What Happens After a Water Leak | SERVPRO of Mountain Home & Harrison

5/2/2024 (Permalink)

Is there anything worse than dealing with a water leak in your home? It’s no fun when you are home and can deal with it immediately, but it’s even worse when you have been away for a while and come back to find water all over the floor.

Dealing with water, especially anything that has been allowed to sit for a little while, is much more involved than just grabbing some towels or a mop and bucket. If water has been hanging out in your home, there is a good chance you are also dealing with mold and odors.

The faster you can call in the pros, the easier your restoration process will be.

Addressing Water Leaks

When water starts getting into all the places it shouldn’t be, it can cause complete havoc in your home. Even a small amount of water can end up in your walls, under the floors and in some of the most difficult-to-reach places of your house.

Unfortunately, drying up the water you can see may not be enough, especially when you don’t catch leaks right away. Moisture that gets under your floorboards or into your drywall doesn’t just evaporate or dry up on its own either. Due to the enclosed, tight nature of some of the spots water can get into, water droplets can linger long enough to create mold, smells and other damage.

The longer moisture is allowed to stay inside your walls without airflow, the more things can start to wear down over time. Metal support systems can start to rust, and mold can start to set in and spread. When mold starts spreading, it can move fast, leaving your home at serious risk for a major outbreak.

Following Your Nose

One of the earliest signs of mold and mildew growth is a musty odor. If you notice a wet, earthy smell after you have cleaned up a water leak, use your nose to sniff out the source. If you can’t locate where the smell is coming from, it’s time to call in the pros.

With one call, day or night, our water damage restoration experts will start reversing water damage and everything that comes along with it. We will remove and replace damaged drywall, warped or soft floorboards and track down and stop mold growth. We will disinfect and remove as much odor-causing mold and moldy materials as we can, and we will seal anything that cannot be removed permanently.

We will also dig a little deeper to make your house smell like home again by cleaning your HVAC system and sanitizing all the surfaces around the affected area. We won’t be done with your recovery until every sign that a leak happened in the first place is gone.

Don’t ignore signs of a water leak. Contact SERVPRO® for a full recovery.

Managing Insurance Claims, Made Simple | SERVPRO of Mountain Home & Harrison

5/2/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mountain Home & Harrison is Here to Help® with your business' disaster recovery!

When a disaster strikes, there are so many things that will go through your mind. Considerations for your safety and the safety of those around you are likely the first things you will think about, along with how much damage has been done to your house.

While you start sorting out everything that has happened, thinking about filing an insurance claim might initially be far from a priority. Safety should always be your No. 1 focus, but the faster you can start your recovery process, the better.

Our crew is here to pick up the pieces around the clock after a flood, fire, storm or any other disaster. We will get you on the right road to recovery, including working with your insurance company, so you can keep your focus on caring for the ones you love.

Start Fast, Document Often

Regardless of the kind of disaster that has happened, the faster you can start your recovery process, the less compounding damage you will have. Remember to make safety your first priority, though—stay in a safe location, out of floodwaters, away from downed power lines and clear of potential fire hotspots until you know everything is completely safe.

When you can safely move around, check in with loved ones and neighbors to ensure immediate medical attention isn’t required. Once you know everyone is OK, call our SERVPRO® office while you safely walk your property. We will put together a team to head to your property as we gather as much information about your situation as possible.

Take as many photos as possible of the damage done. The more you can document, the easier your claim process will be. If you see immediate issues that can be corrected—like a faucet that can be turned off, for example—go ahead and fix them, but make note of what was wrong and how you corrected it.

Leave It to Our Team

Once our crew arrives, we will prioritize securing your home to prevent any further damage. As your roof is secured or broken windows are covered, we will also take a look at everything you have already documented in order to start the insurance claim process. Our team is highly trained not just in repairing damage, but in what is required by insurance companies for an expedient and successful claim.

Our crew will put together an itemized list of your losses, as well as the photos you took and the ones our professionals will take in order to make reporting damage simple. We are also trained to meet insurance inspection standards in order to lower your potential costs. With a goal of restoring rather than replacing, our team works hard to keep as much of your property as possible, further lowering your recovery costs.

When you leave it to our team, we will not only get your home put back together quickly—we will make sure your insurance claim process is smooth and your losses are minimized. With one call, we can put your life back together after any disaster.

When a disaster strikes, call us to make your recovery process—insurance claims and all—simple.

Preventing Flood Damage: The Basics | SERVPRO of Mountain Home & Harrison

5/2/2024 (Permalink)

Have you ever thought about how if you really want to get something done well, you just have to take it back to the basics? If you have kids and have ever had to help with their math homework, going back to the basics is the easiest way to avoid the tears (yours) that can come along with learning new skills.

Going back to the basics is a good way to protect your home from potential disasters, too. With basic home maintenance, you can take action against most of what Mother Nature has in store for us. We may not be able to keep her completely in check, but when you have covered the basics, you can mitigate major damage and get back on your feet faster.

Flooding is one of the top ways homes across the nation are damaged—which make covering the basics of preventing flood damage crucial.

Know Your Zone

Flooding can happen in a number of ways, and not all of them stem from the weather. While manmade disasters can catch you off-guard and leave behind a good deal of damage, they often tend to be easier to find, correct and recover from than a natural disaster. Flash floods, ponding water from heavy rain, roof leaks and other flooding can be pretty devastating, and they can happen to anyone.

Get to know our area’s flood zones. This can help you better understand your risks and how much preparation you need to do.

Even if you are not in a flood zone, it’s important to note how wet your yard and community can be when rains get heavy. If you are in a low-lying area, it may be helpful to add extra drainage to your yard or lengthen your downspouts to keep water away from your home.

If your home is surrounded by a lot of trees, covering your gutters to prevent blockages can be a great investment. It is also a good idea to keep a close eye on your roof during the fall and after windstorms to keep everything clear so water can move cleanly and quickly away. The more you can get to know your area, the safer you can keep your home.

Prepare to Prevent

While getting to know your area is a great first step toward protecting your home from water damage, there are a few other steps you should take as well. Start with your yard—the more you can help the rain move, the less likely it will be to enter your home.

Make sure your yard slopes away from your home. If there is a particular spot in your yard that just stays wet, consider adding a rain garden or other organic materials that will pull water down into the earth. Go underground with your gutter downspouts if you can. These can run the length of your yard and dump water directly into drainage areas to help keep things dry.

Inside your home, make sure your basement, windows and doors are well-sealed. Check and update caulking seasonally as needed, and have your basement professionally sealed when there are visible cracks. Add a sump pump to your basement to pull water out before things get flooded.

Taking things back to the basics is the best way to get and stay prepared. Add these simple items to your monthly checklist and rest easy knowing that your home is protected from flooding—and it was easier to do than teaching your kid math.

Do you have water damage in your home? Contact us at SERVPRO® for fast recovery.