Springtime Water Damages

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

The spring months are approaching quickly as we wrap up the last stretch of winter. While we are relieved that the season of freezing, bursting pipes is finally over, we are approached with yet another risk—the rainy season. There are many ways for rainwater to cause a water damage in your home. Whether it be a damaged roof allowing leakage, a slab leak, a flooded crawlspace, or other situations, SERVPRO of West Amarillo is here to help with any and all your restoration needs.

Preventing Water Damage

Prevention is key—there is no such thing as being too safe when it comes to a potential (and costly) water damage. While you can’t prevent a flood or any other natural disasters, there are a few things that you can do that could be helpful during Spring to prevent water damage from occurring in your home:

• Inspect your roof. Missing shingles and other problems with the roof could easily cause rainwater to seep through, causing water damage to your home.
• Clean the gutters regularly. The gutters are designed to capture water and direct it away from the home, but they will not do this correctly if filled with dead leaves, twigs, etc. that were deposited there from previous fall and winter seasons.
• Make sure your windows aren’t leaking. When approaching spring, it is never a bad idea to assure that your windows are caulked and sealed to prevent any possible leakage.
• Test your window AC units. Spring time means warmer weather, and in many cases, that means it is finally time to turn on the air conditioner! Window air conditioning units sometimes can leak water in the home or when not sealed properly, rain can enter around the AC unit. It’s best to pay close attention to this when first installing the air conditioning unit for the warmer months.
• Pay attention to your foundation. If you know of any prior damage to your foundation, whether it be a concrete slab or pier and beam, make sure to have it fixed before the spring season. It could mean the difference of having a water damage versus preventing one.
• Know your area’s flood risk. Does your area receive regular spring rainfall? Do you live in an area that is more susceptible to flooding? If so, do you have an evacuation plan? Staying alert is always advised.

What to Do in the Event of a Water Damage

As previously stated, you cannot prevent all floods and natural disasters from taking a toll on your home. Below are some tips that SERVPRO of West Amarillo recommends in the event of water damages:

• Call SERVPRO of West Amarillo at (806) 331-4555 so that we can be on the scene as quickly as possible to prevent further damage.
• Call your insurance and file a claim. Have the claim number and any adjuster information ready so that we can assess the situation with your insurance company. Our experienced office staff will be in direct contact with your insurance throughout the entire process to relieve as much stress from your shoulders as possible.
• Remain calm. We understand that the situation is a very stressful and it can be hard to remain collected but rest assured that SERVPRO of West Amarillo’s team of trained and trustworthy technicians will do their absolute best to restore your home and make it “Like it never even happened.”
• Avoid any rooms that may have standing water. There are electrical shock hazards that are associated with standing water, and it is never a good idea to risk it.
• Turn off the circuit breaker for all affected areas.
• Move any moisture-sensitive/valuable objects to a dry, safe area. This could be electronics, art objects, documents, etc. Do not put yourself at risk to do so, but if possible, this is always a good idea.