The Flood Co. Blog

Archive for the ‘Flooding’ Category

I can understand people being careful and cautious about their water damage insurance coverage and how it works. They often times are concerned whether its a covered water damage event for insurance purposes; and then what will it cover. Water damage can spread and get worse by the hour, so collecting estimates and trying to make sense of them is not a good idea. My “customer of the week” was an Ogden Utah water damage and was trying to analyse estimates to see if there is something they might could do themselves. For one thing the estimate is just that; an estimate. The insurance company is not going to reimburse an expense that was not incurred. This couple shared with me that they had a water damage about a year ago. It also was a covered water damage event and was submitted to their insurance. They were reimbursed for the damages and did the work themselves. They also shared with me that they did the mitigation and repairs themselves, and when the work was all completed they were only out of pocket about $2000. That sounds like a “lose, lose” proposition. Their deductible was $500. If they did nothing themselves, called a professional service, had the home professionally dried, repaired and cleaned; their total out of pocket cost should have been $500. What a deal, they got to do everything themselves and and pay $2000 instead of $500. This couple hasn’t learned from their first $1500 mistake, it looks like they may be on their way to duplicating their mistake again.

Lesson to be learned: Don’t take on the water damage insurance process alone. You may luck out, but very often you will lose. Hire a professional. Even if the numbers on the surface seem to be OK, you may still lose. If you botch your mitigation and don’t dry some structural areas quickly enough(And you may not of even been aware they were wet to begin with.). You could lose, because the insurance company would have covered the drying services, but will probably now not cover the mold removal. You only have one chance to get a water damage mitigation right, use a professional.

Water damage  Utah occurs whether the flooding resulted from pipe breaks inside the property, or from waters entering the home called black water, because it is contaminated with bacterial and physical hazards. Cleaning up after black water flooding requires additional safety precautions against injury or disease.  Water damage Utah cleanup procedures need to be started immediately to prevent the growth of mold, regardless of the type of flood waters.

Safety Procedures

• In the event of black water or when clean water has been standing and allowed contamination to grow, take certain safety precautions. Do not allow the water to come in contact with the skin, and especially any wounds. In addition to wearing rubber gloves, wear face masks to prevent inhaling mold and bacteria. Wear protective clothing  to be removed at the location, to prevent mold and bacteria from being spread into other clean environments.

Life at The Flood Co. I received a flood call at 8pm. The water started from a toilet overflowing upstairs and ended in their basement. As well as water everywhere I ended up finding mold growth in there bathrooms. Luckily they were pro active and made sure that their insurance policy covered mold related to a water damage. So instead of having to pay thousands of dollars to take care of the mold problem there insurance will pay for the mold and the water damage. So to sum it up for the price of their deductible they got the water and mold taken care of, three bathrooms, and one bedroom remodeled.

If your basement was recently flooded and if you are in need of a cleanup service, your best bet would be to hire a professional fire and water restoration contractor who will use their expertise, equipment and know how to clean out your basement in a safe and efficient manner.

Water damage cleanup is tricky as there is often more to it than just what meets the eye. Some homeowners are under the impression that merely pumping the water out is enough. They could not be more wrong about this.

The perils of water damage are listed below and it will hopefully allow you to realize the importance of hiring a fire and water restoration contractor to do a professional job for you.

• Pumping the water out – If your basement has a lot of water, it is very important that you pump out the water at a slow rate. Pumping out water at a very fast rate will result in reduced pressure inside the basement as the pressure outside the basement will increase. This can cause the basement walls to cave in which is definitely something that you want to avoid during the basement cleanup. A professional fire and water restoration contractor will know exactly how to tackle your flooding problem.
• Estimating the damage – Depending on how long the water has been present, it might be difficult to salvage everything after a water damage cleanup. A fire and water restoration contractor will easily be able to tell you if your floors, carpets or walls are salvageable or if they have to be torn down as they are beyond repair.
• Moisture damage – Not a lot of people know that moisture damage goes hand in hand with water damage. This will mean that a basement flood cleanup will also have to address moisture related problems that can affect areas of the house that are untouched by the water.
• Mold damage – When there is water and moisture, there will be mold. You want to avoid mold at all costs and it is best that you let a professional flood cleanup contractor to survey your house for potential mold problems that might have arisen out of your flooding problem.
• Equipment – Unless the flooding is minor, you will need quite powerful equipment that is commercial grade to carry out the basement flood cleanup. Renting such equipment or buying such equipment can be a very expensive process. A much better alternative would be to let a professional flooding cleanup company take care of the cleanup for you as they will already possess high grade dehumidifiers, pumps, water extraction units and other specialized equipment.
• Safety – If you are going to approach a basement flood cleanup on your own, you have to be aware of various problems such as electrocution, natural gas leaks and even watch out for other dangers such as snakes which can suddenly show up in a basement. If you are not sure about any of the above mentioned dangers, you will save yourself a lot of trouble by allowing a professional cleaning company to do the job for you.

A burst pipe can create serious water damage to your home and belongings. As soon as you learn that you have a burst pipe at home, consider it an emergency and follow the steps below immediately to mitigate water damage.

Stop the Water Flow

Shut off the main water supply by turning off the main stop tap, which is usually either in the area where the main service pipe connects to the home or under the kitchen sink. It is best to ensure that everyone in your family knows where the main stopcock is located and how to turn it off in case of a burst pipe emergency.

Let the pipe drain out the water by turning on all cold taps. Switch off the water heating system and then turn on all hot taps to help in draining the water supply system. Also, flush all toilets. All leaks should stop once there is no more water running from the taps.

Find the Break

Locating exactly where the pipe burst is should be done immediately to prevent further damage. Once you’ve found the burst, you’ll know what you have to do next. For instance, if it’s a tiny crack, patching it up may fix the problem for a while. Also, consider which pipe has burst. If the damage is in a main water pipe, it needs to be repaired and dealt with carefully regardless of the cause or size of the break.

Facing a problem caused by flooded water? Try not to solve the problem with a hair dryer as this will only add to the amount of damages. Call in a water damage restoration service that provides experienced professionals to clean up the property and minimize the damages.

If your home has been damaged by a flood, leakage of a pipe or overflowing tubs, you should take immediate steps to start the mitigation process. First of all, don’t try to clean the property yourselves after the flooding rather get help from the water damage restoration services. Such issues shouldn’t be taken lightly or ignored as these can cause serious damages to property as well as the health of the residents with the growth of the mold.

It is vital for water damage restoration to have the right tools and equipment, whether the disaster is too much or just a little. Different aspects of mitigation require different equipment that only water damage restoration services have. Such services are only a phone call away and you should call them up as soon as possible since flood water damages the home as well as the articles very quickly. To restore the buildings, these services have latest equipment such as wet- dry vacuum unit, wood floor drying tools, industrial driers, dehumidifiers, high powered drying fans, air scrubbers and some others.

When choosing a water damage restoration service, you should consider the services they provide. Many companies provide only the removal of water whereas others provide structural drying along with other services. The basic services offered are:

Assessment of the damaged property – After drying the whole area, the professionals assess the property and find the source of flood (in case of a pipe leakage or sewage breakout ) and fix the problem altogether.

Water extraction – The first thing the experts take on is the extraction of water from the damaged property. They use highly advanced tools to remove the water and dry the entire area thoroughly.

Content manipulation – It is the process in which experts analyze the contents of the home such as furniture, appliances, carpets, curtains and others. The articles that can be saved are referred to drying whereas the others are discarded.

Structural drying – After analyzing the contents of the home, the professional take effective measures to salvage the items that have been affected by the water.

Sanitizing of the property – If your home has been affected by the flood water, it becomes extremely essential to sanitize the property in order to decontaminate the place.

Odor removal – When the water remains in the building, it leaves a musty smell which makes living inside the house even after the mitigation hard. So, you should hire a service that deodorizes the property.

Mold remediation – Mold growth is something that needs to attended to immediately. Make sure your restoration service removes the harmful microorganisms from your home.

Insurance Claim – Some services also provide the insurance claim filing services. You should always file for an insurance compensation since the cost of clean up and restoration after a disaster can be very high.

Employing a service that has good experience and expert work force is crucial to the mitigation process. Only a professional will deal with the different aspects of required restoration and the remediation. The water damage clean up requires proper attention for limiting the damages to the minimal and making the home a safe place to live. So, call in the experts from the services to restore your resident after a damage.

Water damage describes a significant number of possible losses caused by water intruding where it’ll enable attack of a material or system by destructive processes like rotting of wood, expansion, rusting of steel, de-laminating of materials such as plywood, and many , many others.

However fast it occurs, is a major contributor to loss of property.

One’s householder’s insurance policy might or might not cover the expenses associated with water damage and the method of . While a typical cause of residential water damage is often the failure of a sump pump, many home owner’s's insurance policies do not cover the associated costs without an addendum which adds to the monthly premium of the policy. Often the wordiness of this addendum is analogous to ‘Sewer and Drain Coverage.’

Those individuals who are influenced by wide scale flooding could have the facility to sign up for central authority and FEMA grants through the Individual help program. [1] On a bigger level, businesses, cities, and communities can apply to the FEMA Public help program for funds to help after a large flood. For example, the town of Fond du Lac the state of Wisconsin received $1.2 million FEMA grant after flooding in June 2008. The program permits the town to get the water damaged properties, demolish the structures, and turn the properties into public green space.

1 : Water – appertains to a source of water that doesn’t pose important threat to humans and cataloged as ‘Clean Water’.

2 : Water – refers to a source of water that contains a big degree of chemical, biological or physical contaminants and causes discomfort or sickness when exposed or consumed. Examples are toilet bowls with urine ( no feces ), sump pump failures, seepage due to hydrostatic failure and water discharge from dishwashers or washing machines.

3 : Water – Known as ‘Black Water’ and are grossly unsanitary. This water contains unsanitary agents, dangerous bacteria and fungi, causing serious pain or sickness. Type 3 category are polluted water sources that has an effect on the indoor environment. This category includes water sources from sewage, seawater, rising water from streams or streams, ground surface water or standing water. Toilet back flows that originates from outside the toilet trap is regarded black water contamination regardless of obvious content or color.

Flood protection is vital for any home at risk of flooding and in this article we’ll discuss the different types of flooding and the crucial part the humble sandbag plays in flood defenses.

Flooding is becoming an increasing risk for many home-owners. In England and Wales alone, nearly 5 million households are at risk of flooding and as more and more homes are being built in high risk areas, the problem is expected to get worse.

Flooding is not just a problem for those living near the coastline or rivers either. Floods can happen anywhere and at anytime, particularly after a heavy rainfall and it is important to be aware of the risks of flooding and types available. There are numerous causes of flooding many of which can happen anywhere even if you live miles from a main source of water. The main causes of flooding are:

River flooding – rivers can burst their banks after heavy rainfall and this can lead to one of the most widespread types of flooding and reservoirs and lakes can burst their banks too.

Coastal flooding – is often caused by storms but with climate change expecting to cause rising sea-levels this type of flooding could increase.

Groundwater Floods – caused by lack of drainage of groundwater particularly in areas built on permeable rock

Surface and sewer water flooding – Caused by blocked drains and sewers, this type of flooding can hit any home and at anytime.

River floods can affect large areas

The UK’s Environment Agency produces a map of areas deemed as high risk and it is vital that if you live in one of these areas you put some thought into proper planning to prevent flooding and to prepare for it by thinking about flood defenses and flood protection.

The aim of flood defenses is to: prevent, delay and limit the damage of water getting onto a home.

One of the most common and useful flood defense tools is the humble sandbag. These can be stacked into walls to prevent water from getting in and have been used for centuries in preventing flood risks. They are cheap, easy to store and provide excellent defense against flooding.

Unfortunately there are downsides to the sandbag. Traditional sandbags have to be filled-up in advance of any flooding. Unfortunately not every flood can be predicted and often there is not enough time to prepare the sandbags in advance.

However, a new type of is available that does away with the need for sand completely. These instant sandbags use water, and once soaked for a few minutes, an instant sandbag will fill up and act exactly the same way as a traditional sand bag.

Instant sandbags are part of a arsenal of new flood defense innovations available in the struggle against flooding and we’ll discuss some other new methods of flood defense in later articles.

When professional flood restoration is needed, give us a call. 866-400-7762

If your home becomes water damaged it is important to clean it up quickly and thoroughly to prevent further damage to your home and possibly harm to your family’s health. The quicker you take care of your home’s water damage cleanup the better chances you have of reducing damage to your property. If water problems are not properly handled in time it can lead to problems such as rotting, mold and permanent damage to your home’s structural integrity.

There are many times when water damage can occur. They can be anything from broken pipes or leaky lines, appliances or sinks overflowing, cracks in foundation or exterior walls, improperly sealed toilets or showers, exterior leaks, and natural disasters including flooding, storms, or weather. Whatever the cause of water damage is it is important to act quickly to start the drying process and eliminate all water from your home. You should immediately start the drying process by opening doors and windows, turning off water sources if necessary as well as gas and electricity to prevent catastrophic events from occurring.

Hiring a professional service to dry up standing water as well as evaporate any moisture in your home may be a key step to prevent damage and harmful side effects such as mold and mildew growth. Certified, experienced water damage clean up professionals will have thorough training in how to remove mold and other dangerous pollutants from your home as these are often present in homes after flooding or water damage occurs. Removing contaminants from your home is just as important if not the most important step as saving your belongings and repairing damage. Checking to make sure that you hire a professional and experienced crew is important to make sure your home is properly cared for. You should also discuss what type of work is going to be done and check for reviews from other customers.

A flood inside your home is devastating, unpredictable and costly. Many times, insurance does not cover flood damage as well. In a flooding situation it is important to act quickly to dry up water and protect your home and belongings from further damage. The first thing you should do is do whatever you can. This may include starting the drying process or removing valuable belongings from water damage. The next things you can do is hire a professional service to clean up any existing moisture and repair or remove damaged property. Then continue to follow up with a professional service to ensure that no harmful after effects such as mold and mildew happen, which are dangerous to your family’s health.

Insurance coverage that protects losses caused to property because of floods is called flood insurance. If your area is prone to floods, buying flood insurance would be a wise decision. Floods cause a great deal of water damage to millions of homes. Having a flood insurance means you are spared the damages that are caused by flooding.

You might not want to purchase because of the expense you would incur, but it is better to pay for the insurance than to spend even more rebuilding your home if it is damaged by floods. Remember, homeowner’s insurance policy will not pay for the damages caused by floods to your home; this is a misconception that some people have.

What is excess flood insurance?

Excess flood insurance can be purchased from an excess and surplus carrier or can also be purchased from certain flood insurance companies.

If the value of your real estate exceeds the amount provided by the National Flood Insurance Program, you will be safe if you get an excess flood insurance. If you have property located in a flood prone zone, you are eligible for excess flood insurance.

Other things you need to know

You can go for quality and low cost flood insurance coverage. A licensed insurance agent should be able to offer discounts in comparison to other coverage plans. If the flood insurance coverage is recognized and approved by a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), it will imply that you are receiving flood coverage similar to everyone else but for a lesser cost.

This will cover your home for a wide range of flooding cases. The main reason for having flood insurance is when an area receives very heavy rainfall in a short period of time causing a flood and hampering your property. Other events that can cause flooding and call for flood insurance include water damage to the home due to melting snow, a swimming pool leak, clogged storm drains, and other such calamities.

The cost of the flood insurance will depend on the coverage plan that you have selected. You need to do your research for getting the coverage you require and at a low price. Arming yourself with flood insurance will save you from the aches and pains that could be caused by heavy losses incurred because of the ravages of a flood. So be safe and not sorry. Get a flood insurance coverage as soon as possible.