What You Should Know About Water Damage After Fires

8/28/2023 (Permalink)

Fire and water damage in a building in Georgetown, TX.

Protect Your Business From Fire

As a business owner, you want to do everything you can to protect your business. After a business in Georgetown, TX, sustains fire damage, it is not uncommon for water damage to occur after the fire. There are various reasons floods often occur after fires.

1. Environmental Devastation Can Make Flooding Likely

When fires are not contained within a building, plant life can be destroyed. In addition to providing curb appeal to your business, trees, shrubs and other plants around your building can help to absorb rainwater. However, if a fire destroys the majority of plant life in an area, excess water will not be absorbed, and floods are more likely to occur quickly.

2. Structural Issues Can Result in Flooding

Fire damage can often affect the structure of a building, which can in turn cause pipes to crack or burst. If a pipe bursts or cracks as a result of a fire, different areas of a building may be impacted by water. Though it is not always possible to avoid pipes breaking during fires, regular maintenance can help to spot cracks that may otherwise remain unnoticed until after a building has been damaged.

3. Hoses Can Cause Flooding

The process of putting out a fire can also be a cause of flooding. When a fire is being extinguished, the combination of a fire hose and a sprinkler system can cause a business to become flooded. Since sprinklers and hoses can result in destruction in various areas in the home, including higher locations that may not be impacted by flooding that occurs naturally, it’s often wise to protect important documents by placing them in water-proof, fire-proof containers.

Knowing that flooding often happens after fire damage can help you to prepare your business for disaster. If your business has been impacted by fires and floods, you may consider it helpful to work with fire and flood damage restoration professionals to help restore your business.

How to Prepare Your Business for a Flood

8/23/2023 (Permalink)

Stock up on emergency supplies.

How to Prepare Your Business for a Flood

When a flood warning sounds, it's too late to begin protecting your business from flooding. You need to prepare long before storms and heavy rains move your way. Use the following tips to keep your Georgetown, TX, business, employees, and clients safe.

Reach Out to Local and National Resources

If your business is situated in an area prone to floods, it's a good idea to talk to your insurance company about coverage for this eventuality. You'll feel much better about your outlook when storms do hit. The insurance company may provide advice about the best strategies to protect your property and belongings. Other resources could include:

• The federal government website on floods and prevention
• Local flood remediation companies
• Professional surveyors and architects in Georgetown, TX
  
  

Create a Flood Safety Plan

This plan should include an evacuation route, a protocol for protecting business equipment and inventory, and a communication plan that goes into place as soon as flooding becomes a concern. After working out the details of the plan, train your staff on how to respond and run annual evacuation drills. Don't forget to address the dangers of black water and power outages.

Identify Specific Areas of Danger

You may have a lot of equipment in your building that runs on electricity. As the water rises, those machines could pose an increased risk of danger as well as costing a pretty penny to replace. If there's time to turn off your copiers, computers, and other electronics; and carry those items up to higher levels of the building. When outlets go under the water, there could be an electricity risk. If you have gas heating, that system could also pose a safety risk.

Stock Up on Emergency Supplies

Businesses in communities that are often affected by flooding may want to have plenty of sandbags on hand. Other supplies, such as flashlights and battery-powered radios, should also be kept in a central position that can be accessed easily when warnings are given.

Five Things To Do To Prevent a Gas Fire From a Leak

8/21/2023 (Permalink)

Make sure the stove is off.

Whether it is after a storm or even on a normal day, smelling gas in your home is an unsettling feeling. A gas fire is a common type of house fire, but the good news is you can easily prevent fires caused by natural gas leaks. By following these simple steps, you can protect your home and family.

What To Do When You Smell Gas

1. Remain Calm. You have a better chance of preventing a gas fire when you can think clearly.

2. Ventilate the House. When you open windows, it allows the gas to escape, lessening the chance of a gas explosion.

3. Avoid Making Sparks or Using a Flame. A spark can trigger a gas explosion. Light switches can create sparks, so you don’t want to turn any lights on or off. You also don’t want to use candles or lighters for this same reason. Use a flashlight instead.

4. Make Sure the Stove Is Off. In most instances, the natural gas is coming from the stove. Check to see that all the dials have been shut off properly. You can hear a hiss coming from the burner in this case.

5. Move the Family Outside and Shut Off the Gas. Being outside is the safest place for your family. Once you are outside, go to the meter and shut off the gas. Every meter has an emergency shut-off valve. Find it and turn it to the off position. Then, call the appropriate authorities from a neighbor’s home or your cellphone.

Following these steps can help you when you smell natural gas. Know where your meter and shut-off valve are located, so you can easily find them in an emergency. If you have had the unfortunate event of a gas fire in Serenada, TX, you can find the help you need by calling a restoration professional to help you get your home back to normal.

A Basic Guide To Treating Burns at the Office

7/27/2023 (Permalink)

Know how to respond if someone gets burned.

How To React If Someone In Your Office Experiences A Burn

When an uncontrolled blaze breaks out, the fire damage that results is a minor concern in comparison with someone being injured. The structural impact of fires in Serenada, TX, may be able to be mended by a team of commercial restoration professionals, whereas a co-worker's life is irreplaceable. 

Major Versus Minor Burns
First, you must determine the severity of the injury to administer the appropriate level of burn first aid. Minor burns are characterized by:

• Blisters
• Redness
• Sizes no larger than 3 inches in diameter
  
  

Major burns feature:

• Dryness
• Leathery qualities
• Brown, black or white discoloration
• Sizes larger than 3 inches in diameter
  
  

Move the patient away from any fire damage to avoid the risk of further injury before making your assessment.

Minor Burn Treatment
Follow these first aid procedures if you determine the burn to be superficial. Remove jewelry before swelling occurs. Run cool water over the affected area or apply a wet compress. After the pain has subsided, apply a burn cream and then wrap the harmed surface with sterile gauze. Do so loosely, making sure there is no tightness and air can flow underneath. Administer an OTC pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.

Major Burn Treatment
Prepare major burn victims before professional assistance arrives. Check that the individual is still breathing. If not, administer CPR immediately. As with minor burns, accessories should be quickly taken off. Place a clean cloth or a moist bandage over the burned flesh. Elevate the burn zone above heart level and watch for signs of shock. Make note of and write down your observations. Inform those providing medical treatment of everything you've seen.
Fire damage extends beyond charred walls and seared office equipment. In worst-case scenarios, blazes threaten the lives of employees. Know how to respond if someone working by your side ever gets burned.

There Is a Leak Under the Kitchen Sink

7/18/2023 (Permalink)

A leak under the sink could go unnoticed for days or even weeks.

Leaking Kitchen Sink

If the water in your home stays where it belongs, it may be a homeowner’s best friend. When it is set free by a burst pipe or comes flooding in from the outdoors, it can be one of the homeowner’s worst enemies. Even the damage caused by a simple leak could be extensive, costly, and a major inconvenience.

Check the Sink Enclosure
The pipes in the cabinet enclosure beneath a kitchen sink are a perfect example of a plumbing failure waiting to happen. In that cabinet, you will often find some combination of:

• Hot and cold water supply pipes for the faucet
• A hot water supply pipe for the dishwasher
• A hose for the sprayer
• A water supply pipe for a hot water dispenser
• Water supply for a filtered water dispenser
• Drains

A leak under the sink could go unnoticed for days or even weeks. At that time, the damage could look like it was caused by significant flooding. Even if the leak is small, don’t be fooled into thinking that it can wait.

Prevent Additional Damage
The simplest way to prevent more damage is to shut off the water supply using the valves under the sink. If you are looking at a long wait for the plumber to arrive, you might be able to find other ways to capture the leaking water and reduce the inconvenience.

Call Your Insurance Company
If your insurance policy covers water damage, an adjuster may open a claim and evaluate the damage caused by the leak. By notifying the company of the leak, you can begin the process.

Proceed With Restoration
Whether your sink area has been damaged by significant flooding or a simple leak, your kitchen repair often requires the attention of water remediation specialists who can restore the area quickly and completely. You may find such specialists in Serenada, TX, who are prepared to quickly come in and deal with your problem.

What To Do After a Sewage Backup Floods Your Home

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Overflowing toilet.

What to Do If Your House Is Flooded by Sewage

The thought of rainwater flooding your home in Georgetown, TX, overwhelms you. The thought of a sewer backup flooding your home disgusts you. When a city’s sewage system cannot manage the amount of rainfall it can come into your home through your pipes, drains, toilets and sinks. It is hard to visualize something more foul and unsanitary than cleaning the mess. As a homeowner, what do you do next?

Safety First

The presence of any water in your home poses safety hazards, but sewer water requires additional precautions:

• For any flood, the risk of electrical shock is present when there is water in your home. Stay out of flooded areas where electricity is present. Also be alert for the smell of gas, as rain water may extinguish pilot lights.

• When a sewer backup occurs, the flooding introduces black water into your home. This means that there is a high level of contamination present, such as from fecal matter. This type of water contains bacteria, viruses, mold and threatens a myriad of severe health concerns with exposure. Do not come into direct contact with this water.

Next Steps

After your safety is secured, immediately arrange for a water damage specialist to intervene. Due to the involvement of black water, experts consider this an emergency situation, arrive promptly and take the following measures:

• Survey the damage, identify the contaminated water and perform safety procedures.
• Remove excess water with professional-grade equipment.
• Extract remaining moisture with air movers and dehumidifiers.
• Remove odors and sanitize impacted areas using antimicrobial and antibacterial treatments.
• Restore your home and belongings.

When a storm causes a sewer backup at your home in Georgetown, TX, take immediate action. Blackwater is hazardous to your health, so do not come into direct contact with it. Rather, have a water restoration specialist assess the situation and take the necessary steps to restore your home.

Category 3: Levels of Contamination

6/26/2023 (Permalink)

A flooded home in Andice, TX.

Water Categories

Many people have fond memories of splashing barefoot in puddles after a storm when they were children. Lingering flood water is actually pretty contaminated, though. When it seeps into your home in Andice, TX, it can cause water damage that only water remediation experts can resolve. Water from flooding is considered Category 3 water, meaning it is not safe to ingest on account of its high germ level. All Category 3 water, however, is not the same.

Level 1

Water can be very contaminated without causing a huge problem. Some factors make black water easy to clean up:

• Originates in house
• Does not come into contact with porous items
• Affects small, limited area
• Has quick cleanup time
  
  

Black water from an overflowing toilet that was caught before it could become a huge problem is a level 1 contaminant. It is still not safe to ingest but can be cleaned up fairly easily.

Level 2

Category 3 water that originates in the house but causes more significant water damage is the next level of contamination. It may affect both porous and nonporous materials. Technicians who remediate this damage often have to cut out walls and replace them. Carpet, carpet pads and furniture upholstery that has been in contact with this water must be thrown away if they cannot be cleaned.

Level 3

Flood water from a storm falls into the third level of Category 3 black water. If your home is flooded by a storm, you must engage professional help for cleanup. Certified technicians use industrial cleaners to make sure that every bit of contamination is gone. They also ensure that all damage is fixed and that your home is returned to its previous livable state.

No matter what level Category 3 water you have in your home, it can cause significant water damage. It not only has to be dried to prevent mold and other problems but also cleaned so that the environment of your home is safe again.

How to Clean Your Electronics After a Fire

6/23/2023 (Permalink)

It is deeply frustrating when possessions get destroyed, but computerized equipment can sometimes be saved.

Between tossing everything that has become damaged and hiring a fire restoration service to handle the most difficult aspects of the task, any fire cleanup job is deeply stressful. Often getting lost during the process is the recovery of precious electronics. Never trash them until you have confirmed they are impossible to repair.

Smoke Damage and Electronics
When smoke infects our digital gadgets, it impacts them in three ways:
1. Magnetization, leading to short-circuiting.
2. Corrosion, dramatically shortening their lifespans.
3. Overheating, caused by a thick layer of soot.
Any items displaying evidence of the above conditions should be disposed of, but those that do not may be rehabilitated. Should a fire strike your home in Serenada, TX, remember that inspecting your beloved digital toys should automatically be included as part of the fire cleanup.

Cleansing Electronics of Smoke Damage
First, disconnect the device you wish to salvage and remove the batteries or any other existing power source. With a soft, dry towel, wipe your gizmo’s exterior of any residue, then use an air compressor or blow dryer to clear out any outlets or vents. Once this has been done, you can test your device by switching it on. Never do this, however, until the cleaning stage has been completed.

Sadly, your beloved item will likely never operate the way it once did, as ash is virtually guaranteed to compromise proper functioning. Should you detect unusual behavior from your device, have it inspected by a product specialist. You may have taken out warranties on your most prized pieces, but also note that many home insurance policies cover electronics-related losses, so check your provisions.

It is deeply frustrating when possessions get destroyed, but computerized equipment can sometimes be saved. Never let the hectic nature of a fire cleanup undertaking prevent you from granting your favorite gadgets one last shot at life.

Responding to Mold in a Crisis

6/22/2023 (Permalink)

When you find a mold infestation, it’s nothing to ignore; mold should be treated as an emergency situation and removed from your home immediately. If your Georgetown, TX, home has black mold, you shouldn’t try to clean it yourself. You need help, but there are steps you can take to resolve the crisis and contain the situation in an emergency.

How To Stop the Mold From Spreading

Your first step in emergency response should be emergency containment. That means:

1. Shutting off the HVAC system. This should be your first priority. You have mold spores in the air around you at all times. Airflow causes those black mold spores to spread, and you can’t afford to let them drift to other parts of the home and establish another mold colony.

2. Shutting off the water. If you have a mold problem, it came from a moisture problem. Shut off the water to the affected area, or to the entire house if necessary, until the mold problem is resolved.

3. Sealing off the area. If possible, seal off the area. Close all vents, doors, and windows. Tape the door and window frames, or use weather stripping to seal them off. Make the infested area as airtight as possible to prevent further particulate dispersal.

4. Disposing of anything contaminated. You may want to wait on a full tear-out until an assessment by a professional, but if loose items, such as pillows, clothing, food, or books, are contaminated you should throw them out immediately.

5. Contacting a mold remediation company about mold cleanup. Mold remediation companies usually have more accurate methods for detecting the extent of black mold contamination, and can provide more effective solutions for remediation, removal, and future prevention. For safety and a more complete mold cleanup, trust certified professionals with years of experience removing mold from residential homes.

3 Common Attractions for Mold in a Restaurant

4/6/2023 (Permalink)

Cover any perishable foods in a clean plastic container to prevent mold growth in the refrigerator.

3 Common Attractions for Mold in a Restaurant

Mold spores are microscopic airborne particles that develop into colonies if they are given the proper conditions. It is impossible to keep mold spores out of a building in Florence, TX. Their role in nature is to decompose rotting objects, and they can cause major damage to the natural construction materials of buildings. Fungus thrives when given the conditions of:

• Warmth
• Humidity
• Nutrients

In a restaurant, mold growth can lead to an unnecessary amount of waste, making foods inedible. Here are three attractions for mold in a restaurant:

1. Dishwashing Stations
   The dishwashing station can be a major contributor to mold, especially if the pipes or water supply lines leak. Should a leak occur and cause water damage to a wooden cabinet, moldspores will attach themselves and develop into colonies. Areas with constant water usage will also create high humidity levels. To prevent any fungus from thriving in these areas, install a central ventilation system.
2. The Refrigerator
   Though the refrigerator has lower levels of humidity, it will not stop mold from growing. Cover any perishable foods in a clean plastic container to prevent mold growth in the refrigerator. If you have found mold, clean it thoroughly with a mixture of water and vinegar. Inspect any foods that were close to the area of growth for additional fungus.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
   Perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, are a common source of nutrients for fungus. Inspect any fruits and vegetables for mold before you purchase them to prevent it from spreading to your restaurant. You can salvage some of these if they have sprouted moldcolonies by cutting off the parts that have begun to rot. To prevent food waste, purchase only the amount of fresh foods that you will use throughout the week.
   If you have found mold growth in your restaurant, contact a mold remediation service to thoroughly clean the area. Though airborne microbial particles cannot be avoided, you can keep their growth under control with routine cleaning and maintenance.