Water Damage in your home will migrate through out making the damage worse
You have made an significant investment in your home so why not learn some basic home maintenance. SERVPRO of Ocala shares a few tips you can do yearly to keep that investment operating the way it should and avoid any possible water event that could damage your investment.
Clean your gutters, most people dont think about them as they are usually out of sight. It is recommended that you clean them twice a year.
Check under your sinks, look for leaks around the drain pipes.
Check your water lines, sinks, toilets, dishwashers, and washing machines all have water supply lines. Visually check to see if there are any leaks.
Water Heater, check for leaks around the valves and drain.
HVAC, call a professional to do a system check and look for any damage.
A failure at any one of these can result in a water event that may cause some costly damage.
Drinking Fountain Causes Water Damage-Summerfield, FL
SERVPRO of Ocala can cleanup any type of water damage from any unsuspected source.
There have been many times SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County has been called out to water damages which something as an innocent looking drinking fountain was the cause. In some cases, it’s not so obvious because there are no broken pipes or stuck water fountain handles flooding the areas. And it always seems that water damages occur when lest expected never between 9-5 business hours. There’s no real way to prevent the unforeseen water damage like the fill tank inside the water fountain failing and overflowing for hours until it’s noticed the next morning. The best defense is a good offence like have SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County emergency phone numbers on speed dial. Or better yet ask for our SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) to be developed for all your commercial facilities. Call SERVPRO of Ocala 352-732-6630 for a no cost ERP
SERVPRO of Ocala and South Marion County wants you to know what the 3 categories of water damage are:
Category 1 water damage refers to water damage that has been caused by water that came from a sanitary source—floods caused by broken water supply lines, a toilet tank, a faucet, or a failed water heater, for example, would fall into this category.
Category 2 water damage includes water that is contaminated in some way, and could cause health effects if ingested. Grey water can come from instances like a washing machine overflow, a toilet overflow with urine, or a dishwasher overflow. In these cases, the water likely contains unsafe levels of microorganisms and/or a hospitable environment for the growth of microorganisms.
The highest level of water damage, Category 3 refers to damage caused by grossly unsanitary water. Black water contains human and/or animal waste, along with other contaminants that could cause severe health effects if ingested. Sources of Category 3 water damage can include sewer backup, flooding from rivers or streams, wind driven rain, water from beyond the toilet trap, and standing water that has begun to support microbial growth.
Fail to maintain your HVAC system and it can cause water damage
Tips: How to prevent water damage caused by your HVAC system.
Change the Filter
Changing the filter will help prevent the system from overworking, which can lead to the freezing of the coils.
Keep it Clean
Your air conditioner needs proper airflow to work effectively, so cleaning accumulated dirt on the exterior of the unit, or condenser, needs to be done at least once a year. Also make sure the condenser isn’t covered with anything or objects aren’t placed to close, to keep the airflow free-flowing
Maintaining the Drain Line
You will want to check that the water in your HVAC system is flowing freely to the drain. While the system is running, check that the condensation line is open and, if it’s not, make sure to clean the drainage holes.
Install a Pump
By installing a condensation pump to your HVAC system, you will help excess water to flow into the proper disposal drain. Along with a pump, you can install a safety float which will automatically shut down the power to the system if condensation does start to build up. Doing this will ensure there is no risk of overflow
Call in the Professionals
If you notice stains on your ceiling or if your air vents have condensation or if they look dirty, Call SERVPRO of Ocala today for an inspection. 352-732-6630
Avoid Water Damage-Learn How To Turn Off Your Water
Do you know how to shut off the water valve to avoid water damage in your home or business? If you’ve never checked out your water valve before, you are at risk of water damage should you ever have a plumbing emergency. You’ll need to shut off the water to the entire house if:
There is no local shut off valve by the area or appliance in question
You need to shut off the water to the entire house whenever you leave for an extended period of time.
Your washing machine breaks and is overflowing with water
Your water heater breaks down and is leaking or overflowing with water
A pipe breaks and is leaking water
That’s why you’ll need to learn how to shut off the main water valve and will want to make sure all teenagers (who might be home alone) know how to turn it off as well.
Here's a very important tip from your friends at SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County: Inspect Your Gutters To Make Sure They Are Allowing Water To Flow Off and Away From Your Home.
Water damage from clogged gutters is one of the most common but least expected home maintenance issues. The status quo inside gutters is generally invisible to most homeowners. Gutter problems often aren’t evident until heavy rainfall causes conspicuous overflow. Once the gutters are no longer conveying roof runoff to the downspouts so it can be properly diverted from the home, a number of repercussions occur, and all of them are bad for the structure of your house. Exterior siding, like Stucco, isn’t made to resist a torrent of water running down its surface. Rainwater gushing from a clogged gutter often cascades down the wall, permeates the interior wall void, then leaks into living spaces.
SERVPRO of Ocala uses Thermal Imaging for Moisture Detection
A moisture problem photo taken by using thermal imaging.
With the growing concern about mold damage and associated health problems, inspectors are becoming increasingly vigilant in checking for areas of moisture within the confines of the building envelope. Weather related damage and flooding, and subsequent mold growth, have also escalated the need for tools that can facilitate fast and accurate moisture investigations.
Moisture in a residential home
There are a number of areas where moisture can accumulate that are often overlooked in typical inspection processes, or require extensive damage to the property to find them. That is why SERVPRO of Ocala uses thermal imaging as part of their building inspection regimen.
Using infrared cameras (or thermal imagers) to detect moisture and building failures is a relatively new but rapidly growing practice in inspection and insurance circles. In the past, infrared technology has successfully been used to detect roof failures as well as in the fire and water restoration industry.
One area in our Wearhouse stocked with drying equipment for any size water damage
SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County has been responding to all types and sizes of water damages for the last 40 years. No matter if its residential or large commercial spaces, SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of Marion County has the equipment, manpower, years of training and experience to meet the demand. Over the 40 plus years we have accumulated a vast amount of drying equipment needed to respond to storm damages even taking trailers full of equipment out of state to help families and businesses recover from water damages due to hurricanes, etc. Now that its that time of year again for Florida to be prepared for Hurricane season, you can trust we are ready for whatever happens because we are always stocked to help you recover from any size water damage.
Mushroom growing on a wall that was not properly mitigated.
To avoid future restoration needs, be sure to consider every water problem a serious threat to your property. Even small water damages have the ability to cause serious structural damage over time. A small amount of water has the potential to ruin flooring, paint jobs, wall paper, drywall, and insulation.
SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County are here to help. We have the equipment, training and experience to find hidden water and minimize secondary damage. We respond quickly, inspect the area to asses the damage, and use the appropriate equipment to insure that the structural materials are restored to the proper moisture content. The skills that we provide reduce the immediate and secondary damage that a water damage can cause.
When time is of the essence give SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County a call at 352-732-6630. We will be there and make it "Like it never even happened."
Here at SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County we use Benefect because it is the first and only Botanical Hospital Disinfectant and Fungicide registered with the EPA.
How can a disinfectant that is Less Toxic than vinegar kill germs? It's about Thyme.
The active ingredient in Benefect is a highly specialized thyme oil (Thymol) that has natural germ-killing capabilities.
Benefect Disinfectant contains botanically pure plant extracts and had been proven to kill over 99.99% of bacteria, fungi, TB, and HIV. Benefect has been approved by the US EPA as a high-level disinfectant, fungicide, tuberculocide, and Virucide that requires no rinsing or wiping after application on any surface.
There are no label warnings or precautionary statements for use or disposal. So you can rest easy knowing that Benefect is completely safe to use around children, pets and the elderly with no side effects.
You have made an significant investment in your home so why not learn some basic home maintenance. These are a few tips you can do yearly to keep that investment operating the way it should and avoid any possible water event that could damage your investment.
Clean your gutters, most people dont think about them as they are usually out of sight. It is recommended that you clean them twice a year.
Check under your sinks, look for leaks around the drain pipes.
Check your water lines, sinks, toilets, dishwashers, and washing machines all have water supply lines. Visually check to see if there are any leaks.
Water Heater, check for leaks around the valves and drain.
HVAC, call a professional to do a system check and look for any damage.
A failure at any one of these can result in a water event that may cause some costly damage.
There are several sources of water intrusion, the most common are from roof leaks, pipe breaks, sewer back ups, flooding from outside of the building. Regardless of the source water intrusions must be dealt with in an expeditious manner in order to prevent the development of potentially serious indoor environmental quality problems.
Water causing damage to a building can be assigned to categories depending on its source.
Category 1 is from a clean water source such as a sink over flow, broken water line and has the lowest health risk.
Category 2 is from a water source that has a significant degree of contamination due to its source, such as a storm drain backup, treated cooling water, and some surface water.
Category 3 is highly contaminated water from sewers, some rivers, sea water, and some surface water.
SERVPRO of Ocala's highly trained technicians are available to respond to what ever category water intrusion you may experience quickly and effectively 24/7. 352.732.6630
Master bathroom water damage dry-out due to slab leak.
As the owner of SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South Marion County I have seen thousands of water damages over our 46 years in business. From sprinkler heads popping off and flooding multi story buildings to small air conditioning leaks we have seen them all, so we think. But it is a little different when it happens in your own home.
As a professional restoration company owner and operator we encourage and expect our employees to be sympathetic even empathetic to our customers situations. As much as I may think I can empathize with my customers I have recently learned I have not always been understanding as I should have been.
I recently woke up early, one Ocala morning to the sound of water running but knowing everyone else was asleep in the house. I walked toward the master bathroom when I felt that cold squish between my toes of wet carpet. After entering the master bathroom I checked all of the fixtures and shutoff's for a leak or broken supply line. I then realized I, like so many of our Marion County customers, was the victim of a slab leak. A slab leak is a water leak from pipes routed under a concrete slab. When a pipe ruptures under a slab the water pressurizes the ground and will eventually follow the path of least resistance. Unfortunately the water often follows the plumbing pipe through a protective sleeve into your home.
After the initial shock wore off I was able to gather my thoughts and shut off the water to the house, wake the family and start the water mitigation process until my SERVPRO employees, my heroes were able to take over.
If you are ever faced with a water damage in Ocala or Marion County please check out our website for Do's and Don'ts and other helpful tips on what to do during a water damage and call the company that has done it thousands of times. Don't let a small water damage turn into a larger mold problem. I will keep you updated on our progress as we go through the restoration process. When we tell you we understand what you are going through believe me, we know what you are going through from both ends.
A Moisture Meter is One Way To Find Hidden Water In Drywall
SERVPRO of Ocala water damage professional was out on a job helping this homeowner with locating where water had been making its way into this side of the master bedroom. The homeowner noticed their ceiling discolored from stains. Discoloration isn’t the only indicator of water damage. You can check walls, floors, and ceilings for any changes in texture. Look for any warping or cracks on the floor as this can be caused by changes in the temperature and humidity level in your home. Sagging or sinking floors may be due to water that has seeped into the subflooring. This type of water damage often occurs near the shower, sink, tub, dishwasher, water heater, and washing machine. Expanding wood or laminate floors may indicate that they have absorbed too much water, causing the wood or laminate to swell up and separate.
Moisture Meters: A Critical Tool in Water Damage Restoration in Belleview FL.
Our Trained and Skilled SERVPRO of Ocala and South Marion County Crew Chief Searching For Moisture Behind Drywall.
Why does SERVPRO of Ocala and South MarionCounty trained professionals use moisture meters in water damage repair at every step of every job? The answer is quite simple: moisture meters are used for moisture control to avoid mold build-up and to check moisture in floors, cabinets, walls (shown in photo) and other furnishings to avoid cracking, checking and warping. As we all know, mold can sometimes presents a health hazard. In addition, mold destroys building materials by extracting carbon-containing substances and using them as food. All organic matter can serve as a food source for mold: wood, wood-based products, plastics made from petroleum products, and building materials such as concrete and drywall. Mold grows on wet surfaces, in high relative humidity at moderate temperatures and gets its nourishment from the material on which it grows. In reality, to avoid mold, we can only control the wetness of the materials and the high humidity in the air. We will always make buildings out of concrete or wood and use other carbon-containing materials. And we will always live in comfortable, moderate temperatures. The only variables in the mold equation we can control are moisture and humidity. We usually do that by keeping buildings dry. Call SERVPRO of Ocala and South Marion County today if you think you have a moisture problem in your home or business. 352-732-6630
Small Water Damages-The Water You Can't See Ocala, FL.
SERVPRO of Ocala is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage. Even though it seemed small and your floors may not be carpet or wood, water can migrate into placed you never see. Like the water damage seen here in the photo, the water is running up under walls and cabinets and cabinets are more likely to deteriorate and come apart! The human eye and hand cannot detect hidden water. Call SERVPRO of Ocala and they will track down the water you don't see and mitigate the damage before it worsens. CallToday: 352-732-6630
IICRC Standard Guidelines for Water Damage Categories Ocala, FL.
Choose SERVPRO of Ocala for IICRC Trained Professionals
According to IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration (IICRC S500), there are three categories of water that cause damage in buildings. They are summarized as follows:
Category 1 Water – That which is clean at the releasing source and does not pose a hazard if consumed by humans. Category 1 water may become progressively contaminated as it mixes with soils on or within floor coverings or building assemblies (walls, decking, and subflooring). Time and temperature, which promote the growth and amplification of microorganisms in water can cause Category 1 water to degrade. Examples: burst water pipes, failed supply lines on appliances, vertically falling rainwater.
Category 2 Water – That which begins with some degree of contamination and could cause sickness or discomfort if consumed by humans. As with Category 1 water, time and temperature can cause Category 2 water to become progressively more contaminated.
Category 3 Water – That which is highly contaminated and could cause death or serious illness if consumed by humans. Examples: sewage, rising flood water from rivers and streams, ground surface water flowing horizontally into buildings as a result of wind storm damage:
Sometimes it takes a lot of drying equipment to dry older buildings like the one in the photo. SERVPRO of Ocala crews are trained to use what is called a "Drying Work Book" this helps determine the number of drying equipment need to completely dry down a wet saturated structure and material. Some material like plaster takes a lot of equipment to get the structure back to normal. Also building that are "cut up" in many smaller rooms can be a challenge as well for the SERVPRO professional to make sure we don't leave any material wet. The photo shows a lot of rooms and contents as well as carpet that all had to be considered and make sure no out of the way areas were missed. SERVPRO of Ocala crews are trained to prevent mold from growing once we are finished the drying and leave the job site. Everyday the Crew Chief must monitor the drying equipment at their jobs to make sure progress is being made. Equipment is then removed from the areas that return to a normal conditions once the drying equipment has done its job. This building was no exception only that the equipment had to be moved and placed in other locations to dry all areas.
Keep Your Business Running During a Water Damage in Summerfield, FL.
When this local Ocala business called SERVPRO of Ocala and South Marion County to help with an emergency water damage, they hoped they would not have to close their doors and stop their operations. SERVPRO of Ocala and SouthMarion County professionals talked with the owner and worked around the office personnel by using small air movers in strategic locations to make sure the drying process was successful. After extracting the water and getting wet material out of the facility, the crew made sure the employees could keep their work environment clean safe and easy to maintain. Trip hazards where taken into account through out the building. The small air movers came in really handy to provide air movement needed to dry fast but did not intrude the work space. As this photo show, SERVPRO of Ocala and South Marion County will go the extra mile to provide custom customer service to keep the business operation up and running!
Results From Water Intrusion After Heavy Rain-Ocala, FL
This homeowner was surprised after finding the results of water damage from heavy rains. Florida is known for rainy days, weeks and months. This closet was damage by water coming through the roof. The closet was one area the homeowner never thought to look at after finding several leaks in the ceiling upstairs that were very noticeable. SERVPRO of Ocala was called in to help with this and other problem areas. Mold is one result when water damage is left untreated. A lot of times its the water that you don't see that turns out to be a bigger issue. The photo shows the damage from the water after time has passed. The SERVPRO of Ocala team came in and removed, cleaned and safely dried this and other areas giving back to the homeowner a nice fresh smelling home.
Drying Equipment at Work in this Water Damaged Assisted Living Facility
When a sprinkler head broke in a hallways it really caused quite a commotion. Residents where forced out of their rooms and staff had to make sure everyone was safe. SERVPRO of Ocala was called in to act fast and get the standing water up and out (which you don't see) and start setting drying equipment as shown. Residents were moved out of the water damaged areas for safety. All were surprised in a good way just how fast and efficiently our trained SERVPRO professionals worked to get building materials in drying mode. In a few days the vast majority of the facility was back to normal, all thanks to over 40 years of doing this type of work and the dedicated staff at SERVPRO of Ocala.
Large Commercial Water Damages call for Large Response Teams like SERVPRO of Ocala!
Over the weekend is not the best time to suffer a 6000 square foot water damage, but that's what happened to one of the large commercial facilities located in Ocala, FL. Luckily SERVPRO of Ocala is an Approved Vendor and they rushed to the damage beginning emergency water mitigation. Any commercial Business is greatly affected and runs the rick of permanent shut down if they cannot get fast professional service to mitigate the damage. Since time is so important SERVPROof Ocala teams was on hand fast and placed over 100 Air Movers and 15 Dehumidifiers along with water extracting and drywall removal, content cleaning and manipulation. The crew worked non stopped to get this large building up and running again and our Goal was met in a few weeks!
Water Damage as a Sewage Backup is a Biohazard Problem!
SERVPRO of Ocala and SERVPRO of South MarionCounty has a few "Tips" to share regarding sewage backup in your home.
TIPS TO STAY SAFE IF SEWAGE BACKSUP
1. Start with keeping children and pets out of the affected area.
2. Avoid contact with skin, open cuts or sores.
3. Wash hands frequently.
4. Launder cloths ASAP if you suspect they have been contaminated.
5. Avoid breathing airborne Microorganisms.
6. DO NOT use a home vacuum cleaner to try and pick up solids.
7. Call in the Pros. SERVPRO of Ocala professionals will do the sewage cleanup work for you—pump out and wipe up the gunk, deodorize, and sanitize. Restore carpets and floors, if possible. Equipment they’ll use includes air movers, air scrubbers, and dehumidifiers. Using meters and thermal cameras to make sure no moisture and contaminates were missed thus preventing mold. "Serving our community since 1974" Got Questions? Call us at: 352-732-6630
24/7 Emergency Service
Water Damage in your home will migrate through out making the damage worse
