Combatting the Odors from a Toilet Overflow in Your Wilmington Home

10/3/2023 (Permalink)

An overflowing toilet can cause damage to your home and leave behind an odor. Rely on SERVPRO® to restore your home, "Like it never even happened."

Professional Services for Water Damage in Your Home

One of the most common causes of water damage in homes in Wilmington is overflowing toilets. Imagining your life without toilets is probably difficult, but there are many things that can go wrong with one that is not properly maintained. Children attempting to flush toys, general clogs, and septic tanks not draining correctly are all situations that can cause problems. Most homeowners thankfully are quick to discover an overflowing toilet, meaning they can act quickly to alleviate the issue.

Depending on the location of the bathroom in your Wilmington home and the type of overflow you are dealing with, you must approach the situation from different angles. A second-story bathroom or an overflow that contains sewage presents obstacles that are unique in handling this kind of water damage.

When it comes to sewage, you want the expert help of the professionals at SERVPRO®. Not only can we clean up all the water and dry your home back out, but we also need to combat the smells of the mess left behind.

The first step in getting rid of odors is to of course get rid of what is causing it – in this case, the sewage. Odor problems from water damage occur because wet materials are not dry. Once the moisture level returns to normal, a lot of the odor problems go away as well.

In most situations with deodorization, odors are coming from multiple sources. To find all of them and figure out the specific methods to fight each of them requires technical equipment and much knowledge. Instead, SERVPRO® techs use various methods to combat the smells.

One kind of deodorization agent does not work on every odor, so we use more than one type to treat the various odors we encounter in these situations. Plus, we ensure that you as our customer like the smell of the professional product we choose to apply.

When it comes down to it, SERVPRO® of New Hanover is the one to trust with a toilet overflow disaster. Not only can we clean everything up, but we ensure that your home in Castle Hayne, Wilmington, or Wrightsville Beach is back to itself again when you call us at (910) 762-8180.

Preventing Water Damage from Faulty Appliances in Your Wilmington Home

8/6/2022 (Permalink)

Your dishwasher uses a lot of water to get your dishes clean. Prevent a water damage emergency resulting from your dishwasher with maintenance.

SERVPRO Technicians can Remediate Water Damage AND Provide You with Tips to Avoid Future Damage

Most home flooding and water damage occur from appliance and plumbing failure. The cost of these disasters can add up fast to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. There are certain everyday appliances in your home which you should be more aware of to prevent water damage. When an accident does happen in your home, SERVPRO is the one who can help you clean up the mess and dry out your home.
 
You should also know ahead of time what your home owner’s policy covers in case of water damage to your Wilmington home. Then if something does happen, you can get the coverage you need.
 
Dishwasher
 
The hoses and lines on your dishwasher can blow out or leak, many times during a wash cycle, and your kitchen is flooded with many gallons of water. You should never run your dishwasher while you are not at home. If a pipe bursts, you can lower the amount of water damage done by shutting the water off at the water supply line undeath the sink. Then, SERVPRO technicians can come in to help you repair and clean up the damages.
 
Rubber hoses are used to supply water to dishwashers in many cases, and they break down over time. Therefore, you should take the rubber hose and replace it with a much sturdier, steel-braided hose which you can find at most home improvement stores.
 
Washing Machine
 
Dishwasher drains or water hoses that malfunction results in some of the most common insurance claims for homeowners. You should inspect your washing machine hoses often. If they are more than five years old, replace them with steel-braided hoses.
 
For even more peace of mind, you can install an automatic shut-off valve that is equipped with an alarm to let you know of any problems with the hose.
 
Leaky Toilet
 
Any leaks from your toilet are signs of trouble. Cracks in the toilet or tank are not common unless something hits the tank. More frequently, the supply line to the water tank gets a leak in it. It is better to replace a toilet that is leaky than to repair it.
 
If the problem is the water supply line, it is simple to repair with a metal-braided supply line since they usually hold up better in the long run.
 
SERVPRO of New Hanover is specially trained in handling all sorts of water damage situations. If you have an appliance that has failed, give us a call at (910) 762-8180, and our technicians come out to your home quickly to fix the damages and get your life back on track.

How Water Damage Can Strike

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Save Your Water Damaged Home in Wilmington

Coastal Storms Can Bring on Water Damage

Living in a coastal area can be comfortable and relaxing in many ways, but can also come with some risks as well. Residents of Wilmington have to be ready for floods, hurricanes, and heavy storms, in addition to physical water disasters. Even properties on high ground are not immune to water damage and flooding. Knowing about the different types of water damage that could harm your property is the first step in mitigating the damage from disasters.
 
Hurricanes and Large Storms
A large portion of Wilmington water damage cases results from hurricanes and storms, due to proximity to the ocean and significant potential for tropical storms to move in. Although many homes are built with heavy winds in mind, exterior, and interior water damage can still result from any storm with heavy rain and wind. Large amounts of rainfall can flood houses and stain their walls and floors, and heavy winds can peel off roofing materials and blow objects through walls and windows, opening up the room to the elements. There is little to be done about these storms, aside from ensuring your safety by getting to a shelter or at the very least holing up in a bathroom or safe room.
 
River Flooding
The rivers and streams that swirl around Wilmington may be prone to flooding during a storm, causing significant damage to properties along their banks. Also, consider that intruding groundwater is contaminated with chemicals, pathogens, and organic debris. If your home is located on or near a river, consider taking precautions to have valuables placed six to twelve inches above the ground to avoid significant loss in the event of a flood.

Infrastructure Disasters
As with locations across the country, water fixtures can also malfunction or incur damage, leading to potential disaster for your property. Water lines and fixtures inside and outside of your home may rupture or fail, causing mild to severe water damage in portions of your home. Make sure that all water lines and fixtures in your home are relatively new and in good shape to avoid most of the damage associated with these disasters. Periodically inspect visible plumbing lines and couplings. Inspect hose drain lines from the washing machine and dishwasher every six months.
 
SERVPRO of New Hanover has been a trusted locally owned and operated franchise for years now and has serviced many local clients with water, flood, fire, and mold damage repair and restoration services. If you require assistance with cleanup and repair of any water damage in the area, please don't hesitate to call us at (910) 762-8180 for fast 24/7 service.

Water Removal after a Hurricane or a Leak

3/2/2022 (Permalink)

For Hurricanes and Storm Damage call SERVPRO for Help

SERVPRO Is the Answer To All Your Water Removal Needs

Living in an area prone to natural water events means that it is always wise to take the proper precautions against dangerous and destructive natural forces, such as water. Remember these tips to save you money should you encounter an unwelcome water problem. Hurricane Matthew is a case in point.
 
Water removal in Silver Lake is no small deal. It can be heartbreaking and stressful to see your home ravaged by water. SERVPRO is always here to help you with the water extraction you need in an emergency. We can help you avoid water damage in the future, with the following tips.
 
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
It is possible that this finds you as one of the lucky homeowners who has escaped from recent waters unscathed, or perhaps, you were not so fortunate. Either way, information on prevention is helpful to everyone, from those who are unprepared to face a water event, those who are rebuilding after a disaster, as well as those who have unfortunately just been through (or need) water removal. It is never too late to prepare for the future.
 
Put Items Up High in Storage
While you cannot always completely avoid the need for water removals, such as from unexpected storms, hurricanes, and floods, an excellent way to protect your belongings can go far. Start by going into your storage areas: closets, garages, attics, and proper storage rooms. Put cherished items up high in these rooms to protect them from standing water.
 
The use of plastic bins to protect against water is the best thing you can do. These bins often have click-shut tops and can be easily stacked on top of each other. They were particularly useful in storage areas where you may not have storage shelves to use. Simply getting your packable belongings off of the floor can be a cheap solution to future problems.
 
Spring Cleaning
Yes, the dreaded term: spring cleaning. Basements often become the final resting place of old belongings, furniture, clothing, and other items that do not have another place to go inside your living space. Take the time to go through your basement once a year and declutter the area, pack up things you want to save in plastic bins, and get rid of things you will never use. Should the time ever come, you will be very glad that some of the clutter is gone and items you wanted to keep are safe inside their plastic bins.
 
The stress and worry of needing water removal services cannot be overstated. The economical costs and emotional havoc it causes can be overwhelming. Call SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180 anytime for your water emergency. Our Storm Emergency Service team is available 24/7 to take your calls.

We Have The Experts In Kure Beach To Handle Your Water Damage Mitigation and Restoration

11/17/2021 (Permalink)

Ocean water at the beach is fine, but when leaking water develops inside your home, it needs immediate action in order to prevent the spread of damage

How Humidity Causes Water Damage in Kure Beach

Most people grow up in Kure Beach considering humidity to be just a factor of life. It makes warm days hot, helps the plants grow, and sometimes makes it tough to drive. What most people never consider is how high levels of relative humidity can cause water damage to their homes and belongings. While it can be hard to stop the slow progression of damage caused by humidity to some outdoor objects like gates and fences, you should be much more wary of how moisture in the air can affect appliances inside your home.

How Humidity Causes Damage

Some of the most common water damage in Kure Beach comes from humidity in the form of damage over time to certain materials and surfaces that may be vulnerable to its effects. Metals such as iron, steel, and copper can start to oxidize when exposed to water. While most objects are built to withstand some amount of rusting on their surfaces, excess humidity can cause oxidation that may permanently damage your home. Additionally, high levels of relative humidity can cause warping or mold growth on wood and fabric materials inside the home that were never designed to be in contact with substantial amounts of water.

How to Stop and Reverse Damages

Stopping damage to your home that may result from humidity mostly involves patching up any leaks or holes in the building exterior and keeping windows and doors closed whenever possible. When you keep your home mostly sealed off from the outside, this allows your HVAC system to regulate the climate effectively and keep moisture levels within safe parameters. If your home still feels humid after making some minor adjustments, consider buying a commercially available dehumidifier for the rooms most affected.

Reversing most long-term effects of humidity requires the help of a professional water damage restoration company like SERVPRO. We apply a variety of professional treatments to your home and belongings to remove the existing damage and reverse the area’s appearance to make it look “Like it never even happened.” Remember, though – not every small patch of rust requires professional care (but you should always call us for even the smallest mold problem).

SERVPRO of New Hanover is a local expert in damage mitigation and restoration with time-tested treatments developed over years of testing and experience. Call us at (910) 762-8180.

See more about Kure Beach.

What are the Key Factors for Drying a Home?

10/13/2021 (Permalink)

Did a burst pipe cause water damage to your home? SERVPRO knows how to dry and restore your home.

Four Key Factors Go into Drying out the Premises in Wilmington, and SERVPRO Understands How to Put Them All Together for Proper Drying

Home of the USS North Carolina battleship Wilmington is a beautiful city full of historical sites, flowering gardens, and beaches. It is a coastal town that visitors flock to during tourist season. Many of the homes in Wilmington are older homes that are architectural beauties. Nevertheless, older homes often have older plumbing, leading to water intrusion and a professional water restoration company like SERVPRO. 

What is the Time Frame for Drying a House?

When a water spill happens from something like a burst pipe, immediate mitigation is vital. Water removal in the Wilmington home needs to happen as quickly as possible to prevent the water from migrating to unaffected areas. It is necessary to prevent secondary damage, such as mold, as well. Water extraction figures significantly into the drying time. There are four key factors that impact how long it takes to dry both the building and content. They are:

• Temperature
• Air movement
• Humidity
• Amount of water to be evaporated

These all need to be considered during the drying process. Our SERVPRO technicians understand the "wet goes to dry" rule, meaning that the moisture in wet materials seeks to move to drier materials. To balance out wet air seeks drier air. Two scenarios happen with this rule:

• Dry air absorbs moisture from wet surfaces.
• Dry surfaces absorb moisture from wet air.

Conclusion: a delicate balance is needed to make sure the proper drying methods and time get used to dry out your home. Because everyone's situation is different, the time necessary to dry and restore the house and the belongings differ.

Temperature

Hot air can possess more moisture than cold air, so the best temperature for drying is 70° to 90°. SERVPRO technicians can use portable heaters to increase the temperature of the area if heat is not available. The technicians need to ensure the drying process does not put too much moisture in the air without the proper dehumidifiers in use.

 Air Movement

When a room has experienced water damage in Wilmington, it can often be damp and humid. Air movement involves blowing warm, dry air in and blowing the moist air out. Industrial strength air movers are used to accomplish this. As the drying process proceeds, the techs position the air movers to promote even thorough drying. 

Humidity

The measure of moisture the air is currently retaining at a given temperature is relative humidity (RH). It is determined by the ratio of water vapor in the air compared to the amount of water vapor the air can contain. It's not something that a homeowner would typically think of, but most people's comfort level is between 30% and 50% RH.

If the RH is over 60%, drying time becomes slower due to the air's saturation. The moisture in the air needs removing at this point. Dehumidifiers are the most effective at lowering the relative humidity. SERVPRO techs use dehumidifiers with air movers in the correct ratio to provide optimum drying power.

Amount of Water Needing Evaporating

The more liquid water removal there is, the less water vapor needs to be removed by dehumidifiers. Physically extracting as much water as possible from the scene is 1200 times more effective than using dehumidifiers. SERVPRO extracts water with:

• Submersible pumps in standing water over 2".
• Truck-mounted pumps that can extract 36,000 gallons per day.
• Portable pumps for hard to reach or lesser amounts of water.
• Rovers for water removal from carpet
• Squeegees for hard surfaces.

Drying Your Home in the Right Amount of Time

While SERVPRO certainly wants to quickly return your home to preloss condition, the proper drying time needs to be utilized. Successful drying equals the right humidity levels, the correct temperature, precise water extraction, and air movement. All of these things differ, depending on the circumstances of the water damage. 

Our Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified technicians understand how it all works together and are pros at water extraction and drying your home and the content. They apply their knowledge and experience to bring about the best results. They strive to ensure your home looks, "Like it never even happened."

We know the significance of getting your home back in order after any water intrusion. Having your home disrupted is no fun. That's why our teams arrive on the job quickly and work as fast as possible to get the job done.

Contact SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180 for expert water removal service. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How Does the Presence of Contaminants Change Water Extraction Procedures in Wilmington?

9/10/2021 (Permalink)

Remember when dealing with water loss events that not all water is clean. Take precautions to protect yourself from contaminated water.

SERVPRO Immediately Assesses the Category of Water Needing Removal in Wilmington and Keeps Everyone Safe with Appropriate Contamination Emergency Service Procedures 

Although severe damage to structural components can occur with relatively clean water, the presence of infectious waste, minerals, or chemicals fuels Wilmington's immediate removal plan's urgency. A contaminated water crisis can expose your family and our technicians to:

Sewage, containing human pathogens including bacteria and viruses

• Biohazards previously used as building materials such as asbestos and lead, now disturbed during the water loss
• Chemicals from spilled household products or where wet cartons or other containers leach out dangerous substances

What Are Safety Hazard Control Steps During Contaminated Water Removal?

Tainted water removal in Wilmington requires highly trained and appropriately equipped technicians. Our crew members don personal protective equipment (PPE), including boots, full-body suits, rubber gloves, respirators equipped with P100/organic vapor cartridges, and eye protection. We broadcast-spray Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants in the affected spaces to reduce the pathogen load before extraction. After evaluating whether contaminants could move into other areas of your home, we might construct containment chambers of 1.6 mil polyethylene and conduit, sealed through the negative pressure of air scrubbers that force airborne contaminants through HEPA filters. 

How Is My Insurance Company Involved During Contaminated Water Removal?

SERVPRO consults with your insurance carrier frequently during contaminated water removal, keeping you informed. Because of the possibility of porous contents and structures being damaged beyond repair due to the contamination, we follow local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and rules when determining if some materials must be removed and discarded. Transparent communication with the adjuster about the contamination level is critical to establishing coverage for your claims under your insurance contract.

The crews at SERVPRO of New Hanover have the experience you need for a successful contaminated water removal outcome. Call for a consultation at (910) 762-8180 after the first signs of water damage.

More about Wilmington.

What is Crawl Space Encapsulation, and Do I Need It?

8/5/2021 (Permalink)

Did your home experience water damage? Call SERVPRO. This is just some of the equipment at our disposal to restore your home.

SERVPRO Techs can Extract, Dry and Repair Your Wilmington Crawl Space

If your Wilmington home did not get an encapsulated crawl space at the time of construction, there is a good chance that during the area's service life, water damage may be an issue. When ventilation is an issue or seepage occurs, the closed-in design of a crawl space creates the perfect environment for mold and dampness to affect the area of the home above with damage such as mold appearing from under floor tiles. When water loss signs appear, it is an excellent time to get your home professionally dried and get encapsulation.  

Can I Do My Water Removal in My Crawl Space? 

When the need for water removal occurs in your Wilmington property, it is best to bring in a professional restoration services company whether or not your crawl space is encapsulated. SERVPRO technicians have extensive training handling basement and crawl space water damage situations and avoid dealing with issues such as:

Water collecting on a raw, unfinished crawl space ground creating a muddy mess 

• Removal of both water and ambient humidity 
• Remediation of any mold growth found

How Does Encapsulation Avoid Water Issues?   

While the installation of crawl space encapsulation cannot protect your home 100% from a water damage situation, it can help diminish the potential. The encapsulation is a vapor barrier installed over the unfinished (usually dirt) crawl space. It assists in negating mold, dampness, and foul odors, which can create problems in the home above. There are different types of encapsulation methods to develop the needed vapor barrier, including:  

• Do-it-Yourself plastic sheeting placed over the floor usually has a limited service life  
• Professional encapsulation uses multi-layered, strength-reinforced polyester sheeting
• Installation of concrete flooring over the dirt

Getting the Water Out of a Crawl Space

When standing water or high-moisture conditions get established in a crawl space, they generally do not go away on their own and instead compound until mitigation of the problem happens. SERVPRO technicians remove the water using their professional equipment, including submersible pumps, if needed for water more significant than two inches in depth or the use of truck-mounted units. 

Careful measurements of the air within the crawl space get taken to determine the current interior humidity levels and goals get set. Although each job site is unique, the air moisture levels generally get set below 50%, as this is unsustainable for the germination of airborne spores and the growth of mold colonies.

Drying the crawlspace can present specific challenges due to the number of air movers and the dehumidification equipment's sheer size. SERVPRO technicians create custom tubing or venting as needed using plastic sheeting to direct the airflow as required for the best outcome. 

Bringing down the interior moisture in the Wilmington crawl space goes a long way towards eliminating the musty odors that can accompany this issue. Further proactive treatments include cleaning surfaces with professional-strength antimicrobial cleaning agents and sealants to inhibit any return of previously remediated mold problems.   

Whenever any residual odors remain behind after drying and cleaning, SERVPRO techs have numerous types of odor control methods to handle the smell. Scents can get divided into two basic types: caused by airborne particulate and caused by embedded particulate. Whether it is bacteria or mold spores, different kinds of methods get applied. For example, within a crawl space, drying the area may be affected. However, should odors penetrate the subfloor above, thermal fogging can get used to go into the wood and eliminate the odor at the molecular level. When the odorous particles are airborne, air scrubbers do an excellent job of capturing them. Hydroxyl generators are a safe way to eradicate airborne odors using UV rays to render them inert and zero chance of causing unpleasant scents in the future. 

Once the water damage mitigation efforts complete, SERVPRO techs go over the actions taken with the homeowner and provide a detailed report that includes any losses due to the water in the crawl space, including photos to assist with any insurance claims getting filed. If the homeowner wants, the techs can also offer advice on the best way to keep water from entering the home and connect them with a trusted partner to perform any needed repairs or encapsulation of the crawl space. 

Consider our services to install a sump pump and a permanent dehumidifier after the encapsulation completes. Indoor air conditions can be enhanced in the above living space when the crawl space moisture levels align with the norms for the geographic and climatic conditions.

When your crawl space needs water removal, contact SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180. The technicians have the experience and professional equipment to remove the water loss and return the area to its preloss condition. 

When Is Hydroxyl the Best Choice for Wilmington Water Damage?

4/8/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage can cause odors. We have the equipment to remove the odors and restore your home.

SERVPRO Deodorizes Wilmington Homes After Water Damage

A lovely port town in North Carolina, Wilmington boasts a population of 123,744. Wilmington has a strong history! It was a crucial part of the resistance to the British during the Revolutionary War. By the time of the Revolution, Wilmington already had a reputation as a busy and prosperous port town, with an economy built on lumber and Naval stores. 

When British Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765, levying more taxes against British colonies, there was strong opposition in Wilmington. Hundreds of residents gathered on the streets chanting “liberty, property, and no stamp duty!” Local officials, when seeing the flying banners and heard the beating drums, decided to stay safely away from the crowd.

Wilmington continued to grow strong in the nineteenth century, with gas lamps and a new town hall in the city. During the Second World War, Wilmington was home to the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company. Folks employed at the plant built 243 in five years as part of the government’s emergency shipbuilding program. 

Visitors can see USS North Carolina (BB-55). She is the lead ship of the North Carolina class of fast battleships and the first ship of her kind built in the United States. There is a walkway all around the boat so visitors can see this historic boat from all angles.

From Ships to Cinema

Wilmington is not just famous for its shipbuilding history. It is also home to EUE / Screen Gems, the largest production company outside California. The facility includes a 37,500 square foot “dream stage,” a vast column-less structure, which contains a 90,000-gallon special-effects water tank. Many well-known movies, shows, and even adverts have been filmed at the Wilmington Studios, including: 

• One Tree Hill
• Dawson’s Creek
• The Crow
• Ironman 3
• The Conjuring

Arts and Culture in Wilmington

As well as a famous ship and a well-loved movie studio, Wilmington has plenty of other arts and culture spots to entertain you:

• Cape Fear Museum of Science and History is the oldest history museum in North Carolina. Explore North Carolina’s natural history, flora, and learn about the human history around Cape Fear. There is even an exhibit dedicated to Michael Jordan.
• Cameron Art Museum is located beside the historic site of the Battle of Forks Road. It showcases a range of pieces by artists working in many different mediums.

• The yearly North Carolina Azalea Festival is dedicated to these beautiful plants, and a local girl is crowned Azalea Queen!

When do We use Hydroxyl During Water Cleanup?

When it comes to water damage repairs, odor removal is critical. SERVPRO understands that your home will not feel like yours again until it smells fresh. 

Part of our water removal services is deodorizing after. One technique we sometimes use is hydroxyl generators. The generators break down the volatile organic compounds that cause bad smells. We use hydroxyl when:

• We need a way of deodorizing that is safe for use around plants and fish.
• We need to work in a wet area, where an ozone generator might cause damage or bleaching.
• We are dealing with a range of odors, as hydroxyl works for many different smells. 

For a water cleanup service that leaves your home smelling good, call SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180.

Gear Up for Those Thanksgiving Meal Calories and Get Moving in Wrightsville Beach With a 5K Race

11/17/2020 (Permalink)

Just like our neighbors train for 5k’s, SERVPRO continually trains for emergency restoration scenarios.

Enjoy Some Much-Needed Fresh Air at the Wrightsville Beach Turkey Trot

For our community to stay up with social distancing and safety guidelines, enjoying an open-air activity might be good for the soul. The Wrightsville Beach Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving 5k run or walk all around the Wrightsville Beach Loop. This event is taking place on Thursday, November 26th, with registration beginning at 7:00am. The 5k kicks off at 8:30am, and there is also a one-mile fun run scheduled for 8:45am.

Further details on this family-friendly event include: 

• Sponsorship by the Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity
• Free admission for all spectators
• Prizes, food, and fun for everybody!

Always caring about our local community's health and well-being, SERVPRO of New Hanover welcomes all attendants to this annual event. Should there be a circumstance where you require assistance in water cleanup and restoration for your home or business, you can reach our skilled crew by calling (910) 762-8180. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster!

Are There Several Ways to Remove Water from Wet Carpets?

6/2/2020 (Permalink)

Did your carpet experience water damage? Call SERVPRO to restore your home.

Our SERVPRO professionals can offer a variety of water removal solutions for saturated flooring in your Wilmington home. 

 Taking care of damp and saturated flooring in your Wilmington home is a priority for property owners because of how quickly wet surfaces can degrade and deteriorate. There is a finite timeline to salvage and restore materials like carpeting, and that timeline begins at the first exposure to migrating water damages. Our SERVPRO professionals can help with a fast response designed to remove water and dry up affected areas of the property as soon as possible.

 Water removal in Wilmington homes requires dozens of extractors and various tools and machines. With an extensive inventory of industry-leading equipment, we can meet the demands of your house through actions like moisture removal from carpets and padding, but also drying out structural cavities, drywall, and full flooring systems. 

 What Options Exist for Protecting Carpeted Floors After Water Losses? 

 Knowing what the carpeted floors in your home need after a water loss involve some thorough evaluation by our competent professionals. It is always our intention to complete restoration tasks as efficiently as possible. It hinges on a complete understanding of what actions are necessary to return materials and areas of the house to preloss conditions. With varying degrees of damage, restoration might encompass one or more of three general practices: 

• Extraction - Water removal in Wilmington is an intricate task that involves many cutting-edge tools and machines available to our technicians. Several potential extractors can help with removing water from carpeting, including carpet wands and weighted extraction units.
• Drying – If a carpet can get salvaged after water exposure, this restoration relies on thorough drying practices. In many cases, centrifugal air movers are vital in this effort, as it can work on drying both the top layer and the padding simultaneously with the right position. 
• Reinstallation – Tear-out and reinstallation are always among our team's last resort strategies. We do have competent contractors in-house that can help oversee repairs, controlled demolition, and reinstallation of new materials as necessary.

 What Tools Are Best for Extracting Water from Carpets? 

•  Carpet Wands - Carpet wands cannot remove all the water trapped in the fibers of flooring, but it can remove enough where other drying efforts can be more productive.
• Wet Vacuums - Much like on hard surfaces, wet vacuums are ideal for removing both surface water and trapped moisture, and carpet fibers to make drying efforts take less time.
•  Weighted Extractors - Using the technician's weight in either stationary or ride-on models, weighted extractors force moisture to the surface by squeezing the top layer and padding against the subflooring. 

 What is Necessary to Dry Damp Carpeting? 

 Drying damp carpeting can be a challenge even after substantial extraction has taken place. We have multiple tools to remove moisture trapped in fibers and padding before it can soak through the subflooring materials. Choosing the right approach for drying your carpet can save time and money on the restoration that your property needs after water loss incidents. Some of the useful drying tools we use are: 

•  Centrifugal Air Movers - Air movers offer high-velocity blasts of heated air directed at specific points in saturated materials. By placing centrifugal air movers between the top layer of carpeting and the padding, we can simultaneously dry both layers to offer a more efficient water removal solution.
•  Desiccant Dehumidifiers - Much like centrifugal air movers, desiccant dehumidifiers work to reintroduce heated, dry air back into the moist environment or saturated materials like the carpeting. These dehumidifiers are also vital to manage increasing moisture content concerns.
•  Floor Mat Drying System - When moisture concerns have passed the padding layer and reached the subflooring, there is often little we can do to protect the top layers of carpeting, and they must get discarded. To preserve and salvage the subflooring, such as plywood or OSB, we can slowly utilize drying mats to draw out moisture to the acceptable parameters.

 Can SERVPRO Reinstall Carpet? 

 With a full team of in-house residential contractors, we can offer efficient controlled demolition and quality reinstallation of removed flooring and structural elements. Our licensed professionals can help to provide a seamless transition between mitigation, like drying and extraction, and the reconstruction and repairs that your home might need after that. 

 Regardless of how severe water losses might be, our SERVPRO of New Hanover team can help to make it, "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today at (910) 762-8180.

How Can a Fire Cause Water Damage?

5/7/2020 (Permalink)

Water Damage from a Leak Causes Problems in Wilmington That SERVPRO Can Fix.

SERVPRO Handles All Aspects of Fire Damage Which Often Includes Significant Water Damage

 In some fires, damage from the actual flames ends up being the least of your concerns. Fires often trigger damage in a way homeowners do not expect: significant water damage. Whether during the efforts to put the fire out or leaks caused by the heat, fire can directly or indirectly cause your home to take on large amounts of water unexpectedly. If the fire started during a storm, rain or flood water might also deal some damage. Listed are some common ways we encounter water damage after a fire.

 Water Damage from Hoses and Extinguishers

 After a fire, severe water damage in Wilmington can happen as a result of fire hoses and extinguishers used to douse the flames. These devices, while sometimes using foam to smother the fire, often use pure or mixed water to stop the fire in its tracks. Care is not often taken to controlling the water flow, with as much being used as necessary to stop the flames. This can lead to a heavy dousing of any surface in your home and some mild flooding as a result of fire hoses. Excess water is common after a fire, and perhaps more often than not you'll be dealing with this type of damage. Typically, a small isolated fire in a kitchen or room would not inflict such heavy secondary water damage.

 Burst and Leaking Faucets and Pipes

 Fire can melt and break metal faucets and plumbing due to its extreme temperature, causing profuse leaks and ruptures wherever it crosses a water fixture. Although these do not often release enormous amounts of water, they can cause considerable damage to floors and walls in their vicinity.

 Water Damage During a Storm

 Many infernos start as the result of a storm, from a lightning strike or otherwise. The fire may work in tandem with torrential rains, as these are often not enough to put out the blaze but enough to pour through any burned openings into your house. Also, some severe storms may come with massive flooding, which can be exceedingly dangerous due to the presence of Black Water. This highly contaminated water can carry pathogens, silt, pesticides, chemicals, and dangerous debris like broken glass and tree limbs. SERVPRO has IICRC trained technicians that have certifications in ASD, Applied Structural Drying, and AMR, Applied Microbial Remediation to combat the ramifications of contaminated groundwater or sewage.

 SERVPRO of New Hanover is a locally owned and operated business that has experience with all sorts of water and fire damage, often at the same time. Should you require emergency restoration services following a disaster, call us 24/7 at (910) 762-8180. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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Wondering How to Have Water Removed From Your Wrightsville Beach Crawlspace?

4/6/2020 (Permalink)

When your crawlspace is affected by water damage, quick action can produce effective results. Contact SERVPRO for an assessment and water removal.

Here are a Few Proven Tips to Remediate Water Damage from SERVPRO New Hanover.

With the presence of groundwater, springs, precipitation runoff, and lingering effects from rising water levels throughout the region, your Wrightsville Beach crawlspace could have pooling water that should get addressed as promptly as possible. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not even realize when a problem persists in this area of their home, as it is not a place that gets checked often for potential concerns. If moisture and dampness persist in this area, it can allow for situations like mold growth to occur, so drying out this crawlspace is critical to protecting the entirety of your home.

Assess the Level of Water Damage

Identifying concerns with the crawlspace and understanding when you need water removal for your Wrightsville Beach property can be a challenge for a homeowner. Many homeowners simply cannot get underneath their property to assess damages or potential threats and have to wait until other signs present themselves before they recognize a problem exists. With flooding throughout the area, you can often get assured that even if your home itself did not fall victim to the rising water, that your crawlspace did. Our SERVPRO team can quickly assess the situation for what must happen and the severity of any damages that might exist.

Prevent the Formation of Mold Colonies

When acted upon quickly enough, our SERVPRO professionals can work to extract water from the crawlspace of your home and potentially prevent the formation of mold colonies. Naturally, existing mold spores only require a damp environment to seat and thrive and removing the moisture from this area of your home can keep colonies from forming if this problem has not already occurred.

Remove From Your Crawlspace

We can also offer services such as crawlspace encapsulation which can work to divert water away from this area of your property and continually protect all of the elements of your home with thick plastic sheeting.

Don’t Allow this Problem to Get Worse 

While there are many ways that your crawlspace can get affected by excess water, allowing this problem to persist can cause significant concerns for the structural integrity of your home. Give our SERVPRO of New Hanover rapid response team a call anytime at (910) 762-8180. 

Learn more about Wrightsville Beach.

Dishwasher Water Cleanup in a Wilmington Home

2/28/2020 (Permalink)

Avoid a potential catastrophe caused by a leaking dishwasher. Call the professionals at SERVPRO, We are always available.

Our Experts at SERVPRO Know Exactly What to do for your Home’s Water Cleanup needs 

 Water leaks, whether they come from an appliance or pipes, can cause homeowners hundreds to even thousands of dollars in damages depending on the length and extent of exposure. In the United States alone, water leaks waste over 1 trillion gallons of water each year. This amount equals the water usage of Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles put together. 

 If your Wilmington home requires water cleanup, the pros at SERVPRO are always available to restore your home to a preloss condition. These highly-trained technicians receive extensive education in fire, water, and mold damage mitigation and remediation to allow homeowners to minimize property loss and repair costs after disaster strikes. Your local SERVPRO works closely with both you and your insurance adjuster to make filing your water damage claim stress-free. 

Common Causes of Dishwasher Leaks

• The base of the appliance is not level
• A broken door or worn gasket
• A defective dishwasher tub 
• Using the wrong type of dishwashing soap
• Damaged supply lines

 Water damage from any of these causes can affect everything from drywall, to paint, to floor tiles, to electrical wiring. Inspect and maintain the appliance regularly so that neither your warranty nor your claim is voided due to neglect. 

SERVPRO Dries Your Kitchen Fast

After technicians evaluate the extent of damage and measure moisture content with infrared imaging and penetrating and non-penetrating sensors and meters, they can get to work extracting moisture with a variety of tools. These can include mops, squeegees, and extraction wands, which are ideal for removing water from wall cavities and other hard-to-reach areas.

 If your kitchen tiles are saturated by water, ceramic tiles can generally be salvaged. Discolored grout can be cleaned with specialized EPA-registered cleaners and bleaching solutions. However, if the saturation has reached the subflooring, the affected area may require tile removal and replacement so that technicians can clean and dry the subfloor with air movers and dehumidifiers. 

 SERVPRO of New Hanover can leave your home looking, "Like it never even happened." Call (910) 762-8180 for disaster mitigation that you can count on any time of the day or night.

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The Science Behind Permeance and Water Damage in Wilmington

2/6/2020 (Permalink)

When this home experienced water damage, we were there to remove the water. SERVPRO is always on call.

How Permeance Affects the Level of Water Damage Your Wilmington Home Might Experience

 How much water enters any given material inside of a Wilmington residence reveals its permeance. The lower the number, the less moisture enters the material. The number or permeance for waterproof materials cannot be greater than ‘1,’ which means no more than one grain of water enters the material in an hour for every square foot.

When a residence in Wilmington sustains water damage, we look at the materials inside the house. Not all building materials dry the same because their permeance varies. Sometimes, like with brick, permeance can vary significantly among subtypes of the same material. One difficulty with waterproof materials is that when submerged, minute amounts of water seep inside. Even glass cannot prevent water from invading your home if the seals around the edges fail. As a liquid, water spreads out to fit any container you place it in, and as a vapor, it can migrate anywhere.

Brick, for instance, has a varying rate of permeance depending on its specific composition. Lower numbers of permeance also mean that drying takes longer, not shorter, periods. The ability of water to pass through the material is why this occurs.

Vapor barriers are waterproof or water-resistant materials that can keep drying times lengthy. When these barriers block moisture in and keep it from passing to the exterior of the material, water can slowly damage the interior of the material as the exterior dries. When possible, we use heat to increase the rate that moisture moves toward the exterior and enters the air. Other situations require our building department to help with deconstructing the area so we can gain access to dampened areas.

Hygroscopic materials have much higher permeance numbers and let water pass through their surfaces quickly. They also dry much faster. The water damage seen with this varies greatly. Fabrics can become water stained but otherwise dry undamaged. Drywall, gypsum, and plywood disintegrate after a short period and often need replacing. Wood can warp and crack from either being too wet or from over-drying.

SERVPRO of New Hanover’s technicians understand the permeance factor of different materials and how to obtain the drying results necessary to reduce the effects of water damage. Call (910) 762-8180 for efficient drying and mitigation of water damage in your Wrightsville Beach, Castle Hayne, or Kure Beach residence.

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Get the Scoop on Water Damage Remediation in Wilmington Before You're Too Late

12/31/2019 (Permalink)

Moisture and water damage can quickly affect the walls of your home. Contact SERVPRO quickly for remediation services.

The Importance of Dehumidifiers in Damaged Wilmington Homes

 While many homeowners can recognize the role of dehumidifiers in drying out their damaged Wilmington houses, few fully appreciate all of the reasons why dehumidification units are a staple in water loss recovery. Our SERVPRO team can implement practical containment barriers that can isolate damp areas of the house to create a regulated space to monitor airflow, traffic, drying, and structural integrity of affected materials.

 Because there are varying sizes and types of these machines, it stands to reason that there are many ways that they can aid in removing water damage from Wilmington homes. Depending on the nature of the moisture present in the compromised areas of the house, our project manager can determine the best use of our equipment and which moisture removal units are necessary for each recovery project.

 Containment

 Containment is vital for helping moisture removal practices to be more productive, but it can also amplify the production of running dehumidifiers. In an enclosed space, the units are recirculating the same air, drying it out more quickly than if the project were open-air.

Evaporation 

 Because our SERVPRO team uses air movers to vaporize moisture and saturation in materials throughout the property, this vapor hangs as cool air above the surface of the wall or flooring. Colder temperatures can slow the drying and restoration process, making the moisture removal capabilities of dehumidifiers valuable.

 Drying Balance 

 Establishing the appropriate balance between air movers and dehumidifiers is one struggle that our SERVPRO team must face. Too much evaporation and the dehumidifiers cannot keep up. The same can get said about the placement and positioning of units to maintain a balanced drying system. At no point can the amount of moisture removed drop below the moist air created through evaporation.

 No matter how severe water loss incidents can be in your home, our SERVPRO of New Hanover team can help. We have refrigerant and desiccant dehumidifiers ranging in size and strength to tackle even the largest of jobs. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster – give us a call today at (910) 762-8180.

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We Work As Promptly As Possible In Wilmington To Restore Your Home

10/23/2019 (Permalink)

We offer water extraction and drying processes to mitigate water damage in your home.

How Long Should Drying Take for Wilmington Residences?

There is no guaranteed time limit or recovery timeline for any Wilmington home after a water loss incident, but that does not stop our professionals from working around the clock to get your restored home back to you quickly. Efficiency is as vital to our SERVPRO team, as is the customer satisfaction we focus on, so being able to address water losses with the full measure of our premier equipment and tools ensures that damaged rooms in your home get their necessary attention as soon as our team arrives.

As challenging as many might believe water removal in Wilmington homes to be, especially when homeowners are working alone to resolve these concerns, we have an extensive inventory of powerful extractors that can get the job done effectively. From our powerful truck-mount option capable of 300psi extraction to portable electric options like the light wands and sump pumps, we have the right tool for any sized disaster that we can face.

The length of time that a drying project takes after extraction completes varies from one residence to another, though we can say that we work to complete a majority of our drying tasks within 72 hours. This window of time ensures that we can avoid costlier and more challenging circumstances like mold growth that would require the expertise and skills of our remediation specialists. Allowing mold growth to occur can lead to potential health effects for members of your family exposed to the active colonization.

Also, many construction materials can begin to show severe warping and distortion within this time, especially if they had spent more extended periods exposed to standing water threats. Without quickly drying out water damaged areas like drywall, carpeting, hardwood flooring, and other fixtures like cabinets, our team might have to replace these structural elements and materials later once mitigation completes.

While no technicians, even our experienced SERVPRO of New Hanover team, can tell you exactly how long drying takes for your home, Rich and his crew can work to get the job done as promptly as possible. Give us a call whenever disasters strike at (910) 762-8180.

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Why We Are The Leader In Wilmington Water Removal Services

6/7/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage in this Wilmington home started with a water supply line in the ceiling above bursting.

Skilled Water Removal and Desiccation Protects Floors and Wood Cabinetry in Wilmington Residences

Cleaning up after a dinner party in your Wilmington residence can overload your dishwasher. Leaving food still on plates, bowls, and serving platters leads to clogged drain lines, and the water inside has no other place to go. Adding extra detergent to clean up dirty dishes can also create similar effects. Water overflowing onto your floors happens with either situation.

The immediate area affected by water spewing out of your dishwasher can damage the floors and cabinets in your home, making water removal in Wilmington an immediate need. SERVPRO helps by getting everything cleaned up and dry again, helping keep your wood cabinets and floors in the kitchen from becoming damaged permanently. Our goal is to make everything “Like it never even happened” and as inexpensively as possible.

With water removal we are able to get up all the soapy water from the area with small-sized but powerful pumps that pull the water into our large tanks. These tanks, mounted on one of our Green Fleet's trucks, uses a motorized pump to suction the water up through the wands reaching underneath your refrigerator, inside cabinets, and even underneath those cabinets. Water removal in these areas helps prevent the effects of water on veneers and painted surfaces.

The same tubing used for the handheld extraction wands also works with our Injectidry mats, making it possible to continue drying the floors with localized heat and air currents. Increasing the rate of evaporation like this can keep floors from cupping, buckling, or splintering. Composite flooring that becomes saturated without drying almost always requires replacing because of the disintegration of individual tiles that occurs.

The ability to restore your house's structure before it becomes damaged to the point of requiring removal and replacement of expensive elements, which saves you from any unnecessary and significant expense, makes SERVPRO of New Hanover's services more valuable to you and other homeowners. However, we need you to partner with us as soon as an emergency develops by making that first call to (910) 762-8180. When your Leland, Kure Beach, or Elizabethtown home needs water removal, every second counts.

Click here to learn more about the 1.75 miles of Riverwalk stretching along the bank of the Cape Fear River in historic downtown Wilmington.

Wrightsville Beach, Water Spillage and Damage, and Yeah for SERVPRO!

4/22/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Uses Advanced Equipment for Water Cleanup and Restoration in Wrightsville Beach

Water Damage Restoration for Your Wrightsville Beach House

One of the exceptional services that our technicians offer is emergency arrival times. We understand that water damage can occur at any time in your house. That is why we specialize in emergency restoration services to protect your property from further damages. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Every water damage restoration project in Wrightsville Beach is unique. The effort needed for each depends on a variety of factors including duration and extent of the lingering water. Once our SERVPRO experts arrive, they can start with the inspection this includes scoping out the restoration phases and equipment needed.

Our SERVPRO technicians inspect your home to assess the nature and extent of the damage. We use specialized tools and instruments to measure the moisture content in your house. Our team can poke or rest these tools on top of surfaces like floors, ceilings, and baseboards. Depending on the moisture readings, we can determine where to place the drying equipment once any residual water has been removed.

The longer the time from the discovery of spillage to the time we are requested to help, the higher the possibility of experiencing secondary damage. You do not want this to happen.

Our team removes any stagnant water from your home. We use advanced tools to suck water up from your room. Removing this water paves the way for the drying process. Our technicians use different types of air movers to aid in airflow circulation throughout the house. In a hardwood floor, our workers can use floor mats to draw water out. If need be, we can drill small holes in your drywall by the baseboards to facilitate the drying.

As a locally owned business, SERVPRO of New Hanover is strategically located to respond quickly to your water damage emergencies. We have the resources and technicians to help. Just call us at (910) 762-8180 for more information.

Cross over the bridge and join us at the beach.
 

How to Guide: Water Damage Remediation in Wilmington for Beginners

4/7/2019 (Permalink)

When water damage and a mold infestation combine, the result can be wet and produce an odor. Contact SERVPRO for effective remediation services.

Has Water Damage in Wilmington Left Mold in my Home?

Imagine that your beautiful Hanover home suddenly starts to smell. At first, it is only a whiff, but as the days go by it seems like the bathroom smells more and more of mildew. You visit your local home improvement store and attempt to mask the smell with deodorizers, but it continues to linger with no apparent cause. When you finally call a handyman to take a look, you discover that your bathtub has been leaking into your crawl space for quite a long time and you now need to seek professional help to address the situation.

When there is water damage to your home in Wilmington SERVPRO is here to help. Our crew is trained to handle your water removal needs not only when there are natural disasters, but also when regular wear and tear brings challenges into your home. Thankfully, we are available 24/7 to answer your call and start the restoration process as soon as possible to mitigate further damage.

Our SERVPRO team arrives ready to assess the situation and quantify just how much humidity is affecting the structure of your home. Our moisture meters and hygrometers help us monitor the situation as we place water extractors, dehumidifiers, and air handlers in your home to speed up the drying process. Once we restore the air quality and balance in your home, we tackle any remaining issues associated with the leak.

An important aspect of water damage and removal is monitoring the presence of mold in your home. Even though bacteria naturally exists all around us, it thrives wherever there is excess moisture. By using advanced technology, our SERVPRO team can detect the presence of mold and take action to remove it and preempt any future growth. Failure to curtail mold proliferation can cause significant complications to your home and health in the future.

SERVPRO of New Hanover is your ally whether a storm comes to our region, or your plumbing fails. By calling (910) 762-8180 you have access to our expert team of technicians, and we happily work with you until your home looks "Like it never even happened."

Click here for information about the city of Wilmington.

How Frozen Pipes in the Basement Cause Water Damage in Wilmington

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

Spring is almost here, but freezing temperature swigs still occur. Visually inspect the plumbing in your basement for signs of leaking.

Leaking Pipes in Your Wilmington Basement Can Damage Your Home

The basement in your Wilmington home might be a place for storage, or a laundry area, or even a finished living space. What this area also holds is access to much of the primary plumbing branches that divert from the main service line where it enters your home beneath your main floor. As convenient as this access might be for maintenance and upkeep of the lines, it can also leave these plumbing elements exposed to the rogue severe temperature drop that can occur randomly throughout the North Carolina winter season, falling far below the freezing threshold.

It is no great surprise that frozen or freezing pipes can lead to an immediate need for water removal in your Wilmington home. While sometimes these freezing temperatures can dam the water inside of the lines, forcing pressure to swell in the pipes until it breaks apart at a connection, other times it can warp or distort the pipe itself, allowing the plumbing to be more susceptible to steady leaks and sprays. Our SERVPRO professionals have the experience and equipment to extract water from your damaged basement quickly, but also to fix the concerns with the plumbing to prevent the damage immediately reoccurring.

From the time that our professionals first arrive at your damaged home, we have to assess the severity of the pooling water and identify the problematic plumbing. We can use both moisture detection devices and thermal imagery to get a layout of the spread of the damage and where the most saturation has occurred to get immediate access through the drywall of where the leak has gotten found.

Our SERVPRO team arrives with a wide array of fast extraction equipment that can remove excess water from the exposed area. From our portable sump pumps and wet-vacs with extraction wands to our gas-powered trash pumps and extractor trucks, we have the equipment to handle any sized situation with efficiency.

Water loss incidents can happen with little warning. Whenever they occur, reach out to our experienced and courteous professionals at SERVPRO of New Hanover. You can reach us anytime by calling (910) 762-8180.

Read about Wilmington here.

A Water Damaged Crawl Space In Carolina Beach Does Not Stand A Chance Against Our Team

10/25/2018 (Permalink)

Safety is paramount when offering water damage restoration services in Carolina Beach.

What It Takes To Restore A Water Damaged Crawl Space In Your Carolina Beach Home

Just like the attic area, it is difficult to access water damaged crawl spaces in most buildings. Usually, such locations have small entrances, and our team might find it hard to enter the site with some of the restoration equipment. Some do not have enough room for our technicians to stand upright or to position the dehumidifiers. Irrespective of the state of the site, our team must be creative enough and find a way of restoring your Carolina Beach property.

Safety is paramount when offering water damage restoration services in Carolina Beach. Our SERVPRO technicians must deactivate all the electrical circuits that are positioned under the building. We must also check on the structure's integrity since severely damaged buildings can collapse. Another danger is the ground settling which may affect foundation walls and the footings. Even if the water was from a clean source, we have to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment since the dirt on the floor can cause contamination.

If standing water is still in the crawl space, our SERVPRO team extracts or pumps out the water as soon as possible. We first identify the structure's lowest point and use submersible pumps or any appropriate water extraction equipment. If there is mud in the area, we use shovels to remove the dirt from the site. As a precaution, we do not use submersible pumps when extracting water that has solid particles.

At this point, we are ready to dry the structure and its components. When the area has enough space, we position dehumidifiers and air mover within the crawl space. If they do not fit, our SERVPRO technicians might perform some minor demolitions on the floor or make use of other drying procedures. Another option is to connect a flex hose to the dehumidifier and direct the air to the site. After drying, we have to clean the area using disinfectant to prevent mold growth.

SERVPRO of New Hanover can offer relief after a storm, water, mold, or fire damage incident. Our highly trained technicians work around the clock to ensure your business or home returns to its normal operations. To learn more about our operations, call (910) 762-8180.

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There Is Less Pain When Professionals Restore Water Damage in Elizabethtown Homes

8/7/2018 (Permalink)

Elizabethtown Home's Carpet Gets Dried and Restored by SERVPRO

SERVPRO Removes Water and Restores Elizabethtown Properties After Leaks in a Stress-Free Manner

Most cases of water-related damage happen due to accidents such as a tap left running. However, other more annoying cases occur because an appliance breaks down or fails to perform as expected. The loss in these cases can be extensive because the Elizabethtown homeowner is less likely aware of the leakage. For example, a leak in a frost proof faucet that feeds your gardening hose might be hard to notice, primarily if you use the hose when no one else is in the house. After the cold winter temperatures (it only takes one night), any leakage in the line might not happen until you turn the frost proof faucet on and since you are working outside, you might only notice the flooding when a significant portion of the house is already affected.
 
When the water damage in Elizabethtown results from a failed appliance or installation, it is much more painful to the homeowner. If further mistakes occur during restoration, they only amplify the impact. At SERVPRO, we have the necessary tools, expertise, and human touch to help the homeowner deal with the loss with as little distress as possible. The most significant advantage of working with us is the ability to extract water from the affected areas within a short while. Such quick reaction reduces chances of other problems cropping up. Our goal is to make "Like it never even happened."
 
If there is a carpet in the affected area, our team from SERVPRO can use a weighted water extraction tool. It works very fast because the technician walks around and presses down on the wet carpet. The combined weight of the extractor and the technician helps squeeze out more water gently not damaging the nap. The extractor connects to a vacuum that sucks the water squeezed out. With this tool, we can extract as much as 97% of the excessive moisture within the first few hours of arriving at your property.
 
Once the initial extraction is over, our SERVPRO team dries the property back to its preloss state using air movers and dehumidifiers. This reduces the pain of dealing with additional secondary water damaging problems like mold or bad odors. Working with a team has extra benefits, too. For example, you do not have to worry about the mundane, yet energy-sapping tasks, like moving heavy furniture around during the restoration because our team takes care of everything.
 
A water restoration technician helps in many ways, which combined reduce the suffering a homeowner would have to endure. When you call SERVPRO of New Hannover, we are quick to respond to any size disaster. Call us at (901) 762-8180 our team is ready to help 24 hours a day.

More about this NC city here.

When You Experience Water Damage In Your Castle Hayne Home

5/14/2018 (Permalink)

Plumbing Leaks in Castle Hayne Can Be Destructive--Call SERVPRO for Cleanup and Restoration

Castle Hayne Homeowners Rely on SERVPRO for Water Cleanup and Restoration

As a Castle Hayne homeowner, you are quite familiar with the severe weather systems that can come rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean and have a dire effect on the houses in the area. Fortunately, your home had gotten constructed to withstand a lot of these severe storms and the effects they might have. What your home did not get prepared for, was the likelihood of water damage inside of your house.

Fixtures and plumbing are often a significant contributor to water damages that affect your Castle Hayne home. When items like faucets and sink plumbing age, they sometimes have a difficult time withstanding their standard tolerances for pressures and flow, leaving them vulnerable to failures and malfunctions. Some of these cases might not cause disastrous damages, but it could still require professional restoration to bring your house back to original conditions before the leakage started.

Our SERVPRO team can begin the restoration process the moment that we arrive at your home. We assess the extent of the damage that the broken plumbing or malfunctioning fixture allowed and work to set up a plan for what needs to happen to restore this damage and the kind of equipment necessary to complete these tasks.

Smaller instances of water incursion might only require some drying efforts and cleanup to restore, but even this needs to proceed in a particular professional standard. Leaving moisture or dampness after an incident like this could allow compounding damages like mold growth to occur within 72 hrs. To avoid a circumstance like this great lengths are taken to ensure that all of the dampness and moisture get thoroughly dried up before the restoration process completes.

While every case of water damage to your home might not be disastrous, there is something to be said about having the right personnel clean the mess up and get things back to normal. You can always trust in the expertise and professionalism of our SERVPRO of New Hanover team to help you clean up the mess and ensure that all of the moisture gets successfully extracted from the affected areas. "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today at (910) 762-8180.

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Water Damage Restoration Techniques Used in Wilmington

4/16/2018 (Permalink)

When hardwood floors get exposed to moisture, buckling, warping, and cupping usually occur.

SERVPRO Professionals Have the Equipment to Dry Out Your Home to its Pre-Loss Condition

After a pipe breaks in your Wilmington home, the restoration process takes many steps. After the area is secure and safe for all occupants, the extraction process occurs. After extraction, the goal of any remediation project is to dry out the structure so that mold growth does not occur.

When drying out structures, air movers and dehumidifiers get placed in the affected area to speed up the evaporation process. SERVPRO's water damage technicians in Wilmington also use specialty drying equipment in specific scenarios. Sometimes specialized techniques and equipment are needed to complete drying of materials such as drywall and hardwood floors.

In most scenarios, our  IICRC certified SERVPRO restoration team sets up air movers that push air in a circular motion so that it replaces dry air with the wet air evaporating off of wet surfaces. The dehumidifier then pulls moisture out of the wet air and dispenses it in liquid form. The dehumidifier also exhausts out hot, dry air so that the air movers can push it around the room.

When dealing with hardwood floors, different techniques get used. Hardwood floors are designed to repel moisture better than softer woods which enhances their ability to be restored. The drying strategy for hardwood floors is to keep buckling, warping, or cupping from becoming permanent.

Buckling, warping, and cupping are natural occurrences to wood when it is exposed to moisture. How bad the effects get depend on how much moisture sat on the wood and how long it stayed wet. In some cases when the hardwood floor has warped the cupping or warping gets sanded down, and the floor gets refinished. Before any sanding can occur, the hardwood material must get dropped to 12% moisture or below so that warping does not occur after sanding.

In other cases, specialty equipment gets used for drying out drywall. The combination of the specialized drying techniques and equipment for specific materials allows us to dry out a structure and building materials within a 48-hour period. For professional assistance with structural drying, call SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180 any day of the week.  

Click here for more information regarding the city of Wilmington.

The Clear Choice For Water Removal Services For Your Wilmington Residence

2/14/2018 (Permalink)

When you are in need of water removal services to your Wilmington home, something substantial likely occurred.

Water Removal Services

It is not until you become a homeowner that you start to think hard about the responsibilities you have in maintaining the residence you have. While the upkeep itself might feel endless at times, the real rub is the repairs and maintenance that come from unexpected events. Significant water emergencies to your Wilmington home are easy enough to restore and repair when you know the right team to call.

When you are in need of water removal services to your Wilmington home, something substantial likely occurred. Whether plumbing ruptured or appliances decided they no longer wished to function correctly, the result was still the same: high volumes of water left on your floor. While conventional cleaning measures were a possibility with smaller amounts that you could have kept up with, significant breaks require professional restoration services to remedy the damages quickly and prevent them from getting worse.

The first thing that our SERVPRO technicians are going to do when we get on site is to find the source of the water and shut it down. Often this is as fundamental as turning off a supply valve to either the problematic appliance or the portion of the damaged pipe in need of replacement or repair. Without a steady supply of new water, our restoration specialists can get to work on repairing the damage at the source (when possible) and restoring your home.

Extraction of the water is the first step in the restoration process, as it is the most pressing concern for further damage and the most immediate symptom to the overall problem. The process consists of using portable pumps and wet-vacs together to pull the water from the floor and affected areas quickly. Drying follows this step and gets accomplished with a combination of air movers and dehumidification equipment.

The completion of our process rests on an assessment to determine that all of the water has gotten removed successfully and that there is no further damage to your home that we have not addressed.

When you are in need of water removal services or find yourself in any level of a water emergency, reach out to our SERVPRO of New Hanover team. Our emergency response restoration specialists are available 24/7 by calling (910) 762-8180.

Click here for more about Wilmington.

Factors Affecting Water Damage in Wilmington

1/5/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage can come from many sources including a broken pipe. If your property suffers water damage, contact SERVPRO for remeditation services.

SERVPRO Trained Technicians Focus on FOUR Key Factors When Remediating Water Damage

Wilmington homes did not suffer from the extreme weather that struck the East Coast last year. That does not mean we are not at risk from other sources of damage. Most of the flooding or other water issues that affect private homes come from more mundane sources like a failed appliance or an aging pipe that has finally corroded and pulled away from its connection.
 
SERVPRO restoration teams first remove the water from each home as the first step to eliminate Wilmington water damage. It does not determine if we are successful though. To achieve the goal of stopping damage in a home, we also attempt to dry and otherwise restore as much personal and structural property as possible. Temperature, Air Movement, Humidity, and Evaporation are the key factors which determine how much we can keep out of the dumpsters.
 
Temperature – The best range to dry property in a home is between 70 and 90 degrees. That is the normal range of most homes, but our technicians try to keep it at around 80 if possible. Lower than that slows the drying process and a higher temperature, especially over 90, can result in generating more moisture in the surrounding air rather than removing it.

Air Movement – Circulation speeds up the drying process for personal property and building materials such as wood trim and drywall. The air movers we use produce warm, dry air that we can direct across surfaces. They are adjustable so that we can control not just speed and temperature, but even direct them up to walls and across ceilings.

Humidity – Water vapor in the air can slow the drying process to almost a stop. If we find the air content level is over 60 percent, we have to lower it, so our other actions have a useful effect. SERVPRO uses dehumidifiers to draw moisture directly from the air. In most homes, several of these devices working together lower the humidity level to under 40 percent in just 24 hours. They rapidly speed up our last factor: Evaporation.
 
A certain amount of evaporation occurs as water turns to vapor. For it to be useful to us, we remove as much water from the home as possible before setting up any other equipment. In fact, evaporation is not effective if there are more than two inches of water on the floor.
 
Restoring a home and its contents is not a short or simple process. If you have any water damage in your home, you need a professional service. To return your home and property to its original condition, call SERVPRO of New Hanover at (910) 762-8180 today.

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