within hours. Call (509) 452-2464 for anything active; the office line rings through to the on-call crew after hours.

Water soaks into anything it touches, and contaminated water turns textiles, wood and drywall into a home for bacteria. Mold is the other concern: left unchecked it spreads by spores into parts of the house that seem dry. The longer the moisture sits, the more it costs to fix.

First we remove compromised materials such as carpet, pad, baseboards, insulation and wet sheetrock, and pump out standing water. Then we dry and disinfect with air movers, dehumidifiers and sometimes heat, inspect for mold while it dries, and moisture test before anything is rebuilt.

Technicians trained by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), which runs structural drying and microbial remediation courses. Many of our technicians are IICRC certified, every employee is background checked, and we keep a drug free workplace and branded vehicles.

Both. Not every restoration company does mitigation and restoration, and we do. Baxter Construction has rebuilt kitchens, bathrooms, roofs and whole floors across the Yakima Valley since 1995, so the crew that dries your house can finish it.

Water gets into a home in a lot of ways: foundation leaks, burst pipes, appliance valve failures or poor drainage around the house. Burst pipes, valve failures and sewage backups are the troublesome ones, because they can put several inches of water on the floor within hours.

What a certified technician does on a water job

The longer moisture sits in a house, the more problems it causes, and the more it costs down the road. So the order of work matters.

  1. Clear out what is compromised

    The first thing a professional does is remove materials water has ruined: carpet, carpet padding, baseboards, insulation, clothing, upholstery, fragile woods like plywood or particle board, and gypsum products like sheetrock walls and ceilings. Then the standing water gets pumped out.

  2. Dry and disinfect

    Drying takes several days and runs on air mover fans, dehumidifiers and, now and then, heat injection fans.

  3. Inspect for mold while it dries

    If technicians find microorganisms, they are removed and treated with disinfectant where needed. When a larger mold colony is present, the crew builds a containment structure around the area and removes the contaminated materials by hand. Mold spreads by spores in the air, so a colony can reach parts of a house that look dry.

Training

What training should a restoration company have?

A restoration company should employ technicians trained by a respected organization like the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). The IICRC offers several courses on restoration, including a structural drying course and a microbial remediation course. That training prepares technicians for a range of job situations and keeps them safe around hazardous fluids.

At Baxter, the crew is IICRC certified, every employee is background checked, the workplace is drug free, and the trucks and technicians are branded so you know who is at your door.

Water damage restorationHow insurance works with us