When frozen pipes cause flood damage

Professional Flood Restoration is a Must

Frozen pipes and Water Damage. (Photo Credits)

Frozen pipes can wreak havoc to any home or commercial property.

Apart from the damaged pipes that should be replaced ASAP and the inconvenience it can brings, secondary damage which is flooding and subsequent water damage can cost any property owner his hard-earned money. Home Restoration Services

Being alert aganst the damages of busted pipes can spell a lot of difference in terms of the amount of financial damage the indoor flooding can cause.

The Hadley Insurit Group says professional help is needed especially if the flooding has lasted for hours. “For more severe damage, such as leaks affecting multiple rooms or floors of your home or cases where leaks have gone unnoticed for more than 8 hours, a water mitigation or restoration professional may be required.”

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Safety First

The Desperate Houselife also says apart from plumbers, water damage professionals are needed to ensure the health and safety of the whole household.

“Once the professionals have fixed the pipes, you can start to clean up. It took me around six hours to get things back to normal. That is because the water damaged so much of our stuff. There are companies you can call if you need a hand. The people working for those firms are specially trained in ensuring no dangerous bacteria is left behind.”

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Moving Forward

The website BBB Northwest emphasized that prevention is always the best option when it comes to avoiding plumbing and flood damage brought about by busted frozen pipes.

“Repairing is a worst-case scenario; instead of counting on an expensive fix, many homeowners would rather take steps early to prevent damage before it happens. Preventing damage to pipes in the winter takes some attention to detail, but a few simple steps can be the difference between a complex repair job and a problem-free winter.”

Read the steps here.

Having the emergency hotline number of a plumbing contractor as well as flood contractor can help ease the stress of any homeowner who is facing a busted pipe problem.

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When flood damage comes through the roof

Roof Leaks that lead to flood damage

Flood damage can even come from leaking rainwater. (Photo Credits)

Like flood damage that comes from sudden plumbing failure, flood damage that comes through the roof is also something homeowners can prevent.

The expense of conducting a  periodic roofing maintenance check is nothing compared to the expenses of having to remediate water damage that stems through the ceiling.

Roof Doctor Utah says the damage can start during the winter.

“Investing in an inspection by a contractor at the end of every summer is good preventive maintenance. A roofing, siding, landscaping and piping professional are what makes up your ultimate team. Prepping your home for winter is a must, but few people do it. Don’t risk your biggest investment — start planning now for regular checks to ensure a safe home.”

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More Reasons for Flood Damage Causing Roofing Leaks

Lyon’s Contracting offered more reasons for roof leaks that can cause water damage.

“Roof leaks can form through a variety of causes. Normal roofing material wear and tear because of long-term weather exposure can cause leaks. Another is through unusual events like high winds and storms. Tree branches might hit the roof and cause damage, for example. Poor installation is another cause for concern. Lastly, improper maintenance can also increase your risk of roof leaks.”

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What can be done?

San Antonio Roofing cautions homeowners to heed the signs and to never ignore them. A1 Restoration   

“The longer water stays pooled in a hidden space, the more damage it will do over time. Before you know it, your insulation — and, eventually, your interior ceiling — could be affected. This is why it’s important to have a professional assess the damage if your roof has suffered through heavy rain. It Can Weaken the Whole Structure. From soft spots and sagging frames, to rusty gutters and flashing, water can erode your entire roofing system. If wet leaves are allowed to stay on your roof, they can make the problem worse. Get in touch with a quality roofer before repairs turn into a full roof replacement.”

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A property’s roofing should be routinely checked to ensure that other damages like flood damage can be prevented.

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Sick and ill of Black Water Damage

What illnesses black water damage can bring

Flood damage can bring on health problems, especially category three or the black water damage. (Photo Credits)

When flood damage takes place, health risks become inevitable especially when the water damage is classified as water damage category three or black water damage.

When homeowners had to be evacuated from their homes due to flood damage, and find themselves returning to their homes the chances of being exposed to black water damage is high.

KSFY.com shared ways to protect oneself from flood waters that could cause illnesses and discomforts.

“Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed. Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles during cleanup of affected area. Also try and limit skin exposure to the flood water and cleaning chemicals by wearing long sleeves and pants. Remove and discard items that cannot be washed and disinfected. These include mattresses, carpeting, carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings, and most paper products.”

Read the rest of the tips here.

Health Damage

The News Star also shared more information to protect its readers from category three water damage.

“A professional water damage restoration contractor with special drying equipment is the best and safest way to go. Yet, after a flood, many homeowners don’t have that option. For safety, wear protective clothing on legs, arms, feet and hands while cleaning up debris. Wear rubber gloves and goggles while handling flood-damaged items. Buildings constructed before 1978 may have lead-based paint. Sanding or scraping this paint creates a serious health hazard. Visit www.epa.gov/lead for more information about lead-based paint before disturbing it.”

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Restoration Master Finder also cautioned readers that no matter the source of black water damage, it will surely cause illness to whoever comes into contact with it especially if necessary precautions have not been followed. Residential Flood Company 

“Regardless of the source, water damage can have negative effects on your health and it is categorized into the different types depending on the level of contaminants it contains.  However, every type of water damage including clean water damage can create conditions that are hazardous to your health if ignored, making it very important to react quickly to all water damage. “

More on the post here.

Did you ever come into contact with black water damage?

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Protecting Photos and Memorabilia from Flood Damage

Protecting Photos and Memorabilia from Flood Damage

How to prevent photos from getting damaged by unexpected flooding

Prevention is the key to ensuring that keepsakes remain at their tip-top shape. (Photo Credits)

So that there will be no regrets come crisis time, flood damage experts suggests that keepsakes, memorabilia, important documents, and even printed photographs should be protected from possible flooding or any type of water damage.

Polygon says protecting important documents should be part of any disaster plan of a company or a household.

“As you classify your business’ documents, notate if they’re physical or electronic document and indicate their location. If there are backup or duplicate files, indicate this and their location, as well.”

Read the guide here.

Ensure safety of documents and Photos from Flooding

Clear Data Group underscored the importance of backing up and offsite storage. See A1 Flood Home

“Consider storing your information off site. Secure document storage facilities purpose built for housing documents are protected by the latest technologies including smoke and water detection, providing crucial protection for documents in a flood disaster scenario. What if I need to access my documents? Files can be sent back using a scan on demand service, information is returned electronically within two hours.”

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There is still hope

If the water is already under the bridge – so to speak – and the photos have already been damaged by flooding, ancestry.com says there is still hope in restoring these documents.

“First thing’s first. If you are in the midst of recovery mode, an undoubtedly stressful and trying time, take a deep breath and step back so that you can make a realistic assessment of your surroundings. Then, you can prioritize and develop a plan of action. Know that there will likely be items that you will not be able to recover and remember that rushing may cause you to damage fragile items. Before you get to work, remember to: Protect yourself first. Check for rotting wood, electrical hazards, etc. Do not work in an unsafe environment.”

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Have you tried restoring flood damaged photos?

Flood-Damaged Documents

Flood-Damaged Documents

All about Document Preservation and Restoration

What can be done about flood-damaged documents? (Photo Credits) 

Flooding does not only damage structures and the furniture or equipment inside homes or commercial establishments. Important documents are also very prone to damage especially when they are not placed inside waterproof containers.

For instance in India, The website The Times of India reported that there is a city in their country that had to reissue legal documents of its constituents following a major flooding that destroyed many pertinent legal papers of affected households.

“The Chennai collectorate has announced that it will hold special camps in the city to re-issue documents like ration cards, Aadhaar cards, water cards, land documents, educational certificates, auto drivers’ licences, vehicle registration documents which were damaged in the recent floods.”

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Digitize documents as a back-up against flood damage

In New York, officials had to digitize thousands of boxes of documents in response to a flooding that occurred in the city, as shared by the website Route Fifty. Check out A1 Flood Contractor site

“Before documents could be digitized, court imaging standards had to be established. Schoharie County chose the PDF/A format preferred by New York state and federal courts because it can easily be converted to PDF and made searchable with optical character recognition. Surrogate Court records like wills and estate plans are mostly permanent because of their historical value—people visiting from all over to view them—and the county opted to keep them as volumes, though digital ones.”

Check out the rest of the report here.

What can be done when documents get damaged by floods?

ABC15 News offered some tips on what to do when important documents gets water damaged.

“Water damaged items can be air dried; Single paged documents should be separated immediately to prevent them from sticking together permanently; Wet paper is very fragile and should be handled gently.”

Read the rest of the tips here.

Have you ever had to deal with flood damaged documents?

Why Flood Damage can cause Mold Problems

Why Flood Damage can cause Mold Problems

Never Ignore the Signs of Mold Growth

Mold Growth Infestation may stem from flooding. (Photo Credits)  

If an area has been hit by flooding recently, chances of mold infestation in homes and commercial structures are very high, especially for those who may not have been able to dry up their homes and buildings appropriately. Read more Flood Tips 

The Minnesota Health Department explains why flood prone areas are mold prone areas as well.

“Mold is a kind of microscopic fungus. There are many types of molds, and they are present throughout the environment, indoors and out. Tiny mold particles are always present in the air, in the form of tiny microscopic cells known as spores. Mold spores can germinate and grow in a moist or damp environment, on any surface that contains organic matter. A home that’s been flooded can provide ideal conditions for the growth and proliferation of mold.”

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Never Ignore

WISTV posted a report on molds as a possible lingering problem following floods.

“Hamilton is warning people not to take a shortcut. If something has been wet for 48 hours or more, it must be removed. Hamilton says mold tests typically cost several hundred dollars. But, he says if you were affected by the flood waters, take the time and spend the money now to make sure you’re not creating a bigger problem for yourself later.”

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Flood Damage and Health

Best Healthy Guide meantime reminded its readers about why flood damage and subsequent mold growth can be very dangerous for the health.

“Excessive exposure to molds can be very harmful to humans and may lead to some serious health problems. Most doctors will never diagnose mold illness because the conventional medicine firmly believes that exposure to mold does not represent a big risk for the health.”

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What do you do right after a flood incident?

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Flood Damage Cannot Wait

Why Flood Damage needs to be dealt with immediately

Do not make flood damage wait. (Photo Credits)

Flood damage is not something that should be taken lightly. In fact it should be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent further structural and financial damage.

Natural News warns about the possible dangers flood damage can bring.

“Considered the most dangerous kind of water damage to work with, black water or floodwater is already saturated with a lot of contaminants. You are talking not only about microorganisms but also raw sewage and harmful, often toxic, chemical wastes. It is imperative that only professionals manage these kinds of water damage.”

Read more here.

Questions to ask

As soon as the decision to hire a flood damage restoration company has been made, the search for the right company should be carried out as soon as possible.

Rebel Mouse shared about the questions that should be asked when considering a flood damage restoration company. Flood Repair Specialists  

“Professionalism: there are many ways of taking care of water damage and the professionals in the field are always willing to be of service. There will be a need for you to study, observe and know the quality of the professional that you desire to hire. How do they go about taking care of all the damage that the water had caused to your home or office? How efficient is he at what he does? How does he allow his work place to look like when he is working? It is better to make use of a professional instead of making use of all these do-it- yourself manuals because of the efficiency and professionalism of the experts.”

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Immediate Restoration

Tidalwavega.com also emphasized that the possibility of perfectly restoring belongings and properties becomes more possible when professional flood damage restoration is carried out immediately.

“Home floods can strike at any time, in any place. Whether they’re caused by a leaky pipe, a flood, or an overflowing toilet, the damage is costly, and it can be permanent if it isn’t treated quickly and correctly. Hiring a water damage restoration company is the best way to restore your home and belongings after a flood.”

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Do you have untreated flood damage at home?

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