Recent Water Damage Posts
Flooded by a Firehydrant
5/8/2023 (Permalink)
Firehydrant flooded a few houses due to a negligent driver
The last you want to come home to is a flooded house. Water damage is no joke! It could truly become a danger and a not so easy thing to deal with. The first real damage it causes is structural damage. Structural damage is what happens to the most important parts of your home, the base. Structural Damage starts by destroying building materials. It then causes erosion. It could cause you multiple headaches because to be honest it never stops! Leaks can cause Mold, Electrical Hazards, Chemicals, and even Bacteria; none of these stresses are worth dealing with, so please feel free to check out our blog on "Ways to Prevent Water Damage" below for more details!!
If you ever find yourself dealing with any sort of water damage just know SERVPRO of North San Bernardino City will always be here to help!
Water Damage in Your Home and What To Expect
2/4/2022 (Permalink)
A flooded living room, dining room and kitchen: sounds like the worst possible day. SERVPRO of North San Bernardino wants to ensure that it does not have to be. Our customers always come first no matter how big or small of a job, we are here to in help in anyway possible. One homeowner needed our assistant at 6 AM in the morning when she woke up to her home being flooded from a supply line leak and away we went.
The first thing that needs to be done is to extract water using our special drying equipment. Once we have extract any water in your home we will being to remove any affected walls or flooring that may need to come out.
Our certified and qualified technicians will begin drying and placing equipment. The quicker we can fix the problem the better off your home will be. We will then monitor and document the drying process until the areas are completely dry. This will help save and prevent your home from possible bacterial growth.
Our goal is make sure we leave your home looking better than before any leaks or flooded came it's way.
If you have any questions or concerns about water damage or leaks around your home, please do not hesitate to call us at (909)474-2340
Steps To Take After a Pipe Bursts
2/4/2022 (Permalink)
Steps To Minimize Water Damage In Your Home
After a long day, you want to go back to your home and relax. If you open the door and are greeted with a flood from bursting pipes, immediate action needs to be taken. The longer the water sits, the more water can travel and damage other belongings. There are four steps to help minimize the damage. Just like our saying at SERVPRO " "Like it never even happened." "
1. Stop the Water
The sooner you find the source of the problem and stop it, the better.
2. File a Claim
When faced with bursting pipes, it means potentially hundreds of gallons of water unleashed into your home. Since this situation is likely accidentally, it’s important to immediately file a claim. Always be sure to document all the damage via photos and videos to help ensure a smoother process and any further damages your home may have.
3. Start Extracting Water
While water may look like it is just sitting there, it is slowly spreading by wicking up walls and being absorbed into flooring. Extracting the water is the essential first step to avoiding bigger problems down the road .
4. Call the Professionals
Along with calling a plumber to fix a broken pipe or a leak. By also calling SERVPRO of North San Bernardino, we play a major role in finding the damage in the home. We have the latest tools and techniques to handle every aspect of drying out the home to cleaning services to restore damaged belongings and structural components.
Dealing with bursting pipes is an overwhelming mess. Quickly responding to the situation and following the above steps may help make it more manageable. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call at (909)474-2340
Accidental Sprinkler Discharge
2/4/2022 (Permalink)
Accidental sprinkler discharges are relatively rare, but they do sometimes occur due to overheating, freezing, mechanical failure or sabotage. Flooding from a sprinkler discharge can cause extensive water damage, so it can be important to take immediate action to mitigate the damage. Consider following these steps after an accidental sprinkler discharge.
1. Shut Off the Water
The first thing you will probably want to do is shut off the water to the fire sprinklers system.
2. Mitigate Your Damages
The more of your property that gets wet and the longer it stays wet the more water damage you are likely to have.
Flooding from an accidental sprinkler discharge can cause extensive damage. You can mitigate your damages by taking steps to promptly shut off the water, dry out your property and file an insurance claim. Also make sure you remove any personal belongings you may have that you would not want to get damage. A big key is to always document any pictures, videos you may have, this is a good idea. You just always want to make sure when some one from SERVPRO come out to inspect your home it will give us an idea of how far the water traveled.
Please do not hesitate to give us a call at SERVPRO of North San Bernardino (909)474-2340 thank you
Fix Your Leaky Faucets
2/3/2022 (Permalink)
Although a leaky faucet may not seem to bother most people. It is actually something that should be further investigated. The leak needs to be taken care of because it could ultimately cause a flood. Thankfully you are able to do this yourself with the help of some tools that most of us have lying around at home.
There are many different types of faucets. It is important to know what type you have so that you can properly fix it. Some faucets that people have within their business or homes would be:
- Ceramic disk
- Ball
- Compression
- Cartridge
The steps to fix a leaky faucet are:
- Turn off the water underneath the sink along the pipes. Turn the knob clockwise and unplug the drain.
- Replace the parts necessary, potentially you will need a new kit.
- Remove the old faucet piece by piece
- Install the new parts and turn the water on.
Do not put off fixing a leaky faucet as it could cause extreme water damage in the long run.
If you have any question or would like to schedule an inspection with us at SERVPRO of San Bernardino please give us a call today at (909)474-2340. Thank you
water damage and homeowners
1/17/2022 (Permalink)
water loss
Inspecting your home and trying to prevent future floods or leaks is one of the most important and yet sometimes forgotten tasks
- Know the location of your water main. If you are leaving your home for an extended amount of time be sure to shut off your water main so you have no worries of water leaking and or running.
- Always monitor your water bill. If you notice a difference in price or your usage in water that you do not recognize you may have a leak without even knowing!
- Check appliances regularly. Always remember to check your appliances and make sure everything is in a good condition.
- New washing machine hoses! Believe it or not but washing machine hoses are the number one cause of water damage in homes. So ensure you are not using damaged or old hoses.
- Install water detection devices. Water detection devices help detect water and keep moisture out. It is a small electronic device that will sound an alarm if touched by moisture.
Water damage in your home
11/1/2021 (Permalink)
Toilet water leak
If You notice water intrusion, these steps might come in handy
1.If it pops through the roof look at it. Penetrations are the most common leak sources and will stop the natural water flow off a roof. Look here first to find the source of the leak:
2.Living on the edge. A drip edge is not just aesthetically pleasing, it is important to help ensure water is kept away from the fascia and moved off the roof.
3.Every step I take. Areas where step flashing should be installed are a common leak source and maintenance item. Inspect these areas for damage:
4.What’s in YOUR attic? Many times, homeowners think the roof is the culprit, but problems can come from improper ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, condensation, vent fans, and animal or bug infestation in the attic. Be on the lookout for:
5.Mind in the gutter. Many homeowners do not realize the importance of their gutters. They need to be installed and sloped properly to drain, tightly fastened, and free of debris. Contractors should stress to homeowners that gutter maintenance should be left to a professional. Advise them of the risks of climbing onto a ladder.
Dirty Water
2/9/2021 (Permalink)
When dealing with water damage in your home or business, there are three different types or classifications of water that we use: Clean, Gray, and Black water.
Clean Water: This is water that does not contain contaminants. It includes broken water lines, malfunctioning appliances, toilets holding tanks, snow melt and rainwater. Overtime however, clean water can progress and become gray water within 48 hours, if left untreated.
Gray Water: Gray water does contain slight chemical or biological contaminants, and may pose a health risk. Gray water can discharge from dishwashers, washing machines, sinks, showers, aquariums and waterbeds, or come from a clean water source that leaked through a ceiling. It can also be clean water that was left untreated (and became gray water). Gray water can also progress to the next sta-e (Black Water) if left untreated within 48 hours.
Black Water: This water is a positive health risk as it is highly contaminated. Black water is presumed to contain multiple potentially harmful contaminants including fungi, bacteria, chemicals, viruses, and more. Black Water is typically caused by sewage damage, flooding, or any type of natural disaster. Black water should always be treated by a trained and certified professional.
When your pipes burst
2/1/2021 (Permalink)
If water is coming down on you, these steps might come in handy
1.If it pops through the roof look at it. Penetrations are the most common leak sources and will stop the natural water flow off a roof. Look here first to find the source of the leak:
2.Living on the edge. A drip edge is not just aesthetically pleasing, it is important to help ensure water is kept away from the fascia and moved off the roof.
3.Every step I take. Areas where step flashing should be installed are a common leak source and maintenance item. Inspect these areas for damage:
4.What’s in YOUR attic? Many times, homeowners think the roof is the culprit, but problems can come from improper ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, condensation, vent fans, and animal or bug infestation in the attic. Be on the lookout for:
5.Mind in the gutter. Many homeowners do not realize the importance of their gutters. They need to be installed and sloped properly to drain, tightly fastened, and free of debris. Contractors should stress to homeowners that gutter maintenance should be left to a professional. Advise them of the risks of climbing onto a ladder.
SERVPRO common water issues
2/1/2021 (Permalink)
1.Broken Pipes – A broken pipe can do a lot of damage to your home in just a short amount of time. Before you know it, there are gallons in a short amount of time. Before you know of water could be spewing through your home. Pay close attention to any leaks, drips, and signs of deterioration. Have a plumber come out to your house for regular maintenance, and if there ever is a broken pipe, you can always turn the water off before the plumber arrives in order to avoid further damage.
2.Pinhole Leaks – common if a home has copper plumbing, a pinhole leak is a puncture of a copper pipe due to corrosion. If your home has a copper water system, check your pipes for signs of corrosion often.
3.Old/Faulty Appliances – If your fridge or washing machines aren’t maintained well, or have gotten too old, they could start to leak and create a significant amount of water damage in your home. It’s especially important to keep an eye on the appliances in your kitchen, as water damage caused by your fridge or dish washer can affect not just your floor, but your cabinets as well. Often times, leaks that go undetected for some time will cause significant water damage behind cabinets, which in turn can lead to mold if the problem goes unnoticed for an extended period.
Sewer Back up Pros
2/1/2021 (Permalink)
Causes of Sewer Backup
•Blockages due to Tree Roots: Shrubs and trees seeking moisture can make their way into sewer line cracks causing extensive damage. They may start out small, getting into a small crack in the pipe; but as the tree or shrub continues to grow, so does the root. Tree roots can enter the service pipe at joints and cause blockages. They can also travel a long way, and roots from different types of trees act differently. If you suspect that city trees are responsible for sewer line damage, your plumber can contact the city and samples of the roots will be used to help identify the trees and who is responsible for cleanup. Sometimes a blockage is the result of a combination of city and private trees. In this case costs are split between the city and property owner.
•Sanitary Main: A blockage can occur in a city sanitary main. If the blockage is not detected in time, sewage from the main can back up into homes and businesses through floor drains. Usually this happens slowly, giving the owner time to call a licensed plumber to assess the damage. If water is entering your basement at a rapid rate, call the city public works office and report the problem immediately so that a city operator can investigate.
•Water in Basement: Most basement flooding is not related to the sanitary sewer system. In many cases, soil settles adjacent to the building and, if not corrected, leads to rainwater flowing towards the building and down the outside of the foundation wall. This is particularly true in older buildings where cracks may have developed in the foundation or floor slab which allow water to enter the basement. The cement floor and basement walls of these structures may have deteriorated to the point that they are no longer waterproof. Thus, water can show up in a basement which has never had a water problem. This frequently happens when the ground is saturated after repeated or heavy rain storms. Drainage can be improved by making sure that water drains away from the building. Homeowners can also prevent flooding by water-sealing the basement.
Bye Bye to Water Damage
12/1/2020 (Permalink)
Office Water Damage
Life has its fair share of ups and downs. Water Damage can be extremely unexpected and something not many want to deal with. There are definitely some ways to avoid the stress of Water Damage.
- Know the location of your water main. If you are leaving your home for an extended amount of time be sure to shut off your water main so you have no worries of water leaking and or running.
- Always monitor your water bill. If you notice a difference in price or your usage in water that you do not recognize you may have a leak without even knowing!
- Check appliances regularly. Always remember to check your appliances and make sure everything is in a good condition.
- New washing machine hoses! Believe it or not but washing machine hoses are the number one cause of water damage in homes. So ensure you are not using damaged or old hoses.
- Install water detection devices. Water detection devices help detect water and keep moisture out. It is a small electronic device that will sound an alarm if touched by moisture.
The Dangers of Water Damage
10/9/2020 (Permalink)
Water Damage in Living Room
Water damage is no joke! It could truly become a danger and a not so easy thing to deal with. The first real damage it causes is structural damage. Structural damage is what happens to the most important parts of your home, the base. Structural Damage starts by destroying building materials. It then causes erosion. It could cause you multiple headaches because to be honest it never stops! Leaks can cause Mold, Electrical Hazards, Chemicals, and even Bacteria; none of these stresses are worth dealing with, so please feel free to check out our blog on "Ways to Prevent Water Damage" below for more details!!
If you ever find yourself dealing with any sort of water damage just know SERVPRO of North San Bernardino City will always be here to help!
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