14,000 Americans experience a water damage emergency daily, amounting to $13 billion in damage and removal each year. The strong storms we get in the United States can cause damage that breaks through the roof. Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana have been known to have as much as twenty inches of rainfall in a single month, coupled with strong winds and lightning. Clogged gutters can tear away from the roof leaving openings in the fascia, and poor drainage systems can cause water to accumulate with no place to go but in. Washing machines or water lines can break, dumping a flood into the house. Countless calamities can happen suddenly and turn your life upside down. If your property does flood, the problem isn’t just getting the water out; it is restoring things are damaged.
If you experience a flood, it’s important to call your insurance company and a licensed restoration company like American Veterans Restoration right away. Technicians will work to turn off electrical lines, vacuum out the water and set out industrial fans and dehumidifiers to dry things as much as possible. Mold and mildew can grow on a damp surface in just 24 hours, so it’s important not to allow those spores to develop. The fungi can grow on wood, wallpaper, carpet, drywall, insulation, and more, essentially covering the entirety of a flooded home if it isn’t addressed immediately. Once it’s there, it can cause reactions similar to cold-like symptoms; people with respiratory problems may experience asthma attacks. In severe cases, mold can lead to fever and dangerous shortness of breath.
Our technicians will also inspect where the water has soaked through. Wet or contaminated materials that are porous, like drywall, ceiling tile, and wood by-products, will need to be removed. Ceilings should be addressed first because the panels or boards could collapse from the extra weight. Our professionals will also check whether beams and rafters have structural damage that could potentially collapse the house.
Though some insulation may be salvageable after it is dried and disinfected, it will have to be removed if it’s soaked through. If a technician is called out quickly, material, carpet, bedding, clothing, furniture, and other items can be saved. The inspector will check whether the wood flooring has rotted or warped and needs replacing. On the outside of your home, siding may also need to be removed and replaced.
Depending on how the flood began, your property could have been exposed to other toxic chemicals or sewage. Our experts will assess the situation and let you know how to proceed. Once everything has been salvaged or removed and replaced, we will also go in and make sure the caulking and paint match the rest of the building. We may also recommend adding in certain water-proofing features, like a sealed layer over some materials or water-proof tile flooring.
At American Veterans Restoration, we understand that, at times, you need someone there at the drop of a hat. After spending years fighting for the United States, learning to be ready for anything, we’re focusing our efforts now on being there for our countrymen in a different way: damage restoration. Our licensed, insured, and certified technicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We use the latest and most effective technology and pair it with an unwavering dedication to our clients. That’s what makes us the top-rated service in the United States.
Few things are more worrisome to a homeowner than the sight of a sewer pipe that is backing up inside your home. Not only is it incredibly uncomfortable, but sewage that is being pumped inside your bathroom can carry with a whole host of diseases, bacteria, and viruses. Prompt removal is vital to ensuring that the damage is minimal. If left too long the water damage to your home can be tremendous, resulting in thousands of dollars in reconstruction and even mold abatement.
Cleanup is not a job that you should tackle alone. Fortunately, the American Veteran’s Restoration team is skilled, experienced, and ready to tackle any job, no matter how large. We are on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so don’t hesitate to call our office for an emergency or to set up an appointment.
There are three different sewage types, distinguishable by their color: clear, gray, or black.
Because of the presence of toxins inside sewage, it is highly recommended that you let a professional clean up your sewage leak. Even if it doesn’t look hazardous, there could be microscopic parasites or bacteria that can harm humans and pets.
We also recommend protecting yourself and your family members from exposure by donning multiple protection levels: pants, extra shirts, even coats and gloves, and don’t forget goggles. During a sewage spill – even if it’s outside – the priority is protecting your loved ones from diseases that could result from even indirect contact.
Another thing you can do is shut off the source of the sewage spill if you can. Do not go anywhere near the sewage itself, but if you can turn off the main water pipe to the house, do that first. Then, call our offices and let our team of professionals handle it for you. Our team is outfitted with the latest and most responsible gear, and we are trained to handle extreme situations.
If you have a sewage issue, don’t hesitate. Call the team at American Veteran’s Restoration today. We are the #1 rated restoration company in the USA.
It was an elderly Benjamin Franklin near the end of his life who gave us the famous quote, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Wisely prophetic words, to be sure, but most modern homeowners can think of at least one more thing to add to that list: water leaks. Even for newer homes, leaks are a perpetual problem. According to the EPA, 10% of American homes are experiencing one at any given time, accounting for the loss of at least 90 gallons of water per day.
Several factors may contribute to leaks, including burst or cracked pipes, corrosion, clogs, broken seals, tree roots, pest damage, roofing issues, loose connectors, joint damage, water pressure problems, ground shifts, and rapid temperature fluctuations. But no matter what the cause, leaks are difficult to guard against. Even worse, they are sometimes hard to detect early on. Many leaks go unnoticed until considerable damage has been done and the problem becomes more obvious. Early detection and vigilance are critical to warding off costly repairs. Do you know what to look for? Let us break it down for you.
Keep an eye on your bill. A home’s usage is generally consistent. If your bill suddenly spikes and you cannot account for the extra consumption, you might have a leak.
Check your lawn. If there are patches of grass that are greener than the rest of your yard, there could be a leaky line somewhere underneath. You may even see wet spots or puddles on your lawn if the leak is bad enough. Over time, the accumulation can find its way into your home.
Do a spot check around the house. Take a look at the places in your home that utilize water and make sure the areas surrounding them are dry. This includes sinks, tubs, toilets, showers, cabinets, kitchen, and laundry rooms. Check around appliances too, such as your dishwasher and water heater.
Look for wall/ceiling discolorations and bulges. If you see a discolored spot on a wall or ceiling, that may indicate that you have water where it shouldn’t be. A leak inside a wall or ceiling may also cause bulges in the paint or wallpaper, even if there aren’t any noticeable stains.
Be alert to drips, moisture, odors, and mold. Check your faucets to make sure none of them are dripping. Drips could also be occurring somewhere you cannot see, such as under a cabinet or behind a wall, so when your home is quiet, take a few minutes to walk around and listen. Look for moisture where it shouldn’t be and inspect for mold and mildew spots. There also may be a musty odor in places where water is present.
There’s a fairly simple way to confirm if you have a leak using your meter. First, make sure the water is off throughout the house and that no appliances that use water are running. Next, go to the meter, likely on the side of your house or near the street and write down the numbers. Wait about an hour and check the numbers again. If they’ve changed, you have a leak. It’s time for professional help.
Whether you’ve suffered an immediate, obvious leak or something more insidious that went unnoticed over time, there’s a good chance you’ll need restoration services as well as repair. Even small leaks can cause a great deal of destruction, damaging and weakening walls, ceilings, floors, foundations, and more. The damage does not even have to be visible to be severe. On top of that, wet materials where water accumulated becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and mold and could even attract pests to your home. It’s a dangerous hazard to your health and safety if not properly cleaned up.
There’s no better choice for restoration services following a water leak than the dedicated experts at American Veterans Restoration. We do it all, we do it affordably, and we do it best. Your satisfaction is fully guaranteed, and your estimate is always free. Contact us today, and let’s get started.
Freezing weather puts the plumbing in your home or business at serious risk. Pipes that are not insulated or in areas that are not heated are the most susceptible to freezing. Some states do not deal with extended freezing weather that lasts for weeks or months, but occasional serious cold snaps can expose insulation weaknesses that are not normally detected. A few hours of deep-freeze temperatures can allow cold outside air to cause ice formation in your plumbing.
While people often think pipes burst right where ice forms inside a pipe, plumbing damage often occurs further inside structures where water damage can be a much more difficult problem. When ice forms inside a pipe, expansion causes pressure to rapidly build-up, placing stress on the entire system. As a result, ruptures can happen at faucets, joints, or along weaker parts of the plumbing. When the water is flowing again, it can escape at the breakage points, flooding interior areas.
Pipes that are not properly installed or secured move around with pressure changes as water is turned on or off inside a building. The rattling or banging you may hear in pipes is called a water hammer, leading to joint damage, and eventually bursting the plumbing. Corrosion over time can also lead to plumbing weakness and burst pipes.
If you are experiencing a burst pipe emergency, immediately contact us to begin assessing your situation with you and get help on the way. Shut off the main water valve serving your property if possible and avoid water that might be exposed to electrical wiring or fixtures. We begin work on containing and then removing water and locating damaged parts of your plumbing system. The highest priority is placed on eliminating dangerous conditions as quickly as possible and minimizing the water damage that requires repair and remediation. Flood water is removed, and the drying process is started as soon as possible.
When leaks and plumbing damage have been located, the damaged pipes, joints, and fixtures are repaired or replaced so that the plumbing system can be brought back online as normal. We determine the source of cold air that may have caused freezing to properly seal and insulate exposed areas and ensure that plumbing is properly wrapped, secured, and insulated based on its location and exposure.
When the threat of further damage has been removed, and the plumbing system is properly repaired, we begin the remediation process for structures and areas damaged by water leaking or flooding. Our cutting-edge drying and remediation technology can minimize the risk of permanent water damage and help prevent mold and mildew from forming, or other growth that is unhealthy and can significantly affect property values.
American Veterans Restoration is a company founded and managed by local veterans with service as their primary mission. Our licensed, insured, and certified technicians are available around the clock seven days of the week to handle burst pipe emergencies on your property. We are your go-to team for expert and professional damage mitigation and restoration throughout the United States. Contact us today for emergency service or to discuss your remediation needs with a free estimate.