Water Damage Blog
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Water damage in your home is a fact of life. It cannot be wholly prevented; even if you can anticipate every pipe that might leak or burst in your home, should Mother Nature decide to target you with a flash flood three or four feet high, the best you can do is hope for the best. In some form or another, every homeowner will have to deal with water damage, on some level, at some point.
 A $5 toilet valve can cause thousands of dollars in water damage What every homeowner can do though, is take steps to at least minimize the damage. Start by looking around your home for anything that may result in an unexpected leak. Worn pipes, misaligned hoses, faucets that won’t quite shut off, worn out weather stripping or cracked windows……anything that will allow water to get in. Remember, even the smallest leak can become a lake if allowed to go unnoticed long enough. Keep in mind that insurance companies cover “sudden and accidental” losses and adjusters can push back if a small leak or issue can be thought of as being pre-existing but ignored resulting in something much larger over time. As a homeowner you have an obligation to your insurance company to take care of those small issues before they become large and expensive water damage problems.
By making small repairs as the problems occur, you can cut down on the instances of home grown water damage. Dealing with Mother Nature, however, becomes a much different story.
Not much can turn back a severe storm or flood, but again, you can take steps to minimize the damage. First of all, check your roof for missing shingles, worn out flashing, or worse, actual holes. If you find anything, repair it promptly. These problems will not get better on their own; quite the contrary, they will only get worse, and more expensive, over time.
Reduce the chance of water damage
Check gutters and downspouts, making sure they are free and unclogged, and that they properly channel water away from your home. Gutter guards can be used to prevent leaves and other debris from gumming up the works. Check where the gutter meets the stucco on the side of your home, some times builders take short cuts and leave a gaping hole rather than adding stucco where the gutter meets the wall.
 Water damage not dried out results in more costly mold damage Evaluate your landscaping, making sure it slopes away from your home. In severe weather, the ground will eventually become saturated, and being unable to hold any more water, that excess has to go somewhere. In the opposite direction away from your foundation is preferable.
If you live in a flood prone area, you should also pay a visit to your local emergency management, where you can get information on the flood history in your area. This can give you an idea of how much water you can expect to come into your home in a worst case scenario. This could also prompt you to purchase flood insurance, which covers you when ground water enters your home or business. Remember regular homeowners insurance only covers mishaps that originate from inside your home.
Armed with that knowledge, you can take steps to cut down on the carnage, such as removing valuables to a higher place in your home. If your appliances are located in your basement (as they so often are), look at elevating them, even a few inches can protect them from flood water damage in most cases. Place them on cinder blocks.
It may cost a bit, but you can also reposition power outlets and electrical boxes a few inches or even a foot higher on your wall. Similar arrangements can be made for your HVAC system, which may also be severely damaged in the event of a flood.
Of course you can always contact your local IICRC certified water damage professional. In addition to cleaning up water damage, they can also inspect your property and make suggestions for changes or improvements designed to keep the elements at bay.
Posted in Flood damage advice, Water damage advice
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Tagged an ounce of cure, avoid flood damage, avoid water damage, prevent flood damage, prevent mold damage, prevent water damage, remove water damage, stop water damage, Water damage prevention, water damage tips
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It doesn’t take a lot of water to do a lot of damage to your home or business. Even as little as a half inch of water can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage, especially if the spill occurs upstairs, because we all know how much water likes to run downhill. Any water spill can adversely affect flooring and carpeting, but once you start adding any sort of depth into the mix, then you find yourself with water damage to the drywall and sheetrock in your home or business.
 Removing wet drywall Drywall (also known as sheetrock, plasterboard or wallboard) is basically a piece of gypsum plastered tightly between two thick sheets of paper. It’s usually pretty easy to identify water damage in your walls. The drywall will have a noticeable water line or other indicative discoloration, and there may also be swelling of the drywall. In rare cases, drywall may be dried out with no long term problems, but in many cases, it is more advisable to simply remove and replace the damaged portion, especially if you don’t own professional moisture meters that will tell you if the wall is dry or not. Keep in mind that dry to the touch does not mean its dry enough not to support mold growth. The drywall doesn’t need to be saturated in order to allow mold spores to take a foothold.
As with any case of water damage, it is important to dry everything out thoroughly. The area within your walls is a prime location for subsequent problems such as mold, which can appear in as little as 48 hours and prove extraordinarily difficult to get rid of. There are a lot of other factors that can determine the best course of action for example is it an external wall with insulation or an interior wall? Is it a shared wall with another home on the other side which would indicate either a layer of OSB or MDF in the wall, or a double layer of sheetrock sandwiched between two layers of wood studs? Is there wallpaper on the wall and is that wallpaper water proof vinyl or just paper wall paper which would dry? Does the paint on the walls or baseboards contain lead, or is there asbestos in the joint compound or texture both of which could pose huge health risks for all involved? All of the above can be tremendous influencing factors on the next steps to follow which is why it’s always important to call a professional water mitigation company to do the job for you.
 Water damaged drywall has been removed DIY Water damaged drywall removal
If you are certain that there are no other influencing factors and you still want to proceed then you will need to start by cutting out the damaged drywall. Drywall is easily cut, so once the level of damage has been ascertained, the damaged area can be cut away. This should be done in a neat square shape to allow for a replacement piece to be cut to size and reinstalled. Take the time to inspect the area behind the wall to make sure there isn’t more extensive damage that needs to be addressed. You may want to replace any damaged insulation and allow the wall cavity to dry thoroughly before any subsequent repairs are attempted. If the wall was wet before or it stayed wet for a few days (or longer) it might be a good idea to call a professional water damage company to take a look or take over completely, because of potential mold issues. If there is mold in the wall cavity and you just cut the wall open without the required containment you will cross-contaminate your entire home and that’s the last thing you need, especially if you have young kids, or elderly people living with you.
When it comes to cutting the replacement piece, take precise measurements of the hole you are looking to fill. Then cut the new piece of drywall accordingly. There needs to be as tight of a fit as possible. If the old wall wasn’t cut perfectly – halfway into a wood stud to provide a section of stud into which you can fasten the new drywall, it may be that a backing piece is required to hold the new drywall in place. A piece of wood screwed into the adjacent stud should do the trick nicely.
Once the new piece is installed, the seams will need to be taped, and multiple coats of plaster applied. This can later be sanded down to make the seams smooth. If the rest of the wall is textured then you will need to do your best to match that level of texture. There are plenty of videos on the internet that will show you how to correctly texture a piece of drywall. The finished installation may then be painted to match the rest of the wall.
If all of this seems a bit more complicated or involved than you want to get in your home repair efforts, it’s okay. Many homeowners would no doubt concur. That’s where your local IICRC certified water damage restoration professionals come in. These guys have the training, experience, and tools to take care of jobs exactly like this. They specialize in taking water damaged properties and returning them to their pre-loss condition.
So unless you’ve just got your heart set on doing this yourself, spare yourself the headache and the expense (because you’ll no doubt make mistakes and mistakes cost money), and call your local professionals today. Most offer same day service and all work is guaranteed.
Electronic equipment is especially susceptible to water damage, basically due to the fact that water and electricity do not mix. Not only can the function of the unit be seriously compromised, but it may actually be dangerous to any person operating the damaged unit. The good news is, water damaged electronic equipment may often be salvaged if proper steps are taken following the initial problem.
 Water damaged appliances and electronics can be saved Of course anytime electronics are involved, the first thing to do is deactivate the unit. Don’t turn it on to see if it still works, that will only make things worse. Make sure your hands are completely dry before touching the unit, and make sure you aren’t standing on a wet floor. Disconnect your main circuit panel before touching your appliance. Once this is done, you may then unplug your appliance. Never take chances when it comes to the risk of electric shock. If you have a water damaged cell phone or something else that takes a battery, it’s best to remove the battery immediately to prevent any current from flowing through the device. Batteries constantly provide power to an internal clock in order to keep the time and date up-to-date. This current, albeit very low, is enough to cause galvanic or electrolytic corrosion
You should also take steps to control the humidity, as corrosion following water damage can be a problem all on its own. Humidity levels should ideally be kept below 50%, and you can usually use fans or air conditioning units to keep humidity levels within proper parameters.
A common misconception is that water damaged electronics are eternally ruined once submerged in water. Fortunately this is not necessarily the case as there are plenty of scenarios where the device can still be salvaged. The electronic unit will need to be thoroughly cleaned and dried, removing all water that may have accumulated inside the appliance. Water can destroy contacts and switches, and insulation (such as in a range or freezer) may no longer do its job if it gets wet. Wiring and other connections should be exposed to air and allowed to dry completely.
If the home appliance has mud or silt or other debris inside of it, the appliance may have to be cleaned out. Use wet clothes or diapers to clean the unit, rinsing with chlorine bleach and water in order to sanitize it. Dry it with a towel or a clean rag. If you are uncomfortable or unsure about the required process its best call a professional restoration company who can assist.
When all is said and done, do not re-activate the appliance until it has been properly inspected by a professional, for a large appliance or rather any appliance that plugs into the wall, a qualified electrician should be consulted first. Resist the urge to do the testing yourself, for several reasons. You’re not an electrician, you won’t know everything that you need to be looking for, and you run the risk of serious personal injury or even death by experimenting with water damaged electrical units.
Of course the natural question is whether or not the appliance should be repaired or replaced. That depends largely on several factors, namely whether or not there is a warranty in effect, the chances of the appliance functioning properly after a major repair, age of the appliance, and of course, safety in the continued use of a water damaged unit. If you are going to file a claim, then your claims adjuster together with your water damage restoration company of choice can assist in making these determinations.
You can also take preventative measures to take care of water damage before it occurs, by moving appliances to higher floors and even elevating the electrical system to a level above any projected waterline. Of course if rewiring is required, this level of rewiring should be undertaken by a qualified electronics professional.
And of course, always have the number of a local, qualified, IICRC certified water damage restoration professional. If you choose to get professional help you should do it sooner rather than later as the liquid gradually corrodes some of the internal metal components.
Posted in water damaged contents
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Tagged Water Damaged Appliances, water damaged cd player, water damaged cell phone, water damaged cooktop, water damaged dishwasher, Water Damaged Electronics, water damaged home appliances, water damaged range, water damaged sterio, water damaged television, wet appliances, wet electronics
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 Black mold under microscope We deal with mold all the time. It appears in our bathrooms and kitchens, and is for the most part, a minor inconvenience that is easily removed using any number of store bought mold removers. In the event of water damage, however, mold can become somewhat more nefarious, growing in large enough concentrations that it becomes dangerous to your health. This stage also requires some far more serious measures to be taken in order to remove it.
But there is another kind of mold out there, the one that most people tend to think of, the real Grade-B horror movie type known as Black Mold, which has all the characteristics of every other kind of mold coupled with the fact that exposure to it virtually guarantees some kind of undesirable health issue.
Black mold is more commonly known as Stachybotrys chartarum or Stachybotrys atra, and usually presents itself as a fuzzy, greenish-black growth on walls or pipes. Exposure to black mold growth may cause any number of physical problems, from headaches, to coughing, sneezing, dizziness, memory loss, asthma, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, the list goes on. Black mold has also been identified as the culprit in more than 100 different types of lung conditions, including respiratory bleeding, which can be fatal in infants.
 Water damage resulting in black mold Black mold occurs wherever there is sufficient humidity to allow for growth, but it is also much more likely to occur in a flooding or water damage scenario involving sewage or other contamination. Usually by the time a water damaged area is dried out, the fungus has already established itself and the damage has been done.
Black mold is usually accompanied by a noxious odor, meaning that you will most likely discover the problem through smell as opposed to sight. Of course the discovery of the mold growth is only the beginning of the problem. The actual removal and treatment is a whole ‘nother story altogether.
When dealing with any kind of mold, it is always recommended to wear protective clothing, but this is especially important when dealing with black or toxic mold. Long sleeves and pants prevent exposure to mold through the skin. Eyewear is also recommended, and not the glasses type or anything with openings. Eye protection should completely cover and seal off the eyes, which are easy targets for airborne mold spores. Spores may also be inhaled, so a filtration mask (or better yet a respirator) is recommended.
Black mold removal is always best left to professionals. This is because far too many homeowners make the mistake of believing that simply removing the mold will solve the problem. It will not. Like some refugee from the Grade-B horror flick referenced earlier, it will keep popping up and growing back unless the affected area is properly treated in order to make it inhospitable for mold growth. This entails removing the growth, then properly cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing the area, as well as improving lighting and ventilation and bringing humidity levels down below 40%. Only then can you be assured that the problem will not reappear.
Call your local IICRC certified water damage professional to handle all of your mold and other related problems.
Posted in Mold damage, mold removal advice, mold spore removal
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Tagged back mold, black mold contamination, black mold damage, black mold removal, black mold symptoms, mold contamination, mold removers, mold spore removal, mold spores, spore removal, Stachybotrys atra, Stachybotrys chartarum
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Basements are natural targets for water damaged, due in no small part to the fact that they are the single lowest lying area of any home, coupled with the fact that water loves to run downhill. 98% of all basements will suffer from water damage at some point in their existence. If you have a basement, it becomes a matter of when, not if, it will be your turn in the water damage barrel.
 Flooded basement cleanup Of course, the best defense against water damage is a good offense. Take the time to inspect your basement for possible problems, such as cracks in the foundation wall, broken window seals or bad weather stripping, basically anything that will allow access to your home by groundwater. It’s normally a good idea to install a drain of some sort in your basement if possible, it will help remove the excess water and prevent a large unmanageable build up of water.
You should also inspect the exterior of your home, making sure all gutters and downspouts are unclogged and channeling water in the proper direction, away from your home. You want to have water kept away from your foundations. Likewise, the landscaping around your property should slope away from the structure for a distance of no less than ten feet. One the ground is saturated in a storm, you want the excess water to run in the right direction. You could also look into installing a storm drain around the perimeter of your home to drain any water away from your foundations before it can find it’s way into your basement.
If you find water damage in your basement, the cure is much the same for other water damage scenarios. Firstly, locate the source of the water and shut it off, block it, dam it up, whatever it takes to prevent more from coming in. Water removal does no good if it is just going to be replaced with more. It becomes a little more complicated when dealing with sewage water since everything porous or semi-porous needs to be thrown out and replaced. There is just no way to guarantee that porous items have been completely sanatized.
You should also remove all loose items from the flooded area. Since basements are often used for storage, be prepared to deal with a lot of damaged cardboard boxes and wet paper products. Furniture or valuables should be removed elsewhere for drying and repair. Electrical appliances should not be used until they have been checked out by a qualified electrician. Also, all utilities should be shut off at the source to prevent an accidental electrocution or sparked fire.
The excess water will need to be removed from the basement. Depending on the depth and severity of the spill, either a shop vacuum or gas powered submersible pump should be used. Electrical pumps are out of the question, for obvious reasons. One word of caution: standing water in basements should be pumped out slowly, on the order of about a third a day. Any faster could result in unequal pressure, putting undue stress on the walls and making them prone to collapse. Slowly but steady is recommended, especially in cases where the depth exceeds several feet.
Once the excess water is out, use fans, blowers, and other air movers to get the air circulating and speed up the drying process. The more units, the better. Dehumidifiers are also highly recommended to bring down the humidity level. Basements are naturally quite humid, and any elevation in those levels increases the chance for mold growth and other secondary damage.
For the best results with your basement flooding issues, contact your local IICRC certified water damage restoration professional. They have the training, experience, and tools to handle even the largest water damage problems.
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