How Water Damage Affects Your Home

11/14/2022 (Permalink)

Using our top-of-the-line technologies, we ensure that any and all moisture in your home is eradicated.

SERVPRO is “Faster to any size disaster,” and this quality provides many benefits for homeowners of waterlogged residences. When a pipe has burst apart, a tub has overflowed, or a drain backed up, your home needs to have that excess water removed as quickly as possible.

Homes in Independence, Solon and Strongsville that have excess water from disasters dry out best when water removal services from SERVPRO are the first part of the entire process. Pumping out any water that is visible upon our arrival helps us gain a better visual so we can more easily assess the extent of the overall damage.

Larger amounts of porous materials require more aggressive drying methods than materials that are less porous. Our experience benefits homeowners in many kinds of disasters that can damage a home.

Removing water starts the process, but then we need to move toward removing the moisture that has escaped into the air through evaporation. This moisture can find its way into every part of your home, and create problems later unless it is captured and removed. Dehumidifiers, heaters, air movers, and even open windows can work wonders when used together. Moisture meters provide us with a beginning reading of areas in your home that are compared to later readings, showing us our progress in drying out your home.

When dry, remaining problems can still exist, such as unusual odors. We can rectify this problem with odor control methods. Other problems that can remain behind include over-stretched carpeting, which we also have the ability to fix.

Because floors are always saturated in a situation where standing water exists, we take great care in ensuring that these surfaces are completely dry. This prevents warping of wooden floors and sub-flooring. Otherwise, walking in your home may soon become hazardous for your family and guests.

In situations that have left your home partially submerged, call us, SERVPRO of Cuyahoga South at (440) 237-0077.

We can begin water removal efforts so that your home is once again as it should be, perfectly dry. Accidents can occur at all hours of the day and night, and because of this, we are always available to take your call.

Salvaging hardwood floors from water damage in Northeast Ohio

While most insurance policies offer coverage for replacing floors, there are many situations where homeowners can save money by drying instead, especially with solid hardwood. Other types of flooring, including engineered hardwood and laminate, are more prone to structural damage, delamination, and other issues that make replacement preferable. Solid hardwood's durability makes it more salvageable and safer to reinstall. The durability saves you time and costs when it comes to reinstallation, staining, and refinishing.

If a sudden pipe leak causes water damage to floors in your Strongsville residence, professional disaster mitigation technicians at SERVPRO of Cuyahoga South can restore your flooring to its preloss condition. Commercial-grade equipment and eco-friendly, EPA-registered antimicrobial cleaners work in tandem to salvage floors, sub-flooring, and other structures in the home that are affected by water. Technicians work with both homeowners and insurance adjusters to handle damages and restoration per local, state, and federal regulations.

SERVPRO of Cuyahoga South works fast not only to save flooring, but also to preserve the layers of infrastructure that support it. Without proper mitigation, water damaged floors can become distorted and start cupping or buckling. These conditions can also become host to mold and wood rot that affect the safety and integrity of hardwood floors. After dispatching a team to your home, they can use wand extractors and back-mounted pumps to collect any remaining standing water. Thermal imaging and penetrative and non-penetrative moisture measurement tools can be used to assess the extent of damage to floors and subfloors. We replace non-salvageable planks as needed.

Desiccant dehumidifiers are often necessary to tackle the remaining moisture in hardwood planks due to hardwood's low evaporation rate. These types of industrial dehumidifiers collect moisture from surrounding surfaces by passing it over desiccant materials like silica gel. Heat then evaporates the collected water into an air stream, which vents outside of the home. If odors from water damage are evident, OSHA-approved cleaners and ultra-low-volume (ULV) fogging deodorizers can be used to eliminate odor-causing particles.

How Water Leaks Affect Your Home’s Value

Do you know that water leaks can highly affect the sale of your home? What's more, they can be a concern for new home buyers. However, most homeowners are usually unaware of the hidden leaks. With cracked pipes, leaking spigot, and broken seals, water will easily creep into some places it isn't meant to go. The end results will be more visible damages which include rot, damaged flooring, and blistered paint.

A minor water leak can increase your repair bills. But the good news is that you can easily prevent such situations. Noticing a sagging ceiling above your dining room table is easier. When looking for water damages you have to remember that these damages rarely turn up at the water source.

Some damages to expect

• Mold and mildew growth. With water leaks, you should also expect an unhealthy environment.
• Permanent water damages to carpets, wood, wallpapers, furnishing and paint. 
• Contaminated systems – including the ductwork. 
• Insulation and drywall which need replacement and removal. 
• If there is water trapped somewhere in your house, poor airflow will become a major problem.

Our technicians At SERVPRO of Cuyahoga South are always ready to check out problems and offer solutions to keep the value of your home up, and the your stress levels low!