Archived Water Damage Blog Posts
The Problems Water Mitigation Prevents in Marysville Homes
10/23/2024 (Permalink)
SERVPRO mitigates water damage in a Marysville kitchen by strategically placing air movers to reduce high levels of moisture. Here to Help®
Timely Steps That Ease Marysville Water Restoration
Water damage knows no season or jurisdiction. A large, spacious home on Sunnyside Blvd is at risk, just like a new home on Getchell Hill Estates overlooking the Snohomish River Valley. While kayaking or fishing at the Ebey Waterfront Park, a leaky pipe in your ceiling or walls may create damage that keeps you home for days or weeks as you figure out restoration. When you miss the opportunity to stop leaks, water mitigation is the next step since, at this point, you can minimize the problems that develop.
Water mitigation for your Marysville home can be broad-based on the level of moisture action. If you start early, you can arrest the situation before it progresses from aesthetic issues to structural degradation. SERVPRO® responds to water damage fast, minimizing problems. We also have ample resources to deal with severe water degradation.
Typical forms of structural degradation
- Rotting wood
- Warping floors and walls
- Mold development
Structural issues take days or weeks to develop. Therefore, if you spend considerable time outside the house attending events such as the Marysville Strawberry Festival, where the parade, live music, and carnival are pretty captivating, or taking visitors to historic sites such as the Marysville Opera House, you provide a perfect opportunity for severe structural degradation. SERVPRO bridges the gap by organizing the mitigation process, allowing you to keep your schedules uninterrupted.
How SERVPRO Handles Mitigation
Since moisture is the enemy, mitigation involves finding a way to remove or prevent it from spreading. Most of the aesthetic problems you notice, such as stains, bubbling paint, surface discoloration, and dark spots, are signs of moisture spreading.
Essential mitigation steps
- Creating airtight barriers
- Vacuum extraction
- Dehumidification
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington provides essential water mitigation services to save property from severe damage. Call us at (360) 658-0506.
Expert Water Damage Repair in Marysville
12/31/2023 (Permalink)
If your home suffers from flood damage, our technicians can help get it up and running in no time. Contact SERVPRO 24/7.
SERVPRO Tackles Living Room Ceiling Leak Repairs
Damage from water can strike homes in Marysville unexpectedly, often causing significant distress to homeowners. Picture a typical family returning home to discover their living room floor covered in water due to a burst pipe. This scenario is not just inconvenient; it's a crisis that needs immediate attention.
When a ceiling leak occurs in the living room of a Marysville home, the extent of water damage repair required can be significant, given that this area is typically central to the household. SERVPRO® has experience with a range of issues in such situations, including:
- Waterlogged Furniture: Sofas, chairs, and other furnishings absorb water, risking damage and mold growth.
- Ruined Electronics: TVs, sound systems, and other gadgets risk short-circuiting or permanent damage.
- Compromised Flooring: Whether it's hardwood, carpet, or tiles, each type faces its unique challenges when soaked.
- Structural Damage: Ceilings and walls may weaken, with paint and plaster potentially peeling off.
- Electrical Hazards from wiring.
SERVPRO's approach to repairing water damage in a Marysville living room is systematic and thorough, ensuring every aspect is covered.
- Advanced Water Extraction: Employing powerful extractors to remove standing water efficiently.
- Specialized Drying Techniques: Utilizing industrial-grade air movers and dehumidifiers to dry out furniture, electronics, and flooring.
- Upholstery and Carpet Cleaning: Conduct deep cleaning to revive water-damaged carpets and upholstery, restoring them to their pre-damaged state.
- Structural Repairs: Replacing or repairing damaged ceiling parts and ensuring the integrity of walls and paintwork.
- Moisture Monitoring: Using hygrometers and moisture detectors to ensure thorough drying and prevent mold growth.
Residents can rely on SERVPRO's expertise to restore their living room after a ceiling leak. With their advanced equipment and experienced technicians, the trained technicians ensure that every Marysville living room they fix is not just repaired but returned to a place of comfort and safety.
Don't let the need for water damage repair overwhelm you. Take the first step towards restoring your peace of mind by calling SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506. Our expert team is ready to respond swiftly and efficiently "Like it never even happened."
The Impact of Water Damage on Marysville Structures
4/3/2023 (Permalink)
Bark away your water damage worries and call our SERVPRO team in Marysville.
SERVPRO Can Restore and Repair After Water Damage
With the frequency of water disasters that impact homes and businesses in the area, it is a situation our SERVPRO team must stay prepared to face. Thousands of homes around the Puget Sound have been affected by a range of potential issues, including:
- Spills
- Leaks
- Burst pipes
- Drainage issues
- Flooding
- Broken appliances
- Freezing
Marysville water damage can be destructive to homes and businesses alike. Still, with buildings like the shopping on Third Street and State Avenues, hundreds of people could be affected by a single emergency. Our SERVPRO team is ready to respond rapidly to mitigate losses and begin drying up damage.
How Does Water Move After Exposure?
Understanding the behavior of water damage throughout a structure allows our responding team to anticipate the paths of moisture migration and set up perimeters of the work zone. When the emergency first occurs, water continually seeks to move to new areas through vapor pressure, absorption, and uninhibited movement. SERVPRO comes prepared to dry all materials that could be impacted by moving moisture.
What Should Be Prioritized for Emergency Services?
Emergency services are a part of the mitigation process and encompass the earliest actions our professionals can take to combat the damage water can do to a property. We focus on specific tasks designed to prevent harm to the structure or costlier restoration with ruined contents. SERVPRO professionals prioritize:
- Content Management – This is the relocation, on-site cleaning, or off-site recovery of impacted personal belongings, furniture, and other contents in the house.
- Extracting Water – This action is the culmination of efforts to remove surface water pooling on the flooring and structural cavities.
- Repairing Plumbing – With disasters originating from damaged pipes and plumbing, our licensed contractors must fix these vulnerabilities to restore water service.
- Controlled Demolition – Sagging materials and compromised building elements are safety concerns and should be removed and discarded.
Removing Water
Surface water, either visible pooling or impacting the outermost layer of the building material, must be managed rapidly to prevent more significant harm. We have multiple extractors, including pumps and vacuums, capable of handling and removing all standing water concerns to make drying more efficient and direct.
Another potential concern for responding technicians is water that has moved beyond the surface layer. Water can be drawn in by cellulose in wood, and similarly, drywall can be impacted through its porous composition by intruding water. Removing this moisture from the flooring is possible with tools like drying mats.
Thorough Drying Solutions
Drying is one of the universal needs of every water disaster. Between surface water that makes the face of materials moist to penetrative saturation that overwhelms the pores of building materials or infiltrates structural cavities, the need for drying solutions is more widespread than it appears. Air movers can be instrumental in evaporative drying towards a material’s surface. At the same time, positive and negative pressure systems can help our SERVPRO team to regulate moisture and remove water damage from the structural cavities.
Needed Repairs
Repairs are more of a common need after damage events than many homeowners realize. Beyond the needed replacement of damaged plumbing or broken fixtures, some sensitive materials can quickly become oversaturated and require controlled demolition. With a general contractor license, we are prepared for the multiple reconstruction services to help after water damage.
Marysville water damage can require multiple experts from our team and several tools from our inventory. We quickly evaluate the needs of a residence and begin mitigating damage and drying up impacted building materials shortly after our rapid response team arrives. Call our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington team whenever disaster strikes at (360) 658-0506.
Water Mitigation Is a Crucial Part of Restoring a Marysville Home
1/29/2023 (Permalink)
Water damage can quickly affect your home. When you are dealing with such a situation, it’s better to call in the professionals.
The Best Results Start with Water Mitigation
Over time, different restoration professionals have learned that water acts in specific ways within homes. Working together, they have developed protocols that assist in providing uniform results to customers, including those in Marysville. One of the areas in the restoration industry included in these protocols involves water mitigation.
For SERVPRO technicians to provide homeowners with the best possible results, we must start with water mitigation of their Marysville residence. Without it, any restoration work we carry out becomes wasted energy and resources.
However, mitigating water damage before beginning the restoration work has some valuable advantages, such as:
- Reducing the amount of time needed to dry the structural elements in the house,
- Reducing the severity of any secondary water damage, and
- Ensuring our goals and timelines are attainable.
SERVPRO invests heavily in water extraction equipment because when less water needs to evaporate and end up in the air where our desiccant machines can eliminate it, the less time it takes to complete the drying process.
Water does more than damage things inside your residence. Water can also help microbes like mold to grow wildly and begin colonizing other areas of your dwelling. Removing water from your flooring keeps it from continuing to wick up your wall, ruining the drywall underneath. Wood floors swell less when there is less water present. An earlier drying process can also reduce the amount of cupping and crowning a wood floor experiences.
Mitigating a water emergency also helps us stay within our time frames. Additionally, when certain situations arise earlier in the restoration process (for example, the discovery of lead-based paint or asbestos-containing tiles), we have more time to contact a qualified specialist to address the situation. Doing this ensures that we meet all legal requirements, eliminating difficulties in the future.
Call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington for professional mitigation services at (360) 658-0506. We're always available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Clearing Up Garage Flood Damage in Marysville, WA
8/27/2022 (Permalink)
Flooding in your garage can be hard to thoroughly dry. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for our professional remediation team’s help. We are standing by.
Clearing Up Garage Flood Damage in Marysville
Flooding can be challenging to tackle, no matter where it occurs in the home. Garages, in particular, can see extensive amounts of damage to supports, drywall, and flooring, not to mention your tools and possessions. Without thorough mitigation, repairs can be costly, and extend beyond removing water, as flooding carries the risk of mold and other contaminants with it.
If your residence requires mitigation of flood damage in your Marysville garage, SERVPRO technicians are ready to answer your call and remove the water. Our team has extensive training in minimizing risk so that homes are safe once more. We emphasize restoring your possessions when it is safe and feasible to do so; SERVPRO works with you to minimize loss of contents and structural materials.
Floodproofing Your Driveway to Prevent Garage Flooding
A common way that flooding gets into garages is through the homeowners' driveway. Here are just four ways that can minimize damage and help keep your garage dry:
- Install a channel drain. This method works for asphalt driveways that need more rainwater diversion. Fill a 2-3" trench with mortar and top with a drain cover. The trench also needs piping to move water to a nearby tank or drain that redistributes this water into the ground.
- Use a drainage swale. This system works much like a channel drain, but a drainage swale leads water to a wide, shallow ditch that sends rainwater to nearby gardens, drains, and streets.
- Rethink your driveway design. Talk to a professional about laying an asphalt driveway with a 2% gradient so water can run away from your home. Let gravity help.
- Utilize porous asphalt. This low-maintenance material is an excellent floodproofing solution. Instead of resisting water, porous asphalt allows water to pass through and drain into the soil underneath your installation, minimizing flooding and standing water.
How SERVPRO Can Save Your Home
After flooding occurs, or even during a flood, when residential power might be restricted, SERVPRO can come to your home to mitigate loss. We have a variety of power sources, extraction tools, and pumps to remove standing water, and can address silt, dirt, and debris the flood carried in by pressure washing concrete flooring. After cleanup, we can coordinate with service providers to fix damages and restore your garage to its prior condition whenever possible, maximizing safety and sanitation in the process.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington can bring you a level of clean that looks, "Like it never even happened." Call (360) 658-0506 today to have technicians at your residence within hours.
A Broken Washing Machine Hose Caused Water to Leak into Various Surfaces in My Property. How Do I Complete the Water Cleanup Process?
8/27/2022 (Permalink)
Leaking washers can cause a lot of problems in your home. SERVPRO is available to help 24/7 and make it “Like it never even happened.”
Hire SERVPRO Technicians in Maryville to Complete the Water Mitigation Process in Your Property.
Water can destroy most of your valuable content, encourage mold growth, and cause long-term structural problems. Even a small amount of water sipping into various surfaces of your Maryville property can cause significant damage if not dealt with within 48 hours. SERVPRO can help you conduct the water cleanup in a brief period.
Why should I trust your company?
You can trust us because we have trained and experienced technicians who work fast to get you back to your routine and minimize damage. Our technicians can use a wide range of approved techniques to perform water damage mitigation in your Maryville home. Before we leave your home, we can ensure that we restore the affected area to a habitable, dry, and healthy living space.
What should I do during a loss?
Before our technicians get to your property, you can take the following steps to minimize water damage:
- Mop the affected area to remove as much water as possible.
- If the area has non-permanent rugs or coverings, remove them.
- Move paintings, art objects, and photos to safety.
- Open your windows and doors to enhance air circulation.
What does water damage mitigation involve?
Water damage mitigation aims to prevent further water damage from occurring to a home and its contents. We use specialized techniques and equipment to reduce the amount of loss. Our team can remove ruined materials such as flooring and drywall, clean and disinfect salvageable materials, extract water from the affected area, and dry your home. Water damage mitigation ensures that a water loss incident does not cause further consequences. To restore a house completely, we offer water damage restoration services.
How do you dry a home?
After extracting the water, we remove moisture from the affected area to prevent odors and mold growth. Since water can sip even in confined places, we can use several axial air movers to increase the evaporation rate. The machine drives in a large volume of dry air from outside to replace the cold, moist air in the affected property. It delivers lower pressure at higher volume giving it the ability to cover larger areas.
Can you disinfect my home?
Disinfecting the affected area is essential to prevent mold growth and eliminate potential contaminants that might have remained after water extraction. We use our advanced and approved products in conducting this task. Our SERVPRO team can treat the entire affected area, including the sub-floors and wall studs.
If water pools in your property, it can damage your drywall and other porous materials, leading to costly repairs. Contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 for effective water damage mitigation and restoration. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Marysville Residents Look to SERVPRO for Water Removal
7/31/2022 (Permalink)
To deal with water damage quickly in your home, contact SERVPRO immediately. We have the technical expertise to remediate and mitigate the damage.
SERVPRO is Available 24/7 for Marysville Properties That Need Water Removal
After water damage happens in a home, the restoration services must start as rapidly as possible. SERVPRO technicians are local and can be on-site with their equipment for the cleanup in a matter of hours.
When SERVPRO handles Marysville water removal tasks, the technicians give detailed attention to the building materials to restore as much as possible through their advanced extraction and drying methods. The technicians have comprehensive training for handling all types of wall materials such as:
- Sheetrock
- Plaster over lathe
- Wallpaper and tile
All of these types of walls require specific methods for dealing with excessive moisture. Sheetrock warps and buckles after exposure to water, and the techs may need to perform flood cuts. Plaster walls usually dry well, and the outcome is best if the lathe is metal rather than wood, particularly when the water has contaminants. The end result for wallpaper and tile depends on the amount of seepage and also how quickly the cleanup efforts began.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 stands ready 24/7 to help local Marysville property owners with all water removal types.
SERVPRO for a Stress-free Arlington Heights Water Removal Experien
6/25/2022 (Permalink)
SERVPRO arrives with advanced equipment and tools for water damage cleanup and restoration in Arlington Heights
Tools During Water Cleanup Jobs in Arlington Heights
Cleaning up messes is something you do every day in your Arlington Heights residence. When a larger, more complex situation develops, you can depend on SERVPRO to help mitigate the damage caused to your home. We understand that accidents happen at the worst possible times, so we are always available to answer whenever you call.
Just like you often depend on a mop and bucket to maintain your home, we perform water cleanup tasks in Arlington Heights with these tools and several others. Each helps us get the work done and protect your home from the effects of water. Because water can dissolve many substances and carry them wherever it goes, we also want to do more than remove the water. When cleaning up surfaces, we want to remove any grime or residue deposited there by the water.
When we need to clean up a floor that has since dried, we sweep first to remove anything on its surface. If we find that a mop and bucket approach fails to pick up any remaining residues, we switch to using absorbent towels. We fold these several times to give us enough 'squares' to clean a substantial area before we need another towel.
In large rooms with an exterior door, like the garage or a patio area, we might use a power washer and squeegees to remove debris. This method quickly gives us effective results and is easy for us to set up and start cleaning. We follow up afterward with ventilation and desiccation. This stage requires an air mover used in conjunction with a drying method.
An upstairs bathroom and plumbing can create top-down water damage if your house has a second story. A broken pipe can fill the voids with water. We can punch holes in the ceiling to drain the affected panels.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is always ready to help eliminate large amounts of water from your Marysville residence with these and other water cleanup tools. Call us at (360) 658-0506 for fast service from reliable professionals.
What Everyone Ought to Know About Marysville Water Damage Remediation
4/14/2022 (Permalink)
If supply lines break and you are literally under water, SERVPRO has you covered. Contact our certified technicians to dry out your property.
Water Damage Extraction Basics in Marysville
The instant availability of water defines comfort in your Marysville home. Supply lines and drains snake through walls and over ceilings in every living space in your home, piping water to bathrooms, utility areas, and kitchens. Appliances like dishwashers, clothes washers, ice makers, and water dispensers are present in most modern houses. Some heating systems use hot water to warm the interior climate, and central and window air conditioners condense water vapor in the air to cool areas down.
Water Losses Occur Without Warning
The comfort and convenience of indoor plumbing and modern appliances can transform into destruction and misery in Marysville when water damage strikes. Broken connections, malfunctioning pumps, clogged drains, and burst pipes happen when you least expect it. The quantity of water that then pours or pumps into your residence can be substantial. Fast action is mandatory because water swiftly destroys building materials and can nurture mold growth.
Consumer-Grade Equipment Is Inadequate
A mop and bucket or even a household wet/dry vacuum is no match for the hundreds of gallons of water. A broken water heater, ruptured radiator, or clogged waste pipe can empty throughout your dwelling. SERVPRO responds rapidly when your formerly cozy house is swimming in the water, arriving with an impressive selection of commercial-strength pumps and extractors. Our crews also possess the training and experience to use these powerful tools efficiently.
No Power? No Problem
If you attempt a DIY water extraction, you run the risk of electric shock. Ironic as it is, the presence of water interferes with the ability to remove it. SERVPRO prepares for this expected challenge by:
- Using gas-powered, submersible pumps for water deeper than two inches
- Choosing our truck-mounted, generator-powered extractors to remove the bulk of the remaining water
- Switching to portable extractors for tight and remote spaces in your home after electricity is reconnected
Why Not Just Dry?
Although structural drying is essential after a water loss, research proves that aggressive extraction is the key to resolving water damage. Extraction rather than merely drying is 1200 times more efficient. Relax knowing SERVPRO crews follow industry best practices, completing the removal of all liquid water first. We then move on to the applied drying phase, using professional-grade air movers, heaters, and dehumidifiers.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington awaits your call to (360) 658-0506 if you are in the midst of a water crisis. We answer 24/7, ready to respond with skilled technicians and top-of-the-line extraction equipment.
What Challenges Does an Arlington Kitchen Water Damage Cleanup Pose?
1/14/2022 (Permalink)
Whether it’s a leaking drain or an appliance malfunction that causes the water damage in your home, team SERVPRO can help. We are standing by 24/7.
Arlington Residents Trust SERVPRO for Water Restoration
When the need for water restoration happens in Arlington homes, the two rooms SERVPRO technicians find themselves working on the most are kitchens and bathrooms. This is due largely to the amount of plumbing and appliances connected to water supplies in these areas of the house.
SERVPRO techs deal with multiple challenges during water damage cleanup in Arlington properties when focusing on the kitchen. Areas that need extra attention during the mitigation service include:
- Behind cabinets
- Walls and baseboards
- Behind appliances
- Under flooring
Water Removal Behind Cabinets
In the case of a supply line leak or appliance failure, it is not uncommon for SERVPRO techs to remove toe kicks under the cabinets during water extraction. When necessary, technicians can remove the cabinets to ensure that the walls are dried completely. There is never guesswork with this aspect of the water restoration service. The technicians use various types of moisture detection equipment and visual inspection to determine the presence of water vapor. Moisture that gets left behind can create costly issues, including deteriorating the walls behind the cabinets and encouraging mold growth under the right conditions.
Help for Walls and Baseboards with Water Damage
The outcome of walls post-water spill in a kitchen can range from simple drying to the need to remove the damaged portion using flood cuts. This action is common and works to open the wall cavity for extraction and drying.
Thorough Water Removal Every Time
SERVPRO technicians have several types of professional water removal techniques and equipment such as specialized attachments to get water underneath cabinets , drilling weep holes in walls to avoid further deterioration,use of controlled demolition on walls, ceilings, and cabinetry that is beyond restoration.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 serves the Waterbury community for all types and sizes of water removal needs. The trained and certified technicians are available 24/7.
Common Approaches to Drying Structural Cavities in Arlington Homes
12/13/2021 (Permalink)
Whether water is leaking from your ceiling or your floor, cleanup is urgently needed. Contact team SERVPRO to quickly assess and remediate the damage.
Trapped water can cause great damage to Arlington properties without prompt drying.
When water damage threatens the house, many homeowners might be focused on the surface water they can see. Our experienced team also tracks moisture that might become trapped in wall systems after damaging events.
Moisture Meters Determine the Damage
Getting water cleanup in Arlington started uses moisture meters and tracking tools to identify where damp materials exist and their projected movement through the house. These tools can also show when water gets trapped in the structural cavities between rooms. Some of these include:
- Thermal hygrometers
- Infrared imagery
- Moisture meters
Positive Pressure Systems
One of the common methods of managing moisture in structural cavities is removing wood trim at the base of the wall and drilling weep holes to the open space. If standing water exists, it should pour out of these openings. We can then use tools like our Injecti-Dry system to push dry, warm air into the cavity and promote efficient evaporation of lingering moisture.
Low-Profile Centrifugal Air Movers
If flood cuts are made to the wall systems where structural cavities are damp and moist, specific directed drying equipment can help with efficient evaporation. Small and manageable controlled demolition options like this allow access for tools like high-velocity low-profile centrifugal air movers. These tools can also help circulate dry air into the cavity as well.
Reconstruction and Replacement
While it is one of the least-considered methods of managing moisture in structural cavities, the effectiveness of removing and replacing moist building materials is recognizable. With a general contractor license, we can complete the needed controlled demolition when deemed necessary and provide the build-back and reconstruction to make it "Like it never even happened."
Structural cavities present many obstacles for restoration and drying. With the focused attention of our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington team, we can provide the mitigation and restoration steps required to help. Our professionals are ready 24/7 to help at (360) 658-0506.
How We Determine the Effectiveness of Drying Equipment in Marysville Homes
10/28/2021 (Permalink)
SERVPRO uses state of the art moisture detection and drying equipment in your home for thorough drying after a water incident takes place.
Equipment and Proven Practices Help Determine How to Maintain Efficient Restoration for Water-Damaged Marysville Properties.
Any drying effort is made more efficient through continual monitoring and tracking of progress. Understanding the correlation of placed units to lower humidity and moisture content shows when reconfiguration is needed.
Moisture Monitoring for Air Movers
Effective water removal for Marysville homes and businesses begins with properly placing and managing drying tools to eliminate trapped moisture in building materials and contents efficiently. The use of moisture monitoring equipment, especially surface meters where vapor barriers might exist, can express the effectiveness of our units like:
- Centrifugal air movers
- Axial air movers
- Low-profile air movers
Calculating Grain Depression
Dehumidifiers work by taking in moist air and discharging a drier output with the exhausting. Understanding the effectiveness of placed units can show where additional drying and moisture removal units are necessary. Calculating grain depression is a correlation between the difference of the intake moisture level versus the output product.
Tracking the Drying Process with Proprietary Software
SERVPRO DryBook is exclusive software that our professionals use to calculate many aspects of the drying and restoration process. For example, the DryBook software calculates grain depression for our technicians to directly express how effective dehumidification places throughout the house have become. Likewise, this form of record-keeping keeps our technicians, administrators, and even third parties like the insurance company knowledgeable about progress.
We have many advanced strategies to monitor and maintain effective drying solutions for area homes and businesses. From our software with DryBook to our commitment to the top evaporative drying equipment in the industry, we can help. Our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington team is standing by at (360) 658-0506.
Do Water Restoration Companies Present Any Special Benefits to Marysville Homeowners?
10/7/2021 (Permalink)
Water damage restoration services by SERVPRO for your home are the right choice. Our goal is to have your home back to preloss condition.
SERVPRO Introduces Convenience to the Restoration Process After Water Damages a Home
When a pipe bursts in your bathroom, within the ceiling, wall space, or any other location in your house, you need an immediate solution. Calling a professional can help you restore any damaged areas. However, it might be challenging to decide which one is the best for the problems at your Marysville home.
Resolving water damage may require the skills of a plumber, building contractor, cleaning service, among other professionals. You can break the choice dilemma by hiring water restoration companies for your Marysville property. Such companies can handle most of the tasks needed to deal with the damage. SERVPRO provides highly trained and well-equipped teams for such tasks.
The main tasks water removal companies manage include:
When one team handles a restoration task, the process changes from a confusing, costly affair to a convenient and cost-effective operation. Apart from helping resolve the problems, the restorer can also help you avoid the hassle of dealing with third parties. For instance, SERVPRO works closely with insurance adjusters during the restoration and also finds and manages any independent contractors that might be required for the task.
The water leak might leave some sections of your home in bad shape because of soggy materials, slick surfaces, and other problems. SERVPRO can help establish barriers separating the affected areas from the rest of the property, thus allowing you to continue occupying your home. We normally use plastic sheets supported by retractable steel extension poles to create the barriers.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is one of the water restoration companies that can manage an incident, making it “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (360) 658-0506.
Electrical Safety is Critical When In-Home Flooding Occurs in Arlington Homes
9/16/2021 (Permalink)
Water damage and exposed electrical is no laughing matter. Call SERVPRO for fast and immediate water damage restoration services for your home.
SERVPRO’s Emergency Water Damage Restoration Services in Arlington Puts Safety Measures in Place First
Just about everyone knows electricity and water do not mix. Water is an excellent conduit for electricity and can put you at risk for electric shock. Our technicians have seen things such as light bulbs still working, even while submerged. One of the things homeowners can do before we arrive is turn off the power at the box if they think there is an electrical risk.
Water Cleanup and Removal Starts with Safety
Once our Green Team arrives on the scene, the first thing they do is a scope of the situation. Not only does this allow them to put a plan of action together, but to ascertain any safety issues. This is one of the first steps in water damage restoration in an Arlington home. When it comes to electricity, they look for things like:
- Low to the ground or floor outlets underwater
- Location of the electrical box to shut off the electricity if needed
- Electrical wires behind cavities and cupboards exposed to water
- Electric appliances sitting near or in water
Moving Forward with Water Extraction
Once all of the safety issues have been addressed, we then tackle water damage restoration. It can involve using
- Submersible pumps
- Moisture meters
- Light wands
- Air movers
- Dehumidifiers
- Deodorizers
What we use depends on the scope of the water intrusion and the area of the home impacted. You can depend on SERVPRO to not only provide professional water removal services but to do it safely. For more information, contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington (360) 658-0506.
Standing Water Can Cause Serious Damage to Marysville Homes
8/26/2021 (Permalink)
When water damages your flooring, it isn't a total loss if you catch it in time. SERVPRO will be on-site within 4 hours of the initial call.
SERVPRO Uses a Variety of Water Damage Repair Tools When In-Home Flood Strikes in Marysville
Time is critical when it comes to water extraction, which is why SERVPRO is fast to the scene after a call out. Immediate water extraction is critical to prevent further damage to the structure and content. Our team has the right tools to remove standing water as quickly as possible.
Extracting Water from Carpet & Padding
Porous materials like carpeting and padding absorb water readily. One of the tools we use for water damage repair in Marysville on carpets is weighted extractors. These extractors allow us to pull the water from the rug without having to replace the carpet. There are times when we can’t save the padding, but if we can, we will.
Removing Water from Harder Surfaces
Tile, hardwood, and concrete flooring are not as porous. Many times, we can remove the water from these surfaces before the subflooring is damaged. We use equipment such as:
Call in the Water Extraction Pros
The most important thing when you have a burst pipe, overflowing dishwasher, or other water intrusions is to call in professional help. The longer the moisture remains, the more damage it does. Excess moisture can also lead to mold in less than 48 hours. SERVPRO can extract the water, dry the premises, do any needed repairs and restoration, and give you back your home. Contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 for all your water restoration needs. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Burst Pipes Can Lead to In-Home Flooding in Marysville Homes
6/10/2021 (Permalink)
Water damage in your home? SERVPRO can restore your home to its original glory. Just call (360) 658-0506.
SERVPRO Use Proprietary Products to Clean and Restore Marysville Homes as One of the Top Water Restoration Companies in the Area
When a toilet overflows or if a pipe bursts, it can leave a big mess. SERVPRO provides cleaning and restoration services that leave your home, “Like it never even happened.”
Powerful Cleaning Agents Get the Job Done
When Marysville water restoration companies like SERVPRO arrive to clean up a water intrusion, they bring with them the right tools and products. Let’s look at some of the proprietary products our tech use:
- Rusticide – Removes rust stains from cotton, silk, wool, linen, synthetic fibers, and carpeting.
- Wintergreen Deodorizer – water-based deodorizer with a wintergreen fragrance. Great for water-damaged carpet.
- Vanquish – EPA-registered disinfectant that kills bacteria, fungus, and viruses.
- Shampoo Super Concentrate – detergents, solvents, and cleaning agents blended together for cleaning all fabrics.
- Wall and All Surface Cleaner – free rinsing detergent for all painted and washable surfaces.
These are a few examples of the products we used to restore your home. SERVPRO offers the following services:
- Water damage remediation
- Emergency services – water damage related
- Basement flooding cleanup
- Flood restoration
- Ceiling repairs from water damages
If you have searched for water restoration companies and are coming up short, SERVPRO is the answer. Contact SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506.
North Marysville Water Restoration for Dishwasher Overflows
2/5/2021 (Permalink)
Call SERVPRO for any type of water removal and remediation efforts you need. We will get your home back to it's original state in no time.
SERVPRO Restores Water-Damaged North Marysville Homes
Dishwasher overflows can come from something as simple as a damaged gasket or supply line failure. However, there is a team available to help when a disaster like this occurs on your property.
Restoration technicians at SERVPRO provide homeowners in North Marysville with water restoration services that return their properties to a pre-disaster condition. This firm emphasizes restoration over replacement with a mix of sophisticated technologies and tried-and-true cleanup solutions.
SERVPRO extraction methods can cover the following in your kitchen:
- Removing water from nooks and crannies behind and underneath baseboards and flooring
- Treating nearby carpet and padding that may have been affected by the overflow with a carpet wand
- Mopping up standing water with professional-grade cleaning tools and examining subfloors for moisture exposure
Some preparation is necessary before drying begins to minimize the risk of water damage inside structures. Drilling small holes in cabinet toe kicks and walls can facilitate airflow that allows these vulnerable structures to dry using centrifugal air movers and dehumidifiers.
Call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506 for water restoration services.
Impressive Holiday Lights in Arlington this Year
12/8/2020 (Permalink)
SERVPRO says to enjoy the Holiday Lights while we remove the water from your Arlington home
Prestige and prizes await the best Arlington holiday lights.
Holiday lights return to Arlington this year with a special flare – an official competition has been launched, and some of our neighbors are pulling out all the stops to win! Holiday lights are undoubtedly a staple of the American spirit, but not all holiday displays are created equal. The city Parks & Rec department has scheduled December 15 as the day to tour around the city and take in the very best of its lights. An official map can be viewed on the official Arlington, but if that feels a bit too formal, everyone is welcome to tour the streets at their own leisure.
The downtown area should be lit up from November 28 onward, but by the 15th, the city government expects the whole town to shine. Three prizes are available for the best displays by local homes and businesses, to incentivize some real competition between neighbors. If you want in on the competition, the link from the city site should take you to the sign-up page, too. Just don’t forget to pick up your decorations before stores sell out!
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington is a local water removal company ready to clean up after any disaster in your home. Call us 24/7 at (360) 658-0506.
Water Removal in Marysville Needed? Call SERVPRO!
11/25/2020 (Permalink)
SERVPRO donates to the Marysville Food Bank and protects your home from water damage with rapid removal.
How a late-night call could save you thousands in restoration costs on your Marysville home
You might be surprised to hear this, but Marysville used to be a rough-and-tumble prospector town, without any of the prospecting. Surrounding our town are a few wonderful strawberry farms, and while they may add a bit of country character to our town, they do not show much of their history. Marysville used to be one of the biggest strawberry-growing settlements in the world, and for a while, our town seemed to be whipped into a frenzy about those delicious little berries.
Pioneers and Tulalip Build a Town Together
Like many Western settlements, Marysville started out with just a few industries keeping it afloat. Lumber was an important one, with much of the surrounding forests cleared away over the years, but thankfully these areas have rebounded into the wonderful natural areas we know and love. After the forests were cleared, settlers put their heads together to figure out what the best use for the rich land might be. Within a few short years, strawberry farming had taken root.
Some of the earliest strawberry farmers came from the local Tulalip population. While the berries were first brought in by pioneers from the east, Tulalip farmers quickly recognized the suitability of the crop in their soil and used the town’s long-established trading post to sell their crop for cash. In addition to Tulalip entrepreneurs in the lumber industry, these families represented some of the wealthiest inhabitants of early Marysville.
Prospecting Berries, Not Gold
By the 20th Century, our town was starting to grow quickly. Saloons, sheriffs, and other staples of Western prospecting lined our streets. But it was not gold or silver drawing people here – it was (on top of the wonderful environment) the lucrative berry farming that was starting to explode. Around this time, product advertisements had made strawberries a highly sought-after commodity in Chicago, New York, and other big cities around the country. At the same time, a co-op organization helped local farmers connect with these markets and achieve success. As the fields expanded, the value of their products soared ever higher, and Marysville became an increasingly attractive place to former miners, homesteaders, and anyone else coming out to the West.
But, with that prospective population came some caveats. While most of the farmers were gentle, family-oriented folk, the city began to develop a downtown area that became increasingly rowdy. In the 1910s, the town was ahead of its time in paving sidewalks and streets to facilitate vehicle travel. In those days, nobody knew how to drive, and some of the earliest attempts at traffic control were even met with violent vandalism. The onset of the Great Depression greatly hurt the town, fueling burglaries and robberies among desperate individuals. Thankfully, these effects soon petered out, and by the 1940s, Marysville became less of a frontier settlement and more of the comfortable, welcoming community we know today.
In those days, excitement could be hard to find in a farming community, so the citizens banded together to build up a reputation for their crop. For a time, the town became known as “The Strawberry City,” and it grew steadily year-over-year. The Marysville Strawberry Festival, which continues to run year after year, began as a means for farmers to sell their crop and for the town to begin developing some tourism business.
The Town’s Changing Face
Unfortunately, disaster struck in 1955, when a sudden cold front froze the entire strawberry crop for a year. Many of the farms were still small, family-owned affairs, without any crop insurance. Uninsured farmers who did not have enough savings to survive until the next harvest were forced to sell their properties, and almost overnight, the strawberry industry collapsed. New farmers would replace many of the old ones, but unfortunately, the industry never recovered.
Throughout the latter half of the century, farmlands were bought up and turned into residential areas, greatly expanding the city while removing some of the charm that once defined it. Today, some strawberry farms still operate around the borders of town, and the Strawberry Festival still carries on as a legacy of the past. If you have not already, make sure to check out the Festival when it comes around next June. On top of a car show, fashion show, carnival, and multiple parades, the Festival also hosts friendly farmers with locally grown berries, perfect for preserving, juicing, or just eating straight off the stems.
Speed Makes a Difference in Marysville Water Removal
As a local Marysville expert in water removal, SERVPRO takes every step necessary to ensure rapid responses to emergency situations. Our successful formula, perfected over decades with input from franchises around the country, relies on our ability to reach you in time to prevent the most severe damage from happening.
Calling us as soon as disaster strikes can eventually prevent most of the damage to your home and can keep our restoration work to a minimum. By calling us as soon as possible,
- We can identify and stop the source of the water, preventing further damage from occurring.
- We can get in touch with your insurance company to ensure smooth, timely payouts.
- We implement water extraction tools that prevent structural damage to your home
- We immediately begin the drying process, stopping mold from taking root.
The scale of our response depends on the scale of your situation. The first person to arrive at your home, just hours after your call (even in the middle of the night), is our inspector. The SERVPRO inspector determines what machinery we should bring in, what hazards may be present in the building, and what you can do to help. By scaling the solution to the problem, we save you time and money, and keep our resources available for any other disasters that may happen in the community.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington responds 24/7 to emergency requests for water removal and other critical damage mitigation services. Our phone lines are always open at (360) 658-0506.
Get in the Holiday Spirit in Marysville
11/24/2020 (Permalink)
Bark away your water damage worries and call SERVPRO.
Join the Mayor of Marysville in a Virtual Lighting of the Tree and Community Lights Event
Even though this year is different from other years, families still can enjoy the holiday spirit safely with various activities in Marysville, both virtually and socially distanced. On Saturday, December 5, Mayor Jon Nehring will light the community Christmas tree and broadcast the ceremonial event virtually so you can enjoy it at home.
Following the virtual lighting ceremony, the Marysville Home for the Holidays - Community Lights Event begins on December 10.
Here are some details:
- Register by December 1, if you wish to participate in the Community Lights Contents.
- Categories include; most creative, best curb appeal, and fun family favorite.
- Homes with the best displays win prizes donated by community sponsors.
- Download a map for a self-guided tour to view the participating homes.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington serves your community for home restoration needs. If you require water restoration assistance in Marysville, contact us 24/7 at (360) 658-0506.
Where to Find Water Restoration Services in Arlington?
10/18/2020 (Permalink)
If you need professional water restoration services, do not wait.
Our Expert SERVPRO Techs Can Provide Water Restoration Services to Your Arlington Home!
Discovering a leak in need of water restoration services in the upstairs bathroom of your Arlington home is never a good thing. Excess moisture in your home is a recipe for trouble. Water left to its own devices can cause damage to the physical structure of your house. Furthermore, it can also promote microbial growth.
The best way to help your home once water is discovered is to promptly look for local Arlington water restoration services. Contacting professionals, such as SERVPRO, as quickly as possible can minimize damage. The less time water has to sit in your home, the better.
What Can Water Do if Left Unchecked in My Bathroom?
Let's imagine the plumbing behind your shower is leaking. If left unattended, it could cause the following issues:
• Split, cracked, and raised tile flooring
• Mold growth in the framing of your home
• Swelling in the structure of your home
None of the scenarios mentioned above are ideal. However, should the baseboard or the framing of your home absorb water, here at SERVPRO, we can provide help. We use advanced technological devices to draw moisture out of your home and minimize the risks of complications such as microbial growth.
What Devices Could SERVPRO Use in My Bathroom?
Luckily, most bathrooms are small spaces, which can speed up the restoration process, as there is less space to cover. To remediate the example of a leaky shower, our techs could:
• Set up drying technology, such as floor drying mats, dehumidifiers, and heaters
• Use infrared technology to search for hidden pockets of moisture
• Drill small holes in the walls to feed air blasting tubes through
Using devices such as air blasting tubes allows us to feed dry air directly to the structure of your home. Our goals are to get your bathroom as dry as possible and return it to you in its preloss state.
If you need professional water restoration services, do not wait. Speak with SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington by dialing (360) 658-0506. We're open 24/7.
How SERVPRO Uses Air Movers to Dry Water Damage in Marysville
5/3/2020 (Permalink)
We look forward to helping return your property to a quality preloss condition. (360) 658-0506
Professional Drying Techniques Professionals Use On Water Damage In Your Marysville Home
Water damage technicians use a variety of tools, and training to dry structural components and contents found in your Marysville area home when problems arise. One of the essential tools we typically use is airflow, where we position air movers to increase evaporation and improve the entire drying process.
Having access to technicians with the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) means that you have the best opportunity to restore water damage on your Marysville property. We offer 24-hour emergency response, expert personnel, advanced equipment, and resources that make restoring your home faster than ever before.
To understand more about how SERVPRO technicians use airflow to dry water damage, it helps to get a grasp on how placing air movers can achieve reliable results. We place air movers in a clockwise pattern, with the inlet facing the wall and the snout touching the wall. For best results, we make sure all of the affected walls line-up with the air stream.
Drying out a water damaged property
To accomplish this, your SERVPRO teams place extra air movers in any bay windows, closets, or offsets. Each time we monitor the equipment on your property, we move air movers to the right or left in a circular pattern to ensure even drying throughout the area. On occasion, it becomes necessary to dry ceilings as well. We direct airflow to circulate warm air that often accumulates higher in open areas.
Ventilation makes a significant difference in hard-to-dry areas, such as the interior of your walls. SERVPRO technicians can remove baseboards and drill small 1 ½” holes between each stud, using air mover attachments to force air into the wall cavity. When drying walls, we check the bottom of a stud to ensure the channel is not full of water to avoid using forced air to send standing water further into your walls.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington provides full-services water damage solutions throughout Stanwood, Edgecomb, and Smokey Point. Call our experienced restoration team for answers to any questions you may have or to schedule your initial inspection today. We look forward to helping return your property to a quality preloss condition. (360) 658-0506
More about Marysville.
Mitigating Basement Water Damage in Marysville
3/11/2020 (Permalink)
We understand the need for rapid response to minimize the loss of your property. Call us right away we are available 24/7.
SERVPRO Teams Work to Improve the Quality of Your Marysville Basement
Washington homeowners already know that basement water damage is a common problem. Still, they may be surprised to find that 98% of US basements are expected to suffer from water damage in some form. Not only are these incidents frequent, but damage to the foundation and structural components in your basement can cost thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars to fix. Fortunately, there is a team that can help.
If your Marysville basement needs water damage cleanup from an experienced team, you can count on your local SERVPRO to respond quickly. This crew can come to your home in as little as four hours to begin assessing the damage and formulating a cleanup plan. Accurate measurement and calculation, in tandem with cutting-edge technologies, ensure that your property is safely cleaned, dried, and restored.
Small Repairs Make a Big Difference
- Extend your gutters. Downspouts should, ideally, be draining at least 5 feet away from your home. Metal or plastic gutter extensions can act as a temporary solution. Consider installing an underground drain pipe for a space-saving solution.
- Seal cracks and gaps in your basement. Seal openings around plumbing with polyurethane caulk or hydraulic cement. If water is coming through the floor, however, you need a more heavy-duty solution to prevent further groundwater seepage.
- Install a curtain drain. This French drain variant consists of a trench that is approximately 2 feet deep and 1.5 feet across that is filled with perforated gravel and piping. Use solid piping for areas where root growth can compromise the drain.
How SERVPRO Dries Your Basement
SERVPRO's two primary means of structural drying are centrifugal air movers and dehumidifiers. Air movers can be placed at 45-degree angles in relation to the surface every 10 to 16 linear feet, or every 150 to 300 square feet, to address saturated walls.
Dehumidifiers take the moist air pulled up by air movers, pass it over materials like refrigerant coils or silica gel, and collect the condensation into drip pans and similar containers for safe removal from your home.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington ensures that you get mitigation that is Faster to Any Size Disaster. Call (360) 658-0506 for cleanup that you can count on any time of the day or night.
Want to see more about Marysville.
Maryville Property Suffered a Water Loss? Don't Wait, Call SERVPRO!
2/1/2020 (Permalink)
Don't Be "Shocked" by Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration Pricing!! Call SERVPRO Out to Your Water Damaged Marysville Home
Common Electrical Hazards After Water Damage in Marysville Homes
When consumer electronics receive exposure to water, they are not automatically a loss. On a case by case basis, SERVPRO technicians can arrange to have a professional inspect the devices and determine if they have the potential for restorability.
First and foremost, when dealing with water damage in Marysville properties, the technicians perform each task in the restoration process with the utmost safety in mind. Here are some of the most frequently seen situations with electronics and water.
Water in Light Fixtures
When a water loss event happens, such as a leak from a room or a floor above, it can be dangerous to turn on lights if the fixture takes on water. For safety reasons, do not test lights when ceilings show staining or other signs of excessive moisture.
Water That Reaches Outlets
In cases where the water has reached the outlet in a room, homeowners and pets should avoid the wet area until SERVPRO techs arrive on-site due to the danger of electrical shock. Water can migrate through the wall voids and coat the wiring and switches with water. The technicians have the experience to work safely in these conditions and the submersible pumps to remove the water. This is a situation that commonly happens when there are outlets on the floor and in crawlspace, basement, and flood damage scenarios.
Safety Precautions
When the technicians de-energize a worksite, they ensure that no one can turn the electricity back on in the home, and use a lockout device at the panel. Having no electricity in the house is not an issue that holds up the restoration services process, as the SERVPRO technicians bring their generators to power their water extraction and drying equipment. Portable generators are readily available on our Green Fleet.
Appliances and Computers
In the case of water damage to various devices and computer equipment, the technicians rely on both the approval of the insurance adjuster and homeowner to bring in a certified professional to do any needed repairs. This is an area of restoration that must be done by certified repairmen.
SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington (360) 658-0506 has the tools and experience to safely clean up and restore your home from water damage, and make the loss "Like it never even happened."
Here is our local area.
Three Ways Our Restoration Saves Marysville Homeowners Money
10/30/2019 (Permalink)
SERVPRO knows the expenses of water damage in your Marysville home, let us help.
Let us keep you in your budget when it comes to your Marysville home.
Choosing professional restoration is not always as simple of a decision as it often should be, especially with water loss incidents that affect Marysville homes. Because of the uncertainties of how bad the situation is, property owners can become convinced that DIY strategies are equally efficient and more cost-effective compared to services our SERVPRO team can provide. In truth, there are ways that choosing professional restoration can save our customers money.
Knowing how to handle water damage in Marysville home is rarely as simple as attacking the situation with towels and a mop. Drying up the damage and even extraction efforts must get performed quickly and with a specific level of precision to ensure that the house gets protected to the fullest extent. Knowing how the efforts of our technicians can save you money makes weighing the decision a little more straightforward.
- Speed
While you might think that you can address water damage quickly for your home, our SERVPRO team has built our reputation on showing that We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. While we cannot beat you to your home, we do have sophisticated and advanced techniques for rapid drying and recovery that far exceed traditional approaches.
- Experience
Our water loss division of professionals is one of the most experienced and well-trained on our entire team. Most of our staff have accreditations through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in Water Restoration (WRT), Applied Structural Drying (ASD), and a cleaning niche.
- Technology
Our inventory of equipment is a collection of the greatest restoration industry tools available right now. We have rapid drying solutions, including hundreds of air movers and dehumidifiers. We also have many tiers of extraction tools, beginning with wet-vacs and portable sump pumps up to our extractor truck in the Green Fleet.
You are often going to have to spend money to secure the services of our SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington team, but with our fast and thorough response, it does not have to be as excessive as you might believe. Often failed DIY methods cost thousands more when controlled demolition and build back are necessary, so give us a call anytime disasters strike at (360) 658-0506.
To learn more about Marysville, click here.
Understanding The Three Categories Of Water
12/11/2018 (Permalink)
When dealing with water damage in your home or business, there are three different types or classifications of water that we use: Clean, Gray, and Black water.
Clean Water: This is water that does not contain contaminants. It includes broken water lines, malfunctioning appliances, toilets holding tanks, snow melt and rainwater. Overtime however, clean water can progress and become gray water within 48 hours, if left untreated.
Gray Water: Gray water does contain slight chemical or biological contaminants, and may pose a health risk. Gray water can discharge from dishwashers, washing machines, sinks, showers, aquariums and waterbeds, or come from a clean water source that leaked through a ceiling. It can also be clean water that was left untreated (and became gray water). Gray water can also progress to the next stage (Black Water) if left untreated within 48 hours.
Black Water: This water is a positive health risk as it is highly contaminated. Black water is presumed to contain multiple potentially harmful contaminants including fungi, bacteria, chemicals, viruses, and more. Black Water is typically caused by sewage damage, flooding, or any type of natural disaster. Black water should always be treated by a trained and certified professional.
For any type of water damage, it is always best to treat it quickly so as to avoid further contamination and risk mold growth. Call SERVPRO of Marysville/Arlington if you need services in your home!
Available 24/7
360 873 3431
SERVPRO of Skagit Marysville/Arlington is an IICRC certified firm.
Safe Flood Clean-Up Tips
12/5/2018 (Permalink)
Before entering a building where flood damage may have occurred, make sure it’s safe: check for electrical hazards and structural damage, and use proper protective gear like boots, gloves and respirators. Before you start any construction or repairs, check for common hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos, which may require help from professional and State-licensed contractors.
Then, follow these tips:
- Act quickly
The severity of damage escalates the longer water sits and building components and contents stay wet, so time is of the essence in the aftermath of a flood. In fact, mold will grow within 48-72 hours, so aim to start removing water and drying the environment within 48 hours. Have a list of professionals on hand to call, and understand your insurance policy, as some only cover mold damage up to a certain amount, while others don’t provide any reimbursement for mold. - Ventilate affected areas to prevent mold growth
Mold loves moisture and organic materials such as paper or particleboard. In order to mitigate or slow damage, open windows if weather permits and place fans inside of them to keep air moving and maintain moderate temperatures. Work toward the fan as you clean to minimize cross contamination. - Assess damage to items and materials
Assess the type of water absorbed by items, such as rainwater, water from broken pipes, contaminated river water or bacteria-filled sewage. There are ways to salvage specialty items but the decision on whether to save or trash an item will vary depending on the dollar and sentimental value to the owner. It may not be worthwhile to salvage drywall, carpets and pads, mattresses, pillows, box springs and particleboard. On the other hand, it might be worthwhile to restore costly Persian rugs, leather couches and antiques or heirlooms. Wet clothing and many household fabrics may be salvageable through machine washing, and a 10-minute soak in detergent and hot water, to remove contamination and stains. The IICRC strongly recommends that in water damages where there are contaminants present (e.g., bacteria, sewage, mold) or where small children or immune-compromised individuals are present that an inspection be conducted by an appropriately trained restorer and remediator. - Expose pockets of saturation
Hidden and concealed pockets of saturation need to be opened for cleaning and drying. Layers between building materials hold water that must be discovered and removed or dried. On walls, find the water line and inspect at least a foot beyond it to make sure all damage, wet materials and mold are discovered. Remove and discard the damaged drywall and wet wall insulation. Wet carpets can usually be dried by professionals with the right equipment, but carpet padding, which is like a big sponge, should be discarded. Wood base trim and hardwood can also be saved with the right equipment if they can be accessed and completely dried on both sides. Remember to investigate concealed cavities such as behind walls, in mechanical spaces, under cabinets and furniture, and in crawl spaces. - Conduct a thorough cleaning
Durable, non-porous or semi-porous materials, such as studs and joists, hardwood flooring and vinyl products, can be cleaned with common cleaning products or specialized products with detergents. During cleaning, take care to protect areas that are unaffected by the water or mold. After a thorough cleaning of salvageable materials, a disinfectant solution may need to be applied in case of harmful bacteria from sewage, river water debris or even standing water that has gone bad. Professionals like water restoration and mold remediation contractors and indoor environmental professionals can help you decide what is best for your situation. Once you’ve cleaned the wet materials, conduct another round of cleaning. If you choose to vacuum, use a HEPA-filter vacuum to remove allergens, fine dust and spores. - Confirm drying before reconstruction
In order to prevent dry rot and structural damage, it’s important not to reconstruct or cover wood and other wet materials until the moisture content has been adequately reduced. A water restoration professional can confirm proper drying before reconstruction.
24/7 Emergency Service