3 Tips to Manage Power Outages

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Candles during power outage.

Natural disasters, which cause power outages in the middle of winter, pose many potential problems for homeowners and businesses.

1) Power outages can cause the pipes to freeze, which is the main cause of water damage in winter.

Many regions are struggling with this common problem. Leaving homes or businesses without electricity for a long time will cause temperatures to drop below freezing, so piping may freeze. This could cause cracks or explosions leading to water damage. One way to prevent this is to insulate the pipes. This can be done by visiting any local hardware store. Most hardware stores have special tapes, polyester covers and many other products that can offer protection against a sharp drop in temperature.

If you have water in a village, town or city and you have not lost your water supply, it may be a good idea to run the water source as far away from the water source as possible. This ensures a constant flow of water to prevent the increase in water pressure in the pipe from freezing. 2) Power outages can cause septic backups.

In the event of a power failure, the waste is not pumped into the drain field. The septic tank and the pump tank catch dirty water throughout the power failure and release it all at once when the supply is resumed and the pump starts. Excess water that is pumped at one time can flood the canal field and cause flooding or backup.

3) Power outages can cause loss of drinking water if you have a well. Due to a power failure, the well pumps may stop working, which may lead to water loss. This includes drinking water, baths and toilets. No access to clean drinking water can lead to many other problems. It is important to store additional bottles of water to prevent dehydration.

Add Thunderstorms to Your Severe Weather List | SERVPRO® of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill

8/12/2021 (Permalink)

Thunderstorms can pop up at any moment. Contact SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill if you experience any damage.

If thunderstorms aren’t the first thing to come to mind when you think about severe weather, you aren’t alone. In fact, most people think about tornadoes and hurricanes.

But the reality is: Thunderstorms may be common, but they can also be hazardous. While many thunderstorms pass without incident, there are those that do not—and between high winds, lighting, hail, flooding and other issues that thunderstorms can cause, there are many ways that the weather can turn dangerous quickly.

What is a thunderstorm anyhow? It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A thunderstorm is any storm that involves thunder. By extension, that also means the storm involves lightning, since thunder and lightning always pair together.

When does a thunderstorm become a severe weather situation? A couple conditions need to be present. Severe thunderstorms are defined as storms that contain hail that is one inch or larger and straight-line winds of 58 miles per hour or more.

Thunderstorms & Damage

Damage and injury from lightning strikes. Did you know that fact we shared about thunder and lightning? Most people don’t know they have to go together, but you can’t have one without the other. Even if you can’t see lightning, if you hear thunder, lightning is somewhere in the vicinity. Lightning strikes cause around 300 injuries every year. And that only considers bodily harm. Lightning can also damage your home, vehicle and other property, both through direct strikes and indirect damage.

Property damage due to hail. Nobody likes hail. These ice pellets vary in size from tiny to very large, and the larger they are, the more damage they can cause. The force with which hail falls is also a factor. In severe thunderstorms, when hail is larger, it can easily damage your home’s roof or siding, which can lead to leaks and water damage.

Harm from flash flooding. When you think about flooding, you may think about a gradual process or flood plains. But flash flooding literally occurs in a flash—and it can happen anywhere. This type of flooding happens for a variety of reasons causing a huge amount of water to accumulate, ranging from intense rainfall to a drainage ditch overflow. If flash flood conditions are present or possible, it’s best to stay off the roads.

Thunderstorms are dangerous and can cause significant damage to homes or commercial spaces. If you have damage due to a thunderstorm, you can count on us to help. Contact us ²⁴⁄₇ for more information about our storm restoration practices.

Am I in a High-Risk Flood Zone?

7/31/2020 (Permalink)

Flood zone in Andorra, PA

Facts You Need To Understand If You Are In A High-Risk Flood Zone

If you have recently moved, you may have many questions about the weather and flooding in your new home in Andorra, PA. You may have simple questions, like if you will be able to mow your yard if it has just rained, or more serious concerns, such as whether or not your community participates in the FEMA NFIP and if you need to be prepared to hire storm restoration professionals. Whatever you are curious about, there are a few facts you need to know to understand if you are in a high-risk flood zone.

1. The Truth About Flooding
After settling into your new home, it is time to begin figuring out how vulnerable your new position is. Being interested in this information is a good thing because flooding is one of the most common and costly natural disasters you will face. At first, you may be wondering if you are at risk of flooding. Therefore, you need to understand that anywhere it can rain, it can flood. Flooding damage can be devastating, even with just small amounts of rain. A few inches of floodwater can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Also, flooding upstream from your home can damage your property, even if you didn't receive any rain. The good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself from flooding. By purchasing flood insurance and preparing your property, you can lessen the effects of this disaster on your home, family, and finances.

2. Understanding FEMA’s Flood Maps
Local flood maps are developed to help communities set regulations for land use, plan for flooding, and decide which areas need to participate in the FEMA NFIP. These maps are reviewed periodically and updated because flood risk can change over time. Understanding the different zones on these maps and what they mean can help you prepare your property for flooding.
While you may not be in a high-risk flood zone, there is always a possibility that you will face flooding. Therefore, it is important to understand the truth about flooding, know your flood maps, and, have flood insurance, whether or not your community participates in the FEMA NFIP.

Flood Damage in Manayunk - Choosing The Right Strategy for the Category

6/5/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding in your home is a situation that needs to be dealt with immediately. Contact SERVPRO for a quick response and assessment.

Water Hazards Found in Flood Damage in Manayunk

Water can be a truly destructive force in your home. Flood damage occurs not only from the water but possible contaminants in the water and after the fact, the presence of mold is a possibility.

When you call SERVPRO to your home, our technicians will determine the type of water flooding your Manayunk home and test for contaminants. Category One flooding is considered clean water and has few contaminants if any and is the least harmful. Gray water is considered a Category Two situation and is sometimes also referred to as "sullage" as it may contain light amounts of sewage and runoff. This type of water should be considered toxic to both humans and pets. If gray water has been allowed to stand for more than 48 hours, it should be handled as a black water situation. Category Three flood water is referred to as black water and is considered harmful to humans and pets. It may contain sewage, harmful chemicals, and other toxic substances.

Once the flood water category is determined, SERVPRO technicians work quickly to remove the water safely from your home. Truck mounted pumps can remove thousands of gallons of water quickly so the home can be dried using powerful air movers. Then the team goes to work disinfecting and neutralizing both contaminants and odors left after a flood. Special attention is paid to ensure the environment is not favorable for mold growth. We use digital moisture detectors to ensure when your home looks dry, it is dry. Our goal is to clean and restore rather than replace items within the home.

Flood waters can bring so much more than just water into your home. It is vital the process of water removal begins as quickly as possible. SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill has certified technicians ready to handle your flood damage problem in your home. We are available to help you 24/7, just call (215) 482-0800 and get a consultation with one of our knowledgeable experts now.

Click here for more about Manayunk.

Do I Need Multiple Restoration Teams for Storm and Flood Damage in Manayunk?

4/24/2020 (Permalink)

Give our SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill team a call today at (215) 482-0800.

Our SERVPRO Professionals Have Multiple Certified Technicians Under One Roof, Providing an All-in-One Solution for Manayunk Homes

One of the most troublesome things about storm and flooding damage is getting all of the help that you need in the right order. So many times, you can struggle to match schedules between restoration professionals and residential contractors, making all of the work that your property needs a struggle to get accomplished. Choosing SERVPRO can overcome this obstacle right away.

Windstorms and powerful rain systems can damage your structure, leaving you with a need to address both flood and wind cleanup in your Manayunk home. These needs encompass a wide array of our experienced technicians, including water restorers, cleaning technicians, and residential contractors. Having all of these professionals available and ready 24/7 can offer customers a fast and confident response during their crisis.

How Fast Can Restoration Professionals Arrive to Storm Damages?
Storm damages can leave your home vulnerable to flooding and other hazards, making a fast response from restoration technicians vital. The sooner that emergency services like roof tarping or board up services can occur, then less wind-driven rain or runoff that can enter the home unabated. A fast response when disasters strike begins at our SERVPRO facility with:

Stocked Trailers
Staying ahead of emergencies is not always a simple task. We have an advantage when handling flood and water loss situations, however, as we keep production vehicles stocked with an assortment of extraction and drying equipment ranging from our electric submersible pumps to our centrifugal and axial air movers for effective evaporative drying.

Experienced Professionals
With seasoned restoration technicians on our roster, we can make sure that all of the crew mobilizes quickly with the right tools. Rolling out fast is one of the priorities of our restoration team, and we entrust our most experienced experts to spearhead this process.

24/7 Staffed Emergency Line
Having someone answer your call when you have a flood in the middle of the night can ensure that the right information gets relayed to the team. From our administrators regulating incoming details to the experienced technicians preparing for flood recovery, everyone stays on the same page to ensure jobs begin efficiently.

Can Emergency Responders Deal with Wind Damage?
Wind can be a very damaging element to fierce storm systems moving through the area. With so many properties susceptible to the extreme weather conditions of the region throughout the year, we equipped our responding technicians with the knowledge to manage wind damages along with the secondary effects that can result from breaches wind can cause, such as:

    •    Missing Siding
    •    Damaged Roofs
    •    Broken Windows
    •    Other Structural Concerns

Emergency services cater to these immediate structural breaches by tarping over the roof to prevent rain penetration or sealing over structural holes made by torn off siding, broken windows, or fallen trees. We have in-house contractors that can work alongside our restoration technicians on the mitigation that your property needs after wind, rain, and flood damage.

What Are the Hazards of Flooding from the Roof?
Wind damage, along with torrential rains, can lead to substantial flood damage in the attic space and floors below. Understanding what to expect in these situations can showcase the importance of reaching out to our experienced SERVPRO professionals as quickly as possible. Some of the hazards and potential damages that could result from water penetrating a damaged roof include:

Structural Weakness
From the underlayment material beneath the shingles on your roof to the unfinished wood surfaces throughout your attic, penetrating water from the roof can have a damaging effect on many exposed materials. The longer that flooring and wall systems remain exposed to standing water or high moisture contents, the farther water damage can migrate and damage other structural elements.

Sagging Ceiling
Once water damage from standing floodwater in your attic space persists for more than a short time, water can migrate through the floor cavities into the ceiling materials. Saturation of ceiling materials can inevitably cause these structural elements to sag under the new weight. Any sagging structural element is highly indicative of deterioration and damage.

Mold and Microbial Growth
One of the situations that our SERVPRO team hopes to avoid with a prompt response to a flood and storm-damaged home is reducing the possibility of mold. Spores exist in every environment naturally, but when moist conditions persist for more than 48 hours, it can present the ideal conditions for mold colonization.

From the damage that a storm can do to the results inside your home with flooding, we have a comprehensive restoration and reconstruction approach that can dispatch the right experts to your door right when you need them. Give our SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill team a call today at (215) 482-0800.

For more about Manayunk click here.

Biohazardous Flood Damage and Removal In Your Chestnut Hill Home

1/19/2020 (Permalink)

If you suspect a contamination issue, contact SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill at (215) 482-0800.

Biohazardous Flood Damage and Removal Methods for Chestnut Hill Residents

Not all types of water carry the same level of threat. The water in the pipes of your property, as well as rainfall, are clean water supplies. When these sources of water enter the home in large volumes, the situation is a sanitary water emergency. These emergencies generally require restoration rather than replacement. However, exterior water entry, such as in flash flooding, is often more severe. Flash flooding or road overflow can lead to contamination being brought into your home. Rushing water picks up silt, debris as well as harmful human pathogens like raw sewage which, when entering the house, results in a black water emergency.

A black water emergency is a severe form of flood damage in Chestnut Hill that may require you to vacate your home temporarily. Biohazardous waste substances brought into the home can pose a grave threat to your health. It may include viruses, harmful bacteria, or sewer gases, all of which make your property temporarily uninhabitable. Not only should you relocate to a safe property, but there may also be a necessity to perform widescale replacement of materials in the home's structure. These materials may include drywall, sheetrock, insulation, carpeting, and upholstery.

When the water has high levels of contamination, porous materials absorb both water and contaminants. Performing standard drying procedure is no longer suitable since, even when dry, pathogens are likely to remain. SERVPRO emergency water restoration technicians (WRT) may need assistance from qualified biohazardous waste removal teams using specialist equipment like self-priming trash pumps. These specific water pumps are designed to pump the solid waste out of a property as well as moisture.

Since there is a high chance of cross-contamination, SERVPRO technicians need to set up a quarantine in the property as well as decontamination and cleaning zones. Soiled items undergo a careful assessment to decide which are restorable. Some things, like fabrics or dense materials, can be treated to industrial machine washing or immersion cleaning. But unfortunately, many must be removed for disposal at a waste facility. Using controlled demolitions, SERVPRO technicians can remove structural elements, disinfect the offending area, then return new materials in the stead.

Ensuring the safety and habitability of your home is our priority. If you suspect a contamination issue, contact SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill at (215) 482-0800.

For more about Chestnut Hill click here.

We Discuss How Crucial Your Gutters Are To Your Manayunk Home

11/7/2019 (Permalink)

Contact our experienced and understanding professionals by calling (215) 482-0800.

How Your Gutters Protect Your Residence from Storm and Flood Damage in Manayunk

Many property owners believe that the roof performs the only work needed to keep rain and snow out of their house. However, the gutter system is a crucial part of any house's exterior. Precipitation in Manayunk includes rain and snow, as well as the occasional ice storm. Freezing temperatures can cause problems in the roof itself, as well as the gutters and downspouts.

Just like a build-up of ice dams can ruin the roof covering your house in Manayunk, storm damage, as well as sporadic flooding, can happen whenever gutters fail to function correctly. Misalignment, gaps, or holes can let rain and melting snow hit your home's exterior in powerful waves. Clogs caused by accumulations of leaves, nests, and other debris can also create blockages along the length of your gutters.

When downspouts hold debris, backed up rain or melted snow trying to drain just spills over the edge, instead. This water can collect near your foundation. Erosion around this site s likely, causing a depressed area, merely because of previous rain washing the area free of any topsoil.

If this becomes a problem for you, SERVPRO is always ready to help. Mitigating flood damage inside your home begins after our building crew repairs any openings in your roof made by ice dams or other destructive events. They also help stabilize the situation by unclogging gutters and drain spouts. If twisting or other breakage exists, homeowners might need to have current gutters replaced with new ones.

Because flooding that happens so close to your house's exterior contains much fewer microbes than other flooding, we do not always need to use the same disinfectants. Cleaning often suffices in getting things back under control. Deodorizing helps keep musty smells from becoming a distracting problem, though. Gel packs, granules, or injectable liquids make the interior of your home more pleasant.

Any signs of deterioration in walls or ceilings receive the necessary mitigation and restoration work, making your house look “Like it never even happened.” In short, SERVPRO's professional teams restore and rebuild your property, so any damage caused by invasive water from storms or snow no longer exists.

SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill works in and near Roxborough, Germantown, and Mt. Airy to protect residential and commercial properties from storm and flood damage. Contact our experienced and understanding professionals by calling (215) 482-0800. Our service line is always available, day and night, year-round.

For more about Manayunk click here.

SERVPRO Strives to Preserve and Restore Storm-Damaged Contents in a Manayunk Home

9/10/2019 (Permalink)

Whether Your Home in Manayunk or a Nearby Bridege--We've Got You Covered for Storm Damage Restoration

Is Flood Damage to a Manayunk Home Salvageable?

When flood damage happens to a home, the cleanup efforts must begin quickly. The destruction that water leaves behind looks devastating, but often there are restorable items that need not be a loss with the application of the correct cleaning methods.

Controlled demolition techniques are often a large part of flood damage cleanup in a Manayunk home. Once groundwater enters a residence, it runs behind baseboards, soaks flooring and penetrates wall cavities quickly. The longer it remains, the more damage it leaves behind. The cutting away of damaged walls and flooring to allow sufficient airflow for complete drying is a common practice. Lifting away of flooring for adequate airflow into the subfloor is also standard.

Specialized Equipment Ensures the Best Outcome

A consumer-grade wet-dry vacuum does not have the pulling power to clean a water-damaged floor efficiently. It is excellent for cleaning surface water, but embedded moisture needs a combination of a powerful suction pump and strong airflow during drying to cause the water vapor to rise. Inadequate cleanup of water leads to the weakening of flooring or sheetrock as well as encourages mold growth.

What Items Have Restoration Potential?

Nonporous items that have exposure to groundwater usually respond well to sanitizing and disinfection methods such as thorough hand-cleaning or immersion washing. In this way, technicians save many things in the home, and the homeowner is not out the cost for replacement.

What Items are a Loss?

In the course of cleaning up a flood loss in a home, SERVPRO technicians inspect each item for restoration potential. Discarding of items does not occur without the permission of the homeowner or adjuster, but porous items contaminated with groundwater such as carpet and padding generally have zero possibility of a return to safe, sanitary standards for use and must be disposed of in accordance with local regulations for hazardous waste material.

As soon as flood damage happens, contact SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill at (215) 482-0800. Our technicians are available 24/7 to handle any size water loss in your home and restore the property to its preloss condition whenever possible, "Like it never even happened."

Roxborough Structures, SERVPRO for Flood Damage Mitigation

8/1/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Truck On the Way to a Storm Damaged Property in Roxborough

Professional Flood Damage Restoration For Roxborough Neighborhoods

Roxborough residents understand flooding and the risks it poses for our area. In addition to the storms that drop rain directly on the city, there is the Schuylkill River in the West, and the Delaware River to the Southeast which crest and make a bad situation much worse.

Because of all these sources, Roxborough flood damage can be very severe. While furniture is usually restorable in many circumstances, that is not always the case when extreme weather tears through a community. SERVPRO response teams train extensively to preserve all items where possible and to dry the structure to industry standards.

Preservation first starts with removal. Team members remove everything out of the standing water as technicians begin using pumps and extractors to draw it out of the home. Water softens the varnish, stain, or other coatings on furniture, so quickly removing it prevents or reduces the chance of them loosening from the wood and running or dripping onto floors and carpets.

Team members place everything on pallets or bricks to raise it off the ground to allow water to drain. If the damage already began, SERVPRO technicians set-up fans to increase air circulation and speed up the drying process. Another equipment item they use is the dehumidifier. The device draws moisture from the air, which allows for faster evaporation without causing streaks or otherwise compromising the coating. The two devices also dry exposed wood without causing cracking or splitting.

Drying specialists use these same devices to preserve and restore the interior of the home as well. After other team members complete cleaning the home of the contaminants left by the floodwater, specialists test every room with a moisture meter. If the humidity is excessive, and it almost always is, the team installs a dehumidifier in each one to dry out the air. They set up fans to not only increase air circulation but to also draw the damp air out of the room, which augments the work of the dehumidifier. The process of achieving the drying goal can take days, and it all depends on the situation of the structure, the temperature, volume of water, and more.

Other specialists use air movers to generate warm, dry air and direct the flow across floors, walls, and even ceilings to carefully force out moisture into the air where the other two devices remove it. By carefully adjusting the temperature and speed of the airflow, they can do this without causing any accidental, secondary damage.

For SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill, the goal is always to return each home to its pre-flood condition, or as close to it as possible. In addition to our community, we also support the nearby towns of Andorra, Germantown, and Mt Airy, among others. If your residence has suffered damage from any water intrusion, call our office, 24/7, at (215) 482-0800 to schedule an inspection and get the restoration process started.

https://goo.gl/maps/gpbJfDoAxDRnZDUT6

Why is There an Odor After the Flood Damage Cleanup in Manayunk Home?

6/7/2019 (Permalink)

Don’t let odor from water damage be your homes new aroma.

Let SERVPRO take on all aspects of a flood damage in your home.

When it comes to flood damage, small scale water loss events in a home can wind up, costing the homeowner more in secondary issues than the original event. Those scenarios generally are the result of inadequate water extraction or drying, leading to the potential of mold or unpleasant odors.

SERVPRO received a call to mitigate flood damage in a Manayunk home. Our team arrived only to find the flood had happened a few days before and the homeowner believed she cleaned up the mess, but a strong musty odor developed.

We scoped the room and found high moisture behind the baseboards, and thermal imaging confirmed water wicked into the sheetrock a few inches. We removed the baseboards for drying, but the time of exposure had been too long to salvage the sheetrock through drying and cleaning. So, our technicians measured roughly six inches above where the water line ended and cut away the damaged building materials, also known as making "flood cuts." This action enables adequate airflow to ensure the wall cavity for thorough drying.

SERVPRO does not set up fans and go away, hoping for the best when we dry a room. We have powerful air movers that deliver fast-moving air that causes embedded water vapor to rise where it is then removed from the area by our dehumidifiers. This cycle continues until our moisture readings show the water loss areas meet pre-set drying goals.

In cases where complete mitigation of water damage occurs, with prolonged exposure to elevated moisture levels, our technicians know the signs of mold to look for as they are IICRC-Certified in Applied Microbial Remediation. Our approach is two-fold to inhibit the growth of mold colonies.

First, we set drying goals for the areas affected by water loss to around 40% or less humidity, and second, we clean and disinfect all surfaces with our anti-bacterial and anti-fungal solutions which also reduces or even eliminates residual odors. If stronger odor control methods are necessary, we have specialized equipment for neutralizing odors at the molecular level.

Call SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill at (215) 482-0800 at the first sign of flood damage in your home. Even small water loss issues need professional mitigation, that is why We're Faster to Any Size Disaster.

If you would like to know more about Manayunk, PA click here.

Manayunk Structures, the Right Water Removal Equipment, and the Right Personnel--SERVPRO Can Do It!

5/1/2019 (Permalink)

After Flooding in a Manayunk Property, Moisture Sensors Help Discover Hidden Pockets of Moisture--A SERVPRO Service!

Professional Equipment for Smooth Flood Damage Restoration in Manayunk

A smooth flood damage restoration process requires the use of specialized equipment as well as a trained workforce to operate the equipment correctly. That is what you get when you work with an experienced and certified restoration service provider. In this article, we are looking at some of the equipment that we use when working on such incidents in Manayunk.
 
Most flood damage losses in Manayunk are associated with standing water, which means our SERVPRO technicians need to choose appropriate extraction techniques and tools. In situations where the water does not contain solid materials, we might decide to use submersible pumps. We prefer pumping as a means of water extraction when the depth of the water exceeds two inches. In most cases, we direct this water into a treated sewer system and avoid directing it into facilities that have septic systems.
 
Sometimes our SERVPRO technicians can use truck-mounted or portable extractors to remove the standing water. The portable types are convenient when we need to remove water from structures and other areas with limited access. On the other hand, truck mounts are more powerful and usually have their independent sources of power. Both the portable and truck-mounted extractors have a vacuum system, a pump and a heater; key components that give them the ability to perform both some restorative cleaning and water removal.
 
Physical means of water extraction from a flooded home are not enough when our SERVPRO technicians are restoring your property. Water can intrude into different locations of your structure, and there is a need to use detection devices. For instance, we use moisture meters and sensors to identify these locations. Infrared camera imaging can detect lingering moisture inside wall cavities and other nooks and crannies. We can also install air movers and space heaters to speed up the rate of evaporation during the restoration process.
 
SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill has highly experienced technicians that work 24/7 to make every situation we handle to look “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (215) 482-0800 and discover the options you have when the disaster comes calling.

Plenty to see and do in our town, click here.

If Winter Weather Has Damaged Your Roof Causing Flood Damage To Your Chestnut Hill Home, Call Our Crew Right Away!

3/29/2019 (Permalink)

Call us at (215) 482-0800 for fast service that helps keep restoration costs low, and damage to your family's belongings minimized.

A Winter-Weakened Roof Can Cause Flood Damage To Your Chestnut Hill Home

Ice dams on top of homes across Chestnut Hill cause severe damage during the winter by opening up spaces between shingles. These spaces can lead to deterioration and extreme weakening of the roof's support beams below. The damage may go undetected until Spring when heavy showers alert homeowners of the problem.

Homes in Chestnut Hill can suffer from flood damage. Weak sections of a roof can let in large amounts of rain that can ruin a home's interior and contents from top to bottom. SERVPRO has specialists with IICRC certification ready 24 hours a day, every day of the year to help you restore your home.

Because flooding inside your home that comes from the roof comes into contact with building materials like insulation, wiring, and other components, this water can also pick up contaminants and leave it very dirty. This same water also affects those same materials. Our team of experts knows how to solve this situation for you and make things “Like it never even happened.”

We begin extracting the standing water from your house's lower levels and searching for places where the water passed through and left saturated. We place air movers in these sections of your home to force the moisture out of the walls, floors, and personal belongings and into the air. Moisture does not simply disappear, though, so we use powerful desiccant machines that remove this additional water vapor from the air.

Flooded carpets can pick up stains, as well as high concentrations of contamination. We generally remove these and make sure that the flooring underneath becomes adequately dry before new carpeting comes in for installation. When only a small area sustains flood damage, we can often clean it enough to save it. We also deodorize regions affected by water to keep odors from becoming a nuisance.

SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill is here for homeowners in Germantown, Andorra, and Roxborough for flood damage disasters. Call us at (215) 482-0800 for fast service that helps keep restoration costs low, and damage to your family's belongings minimized.

Click here for more about Chestnut Hill.

Our Guide To Restoring Your Chestnut Hill Home After A Flood

11/12/2018 (Permalink)

Keeping hold of an emergency restoration service that responds quickly could save you thousands of dollars in personal damages.

Restoring Your Property After Flood Damage In Chestnut Hill

The flash flooding that hit much of Philadelphia this fall has caused severe damages to commercial property managers and private residents alike. These rapid water floods were caused by a series of storms that led to high levels of precipitation. Keeping a preparedness kit with you and having a game plan for the immediate event is essential to your safety. Keeping hold of an emergency restoration service that responds quickly could save you thousands of dollars in personal damages.

The impact of flood damage in Chestnut Hill residences is two-fold. The initial phase can be a threat to your safety. The second phase is concerned with reducing the financial impact on your personal property and possessions. SERVPRO is an established restoration service with technicians that live and work right here in Philadelphia. We can reach you fast and have access to industrial scale equipment.

When water passes rapidly through towns and cities, it can become contaminated along the way. These contaminate range from animal carcasses to raw sewage. The combination of water with contaminated substances is known by SERVPRO technicians as Black Water and has its own set of procedures for restoration. These procedures tend to be more thorough than in clean water cleanups due to the presence of potentially harmful pathogens.

In short, cleaning up contaminated Black Water means rapidly removing all items that have come in to contact with the substance. Due to the high personal health risk, areas of drywall may have to be removed as well as carpets to be taken and thoroughly cleaned. Although SERVPRO work toward a restore over replaces mentality, in the case of flood water we may need to act quickly to ensure property remains safe for its inhabitants.

Clearing away Black Water requires professional expertise, contact SERVPRO of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill at (215) 482-0800 to arrange a visit from a technician.

Click here for more about Chestnut Hill.

SERVPRO Pumps and Pumps Water Out of Your Mt Airy Basement After Flooding

9/25/2018 (Permalink)

Mt Airy Basement Gets Pumped Out and Dried Out by SERVPRO After Flooding

The Best Way to Drain Water Out of a Flooded Basement After a Flood Damage Experience

By properly planning and implementing everything through practice, we can handle disasters such as flood damage when they come knocking. The preparation phase needs to include our loved ones. For instance, if we come up with a fire escape plan, the plan becomes a success once we practice it and come up with a way of exiting every room. If you live in Mt Airy, this September gives you a chance to learn how to prepare for such incidents.

Though every second counts during flood damage restoration in Mt Airy, our SERVPRO technicians perform some actions carefully. For instance, it is not advisable to hurriedly pump water from a flooded basement when the ground outside is still full of water. If that happens there are chances of the basement collapsing since the pressure of the outside water is pushing the walls inwards. It means we have to balance the inside and outside pressure to protect floors and walls from possible cracking and collapsing.
 
We are going to look at some of the steps we follow when pumping water out of a flooded basement. When our SERVPRO technicians arrive at the site, we first make sure the electricity is off before entering the basement. Since most basements do not have adequate ventilation, we avoid using gasoline-powered pumps indoors to avoid creating carbon monoxide fumes. After the level of the water has gone down around 2-3 feet, we may have to wait for some time and see whether it can go back up. If it goes up, we have to repeat the previous step until it stops going up.
 
Our SERVPRO technicians shovel the mud the flood water leaves behind to prevent possible health hazards. We also clean the silt and debris out of flooded heating and air conditioning ducts. Changing their filters is also necessary to prevent the system from blowing contaminated air around the basement. At the end of cleaning, we apply EPA-approved disinfectants to prevent possible bacterial and fungal growth.
 
SERVPRO of Manayunk works around the clock to offer cleaning and restoration services that meet both residential and commercial needs. Call us at (215) 482-0800 to have our experienced technicians restore your flooded property.

Did you know Mt Airy was once Philadelphia's original summer home? Visit here for more information.
 

Cleaning Out Flood Damage in Your Mt Airy Residence Makes it Livable and Safe Again

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

Count on SERVPRO to Supply Heavy Duty Equipment for Storm Damage Cleanup in the Mt Airy Neighborhood

Water Damage Mitigation Is Crucial after a Storm

Floodwater smells really bad, and even after leaving, the odor only seems to get worse. Before a flood strikes in or near Mt Airy, homeowners often try to save more valuable items in their homes by placing them in higher locations. Later, we often find that this act of preparation continues to benefit homeowners because we can more easily work in areas directly affected by the flooding.
 
Once a Mt Airy home sustains flood damage, SERVPRO crews work fast to get things right again, “Like it never even happened.” Accomplishing this takes time and teamwork. Our IICRC- certified technicians ensure that water damage, microbial infestation, and other situations remain under control during the process of mitigating flood damage.
 
The amount of time to air out and completely dry your home after a flooding event depends on how much water absorbed into porous materials, and how warm we keep your home's interior. Although we extract as much water as possible in the initial stages, many times making more than one pass during this phase, absorbent materials can retain moisture. The air can also become saturated with water vapor. Higher heat means the air can hold more moisture, which we then force outdoors. Continually doing this slowly but steadily dries out your home's interior walls, floors, and air.
 
Dehumidifiers can work for small floods, such as an accident involving an overflowing sink, but for massive flooding, desiccant machines work more effectively. These machines can help eradicate areas of microbes left over by drying them out, although SERVPRO also uses air scrubbers. These remove any microbes or dust found in the air. Once dry, our crew members start cleaning surfaces to ensure everything becomes clean again and safe to touch. Odors also get treated through various methods, ensuring your home also smells like it should.

SERVPRO of Manayunk wants to make your flooded home livable again by mitigating flood damage. Being kept out of your home by disasters can seem like a never-ending nightmare, but we are here to help. If your home is in the Germantown or Andorra areas, call us at (215) 482-0800.

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Mt Airy's Flood Damage Technicians Explain How Moisture Can Effect Wood Floors

6/18/2018 (Permalink)

Stormwater Removal and Drying in Mt Airy Floors Needed? Try SERVPRO, "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Removes Water to Mitigate Damages After Storms in the Mt Airy Area

Excessive moisture can affect various materials inside your Mt Airy condo differently. When drying various substances, it helps to know how water acts when it comes into contact with the particular item. Wood floors get affected by moisture in primarily the same fashion every time. Grasping how the flooring reacts when it gets wet aids our SERVPRO technicians in the water removal process.
 
How wood floors behave when they get saturated depends on several factors including the amount of moisture and how long the materials have been wet. When mitigating flood damage problems in Mt Airy that take place after a severe thunderstorm, permeance and exposure time are the two significant variables determining the amount of damage to the floorboards. Permeance refers to how easily water vapor passes through a material. Exposure time refers to how long material was in contact with moisture, allowing for continued wicking into the wood grains.

When materials stay in contact with water for an extended period, the typical problems associated with moisture damage can get much worse. All wood naturally contains a small amount of moisture. As more water soaks into the wood, it expands. When wood expands warping is likely. Buckling can also occur at the joints where the floor pieces come together. The longer the wood floor stays in contact with water, the worse the buckling issues can become.
 
If water stays inside the wood, buckling can become permanent and remain after the floors are dried out. In some cases, buckling can be fixed by sanding down and refinishing the floors. In other situations, the floor's buckling is so severe that the wood floor must be pulled up and replaced.

How the water comes into contact with the wooden flooring can also affect how the wood reacts to being wet. When moisture gets absorbed from the bottom and sides of the wood floor, the edges of the floor pieces slightly raise or "cup." Cupping can often be fixed by sanding down the floors. When the top of the wood holds more moisture than the sides and the bottom crowning can take place. Crowning makes the wood arch creating a bowed shape in the middle. Crowning usually happens when the bottom of the wood gets dried too much and too quickly. In most cases, crowning cannot be repaired by sanding and refinishing, and the flooring materials must get removed and replaced.
 
Rapidly drying, but controlled and monitored, wood flooring materials after a storm hits town is the best way to prevent buckling, cupping, and crowning. Our SERVPRO technicians always closely monitor moisture levels within the wood during the drying process so that over-drying does not occur. Anytime you need help removing water from wood floors after a severe thunderstorm or flooding, call SERVPRO of Manayunk at (215) 482-0800.

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Remediating Flood Damage in Manayunk

4/29/2018 (Permalink)

When your home is flooded, SERVPRO is the company to quickly call for drying out services. We will dry out your carpet and assess the pad underneath.

SERVPRO Technicians Systematically Dry Out Your Carpet to Try and Save the Pad Underneath

Storms around the Manayunk area are usually calm enough for the drains and area creeks and rivers to handle. When they are severe enough to generate floods, every home in their path is affected to one point or another.
 
Unless the water generated is massive, most Manayunk flood damage restoration efforts center around drying the carpets. SERVPRO technicians attempt to use in-place drying for carpets if possible and remove most of this water by extraction.
 
Our teams start the process with specialized equipment that pushes into the carpet and squeezes the water out through an extraction wand. They first remove water from the center of the room and then move the furniture either to the center or remove it completely from the affected area before starting. Once they finish the center, the teams begin extracting water from around the perimeter of the room in sections of 10 square feet or smaller.
 
After our teams complete one pass over the affected room, an inspector or team leader carefully lifts up one corner of the carpet and examines the pad. If he can squeeze water out of it, the restoration team repeats the extraction process until no more water squeezes out of the pad. They do this as quickly as possible since carpet pads rapidly deteriorate if underwater too long.
 
If the inspector sees that deterioration has started, he recommends removing and replacing the pad immediately. In-place extraction takes longer to remove water, but it can cost less in labor since time is not wasted by detaching the carpet and removing it from the affected rooms.
 
Once the team completes extraction, SERVPRO uses a combination of dehumidifiers and air movers to remove moisture in the surrounding air and to dry both the underside and the surface of the carpet. These devices working together can return a room to its pre-flood condition in just a day or two.
 
Drying carpets are one of the processes SERVPRO of Manayunk uses to return homes to a dry, safe condition. If you are dealing with any recent or older flooding, contact us today at (215) 482-0800 to schedule an inspection. We are here to help.

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There Is Hope After a Flood Damage Experience in Germantown

3/8/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the skills and expertise to restore the contents of your home after flood damage.

Rely on SERVPRO for Thorough Flood Damage Restoration Services

Though some aspects of flood damage are predictable and it is possible to salvage most of your contents, in some cases, you may end up with significant losses. We are referring to the cash you need to spend to do the repairs and replacements. When you fail to act promptly, water may penetrate into the hard to access areas and create conditions for mold growth in your Germantown home.

When addressing flood damage in Germantown, our SERVPRO technicians wear appropriate safety equipment such as work boots, safety glasses, rubber gloves and disposable respirators during the restoration. This protects them from exposure to bacteria, mold and any contaminants present. We have the skills and tools to inspect your ceilings, electrical systems, air ducts and heating systems. Our team takes the presence of holes, cracks, defective flashing, and missing shingles seriously.

In most cases, the chemical toxins, sewage, mud, and bacteria that the water carries into your property causes a big part of the destruction. That is why when our SERVPRO technicians are working for you they inspect the degree of damage to your porous and nonporous materials. Porous materials absorb water, and we usually discard them even when they are dry. Remember, drying is not enough to deal with the contaminants that they leave behind that are likely to cause health effects.

Nonporous materials made of concrete, plastic, porcelain, as well as glass, are in most cases salvageable. We clean, disinfect and dry them using specialized equipment and processes. We then have to ventilate the area to promote the circulation of air. Sometimes, we may use vacuum cleaners, dehumidifiers and fans to speed up the drying process. The wet vacuum cleaner is also useful when unblocking your baths and sinks and cleaning upholstery.

SERVPRO of Manayunk is an industry leader in fire, water, mold and storm damage restoration. Call us at (215) 482-0800 if you want us to make the disaster to appear “Like it never even happened.”  

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Heavy Rains Push Germantown Area Rivers Past Flood Stage

1/21/2018 (Permalink)

Germantown Homeowners Turn to SERVPRO for Floodwater Extraction and Remediation

Ground and Rain Water Flooding Can Get Immediate Help from SERVPRO Protecting Many Germantown Properties

The historic Germantown area owes a large part of its charm to its proximity to Delaware and the Schuylkill Rivers. These waterways become a source of danger and damage when they flood their banks and the streets and building nearby. Our crews prepare for this eventuality regularly and have effective and practical tactics to remove the water and dry out the structures affected.

When you realize water is inching up the walls of your Germantown lower level, you need help to assess the flood damage. It is a rare homeowner who possesses the powerful and specialized equipment needed to clear the water and dry out the walls and floors. Because the water is a combination of rain runoff and river water, the moisture trapped in your foundation likely is contaminated, a situation that benefits from attention by professional flood remediators.
 
SERVPRO technicians use commercial-sized water extractors and pumps to remove flooding fast. Water cannot be left to drain over a few days without risking secondary damage to building structures or mold growth. Since the water could be tainted with bacteria and viruses, first extraction and then sanitization must occur. Then the lingering moisture reduces to normal levels through the use of air movers and dehumidifiers, with heat added to accelerate the process.

If flood insurance comes into play, SERVPRO can help facilitate the claims process with thoughtful interfacing with our customer and his/her insurance adjuster.
 
Appliances such as laundry equipment and your water heater need to be checked out for damage before their operation can be resumed. If your HVAC system is located close to the affected area, it should be inspected for damage and also residual water. If any lingering moisture is not removed from the interior of the ductwork, it could fuel mold growth and contribute to odors that could spread throughout all levels of your home. SERVPRO technicians are certified to clean the ducts and also work on lingering smells from the flood waters.
 
Any items stored in the flooded area need evaluation. SERVPRO employees pack out boxes and help review their condition in a dry area. Washable items like clothing are usually salvageable, as are non-porous articles that can be scrubbed clean.

Papers, books, and pictures can be saved using a freeze-drying technique. If you are concerned that the contaminants are still present, the dried documents can be copied for future reference, and the originals discarded. SERVPRO drying experts help customers make these educated choices.
 
The work crews at SERVPRO of Manayunk are experienced in flood recovery and eager to help with your water damage issues. Contact us at (215) 482-0800 immediately as water damage is serious and progressive.

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Restoring Your Home after Storms and Flood Damage Hit Roxborough

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Be Prepared for Storms in Roxborough--Use the SERVPRO ERP app

When Disaster Strikes Your Roxborough Property

Recently, storms seem to have become more forceful and damaging than in years past. The homes within Roxborough can sustain thousands of dollars in damage whenever trees or power line poles fall onto the roof. Area property owners can rely on SERVPRO to make things right again, quickly, smoothly, and professionally.
 
Flood damage in and around Roxborough happens after damage to the roof or when shingles are torn away in large numbers. Storm water can back up into basements and crawlspaces, and saturated yards in your neighborhood can rise quickly, sending water gushing into your home at the ground level. Damaged gutters can divert water flowing from the roof toward your home, instead than of away from it, creating a mini-flood on one side of your home while the other part remains dry.
 
Even if the area in your home affected by flood damage is only a few square yards in size and caused by an open window, SERVPRO recommends professional remediation for several reasons. In addition to cleaning up the current mess and making your home livable again for your family, we stop the damage before it can progress. By removing any silt and other debris, we also remove a significant portion of biological hazards contained in the debris. Using measurements taken by devices with the latest in technological advances, we can easily determine the degree of contamination on each surface before and after cleaning.
 
Saving carpeting and other floor coverings can often occur when remediation efforts start early. Our Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) can help determine the most suitable methods required to save your floors. Working closely with our Odor Control Technician (OCT), elimination of musty odors takes place that once hid inside your carpet after the flooding event. This odor is evidence of the various chemical and molecular reactions taking place within a flood damaged home. Although flooding from contaminated groundwater or sewage backup, these carpets and pads should be discarded.
 
Stripping your home of damaged materials and removing them safely, far away from your home, prepares it for restoration. New walls, complete with fresh coats of paint, provide the finishing touches that make it all “Like it never even happened.”
 
By calling SERVPRO of Manayunk at (215) 482-0800, we can rescue your home from flood damage. Always ready and available to help with any disaster, our technicians have the experience your disaster cleanup situation requires.

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Flood Damage Restoration Services After A Storm In Philadelphia

8/1/2017 (Permalink)

Resultant flash floods can destroy massive amounts of property both inside and outside the house.

Flood Damage Restoration Services

Hurricane Katrina is a damning reminder of the powerful force of Mother Nature. When such a storm ensues, it can come with a heavy downpour. The outcome is apparent within just minutes after the natural disaster. Resultant flash floods can destroy massive amounts of property both inside and outside the house.

When this happens to you, SERVPRO may be in a position to help. We are a locally based flood damage restoration company who can secure your property in Philadelphia. Our highly trained technicians, who have access to industry leading tools and techniques, can arrive quickly to reverse the water damage.

When drying your house, four main factors come into play: air movement, humidity, the amount of excess water present, and temperature. Ideally, drying occurs faster under high temperatures (between 70 and 90 degrees Celsius) low humidity levels (between 30 and 50 percent). The damp and humid air in the water-damaged room should also be replaced by dry air to accelerate drying.

If the water reached your upholstery, a few things might happen. Wooden framings may swell and crack, fabrics may spot from water, and color bleeding may stain the floors or carpets. SERVPRO technicians use a variety of water removal procedures to deal with these situations.

Drying different materials require a vast knowledge of their interaction with moisture. Our specialists can determine the extent of water damage by checking exposure time and permeance of specific materials. Permeance refers to the ability of materials to absorb water vapor.

Painted concrete can flake when exposed to moisture, thus requiring repainting. Concrete floors are also porous and can develop whitish calcium deposits on the surface on exposure to water. Our restorers use EPA-registered disinfectants and HEPA vacuuming to get rid of the debris.

Natural catastrophes like thunderstorms come without warning, flooding houses and damaging property. If you act fast, SERVPRO of Manayunk can restore your property like nothing even happened. Call us today at (215) 482-0800.

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