Water Damage | Mold Damage | Blog and Tips on Water Damage Restoration, Mold Removal and More

Posts Tagged ‘hurricane’

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is a very active, above-average season that began on June 1, 2011, and will end on November 30, 2011.

So, it happens. You’re area becomes threatened with a hurricane.

Now what? Should you evacuate or stay? If you stay, what do you need to know? If you go, what then?

According to the National Hurricane Center, you should be able to answer the following questions in the face of a hurricane threat:

What are the Hurricane Hazards?
What does it mean to you?
What actions should you take to be prepared?

It is extremely important to be prepared for a Hurricane if you live in a hurricane prone area like Florida or any of the coastal states such as Louisiana or Texas. It is wise to have an emergency kit on hand as well as read through a Hurricane Preparedness Guide ahead of time.  But what should you do if a hurricane strikes in your area?

Read on through this comprehensive guide on what to do and what not to do during a hurricane: How to Survive a Hurricane

1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is a full service water damage restoration company that provides emergency water removal, water mitigation, carpet drying, flood cleaning, mold remediation, fire damage, sinkhole and sewer cleanup services. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is located in Port Richey, Florida, and proudly services the West Gulf Coast of Florida. For more information, please visit http://www.drymeout.com

Flooding is usually caused by aggravated storms and hurricanes.

After a flood, it’s important to restore your home to good order as soon as possible to protect your health and prevent further damage to your house and belongings. Whether you do the work yourself or hire a certified restoration company, this handy checklist will help you organize the clean up.

When it comes to water cleanup, immediate action is important. When it comes to water and flood damage, your home and furnishings are less likely to grow mold if they are dried within 24-48 hours.

If you decide to tackle water damage on by yourself and it becomes too much for you at any point, make sure you have the number of a trusted certified restoration company. Flood damage that is not properly taken care of and dried out and lead to bigger and more expensive problems involving mold.

Further to flooding, one must be concerned about safety during major storms and hurricanes. What is usually responsible for the majority of hurricane related fatalities? Find out!

Read: Flood Damage from Hurricanes

1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is a full service water damage restoration company that provides emergency water removal, water mitigation, carpet drying, flood cleaning, mold remediation, fire damage, sinkhole and sewer cleanup services. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is located in Port Richey, Florida, and proudly services the West Gulf Coast of Florida. For more information, please visit http://www.drymeout.com

Hurricane Irene, 2011′s first hurricane, has left a path of disaster in it’s tracks.  Regarding its affect on the USA, Irene passed along the coasts of Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.  Vermont has seen the worst flooding in centuries.  Early estimates of total damaged incurred by Irene are over $10 Billion already.  Compared to the damages exacted by Hurricane Katrina, $105.8-billion, this $10 Billion is low.

As of today, there are still 3 million people on the Eastern US seaboard that are without power and thousands of people are either homeless and/or stranded by flood waters.  US National Guard and firefighters have rescued hundreds of people from record flooding in New Jersey and Vermont and are now planning to airlift food and water to inland towns cut off by Hurricane Irene.

Unfortunately, FEMA’s funding has hit a low.  Ten storms in the US that have required FEMA funds this year alone have caused billions in damage.  FEMA’s fund is now below $1 Billion.  FEMA is stating that some projects are being put on hold and no new projects will be approved until FEMA assess the needs of Hurricane Irene survivors.  This year has been one of the most extreme for weather in U.S. history, with $35 billion in losses so far from floods, tornadoes and heat waves.

Hurricane Irene has killed at least 40 people and caused substantial property damage from North Carolina to Vermont over the weekend.

Currently, eyes are on Tropical Storm Katia which could be a hurricane as early as Wednesday, August 31.

1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is a full service water damage restoration company that provides emergency water removal from hurricane damage and flood damage, water mitigation, carpet drying, mold remediation, fire damage, sinkhole and sewer cleanup services.  1-800-DRY-ME-OUT is located in Port Richey, Florida, and proudly services the West Gulf Coast of Florida.  For more information, please visit http://www.drymeout.com

Hurricane season has begun! From June 1st to November 30, hurricane season is alive and well.  To help you get through the season as safely as possible, here are a list of articles we have written compiled for your convenience.  If you have any questions on hurricane safety or how to protect your property from hurricane flood damage, please contact us at 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT.

GENERAL HURRICANE SAFETY & INFORMATION:

Hurricane Preparedness Guide

Hurricane Emergency Kit

Hurricane Survival Guide

Hurricane Safety for Pets

Hurricane Proofing Windows

Hurricane Emergency Contact List for Florida

Tampa Bay Hurricane Facts

How to Clean Up After a Storm

HURRICANE INFORMATION FOR BUSINESS

Hurricane Preparation for Business: General Checklist

Hurricane Planning Before the Storm for Business

Flood Damage Prevention Plan

Flood & Water Damage Go Box

Disaster & Hurricane Resources for Business

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage, Hurricane Damage, Mold Damage, Sinkhole, Fire Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!

Every year, the Gulf Coast is threatened by hurricanes. For the hurricanes that come close to land or actually make land fall, storm surge is often the greatest threat to land resulting from the ensuing hurricane.

Storm Surge is a complex phenomenon that relies on several different factors. Put simply, storm surge occurs when an abnormal water level rise occurs and the water is pushed onto shore by the wind force accompanying a low pressure system such as a tropical cyclone or hurricane. High winds push the ocean’s surface and pile up higher than normal, thus creating a storm surge. Factors that affect the intensity of the surge include: radius of maximum winds, storm intensity, forward speed, angle of approach, shape of coast and the width and slope of the continental shelf.

In addition to the destructive forces of the surge itself, battery waves will often accompany the surge and add to the destructive forces. Because the storm surge extends inland, it allows a pathway for the waves to follow. As noted by the National Hurricane Center: “Water weighs approximately 1,700 pounds per cubic yard; extended pounding by frequent waves can demolish any structure not specifically designed to withstand such forces.”

The devastation created by a storm surge is endless. Examples include: eroded beaches and highways, flooding, devastated buildings, damaged marinas and boats, dead vegetation, homeless animals and human fatalities. It is important to note that most fatalities that accompany a hurricane actually are caused by a storm surge or the accompanying flooding. Also important to note, in areas that usually have low and high tides, storm surges are most damaging during high tides.

By far, the storm surge that was the highest in feet and caused the most catastrophic damage was Hurricane Katrine 2005. Storm surge flooding reached 25 to 28 feet above normal tide levels along the Mississippi Coast and 10 to 20 feet above normal tide levels along the southeastern Louisiana coast. Close behind Katrina was Hurricane Camille 1969 with surge levels reaching 24 feet also along the Mississippi Coast. The largest recorded storm surge occurred in Australia in 1899 when the surge reached heights of 43 feet.

As history has shown us, storm surge is a devastating affect of hurricanes. Unfortunately, areas that are most prone to storm surges, the Atlantic and Gulf, are also densely populated and are responsible for over half of the United State’s economic productivity.

Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Flood Damage Clearwater, Water Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT

Hurricane Safety is as important for homeowners as it is for business owners. As part of our Hurricane Preparation for Business Series, here is a general checklist of what to do before during and after a disaster:

1. Know Your Risk. Check your hurricane evacuation level and FEMA flood maps to determine if your business location is vulnerable to storm surge or freshwater flooding. Have your building(s) inspected by a licensed professional to find out if your workplace is vulnerable to hurricane force winds and what is recommended to retrofit.

2. Take the Necessary Precautions. If a storm threatens, secure your building. Cover windows. Cover and move furniture/equipment to a secured area.

3. Always Protect Your Data with Backup Files. If dependent on data processing, consider an alternate site. Make provisions for alternate communications and power.

4. Make Plans To Work With Limited Cash, No Water, Sewer or Power for Two Weeks. Store emergency supplies at the office.

Read Steps 5-8 on how to prepare your business for a hurricane or disaster

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage, Mold Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. Here are a few resources to get you started.

Florida Business Disaster Survival Kit
http://www.fldisasterkit.org/

Florida Disaster Division of Emergency Management for Business
http://www.floridadisaster.org/DEMbusiness.asp

FEMA for Business
http://www.fema.gov/business/index.shtm

Homeland Security Tools for Business
http://www.ready.gov/business/index.html

View the remaining hurricane and disaster resources

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage, Mold Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!

With all the buzz of the finally active Atlantic hurricane season, you might have heard the term “Invest” being used.

Here is the definition as defined by the National Hurricane Center:

Invest:

A weather system for which a tropical cyclone forecast center (NHC, CPHC, or JTWC) is interested in collecting specialized data sets (e.g., microwave imagery) and/or running model guidance. Once a system has been designated as an invest, data collection and processing is initiated on a number of government and academic web sites, including the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (UW-CIMSS). The designation of a system as an invest does not correspond to any particular likelihood of development of the system into a tropical cyclone; operational products such as the Tropical Weather Outlook or the JTWC/TCFA should be consulted for this purpose.

Here is a link to their glossary for other useful terms. Hope this helps!

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml#i

From The Gang at Advanced Restoration

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage, Mold Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!

Yesterday, August 5, 2010, the NOAA announced that La Nina is officially in action over the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the NOAA stated that they are still expecting an active hurricane season!

In two of our recent posts, “What’s all this talk about La Nina?” and “Busy Hurricane Season? Let us not forget the past!”, we discussed how experts were warning of La Nina conditions forming and how that might increase hurricane activity over the Atlantic. We also looked back at the past patterns of serious hurricanes and how many of them formed during “peak” season – late August.

In the NOAA’s article, they state “With the season’s peak just around the corner – late August through October – the need for preparedness plans is essential.”

In addition, the NOAA states, ““All indications are for considerable activity during the next several months,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “As we’ve seen in past years, storms can come on quickly during the peak months of the season. There remains a high likelihood that the season could be very active, with the potential of being one of the more active on record.”

The NOAA predicts that climate factors such as warmer-than-average water in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, and the tropical multi-decadal signal, which since 1995 has brought favorable ocean and atmospheric conditions in unison, lead to more active seasons.

We encourage everyone to stay prepared in the event that the predictions come to fruition. We might have a tendency to figure, just because the season is slow right now, that we have nothing to worry about. Nonetheless, it is always wise to stay prepared.

Click for our Hurricane Emergency Kit

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage, Mold Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!

You may have heard people uttering the phrase, “Oh, it’s La Niña…” in relation to the anticipated hurricane season ahead of us. So, the gang at Advanced Restoration decided to do some research and get to the bottom of this utterance.

According to sources, La Niña, which is part of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), might have something to do with a possibly busy hurricane season. ENSO consists of two extreme climate pattern stages: El Niño and La Nina. The ENSO system oscillates between stages every 3 to 4 years. Though El Niño will be consistently be present, it may not always be followed by a La Nina stage, rather, a normal neutral stage. What happens to create an extreme change relies on the interplay between changes in the ocean surface temperature and atmospheric conditions in the Tropical Pacific. During El Niño, water surface temperatures are significantly warmer while during a La Niña phase, Pacific surface water temperatures are cooler and winds are strengthened.

So how does La Niña affect the possibilities of hurricane activity in the Atlantic? According to the foremost expert on the subject, Dr. William Gray from Colorado State University, “the chances for the continental U.S. and the Caribbean Islands to experience hurricane activity increases substantially during La Niña.” While there are several factors that favor hurricane development, uniform atmospheric winds are one of the ingredients. Although La Niña produces wind departures at upper levels of the atmosphere in the Pacific, once in the West, the wind departures are at low levels. Thus, there tends to be more hurricane activity in the Atlantic during La Niña due to low wind shear. In contrast, El Niño produces the reverse effect and tends to create more hurricane activity in the Pacific.

“El Niño and La Niña also influence where the Atlantic hurricanes form. During El Niño fewer hurricanes and major hurricanes develop in the deep Tropics from African easterly waves. During La Niña more hurricanes form in the deep Tropics from African easterly waves. These systems have a much greater likelihood of becoming major hurricanes, and of eventually threatening the U.S. and Caribbean Islands.”

An interesting side note: Winters tend to be warmer in the Southern US during a La Niño year and cooler and possible extreme in the North (vice versa during an El Niño phase). La Nina and El Niño typically last about a year, though both can last up to two years during a phase.

For further study, here are two great websites:

http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ensofaq.shtml

http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/

And as always, for more information, please visit us for more Hurricane and Water Damage articles.

The Gang at Advanced Restoration
1-800-DRY-ME-OUT

Advanced Restoration, Inc. is a Water Damage Clearwater, Mold Damage, Sewer Damage and Emergency Disaster Recovery Restoration Company in Tampa Bay, Florida. Company Services Include: WATER DAMAGE EXTRACTION and RESTORATION; MOLD REMOVAL and MOLD REMEDIATION; STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION; FLOODS; HURRICANE DAMAGE; SEWER DAMAGE; Complete Restoration Services. Residential, Commercial & Industrial structures in the Tampa Bay Metro Area, Sarasota County, FL and Manatee County, FL. 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT Contact Us!