How Can I Tackle My Wilmington Water Damage Before Family Visits?

8/26/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO knows how important family is. Let us handle your water damage, so you can get back to the fun stuff.

SERVPRO Knows Best Practices for Water Mitigation to Ensure Your Entertaining in Wilmington Goes Off Without a Hitch

If you have plans for a family gathering, barbecue, or another celebration, the last thing you want is water damage to put a damper on the festivities. If you had a pipe burst that sends water into multiple rooms, cleaning up water safely and effectively is the best course of action. Instead of taking on the burden, SERVPRO has the manpower, proven cleaning methods, and innovative technology to make sure your Wilmington home is ready when guests are scheduled to arrive. 

Not only is excessive moisture an issue with water mitigation in Wilmington, but there could be several potential hazards present. Our skilled water restoration technicians (WRT) follow best practices for helping you get the results you need. The faster that you take action to address the water, the less cost is involved, and less damage takes hold of your furnishings, belongings, and structural materials.

Can I Do Anything Until SERVPRO Arrives?

Once the pipe bursts and the incident becomes evident, it is essential that you try to shut off the water supply for preventing further loss. You can then contact your insurance company and call our team so that we can deploy a crew to your location. 

How Much Water Damage Could There Be?

Depending on the situation, a burst pipe could send hundreds of gallons of water throughout the immediate loss zone. This water then migrates into dry spaces, leading to the potential for extensive damage to hardwood floors, carpeting, drywall, and anything else in the path. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster with any emergency call so that we can limit further damage to your property. Our crew chief knows how to handle each water emergency, and the assessment begins on arrival so that we can articulate the best possible restoration strategy. 

What Types of Damage Am I Looking At?

We know that DIY methods using consumer products and tools might be tempting, especially if you have a planned gathering coming up. However, our skilled IICRC-certified technicians use the right tools for the job so that we can minimize damage from multiplying. When you have a burst pipe within your home, you could be faced with:

•   Significant water infiltrating your home may put pressure on your building’s structure and cause wood and other natural materials to warp and deteriorate.
•   Mold growth may start in as little as 24 hours because extensive moisture creates the ultimate environment for microbes to thrive.
•   Water may start to migrate into wall cavities and subflooring, which calls for involved structural drying procedures.
•   Stagnant water impacts your possessions as well as materials like carpeting, where permanent damage could result.

Is This Water Contaminated?

In most situations where a pipe bursts, it sends out clean water throughout the loss zone. This lessens the chance of contamination and increases our ability to salvage your possessions and various building materials. However, microbes are ever-present throughout your interior, and they can reproduce when given a chance to fester. Anything that your water comes into contact with during the event may also pose a challenge during cleanup. 

Addressing Saturated Carpet

Our team gets to work fast when water migrates from a burst pipe in a kitchen or bathroom into adjoining rooms with carpeted floors. We pre-inspect and pre-test carpets to look for:

•   Carpet style and fibers
•   The level of soiling as well as the type of soil
•   Colorfastness
•   Carpet stain-resistance
•   Pre-existing damage
•   Any care instructions or warranties from the carpet manufacturer

Water extraction is critical to salvaging the carpeting, the carpet padding, and also the subfloor beneath. Drying is elemental in conjunction with extraction methods so that we can pull any remaining moisture from the carpet fibers. Effective drying measures keep the fibers from taking on additional soils while preventing microorganism growth. The dry times for your carpets depend on the moisture present, as well as the humidity and temperatures within the loss zone. Our crew follows a formula for drying that requires:

•   Air movement
•   Heat
•   Low humidity

In many situations, we open doors and windows using ceiling fans, industrial fans, air movers, or your HVAC system to create the perfect atmosphere to foster efficient drying. If the weather is humid during the restoration project, we may require additional drying equipment or techniques to achieve our carpet drying goals. 

Will My Interior Have Lingering Foul or Musty Odors?

Our goal is to bring your interior back to life so that you can enjoy your upcoming event or gathering at home. Our team has access to a selection of EPA-registered broad-spectrum disinfectants great for use on non-porous surfaces. We utilize all products per their labeling, and we follow guidelines for dilution and dispersal within your home. Everything is left clean, sanitized, and smelling fresh.

For any water mitigation needs that you have, count on our trained crew at SERVPRO of Hockessin/Elsmere. We are available 24/7 for emergency service by calling (302) 992-0104.