Water Damage Team Blog

Fire damage is never expected, but always stressful, costly, and scary. One way to prevent this from happening to you is by having your home and family ready for anything well in advance. To help you get started, we have compiled this list on how to prevent fire damage, and protect you and yours.

1. Watch Outlets
Overloaded outlets commonly cause House and office fires. To be safe, always have a circuit breaker and keep an eye on how many watts you’re plugging in. If your house is old, you should have the electrical wiring checked every couple of years for safety.

2. Drape Carefully
Many fabrics and fabric coatings are highly flammable. Always check the flammability of curtains before hanging them anywhere near a floor or ceiling heater vent. It doesn’t even take a spark to light highly flammable material, some can catch flame just by direct hot heat.

3. Store Paper
Having stacks of paper laying around if a fire occurs can make a small fire a big fire in no time. The less paper you have out, the higher chance you have of stopping a fire before it really starts. Storing papers in filing cabinets or drawers is a great way to stay organized and safe at the same time.

4. Check Old Appliances
Old appliances such as old coffee makers, toasters, or even computers can be a dangerous fire hazard. Update your appliances immediately if they begin to smell smoky or work much less well. In addition, unplug any appliance after you’re done using it and store it away properly.

5. Don’t Smoke
Lit cigarettes dropped, improperly extinguished, or forgotten indoors cause a big chunk of house fires. Allowing smoking indoors is inviting a fire hazard right into your home. By having a smoking area outside with an appropriate ashtray you could be saving yourself from danger and stress in the future.

6. Fireproof Garden
Dry bushes, brush and plants around your home can also be quite a fire hazard. Water plants regularly to keep them safe, or remove promptly if you decide not to keep them any longer. Be sure not to have any vegetation near a fireplace or other source of heat within the home.

7. Check Your Roof
The most vulnerable part of you home during a fire is your roof. As the heat and smoke raises it will get trapped under the roof, until it caves in to the heat and flame. The more stable your roof, the better chance your house has. Fiberglass, concrete tile, clay, metal and slate are all great choices, while wood, shingles or slate are more apt to collapse in a fire.

8. Put Away Matches
Children and cats alike get curios with new objects. For this reason, put anything flammable or dangerous away at all times. Matches, gas, oil and lighters should all be stored safely, high up somewhere. Be sure to teach children thoroughly about fire dangers.

9. Burn Candles Safely
Candles can add atmosphere to a room in no time, but it can also add a potential fire hazard. When burning candles or using any open flame, take all precautions necessary. Always have candles in correctly sized holders, and out of reach of children. Never leave burning while you’re out of the house. Many dogs and cats enjoy open flame as well, so discourage your pets from going near them.

10. Always Stay Prepared
The best way to protect yourself from a fire is by keeping you, your family and your home prepared. Have your fire and gas leak alarms checked once or twice a year. Always have a fire extinguisher in your home, and a fire ladder if you have a high upstairs. Practice a fire escape plan with your family, so in case of an emergency you’ll all know exactly what to do.

Preparing for a flood is very important, but you should also prepare for handling the aftermath of the storm. Flood damage is a like a time bomb, and to prevent mold or structural damage you must do everything you can to quickly and concisely and as soon as possible. To help you learn how to handle this situation, we’ve put together this list of what to do after a household flood.

1. Do Not Re-Enter
After leaving the flooded home, do not re-enter until trained emergency workers tell you it is safe. Floodwaters can harm or damage the foundation of your home and make it an unsafe structure to reenter.

2. Take Caution When Eating
Don’t eat or drink anything that has been in contact with flood water. Flood water can and usually does contain unsanitary materials and residue which is not safe to ingest.

3. Remove Water Blockage
If you put sandbags or other blocks around your home to keep water out, remember they may also be holding water in after the flood. If the structure is safe, open windows, doors, and remove blocks to let some water out. Only approach or touch flood water or flooded areas in proper attire, (gloves, mask, boots, water proof jacket, goggles, etc).

4. Flood Insurance
If you had flood insurance, don’t move or touch anything until you’ve contacted them. This is because they must come and observe and assess the damage in it’s original state. Also be sure not to throw out anything that should be checked by the insurance associates as well.

5. Take Pictures
As hard as it is, having thorough documentation of the flood is likely to come in handy. Go throughout the home and take pictures of any and all flood-damaged areas. Check ceilings, walls, and floors diligently to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

6. Watch The Kids
It is imperative not to let children play or touch anything that floodwater has. Even if the floodwater resigns from an area, that area still has infectious bacteria that are dangerous to you and yours. Be sure to sit children down and thoroughly discuss and explain the dangers of floods, floodwater and the aftermath.

7. If You Must Leave
If for any reason you need to leave your flood-damaged home (to go to a hotel, friends, or get something to eat) be sure to secure the house before you leave. Lock all windows and doors, and try to cover up and holes or unstable structure. Although it’s regrettable, looters have been known to target flooded areas for undamaged materials in unsupervised homes.

8. Call A Professional
If you’re unsure about the water damage to your home or have water still residing in the basement or other area, call in some help. Water damage specialists can help you with a multitude of things from assessing damage, to removing water, to cleaning up the mess it leaves. Your insurance may even pay for this work as it’s preventive work that could save them money.

You never think you’re going to end up cleaning smoke damage from your walls, but accidents do happen. You should not take on this task unprepared, however, as precautions should be taken for your safety. To help you prepare for a possible future emergency or cleanup from a recent fire, we’ve compiled this list of tips to clean smoke damaged walls.

1. Gear Up
Protect yourself with the proper attire for post-fire cleanup. You’ll need long gloves, a mask, goggles, and protective clothing as well. Even if the fire is long gone, the dust and fumes in the air still aren’t good for you and you should not expose your mouth, eyes or skin to them. Also, TSP and other harsh cleaners are abrasive and harmful to the skin.

2. Prepare Cleaning Supplies
Before starting, decide what you’re going to use to clean and how much of it you’ll need. Depending on the degree of damage you may want gentler or harsher cleaners. The best thing for smoke damage at home is Trisodium Phosate Cleaner, or TSP. Also have buckets, sponges, rags and warm water on hand.

3. Get Help
Smoke damage gets everywhere, and cleaning it up can be a bigger task than you expect. The walls, ceiling, floor and furniture all need to be cleaned regardless of whether or not they look dirty. So call friends, family members, and neighbors to grab a sponge and go to work! The more hands you get, the smaller the task will seem. If you do not have people nearby who can help, then you might want to consider hiring a professional.

4. Wipe Down
Before using any cleaner, go over the area with a gentle cleanser and cloth first. This will remove anything on the top and prep the area for serious cleaning. After this is done, go over with a dry cloth and let sit for a while with the fan on.

5. Heavy Duty Cleaning
Follow the directions on the cleaner bottle and mix with the appropriate amount of warm water. Then take a scrubby sponge and go over small sections one at a time. You don’t want to go over any spots too much or one time too harshly, so be accurate in your coverage.

6. Rinse
Once you’ve done a small section with the TSP or other cleaner, go over that same section with a clean rag and clean water to rinse away the cleaner. Don’t let any cleaner sit on your walls for too long or discoloration and damage could occur.

7. Wallpaper and Paint
If wallpaper is bubbled or paint is peeling, repairs may be possible. However, certain amounts of damage aren’t worth the trouble. Either way, the walls still need to be cleaned. If your walls are beyond repair, you’ll probably need to clean, prime, and re-paint. This could end up being the easiest route no matter how damaged your walls are.

Causing a threat to your home and family, toxic mold can grow in places unseen and thrive there for weeks, months, or even years. To protect you and yours, it’s good to learn to recognize the signs of this infestation so you can properly take care of it in a safe manner. To help you educate yourself on the subject, we’ve put together this list of ways to tell of there is toxic mold in your home.

1. Stains
If there are stains on your walls or ceilings this could be a sign of toxic mold. If the area is very dark, it could be toxic and should be taken care of immediately. Mold specialists should be able to tell by looking at it or testing, so you may want to call in an expert if you’re not sure.

2. Allergies
A lot of people have allergies, but if they act up more often in your home than outdoors it’s not normal. Mold doesn’t give you allergies necessarily, rather causes allergy-like symptoms. Toxic mold will give you more intense symptoms, including headaches along with itchy eyes and sneezing.

3. Colored Spots
If there are colored spots on mold that you’ve already discovered, it could be toxic. These spots can be brown, green, or even orange in color. Of course some toxic mold is just a dark gray or black, and spreads very fast as well as changes color.

4. Smell
The smell of toxic mold is much like the smell of other mold, musty or urine-like. It’s certainly not a pleasant smell either way, so if you keep a clean home, don’t own pets, and your hallway still smells like urine- it very well may be toxic mold.

5. Circles
Toxic black mold often exhibits circular patterns or spots within the formation. These circles can be anywhere from 1 inch wide to 1 foot, and spread fairly quickly. Sometimes the circles don’t close, and make a semi-circle, or crescent shape instead, so don’t think “that’s not toxic” just because it’s not a perfect circle.

6. Moisture
Toxic mold is not likely to grow on metal, dry wood, or any other dry surface. Toxic mold can only thrive and survive in very moist or even wet locations, so if the mold you see has any of the above characteristics and also happens to be under a wet rug, it may be toxic.

7. Warnings
Before becoming toxic, mold can sometimes exhibit other forms, such as white fuzzy colonies, or even pink or orange formations instead of black. Be sure to call a specialist and describe the mold to them before trying to remove on your own. Toxic mold can be very dangerous for your health and should only be removed by a trained professional or very knowledgeable person on the subject.

Wasting water is both bad for the planet and bad on your budget, but by slightly adjusting daily routines from brushing your teeth to watering your garden, you can save hundreds of gallons per year. To recognize some of the available ways to conserve water around your home, please enjoy the following list of seven easy tips from the Water Damage Team.

1. Cleaning
When cleaning your house you should always think before you start. By filling the dishwasher all the way before you run it, you’ll save a lot of water. By washing vegetables in a bowl and scrubbing with a vegetable brush you won’t have to run the water as much.

2. Hygiene
A lot of people aren’t so willing to change their personal hygiene routine as easily as their dishwashing routine, but by adjusting a few things you can save a lot of water! Try wetting your toothbrush before you brush and not leave the water running unnecessarily, or only filling the bath half way.

3. Gardening
Adding compost to your garden soil will make it more water absorbent, and will save lots of water. Try using left over water from making tea or boiling an egg to water your garden. You can even reuse dishwasher water on non-edible plants as long as you check with your local municipality department first.

4. Outside the Home
Check anywhere around your home where water might be leaking. Are your hose connections dripping water? If so, they are cheap and easy to replace. You should also check to see if you have any sprinklers wasting water by spraying on the driveway or sidewalk.

5. Recreational Savings
You can save water outside by replace your pool filter with one that uses less water and eliminate toys that needlessly spray water. You should also avoid water activities that excessively waste water.

6. Laundry
Only do full loads of laundry, or if your washer allows, lower the water height with smaller loads. In the summer, consider hand-washing some t-shirts or sheets and hang-dry to very conservative with your energy.

7. Food and Drinks
Don’t thaw meat or other frozen products with running water, instead put them in the fridge to defrost. Chill water in the fridge rather than running the faucet or using ice cubes. Try switching to plastic ice cubes instead of ice trays; they’re both water conscious and attractive. If you have a lot of dishes to wash you could put them all a sink of soapy water and let it sit for a while before washing. Then, you save water by avoiding unnecessary scrubbing.

Floods, leaks, mold, and mildew are all things to watch out for and worry about. This considered, it’s always hard to know when is the right or appropriate time to call in a water damage specialist. To help you make your decision, we’ve compiled this list of reasons to call a water damage specialist.

1. Mold Problems
If you have a large mold problem, calling a specialist is in your best interest. Leaving a mold problem untreated can result in structural damage to your home and possible thousands in repairs.

2. Mold Detection
If you’re not sure if you have a mold problem or not, a water damage specialist can assess the situation for you. After a very rainy season, it’s smart to get your house checked for leaks, water damage, and mold regardless of suspicion.

3. Water Removal
If you’ve encountered a large leak or a flood, a specialist will have all the equipment needed to take care of the situation quickly and simply. If there is a lot of water but you think you can take care of it yourself, assess whether you think structural damage can occur within the extra time it may take you as opposed to a specialist.

4. Drying
After a major leak or flood, it’s important to dry out the affected area. If you do not have the enmities to do this, most water damage teams own several large, high power drying fans to prevent further damage.

5. Deodorizing
If a strange smell in your home just won’t go away in your home, consider calling a water damage specialist for this as well. Most people don’t know they handle strange odors, but they do have anything you’re going to need to dispel most bad smells.

6. Restoration
If your home was hit by flood, mildew, mold, or leaks, structural or other damage may have occurred. To guarantee your home looks the same way it used to, call a specialist as they specialize in restoring homes after this particular kind of damage.

7. Sanitation Work
Water damage specialists can also handle septic systems, broken dishwashers, or other plumbing or water utility devices. In some cases, a water specialist may offer much lower prices and more accurate work than a regular plumber.

8. Assessing Damage
Whatever your water damage woes, a water damage specialist is the right person to tell you exactly how bad they are. Before hiring anyone to do any work, make sure you have a pretty good idea of just what is damaged and what needs to be done. Reasons to Call a Water Damage Specialist

A water leak in your home may seem like a small thing, but even a small leak can cause thousands of dollars in damage if not properly taken care of. Luckily, in most cases taking a few easy precautions to protect your home and your investments can prevent this. Follow these simple steps to prevent water damage from leaks in your home.

1. Turn off the Water
When you notice a leak, the very first thing you should do is to shut off the water. If turning off the water on the appliance that is leaking doesn’t work, or you’re not sure where the water is leaking from, then shut off the main water valve. It should be located where cold water enters your house, inside in colder climates and outside in warmer climates. Main water valves are also sometimes near the water heater.

2. Mop up the Mess
As soon as you have turned off the water, the leak will need to be cleaned up. Remove as much water as you can with a mop, rags, or towels, until there is no water visible in the leak area. This needs to be done as soon as is possible because water can soak into floors, ceilings, and walls very quickly.

3. Dry Completely
After you’ve removed most of the water, play it safe and ventilate the damaged area. Open doors and windows around the house to let some air flow through. You can also put some stand-up or sitting fans in front of the leak area for a few hours to make sure it’s all dry.

4. Check Surrounding Areas
After you’ve taken care of the immediate area, look around to make sure no other area is affected. Water has a way of getting around without being seen. If the leak occurred upstairs, go downstairs and check your ceilings and walls.

5. Check Ventilation
The best way to prevent leaks from the roof (from melted ice dams or heavy rain) or another room upstairs is by having proper ventilation. Make sure the soffit is properly ventilated; with holes all down the side. Even after a leak has occurred, checking and updating your ventilation will help keep fresh air in the room and prevent mold and/or decay.

6. Install Leak Detection System
One easy way to prevent water damage is to install a water leak detection system. This system will alert you when a leak in your home is detected, saving you possible thousands the first time it works. Some systems even shut off all the water in your home automatically when a leak is detected, giving you peace of mind when you’re away from home.

7. Call a Specialist
After you’ve done all you can yourself for the water leak, call a specialist to come and take a look at the effected area. If the leak was small and easy to manage, don’t bother, but if the leak was large and may have sunk into the floors or walls then it is important to make sure damage isn’t still being done to your home.

1. What is mold?
Mold is a fungus which grows on plants and fibers wherever it can get what it needs- moisture. It travels in spores, feeding and living off of moisture and dampness. Mold can grow just about anywhere in your home where there is enough moisture, your bathroom or kitchen are the perfect place for mold to inhabit.

2. What is toxic mold?
Toxic mold is actually a misleading term, as mold itself is not necessarily toxic. It is actually the mycotoxins found in some molds that are harmful to your health. What people call “toxic mold” is actually a black mold that can grow in your walls not always noticeably, and eventually be bad for your health.

3. What causes mold?
Mold is caused by large amounts of moisture in fibers or the air. For example, any leak left untreated in your wall, or any flooded carpet that is not properly dryed, could case mold to grow.

4. How can mold growth be prevented?
By performing routine checks of your home, especially rooms with a lot of water pipes, for leaks you’re already half way to preventing water damage. Also make sure to check your attic spaces, basement, and outside the home on a yearly basis for leaks as well.

5. What health problems can mold exposure cause?
Very short exposure to mold is pretty much harmless besides some mild allergy-like irritation. Eventually, mold exposure can lead to more serious health problems like bleeding in the lungs, so immediate attention to mold cleanup is essential.

6. What symptoms point to mold-induced health problems?
Allergy-like symptoms are the first sign of a sickness caused by mold. Sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes are all recognizable this way. Also, people with asthma will be much more prone to asthma attacks when around dangerous mold spores for too long.

7. How do you tell if you have a mold problem?
You should be able to smell, see, or feel mold. Sporadic, uncommon allergy symptoms could be one sign of mold. Mold has a very distinguishable musty smell, which should be strongest right at the source. If your hallway smells musty all the time and you don’t know why, you may want to call a mold removal specialist.

8. How do I get rid of mold?
Removing small amounts of mold on your own is fine with some hot water and soap. However a professional should deal with serious mold problems, because you may not get it all, and the remaining spores could grow and affect your health.

9. Do I need to have a routine mold check-up?
A routine mold check on your home is a very smart thing to do. Mold could grow inside your walls, and if not caught in time cause thousands of dollars in damage. Doing a check-up yourself every few months will keep you ahead of the game even more, and properly protect your home and investments.

After a devastating flood, the last thing you want think about is acting fast. To help prepare you for the possibility, read this list of 10 ways to repair and recover after a flood, from the restoration experts at Water Damage Team.

1. Be Prepared
Just in case you do not have the time or means to call a professional right away, it is good to be prepared for emergency flood situations. Always have a mop and plenty of towels around, and keep birth certificates, etc. in an airtight waterproof container.

2. Electricity
Before beginning any serious flood damage repair, make sure you turn off the power first and foremost. Trying to repair water damage with the electricity turned on is very dangerous.

3. Act Fast
Once you have turned off the electricity, it’s important to get as much water out as possible as fast as possible. Use Buckets, towels, mops, shovels, or anything the situation demands to get as much water off of the carpet, walls, and floors as possible. Dealing with this water immediately could save you thousands in water damage.

4. Remove Soiled Items
It’s a hard thing to do, but beginning a trash can of soiled items will make the job easier. Anything destroyed by water or still absorbing water must be thrown out to prevent further damage.

5. Get a Safe Place
On the flip side, all undamaged household items should be removed as well. Renting a hauling truck or trailer and putting your beloved items in a dry, safe place can save more time and money.

6. Fans
The best way to prevent water damage from becoming a major mold problem is air movement. Having an air mover would be the most efficient way, but make do with plenty of fans until professionals arrive.

7. Wipe Down Walls
After you’ve removed as much water as possible, take any clean towels or blankets and get as much water off the walls as possible. This could help prevent structural damage.

8. Begin Small Repairs
After you’ve removed and dried as much as you can, begin small repairs around the damaged areas. Also, check all windows and doors for water build-up.

9. Ventilate
When all is said and done, open every door, window, cupboard and drawer to air out (as long as it’s not raining) to get fresh air flowing through the house and keep the drying process going.

10. Call a professional
Even if you can deal with most of the problem by yourself, there is always the risk of unseen damage. Before, during, or after the damage occurs make sure to call a water damage specialist or team to come look at your situation as well.

Pet stains are smelly, unattractive, and difficult to remove. The only sure way to prevent a pet stain is to keep your pet outside or get rid of them. Since we all love our pets and want to keep them, we’ve put together these helpful tips to remove your pet stains indefinitely.

1. Act Fast
The sooner you begin clean up, the better with pet stains. Grab a towel and blot up as much of the stain as possible when it happens or as soon as you discover it.

2. Find It
If it’s an old pet stain, locate it easily with a black light. Urine stains glow under a black light, making them easier to find.

3. Choose a Cleaner
There are all kinds of cleaners and solutions to get out pet stains. An easy solution you can find in your home is just plain old laundry detergent. Put on a rag and scrub at the area until it seems like its scrubbed out pretty well.

4. Take Care of the Odor
To further remove the stain and assure it won’t leave a nasty smell, mix some warm water and vinegar together (1 quart water, ½ cup vinegar) and trickle over stain, covering completely.

5. Soak It Up
Place several clean towels over the area and press or walk over them so they’re absorbing as much of the liquid as possible.

6. Time It
Put a new towel or two over the stain and place a heavy object of some sort on top of it. Leave for 3-6 hours to absorb the stain and liquid completely.

7. Primp
Use a soft brush to pull the carpet fibers back up to looking normal after all that pressing.

8. Clean Up
Throw the dirty towels in the washing machine with some spray and wash, and you’re done!