How Does a Water Damage Occur?

11/6/2023 (Permalink)

If you own a  home or business, you need to know the risks of flooding and take measures to avoid it all costs. This is because flooding can bring significant damage to your home. When flooding does occur, a homeowner or business owner should be prepared to take quick action to reduce secondary and long-term damage that may arise if left unattended.  

CAUSES OF WATER DAMAGE

Water Damage can stem from several different sources. Frozen and broken pipes, supply lines to hot water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and sinks are among the most common. Groundwater, rainwater and storm flooding can even creep in causing mild to extreme damage.

Regardless of the originating cause of the flood, water can not only damage your home or business structure, but it can damage your personal belongings, lead to the growth of mold colonies, as well as pose various electrical or fire hazards.  It is essential for you as the homeowner or business owner to resolve water damage as quickly as possible and take steps now to prevent it from occurring whenever possible.  

WHAT TO DO WHEN WATER INVADES YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS

When flooding occurs in your home  or business, it is essential to address it as soon as possible. To what extent you can, mop up the moisture from the flooded areas and remove it as quickly as you can. Then look to hire a consultant that provides flood remediation services like SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties. We will inspect your home and initiate services that will remediate the visible and hidden water.  From extracting all the water, to setting the proper amount and kinds of drying equipment, removing affected materials and personal belongings, to applying anti-microbials, and providing recommendations for repairs and other services, SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties can tackle any size disaster and help bring order back to your home or business.

Anson, Stanly, and Richmond Counties' 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

5/17/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, and Richmond is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - 704-474-7190

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, and Richmond has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, and Richmond Counties

SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, and Richmond specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Faster to your Water Damage Event

5/13/2021 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. Northwest Little Rock provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly,& Richmond Counties

SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties is here to help. Call us 24/7 for emergency service at (704) 474-7190.

For more about SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond click HERE

Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Residents: We Specialize in Flooded Basement Cleanup and Restoration!

5/13/2021 (Permalink)

A basement can flood at any time, although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall. Basements are inherently prone to flooding because they are the lowest level of a building and are normally built partly or entirely below ground level. There are a number of reasons why your basement could flood, including: 

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home
• Storm sewer backup
• Sanitary sewer backup
• Foundation drainage failure
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure
• And many more

Have Questions about Basement Flooding?

Call Today

If flood water is not handled quickly and properly, it can jeopardize your health and safety, and cause severe damage to your home’s structure. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get.

The bottom line: a flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond and let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are Flooded Basement Specialists:

• We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a Preferred Vendor to many National Insurance Companies
• We Bill The Insurance Directly – One Less Thing For You To Worry About
• Our Technicians are Highly-Trained  in Water Restoration Techniques
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment

SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties is here to help. Call us 24/7 for emergency service at (704) 474-7190.

For more about SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond click HERE

Common Causes of Water Damage

4/26/2021 (Permalink)

Common causes of water damage

A homeowner needs to know the risks of flooding and take measures to avoid it in anyway possible. This is because flooding can be significantly damaging to your home. When flooding occurs a homeowner should be prepared to take quick action to reduce the long-term damage that the flooding causes.

Causes of Water Damage

Water Damage comes from several different sources. Hurricanes and other storms can also cause flooding and an increase in the overall water level. Homeowners can have water pipes freeze and break and cause flooding. General rain can also cause your home to flood.  

Problems Associated with Water Damage

Water can be incredibly damaging to your home. Floodwater can damage your personal possessions, lead to the growth of mold colonies which can damage your home's value as well as cause health effects, and lead to electrical fires. It is essential for homeowner to resolve water damage as quickly as possible and to take steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place whenever possible

How to Handle Water Damage

When flooding occurs in your home it is essential to address it as soon as possible. To what extent you can, mop up the moisture from the flooding and remove it as quickly as you can. Then look to hire a consultant that provides flood remediation services like SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties. We will inspect your home and suggest services to help remediate the flooding that is there. They will dry out your home, apply mold inhibitors which prevent the spread of mold colonies, and provide recommendations for other services that can help your home recover from flooding quickly and thoroughly.

24 Hour Emergency Services

1/22/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly & Richmond Counties is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - 704-474-7190

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly & Richmond Counties has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

The Forms of Moisture in Materials

2/12/2020 (Permalink)

Removing moisture and drying materials can prove to be a difficult project depending on how the moisture is held within the surface. Understanding the different types of moisture will allow you to remove it more efficiently. 

Surface Water

Surface water is the first type of moisture confronted during the drying process. This is the liquid moisture that sits on top of a material. This excess can be removed through various methods like extraction, mopping, wiping or pumping. After the removal process, all other remaining surface water can be easily dried by applying warm airflow to the material. Warm airflow applied directly to the material creates a quick and efficient evaporation process.

Free Water

Free water is moisture that has already absorbed into a material. This can happen when surfaces come in contact with water or are exposed to humidity in the air. Although this type of moisture is already absorbed into the material, it is still considered “free” water, as it has not chemically bonded with the material’s molecules. As airflow is applied to the material, free water begins to rise to the surface of the material and starts the  evaporation process. To create a faster evaporation process for free water, a higher temperature and a lower humidity ratio must be applied. 

Bound Water

Bound Water is moisture that has been absorbed into a material, such as wood, as has chemically bonded with the cells of that material. This is a much slower evaporation and drying process. First, the chemical bond has to be broken from the wet areas of a material. A warm airflow is usually not enough to create this reaction. However, heating the wet material can increase the rate of evaporation. Creating heat within the material forces bound water to release its chemical bond and pushes the water to the surface. 

Humidity, airflow and temperature are all important factors in the drying and evaporation process. Each of these aspects must be addressed depending on which type of moisture has come in contact with a surface or material. Knowing the differences between these types of moisture can better help you tackle these water damage issues. 

Why Water Damage Can’t Wait

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

Water damage, when ignored, can be dangerous and devastating. It happens fast and before you know it, water can absorb and ruin porous materials. In the worse cases, standing water can cause significant and grave structural damage. The longer materials and possessions are exposed to water dictates the severity of the deterioration. Understanding how quickly water damage affects property can help you prevent serious erosion. 

Within minutes of a dishwasher leak, water damage begins. Floors, furniture, rugs, and other possessions are soaked with excess moisture. This moisture will instantly take its toll on any structure it comes in contact with. Perhaps, you catch the leak immediately; or perhaps, you are at work or running errands and come home hours later to find this mess. Within those few hours, many types of damage can occur. Drywall begins to bloat with moisture and break down, metal surfaces tarnish and an unpleasant, musty smell fills the room. In as soon as 48 hours, mold spores begin to surface and wooden floorboards are warped and moldy. 

So what can be done? Water damage occurs quickly and the first thing homeowners can do is turn off their water. If the floor is covered in an inch or more of water, the electricity should also be turned off immediately. Your next step is to call SERVPRO. As a trusted leader in the restoration industry, SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly & Richmond Counties provides 24-hour residential and commercial services. As a locally owned and operated business, we’re dedicated to being faster to any size disaster, with the training, equipment, and expertise to handle your restoration and cleaning needs.

Water Category- How to know!

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage to an home's interior!

There are 3 different categories of water:

Category 1 Water – That which is clean at the releasing source and does not pose a hazard if consumed by humans. Category 1 water may become progressively contaminated as it mixes with soils on or within floor coverings or building assemblies (walls, decking, subflooring). Time and temperature, which promote the growth and amplification of microorganisms in water can cause Category 1 water to degrade.

Examples of category 1 water are:

• burst water pipes

• failed supply lines on appliances

• vertically falling rainwater (water that does not hit the ground before entering the structure)

Category 2 Water – That which begins with some degree of contamination and could cause sickness or discomfort if consumed by humans. As with Category 1 water, time and temperature can cause Category 2 water to become progressively more contaminated.

Examples of category 2 water:

• Washing Machine Over flow

• Water from dishwasher

• Used bath water

Category 3 Water – That which is highly contaminated and could cause death or serious illness if consumed by humans.

Examples of category 3 water:

• sewage

• rising flood water from rivers and streams

• ground surface water flowing horizontally into homes 

There are many different factors that could contribute to the category of water, it may not always be clear. If you have any questions be sure to always ask a qualified professional. SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties would be happy to assist you with any questions you may have.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes!

3/30/2017 (Permalink)

Every homeowner’s nightmare is waking up to water damage from frozen pipes in the Winter! If you take these few simple, proactive measures it can protect your pipes and your home from this risk. SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly, & Richmond Counties are committed to providing efficient and thorough water restoration services to families in North Carolina, while also educating people about ways to prevent water damage in the first place.

Here, they share four crucial tips to prevent your pipes from freezing this winter:

• Leave The Heat On When You’re Out Of Town: While it might be tempting to turn off the heat when you go out of town to cut down on your energy bill, don’t do it. You should set your heat to at least 55 degrees to keep your pipes from freezing.
• Close Your Garage Doors: If you have a garage, keep the garage doors closed as much as possible during the winter to preserve heat. This will help any water lines that go through the garage from reaching dangerously low temperatures.
• Let Your Faucet Drip: When it’s extremely cold outside, turn on any faucets connected to exposed pipes to just a drip. Having water run continually through the pipes reduces the risk of your pipes freezing.
• Open Cabinet Doors: In many homes, plumbing lines run near cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. Keeping your cabinet doors open when temperatures are freezing helps warm air circulate around your plumbing.

When temperatures plumet, protect your home from the risk of your pipes freezing and causing significant water damage to your home. Call (704) 474-7190 to speak to an experienced professional at SERVPRO of Anson, Stanly & Richmond Counties about how to reduce the risk of frozen pipes!