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 Union County. 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 Union County can tackle any size disaster and help bring order back to your home or business.

Emergency Water Damage

5/27/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Union County will respond to your emergency water call 24 Hours a day.

• 24 hour on call staff
• 24 hour answering service
• Rapid Response time
• Large Loss
• Insurance company communication

SERVPRO of Union County has a team of experienced personnel that is on call 24 hours a day to be on site as soon as possible to handle your emergency water issues.  We will be at your home ready for the water extraction and removal of any damaged materials affected by the water.  We will set all the necessary equipment to make sure that dry the home out as soon as we can.

Feel free to call us at 704-764-3216

Union County's 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

5/17/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Union County 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 - 704-764-3216

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 Union County 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 Richmond County

SERVPRO of Union 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.

How Do I Get Water Out of My Kitchen?

5/20/2021 (Permalink)

Bring in a SERVPRO Water Removal Team to preserve your home  

The water line leading into your refrigerator broke down about 12:30 am on Saturday. You didn’t notice it, of course, until you got up for coffee eight hours later. Then you feel it between your toes as you splash your way around, trying to find the leak and turn off the water.

What are Water Removal Technicians going to do when they get here?

First, they are going to isolate the leak and turn it off or block it if you have not been able to do so. Next, team members use a pump or an extractor for physical water removal from your kitchen depending on how deep it might be. Once they accomplish that, other team members use tools like long-handled squeegees to push any trace water off the surface, allowing natural evaporation to begin, releasing water into the air. 

Next, one of our technicians performs a visual inspection and uses a thermal camera to examine the sub-floor. She does this to determine a couple of key issues:

• Is there a crack or split in the kitchen flooring?
• If yes, did it allow water to spill into the sub-floor area?

If the answer is yes to either question, our technicians can take positive action. Each team has the skills to make repairs to linoleum and other floor coverings, or remove and replace damaged flooring so it looks exactly as before, or better than it was before the spill. Before replacement, they go into the sub-floor and use commercial grade water pumps with flexible hoses to remove water. 

Once everything is back in place, SERVPRO technicians then place a humidifier in the kitchen. This device draws the excess water in the air and off surfaces to lower the interior humidity and completely return the home to its normal condition. 

SERVPRO of Union County is here to help. Call us 24/7 for emergency service at (704) 764-3216

For more about SERVPRO of Union County click HERE

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 Union County 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 Union County

SERVPRO of Union County 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 Union County is here to help. Call us 24/7 for emergency service at (704) 764-3216

For more about SERVPRO of Union County click HERE

Union County 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 Union County 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 Union County is here to help. Call us 24/7 for emergency service at (704) 764-3216

For more about SERVPRO of Union County 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 homes value as well as your health, 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.

Emergency Water Damage

1/22/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Union County will respond to your emergency water call 24 Hours a day.

• 24 hour on call staff
• 24 hour answering service
• Rapid Response time
• Large Loss
• Insurance company communication

SERVPRO of Union County has a team of experienced personnel that is on call 24 hours a day to be on site as soon as possible to handle your emergency water issues.  We will be at your home ready for the water extraction and removal of any damaged materials affected by the water.  We will set all the necessary equipment to make sure that dry the home out as soon as we can.

Feel free to call us at 704-764-3216

Identify Your Moisture

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.

Understanding Water Damage: The Three Main Types of Water

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

There are many different stages of water damage which can be classified in three types of contaminated water. Our SERVPRO professionals are trained to help you determine and assess the severity of your water damage. 

• “Clean Water” - This type of water is from a “clean” source, such as a broken water supply line. If left untreated, clean water can quickly progress to one of the other severe stages of water damage. Length of time left untreated, temperature and contact with contaminants all determine whether or not clean water becomes dangerous.  

1. “Gray Water” - This type of water is contaminated and could cause illness and discomfort. Examples of gray water include washing machine overflow, toilet overflow with urine (but no feces) or dishwasher overflow. 
2. “Black Water” - This type of water is extremely contaminated and may cause severe illness or even death. Some examples include flooding from rivers or streams, toilet overflow with feces or standing water that has developed bacterial growth. 

Each of these types of water are dangerous in their own way. From damaging your home, business and belongings to serious health risks, water damage cannot go untreated. As a trusted leader in the restoration industry, SERVPRO of Union County 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 Categories!

3/30/2017 (Permalink)

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 Union County 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 Union County is 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 Union County about how to reduce the risk of frozen pipes!