Recent Water Damage Posts

24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Services

1/14/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO 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

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 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)?

Water Damage Tips

1/14/2022 (Permalink)

Water Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

After any water damage situation, your primary focus should be safety:

  • Is it safe to stay in the house?
  • Electrical and "slip and fall" hazards are some of the most prevalent concerns.
  • Only do activities that are safe for you to perform.
  • Wet materials can be VERY heavy. Be careful!

What To Do After Flooding

  • Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
  • Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
  • Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
  • Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
  • Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
  • Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
  • Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
  • Gather loose items from floors.

What NOT To Do After Flooding

  • Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
  • Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
  • Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
  • Don't use television or other household appliances.
  • Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.

Dealing With Dishwasher Damage

1/13/2022 (Permalink)

When we get a call from people who have been unfortunately faced with dishwasher-related water damage, we are quick to get on site to assess the situation. Hopefully, the owner of the property, or someone present at the loss, called us as soon as they noticed the damage; it is imperative that you call us quickly to avoid any further issues.

When we get on site, we work rapidly to extract water and set up drying equipment. Our response is swift and efficient, and our skilled technicians ensure they try to keep any unnecessary damage from occurring in any other areas.

We are committed to providing the best service we can to each and every person who asks for our help.

If your property is ever damaged by a faulty dishwasher, or any type of water damage, give your local SERVPRO a call today!

Flooded Basement Cleanup and Restoration

1/13/2022 (Permalink)

There have been too many homeowners that have descended down their basement steps to find a pool of murky water greeting them. This instance is an all-too-familiar one, as many Americans claim to have dealt with a flood in their basement at least once.

Water follows the path of least resistance, finding cracks and holes through basement walls. Flooding can often be attributed to insufficient drainage around basement walls, heavy rains, a faulty sump pump, or a combination of these factors.

The water that goes unseen could wreck havoc in your foundation, causing further damage and could also welcome an infestation of mold. This is a scenario you should strive to avoid at all costs!

SERVPRO Franchise Professionals are highly trained in water damage restoration including basement and crawlspace flooding. They have the experience, expertise, and equipment to remove the water and dry your basement properly. Their water removal and drying process emphasizes monitoring and documentation to validate your property is dry.

Hidden Water Damage

1/13/2022 (Permalink)

The most common theme behind hidden water damage are household appliances. These usual suspects pose a certain amount of threat to your property if they are left unattended.

Refrigerators

Whether you have a built-in ice cube making machine or not, these appliances are usually to blame for water damage in kitchens. One way to prevent this from happening is to pull them away from the walls to check the flooring and the water lines behind them; water lines are usually tangled and all over the place, so trying to avoid the cluttering of these lines should be essential to avoiding water damage.

Washing Machines

It goes without saying that these appliances typically use A LOT of water; so it is understandable that common forms of water damage can be attributed to these appliances. As with the refrigerators, it is recommended to check behind washing machines to check for any leaks or problems with the hoses. 

It is also recommended to replace the hoses every 5 years to avoid any issues/unforeseen repairs.

Dish Washers.

As with most of the other types of appliances in this series, one of the main reasons that hidden water damage is such a factor is because they are never moved and checked regularly! These appliances require a large amount of water and left unattended could cause serious damage. 

We also want to reiterate that some insurance companies do not cover dishwasher related claims, so making sure to cover all the stops could save you a headache in the future!

Air Conditioners.

Mostly all air conditioners have implementations that remove moisture as the machine runs, but any issues with these designs could allow water damage to occur. Make sure to follow all of the company's guidelines and to check regularly for leaks.

Hot Water Heaters.

The biggest hope we have for our hot water heaters is that they don't blow and last for upwards of 20 years. Seems like a stretch, but making sure the external components do not begin leaking and that the seals and pipes still look good should help allow that to happen!

For all of your water restoration needs, call SERVPRO!

Washing Machine Safety

1/12/2022 (Permalink)

Millions of Americans depend on washing machines for quick, easy, and thorough cleaning, as opposed to some older methods that do not do nearly as good a job.

As a matter of fact, researchers estimate that the average family of four does about 8 to 10 loads of laundry every week! If you're wondering what the quick math correlates to over the course of the year it's over 500 loads of laundry!

With a demand like that, it is imperative that you take the necessary steps and precautions to make sure it runs properly and without error.

There is a lot of wear and tear that comes with this type of usage, so we wanted to run through some maintenance tips to make sure your machine remains in tip-top shape and in great working order.

- First and foremost, you are going to want to replace your washing machine lines at least every 3-5 years; each time the machine is turned on or off, the lines contract which could eventually lead to bursts.

- It is highly recommended that you switch from rubber hoses to stainless steel braided hoses.

- Before you replace these hoses, make sure your water is turned OFF!

- Finally, check your hoses for leaks at least once a year!

We hope you learned how to take better care of your washing machine, and remember: for all of your restoration needs, call SERVPRO!

SERVPRO is here to help with water damage

11/5/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO green van arrives to a house with woman in driveway SERVPRO arrives to help a customer with water damage

A storm, flood or plumbing problem can leave your home with extensive water damage. Immediate action is necessary to mitigate the damage. SERVPRO’s professionals specialize in repairing and restoring following residential water damage. Our customer-focused professionals will assess the residential water damage to your property. Then, we’ll help you understand the severity of the damage so you’re able to make the best decisions for the restoration of your home. Our top-notch people use the most advanced equipment to detect hidden moisture and extract standing water. We have more than 50 years of experience in repair and restoration so you can trust us to help you develop a water damage restoration plan to help ensure your home is clean, dry and restored to its pre-damaged condition.

SERVPRO is here to help with water damage to your home or facility

11/3/2021 (Permalink)

Bathroom sink overflowing water Water Damage

Water Damage at Home? We Can Help

A storm, flood or plumbing problem can leave your home with extensive water damage. Immediate action is necessary to mitigate the damage. SERVPRO’s professionals specialize in repairing and restoring following residential water damage. Our customer-focused professionals will assess the residential water damage to your property. Then, we’ll help you understand the severity of the damage so you’re able to make the best decisions for the restoration of your home. Our top-notch people use the most advanced equipment to detect hidden moisture and extract standing water. We have more than 50 years of experience in repair and restoration so you can trust us to help you develop a water damage restoration plan to help ensure your home is clean, dry and restored to its pre-damaged condition. 

Winter 2020

12/28/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties!

2020 has been quite the unpredictable year, including the weather here in Northeast PA! We had almost a record-breaking snow fall, with totals of 12” to 3’, depending on your location. SERVPRO received calls from customers asking about ice dams on their roofs, causing water damage inside their homes. The very next week, we received 1.5” to 3” of rain, with the snowpack melting, we were then under sever flood watches. With the advance warnings, people were able to prepare by moving materials to higher ground. Thankfully, the rivers did not rise as high as anticipated, and many were spared.

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties for all your smoke, soot, water or deodorization needs! We are always here to help 24/7 at 570-759-0966.

Faster to your Columbia County Water Damage Event

12/28/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties provides 24 hour fire and water damage restoration service.

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 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 Columbia, Montour & Sullivan 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 – (570)759-0966

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 Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 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.

Snow Fall

12/28/2020 (Permalink)

Fresh Snow Can be Beautiful!

Once the Snow Falls

Newly fallen snow produces roughly one-tenth its volume in water, so every 10 inches of melted snow produces the equivalent of one inch of rain. If you have two or three feet of fallen or drifted snow against your house, a warm day, especially with rain, can release a large volume of water that can affect your foundation and basement.

To prevent snowmelt from flooding your home, clear snow at least one to two feet away from all sides of the foundation, especially near basement windows and around downspouts.

Also remove excess snow from your roof using a roof rake designed specifically for this purpose (a regular rake can damage the roofing materials). Keeping your roof and eaves clear of snow will help prevent ice dams that can form and drive water into your attic, ceilings and walls, sometimes causing extensive damage.

Check Your Appliances...

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties, (570)759-0966!

Flooding in your home can happen in the blink of an eye. One moment everything is okay, and the next moment, water is everywhere. 

Below are tips to aid in identifying and disarming their damage:

HOT WATER HEATER

What to do: Check the tank regularly for leaks. Have your tank maintained yearly. It is recommended to replace your water heater every 10 years.

WASHING MACHINE

What to do: Inspect hoses once a month. Look for signs of impending leaks, such as blisters, bulges, cracks, discoloration or kinks. Turn off the water supply to the washing machine when you go on vacation.

DISHWASHER

What to do: Tighten the drain line where it connects to under-sink plumbing. Replace the water supply line immediately if you run across a small leak. Don’t run the dishwasher while away from home.

REFRIGERATOR

What to do: Replace copper water lines with braided steel alternatives. Check the water supply line behind the fridge yearly.

AIR CONDITIONER

What to do: Install a secondary drain line and drain pan overflow switch. Have your A/C maintained regularly, which includes changing the filter and checking the refrigerant level.

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties are available 24/7, call (570)759-0966! The quick response and efficient, professional services of our team of technicians will return your home to normal in no time; we’ll make it “Like it never even happened.”

24 Hour Emergency Service

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties is always ready to help!

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan 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  (570)-759-0966

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 Columbia, Montour & Sullivan 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)?

About SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties has specialized in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event since 2001. 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.

Water Loss Hazards

12/18/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO walked in to the home to find the kitchen ceiling on the floor.

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Co was called to a water damage cleanup, which also included a cleanup due to the resident of the home. The resident suffered an emotional and psychological attack when seeing the water loss to the kitchen on first floor, caused by a forgotten bathtub faucet running. The resident mistakenly wanted to save her belongings on the second floor from getting wet by throwing all clothing and smaller furniture down the stairway. This caused a hazardous condition for SERVPRO personnel to remove the clothing blocking access to the second floor, but we also had to be very careful to secure the furniture from crashing down on top of personnel. The clearing of the stairway took over two hours. We found the bathroom was the only room affected on second floor. The resident’s bedrooms were unaffected by water. The kitchen, however, required almost 50% demolition, including the cabinets and counter top, damaged by water. 

3 Day Dry Time

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO floating carpet to aid in drying.

Restoration and Remediation magazine recently had an article regarding a 3 day drying time frame that continues to vex the mitigation vendors. Some insurance carriers feel that 3 days is sufficient to dry structures. The R&R article relates a very apt analogy comparing doing laundry to drying materials in a structure. People unfamiliar with doing laundry may think putting different materials and fabrics into a dryer and running it for 30 minutes will have all items be dry. We know this isn’t true. Heavier fabrics such as jeans or towels will take longer, light weight items will dry much faster. Same with drying structural materials in a building: multiple layers of drywall, several coats of paint, wallpaper, varying textures can extend drying time.

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties to handle all your mitigation needs! (570)759-0966

Faster to your Columbia County Water Damage

9/9/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties provides 24 hour fire and water damage restoration service in Columbia County.

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 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.  As you can see in this picture, SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties arrived onsite to find the drywall and insulation falling from the ceiling. The entire finished basement was affected by water damage. Our crew went to work assessing the damage and started the water extraction process almost immediately. 

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 –570-759-0966

Relaxation?

4/23/2019 (Permalink)

Imagine you are away on vacation, relieving the stress from normal everyday life. When you return home, you walk in to water pouring from your ceiling! This happens more than one would think.

Here are a few tips you should consider before leaving:

  • Turn off your water valve. 
  • Turn off your gas. 

Discovering your home has suffered from water damage from flooding, a busted pipe, roof leak or a sump pump backup is not fun, extremely inconvenient and the water damage will quickly become your worst enemy. It’s important that you act swiftly and promptly after making a water loss discovery to help minimize the damage.

A fast response time is essential. This will help to reduce wicking into porous materials and secondary damage to other contents surrounding the affected damaged area. Additionally, a fast response will help to minimize the potential for mold and mildew growth and can cut costs in the long run.

Aside from notifying your insurance agent of the damage, contact SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties. After you’ve contacted SERVPRO, there are a few things you can do before the restoration professionals arrive to help get the restoration process moving faster. Here are some tips and things to do to help prepare:

  • Watch for slips and falls.
  • Make temporary repairs to protect your home or business from further or other damage.
  • Make sure source of loss is fixed (sump pump, broken water line, hot water heater, etc.)
  • If water came from overhead, make sure to stay away from those areas, as the ceiling could collapse.
  • Remove any artwork from the affected area.
  • Make sure wooden furniture is removed from the affected area or wooden blocks, plastic bags, or aluminum foil is placed under the legs.
  • Make sure that colored rugs are removed from the affected area, so that extra staining does not occur to the carpet
  • Remove fragile pieces from the affected area.
  • If it is the summer, keep the AC unit running as this helps eliminate some of the humidity.
  • Finally, things that are wet can be very heavy so be careful!

Remember that with any water loss situation, your fast reaction time to stopping the source of water loss from continuing and getting the right people for job onsite ASAP is crucial to limiting water damage and even cost.

3 Types of Water Categories

4/1/2019 (Permalink)

Let us help you to understand the different categories of water damage.  There are 3 different types.

CAT 1 - water that comes from a sanitary water source and that do not pose substantial health risks.  Even if the water loss came from a clean water source in the beginning, the environment or the time that passes since the damage occurred can change the classification of the water to a Category 2 or a Category 3.

CAT 2 – water that originates from toilet bowls with urine (no feces), sump pump failures, seepage due to hydrostatic failure, and water discharge from dishwasher or washing machines.  Rainwater that makes its way into a home from the outside is also considered and treated as a Category 2 since there is no way of determining what types of contaminants it encountered before entering a property.

CAT 3 – Black or Toxic Water – water that is extremely contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic, or other harmful agents.  This kind of water may carry silt, organic matter, pesticides, heavy metals, regulated materials, or toilet trap (no matter what is in it or the color), all forms of flooding ground surface water and rising water from rivers or streams, and other contaminated water entering or affecting the indoor environment such as wind-driven rain from hurricanes, tropical storms, or other weather related events.

We’re always here to help you understand your situation, to resolve your water loss problems and get you back to “Like it never even happened”!

4 Classes of Water Damage

4/1/2019 (Permalink)

CLASS 1 – Slow Rate of Evaporation.  The water affects only a portion of a room.  Materials have a low permeance/porosity.  Minimum moisture is absorbed by the materials.

CLASS 2 – Fast Rate of Evaporation.  The water affects the entire room of carpet and padding.  The water may have wicked up the walls, but not more than 24 inches.

CLASS 3 – Fastest Rate of Evaporation.  The water generally comes from overhead, affected the entire area, walls, ceiling, insulation carpet, carpet pad, etc.

CLASS 4 – Specialty Drying Situations.  This involves materials with a very low permeance/porosity, such as hardwood floor, concrete, crawl, plaster, etc.  Drying generally requires very low specific humidity to accomplish the drying process.

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 24/7, 570-759-0966

Washing Machine Malfunctions

3/29/2019 (Permalink)

One of the chief causes for water damage to homes is the washing machine. With more automated machines and the level of complexity in today's machines, there are more areas that can fail. Some areas of failure: the pump may fail to pump water out or keep up with the water coming in and can cause the machine to overflow. A common cause is the supply water lines. These can be rubber hoses or can be flexible braided metal lines. Over time, the constant pressure may eventually cause a bubble to form near the end of the line. Washing machine hoses should be replaced every 3-4 years.

It has become more common for people to place their laundry room on a second floor. If a washing machine malfunctions, water can easily seep through the flooring into the ceiling and rooms below. A situation like this needs to be handled as quickly as possible to avoid further damages, but cleaning up a mess this large requires professional knowledge and tools.

If you should have a water emergency,call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties at 570-759-0966!

We have emergency ready crews 24/7 365 days a year and can handle the task. 

Frozen Pipes

11/8/2018 (Permalink)

Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are:

  • Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
  • Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets.
  • Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation.

How to Protect Pipes From Freezing

Before the onset of cold weather, protect your pipes from freezing by following these recommendations:

  • Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
  • Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
  • Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.
  • Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
  • Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.
  • Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

  • Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
  • Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes

  • If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
  • Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
  • Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
  • Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
  • Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Columbia, Montour & Sullivan County Residents:We Specialize in Flooded Basement Cleanup and Restoration!

8/23/2018 (Permalink)

This Columbia County home’s basement flooded due to heavy rains.

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 - 570-759-0966

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 Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties 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

Basement Flooded? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help 570-759-0966

What to do after water damage is discovered..

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

Discovering your home has suffered from water damage from flooding, a busted pipe, roof leak or a sump pump backup is not fun, extremely inconvenient and the water damage will quickly become your worst enemy. It’s important that you act swiftly and promptly after making a water loss discovery to help minimize the damage.

A fast response time is essential. This will help to reduce wicking into porous materials and secondary damage to other contents surrounding the affected damaged area. Additionally, a fast response will help to minimize the potential for mold and mildew growth and can cut costs in the long run.

Aside from notifying your insurance agent of the damage, contact SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties. After you’ve contacted SERVPRO, there are a few things you can do before the restoration professionals arrive to help get the restoration process moving faster. Here are some tips and things to do to help prepare:

  • Watch for slips and falls.
  • Make temporary repairs to protect your home or business from further or other damage.
  • Make sure source of loss is fixed (sump pump, broken water line, hot water heater, etc.)
  • If water came from overhead, make sure to stay away from those areas, as the ceiling could collapse.
  • Remove any artwork from the affected area.
  • Make sure wooden furniture is removed from the affected area or wooden blocks, plastic bags, or aluminum foil is placed under the legs.
  • Make sure that colored rugs are removed from the affected area, so that extra staining does not occur to the carpet
  • Remove fragile pieces from the affected area.
  • If it is the summer, keep the AC unit running as this helps eliminate some of the humidity.
  • Finally, things that are wet can be very heavy so be careful!

Remember that with any water loss situation, your fast reaction time to stopping the source of water loss from continuing and getting the right people for job onsite ASAP is crucial to limiting water damage and even cost.

Laminate Flooring Water Damage

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Remediate Water Damage Regardless of the Type of Floor in Your Home

Water damage to laminate flooring is commonly seen and can be caused by such things as a slow leak from plumbing, a flood, spills and improper maintenance. Just about any way you can get water on a laminate floor can result in water damage. The damage can sometimes be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, and other times water damage might be covered under your home owner’s insurance. Most often, however, water damage is not covered at all. Depending upon how severe the damage is, it might be correctable by hiring a professional water damage company such as SERVPRO. It could mean a plank replacement, and other times a bigger portion or even the entire floor may have to be replaced.

Water damage from appliance and plumbing leaks like water heaters, dishwashers, ice makers and washing machines in your home can cause your laminate flooring to buckle. Many times, these leaks are quite slow and go unnoticed. Slow leaks are not easy to identify since they are underneath the laminate where they will penetrate the core material of the laminate. While you might not be able to see the leak, a SERVPRO technician will be able to find excess moisture by using a moisture meter.

Water Damage from Concrete

Moisture can enter through the back of your laminate flooring with the damage from water resulting in cupping. A whole floor can cup from a concrete floor which is too wet. This can happen even when a vapor barrier is used under the laminate floor.

Every concrete floor should be tested for moisture before laminate floor covering is installed. Concrete that is newly poured needs to be allowed to cure for sixty days or more before the laminate is installed. There are several ways to test for moisture. Many should be performed by professionals like our technicians at SERVPRO, such as electronic testing. We will have the right equipment and training to do the job right.

Maintenance of Water Damage and Pet Damage

Improper wet cleaning of laminate flooring and spills can cause water damage in the form of swelling at the joints. Many times, these are puffy areas along the edge of the planks, will often cross between plank edges.

Most commonly, the cause of edge swelling over a big area is wet mopping or using popular floor mops such as the Swiffer Wet Jet. It can take up to a year or two of use before issues related to maintenance begin to show. Some floors might not ever show noticeable damage, while others will have extensive damage. Water damage is not often covered by the manufacturer of the laminate. Damage from pet urine and spills are generally localized and appear as welled areas between planks. This is a condition that is site related and not a problem with the laminate floor.

If you know or fear that you have a water damage problem with your laminate flooring that you need assistance with, please contact SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties any time you need by dialing 570-759-0966. We can test for water damage and assess the extent of the damages so we can get your home back to normal fast.

A Little Hole...

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

It appears both manufacturing as well as design defects are the source of the burst braided metal hoses — and the resulting water damage problems.

For some types of hoses, it’s a failure of the braided steel hose. The mechanism of failure involves localized corrosion of the stainless steel wire braid. Although stainless steel isn’t supposed to corrode, the presence of water treated with chlorine and/or cleaning products with chlorine appear to corrode the metal braid, weakening it. Then, under  normal household water pressure, it bursts.

For other types of metal braided hoses, it’s the plastic coupling nuts at each end of the hose responsible for the failure. Coupling nuts connect the metal braided hoses to the supply lines. Often, they’re made with cheap plastic, and aren’t designed or molded to best engineering practices. So sometimes, the coupling nuts crack under normal water pressure and leak.

For still others types of metal braided hoses, it’s the crimp connecting the rubber hose and the steel braid to the swivel. When you bend and flex these hoses, they fail at the crimp point because the crimp pushes the steel braiding into the rubber tube. And, once the rubber tube is severed, there’s nothing to hold back the water. It pours out between the holes in the metal braid.

Normal household water pressure is between 70 and 80 psi (pounds per inch).
Why is that important?

What it means for you is that a burst braided metal supply hose can inundate your home with 3-5 gallons of water per minute. That’s 180-500 gallons per hour!

So what can you do to protect your home?

1. Turn the water off before you go on vacation!!

2. Consider beating the burst!

If your metal braided hoses are over 5 years old, replace them now.

It’s not hard.
If you can connect a garden hose to a faucet, you can replace your metal braided hoses.
Here’s how:
First, turn off the water at the main.
Next, use a wrench to loosen the old hoses.
Then, attach the new hose and hand-tighten.
Last, give the coupling an extra 1/4 turn with the wrench.

3. Consider installing an automatic water shut off system

The Water Damage Defense website carries all manner of water leak detection and shutoff systems for you to use to protect your home. It won’t prevent the metal braided hoses from bursting, but, it will prevent water damage to the rest of your home should the metal braided hoses burst.

Remember: For any kind of water damage, time is not your friend!

The longer you wait, the more damage it causes, and the more it costs to remediate and repair.

For water damage restoration emergencies from burst braided metal hose – or any other source-

Call SERVPRO of Columbia, Montour & Sullivan Counties, 570-759-0966