Water Leak Dry Out

6/1/2022 (Permalink)

Daily Monitoring and mov9ing the air blowing equipment is crucial no matter what day, 7 days per week.

Whether a large leak or a small leak, moisture is the result and moisture is always a dangerous fact in any home environment.

Water damage is a situation taken very serious here at SERVPRO so we always remain available 24/7, 365 days every year.

Even if its late in the night, the moisture and any standing water must be removed right away and our teams will also start the process of pulling up wet flooring, cutting back wet drywall, and removing baseboards.

Any moist building materials must be eliminated right away and the proper drying process must be put in place.

Then our technicians use a monitoring process to record moisture up the walls and in the flooring area as they continue the drying work.

SERVPRO returns every day even on the weekends or holidays because each day requires fresh monitoring stats recorded and we also move the blowers and dry out equipment according to the continued focus.

Water Leak Under house

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

Here are under ground pipes that are old and have been leaking for months, causing moisture and damage to the home.

It is a very common fact that pipes under homes with raised foundations get old and warn and are apt to crack causing a spray of a fine mist of water up towards the floor of these homes.

For weeks this can go un-noticed. Eventually, the mist collects a larger area of moisture which causes a softening of the wood and flooring materials. This is when the homeowner recognizes a flexible softness to inside flooring.

That is when they reach out to their plumber who explains what they find under the home which is normally extensive damage needing mold clean up, a dry-out of the moisture as well as a re-build to the floor.

When the homeowner reaches out to their insurance provider, the insurance provider always advises to contact SERVPRO. Insurance companies know that SERVPRO is not just the leader in drying out water damage but that SERVPRO also rebuilds the damaged home back to a strong new floor for the safety of the homeowner.

Sitting water ruins floors

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

here it is easily noticeable that water soaked up the legs of the furniture and under the flooring materials causing the floor to lift.

Whether a person is away from home or just sleeping when their home experiences a water leak, the water being on the floor for any length of time will really warp flooring, and start soaking up the legs or furniture.

This is always why SERVPRO is fast to respond, quick to act! The very first step when working a water loss job in a home is to assess and lift all furnishing off the floor. This helps them dry and keeps them from more damage. Additionally, our contents department will move, pack and mark all items as well as often storing them in our warehouse while the home is being repaired.

Our construction team is built of many skills as you can see here that flooring will be needed. The manufactured wood flooring here is lifting, has a lot of water under it and will not be savable.

SERVPRO will remove all flooring, dry out this home, replace flooring, baseboards, and also be sure everything is dry, mild free, and move the customers belongings right back in for them.

Residential water loss dryout

5/27/2021 (Permalink)

drying a small room in a home that had a large water loss situation

Water damage restoration is a 24/7 service that truly requires creating multiple teams so we as a restoration provider are always ready to be a fast responder because we receive an average of 5 water leak situations or more every 24 hour period.

SERVPRO of Lake Havasu City/Bullhead City/Kingman is prepared for the need to barely finish a dry-out our staff preformed in the middle of the night, then get another caller needing us ASAP just before 8 am.

We are prepared to serve multiple homes in multiple cities at the same time.

This is also the reason our warehouse is stocked with so much equipment and we maintain very healthy equipment as well.

Here at SERVPRO we take water leaks very seriously due to the extensive damage it causes our customer's home contents while water is freely moving through and soaking flooring, furniture, and valuable items. 

This is exactly why we remain ready to respond fast day or night.

Ceiling damage from broken pipes

5/27/2021 (Permalink)

removal of all building materials and fully rebuilding the ceiling to fresh and new

When homes are built there are pipes installed overhead that take a water supply from the water heater to the shower for hot and cold water demand.

These pipes do last for many years however eventually they break or crack and this causes a slow leak that often leaks for months before showing through the textured ceiling.

By the time it is noticed, there is mold in the ceiling and mold grows very quickly and can cause health effects for the family.

SERVPRO takes mold very seriously and it is very important that the building materials affected by mold be removed completely.

It is never advisable to assume mold can be cleaned off of building materials, and SERVPRO fully removes, disposes of, and completely rebuilds all affected areas of the structure.

This bathroom shower will be fully rebuilt with new drywall, texturing, and repainted by SERVPRO for the customer, all in the same insurance claim.

Water Damage Dryout

5/5/2021 (Permalink)

Drying Machine working to dry out affected area

It is very critical to respond fast when a customer comes home to find their floors and walls saturated with water. That is what we are known for, is to respond quickly.

Our certified technicians know to access immediately, the floors, walls, drywall, and to get all furnishings up and away from the water.

SERVPRO will move all personal items out of harms way of any water, suction out all water, remove any wet building materials, and test walls and any surfaces affected.

After the job has completely been cleaned up, it is very important to place air dryers strategically, throughout the affected area to dry the wet materials. 

SERVPRO then continues to keep testing for moisture, move our drying machines from one location to the other, and check this daily, to be very sure all areas are 100% dry.

SERVPRO not only cleans up these water loss jobs, we also rebuild any part of the premise we demo'ed, to get the premise back to how the property was before the water leak.

Water Damage Dryout

5/5/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO does all dry out and demo to all affected materials

It is very critical to respond fast when a customer comes home to find their floors and walls saturated with water. That is what we are known for, is to respond quickly.

Our certified technicians know to access immediately, the floors, walls, drywall, and to get all furnishings up and away from the water.

SERVPRO will move all personal items out of harms way of any water, suction out all water, remove any wet building materials, and test walls and any surfaces affected.

After the job has completely been cleaned up, it is very important to place air dryers strategically, throughout the affected area to dry the wet materials. 

SERVPRO then continues to keep testing for moisture, move our drying machines from one location to the other, and check this daily, to be very sure all areas are 100% dry.

SERVPRO not only cleans up these water loss jobs, we also rebuild any part of the premise we demo'ed, to get the premise back to how the property was before the water leak.

Commercial Office water saturation in ceiling

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Photo captures visibility of the water leak still sitting inside ceiling ready to burst on to floor inside.

Any time a roof leak is not recognized, and water continues to saturate, it creates a heavy water build up between the roof and ceiling.

The weight if the water collected, eventually bursts and causes damages inside the structure as in this particular Commercial Office. The water weight made the ceiling very dangerous for people to be inside as when that breaks loose, everything will fall on to who ever is under the saturated ceiling. In this case, SERVPRO tapped off access because the florescent light fixture had already fallen and the water collected between ceiling and roof was ready to give away and fall.

When SERVPRO arrives, assessing the water leak is critical however, so is the safety of others.

The owner of the building was very understanding to the importance of not having this office open and our Water Mitigation Team and Repairs teams were able to do required Water Mitigation and some repairs while the business owner had the outside roof repaired for the future.

Plumbing Leaks cause damage to home

5/6/2020 (Permalink)

Picture is of the failed plumbing that was small, yet caused a large loss and damages in the home

Whether up over head or down under your sink or bathrooms, pipes and water lines eventually fail, and usually start with a crack or break in pipe so the leaks are slow leaks at first. Very undetectable and worsen over time.

Its always when it worsens that our customer's notice the problem. By then, the leak has resulted in saturation and possible mold hiding within ceilings or walls way before it is noticed. This is why the homeowner is overwhelmed and contacts their insurance right away.

Insurance Companies are very familiar and know there will always be a need for mitigation and then fully repair the home. That is why they always choose SERVPRO.

SERVPRO is ONE TEAM, Fast to Respond, and are fully prepared to reconstruct and repair their home all the way through the entire job which is so helpful to the insurance and the home owner. Otherwise, most restoration companies only come remove the water and then its left to get insurance approval all over again for other companies to do all the repairs, but not at SERVPRO!

SERVPRO does every required step all the way to completion.

Leak damaged kitchen

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

This is the customer's kitchen as the damage was seen upon arrival

No matter what causes a water leak, the rooms closest by each leak, really suffers and in this case, it is the customers kitchen that ended up with the most inside damage that is going to require new flooring and drywall after dry out. Customer's never plan for these types of situations and having Homeowner's Insurance is certainly critical.

This homeowner, is on a very strict budget so her insurance company was key to helping with this disaster and the insurance company advised they use SERVPRO because they are fast and efficient as well as that SERVPRO is not just a disaster mitigation company but also a Construction Repair Company so insurance approves all the required work all in one process and step. This is great for the customer, as it brings them completely though the process all the way to the end where the home is fully restored. SERVPRO was able to remove the water, replace drywall, and fully repair her home.

New home, Plumbing failed

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

The water had sat so long it was soaking in to the floors and walls, and still showed a lot of water remaining on floors.

Often, homes sit for weeks, then when the owner gets home and notices these leaks, many times the water has been seeping in to the walls and flooring, causing the need for a lot of repair. This home was newly built, and a pipe in walls was not installed properly so since pipes become under pressure, they will leak if not sealed and installed well.

This customer was shocked to come home to this leak and find water had been soaking deep in to their walls and even softened the grout around tile.

This is why they chose SERVPRO, as the customer had used SERVPRO in the past for a remodeling job and already knew SERVPRO could handle the clean up, dry out, and full repairs while he went back to his main home.

Within 8 weeks, the customer returned to a totally restored home and while he was away, our Manager and Team spoke to him daily so the customer would always know what was going on in his repairs.

Water Leak starts in garage, damage inside home

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

these pipes were the cause of Water Leak

When a home is built, water lines are in the walls, overhead in the ceiling and under the sinks as well as in the garage. After many years, the stress and strain put on these pipes will wear them out causing small stress cracks which leak in very small drips or unnoticeable seepage.

At first, it is unknown, yet over time, you begin to see damage. This damage may start to appear as a wet stain on the inside ceiling, or wet under your sinks.

Garages are most commonly where the RO System, Overflow Tank, and Water Softener Equipment is installed as well as the Hot Water Heaters. Eventually, the pipes and plumbing will cause trouble and when it does, it may leak inside the wall cavity, so it takes time before anyone notices wet walls.

SERVPRO is fully prepared to access the location of where the pipe started leaking, how far and how much water damage has occurred, and begin dry out within 4 hours or less, once we get the call, whether it's day or night.

Water Leak caused whole house to have mold

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

Bedroom repairs using the exact same paint colors, painted over new drywall and newly textured walls for ouor customer

In the service area we provide Water Loss Services in, it is the hot moist desert. Many snowbirds own homes here as 2nd homes so when they experience a water leak it may leak for weeks or months before recognized. Mold will grow spores all up the inside walls. When there is any sign of mold, all drywall is removed and n this customer's case, he had come to visit his home and walked through the door to mold everywhere. Right away he knew not to stay in the house, called his insurance who always prefers suggesting SERVPRO of LHC/BHC/Kingman. In this case, SERVPRO was on scene within 2 hours, starts dryout and installed machines blowing in every room, extracted all visible water, began running air scrubbers in every room. Daily, SERVPRO Mitigation Teams tested, monitored, and moved all equipment to new strategic locations throughout this home.

Once safe, SERVPRO Demo Team removed all drywall and the repairs teams rebuilt his entire home to a safe and beautiful restoration as usual- "Like it never even happened."

Water Damage to Vacation Home

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

This is an illustration showing new drywall, texture, paint, and baseboards

Vacation Homes are very common in the area we at SERVPRO LHC / BHC / KGM provide assistance on and it's tough when it happens in a vacation home because it goes undetected for so long that it ends up having much more damage than if the family lived in the home full time and noticed the issue in a day or so. This home was flooded and leaking for just at 3 weeks before the customer came and noticed. As usual, their insurance company advised to use SERVPRO since this is gong to require much more repair than to remove water and fix the leak. SERVPRO got the loss call and had the team on site within 40 minutes because it was crucial to get this water extracted and begin a dry out to access for mold. It only affected approximately 2 1/2 ft up and the drywall was removed throughout the home from the bottom of the floor to 4 ft up, then fully replaced, repaired for this customer, after all mold was removed. All baseboards were installed as new along the bottom as well so their home was returned "Like it never even happened."

Faster and more thorough Water mitigation Teams

4/27/2020 (Permalink)

Here is a photo of the exact plumbing that was cause of the water loss, after repair by SERVPRO

Many companies are on the rise to say they handle water damages. There are many methods used in doing such jobs. Here at SERVPRO, we have been doing the exact same solid methods for years and every city or state can expect the same strong, fast, thorough Clean Up after a water loss when they choose SERVPRO.

Our teams are available 24/7, trained and certified, and no home or business will need any other work done once SERVPRO arrives because with heavy extraction, wall cavity and floor dryouts, and how our team keeps a constant eye on the dry out machines, monitoring daily what level of moisture is detected, then reports these test results, so each team member knows how many machines are working in the space, how fast we are able to dry out walls, and stays in constant communication with the customers Insurance during the dryout, if the leak is caught quickly, then mold will not be present nor would it present its'self weeks later.  Often, simple parts used within a Water Softenor can start to leak and cause trouble even within the walls on the other side of the garage.

Roof Leaks happen to worn roof materials

3/18/2020 (Permalink)

This was an aluminum roof seam sealed with a Material that needs maintenance from time to time.

Here at SERVPRO we are always ready and available for Storm Roof Tarps and to help customers as a First Responder on any leak caused by Roof issues.

What we are finding is that when any water damage happens inside your home and the finding is an issue with the roof whether it be a shingle or tile roof, your insurance company often struggles in approving coverage for water damage repairs when there was not a recent heavy wind or storm that freshly caused the damage to the roof that leaked water in to your home. Insurance Companies feel that a homeowner is responsible for home maintenance and to have your roof checked from year to year for any type of normal malfunction to the materials that as a home or property owner, should be maintained.

This means that if your home has a roof leak that causes damage to the inside just after a heavy storm and it is clearly visible the roof is damaged due to the recent storm, its much easier to get approval for coverage.

SERVPRO is very happy to provide service and repairs either way, however once an insurance company deems the issue to be from lack of maintenance and not from damage, the cost gets billed to the home owner.

This means regular roof checks are a smart idea.

Water Extraction using Weighted Machine

3/17/2020 (Permalink)

Heavy weighted machine pulls water out immediately.

SERVPRO was called to a Commercial Building last week where the business was needing to open their doors for customers within 45 minutes time. Their carpets were unsafe and very wet for the public to be walking in on.

SERVPRO arrived as soon as receiving the Loss Call with our Weighted Rover Machine to push down with the technician's body weight squeezing down on the flat surface to extract more water in a faster time frame for this bank that was opening shortly.

While the technician was baring down on the floors pulling a lot of water out quickly, the water was being directed out back to the green space so that the outdoor area would not be overly flooded when customers arrived.

Additionally- our team of technicians started pulling baseboards, testing wall cavities and installing Injecto-Dry machines to be sure the walls dried out in 48 to 72 hours making sure no mold grew. The moisture tests were done later and our Repairs Team fully put their building back together to make sure we reached our SERVPRO goal which is to provide a fast response and leave a building "Like it never even happened."

Check water pressure regulators

1/20/2020 (Permalink)

Water pressure regulator located at the bottom of the plumbing.

Elevated water pressure in the plumbing can be caused by a bad water pressure regulator.  High pressure causes a pipe burst or supply line break.  This is a recipe for disaster. 

Be sure to anually have a plumber check you water pressure regulator or there is a tool kit at your local hardware store if you want to check it yourself.  The water pressure regulator is typically located below the water/hose bib outside, next to the foundation of the home.  Water pressure should be between 35 and 65 PSI (pounds per square inch).  The regulator is a control valve that reduces the water pressure in your home or business to a usable and safe level for daily use.  Save your home from an unnecessary water loss by taking the precautions of maintaining the water pressure in your home or business.       

Prevent your pipes from freezing

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

warning winter sign for frozen pipes

When temperatures drop in the rigid winter days, your pipes are at risk of freezing over and causing a water damage in your home or business.  Pipes are at risk once temperatures reach 20 degrees.  Pipes freezing is the most common cause for water damages in the winter months.  Pipes at the greatest risk are the ones in unheated areas of the home or business.  However your exterior pipes in the wall can also freeze.  Take the proper precautions to prevent your pipes from freezing over.  

Pipe insulation is approximately 50 cents per linear foot at any local hardware stores.  Also, as unusual as it may seem, having your faucet running to a slow drip of water is said to prevent frozen pipes in the winter.  This may sound like wasting water or increasing your water bill, however it would be more expensive dealing with the aftermath of a water loss.  Keeping your heater on at consistent temperature during the day and night helps to prevent frozen pipes.  At the very least the temperature in the home should never drop below 55 degrees, even if you decide to leave your home or business for a long duration of time. 

If you suspect your pipes are frozen, be cautious as you attempt to thaw out the pipes as you may already have a pipe break.  Slowly thaw out using an electric heating pad, electric hair dryer, or an electric heater.  Never use a direct flame to any pipe as this could cause damage to the structure of the pipe.     

Steps After You Notice Water Damage

5/1/2018 (Permalink)

 : Steps To Take After You   Notice Water Damage In   Your Home

   There Are Important key concepts, which you will need, for fast action and thorough drying of your home. Water mitigation needs and requires quick action, which means the faster that we arrive on-site to perform cleanup and restoration, the better the results, including a lower claim.

   SERVPRO Of Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, And Kingman. (928)855-9111

Water Damage happens often to vacation rentals

3/23/2018 (Permalink)

pressure regulator needing replaced

   SERVPRO OF LAKE HAVASU CITY, BULLHEAD CITY, AND KINGMAN

   Mohave County is full of vacation homes, second homes, rentals, and summer or winter visitors. Because so many people are coming and going, there is a myriad of homes that are unattended, from days to months at a time.  SERVPRO strongly recommends that you have somebody that you can trust, that will check on your house weekly, or once a month. Because you can't see most of the water plumbing in your home, chances are, you may not always know you have a leak until it is to late.  Some of the water damaged homes have been running for days,  to weeks before the leak is detected.  One of the best ways to protect your home is to have somebody that is familiar with the areas of the home where most  leaks come from.  Excessive water pressure, extreme temperature changes, and clogging of pipes caused from hard water damage, are some of the reasons for water damages to homes. We suggest that you have a plumber change out your pressure regulators every two years and conduct an inspection inside the property regularly. 

Hard Water damaged pipes causing leaks

3/12/2018 (Permalink)

Mold growing on building materials

WHAT IS HARD WATER:

Hard Water is water that has a high mineral content. Hard Water is formed when water moves through deposits of limestone and chalk which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates and trace metals. 

WHAT ARE THE AFFECTS OF HARD WATER ON YOUR HOUSE AND BUSINESS:

In time hard water can damage water pipes by scale buildup, from long term movement of hard water. Which gradually results in less water moving through the pipe and a lowering of water pressure. When hard water is heated, like in the heat of the day, or your water heater, solid deposits of calcium carbonate can form. This can reduce the life of your plumbing. It can also raise the costs of heating the water, lower the efficiency of electric water heaters, and clog pipes. Water pipes can run all through your house and business. Clogged pipes from hard water can eventually result in water damage, from the pipes bursting.

Water Damage

3/5/2018 (Permalink)

When moisture sits, it soaks in to floors, walls, and more

There are many types of ways water can cause damage.

Water has a way of getting places you never thought, and causing damage in ways you weren't expecting. When pipes burst and a home is flooded, or hit with a plumbing disaster (like a burst pipe), the situation can quickly get out of hand. This is why these incidents are among the most expensive problems a homeowner can face. Contaminated water not only creates immediate structural problems, it can leave serious biological threats behind after it has been removed. Drying out the affected area is very critical and must be done thoroughly and in a timely manner.

Category three water is water that is grossly contaminated. It can cause severe illness or death if ingested.  Its sources include sewer backup, flooding, toilet overflow with feces, and stagnant liquid that has begun to support bacterial growth.

Dirty water is filled with all kinds of deadly substances, ranging from chemical residues to animal feces to parasites. Bacteria, viruses and fungi grow explosively in contaminated fluid, and severe health risks, like salmonella and hepatitis, are common in flood waters.

This problem is compounded by the composition of most homes, which are filled with organic materials. Drywall, wood and the matter that is trapped in carpet fibers are just a few examples, and they can give pathogens room to grow. Within 48 hours, mold may begin creeping behind the walls and releasing spores, and any organic materials that have been soaked through by contaminated fluid will usually have to be destroyed.

Customer Belongings Cleaning

4/22/2016 (Permalink)

Our warehouse & contents teams take excellent care of customer belongings during restoration clean up

SERVPRO of Lake Havasu City/Bullhead City/Kingman has a dedicated team of content cleaning professionals. Trained and certified in industry standards, our technicians are responsible for cleaning and safeguarding your personal belongings that have been affected by fire or water.

Our technicians use the latest cleaning technologies to completely restore your valuable items following a fire or water event.  We also offer an array of green cleaning options.

In addition to cleaning your valuable contents, the Content Cleaning Department is also fully equipped to move your personal items into fully insured storage following a water or fire emergency.  This valuable service ensures both residents and business owners that your belongings are not further impacted by remaining in a house that has suffered a fire or water damage. Once your property is fully restored, our Content Cleaning Team will happily unpack and reposition all of your personal belongings "Like it never even happened."