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Archive for July, 2009

Water Damage, Now What?

Water damage happens. Sometimes it happens slowly such as when a small drip or seepage slowly turns your floorboards, carpets or walls into soggy, moldy messes. Other times, the water comes flooding in, causing immediate damage. Either way, if you have water damage, you’re probably wondering, “Now what?”

No matter how the water damage occurred, the first concern is safety. As you know, water and electricity make a deadly combination. Do not take any chances! Turn off the power before coming in contact with the water.

Next, the water source absolutely must be stopped. Burst pipe? Turn off the water. Broken window or leaking roof? Secure the structure until professional help arrives. Overflowing toilet? Turn off the valve at the base of the toilet.

Once the water is no longer flowing uncontrollably through your home, begin mopping up. As soon as the water is somewhat contained, call the following professionals:
• A professional water extraction company
• Your insurance agent
• Local repair companies (such as a plumber or roofer depending on your water damage situation)

Calling professionals early ensures a prompt response, so it’s important to take the time to do this once the water is reasonably contained. After making the necessary arrangements, go back to the water damaged area and get to work.

Is there anything that you can remove to prevent further damage? If so, move it. For example, the carpet may be absorbing water which may later be “wicked” up by your furniture. Electronics are sensitive to high humidity levels, so you might want to move your laptop into another room. Remove water logged items such as area rugs, pillows, and furnishings and place them in an area where they can dry out. If possible, enlist the help of another person to extract as much water as possible and begin the drying process.

Continue mopping the damaged area, using techniques that make sense for the room. If an exterior door is involved, use a push broom to push excess water out the door before mopping up the remaining water with towels or absorbent sponges. Once it’s safe to turn on the power, use a wet/dry vacuum to further extract the water. Use household fans to circulate air and help speed up the drying process.

These steps taken early will help minimize the damage. After all, the longer water is allowed to sit, the more it is absorbed into its surroundings. Your prompt action could very well prevent extensive damage to walls, furnishings, electrical systems, and more! In addition, drying the damage quickly reduces the potential for another ghastly side effect: mold.

Mold thrives in moist environments which makes it critical to dry the damage as quickly as possible. It doesn’t take long before mold growth appears so make sure to contact a professional to complete the water extraction.

Finally, in addition to drying the home, you will need to disinfect it. Water damage does more than simply drench your home and its belongings. It also contaminates them. While toilet and sewage overflows are obviously unsanitary, even clean water can contaminate everything that it comes in contact with. For example, when carpets are flooded, all the debris and gunk that have collected deep within comes to the surface. Everything must be thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated after a water damage event.

If you’re faced with water damage, prompt action is priority number one. Get busy and get help.

Advanced Restoration Inc. finished up a large scale entire home that was flooded due to a broken toilet line. The owners have been out of town and the water sat long enough to cause a significant mold problem which we also remediated while working on the water damage. The water damage was located in New Port Richey, Florida (Pasco County)

“Restoring Lives Everyday”

“Dry Me Out”

www.DryMeOut.com

Toilet line broke and flooded the whole house. Insurance will be covering the whole loss.”Dry Me Out”

“Restoring Lives Everyday”

www.DryMeOut.com

Summer Water Damage

The seasons bring with them their own unique challenges and hazards. In the summer, springtime thaws and floods give way to hot, sunny days and different forms of water damage. The snow has melted and your home isn’t in danger of suffering from frozen pipes, but other hazards exist ranging from flash floods in the desert and hurricanes in the Atlantic states to damaged foundations, mold, and condensation.

Flash floods are short term flood events that can affect areas far from the original rainstorm or water release (such as a dam breaking). These floods arrive in a flash, wiping out roadways, homes, and anything else in their paths. Slow moving summertime thunderstorms are often to blame for flash floods. Water damage can occur to homes that are in a flood plain as well as to homes in low-lying areas. Storm drain systems often can’t keep up with the floodwaters and become backed up, further adding to the potential for damage. Homes in low-lying areas, downstream from dams, and in areas near water are particularly at risk.

Summer storms, including hurricanes in the Atlantic states and monsoons in the southwest, bring with them heavy rainfall, high winds, and storm surges in coastal communities. These events can cause flooding as well as water damage from backed up storm drain systems and blown out windows and rooftops.

In the summer, humidity rises and thus, the potential for mold growth increases. If a home floods for any reason during periods of high humidity, the clock is ticking faster than ever. The sooner you can mop up the mess and start drying out the home, the better! It’s worth spending extra for an emergency response because doing so often prevents more costly damages.

While flash floods, hurricanes, monsoons, and high humidity cause plenty of water damage during the summer months, we can’t blame Mother Nature for it all. Other summertime water damage occurs due to plumbing problems, above ground pool collapses, air conditioner condensation, and even overwatering the lawn.

Now is a good time to tinker around the house, making sure that all plumbing is well maintained and repairing any leaks. Pay special attention to areas where condensate collects, such as the drip pans under your central heater, air conditioner unit, water heater, and refrigerator. Empty these pans and check them periodically to ensure that they do not overflow and cause damage to your walls, floors, and other structures. In addition, mold can form in these environments, so keep these areas dry.

If you live in a humid area, your home could be prone to water and mold damage due to condensation. Look for signs of condensation such as foggy windows and water droplets on the walls. Rooms that are most likely to suffer from condensation-related water damage include the bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry areas. Steamy showers are fairly obvious, but did you know cooking and doing laundry also contribute to indoor humidity? Consider investing in additional exhaust fans or a humidity control system to combat this problem.

You’ll also need to do some work outside to combat the potential summertime effects of water including cleaning out those rain gutters (clogged rain gutters are notorious for causing water to seep under the roof or into the home’s walls), repairing broken sprinkler heads, and perhaps even re-grading the slope of your yard so that groundwater flows away from your foundation.

Summer’s here and water damage is lurking. Are you prepared to prevent it?