Restoration glossary

A-Z

A

ACV vs. Replacement Cost Value (RCV)

Actual cash value (ACV) is usually the replacement cost of a damaged item minus depreciation for its age and wear, while replacement cost value (RCV) is usually what it costs to replace it new. Some policies pay ACV first and release the depreciated amount later once repairs are completed; check your policy or ask your adjuster which one applies to your claim.See also: Depreciation, Adjuster, Scope of Loss

Adjuster

An adjuster is the person your insurance company sends, or assigns remotely, to inspect the damage, review documentation and decide how much the policy will pay. We provide our own documentation and scope of loss so the adjuster has accurate information about the water, mold or fire damage from the start.See also: Public Adjuster, Scope of Loss, Xactimate Estimate

Air Mover

An air mover is a high-velocity fan used during structural drying to move air across wet floors, walls and carpet so moisture evaporates faster into the air, where dehumidifiers then remove it. Crews position several air movers based on the moisture mapping of a room, not just to circulate air generally.See also: LGR Dehumidifier, Structural Drying, Moisture Mapping

Air Sampling

Air sampling collects air from inside and outside the affected area to compare mold spore levels and types, usually analyzed by an independent lab. It is one tool used to help identify whether mold is present and where, and is not the same as visually inspecting for growth.See also: Mold Spores, Clearance Testing, Post-Remediation Verification (PRV)

ALE / Loss of Use

Additional living expenses (ALE), also called loss of use coverage, is a part of many homeowners policies that usually helps pay for temporary housing and related costs if your home is not livable during repairs. Whether it applies, and for how long, depends on your specific policy, so review it or ask your adjuster.See also: Adjuster, Proof of Loss

Antimicrobial Treatment

An antimicrobial is a product applied to wet or previously wet materials to inhibit mold and bacterial growth while drying is underway. Because mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure (U.S. EPA), applying it promptly is part of standard water damage response, not a mold remediation treatment on its own.See also: Mitigation, Structural Drying, Mold Spores

Arroyo / Wash

An arroyo, or wash, is a normally dry desert channel around the Las Vegas valley that can fill quickly with fast-moving water during a monsoon storm. Homes and businesses near a wash can face flash flooding risk during monsoon season, June 15 through September 30 by the National Weather Service's definition, with most valley storms in July and August.See also: Category 3 Water, Slab Leak

B

Board-Up

A board-up is temporary plywood or panel covering placed over broken windows, damaged doors or a compromised roof section after a fire or storm, to secure the property and limit further weather or water exposure while repairs are planned. It is usually one of the first steps after a fire before cleaning and restoration begin.See also: Soot, Smoke Residue

C

Category 1 Water

Category 1 water, under the IICRC S500 standard, is clean water from a sanitary source such as a supply line, faucet or appliance water fill, and poses no substantial health risk at the time of the loss. Clean water can still become more contaminated the longer it sits or the more surfaces it contacts.See also: Category 2 Water, Category 3 Water, IICRC S500

Category 2 Water

Category 2 water, sometimes called grey water, contains a significant amount of contamination and could cause discomfort or illness if a person is exposed to it, such as discharge from a washing machine or dishwasher. It requires more careful handling and removal of some affected materials than clean Category 1 water.See also: Category 1 Water, Category 3 Water, IICRC S500

Category 3 Water

Category 3 water, sometimes called black water, is grossly contaminated and may contain sewage, pathogens or water that entered from outside the home, such as flood water or a wash overflow. It poses a health risk and generally requires removing and discarding porous materials it has touched, rather than drying them in place.See also: Category 1 Water, Category 2 Water, IICRC S500, Arroyo / Wash

Class 1 Water Loss

Class 1, under IICRC S500, is the smallest category of water loss: it affects only part of a room or area, with materials that absorbed little moisture, such as a small area of tile or concrete with no carpet or wet drywall involved. It is usually the fastest and most limited type of drying job.See also: Class 2 Water Loss, Drying Goal

Class 2 Water Loss

Class 2, under IICRC S500, involves a whole room or area with carpet and cushion affected, and water that has wicked up walls a short distance, requiring a faster rate of evaporation and more drying equipment than Class 1. Moisture has usually reached some structural materials, not just surface finishes.See also: Class 1 Water Loss, Class 3 Water Loss, Wicking

Class 3 Water Loss

Class 3, under IICRC S500, is the fastest evaporation rate category, usually from water that came from overhead, such as a roof leak or burst pipe in a ceiling, soaking walls, insulation, carpet and often the ceiling itself. It typically requires the most extensive drying equipment and monitoring.See also: Class 2 Water Loss, Class 4 Water Loss

Class 4 Water Loss

Class 4 describes specialty drying situations involving materials with very low permeance, such as hardwood, plaster, concrete, brick or stone, which release moisture slowly and often require longer drying times and specialized equipment such as injectidry systems. It is defined by the material involved rather than the size of the affected area.See also: Injectidry System, Class 3 Water Loss

Clearance Testing

Clearance testing is a check, often including air sampling, performed after mold remediation to confirm that spore levels in the treated area are consistent with a normal, unaffected environment before containment is removed. It is typically performed by a third party separate from the remediation crew.See also: Air Sampling, Post-Remediation Verification (PRV), IICRC S520

Condensate Line

The condensate line carries water that condenses off the evaporator coil of an AC or attic air handler out of the home, usually to a drain or the exterior. In the Las Vegas valley, where many air handlers sit in the attic to handle extreme summer heat, a clogged or disconnected condensate line is a common source of a slow ceiling leak that can go unnoticed for a while.See also: Secondary Damage, Slab Leak

Containment

Containment is a physical barrier, usually plastic sheeting sealed around a work area, that isolates the space being remediated or demolished from the rest of the home so mold spores, dust or odors do not spread to unaffected rooms. It is standard practice on mold remediation jobs and many fire and demolition jobs as well.See also: Negative Air Machine, IICRC S520, Demolition

Content Manipulation

Content manipulation is moving furniture and belongings within a room, such as lifting items off a wet floor or pulling furniture away from a wall, so drying equipment and crews can access the affected area. It is a lighter-touch service than a full pack-out, which removes items from the home entirely.See also: Pack-Out, Structural Drying

D

Deductible

Your deductible is the amount you are usually responsible for paying before your insurance policy's coverage applies to a claim, and it varies by policy. We can help document your loss for your claim, but we do not know your deductible amount, since that is set by your specific policy.See also: Adjuster, Proof of Loss

Demolition

Demolition is the controlled removal of materials that are too damaged or contaminated to dry or clean, such as saturated drywall below a flood cut line or charred framing after a fire. What gets demolished versus dried is decided based on the water category, materials involved and how long they were affected.See also: Flood Cut, Rebuild, Content Manipulation

Depreciation

Depreciation is the reduction in an item's value due to its age, wear and condition, and it is usually subtracted when an insurer calculates actual cash value on a claim. How depreciation is calculated, and whether it is later recoverable, depends on your specific policy.See also: ACV vs. Replacement Cost Value (RCV), Scope of Loss

Desiccant Dehumidifier

A desiccant dehumidifier pulls moisture from the air using a chemical drying agent rather than refrigeration, and can keep working effectively in cooler temperatures or very dry conditions where a refrigerant-based unit loses efficiency. Crews choose between desiccant and LGR dehumidifiers based on the size, temperature and materials involved in the job.See also: LGR Dehumidifier, Structural Drying

Dew Point

Dew point is the temperature at which air becomes fully saturated with moisture and water begins to condense out of it. Drying technicians track dew point along with temperature and relative humidity because if surfaces in a room are colder than the dew point, moisture will keep condensing onto them no matter how hard the drying equipment works.See also: Relative Humidity, Hygrometer, Structural Drying

Drying Goal

The drying goal is the moisture level a material needs to reach, based on comparing it to a similar unaffected material in your home, before a drying job is considered complete. Structural drying is measured against this goal with daily moisture meter readings, not by how a surface looks or feels.See also: Structural Drying, Moisture Meter (Pin and Pinless)

E

Efflorescence

Efflorescence is the white, powdery mineral deposit that appears on concrete, brick or stucco after water has moved through the material and evaporated, leaving salts behind on the surface. Seeing it on a wall or slab is often a sign of past or ongoing moisture movement worth having inspected.See also: Slab Leak, Stucco, Wicking

F

Flood Cut

A flood cut is the removal of drywall in a straight horizontal line, usually well above the highest point the water reached, to take out material that absorbed water or contamination and to check the wall cavity and insulation behind it. It is common on Category 2 and 3 water losses where drywall cannot simply be dried in place.See also: Category 2 Water, Category 3 Water, Demolition

G

Gradual Damage Exclusion

Many homeowners policies exclude damage that built up slowly over time, such as a fitting that leaked for months before it was noticed, as opposed to sudden and accidental damage like a burst pipe. Whether a specific leak counts as gradual is a determination your insurer makes based on the evidence, which is why documenting when a leak started matters.See also: Sudden and Accidental Damage, Proof of Loss

Grains Per Pound

Grains per pound (GPP) measures the actual amount of moisture in the air, independent of temperature, and drying technicians use it to compare conditions inside a drying chamber to outside air. It is a more precise measurement for drying calculations than relative humidity alone, which changes with temperature.See also: Relative Humidity, Dew Point, Hygrometer

H

Hard Water Scale

Hard water scale is the mineral buildup, mostly calcium and magnesium, that forms inside pipes, water heaters and fittings from hard water. The Las Vegas Valley Water District rates valley water as very hard, around 16 to 17 grains per gallon, which is why scale buildup inside older water heaters and supply lines is a common contributor to leaks in the valley.See also: Slab Leak, Water Heater Pan

HEPA Air Scrubber

A HEPA air scrubber pulls air through a high-efficiency particulate filter to remove mold spores, dust, soot and other fine particles from the air inside a work area. It is commonly run during mold remediation and fire cleanup, often alongside containment and negative air pressure.See also: Negative Air Machine, Containment, Mold Spores

HOA Master Policy

In many Las Vegas condos, townhomes and master-planned communities, the HOA carries a master insurance policy covering shared structures and sometimes portions of individual units, while the owner's own policy covers the interior, contents and betterments. After a loss, it usually takes checking both the HOA master policy and your own policy to know what each one covers.See also: Scope of Loss, Adjuster

Hygrometer

A hygrometer measures relative humidity and, often, temperature in the air, and drying technicians use it throughout a job to track how conditions inside the drying chamber are changing compared to outside air. It works alongside moisture meters, which measure moisture inside materials rather than in the air.See also: Relative Humidity, Grains Per Pound, Moisture Meter (Pin and Pinless)

I

IICRC S500

IICRC S500 is the water damage restoration industry standard published by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, covering how water losses are categorized, classified and dried. It is the reference standard behind terms like Category 1-3 water and Class 1-4 water loss.See also: Category 1 Water, Class 1 Water Loss, IICRC S520

IICRC S520

IICRC S520 is the mold remediation industry standard, covering assessment, containment, removal of mold-affected materials and post-remediation verification. Following S520 is a widely recognized way of demonstrating that a mold job was done to an accepted industry process, not just that mold is no longer visible.See also: Containment, Post-Remediation Verification (PRV), Clearance Testing

Injectidry System

An Injectidry system uses small hoses and mats connected to an air mover to force dry air directly into wall cavities, under cabinets, inside stairs or beneath hardwood floors, drying spaces that cannot be reached by standard air movers alone. It is typically used on Class 4 water losses involving low-permeance materials.See also: Class 4 Water Loss, Air Mover, Structural Drying

L

LGR Dehumidifier

An LGR, or low-grain refrigerant, dehumidifier is a refrigerant-based unit engineered to pull more moisture out of the air than a standard dehumidifier, even as the air in a drying chamber gets drier. It is the most common type of dehumidifier used on structural drying jobs.See also: Desiccant Dehumidifier, Structural Drying, Air Mover

M

Mitigation

Mitigation is the immediate work done to stop a loss from getting worse, such as extracting standing water, tarping a damaged roof or boarding up a fire-damaged opening, before full restoration begins. It happens first, usually within the first hours after you call, because how quickly it starts affects how much of the structure and contents can be saved.See also: Restoration, Remediation, Board-Up

Moisture Mapping

Moisture mapping is the process of using moisture meters and thermal imaging to document exactly how far water has traveled through a structure, including under flooring and inside wall cavities, before drying equipment is placed. It turns guesswork about the water's path into a documented record used to plan the job and support insurance documentation.See also: Moisture Meter (Pin and Pinless), Thermal Imaging Camera, Secondary Damage

Moisture Meter (Pin and Pinless)

A moisture meter measures the moisture content inside a material rather than in the air. A pin-type meter uses two small probes inserted into the material for a direct reading, while a pinless meter uses a sensor pad pressed against the surface to scan without marking it; drying technicians often use both depending on the material and whether marks are acceptable.See also: Drying Goal, Hygrometer, Moisture Mapping

Mold Spores

Mold spores are the microscopic reproductive cells mold releases into the air to spread, and they exist in normal amounts in nearly all indoor and outdoor air. Mold becomes a concern when moisture lets spores settle and grow into visible colonies, which the U.S. EPA notes can begin within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure.See also: Visible Mold Growth, Air Sampling, IICRC S520

N

Negative Air Machine

A negative air machine pulls air out of a contained work area and filters it, usually through a HEPA filter, before exhausting it outside, which keeps air pressure inside the containment slightly lower than the surrounding space. That pressure difference keeps mold spores, dust or smoke odor from escaping into the rest of the home while work is underway.See also: Containment, HEPA Air Scrubber

O

Ozone and Hydroxyl Treatment

Ozone and hydroxyl generators are odor treatment equipment used after a fire to break down smoke odor molecules rather than just masking them. Ozone treatment requires the space to be unoccupied during use, while hydroxyl generators produce a similar effect and can usually run in occupied spaces; which one is used depends on the situation.See also: Smoke Residue, Thermal Fogging, Soot

P

Pack-Out

A pack-out is removing your belongings from the home entirely, inventorying and packing them, and moving them offsite for cleaning, storage or restoration while drying, remediation or repairs happen at the property. Items usually come back once the affected areas are dry, clean and repaired.See also: Content Manipulation, Rebuild

Post-Remediation Verification (PRV)

Post-remediation verification is a final check, usually including a visual inspection and clearance testing, confirming that mold remediation work met the project's standard before containment comes down. It is often performed by an independent inspector separate from the company that did the remediation work.See also: Clearance Testing, IICRC S520, Containment

Proof of Loss

A proof of loss is a formal, usually signed statement you submit to your insurer detailing the damage and the amount you are claiming, which many policies require within a set time after the loss. Your adjuster or insurer can tell you whether your policy requires one and its deadline; we can provide documentation to support it.See also: Adjuster, Scope of Loss, Supplement

Public Adjuster

A public adjuster is an independent professional you can hire yourself to represent your interests and negotiate your claim with the insurance company, as opposed to the adjuster the insurer assigns. Hiring one is your choice; we work with whichever adjuster is handling your claim and provide the same documentation either way.See also: Adjuster, Scope of Loss

R

Rebuild

Rebuild, or reconstruction, is the phase after drying, remediation or demolition where damaged materials like drywall, flooring, trim and paint are replaced to bring the space back to its pre-loss condition. Handling rebuild along with mitigation and remediation means you are not coordinating a separate contractor once drying is finished.See also: Demolition, Pack-Out, Restoration

Relative Humidity

Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum it could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage. Because it changes with temperature, drying technicians also track grains per pound and dew point to get a fuller picture of drying conditions.See also: Grains Per Pound, Dew Point, Hygrometer

Remediation

Remediation is the work of removing a contaminant, most often mold, from a structure using containment, negative air pressure, removal of affected materials and cleaning, followed by verification that it worked. It is distinct from mitigation, which stops a loss from getting worse, and restoration, which rebuilds what was removed.See also: Mitigation, Restoration, IICRC S520

Reservation of Rights

A reservation of rights letter is a notice from your insurer that it is investigating or handling your claim while reserving the right to later deny coverage based on the policy terms. Receiving one does not necessarily mean your claim will be denied; it means the insurer wants to look closer before deciding, and you can ask them what specifically they are reviewing.See also: Gradual Damage Exclusion, Adjuster

Restoration

Restoration is the umbrella term for the full process of returning a water, mold or fire damaged property to its pre-loss condition, covering mitigation, remediation, structural drying and rebuild. Depending on the loss, a restoration job may include some or all of these stages.See also: Mitigation, Remediation, Rebuild

S

Scope of Loss

The scope of loss is a detailed written record of everything affected by the damage, room by room and material by material, along with the work needed to address it. We document the scope from the first inspection, which becomes the basis for both our work plan and your insurance claim.See also: Xactimate Estimate, Adjuster, Proof of Loss

Secondary Damage

Secondary damage is harm that develops after the original water event because moisture was not fully removed or dried in time, such as mold growth, warped flooring discovered weeks later, or wood rot. Acting quickly on extraction and structural drying is the main way to limit how much secondary damage develops.See also: Structural Drying, Mold Spores, Wicking

Slab Leak

A slab leak is a leak in a water or sewer line running under a home's concrete slab foundation, common in the many slab-on-grade homes across the Las Vegas valley. Because the leak is hidden below the floor, it can go on for a while before a warm damp spot on the flooring, a cracked tile or a rising water bill reveals it.See also: Hard Water Scale, Secondary Damage, Category 1 Water

Smoke Residue

Smoke residue is the film left behind after a fire, and its type, wet and sticky from a smoldering low-oxygen fire or dry and powdery from a fast-burning fire, changes what cleaning methods and products work. Identifying the residue type correctly is part of planning a fire cleanup job, not just choosing a single standard method.See also: Soot, Thermal Fogging, Ozone and Hydroxyl Treatment

Soot

Soot is the fine black carbon particles produced by incomplete combustion during a fire, which coats surfaces, gets into fabrics and HVAC systems, and carries a strong odor. It usually requires specialized cleaning rather than standard household cleaning products, which can smear it or set it deeper into a surface.See also: Smoke Residue, Board-Up, Ozone and Hydroxyl Treatment

Structural Drying

Structural drying is the use of air movers, dehumidifiers and sometimes specialty equipment like injectidry systems to dry a building's framing, subfloor, drywall and other structural materials back to a normal moisture level, with progress tracked by daily moisture readings. Most structural drying takes about three to five days, confirmed by those readings rather than a fixed schedule.See also: Air Mover, LGR Dehumidifier, Drying Goal, Moisture Mapping

Stucco

Stucco is a cement-based exterior finish common on Las Vegas homes, and while it is durable in the desert heat, water that gets behind it through a crack or a poor seal around a window or pipe penetration can be trapped against the wood framing or sheathing without showing on the surface right away. A stucco crack near a known plumbing line is worth having checked.See also: Efflorescence, Secondary Damage

Subrogation

Subrogation is the process by which your insurer, after paying your claim, pursues reimbursement from a third party responsible for the damage, such as a manufacturer of a defective appliance that caused a leak. It happens between your insurer and that third party and generally does not require action from you.See also: Adjuster, Proof of Loss

Sudden and Accidental Damage

Sudden and accidental damage, like a pipe that bursts without warning or a water heater that suddenly fails, is usually covered under homeowners policies, unlike damage that built up gradually over time. Documenting when and how the damage occurred helps establish which category it falls into.See also: Gradual Damage Exclusion, Scope of Loss

Supplement

A supplement is an additional claim submitted to your insurer for damage or costs discovered after the original estimate was written, which happens often in restoration once demolition reveals hidden damage such as wet insulation or additional wall cavities affected. We document and submit supplements with photos and readings to support the additional scope.See also: Scope of Loss, Demolition, Xactimate Estimate

T

Thermal Fogging

Thermal fogging heats a deodorizing solution into a fine vapor that penetrates the same spaces smoke odor traveled into, such as wall cavities and fabric fibers, to neutralize odor at the source rather than covering it up. It is one tool used alongside ozone or hydroxyl treatment after a fire, depending on the situation.See also: Ozone and Hydroxyl Treatment, Smoke Residue

Thermal Imaging Camera

A thermal imaging camera shows surface temperature differences as a color image, which technicians use to spot cooler areas that often indicate moisture behind a wall or under flooring, since wet materials tend to read cooler than dry ones nearby. It flags where to check further with a moisture meter rather than confirming moisture by itself.See also: Moisture Meter (Pin and Pinless), Moisture Mapping

Tile Roof Underlayment

Tile roof underlayment is the waterproof layer installed under the visible roof tiles on many Las Vegas homes, which does the actual work of keeping water out; the tiles themselves mostly shed water and protect the underlayment from sun and weather. When underlayment ages or is damaged, a roof can leak even though the tiles above look intact.See also: Secondary Damage, Board-Up

Truck-Mounted Extractor

A truck-mounted extractor is a high-powered water extraction unit installed in the service vehicle, connected to hoses run into the home, that removes standing water from floors, carpet and padding faster and with more suction than portable units. It is typically used for the initial extraction on larger water losses.See also: Category 1 Water, Structural Drying

V

Visible Mold Growth

Visible mold growth is mold that has developed enough to be seen with the naked eye, usually as gray, green, black or white patches, often near a past or current source of moisture. Visible growth generally calls for remediation following the IICRC S520 standard rather than just surface cleaning, since mold can extend into the material beneath what is visible.See also: Mold Spores, IICRC S520, Remediation

W

Water Heater Pan

A water heater pan is a shallow catch basin installed under a water heater, usually connected to a drain line, meant to catch small leaks or condensation before they reach the flooring. It is a last line of defense, not a substitute for having an aging water heater inspected, especially given how hard water accelerates wear on valley water heaters.See also: Hard Water Scale, Slab Leak

Wicking

Wicking is the way water travels upward or sideways through a porous material, such as drywall or baseboards, beyond the area that was directly wet, similar to how a paper towel draws up water. It is why drying and demolition work often needs to extend well past the visibly wet area, not stop right at its edge.See also: Secondary Damage, Flood Cut, Class 2 Water Loss

X

Xactimate Estimate

Xactimate is estimating software widely used across the restoration and insurance industry to price scope of loss line items using standardized codes and regional pricing data, which most adjusters expect a restoration estimate in. Providing our documentation in this format is meant to make your claim easier for your adjuster to review, not to guarantee what your insurer will approve.See also: Scope of Loss, Adjuster, Supplement