Frozen Pipe Season

12/2/2024 (Permalink)

Pipes freeze when the water inside is cold enough to solidify. In extremely cold weather, pipes can freeze in a matter of minutes.  If water is flowing through the pipe it requires a lot more work to make it freeze and is not very common.  In a home a pipe is likely to freeze if it is near outer walls, low to the ground, gaps in insulation or where air flow from the outside is possible.  

Usually  only a small section of the pipe freezes.  Water expands as it freezes; the expansion starts by increasing in length along the pipe.  If the pipe has bends in it, the ice that forms is less likely to expand away from the cold.  A section of water can become trapped and the pressure in that section increases, once the pressure is too high the pipe will burst.  

A few tips to Prevent pipes from freezing: Leave tap open/dripping on pipes that freezing could occur.  Leave the space around the pipes as open as possible.  Ensure your heat is on I all areas of you home.  Insulate all areas of your home well. If the temperatures decrease a additional heater may be needed. 

The most wonderful time of the year

12/2/2024 (Permalink)

Pipes freeze when the water inside is cold enough to solidify. In extremely cold weather, pipes can freeze in a matter of minutes.  If water is flowing through the pipe it requires a lot more work to make it freeze and is not very common.  In a home a pipe is likely to freeze if it is near outer walls, low to the ground, gaps in insulation or where air flow from the outside is possible.  

Usually  only a small section of the pipe freezes.  Water expands as it freezes; the expansion starts by increasing in length along the pipe.  If the pipe has bends in it, the ice that forms is less likely to expand away from the cold.  A section of water can become trapped and the pressure in that section increases, once the pressure is too high the pipe will burst.  

A few tips to Prevent pipes from freezing: Leave tap open/dripping on pipes that freezing could occur.  Leave the space around the pipes as open as possible.  Ensure your heat is on I all areas of you home.  Insulate all areas of your home well. If the temperatures decrease a additional heater may be needed. 

Fastest in any disaster

12/2/2024 (Permalink)

From a burst pipe in a office building to faulty wiring in an apartment complex, fire and water losses are never planned, but they do occur. 

SERVPRO professionals know there's no such thing as a small emergency when it threatens the welfare of the tenants and revenue of the property owner.  SERVPRO has a 1-4-8 Service Response guideline.  Within one hour from the notice of loss a SERVPRO professional will contact you to arrange for service.  With in four hours of loss notification SERVPRO will be on site to start mitigation and within eight business hours of an on-site arrival a verbal briefing of the scope will be communicated to the appropriate party.   

Our team is available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.  SERVPRO Professionals will work diligently to restore your property and its contents to pre loss condition helping you become the hero in an emergency situation. 

Mold Tips

12/2/2024 (Permalink)

In order for mold to grow and thrive, there must be excess moisture, food, the right temperature and lack of ventilation. 

The most important step that any property owner can take is to identify any humidity, moisture or water problems before they create bigger more costly issues. Look for any water or moisture present in your home.  Be sure to pay special attention to your plumbing in basements and crawl spaces where a water leak wouldn't be as noticeable.  Recognize musty or moldy odors, which indicate mold growth.  Your sense of smell may alert you to potential problems you cannot see.   As soon as you become aware of a different smell this is perfect time to start investigating a little bit further.  Control humidity in bathrooms and wherever water is used on a regular basis.  The use of exhaust fans, proper caulking and effective cleaning with a bleach based product will help keep problems away.  Inspect your HVAC systems and air conditioners as well as this is a common location where mold is present.  Regular inspection and maintenance can identify moisture problems or drain clogs before they get worse.  

If moisture or mold is spotted contact a SERVPRO® professional to come out and take a look. We will be able to provide you with an estimate for what it will take to clean the affected areas.

How does water damage carpet?

12/2/2024 (Permalink)

One goal of water damage restoration is to preserve and protect the structure.  One concern is water saturated carpet and pad.  Delamination is the most frequent type of damage to carpets when exposed to water.  Delamination is a mode of failure for composite materials and steel. In laminated materials, repeated cyclic stresses, impact, and so on can cause layers to separate, forming a mica-like structure of separate layers, with significant loss of mechanical toughness.  Delamination is caused when the latex adhesive holding the primary backing to the secondary backing is damaged.  Good carpets have higher quality of latex and may suffer less damage even after hours of exposure.  While at your home our SERVPRO® service professionals will inspect the flooring to ensure proper mitigation can take place. 

Water damage to glued down carpeting often causes bubbling due to loss of adhesive.  If it is a small area that has bubbled, the carpet might be restored.  Otherwise, the carpet may need to be replaced.  Again SERVPRO service professionals will be able to determine the status of the flooring.

Mildew usually refers to molds that grow in wet buildings.  Natural fiber carpets are especially prone to mildew odor damage.  Saturated carpets should be dried properly and treated with a mildew deodorizer.

By responding quickly and drying  the carpet thoroughly, SERVPRO professionals can help mitigate these secondary damages following any water loss.

Green is Green!

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

This past Sunday there was a fire at Toledo Middle School.  Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire, but not before extensive damage was done to the basement and smoke damage to the above classrooms. 

SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids was called to the scene shortly after the fire to begin emergency services. SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids will be working hand in hand with SERVPRO of Black Hawk county to get the school back up and running before the new year begins in just a couple weeks. 

Even though each franchise is individually owned and operated, green is green and we are always here to help.  It is so nice to have people available and willing to lend a hand to get the job done. 

Within weeks, SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids will be able to make it "Like it never even happened."

Sump Pumps

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Many people are not aware of the problems that will arise if their sump pump is not working properly. There are also many people that do not know how to test their sump pump. Here is some information regarding sump pump maintenance.

Sump pumps are more active during heavy rains or storms. Depending on where you live, your sump pump will run more or less. Sump pumps should be checked at least once a year and probably more if you live in Eastern Iowa because of the chance for many periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Here are some steps to check your sump pump:

1. Slowly fill the pit where the sump pump is with water. Watch for the float to rise, which would cause the pump to activate. Once the pump activates, make sure the water is drained from the pit.

2. If you have a backup pump, you can test it the same way. Make sure the first pump is unplugged first. 

A normal pump will cost you between $150 and $300 to replace if need be. It is better to spend this money than to deal with the mess left behind if the pump fails.  The average cost of a water damage due to sump pump failure will be between $2,500 and $15,000. 

Test your sump pump regularly. It is similar to changing the filters on your furnace or changing the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Sump Pump Problems

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Many people are not aware of the problems that will arise if their sump pump is not working properly. There are also many people that do not know how to test their sump pump. Here is some information regarding sump pump maintenance.

Sump pumps are more active during heavy rains or storms. Depending on where you live, your sump pump will run more or less. Sump pumps should be checked at least once a year and probably more if you live in Eastern Iowa because of the chance for many periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Here are some steps to check your sump pump:

1. Slowly fill the pit where the sump pump is with water. Watch for the float to rise, which would cause the pump to activate. Once the pump activates, make sure the water is drained from the pit.

2. If you have a backup pump, you can test it the same way. Make sure the first pump is unplugged first. 

A normal pump will cost you between $150 and $300 to replace if need be. It is better to spend this money than to deal with the mess left behind if the pump fails. 

Most people do not know if they have sump pump coverage on their homeowners policy. This is another question to ask. If the pump fails and there is no coverage, you will be in a tough situation. 

The average cost of a water damage due to sump pump failure will be between $2,500 and $15,000. This usually involves removing wet carpet and pad, damaged drywall, damaged baseboard, and wet insulation. 

Test your sump pump regularly. It is similar to changing the filters on your furnace or changing the batteries in your smoke detectors

Danger from a Thunderstorm

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

There are multiple variables that make thunderstorms dangerous. During a thunderstorm you should seek shelter indoors. Lightning, wind, and hail are things that cause damage due to thunderstorms. If you are outdoors during a storm you should avoid trees, they could fall on you and they attract lightening, so you have a higher chance of getting struck by lightning. Wind can get up to extremely fast gusts. These gusts of wind have the ability to blow telephone lines, cars, and even mobile homes over. Avoid being near trees, telephone lines, and larger trucks and semis during storms. If it is possible you should try to get to the nearest shelter, even if it is just a gas station it is preferred over a car. Cars are safer than being outdoors. If you are in a car try to park away from trees and telephone poles. For more information on thunderstorm safety

House Fire

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Fires can be especially devastating to your home or business. After the fire trucks leave, your property will likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also widespread water damage and flooding from firefighting efforts. SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals have specialized fire and water damage restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. They also can remove the pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet. When you have something as important as your home experience a fire loss it can be overwhelming. When you call SERVPRO® we will be as helpful as we can in explaining everything to you and being patient with the process. This is something we deal with often so you can expect us to make it, "Like it never even happened."