Superior Restoration

This morning I look out the window in the front of the office, and what do I see? The sun is shining and warming the farmlands ready for harvest, birds flitting about to catch the waking insects before their long flight south. The gentle yet constant white noise of the cicadas buzzing in what I think is the most iconic sound of summer that no one remembers but all know. It makes it hard to try and write about tornado damage, flooding, and other terrible dilemmas that can happen to your home. I, like you, get caught up in the grand splendor of the season and forget, sometimes foolishly, that disasters happen when we forget they can come around the corner.

A lot of what we talk about are extreme circumstances and complete run downs of damages for certain situations. The point of our blog is to inform you, the homeowner, of any possible threat to your home and how we can help you. Keep in my however that we’ve been in business over 30 years, and that means bad stuff does happen. Today we’re going to give you a few checklist maintenance ideas to help keep your home safe.

1) Check and change batteries in all Smoke Detectors

Why: More often than not fires can rage out of control and pose fatal consequences for anyone inside should smoke detectors not work. Change the batteries with every season and test them. Each room should have its own detector, including hallways.

2) Invest in Flood Insurance

We’ve see this happen so many times: a family has made it through a heavy rain storm that lasted several days, but ground water has flooded their basement. However insurance does not cover ground water in basic coverage policies like it would a hot water heater breaking, the only way to protect yourself from a hefty restoration bill coming out of your pocket is flood insurance.

3) Have your Furnace and Hot Water Heater inspected each year

These two items are the biggest tickets we find year after year in causing damages. Furnaces puff back soot and debris which is notorious for causing breathing problems, and hot water heaters break. Have specialists come and inspect these items each year to ensure they are maintained and working properly. If you suspect it is not working properly turn it off and call a professional immediately.

4) If you leave on vacation, have someone check your home periodically

This again is a very common problem we see. People leave on vacation and a pipe breaks, or someone breaks it, or maybe leaves the fridge door open for two weeks causing all the food to spoil. This is simple, have someone trusted pop by every day or every other day just to check on things. You’ll be glad you did

5) Winterize your home for all seasons

Winter is coming up fast, make sure that your heatng system is functioning properly and make sure your home is ready for the season. Fill gaps in windows, make sure doors are air tight, and move objects away from heaters. One of the best ways to ensure a happy, healthy home is with a little forethought and a lot of knowledge. A local handy-man or contractor would be happy to assist you in winterize your home. In fact we can recommend some.

Your home shall and always will be a place of joy and love. Sometimes some rather unpleasant things happen, but there is always someone in your corner. We understand that you may not know how to proceed or even what you should be doing, but we do. If you have a problem and your home has suffered internal damage call us today. We may just be able to make it all better.

If you have questions regarding accident prevention, losses, or anything else related to the topics covered in our blog leave us a message in our ask box. We’d be happy to help.

With so much rain heading our way it seems only fitting that we take this nice, sunny day to reflect on bad weather. Or, at least that’s what we do here each week (which is harder than you think when you’re looking out at sunny fields). Today we are going to give you two checklists; one for water prevention, and one in case the worst happens. Below is the first of these checklists: prevention.

Water Loss Prevention:

. Check basement windows

. Check to make sure gutters are clear

. Check for leaks in the roof

. Check for cracks in the foundation

. Make sure sump-pump is working properly

. Check around old windows for cracks

. Make sure storm drains are clear of debris

. Check basement hatchway is sealed

. Are there areas prone to getting wet?

. During the storms, check likely areas like basements for water

. If water has come in in the past, note the point of origin

. Make sure lawn is graded away from your home

. Know your area’s saturation abilities. Swampy areas react differently than farms

. Have your insurance information readily available

. Purchase flood insurance

. Know your coverage

. Have our number handy

If you think of anything else to add to this list, do so. These are just the basics and every home has different risks and strong points. Water can be devastating to your home, but sometimes just a little bit of care and observation can limit the damage caused, or prevent it completely.

If you have questions about water damage, or prevention leave us a message in our ask box for further information.

We’ve already discussed water loss prevention today, but what about if water comes in anyways? What if not matter what you did the rains do come in and make your life a living nightmare? Don’t worry, there are a few things you can, and should do before we get there. Below, we’re going to address these things.

Water Loss Management Checklist:

. Turn off electricity to affected area.

. Do not walk through water if electricity is still on.

. Note where the water is coming in, if it’s an open window, close it.

. If water has come through ceiling do not walk under affected ceiling

. Do not use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the water

. Contact your insurance company immediately to file a claim

. Make sure your deductible is available

. Contact us so we can get out to your home as soon as possible

. Let us know everything that happened, and what you see

. If water levels have reached beyond a power box, call fire dept.

. Never enter a room with a sagging ceiling

. If you feel unsafe, don’t meddle with the situation

. If there is little water you can attempt to mop

. If there are special belongings like documents, heirlooms, weapons, money or anything you don’t want us touching remove them immediately.

As the homeowner the few things you can do mean a lot. However remember that there are trained professionals who have been handling these kinds of situations for years and years. The best thing you can do is to remain calm and collected. A level head is one of the best things you can have in these situations, and the more calm you are the faster we can be out there to help. Have your insurance information handy with the company name, a claim number, and if you have a deductible as we will collect that when we come out. If an adjuster has been assigned to this loss let us know that as well.

If you have any questions on Water damages and losses contact us via our ask box for further information.

Between today and tomorrow our area will be receiving a decent amount of rainfall which we all know we desperately need. In foresight of this event we are going to make you an easy to follow list to help identify, notify, and prevent ground water damages to your home and basement. These pieces of advice could greatly reduce the damages done to your home, or eliminate the risk entirely.

1) Make sure all windows are sealed.

Many times windows along the ground edge of a basement can come under serious stress. As a result the sealing around the window can warp or decay causing it to allow particles and in this case water into your home. Your best bet is to inspect your windows yearly, and if damage is apparent seek a contractor for repairs.

2) Be aware of your land

Do you live in a swampy area? How about what used to be farmlands? How close are you to a river, or lake? These factors can all play a critical role in determined how risk the risk of ground water flooding is to your home. Places where the ground stays saturated for long periods of time such as a swampy area will be able to hold less amounts of water, which may seep through the walls of your basement, while other areas that say have a lot of tress may take longer since the plant life can and will absorb some of the water.

3) Have flood insurance

No joke, get it. We see all too often where people are denied insurance coverage of a loss because they lack flood insurance. This policy can be relatively inexpensive, but give you peace of mind in all kinds of situations. Knowing what you are currently covered for can be confusing, so contact your insurance agent for an explanation and know what you pay for.

4) Check your basement

If you know we’ll be getting a rainy week, try to check your basement at least twice a day for any signs of moisture or water build up. If so contact your insurance company to inform them. Many times work cannot be started to clean up a ground water problem until after the rains have stopped as there is little way to stop the water coming in (unless it’s from an open window or stair hatch).

Ground water shouldn’t leave you alarmed and unsure of what to do. A watchful eye is all you need to keep your home relatively safe. Be prepared for anything, and you will find that no problem can get you down.

If you have questions about ground water contact us via our ask box for further information.

Considering the fact that we all woke up to rain I thought it only right that for the last day of our health awareness week we discuss what standing water, or a persistent leak might do to your health.

Directly one might not think there is much that can happen when there is water in your home, but that it just not true. Leaks and water damages can be some of the most silent, harmless experiences for a family. Lets put it this way, have you ever traveled to a developing country? You know how they say ‘don’t drink the water’? That standing water in your basement could be teeming with the exact same bacteria, if not mosquito larva.

That last part is a little hard for people to except but we’ve seen many cases where water left standing for over a week before a happy breeding ground for these disease-spreading insects. It’s summertime, and many mosquitoes are in their peak-breeding season where hundreds if not thousands of female mosquitoes are looking for any stagnant water source to lay their young. Your basement is a perfect, nearly predator free place for their babes to hatch, grow, and breed again.

Minus the insects, bacteria will cultivate and become an issue. Many of these bacteria will feed off, and destroy sheetrock and wood compromising the structural integrity of your home. For this example lets get out of the basement and into the attic. Mr. Thompson has had a leaky roof for ages. Actually he can’t remember when it started, just that it’s there and he forgets about it. One day a strong storm comes, and the support beam that has been slowly rotted by water and mold is too weak. It collapses and nearly destroys the house. Terrible isn’t it? It could all be avoided by just repairing the roof and potentially having an expert examine the beam to see the level of damage it has sustained.

Standing water and leaks also give rise to mold. Your home is made of what mold eats, so here is the formula to remember:

Water + Humidity + Food Source = Mold

This can happen all year round, and many times remain hidden between walls where a leaky pipe might be. Frankly most people do not catch their mold problem until it is far too late. These damages can go up into the thousands incredibly easily, and some even in the tens of thousands. A recent large mold remediation we administered cost almost twenty thousand dollars.

Water is a sneaky thing, it gets everywhere it shouldn’t, but it doesn’t ever completely disappear without proper drying and handling by trained professionals. If you have a water damage contact us seven days a week. We’ll be happy to help.

If you have questions about water damage please leave a message in our ask box.

For many of us summertime is the time for vacations, cook outs, and enjoying the ocean. The weather always turns ugly, the storms cloud come in, and then we get calls. But what are the most common losses we see over these hot summer months? Today we’re going to let you know for your own reference, and maybe to help prevent such tragedies.

One of the largest factors in deciding which is our bigger threat is the amount of rainfall. Too little and we see more fires, too much and we too are flooded with calls of wet basements. Still for us year round the biggest loss we see that takes up nearly half of our losses is water. No matter what time of year basements can and will flood. A good storm and an open window is all it takes to put a few inches in your basement. Yes, this does happen. Other problems we see are water heaters and AC units in the basement breaking, spilling water into your home. As it stands we’ve been getting more calls from leaky pipes and broken heaters than anything. People go on vacation and in that time something breaks. Weeks later they return to stagnant, flooded basements. But how do you avoid that? Well first thing is to entrust a family member or neighbor with a key. Ask then to check on your house each day to make sure everything is alright. If not make sure they have your phone number/ cell number in which they can reach you. You have no idea how essential a fast response is when dealing with water. The window is small to dry out the area before mold becomes a very likely problem.

Another problem we see comes from storms. Wind bows debris into windows, the windows shatter and now there is glass and who knows what else covering the carpet. We clean these losses, and they don’t take much time but they are unnerving for the homeowner. There are two things you can do to help nearly eliminate the damages cause by wind. The first is to install shutters on every window. When you hear a storm system is moving in close the shutters over your windows and lock them. This will keep the fast majority of small projectiles like hail, small branches, rocks, and plastic flamingos from touching your windows. The next step would be to draw the curtains inside your home. If something does get through the curtains will help catch and stop the glass and rain from saturating your floor. Needless to say if you live in a glass house you might want to reconsider the options.

Our third biggest loss we see in summer is fire. From dried grass and hot temperatures electrical and natural fires can be an utterly devastating thing in any season. So far this year we’ve seen a staggering number of fire damages. With this alarming rate we must urge everyone to be knowledgeable of their potential risks. Keep grills and lawn waste barrels away from your home, and make sure that your smoke detectors are all working. Fresh batteries never, ever hurt. Having a buddy system with a close neighbor can help. Watch each other’s houses and if you see fire or smoke call the fire department immediately.

Summer should always be a time for fun and enjoyment. Just remember that before you leave your house to just ensure a little bit of safety. Forethought and prevention is always the best method. Why wait until your home is flooded? Or damaged? Start planning today.

If you have any questions about losses, prevention, or any other subject matter pertaining to your home leave us a message in our ask box and we’ll be happy to answer.

“Mom! Mom! Mom lookit! Lookit I’m gonna cannonball!” Oh the sounds of children at play. Pools can be some the greatest things in a child’s life, but they can also be a problem for your home if not properly maintained. Above ground pools are a fun, and interesting way to beat the summer heat. With getting kids out of the house proving to be harder and harder these objects of fun are becoming commonplace.

Pools are fun. That goes without saying and it probably the silliest adage I will have in one of these blogs for a while. However without being properly maintained the lining can rip, and all that water could come rushing towards your home. It can take upwards of 18,000 gallons of water to fill a good sized pool, and chances are the soil around your home is not going to soak it all up. Water in basements and bottom floors sadly happens more often than you think.

To avoid this costly restoration the best advice we can give is to inspect your pool for rips and tears each month it is open. When you first open the pool for the summer (which you probably have) look around the lining, even around the top for any puncture holes, rips, or places where the lining is simply falling apart. If you find something like this, the lining must be replaced.

Many times rips can be made by foreign objects getting into the pool, like a toy truck, or some senseless kid deciding to befriend a pocket knife (yes this happened). What is worse yet is that these loses can be difficult for insurance companies to cover, so the restoration bill might come out of your pocket. No one wants that.

Maintain your pool, educate those who use it about how this object is a privilege, and try not to put your pool at the top of a hill with your home below it. Gravity works.

Do you have questions about pools, water damage, or any other kind of loss? Send us a message via our ask box for more information.

Water damages happen every day in the world. Heck, we wouldn’t stay in business without them, but over countless losses we have seen a string of similar questions and concerns that we will address in today’s blog: Water Damage- What you should expect.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times we get calls from people with flooded basements. This number can range between two a day, to in rare cases over 20. One of the main things people ask us is how much it will cost. At no point can we give you an estimate over the phone for a water damage. We need to see the area, check the walls for moisture, and we don’t know how severe the damage is. Saying “Oh it’s bad” does not rank it on the price scale. We will come to you and take out measurements, readings, and needed information and happily work you up an estimate. These damages can range anywhere from a very minor $400 to the tens of thousands for large commercial damages. Just last week we had one that was over eight thousand dollars if only because the walls needed to be removed.

Be ready for our estimators to let you know what can be saved. Many times a finished basement is more costly, but also more devastating. The carpet and padding may need to be removed, and even drywall. Loose items that were not properly stored may also be affected. This is a world of advice: no not keep family photo albums in a cardboard box on the basement floor; seriously just not a good idea. You need to understand that to successfully and safely dry out the area things that could grow mold are taken away. This greatly lowers the risk of a rather nasty mold problem.

Another thing we often here the shock that our drying equipment will be in your home for at least three days. This means fans, dehumidifiers, negative air machines— anything our experienced estimators have put in there is going to be running nonstop for three days or more. This is the industry standard and is proven to be the minimum safe dry out.

Also be ready for us to come out to monitor the damages during those three days. This lets us know how well our set up is working, and lets us guess how long the equipment will be there.

Water losses do not have to be a completely stressful event. We know how to handle these kinds of situations almost in our sleep. Just remember what you should expect from us, and what might have to change in order to make your home a safe and happy place once again.

Do you have questions, concerns, or just want to know more about water damage? Send us a message in our ask box, on our Facebook or twitter, or our email. We’d be happy to help.

It’s summer and today is going to be a scorcher. What is one to do? If it’s like most of us our first thoughts will be of the family pool. Which is all fine and good but disaster can happen even in the most precious of moments.

I don’t need to tell any parent that every year more children between the ages of 1 and 4 from drowning in swimming pools than car accidents. I also don’t have to say that on average 5000 children will be hospitalized each year with unintentional drowning conditions. I don’t need to tell you that 92% of those children do live, but were found within two minutes of submersion, but that remaining 8% are found after ten minutes and either die or suffer severe brain damage. I also don’t need to tell you that 20% of those cases happened in lakes or public pools.

Each year we here horror stories of sweet little children with their whole life ahead of them die from drowning. Just last year I remember hearing about a child who drowned in my own hometown. For a few weeks after that parents were vigilant. I remember sitting by a small private lake in Stafford hearing two mothers say “I can’t believe they let their baby drown. I would never do that.” All the while they are too busy talking to each other than watching their toddlers try to leap into the water. Now that’s just highlighting the most negative experience, I have seen many people take such tragedy as a reality check.

“That could have been mine.” One mother said with a solemn look of near horror on her face. “You know you get so relaxed, like nothing bad will ever happen to your little kid. But they can. I don’t think I’ll ever let mine swim alone. If I need to go inside for anything they have to come out of the pool. Hell I’m taking CPR classes just to be sure.” With a shutter she kept one eye on her five year old daughter. Her little girl never went in too far, “I told her that the water could be dangerous. I mean I didn’t want to terrify her but I did stress that she could die if she swam without an adult around”

I asked both groups what they thought about public pools or lakes, and if it was okay to read, or plays online while their kids were swimming. The first set of moms said that there was always an adult watching, so if one went under someone should notice. What happens when everyone is thinking with that same mentality? What happens when someone looks and says “not my kid”? when 20% of drowning cases happen in public pools I’d say this happens quite a bit. The second mother shook her head “No, I would never let me kid swim in a public pool. They are too crowded and too rough for little kids. My girl asked me before to go to one, I flat out refused. I know this is a lake, but it’s not so busy, besides I would never in my life distract myself while she’s swimming. What am I, an idiot?” 

Growing up my mom was like the second mother. We all learned that the water could be our friend, but also dangerous. We could not swim by ourselves until we were teenagers, and even then she wanted to know when we were. She saw enough horror stories in her life to make a vow of “that’s not going to be mine.” She went so far as to put us all into a pool safety class that lasted an hour at one of the local high schools. Okay, us kids may have gone because of the promise of ice cream after. It takes less than two inches of water to drown a child. If something happens and a toddler or child cannot lift their head above water they can easily drown. You have a very small window to react.

We’re not saying to rip down pools, or condemn any mother, we just hope that in this coming season we can all be a little more careful. To those who aren’t parents keep an eye on small children. If you see them go under, say something. If they stay under and no one is around them, help or at least call for help. Don’t swim in places where lifeguards are not on duty, and just please use common sense.

If you have any questions about pool safety feel free to contact us, your local fire department, or any of the valuable websites online regarding pool safety. 

It’s early morning and everything is calm. You get out of bed, complain about the heat and go to turn on the water for a shower. But wait a minute, where’s the water? Grumbling you go to check on the hot water heater, you open up the basement door, walking down into the somewhat dark, you hit the bottom—- wait is that water? Your hot water heater has gone and has backed nearly a foot of water into your basement. What do you do?

We’ve had three water heater breaks this week alone, so we thought it necessary and of the best interest of everyone to discuss what you should do following a water heater break.

The first thing you should do is turn off the water if you know how. If not contact a plumber and they might be able to walk you through it. Next would be to call a plumber if you haven’t already to turn the water off and tell them what happened. Ask when they can come to begin repairs and try to get a time.

Once the plumber has been contacted, contact your insurance company to file a claim. Make sure to right down the claim number, your deductible amount, and the name of the adjuster with a phone number if an adjuster has been assigned. That information is vital for the next step.

The next step would be to contact us. Tell us what happened, where you’re located, and have your insurance information that you wrote down handy. We will ask for your insurance information, and if a plumber has been contacted or already fixed the problem. Generally speaking we wont go out until the plumber gives us the okay as until the problem has been fixed water may simply come back in, and nobody wants to pay for a water damage twice. We can schedule to be there once the plumber is there, or if the problem is fixed we can generally be to your location within an hour.

This week in the three hot water heater breaks we’ve had we’ve been able to get out to their homes after our first call within an hour, sometimes as little as forty-five minutes. Trust us when we say that our response time is very fast, and when we arrive we waste no time in getting started.

Once we have arrived your only job is to relax and let us begin the water restoration process. We have over 30 years of experience with these kinds of damages and our trained staff know how to take care of your home.

Generally speaking the dry-out process takes three days from start to finish, and when it’s done we can recommend carpet installers, and contractors to help with any reconstruction.

Don’t let a water loss get you down. Call us and we’ll handle it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.