What Should I Do About this Water Damage in My House?

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

Tallahassee and SERVPRO team up for water damage cleanup and restoration. A Capitol Idea!

SERVPRO Offers a Full Scope of Water Damage Restoration Service for Tallahassee Properties

Even a little water damage has the potential to leave behind an enormous amount of loss in a Tallahassee home for both the structure and contents. A mere half an inch can cause thousands of dollars and need extensive repairs, and the longer it waits for cleanup, the worse the problem gets.

Getting professional help with the cleanup and restoration from water damage in Tallahassee homes is crucial. Numerous issues can occur from inadequate water removal and drying efforts.

Scoping the Property for Water Loss

It is impossible to visually determine the scale that water loss covers in a home. The reason is that water migrates quickly across floors and follows the path of least resistance. Upper-level events tend to leave water behind in floor joists and under subfloors. SERVPRO technicians use advanced detection equipment to locate moisture within all types of substrates in the structure.

Common Problems in Homes with Water Loss

When water gets left behind within the structure, a host of issues can result. Tile and glue down carpet have the potential to lose their adherence and delaminate. Whether or not the flooring can get reinstalled for reuse after cleaning and drying is dependant upon the construction materials.

Many factors can affect the restorability factors for carpet. Among them are type and length of water exposure along with the materials that make up the fibers. Some carpets shrink or deteriorate upon prolonged contact with water. SERVPRO technicians have numerous tests to determine the composition of the threads, so the best processes for extraction and drying get followed and maximize the restoration potential saving homeowners the cost of replacement.

Certified to Handle Different Water Types

Not all water loss events are equal. When a pipe breaks in a home or rain comes in through the roof, there is little danger of bacteria or contaminants being present as long as the cleanup efforts begin within 24 hours. This type of water carries a label as "clean water." The other two main water types get gradually more dangerous for homeowners to come into contact with due to the possibility of chemicals, toxins, or sewage. Gray and Black water should always have professional restoration services due to the unsanitary nature of this type of loss. Familiar sources of gray and black water include:

• sewage or septic tank backups
• washing machine and dishwasher malfunctions
• water that has aged beyond 24 hours
• flood damage from groundwater
• aquarium accidents

Advanced Water Removal Equipment

Consumer-grade shop vacs are rarely enough to extract embedded moisture completely. The professional equipment used by the certified techs at SERVPRO for water removal has the power to pull up the water, and the attention given to this step of the mitigation process works to lessen the drying time needed.

Safety Measures During Mitigation

Particularly in cases of black water loss situations, the techs pay close attention to the potential for cross-contaminations for airborne droplets that can carry bacteria or pathogens. Containment around the work-site area using plastic barriers is a common tactic. Air scrubbers also assist in the capture of any harmful airborne elements with their maze of HEPA filtration.

Differences Between Professional and DIY Drying Methods

Different surfaces need varied types of drying applications for the best outcome. Home drying usually involves using a fan or multiple fans on wet surfaces. This is great for drying the tips of the carpet fibers or tile flooring; however, it does nothing for the water that migrated into a subfloor, behind walls, or within the carpet pad.

SERVPRO techs use air movers that get placed in unique configurations to best direct the airflow around a water loss area. The high-velocity air delivery from these little powerhouse machines causes embedded moisture to rise. At the same time, dehumidification equipment that is also running captures it and ports it offsite. This creates a cycle of progressively drier air circulating and rapidly lowers the ambient humidity levels.

Specialized drying equipment and methods make the difference. The techs have the equipment such as the Injecti-Dry system to force air into small spaces such as where baseboards got removed or within floor joists. Drying mats used on hardwood flooring can save a homeowner the cost of replacement through their ability to dry the board in place.

Monitoring is a large part of the drying process. The techs take air moisture measurements throughout this phase of mitigation to ensure preset drying goals get attained. Ensuring the indoor humidity levels are below ideal conditions for mold spore germination helps lower the potential mold growth.

SERVPRO techs have extensive training in mold remediation and know it is a possibility whenever there is a water loss event. They look for early warning signs and apply applications as necessary, such as antimicrobial sealants, to discourage any future establishment of mold over the treated areas.

Post Drying Cleaning and Odor Control

Because of the potential for bacteria or other harmful elements to exist in any type of water after the time needed for mitigation, the techs use professional-grade antibacterial and antimicrobial cleaning agents to wipe down surfaces and floors.

Water odors leave behind a musty smell that may require multiple treatments to eradicate. Light odors respond to time-release gel pellets that are placed in inconspicuous areas to absorb the scents. Thermal fogging is another odor control method that the technicians rely on when stouter scent removal needs occur. This equipment heats the chosen solution to the point it is fog, and it gets released throughout the loss area. It covers surfaces and penetrates porous objects.

Hydroxyl generators use the same power as the sun for odor removal: UV rays. While thermal foggers require people, pets and plants are not present during treatment; the hydroxyl generators are safe for use when technicians and residents are in the home. Both thermal fogging and hydroxyl generators neutralize odor-causing molecules by changing their structure, so there is no chance of the return of foul scents after the restoration services complete.

SERVPRO of Central Tallahassee at (850) 765-5706 is available 24/7 to handle any size water damage in local properties and make the loss, "Like it never even happened."