How To Prevent Water Damage

Water is the most abundant compound on Earth’s surface, covering 70 percent of the planet. Roughly 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water and at birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant’s body weight. Water is a necessity in life, but it can also cause great problems.

Flood Water damage can lead to wood rot, peeling paint, insect infestation, shorter lifespan of roofing and siding increasing maintenance cost.

 

ServiceMaster Restore for Flood Water Damage Restoration Services Wichita - (316) 413 5750

The best ways to prevent water damage from rainwater and snow melt:

 

Windows/Doors: Check for leaks around your windows and doors, paying extra attention near the corners. Peeling paint could be signs of water getting into the wood.  Discolored paint or caulking, swelling of the window or door frame could be signs of water damage.

 

Roof: Repair or replace shingles around any area that allows water to penetrate the roof sheathing. Leaks will most commonly be found around chimneys, plumbing vents and attic vents. To find the source of a ceiling leak, measure its location from the nearest outside wall and then locate this point in the attic using a measuring tape. Water may run along the attic floor, rafters, or truss for quite a distance before coming through the ceiling.

 

Foundation and Exterior Walls: Seal any cracks and holes in external walls, joints, and foundations.

 

Plumbing: Check for leaking faucets and dripping or “sweating” pipes. Inspect washing machine hoses for bulges, cracks or wetness. Replace them every few years or sooner if problems are found. Inspect the water heater for signs of rust or water on the floor.

 

Landscaping: Keep trees trimmed so that branches are  7 feet away from any exterior house surface. This will help prolong the life of your siding and roof and prevent insects from entering your home from the tree. Vines growing on the side of a home can help open cracks in the siding, which allows moisture the house.

 

If water damage does occur, you can minimize the damage by addressing the problem quickly. If water is flowing into the home from burst piping or damaged appliances, shut off the water supply,  found outside the house or at the meter.

 

ServiceMaster Restore specializes in Flood Water Damage Restoration services in Wichita. 

 

ServiceMaster Restore will go through the entire process of drying all the way to the rebuild.  We use cutting edge drying equipment and thermal cameras that show exactly where the problems are quickly focusing on detecting energy waste, moisture, and electrical issues.  It’s the most cost-effective and easy way to help save our customers money.  Other companies will try to increase the bill amount.  We accommodate the homeowner and insurance agent by cutting cost by using our thermal imaging cameras.

How To Create A Plan To Clean A Hoarder’s House

Hoarder houses are tricky, and no two houses are identical.  The key to successfully cleaning a hoarder’s house is understanding the total amount of work to be completed, including the job hazards, the time frame to complete the project, and the different components of the job.

Depending on the situation, the client may want a complete clean out, re-organization, detailed cleaning and sterilization, air duct cleaning, carpet cleaning, and home repairs.  Other times, there may be only a portion of the job that the client desires to be completed.

Understanding the short-term and long-term goals of your client will help you become more effective and efficient when cleaning a hoarder’s house.

Step 1:  Itemize the list of tasks

Each client and each job is different.  Some jobs require only debris removal, while many jobs require multiple tasks.  Always operate in a safe manner and begin closest to the safest exit.  Many times, one or more entry/exit doors are semi- or completely blocked and operating around blocked exits presents unnecessary risks.

If a fire breaks out, you may become trapped and unable to leave the property.  Removing the obvious trash and debris from the room with the safest exit is usually the best place to start.  The trash out phase will usually yield many items that are salvageable and can be dealt with later.  Once enough room has been created, it is usually convenient to create a staging area for those items.

Step 2:  Prepare a staging area

Staging areas are critical in planning to clean a hoarder’s house. Many times, the rooms, porches, attics, and basements are so cluttered that identifying a staging area is almost impossible.  Consider using folding tables on the lawn of the property to use as a temporary staging area.  Use them to present items from the home to your client to determine if the item will be kept, donated, auctioned, or thrown away.  Keep in mind that the weather may be another factor in determining a temporary staging area.
Step 3:  Identify an area to take trash and debris

Many jobs will require a large amount of debris removal.  Once the debris and trash has been removed from the home, it is critical to remove it from the property as soon as possible to prevent the client from rummaging through it again.

Using roll off containers is recommended for large jobs, while smaller jobs may only require a pickup truck or a trailer.  When using pickup trucks and trailers to remove the debris, make sure each bag of debris is properly tied.  Ripped bags can become more ripped during transportation and lead to litter on the highways, and possibly a large fine.

Step 4:  Prepare an area for donations

Identifying donations is a tricky part of cleaning hoarder’s houses.  The client sometimes has an unrealistic estimate of the value of the items they have or an unrealistic perception of the condition of the items.  Donations are favorable because the client will get a tax doantion for them.  Sometimes more importantly, they save room and total weight in the roll off containers.

However, not all donation centers will take all items.  Goodwill has a pickup strategy where they will schedule a truck to be sent out to a home, for free, if the client has large, resellable items of furniture to be donated.

They will also pick up other items while they are onsite, such as books, tvs, appliances, clothes, and mattresses.  They will not, however, send out a truck to pick up small donations.

If a donation pickup isn’t available, make arrangements to have a pickup truck or trailer available to take items to a donation center.  Keep in mind that you will have to properly secure the items before transport.  Call ahead to the donation center to make sure they will accept all of the items you are donating.  Box trucks are usually a good way to transport donatable items as well.

Step 5:  Clean the home

Once the debris has been removed and the home contains only the items that will remain in it, make a plan to clean and disinfect the home.  Include all areas of the home, including fan blades, ceilings, cabinets, window sills, baseboards, toilets, bathtubs, showers, etc.  You may have to detail a room and clean it again once all the dust settles.  Keep in mind any item you bring into the room after is has been cleaned will have to be cleaned too.

Step 6:  Organize the remaining items

Once the bulk steps have been completed, organizing the remaining items will be a challenge.  Consider purchasing utility shelves, placing a shed on the property, or hiring a professional organizer to get the home completely functional again.  Many clients benefit from hiring a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning company to maintain the cleanliness of the home. 

Residential Hoarder Cleaning companies in Wichita can help by reducing the amount of trash and debris in the home while keeping it clean and disinfected.

6 Tips to Prepare for Document Loss (Disaster)

KNOW THE LOCATIONS OF ALL RECORDS.

Within 24 hours, ServiceMaster Restore technicians will be on site to stop water damage and smoke damage and to make a general assessment after the loss. Being prepared with a listing of all records and floor plans showing their locations will help the document recovery process begin smoothly.

IDENTIFY RECORDS THAT ARE VITAL.

Vital records are records that are critical for your organization’s continuing operation and should be identified for priority document recovery and restoration. Records with legal, fiscal, administrative, historical, and archival value fit into this category.

PRIORITIZE RECORDS GROUPS.

Determine the priority of your organization’s other record groups. ServiceMaster Restore technicians technicians can help provide an inventory of damaged files, but determining the order of recovery is best done by the customer.

REVIEW YOUR INSURANCE.

“Valuable Papers Insurance” is often purchased by entities that have a great deal to lose if records are damaged or destroyed. Reviewing coverage limits prior to a disaster will help to ensure proper coverage is in place.

KNOW WHO TO CALL FIRST.

Mold growth can begin in as little as 48 hours after documents have been in contact with water. Document recovery is best performed and most cost-effective when begun immediately after disaster strikes.

ARRANGE OFF-SITE STORAGE.

Documents and other contents often must be moved to allow restoration contractors to access the structure of the damaged building. ServiceMaster Restore technicians teams can provide document moving services when off-site storage has been arranged as well as re-shelving services when work is complete.

Expert Tile Stripping, Refinishing and Burnishing

General Questions About Tile Stripping, Refinishing and Burnishing by ServiceMaster

Question:
My bathtub has been painted with a coating and it is peeling and flaking.
What can be done with it?, do I need a new tub or can it be repaired?

Answer:
Your bathtub may have been refinished either by the homeowner or professionally. The most effective solution is to have it stripped and refinished professionally again, this is not a do-it-yourself installation. There are strong chemicals involved, specifically methylene chloride paint remover, is the only thing that will remove epoxy paint, (most likely that’s what is on the tub now), the room must be well ventilated and it takes about one to two hours to remove all the coatings on the tub surface. Not a pleasant job to do, but extremely important.

Question:
I have a rather small bathroom with black boarder tiles and grayish light purple tiles in between. The tiles go half way up the wall. I am trying to figure out a paint color for the walls and what type of paint should I use?

Answer:
Visit your local paint supplier for help in choosing the right colors for your project. Most paint dealers have a decorator available to help you coordinate your color choices as well as samples of available colors to further aid in the decision making process.

Question:
I would like to paint my bathroom sink. It is flaking and I really can’t afford a new at this time. Is there anything I could do to make it look better.
Answer:
We would suggest reading the first question. Or give the ServiceMaster by Best a call at 316.413.5776.

Question:
I would like to know how to texture paint my bathroom.

Answer:
There are a variety of textured products available to texture these surfaces one of which is Bondex Company. For information on their products and application processes you may contact Bondex or visit your local home center.

Question:
I have taken down the wallpaper in the bathroom. Now I have started to paint the walls and the wall is not smooth. Is there a way to paint it to add to the texture that is on the wall?

Answer:
A Company called Bondex makes a texture paint in smooth, medium, and rough texture finishes.

Question:
I would like to give my bathroom walls a silver metallic look. Is this possible? Can you recommend a suitable paint and where i can purchase it.

Answer:
Caution should be used when looking for a silver paint, make sure that this paint is non-leafing. Contact ServiceMaster by Best company at 316.413.5776 for detailed application process.

Question:
During our own painting process in our new apartment. My husband washing paint brushes in our washing sink and drip over our floor tiles. There are a lot of old paint which cannot be scrip easily – because it was not thick, just a layer of thin paint. Please advise how should I remove all these paint?

Answer:
Try using denatured alcohol to remove the paint drips from your floor. Denatured alcohol is available form your local paint or hardware store. If this does not work look for products like “Goof Off” or “Oops”, also available at your local paint or hardware store.