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Top Tips for Water Damage Restoration and Prevention in Your Charleston Home by SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
7/23/2024 (Permalink)
SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant is ready to help you restore your home after a water damage incident caused by a failed appliance.
Water damage is a common issue in many homes, often stemming from certain appliances. In your Charleston or Mount Pleasant home, the four most common culprits are your refrigerator, washing machine, sump pump, and dishwasher. Regular inspections of these appliances can save you both time and money by preventing water damage emergencies.
Quick Action is Crucial
If you’ve already experienced a failed appliance, it's crucial to clean up the mess quickly. For efficient and thorough remediation, a professional water damage restoration company in Charleston, such as SERVPRO®, is your best bet. At SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant, we have the expertise and the tools to handle the job efficiently, making it look "Like it never even happened."
Washing Machine
Your washing machine's supply line should be routinely checked. Factors like water pressure, the type of water, frequency of use, and installation techniques can affect the longevity of these materials. Look for signs of water deposits or corrosion and consider replacing rubber hoses with braided metal supply lines for added durability.
Refrigerator
If your refrigerator has an ice maker, a clogged or damaged water line can cause leaks. Ensure that the water line is securely attached and replace it if necessary. Fortunately, replacement lines are relatively inexpensive.
Dishwasher
Dishwashers can leak around their base or under the sink. Check for floor discoloration, water damage to nearby cabinets, or soft and warped flooring materials as indicators of leaks.
Sump Pump
For sump pumps, it's wise to install a backup power source like a generator or battery backup. Test your sump pump annually, preferably before the wettest season, to ensure it's in working order.
SERVPRO’s Professional Touch
In most water damage emergencies, SERVPRO technicians use a closed drying system to isolate the affected area from the outside air and the rest of your home. We employ dehumidifiers and air movers to control the indoor environment. For smaller areas, we create a drying chamber by hanging plastic sheeting or closing windows and doors.
We're Here to Help.®
SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant is always ready to help you restore your home after a water damage incident caused by a failed appliance. Contact us at (843) 577-2470 as soon as you notice an issue to minimize damage and start the restoration process promptly.
Protecting Wood Floors from Water Damage in Your Charleston Home | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
7/5/2024 (Permalink)
Protecting Floors from Water Damage - SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
Every type of disaster that can affect your Charleston home can adversely and substantially threaten the construction materials and structural elements of the property. When it comes to water loss incidents, all these same components remain at risk for as long as the situation is poorly maintained and not professionally cleaned up. Our 24-hour rapid response team can help you.
From leaking and faulty appliances to leaks and breaks through indoor plumbing, your Charleston home has numerous potential sources for water damage throughout its life. Whenever your property gets threatened by this kind of damage, you need to protect the structural components of your house by employing professional restorers like our SERVPRO® technicians to extract and dry the damage.
Within just a couple of days after a water incident in your home, the saturation and moisture can warp and bloat wood flooring. Once this process has started, it is nearly impossible to salvage. For this reason, it is recommended to procure trained professionals like our team to mitigate the situation immediately after it happens. With our rapid response team, we can arrive quickly to begin extraction work and get drying efforts started to prevent this irreparable damage.
In addition to the distortion of the wood flooring, this same material could become a seat for mold growth. A few days past the water loss incident without professional restoration and your home is likely affected by microbial and mold growth throughout the impacted area. Our SERVPRO water restoration specialists and remediation experts can work in conjunction to eliminate the dampness and to prevent mold growth through the application of our antimicrobial spray solutions.
Whenever a water damage incident occurs in your home, many homeowners become misled into believing they have taken care of the cleanup sufficiently while moisture and dampness persist out of sight. Elements like wood flooring and other susceptible materials can become irreparably damaged and require removal without the appropriate professional intervention. Give our SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant rapid response team a call whenever you need us at (843) 577-2470.
No Job is Too Large for our Disaster Recovery Team | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
1/2/2024 (Permalink)
Don't face storms alone! Trust SERVPRO's Disaster Recovery Team for swift storm damage restoration. Act fast, reclaim your space!
Natural Disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods can wreak havoc, leaving homes and communities in disarray. When faced with such challenges, SERVPRO® Disaster Recovery Teams are primed to provide swift and effective assistance. We understand that dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster is not just about restoring property; it's about supporting families and communities through trying times.
Immediate Response and Expert Care
At SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant, we recognize the urgency in addressing storm, flood, and water damage. Immediate action is pivotal in mitigating the extent of the damage. Our team is equipped with the experience, resources, and cutting-edge equipment required to handle even the most complex restoration jobs.
Restoring Communities, One Home at a Time
Our highly trained storm damage specialists prioritize prompt restoration to return properties to their pre-storm condition. We don't just restore buildings; we restore homes and communities. We approach every restoration project with respect, empathy, and unwavering dedication.
Local Commitment, National Support
As a locally owned and operated entity, we are deeply rooted in the Charleston community. We take pride in being your neighbors, serving Charleston, SC, and its surrounding areas. However, as part of SERVPRO's extensive network of 2,200 franchises, we have access to special Disaster Recovery Teams prepared to respond swiftly and effectively during catastrophic storms and major events.
Your Trusted Partners in Restoration
When faced with storm or flood damage, don't hesitate to reach out to SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant. Our commitment to exemplary service, combined with our local presence and national resources, ensures that your restoration needs are met promptly and efficiently.
Contact us today at (843) 577-2470 and let us help you navigate through the aftermath of a storm.
What is Mold? | SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
11/8/2023 (Permalink)
Mold is a term used to refer to fungi that grow in the form of multicellular thread-like structures called hyphae.
Overview
Mold Is Everywhere! You can easily spot mildew, the most visible type of mold, which starts as small black spots that often grow into larger colonies.
Mold growth requires moisture
The sources of moisture could be washing, cooking, air humidifiers, condensation, or leaks from plumbing or the outside. Poor ventilation contributes to higher humidity levels and leads to condensation, which also allows mold growth.
If you have a mold problem in your home or business, consider the following facts:
- Significant mold growth can occur in 48-72 hours.
- A strong, musty odor may indicate hidden mold behind drywall or under carpeting.
What to Do:
- Stay out of affected areas.
- Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
What Not to Do:
- Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
- Don’t blow air across surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
- Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
- Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.
What you can do until help arrives?
In as little as 48 hours, mold can quickly become a problem in your home or business when there is a water intrusion, like a roof leak or leaking water line. Mold can cause health effects and can also cause significant damage to your property. SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant has the training, protective gear, and specialized equipment to handle your mold issue.
Have a Mold Problem? Contact Us Today – (843) 577-2470
Water Removal & Damage Mitigation | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant
9/6/2023 (Permalink)
Water removal and damage mitigation for your Charleston or Mount Pleasant business.
When your business contends with a significant water loss incident, you want to start working on a solution as expediently as possible. With so much riding on your availability to your customers during your regular operating hours, your Mount Pleasant business might take a substantial profit drop to be out of commission for weeks and weeks to get restored. Fast action on your part can actually do a lot to keep you from working around a lengthy restoration schedule when you select a professional and accredited company to accomplish the work. With our team of professionals, mitigation plays a substantial role in our work. This process is separate from the restoration work that your business later requires. Beginning with the water removal at your Charleston property, our SERVPRO® team of technicians works quickly and expertly to remove all the dampness and moisture, effectively limiting the damage pooled water can do to the structure and your business's contents. In many ways, business owners assume that mitigation and restoration are in the same category, but this is not entirely true. While these processes complement one another, mitigation keeps the restoration work as efficient and limited as possible. Ultimately, a successful mitigation can shorten the potential time it takes to restore your building following a water loss incident. The success of this process is based on your ability to react quickly and to get our SERVPRO® professionals out to your property and start the work. The faster you respond to a disaster in your business, the quicker our experienced technicians can arrive and get to work. Mitigation lessens the damage to your property during water loss incidents or any kind of disaster you might face. When you have to contend with the effects of an incident in your store or business, trust in the rapid response and experience of our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant water damage restoration specialists. You can reach our team any time by calling (843) 577-2470.
Sewer Line Blockages Could Allow Hazardous Flooding In Your Charleston Residence | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston
7/14/2023 (Permalink)
The SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston's Green Fleet arrives prepared for stormwater extraction and restoration in the Charleston area.
While natural disasters like flooding are not at all uncommon to Charleston residents, sometimes the situations that we do not plan for and work to prevent can take you by surprise. For example, every home and business in the area has a service line tapped into a sewer system networking through the city. The bulk of these main lines are no wider than twelve inches and can quickly become clogged or blocked by inappropriate things flushed or through external threats like invasive tree roots. When the main sewer line backs up, it can start to feed wastewater back through service lines. Without the appropriate measures to clear this line, wastewater flows back through your Charleston service line and into your home, causing flood damage and often a hazardous situation for your family. Fortunately, our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston team of dedicated restoration specialists can help. With our hazmat training and extensive education regarding flood damage removal, we can work quickly to address all of the effects of this traumatic situation. In situations like this, cleanouts and emergency cleanouts (where applicable) get used to removing the wastewater working back through your system and into your house until the owner of the sewer line has the line jetted and clears the obstructions. Extraction inside your home is often one of the first steps our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston professionals take. Once the water has been removed from the affected area, cleaning and disinfection follow suit while the site gets dried thoroughly with air movers and dehumidifiers. One of the final approaches that must be taken is deodorization, as wastewater often comes with a harsh, pungent odor that lingers long after the cleaning. This process is accomplished using thermal foggers, hand sprays, and SERVPRO know-how. While your home might be protected from traditional flooding as much as it can be, some situations are impossible to ward off entirely. For emergencies that require immediate attention, trust our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston rapid response team to help you clean up the mess. Stormwater and sewage can bring double trouble - Call SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston for a safe solution (843) 577-2470. Click here for information regarding public services in Charleston.
Effects of Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston
7/13/2023 (Permalink)
Clean water has no contamination. Grey water has contaminants that are not considered pathogenic. Black water has pathogenic contamination.
Causes of Water Damage
There are many causes of water damage. Leaky dishwashers, clogged toilets, broken pipes, broken dishwasher hoses, overflowing washing machines, leaky roofs, plumbing leaks, and foundation cracks are just some of the possible causes of water damage in homes and businesses. Natural causes also can cause water damage floods, heavy snow, and heavy rain are other possible causes of this type of damage and can lead to having water in basements.
We understand...
SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston understands every water damage situation is a little different and requires a unique solution, but the general process stays the same. The steps listed below illustrate our process for the “typical” water damage emergency.Moisture promotes the growth of mold and other organisms, increasing the risk of serious health problems. Mold exposure may aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in children and people with compromised immune systems. Exposure may also increase the risk of respiratory diseases and other medical problems. Immediately cleaning up can help mitigate the health effects of water damage for everyone in a home or commercial space. Have a Water Damage? Call Us Today – (843) 577-2470
Why our Professionals are the Most Qualified in Charleston, SC | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston
7/10/2023 (Permalink)
Our team arrives quickly and has the right equipment to handle your water damage restoration process. Call us anytime we are available 24/7.
Factors that Influence the Outcome of Water Removal in Charleston
- Leaking or burst pipes can leave you with a massive restoration bill if you do not take the proper steps. Part of taking the right steps is a swift response because leaving standing water on your property for too long leads to further deterioration. As an IICRC-certified restorer, we are conversant with ASD, Applied Structural Drying, so we use the most suitable approaches to remove water from your Charleston Property.
- The amount of water damage to your Charleston property may determine what steps to take for efficient water removal. Water that covers most of the rooms can take days to remove and dry all affected areas, thus requiring the occupants to move out. Our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston technicians rely on high-capacity resources such as truck-mounted water extractors to quicken the restoration process reducing the time people spend away from their properties.
- Water spills can soil your property, necessitating thorough cleanup. Some likely sources of such soiling include food remains, detergents if the leak originates from an appliance such as a dishwasher, and dyes from non-colorfast fabrics. Failure to clean properly can lead to serious problems in the future, including stains and foul odor. Our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston technicians combine the use of tools and professional cleaning agents to clean affected areas to sanitary levels. For example, the heating capability in our water extractors helps ease the cleanup process.
- After removing all standing water, there is a need to dry any excess moisture left in the materials. Drying can take a long time because it works through evaporation. Our SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston team takes different approaches to expedite evaporation. One option is to run air movers in the wet areas increasing the evaporation rate. We also use plastic sheets to create smaller sections in large rooms, which help reduce the volume of air that runs through dehumidifiers for moisture extraction.
Working with a professional restorer helps you control the outcome of water damage. Call SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston at (843) 577-2470 to help.
When Storms or Floods hit, SERVPRO® Downtown Charleston is Ready
9/9/2022 (Permalink)
Flooded Commercial Property
SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston specializes in storm and flood damage restoration. Our crews are highly trained, and we use specialized equipment to restore your business to its pre-storm condition.
Faster Response
Since we are locally owned and operated, we can respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.
Resources to Handle Floods and Storms
When storms hit Charleston, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of more than 2,000 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today at 843-577-2470
How You Can Reduce the Effects of Storm Damage | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston
7/14/2022 (Permalink)
Do you experience any storm damage to your home or property? Contact us today for a quick response!
Storms can cause a lot of damage to the exteriors of your home or business. Modern building materials like vinyl siding are designed to withstand minor damage, but severe storms can cause major destruction.
The most dangerous part of storm damage is that which goes undetected, slowly becoming more serious without being addressed. By the time this kind of damage shows itself, it could be irreversible.
Minimizing storm damage will not only protect you from potential troubling storms but can also help extend the lifespan of your home. This all starts with preparation:
Preparing Your Home’s StructureAs mentioned previously, there are many kinds of products and features that one can add to their home in order to provide extra protection from storms. However, these items will often be costly to implement and could be more trouble than it’s worth.
There are specialized landscaping techniques that you can employ around your property. These are designed to change your lawn to direct water away from your home, while still serving its purpose of being your beautiful yard.
Lastly, it’s important to remove any dead or dying trees from around your home so that they don’t fall onto your house below during a severe storm.
Preparing Your HouseholdThe first thing everyone who owns a home should do to prepare for storms is to designate a safe room or a storm shelter zone. This is a location that is away from external walls and windows, ideally in the center of your home. Everyone in the home should know this location in the event that they must take shelter.
Second, you should create an emergency kit with any supplies that could aid you while you’re sheltering. This includes nonperishable foods, water, flashlights and extra clothing. Think of anything that you may need for at least 72 hours of potential sheltering.
Lastly, you should identify the severe weather that we see here most so that you can best prepare for the most likely disasters. Here in South Carolina, we see nearly 50 inches of rain per year over 20% more than the national average. Additionally, we see hurricanes and the resulting flooding that has affected so many in our region in the past.
After the Storm Has PassedOnce the dangerous weather has gone and you no longer need to shelter, it’s tempting to walk through every part of the home and check for damage. However, prioritizing safety is the most important thing, and it could be dangerous to walk around.
If your home has sustained heavy damage, parts could collapse at any moment. When it’s safe to do so, exit the home and walk around the exterior to check for any major destruction that could cause a chain reaction.
Call the ProfessionalsWhile your insurance provider can help you assess the damage caused by a storm, it’s also best to have a report from a professional contractor. At SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston, we can help you identify areas of concern that may be invisible to the untrained eye.
Our restoration professionals are available 24⁄7 to assist with any and all of your cleanup and restoration needs.
Experienced storm damage to your home or property? Contact us today for a quick response!
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