Frequently Asked Questions

Most people have never been through this before, and that's completely normal. Here's what to expect when you call Home Pride: we'll ask a few quick questions about what happened, then get a technician to you as fast as possible. When we arrive, we'll walk through the damage with you, explain what we're seeing in plain language, and tell you exactly what needs to happen next — no jargon, no pressure. If your homeowner's insurance covers the damage, we'll help you through that process too, from filing the initial claim to communicating with your adjuster. Our goal is that you always know what's happening, what it costs, and what comes next. You don't need to know anything about restoration going in — that's our job.

The main difference is that Home Pride is locally owned and family-operated — not a franchise. When you call us, you're talking to the same people who will show up at your door and do the work. Home Pride has been family-owned in Southeast Idaho since 1984, and the family's reputation is on the line with every job. Customers often mention our honesty and communication. We use the same professional-grade equipment as the national chains — commercial extractors, LGR dehumidifiers, thermal imaging — but we also bring the personal accountability that comes from living and working in the same community.

The IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) is the industry's nonprofit certifying body for restoration professionals — a standard insurance adjusters recognize when evaluating a contractor. Home Pride is registered as an IICRC Certified Firm, which means we've committed to industry-standard training, ethics, and accountability. Our team includes IICRC-certified technicians holding WRT (Water Damage Restoration Technician) and AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician) credentials. For you, IICRC certification means the people in your home are using the same equipment, drying and measurement protocols as the national franchises. It's the credential that tells you the crew in your home follows the same standard your adjuster expects.

It's a fair concern — restoration is an industry where pricing isn't always transparent. At Home Pride, we provide a detailed written estimate before any work begins, so you know the scope and cost upfront. We work directly with your insurance carrier if you're filing a claim, and we advocate for the full scope of what your policy covers — but we don't inflate estimates or recommend unnecessary work. Our customers often mention that we were more honest about what actually needed to be done than they expected. If something doesn't need to be replaced, we'll tell you. If it does, we'll explain why. We've built our business on repeat customers and referrals in a community where our reputation matters, and that means being straight with people.

The first few minutes after discovering water damage are critical. Start by shutting off the main water supply if the source is a burst pipe or appliance leak. If it's safe, turn off electricity to the affected areas to prevent shock hazards. Move valuables, furniture, and documents out of standing water. Do not use a regular household vacuum to remove water. Call Home Pride Restoration immediately — our emergency team is available 24/7 and can typically be on-site within hours. The faster you act, the better your chances of salvaging flooring, drywall, and personal belongings. Every hour that passes allows water to penetrate deeper into structural materials and significantly raises the risk of mold developing within 24–48 hours.

If you can see visible water pooling, wet drywall, swelling wood floors, or water stains on ceilings or walls, professional restoration is almost certainly necessary. Even damage that appears minor on the surface can be severe underneath — water migrates through walls, under flooring, and into insulation where it hides from plain view. DIY drying with household fans rarely removes enough moisture to prevent mold, which can begin growing in as little as 24 hours. Home Pride offers free, no-obligation damage evaluations in our primary service area. Our technicians use professional moisture meters and thermal imaging to detect hidden moisture you can't see, giving you a full picture of the damage before any work begins.

Not everything needs to be replaced — but some materials, once saturated, cannot be effectively dried and must be removed. Drywall and insulation act like sponges and can harbor mold even after they appear dry. Hardwood floors can sometimes be saved with professional drying equipment if treated quickly. Engineered wood and laminate typically buckle and require replacement. Our technicians conduct a thorough assessment using moisture meters and follow IICRC S500 standards to determine what can be dried in place and what must go. We walk you through every recommendation with clear explanations and cost options before any work begins, so you're never surprised by the scope of work.

Our water extraction and drying process follows the IICRC S500 Standard, the industry benchmark for water damage restoration. We begin with truck-mounted or portable high-powered extractors to remove standing water as quickly as possible. Once bulk water is removed, we place industrial air movers and commercial-grade dehumidifiers throughout the affected area to accelerate evaporation and capture airborne moisture. We monitor moisture levels daily with calibrated meters and adjust equipment placement as conditions change. In most cases, structural drying takes 3–5 days. We document all readings throughout the process — this documentation is also important for insurance purposes and confirms that materials have reached acceptable dryness levels before we close out the project.

Yes — and we strongly encourage you to involve us early in the process. We work directly with all major insurance carriers and understand how adjusters evaluate water damage claims. Our team provides detailed written documentation including moisture readings, equipment logs, photographs, and itemized estimates in the format insurers require. We communicate directly with your adjuster on your behalf, which reduces back-and-forth delays and helps ensure you receive the full scope of coverage your policy allows. We can also help you understand what your policy covers before you file, so there are no surprises. Our goal is to make the claims process as smooth and stress-free as possible while you focus on getting your home back to normal.

Yes. Home Pride Restoration serves commercial property owners, property managers, and businesses throughout Southeast Idaho. We understand that downtime is costly, so we develop restoration plans designed to minimize disruption — including after-hours or weekend scheduling when possible. Our team has experience with office buildings, retail spaces, multi-unit residential buildings, and light industrial facilities. Commercial water damage often involves more complex structural materials, larger affected areas, and stricter drying standards, all of which our IICRC-certified technicians are trained to handle. We provide detailed documentation for commercial insurance claims and work directly with your insurance carrier to streamline the process. Call us for a free assessment of your commercial property damage.

Home Pride Restoration is a locally owned, family-run business — not a national franchise. Our team includes IICRC-certified technicians holding WRT and AMRT credentials. Because we're owner-operated, we hold ourselves to a higher standard of accountability than large crews where individual quality can vary. We use the same professional-grade equipment as the national chains — commercial extractors, LGR dehumidifiers, thermal imaging cameras — but we also bring genuine personal investment in every job. We've served Southeast Idaho for over 40 years and built our reputation on honest assessments, fair pricing, and work we stand behind. We hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and we work directly with all major insurance carriers.

Yes, Home Pride Restoration offers true 24/7 emergency response — including nights, weekends, and holidays. Water damage doesn't follow a schedule, and neither do we. When you call our emergency line, you'll speak with a real member of our team, not an answering service. We aim to have a technician on-site within 2–4 hours of your call in most parts of our service area, including Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Blackfoot, Pocatello, and surrounding communities. Rapid response is one of the most important factors in minimizing total damage — the first 24 hours are critical for preventing permanent structural damage and stopping mold before it starts. Don't wait until morning. Call us immediately and we'll help you stabilize the situation.

The duration depends on the category and extent of the damage. A clean water incident affecting a single room typically requires 3–5 days of drying plus any repair work. More extensive flooding, sewage backups, or damage that has spread to multiple rooms or floors can take 1–3 weeks from initial water extraction through final repairs. The drying phase alone typically takes 3–5 days, during which we monitor moisture levels daily and adjust equipment as needed. Mold remediation, if required, adds additional time. After drying is complete, any necessary demolition, reconstruction, flooring replacement, or painting can begin. We provide a detailed project timeline after our initial assessment so you know exactly what to expect at each stage.

Most standard homeowner's insurance policies cover sudden and accidental water damage — for example, a burst pipe, a washing machine overflow, or roof damage from a storm. However, gradual damage from slow leaks, flooding from outside the home, and sewer backup may require separate endorsements or policies. We recommend reviewing your policy or calling your agent before assuming coverage. Home Pride works directly with all major insurance carriers and helps you understand what documentation your adjuster will need. We provide complete written estimates, moisture logs, photo documentation, and scope-of-work reports in the format insurers require. Our goal is to document your claim completely so nothing you're entitled to gets missed and you know what to expect before work begins.

Our primary service area is Idaho Falls and the surrounding Southeast Idaho communities: Ammon, Rigby, Rexburg, Sugar City, St. Anthony, Swan Valley, Shelley, Firth, Blackfoot, Pocatello, and Chubbuck, plus the smaller towns between them like Iona, Ucon, and Lewisville. For most emergency calls in that area we can have a technician on-site within 2–4 hours. We also serve outlying communities — Menan, Island Park, Driggs, Victor, and Jackson, WY — where response times can be longer depending on weather and road conditions. If you're unsure whether we serve your area, don't hesitate to call — we'll be honest with you and refer you to a trusted local resource if we can't help. Our emergency line is staffed 24/7 at (208) 604-4411.

Yes. Mold remediation is one of our core services, and it frequently goes hand-in-hand with water damage restoration. If water damage is not fully dried within 24–48 hours, mold can begin to colonize porous materials like drywall, wood framing, insulation, and carpet padding. Our team includes IICRC AMRT-certified technicians and follows established industry protocols for safe containment, removal, and post-remediation verification. We conduct mold inspections, surface sampling, and air quality testing. Where mold is present, we establish containment barriers, use negative air machines with HEPA filtration, and remove affected materials safely. We also address the underlying moisture source to ensure mold doesn't return. All work is documented for your insurance company and your own records.

Preventing mold after water damage is a race against time — mold can begin growing in as little as 24–48 hours in moist conditions. Our primary defense is thorough, documented structural drying. We use industrial air movers paired with commercial low-grain refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers to lower the humidity in the affected area below the level mold needs to grow. We monitor moisture levels in walls, floors, and subfloor daily with calibrated meters and don't remove equipment until readings confirm all materials have reached acceptable dryness. In addition, we apply EPA-registered antimicrobial treatments to surfaces in high-risk areas. Our drying documentation also protects you — if mold is later discovered in an area we restored, the records show the readings we took while drying it.

Yes. Storm damage restoration is a significant part of what we do, particularly in Southeast Idaho where hailstorms, heavy snow loads, and high winds are common seasonal events. We handle wind-driven rain intrusion, roof leaks, hail-damaged siding and windows that allow water entry, and flood damage from storm runoff. Our team responds quickly to stabilize the property — boarding up broken openings, applying tarps to damaged roofs, and extracting standing water — to prevent further damage while a permanent repair plan is developed. We are experienced in working with insurance companies on storm damage claims, which often involve multiple trades. We document all damage thoroughly and guide you through the claims process from initial assessment through completed restoration.

Yes. Home Pride Restoration and Cleaning offers professional carpet cleaning for both residential and commercial properties. We use hot water extraction — widely considered the most effective method for deep cleaning — to remove embedded dirt, allergens, pet dander, and bacteria that regular vacuuming leaves behind. Our commercial-grade truck-mounted equipment delivers significantly more heat, water pressure, and suction than rental machines, resulting in a deeper clean and faster drying times. We can also treat stains, deodorize pet odors, and apply carpet protectant after cleaning. Carpet cleaning is recommended at least once a year for most households, and more frequently for homes with pets, children, or high foot traffic. Ask about our current specials when you call — (208) 604-4411.