water damage restoration

Water Damage Restoration in Greater Pittsburgh | Importance of Professional Water Damage Restoration

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Cleaning up after water damage is laborious work. It involves several activities, such as tearing up the flooring, removing rotten timber, and cleaning.

Lack of the necessary equipment and skills could cause more damage. ServiceMaster is a reputed firm that offers a wide range of water damage restoration services, from cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. 

What are the reasons for hiring a professional water damage restoration team?

Effective Cleanup

After water damage, more than cleaning the mess on your own is required. It may take most of your time and may even cause more damage. This is because you need proper equipment and skills to do so. ServiceMaster has a skilled team to help speed up the process, reduce damage and allow you faster access to your property.

Training and experience

A professional team has members certified in differing fields. For instance, mold remediation is a specialist skill beyond simple cleaning. The team at ServiceMaster knows about communicating with insurance companies, assessing the whole process, and knowing what is beyond repair.

Protection of Health

Entering a water-damaged area is harmful to human health. You should check for any gas leaks and shut off the electricity. Water from ground flooding is also a hazard; it may contain viruses and bacteria that may be rife. ServiceMaster is just a call away to help to remove all traces of bacteria and fungus, which protects you from health risks.

Insurance

You must receive the correct settlement from your insurance provider when damage happens. Cleaning by yourself means that you do not stick to their clause, which risks you from not getting a payout.

Hiring ServiceMaster is a significant step to help you know if you have met the requirements for an insurance payout.

 

Finding reputable water restoration services is the secret to getting your life back on track. ServiceMaster should be your first stop when cleaning water damage. We can assist with everything from cleaning to insurance. Contact us today at ServiceMaster Greater Pittsburgh to enjoy the benefits of a professional water restoration team.

How to Protect Your Home Against Spring Flooding

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Spring flooding is common in the US, thanks to melting snow and seasonal rains. There are a few things you can do to protect your home but before you do, have your flood damage cleanup company on speed dial. SM Greater Pittsburgh provides flood damage cleanup in Greater Pittsburgh, helping you restore your home effectively.

What can you do to protect your home from floods in spring?

Have an Emergency Spring Flood Plan

You need a clear plan of the actions you will take if home floods. This should include steps you will take immediately flooding occurs and after. Have contacts of loved ones, plan a place to evacuate to if necessary and pack supplies for that season.

Get Clear on Your Insurance Policy

If you live in a flood risk area, take the time to check with your insurance company. Understand what your company covers in the event of a flood. Knowing this beforehand can help you plan around restoration if flooding occurs.

Install a Sump Pump

A sump pump in your basement or foundation can prevent flood damage in your home. These pumps divert water away from your home’s foundation while keeping your basement dry.

Clear Drains and Gutters

Sudden snow melts and rainstorms can bring about floods in your home. Check all the drains in your home and clear the gutters to ensure a free water flow. If flooding occurs, call SM Greater Pittsburgh; they provide flood damage cleanup in Greater Pittsburgh and can help you deal with the floods.

Consider Flood Detectors

Spring flooding comes with little or no warning, so as much as you may not see it coming, flood detectors can help to some extent.

Prepare for spring floods by implementing the tips above. But, if flooding occurs, do not hesitate to call SM Greater Pittsburgh. Their team of professionals provides flood damage cleanup in Greater Pittsburgh, taking up the challenge to restore your home.

Water Damage Cleanup in Pittsburgh | How to Prevent Water Damage

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Timely cleanup and restoration after water damage are necessary to curb extensive damage to your valuables. If you are looking for water damage cleanup in Greater Pittsburgh, Service Master can come to your rescue. 

Below are tips to prevent water damage; all helpful whether or not your property has a history of water damage. 

Inspect your Roofing Components

If your roof is not weather-tight, your house will suffer water damage. Check the quality of all your roofing components, including the roof, gutter system, and chimney. Get rid of overgrown moss and repair any broken parts to prevent water damage. 

Maintain the Plumbing System

Check all your pipes, sinks, and tubs for any leaks to prevent water damage. If not repaired on time, water can collect in your cabinets, behind walls, or floors, causing extensive damage to your property.  

If the damage is beyond your control, ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburgh will provide water damage cleanup in Greater Pittsburgh area and restore your home. 

Manage Your Water Pressure

You can check signs of water loss by installing an electronic water leak detection system. You can install this directly on your main supply and monitor water flow, temperature and pressure. With this, you can catch leaky pipes and repair them before water damage occurs. 

Maintain Caulking

Leaks around the windows and doors cause water damage to the adjacent walls and floors. Make sure the caulking is in its best state by repairing any broken or missing parts. Check around all your windows and doors to find areas that need repair. 

Maintain Downspouts

If you have not maintained the downspouts, water may come down walls and access the foundation. This could cause extensive water damage that would eventually cost you a lot of money to repair. Make sure the downspouts drive water away from the edge of your wall. 

There are ways to prevent water damage, but the most essential action is to clean up any water damage as soon as possible. ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburgh provides water damage cleanup in Pittsburgh, helping you restore your home. Their professionals have the skills to manage the situation.

 Water Damage Restoration | Is it Possible to Get Mold Out of Carpet?

Posted on by Matt Nelson

A little bit of water and wet carpet never killed anyone, but a serious mold growth outbreak could cause fatalities if not properly mitigated. One of the main focuses of water damage restoration company is preventing mold growth after water is removed and belonging or structures are completely dry. Homeowners often believe they can simply use a shop vacuum to suck out the water and soak up the excess water out of the carpet with towels and their water damage is solved; however, there is much more you need to do to have complete mitigation and get mold out of your carpet.

Cleaning Mold from Carpets

The best way to clean mold from carpets is to hire a professional water damage restoration company that is trained and licensed in mold removal. There are several steps to take for proper mold removal.

  1. `Thorough Cleaning- Carpets that have mold must be thoroughly cleaned with commercial grade carpet shampoos for mold.
  2. Drying- After the carpets are cleaned, they will need to be dried completely using commercial fans and dehumidifiers. The drying process is the most crucial step of the mold removal process.
  3. Deodorize- Mold always leaves behind a musty smell, so deodorizing is especially important. Homeowners can use retail grade carpet deodorizer products, but the professional water damage restoration company will have the absolute best products that will not take multiple applications.

Homeowners need to be aware that some carpets cannot be saved. If the mold growth is excessive, mold has grown into the padding and flooring underneath, or the carpet has started to degrade due to the water damage, it will be better to do a full replacement. The water damage cleanup company you are working with can help you decide whether your carpets are going to be salvageable or not. Often carpet cleaning or replacement can be covered by your flood insurance coverage.  If you have water in your Crawlspace, ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburgh can help if you call 412-424-6755 or visit us on Facebook.

Water Damage Restoration | Can Hardwood Furniture Be Salvaged After Flooding?

Posted on by Matt Nelson

Flooding is one of a homeowner’s worst nightmares because there can be such a massive amount of loss. You might be tempted to rent a dumpster and throw out anything and everything that got saturated with water; however, before you throw away your family heirlooms of hardwood furniture, you should partner with a water damage restoration company to help you salvage your belongings.

Hardwood is not always automatically ruined when it gets wet. High quality furniture will be treated to help withstand moisture and water but will still rot when exposed to moisture or saturated for extended periods of time. Although water damage restoration may save your furniture, there may still be damage such as water stains after remediation.

How to Salvage Saturated Hardwood Furniture

When salvaging hardwood furniture, the first thing you need to do is remove the furniture from the water and begin the drying out process immediately. Water damage restoration companies will use dehumidifiers, commercial fans, and other techniques to ensure complete drying happens.

Even after the wood is completely dry mold growth will need to be prevented. There are products that can be used during cleaning that will kill any mold that may already be growing on the furniture.

If any parts of the hardwood are damaged, you may be able to find a carpenter to repair large pieces that need to be replaced. When the wood swells, you may be able to sand the surface to even or level it back out. Small cracks caused by expansion of the wood can be filled in with wood glue. The last thing you can do to restore your furniture after water damage restoration is re-stain or repaint the furniture.

Restoring furniture, floors, walls, or personal belongings after a flood or water damage can be difficult and without the proper methods being used, your efforts could prove useless. Therefore, hiring a professional water damage cleanup company is so vital.

If you have water in your Crawlspace, ServiceMaster of Greater Pittsburg can help if you call 412-424-6755.