A flooded basement can be devastating and the cause to a loss of many important items. A vast majority of people use their basements as storage space for seasonal items, paperwork and other items that have lost a place in the main living areas. When the flooding happens, you can contact a specialist or you can do the cleanup on your own. Doing the work yourself may be quicker than waiting for assistance. It is a lot of work, but not that difficult to complete.

The most important thing to do is to figure out what initiated the flooding. If it was not from an obvious outside flood that could have worked its way into the basement, it could be a drain problem. Remove as much of the water as possible with a dry wet vacuum before attempting to sort through any cardboard boxes.

After getting up as much liquid as possible, you will need to remove the items that do not have severe damage. If you have cardboard boxes, sort through them before removing from the basement. To restore the items put them in plastic containers as opposed to cardboard to avoid more damage should you experience another flooding. Remember to completely dry any items before placing in plastic containers to avoid mold building up on them.

While you are in this area it might be a good time to do some other maintenance work and general cleaning. Using a Dyson upright vacuum cleaner with attachments clean all cobwebs from ceiling, corners and crevices.

Do not plug any cords into outlets that were affected by the water. If the floors still have dampness to them use a delonghi space heater directed at the floor or walls to thoroughly dry. Removing any moisture will prevent mold from forming in hidden areas.

After you have completely cleaned and dried out the basement apply water proofing paint to the walls. The paint will prevent excess moisture from crumbling the walls and prevent mold. After paint is completely dry you can return the plastic tubs back to the basement.

Should you find out the flood was due to backed up drains contact a plumber. The plumber will be able to repair any damaged pipes and recommend future preventions. If you discovered the backup was due to a covered floor drain remove anything from the area of the drain that could potentially result in another flooding.

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5 Tips that are a must do first

My building has had a fire…what do I do now? That question is heard every day at a Fire and Water Damage Restoratoin company.What any professional will tell you is the most important thing you can do is take immediate action.  Every minute that passes could add to the amount of money and time it will take to fully restore what you have lost…and you loss will expand if you wait.

Time is most critical in Water/Flood Damage. It only takes 24 hours for mold fungi and bacteria to begin to grow and multiply. The entire building will begin to be permeated with foul and unpleasant odors. Hardwood flooring will likely be ruined from warping and metal surfaces will start to tarnish and rust. Try to avoid self drying. You can mop up the large amounts of water, but just looking dry is not enough.

Moisture monitoring equipment is had by IICRC professionals that can show them where the moisture is and indicate whether or not more drying is needed. When left untreated, wet materials will warp or deteriorate and in worst cases grow mold causing thousands of dollars in un-necassary damge to you property.

Follow these steps when you have a disaster to help make your claim go smoothly:

1. Contact your insurance agent (Am I Covered?)

2. Immediately contact your local restoration company to star the cleaning and drying. Whomever you choose, make sure they are an IICRC certified technician. IICRC Certified companies can be found by zip code on the IICRC website. This cannot be stressed too much. There are hundreds of copy cat companies out there that will say they do restoration work, but they are not trained or certified.

3. Don’t try cleaning the soot or water damage yourself! Only certified specialist should handle fire cleaning and water extraction services. Doing it yourself will likely cause more damage. Again, check with the IICRC.

4. If you are a business, contact your employees and explain the situation. Contact major customers and explain there may be delays.

5. If you are a homeowner, contact the utility companies for your residence. If you have a water loss, call your sewage company. You may save money on your sewer bill since the lost water did not go through your drains.

Most significantly…act at once!

To limit the potential damage from a fire around the perimeter of you home, I would suggest you invest in some fire retardant shrubs and plants that you could add in and around your home/business.   Lists of ideas are:

• Jade Plants
• Rose Geraniums
• Ice Plants

Some other tips….firewood should be stored outside of and away from the building….Keep tree limbs at least 10 feet from your home…and remove dead leaves/pine needles from your gutters.  Find out where your water shut off is in your home.Inspect your breaker box so you know how to turn off the electricity to you home in an emergency.Get your fireplace and chimney professionally inspected.  Make sure your fire extinguishers are in easy to access places through your entire house.

There are times when no matter what you do disaster strikes.To be prepared remember and share these tips with your family members and or co-workers.

Our site at FGSWPA has detailed information about fire and water damage restoration. or for emergency services 24 hours 7 days a week call First General Services of Western PA at 1-800-553-8426.

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Water damage is a nasty problem when it occurs in the home. Fortunately for homeowners, cleaning up can be easy if these ten tips are followed:

1.If the item is still wet, rinse it with water or spray it with water using a fine hose. Remove all dry silt and debris from the item by using brushes with soft bristles or by dabbing them with damp cloths. Try not to wipe the item when there is still debris on it since this may produce scratches on the surface of the item. Use a clean and soft cloth to dry. Wear protective gear when handling all water damage cleanup activities.
2.    If possible, air-dry all objects indoors. Direct sunlight and heat may dry certain materials too quickly which may result in furthering the damage done to them. Wet wooden materials may warp and deform when dried using heat. Heated leather materials may for cracks and become brittle.
3.    Do not store damp or items with water damage inside sealed containers such as plastic bags because this will build up moisture inside the bags that can lead to mold growth. If wet items are to be transported using plastic bags, keep bags open to allow air circulation.
4.    The best practice of inhibiting mold growth is to lessen the amount of humidity. This can be achieved by increasing the air flow in the area with water damage by using fans, opening the windows, and by using air conditioners and dehumidifiers. Opening the lights on can also reduce mold growth.
5.    If the walls, baseboards, floors and other surfaces of the home is heavily affected by mold growth, remove the mold growth by using commercially available disinfectants. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturers on disinfectant labels. When handling disinfectants, make sure that proper protective gear such as rubber gloves, face mask, and goggles are worn.
6.If the item is broken or has fallen apart, place all the parts together in open containers for drying. Make sure that all parts of the item are already dry before attempting to repair them. If the item is of great value, consult with a professional water damage restorer.
7.    Documents, photographs, books and other paper materials are extremely sensitive to handling when wet. Always use caution when handling these materials. Carefully rinse of mud and debris off documents and books with clear slow flowing water, do not attempt to wipe them off manually. Documents that have water damage should be air-dried or kept in a dry-freezer such as a meat locker.  Valuable documents should be handled by professional restorers.
8.    Organic materials such as textiles and leather can also be severely affected by water damage. They should be allowed to dry without the use of heat. Dry them with the use of fans or dehumidifiers. For carpets and other washable textiles, launder them as you would normally do when they are dirty.
9.    For paintings, remove them from the frame but not from the stretcher. Do not dry them under direct sunlight to prevent them from shrinking. Instead air dry them face up in a secure area.
10.    Furniture finishes when exposed to water will become hazy or produce a white bloom. Do not re-finish antiques since it will lessen their price value. Instead, let these furniture and antiques dry slowly using fans and dehumidifiers. If furniture is valuable, always consult a professional restorer.

These above tips are recommended for general water damage cleanup only. The best tip is still to consult with an expert.

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Put the shorts and t-shirts away and bring out the sweaters and jackets. Summer is over, fall is upon us, and winter is right around the corner. It’s time to get yourself and your home ready for sub-zero temperatures and snow. Do you even know where to begin? I personally don’t even want to think about it but I know I don’t want to deal with a leaky roof and pipe bursts this winter.

My water damage professional guy tells me to winterize my home. Check my shingles, gutters and downspouts. Seal my basement and wrap my pipes. Service my water heater and furnace. He’s even suggesting I dig a few trenches in my yard to help with drainage. Is all this really necessary? My house is pretty new and everything seems to be solid. Why do I have to go through all this?

Then, someone reminds me that no matter what man builds, Mother Nature can knock it down. It’s the same water damage guy that tells me this so I am a little skeptical. He reminds me about Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Japan. Those can’t happen here. I live in New England. Then, he talks about the Blizzard of ‘78.

I remember the great Blizzard and I remember my Dad cursing because the basement had a foot of water in it when the snow started melting. His house was pretty new, too, and he thought it was solid. He also never hired anyone to help him fix it. Not too many folks did back then. People seemed to have an understanding of how to fix things.

I know better. My water damage guy (who asked me to write this) tells me what I need to do and what he can do for me to get my home ready for winter. I listen and I know that my holiday season will be warm and dry. So, I drain my outside spigots and make sure my gutters and drains are clean. I have him seal my basement and insulate my pipes and I call my mechamical guy to check my furnace.

What do you do to get ready?

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Every winter, more than 200,000 homes are water-damaged due to frozen pipes that have burst. For affected families, the effect is not just mere inconvenience but a serious interruption to their daily lives. Some families are even forced to seek temporary shelter because their homes have been rendered inhabitable by severe water damage. It is a fact that one in five homeowners insurance claims every year is related to water damage and such claims peak come wintertime when pipes become frozen and eventually burst.
Pipes that are Prone to Freezing
While some of your pipes are relatively protected from freezing, some are much more vulnerable. Other pipes that are most exposed to the cold weather like pipes in crawl spaces, garage, and lofts are also likely to freeze. Also, the main water supply pipe carrying water to your home may also freeze in severely cold weather.
In addition, hot water pipes are not safe from freezing so it is important to winterize them too along with cold water pipes. Keep in mind also that cold air can travel up the pipes so the temperature outside the pipe does not have to be 0° Celsius or below for the pipes to freeze.
What to do when a pipe bursts
1.    Turn off the main water supply line at the street. Call a plumber immediately if you cannot shut off the main line.
2.Turn your power supply off at the meter box to prevent shocks form happening, which is something that could very well happen if there is a leak somewhere near an electrical wiring or anything electrical.
3.    If there is water damage, call up your insurance company. It is standard for most home insurance polices to provide coverage for this kind of water damage. Talk to your agent about the necessary repairs and be clear about the details of your particular coverage.
4.    If the affected room is not flooded but some parts are wet or damp from a leak, open the windows and doors to air dry the area.
5.Be sure to move personal belongings such as documents our of the water damaged area.
How Does Water Freezing Cause Pipe Bursts?
In the winter, sub zero temperature outside makes water pipes naturally at risk of freezing. Because water expands when it freezes and turns to ice, you can expect that there will not be enough room in the pipe for the sudden bulk. So, this creates the breaks and cracks in the pipe causing water to burst out of the pipe the moment the ice melts. Obviously, you will have to pay for the necessary pipe repair and replacement. However, the repair costs are preferable over spending thousands of dollars to fix more serious water damage caused by a massive leak.
Hire a professional
In most situations, calling a plumber to deal with a burst pipe is the best course of action. It’s also the least troublesome for you. This is also true if there is water damage to your home caused by the burst pipe. Call a professional water damage restorer. Doing the job yourseld may lead to more damage.

Technorati Tags: Cold Weather, Crawl Spaces, damage, Electrical Wiring, frozen, Frozen Pipes, Home Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Hot Water, Insurance Company, Meter Box, Necessary Repairs, Personal Belongings, Pipes, Plumber, Polices, Supply Pipe, Temporary Shelter, water, water damage, Water Pipes, Water Supply Line, Windows And Doors, Wintertime