water damage resotoration

What You Need to Know About Commercial Water Disaster Restoration

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Water damage can have a startling effect on your business; think about low productivity, disrupted schedules, and unlivable conditions. When this occurs, you need to plan and bring a professional and solve the problem.

If you live in Greater Pittsburgh, ServiceMaster provides water disaster restoration services in Greater Pittsburgh. Our team is dedicated to restoring your commercial building to functionality after water damage and getting you settled in a short time.

Here are things you need to know about commercial water damage.

You Need a Solid Preventive Maintenance Plan

With a preventive maintenance plan, you can minimize risks associated with water damage. Water damage can be expensive and destructive, so you need to have strategies to manage it if it ever happens.

While at it, ensure you have a reliable company on board. ServiceMaster provides water disaster restoration services in Greater Pittsburgh, so you can count on them if your commercial building suffers water damage.

Stay On Top of Water Disaster Restoration Maintenance

The biggest culprit for water damage in commercial buildings is roof leaks. Have regular inspections of the roof and repair the slightest problems to prevent unexpected water damage in the winter or storm seasons.

Inspect the plumbing lines of your commercial building from time to time to ensure you are functioning optimally. Replace broken faucets and pipes to minimize risks of water damage resulting from leaking pipes.

There are Different Types of Water in Water Damage

You need to understand the different types of water your commercial building has to lay out strategies for water damage mitigation. White water is the clean water running in your building. Gray water comes from the sinks, and that comes from groundwater.

Blackwater is the most dangerous type, as it contains harmful bacteria from sewage and other harmful contaminants.

Commercial water damage can be overwhelming and unpleasant to manage. When this happens, count on ServiceMaster to help you restore your building. Our team provides water disaster restoration services in Greater Pittsburgh and is experienced in restoring commercial buildings.

Water Damage Cleanup | Top 5 Causes of Home Water Damage

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Owning a home is one of the most rewarding investments you can make into your future. Owning property is a way to create generational wealth that can be passed to your children and grandchildren. However, many things can cause our homes to depreciate. Most people are aware of how natural disasters such as flooding can do irreparable damage to houses. However, several common household accidents can happen to anyone at any time, which will leave you in desperate need of professional water damage cleanup.

  1. Toilet Leaking or Flooding-When the toilet overflows or has a leak, your bathroom floors can start to saturate and get soft and saggy over time if the leak is not fixed. Take special precautions when cleaning up a toilet overflow with waste.
  2. Leaking Washing Machine- Your washer might start leaking water due to clogged drainage, worn-out piping, or ruptures to the rubber hoses. When water doesn’t drain properly from your machine, your clothes can get ruined also.
  3. AC/Water Heater Leaking- When the drainage system of your central air or water heater backs up due to clogged lines, they start to leak and ruin your walls and ceiling quickly. Your insulation can also become soggy and need to be replaced.
  4. Burst Pipes- When temperatures drop below freezing, your pipes can burst if water freezes inside of them. Pipes rupturing can flood every room of your house from floor to ceiling. The fire sprinkler systems in your commercial businesses can freeze and cause the need for water damage cleanup also.
  5. Sump Pump Failures- Sump pumps can fail during heavy rainstorms and flooding, or because of mechanical failure. When your sump pump floods your basement, chances are you will have hazardous waste that needs to be cleaned up as well. Homeowners need professional services for this kind of water damage cleanup.

Many of the top causes of home water damage can be prevented, but sometimes accidents happen, and we can’t stop flooding in our homes. Flooding in your home needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible to reduce damages and lower your risk of mold growth.

Do you need help with water damage cleanup? Call ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburgh today at 412-419-3253

 

Water Damage Cleanup | When Your Bathtub Overflows

Posted on by John Samek

Water Damage Cleanup | When Your Bathtub Overflows

Every homeowner has dealt with an accident in their home involving water at some point in time. One of the most common household water accidents that can happen (especially if you have kids!) is a bathtub overflow. You plug the tub, turn on the water, get distracted, and before you know it, there’s water flooding your bathroom. It happens to the best of us and fortunately, most bathroom floods are easy enough to clean up, although, in worst-case scenarios, professional water damage cleanup could be necessary.

Step to Cleaning Up A Flooded Bathroom

  1. Turn off the Water- This step seems like common sense, but in a state of panic it is easy to forget to do the simple things like turn off the water source. If your bathtub overflows, you should just be able to turn off the handle, but you might also need to find the water shut off valve to your home which is usually located by the water meter or in the basement.
  2. Turn off the Power- If you have a lot of standing water (more than an inch or two) you should turn off the power to the bathroom using the circuit box to ensure that no standing water can become electrified.
  3. Clean Up Standing Water- The first part of water damage cleanup is to remove the water. You’ll need to soak water up using towels, or suck the water out using a wet/dry shop vacuum or carpet cleaner.
  4. Dry it Out- Mold prevention is going to be very important after a flooded bathroom since this area is already a humid, moist place. Once the water is removed, you’ll need to use fans and possibly a dehumidifier to remove all moisture from the bathroom. Fans and open windows will help also if the weather permits.

Special concerns you might need to address for water damage cleanup in a flooded bathroom include dealing with raw sewage or human waste. This type of cleanup needs to be more detailed. And other safety measures need to be taken when cleaning up hazards like sewage.

If you need to call in the professionals, give ServiceMaster of Pittsburgh a call at 412-826-1010.