Archived Water Damage Blog Posts

Water Mitigation and Reconstruction

Name: SERVPRO of Aurora Central
Telephone: (303) 576-6868

12/17/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can perform mitigation and repair services in your home.

Who Can Provide Mitigation & Reconstruction?

When your home or business suffers water damage it’s important to start the mitigation process as soon as possible. The longer moisture sits in walls and flooring, the more damage the structure of your home will suffer. It’s important to call your nearest mitigation specialist as time is crucial.

In most cases, water damage leads to mold growth. Do you know why? Moist and humid surfaces are the perfect breeding ground for mold growth. Time is of the essence in every water loss.

When the mitigation process is complete you are left with a partially constructed home or business. No worries! SERVPRO can provide mitigation reconstruction. Once all moisture is eliminated from the structure and the non-salvageable walls and flooring are removed, reconstruction can begin.

Rather than having multiple contractors in your home or business, have SERVPRO come in and make it “Like it never even happened.”

Do You Need Emergency Water Damage Services?

12/17/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage to your home basement

SERVPRO of Aurora 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 - (303) 576-6868

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 Aurora 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 Aurora

SERVPRO of Aurora 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.

Why Does Flooding Occur?

8/26/2019 (Permalink)

Flooded Town

Floods

Floods are a natural part of the water cycle, but they can be terrifying forces of destruction. Put most simply, a flood is an overflow of water in one place. Floods can occur for a variety of reasons, and their effects can be minimized in several different ways. Perhaps unsurprisingly, floods tend to affect low-lying areas most severely. Floods usually occur when precipitation falls more quickly than that water can be absorbed into the ground or carried away by rivers or streams. Waters may build up gradually over a period of weeks when a long period of rainfall or snow-melt fills the ground with water and raises stream levels.

Flash floods are sudden and unexpected, taking place when very intense rains fall over a very brief period. A flash flood may do its damage miles from where the rain actually falls if the water travels far down a dry streambed so that the flash flood occurs far from the location of the original storm.

Heavily vegetated lands are less likely to experience flooding. Plants slow down water as it runs over the land, giving it time to enter the ground. Even if the ground is too wet to absorb more water, plants still slow the water’s passage and increase the time between rainfall and the water’s arrival in a stream; this could keep all the water falling over a region to hit the stream at once. Wetlands act as a buffer between land and high water levels and play a key role in minimizing the impacts of floods. Flooding is often more severe in areas that have been recently logged.

When a dam breaks along a reservoir, flooding can be catastrophic. High water levels have also caused small dams to break, wreaking havoc downstream. People try to protect areas that might flood with dams, and dams are usually very effective. People may also line a riverbank with levees, high walls that keep the stream within its banks during floods. A levee in one location may just force the high water up or downstream and cause flooding there. The New Madrid Overflow in the image above was created with the recognition that the Mississippi River sometimes simply cannot be contained by levees and must be allowed to flood. Not all the consequences of flooding are negative. Rivers deposit new nutrient-rich sediments when they flood and so floodplains have traditionally been good for farming. Flooding as a source of nutrients was important to Egyptians along the Nile River until the Aswan Dam was built in the 1960s. Although the dam protects crops and settlements from the annual floods, farmers must now use fertilizers to feed their crops.

Floods are also responsible for moving large amounts of sediments about within streams. These sediments provide habitats for animals, and the periodic movement of sediment is crucial to the lives of several types of organisms. Plants and fish along the Colorado River, for example, depend on seasonal flooding to rearrange sand bars.

For more information about floods please visit: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/geophysical/chapter/floods/

What To Do When a Flood Happens

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

Flooded Roadway

Floods

Failing to evacuate flooded areas, entering flood waters, or remaining after a flood has passed can result in injury or death. Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States. Floods may:

Result from rain, snow, coastal storms, storm surges, and overflows of dams and other water systems.
Develop slowly or quickly – Flash floods can come with no warning.
Cause outages, disrupt transportation, damage buildings, and create landslides.

IF YOU ARE UNDER A FLOOD WARNING, FIND SAFE SHELTER RIGHT AWAY

Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
- Just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
Stay off of bridges over fast-moving water.
Determine how best to protect yourself based on the type of flooding.
- Evacuate if told to do so.
- Move to higher ground or a higher floor.
- Stay where you are.

HOW TO STAY SAFE WHEN A FLOOD THREATENS

Prepare NOW

Know types of flood risk in your area. Visit FEMA’s Flood Map Center for information.
Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
If flash flooding is a risk in your location, then monitor potential signs, such as heavy rain.
Learn and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans, and flash flood response.
Gather supplies in case you have to leave immediately, or if services are cut off. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Don’t forget the needs of pets. Obtain extra batteries and charging devices for phones and other critical equipment.
Purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. It typically takes up to 30 days for a policy to go into effect and can protect the life you've built. Homeowner’s policies do not cover flooding. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Plan.
Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies.
Protect your property. Move valuables to higher levels. Declutter drains and gutters. Install check valves. Consider a sump pump with a battery.

For more information please visit the link below.

Floods | Ready.gov

Wet Carpet

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

All wet material removed.

Have you had a toilet overflow, a pipe burst, a washer malfunction or walk into a basement completely flooded by rainwater? Water can seep into almost every material and cause irreversible damage. When water saturates your carpet or walls, you will need to make decisions and make them quickly! Do not waste time contemplating how to clean up the water, each hour counts when water is involved. The longer water sits in porous material, like carpet or drywall, the sooner bacteria and microbial growth begins to grow.

One of the prime locations for microbial growth to spread is in a humid room with sopping wet carpet and walls. What do you do? Grab a shop vac and suck it up? Grab a slew of towels and cover the floor while dancing on top of them, hoping they will absorb all of the water? Grab all the fans you own and try to set them in just the right places, hoping that everything will dry out in time? Go ahead and try those techniques, but you will have a huge and more costly headache to deal with in a month.

If you choose to call a restoration company, be sure to call one who has the certifications to back up their work.

SERVPROs all over the country are locally owned franchises, and the majority of them are run by the actual owner. At SERVPRO of Aurora I know that our project managers, office staff, marketing team and even the owners are WRT IICRC certified. That means they know everything it takes to get water out of your home or business.

We are not magicians; we can not save all carpet and walls, but we can certainly extract the water from the affected areas and remove any wall that is not salvageable, ultimately leaving you a clean, bacteria-free slate to work with. We even have a construction division that can help you get your home back to preloss condition. Do not waste time trying to clean up a disaster on your own or have the local neighborhood handyman clean it up, just call SERVPRO of Aurora and we will walk you through the process. You will be informed and updated of the restoration/mitigation process throughout the entire job so that nothing is questionable. We are your go-to! Give us a call even if you just have a question and we will be happy to help.

-Your SERVPRO of Aurora Marketing Coordinator, Danielle Neff

Wisconsin Freeze 2019

2/7/2019 (Permalink)

Cleaning up after this Hotel flooded from a burst pipe.

During the 2019 Polar Vortex, Madison, Wisconsin experienced plummeting temperatures of minus 26 degrees. Residents prepared for the storm, bundled up and took cover indoors, but that wouldn't stop the freeze from reaching inside. As the temperatures dropped, pipes burst inside homes and businesses. Home and business owners were facing a world of headaches and in need of professional restoration/mitigation services. A number of local restoration companies jumped to the opportunity to provide service for their community, unfortunately, there were not enough resources to provide service for everyone at once.

Back in Parker, Colorado, a locally owned SERVPRO waited for the distress call.

A little after 5 o’clock on February 1st, the crews at SERVPRO of Aurora received the notification that they would be traveling to Madison to provide restoration and mitigation services. The production crew packed their bags, filled the trailers with tools & specialty equipment and set out on the journey to Wisconsin.

A little tip from our SERVPRO Heroes

When a flood occurs, SERVPRO of Aurora professionals know that time is crucial. The longer floodwater sits and seeps into carpet, walls, and contents; the greater the chance is of mold forming and causing near to permanent structural damage. It is important to take action immediately after structure floods, if not you could be looking at a very costly restoration project.

Remove water as soon as possible
Dry out the wet areas using dehumidifiers and fans to move air around, discouraging the growth of mold.

Freeze your assets or sensitive documents.

Dropping Temperatures & Freezing Pipes

11/12/2018 (Permalink)

Do Not Let Your Pipes Freeze!

Why Are Your Pipes Freezing?

Temperatures outside must drop to 20 degrees or lower in order for a pipe to freeze. Newly built homes in northern climates tend to be well insulated with water pipes located on the inner parts of the house for extra protection. Homes built in southern climates can face problematic hard freezes due to homes not being built to accommodate cold temperatures.

Which Pipes Are Vulnerable to Freezing?

Pipes located on the outer walls of the home
Pipes located in unheated garages, attics, crawl spaces and basements
Copper pipes
Galvanized pipes
Uninsulated pipes

So What if Your Pipes Freeze?

When temperatures drop, water freezes and expands causing pipes to burst.

A burst pipe can result in a water leak. Ruptured pipes and water damage can cost thousands of dollars to repair. The amount of damage depends on where the burst occurs, how long it takes to catch the problem, and how much water is leaking from the pipe.

Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing.

Install Insulation.
Insulate pipes on the outside of your home .
When temperatures drop, open your faucets to a slow dribble.
Open cabinets for warm air to circulate through your home.
Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature during the night and day.
If you leave your home for extended periods of time leave your heat on at 55 degrees.

What Do You Do if Your Pipes Freeze?

Turn off the main water valve.
Call a professional plumber.
Call an IICRC certified restoration & mitigation company.

SERVPRO's Water Restoration Process

Step 1 - Emergency Contact

The restoration process begins when you call us. Our representative will guide you through the crisis and may ask several questions to help us better understand the equipment and resources.

Step 2 - Inspection and Water Damage Assessment

We determine the scope of your water damage at this stage. We inspect and test to determine the extent of damage and how far the moisture has traveled to ensure proper and complete restoration.

Step 3 - Water Removal / Water Extraction

The water removal process begins almost immediately and removes the majority of the water. We use powerful pumps and vacuum units to quickly remove hundreds or thousands of gallons from your property, which helps prevent secondary water damage and mold growth.

Step 4 - Drying and Dehumidification

We use specialized equipment to remove the remaining water that is harder to access. Our Professionals will use room measurements, temperature, and relative humidity to determine the optimal number of air movers and dehumidifiers needed to dry your home or business.

Step 5 - Cleaning and Sanitizing

We clean all of the restorable items and structures damaged by the water. We are adept at cleaning contents using a number of techniques. Our professionals are trained to provide sanitizing treatments and to remove odors and deodorize your property.

Step 6 - Restoration

Restoration is the process of restoring your home or business to its pre-water damage condition. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall and installing new carpet, or may entail major repairs, such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

Call us at 303-587-9458 if you have any questions or concerns.

Prevent Water Damage Before it Happens

8/16/2018 (Permalink)

Prevent Water Damage

1. Be careful where you plant

Some plants and trees, like weeping willows, have pretty invasive roots. If you’re not careful, they’ll grow right into your sprinkler system, drainage field, pipes, and septic tanks. Plan before you plant to keep roots away from any water lines.

2. Clean out roof gutters

You know it’s on your to-do list anyway, so if you can, take a safe climb up to your roof next Sunday and check out your gutters. If you’re seeing lots of leaves, birds’ nests, sticks, and whatnot up there, your gutters may not be doing the job you hired them for. And on a rainy day, a clogged gutter can send water spilling into your home’s foundation, through the roof, or down to your basement. That could cause some serious water damage! So next time you’re doing some seasonal cleaning, make sure those gutters are clean. And if your gutters are too high, be safe and get a professional to check them.

3. Keep an eye on your water bill

With so many water pipes hidden behind walls and in the floors in your house, you might not know there’s a leak until the damage is done. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your monthly water bill. If you see it starting to creep up, or get one that’s uncommonly high, it’s a pretty good sign that you may have a leak somewhere.

4. Use a drain snake instead of unclogging chemicals

No matter how crazy clean you are, from your shower to your kitchen sink, clogs are going to happen. And chances are at some point in your life you’ve used one of those powerful chemical drain cleaners to get things moving again. But as convenient as they may be, most folks don’t realize those caustic chemicals are also eating away at their pipes (and they might not be too good for you either). If you rely on them a lot, you could be setting yourself up for leaks. That’s why owning a drain snake is a good solution to clear away clogs. They’re pretty inexpensive, you can get them at your local hardware store, and they can cut through most any clog you’ll have without damaging pipes or making your eyes red and teary.

5. Never pour grease down your sink

You’ve probably heard this before, but you should definitely avoid pouring grease down your kitchen sink. It doesn’t matter if you flush it with hot or cold water. It can still congeal and cling to your pipes, and could still cause some serious damage and blockage.

Advise from Farmers Insurance and SERVPRO Aurora

Mitigation and Restoration

8/7/2018 (Permalink)

Who Can Provide Mitigation & Reconstruction?

In most cases, water damage leads to mold growth. Do you know why? Moist and humid surfaces are the perfect breeding ground for mold growth. Time is of the essence in every water loss.

Rather than having multiple contractors in your home or business, have SERVPRO come in and make it “Like it never even happened.”

The Esporta Wash System

6/21/2018 (Permalink)

Before and After

Contents

Fire and water cause enormous damage to countless homes every year. Beyond structural damage, they also impact contents causing contamination that can prove very difficult to restore.

Leave it to us!

We know all too well that many items are extremely difficult to clean, but that is why we are the professionals. SERVPRO has a specialty Wash System that can clean almost irreversible damage.

About the Esporta Wash System

The Esporta washing technology is capable of cleaning category 1, 2, and 3 water, heavy smoke, and soot damage.

You can count on Esporta to predictably clean and restore soft contents. Even the toughest soot, water damage and bio contamination is no match for Esporta. Our wash system consistently delivers 90% of soft contents back to “food grade” clean. Customers are wowed by what we can restore!

What is the Esporta capable of cleaning:

Bacteria
viruses
sewage
soot
grime
mold
biowaste
mildew

Soft contents that can be cleaned include:

Clothing
bedding
comforters
pillows
sleeping bags
linens
rugs
jackets
suedes
furs
linens
stuffed animals
shoes
hats
belts
purses
Sports Equipment

Is Your Washing Machine Leaking?

4/13/2018 (Permalink)

Don't let your washing machine cause water damage in your home.

Replace water supply hoses – Water supply hoses can become brittle and burst. Check them periodically and replace your old hoses with a new hose that consist of flexible plastic tubing encased in a stainless steel braided exterior. Purchase an auto-shut off hose protector that protects against catastrophic water damage by automatically shutting off. If excess water flow is sensed the water supply to the washing machine will turn off.
Get a washer floor tray – Replace or repair your leaking washing machine right away to protect against future leaks, slide a water catching tray under your washing machine to catch drips and leaks. It’s an inexpensive way to prevent water damage to your floor from a leaking washing machine.
Purchase a single-lever shut off valve – Turn the water off after each load of wash. Replace your dual faucets with a single-lever which control both hot and cold water simultaneously.
Flood protection device – An automatic water leak detection device prevents flooding by immediately shutting off both the hot and cold water supply to the washing machine when sensors detect a water leak. These devices are quick and easy to install by homeowners and provide 24/7 protection against water damage caused by washing machine floods. Some flood protection devices sound an audible alarm.
Automatic Washing Machine Water Shutoff Valve and Leak Sensor – The shut off valve protects against catastrophic water damage. It allows water to flow when it senses that the washing machine is turned on, and stops water from flowing if the machine is turned off. It also stops water from flowing if it senses excessive water flow or detects a leak.

Water Damage After a Fire

1/19/2018 (Permalink)

How Can a Fire Cause Water Damage?

In some fires, damage from the actual flames ends up being the least of your concerns. Fires often trigger damage in a way homeowners do not expect: significant water damage. Whether during the efforts to put the fire out or leaks caused by the heat, fire can directly or indirectly cause your home to take on large amounts of water unexpectedly. If the fire started during a storm, rain or flood might also cause damage. Listed are some common ways we encounter water damage after a fire.

Water damage can happen from fire hoses and extinguishers. Severe water damage can happen as a result of fire hoses. Care is not often taken when controlling the water flow, with as much being used as necessary to stop the flames. Excess water is common after a fire, and perhaps more often than not you'll be dealing with this type of damage. Typically, a small isolated fire in a kitchen or room would not inflict such heavy secondary water damage.

Fire can melt and break metal faucets and plumbing due to its extreme temperature, causing profuse leaks and ruptures. Although these do not often release enormous amounts of water, they can cause considerable damage to floors and walls in their vicinity.

Hardwood Floors: To Save Or Not To Save After a Flood?

1/18/2018 (Permalink)

What Does Water Do to a Wooden Floor?

Wood is an organic material that can only resist the effects of water for a short time. That’s why expediency is key to preventing damage from occurring. But sometimes, things happen that you can’t plan for. For example, you’re away on vacation and while you’re lying on a beach soaking up the sun, a pipe breaks and floods your kitchen which then remains that way for several days. Now what?

Signs of Water Damage on Wood Floors

Depending on how long the floor was wet, damage can vary. Here are some signs of damage to look for:

1. Staining and/or discoloration

2. Cupping and buckling from absorbed moisture

3. Popping nails

4. Lifting of floorboards (especially at the ends)

5. Mold growth (can occur within 48 hours of flooding)

Considering that the normal moisture content in a typical hardwood floor is somewhere between 6 and 12 percent and a flooded hardwood floor can have a moisture content of up to 40 percent, damage can be severe. Much of it has to do with the amount of time that the floor is exposed to the water. More moisture will be retained if the floor is left to dry on its own.

Deciding Factors for Replacement or Repair

Determining whether a water-damaged wood floor can be repaired or must be torn up and replaced will depend on a number of factors such as:

1. the length of time the floor has been exposed to water

2. whether your floor is solid hardwood or engineered hardwood

3. the severity of the damage (Has the water penetrated into to the subfloor?)

4. the floor’s finish (It can be difficult to match certain stain colors when replacing isolated floorboards, especially if the stain has “mellowed” with time.)

If the damage is minor, the floor can sometimes be saved by replacing affected boards and then sanding and refinishing the whole floor. If the damage is severe or extensive causing significant expansion, the entire floor may need replacing — and sometimes even the sub-floor will have to be replaced.

Flooded basement in Aurora 1/17/2018

1/17/2018 (Permalink)

Flooded basement in Aurora, CO

A pipe freeze cause this bathroom in Aurora to flood and leak into their basement. Disaster's like this happen every day and reinforce the importance of preparing for winter weather. Many disaster's can be avoided by small steps of preparation. SERVPRO of Aurora saved the day by cleaning up after the leak and helping to prevent future ones at this home.

How to Prevent—or Handle—Frozen Water Pipes for Your Home

1/5/2018 (Permalink)

This flooded basement was caused by frozen pipes bursting

Winter might be harsh outdoors, but when frozen water pipes burst, the real emergency conditions are, ever so suddenly, indoors. Whether you’re thinking ahead to protect yourself from this bad scenario—or you’re thinking on your toes in an actual pipe-burst situation—you can use the following helpful tips to ensure that you act smart.

Prevention Tips:

1. Insulate your water pipes.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not expanding ice from within a pipe that makes it burst; it’s the remaining liquid water finding nowhere else to go but out. Wherever your pipes are warm to the touch, insulation is likely needed. Insulating your pipes not only serves as a preventative measure for pipe bursts, but also reduces the cost you pay for hot water. Ask a local hardware store for pipe insulation that you can install yourself—quickly and painlessly. You can also receive federal tax credits in the process.

2. Seal those seams.

To keep cold wind away from your pipes, seal cracks and holes in your walls with caulking. Simply walk along the walls of your house and feel for drafts. And for fainter drafts, light an incense stick. When the smoke is offset, there’s a draft.

3. Some doors are best left open.

Did you know? Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm inside air from reaching pipes under sinks or in adjacent outside walls. It’s a good idea to keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to let warm air circulate around the pipes to prevent freezing.

4. Don’t hesitate to use your taps.

As long as water is running and pressure doesn’t build up, there’s a far lower risk of freeze and pipes bursting. Also, it’s okay to let faucets lightly drip where you believe there could be risk of cold pipes. The slight relief in pressure prevents potential buildup within your pipes.

5. Leaving for a trip? Don’t over-lower the heat.

While understandably it saves money to lower your thermostat when you’re away from home, it’s important to not be overzealous and allow your home to cool excessively in your absence. A home kept reasonably warm will ensure pipes share the same cozy condition.

Do you need Emergency Water Damage Service?

9/19/2017 (Permalink)

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - (303) 576-6868

What to Expect

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 Aurora

The Process of Water Damage Restoration

9/5/2017 (Permalink)

Step 4. Drying and Dehumidification

Contact SERVPRO of Aurora. A Representative will guide you through several questions that will help SERVPRO of Aurora Technicians respond to your water emergency quickly and efficiently.
After careful inspection of your property’s water damage, the type of water damage and affected areas are determined. An Effective plan of action is established.
SERVPRO of Aurora uses specialized pumps and vacuums during the water removal process. Beginning the process as soon as possible helps to prevent mold growth.
Specialized equipment such as air movers and dehumidifiers are then used to remove remaining water and moisture.
Technicians sanitize with antimicrobial treatments and remove odors using industrial air scrubbers and fogging equipment.
The last step is restoring your home or business back to its pre-water damage condition. Restoration can be relatively minor, such as replacing a few drywall panels, or could include major reconstruction, such as rebuilding entire rooms of a home or business.

Categories of Water Damage

9/5/2017 (Permalink)

When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. SERVPRO of Aurora Professionals respond immediately and use advanced equipment and techniques to remove the water quickly.They closely monitor and document the drying process to verify your property is dried properly and thoroughly.

Three Categories of Water Damage

Clear Water

Sanitary Water
Poses no major health risk
Source example: tub or sink overflows and appliance malfunctions that involve a water supply line

Grey Water

Contanimated
Unsafe to consume
Contains a significant degree of chemical, biological or physical contaminants
Source examples: toilet overflow and appliance malfunctions that involve a water supply line

Black Water

Highly contaminated
Contains raw sewage, pesticides, heavy metals or toxic organic substances.
Source examples: sewage, seawater, rising water from rivers or streams, ground surface water or standing water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_damage