Addressing Water Damage in Multi-Story Buildings: A Comprehensive Guide for Condos and Apartments

10/16/2024 (Permalink)

Understanding how to address water damage in multi-story buildings is crucial for minimizing damage and restoring normalcy.

Water damage is a significant concern for property owners and residents, particularly in multi-story buildings like condos and apartments in Fort Worth, TX. Water from a single source can quickly spread across floors and into multiple units, causing widespread damage that requires immediate attention. Whether it's from a burst pipe, roof leak, or malfunctioning appliance, understanding how to address water damage in multi-story buildings is crucial for minimizing damage and restoring normalcy.

Water Damage in Apartments: A Growing Concern

Water damage is a common problem in multi-story buildings, and statistics highlight the scale of the issue. According to the Insurance Information Institute, water damage and freezing accounted for nearly 29 percent of all property insurance claims between 2014 and 2018. In apartments, the risk is even higher because of shared infrastructure, meaning a problem in one unit can quickly affect others.

Immediate Steps to Take When Water Damage Occurs

When water damage strikes, quick action is essential to minimize damage and reduce repair costs. Here's a step-by-step guide on what to do immediately after discovering water damage in a condo or apartment building.

1. Identify the Source of the Water

The first step is to locate the source of the water intrusion. It could be from a burst pipe, a roof leak, or even an overflowing appliance. Stopping the water at its source is the key to preventing further damage. If the source isn't immediately obvious, call in a professional plumber or building maintenance team to assess the situation.

2. Turn Off the Water Supply

If you can safely access the water shut-off valve, turn off the water supply to prevent more water from entering the affected area. In a multi-story building, this may require coordination with building management or maintenance staff. Be sure to notify your neighbors and the property manager, especially if the water damage might extend to other units.

3. Protect Your Belongings

Move furniture, electronics, and other valuable items away from the water-damaged area if it's safe to do so. This can help minimize personal property loss. Use plastic sheets, towels, or tarps to protect items that can't be moved.

4. Document the Damage

Take photos and videos of the affected areas, including any visible water sources, damaged belongings, and structural issues. This documentation will be invaluable when filing an insurance claim or working with building management to address repairs.

5. Notify Building Management and Neighbors

In multi-story buildings, water damage can quickly spread to neighboring units. Notify your building management or homeowners association (HOA) immediately. They will need to assess the situation and coordinate the necessary repairs. Also, inform your neighbors if the water damage may affect their units, especially if the damage originated from your space.

The Role of Professional Water Damage Restoration

Water damage in multi-story buildings can lead to serious structural issues if not addressed promptly and correctly. Professional water damage restoration services are critical for ensuring that all affected areas are properly dried, cleaned, and restored.

1. Advanced Equipment for Effective Water Removal

Professional water damage restoration companies like SERVPRO® use specialized equipment to extract standing water, dry out affected areas, and monitor moisture levels. This ensures that water doesn't remain trapped behind walls or under flooring, which could lead to further structural damage down the line.

2. Preventing Further Damage

Water can seep into walls, ceilings, and flooring, causing long-term problems like warping, cracking, or even foundational damage. SERVPRO technicians are trained to identify and mitigate these issues before they escalate, saving you time and money on future repairs.

3. Comprehensive Restoration Process

The restoration process doesn't stop at water removal. SERVPRO professionals will assess and repair any structural damage, clean and sanitize the affected areas, and restore your property to its pre-damage condition. This comprehensive approach ensures that your building is safe, functional, and ready for residents to return.

Conclusion: Why Quick Action Matters

Water damage in condos and apartments can have far-reaching consequences, affecting multiple units and causing significant structural issues. Knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath of water damage is crucial for minimizing damage and ensuring a smooth restoration process. By working with professional water damage restoration services like SERVPRO, you can protect your property and get back to normal as quickly as possible.

For more information about how to handle water damage in multi-story buildings, contact SERVPRO for expert guidance and assistance.

Protect Your Basement from Water Damage with These Landscaping Tips

6/13/2024 (Permalink)

Basements are often the first areas in a home to suffer from water damage during heavy rains or flooding. While interior waterproofing solutions can help, preventing water from entering your basement in the first place is the most effective strategy. One often overlooked method is proper landscaping around your home. Here are some landscaping tips to keep your basement dry and your home safe from water damage:

1. Proper Grading

Ensuring that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation is crucial. This helps direct rainwater away from the basement walls, preventing it from seeping in. If your yard slopes towards your home, consider regrading it to create a gentle slope away from the foundation.

2. Strategic Planting

Strategically planting trees and shrubs around your home can help absorb any excess water from the soil and prevent it from pooling near the foundation. Choose native plants whenever possible, as they are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. Native plants typically have deeper root systems, making them more effective at stabilizing the soil and absorbing water efficiently. Additionally, avoid planting trees too close to your home, as their roots can potentially damage your foundation.

3. Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are shallow depressions designed to collect and absorb rainwater runoff from roofs, driveways, and other impermeable surfaces. By directing rainwater into a rain garden, you can prevent it from pooling around your home's foundation and causing basement flooding. Planting native vegetation in the rain garden can further enhance its ability to absorb water.

4. Install French Drains

French drains are underground drainage systems designed to redirect water away from your home's foundation. They consist of perforated pipes surrounded by gravel or rock, which allow water to flow into the drain and be carried away from the property. Installing French drains along the perimeter of your home can effectively manage excess water and prevent basement flooding.

5. Maintain Gutters and Downspouts

Properly functioning gutters and downspouts are essential for directing rainwater away from your home. Regularly clean and inspect your gutters to remove debris and ensure they are free-flowing. Additionally, consider installing gutter extensions or downspout diverters to direct water further away from your home's foundation.

By implementing these landscaping methods, you can significantly reduce the risk of basement water problems and protect your home from water damage. Remember to regularly inspect and maintain your landscaping features to ensure they continue to effectively manage water runoff and keep your basement dry. If you do experience water damage, don't hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth for professional assistance in restoring your home.

Unseen Water Leaks Can Cause Damage, Too

7/18/2023 (Permalink)

There's always cause for concern whether you come home to a small water leak or a large water leak. Why should someone worry about a small leak?

It is the water you can't see that causes the most damage! Your SERVPRO professionals understand how disruptive unseen water damage is. The water can contain bacteria, within a few days causes mold, and stopping the source can be very difficult if you can not easily see the water. That is where we can help! Do not risk secondary damages trying to clean up the mess yourself. Call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth to ensure the source of the leak is stopped. We can thoroughly dry the structure with our top-of-the-line equipment so that mold will not spread and give you peace of mind.

Here are a few tips to prevent leaks and a headache when they do happen:

1. Always keep your roof inspected and up-to-date on all repairs.
2. Document your possessions.
3. Keep your trees trimmed to prevent them from falling onto your roof.
4. Keep all gutters and spouts cleared out to make sure they are draining properly.
5. Guard your foundation and basement.
6. Keep up with your HVAC equipment and appliances.

3 Step Plan for a Flooded Furnace

7/12/2023 (Permalink)

Document the Damage

The furnace can be the most costly loss in a flood, other damaged property also needs to be considered when documenting damage for insurance. Use the following process to record losses and assign values in a notebook or spreadsheet.

• Photograph the damage.
• Write down the serial number or another unique identifier if available.
• Assign a value.

Don’t forget to include items that may have little to no monetary value but are still of high value to your business, like important documents. Search professional recovery services within the area to save irreplaceable items such as documents or photographs.

Investigate Coverage and Decide to Repair or Replace

A burst pipe resulting in a flooded furnace is an insurable event, so be sure to check with your provider that you are covered. If a natural disaster occurred, contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency to inquire if government aid is available. FEMA offers financing options to those who qualify for HVAC and furnace replacement costs.

According to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, flooded furnaces should be replaced rather than repaired. For a professional opinion, contact a qualified heating and cooling contractor to inspect the damage. They may advise that the furnace will be operational after a total dry-out and minor electrical repair. However, the life of the unit reduces. You likely don’t want to choose repair over replacement and have a related problem surface a couple of years later, long after the claim closes.

Take Care of the Air Ducts

The air quality from a furnace is often only as good as the ducts it travels through. Call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth, Edgecliff Village at (682) 708-1004 to schedule a professional air duct cleaning to ensure ducts are clean, dry, and free of mold and debris.

Tasks associated with a furnace flood are something nobody wants on their to-do list. Take this systematic approach to efficiently ensure the return of a safe and comfortable environment in your commercial or residential property in Fort Worth, TX, for years to come. To ease your mind even further, SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth specializes in cleaning, restoration, and construction. Whether big or small, we can make your disaster feel, "Like it never even happened." On top of that, we are local and ready to respond immediately when you need us. We proudly serve Fort Worth, TX, and surrounding areas.

Humidity: Primary and Secondary Damages Explained by Restoration Experts

8/8/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth restoration experts to mitigate primary and secondary damage due to storm, flooding + water.

Different Types of Water Damage

Whenever excessive moisture gets inside a building, the problems it causes can be broken down into two categories: primary and secondary damage.

Primary Damage

When water leaks from a pipe or an appliance, it comes in contact with contents and building materials. Anything that happens due to direct contact with liquid water, such as the carpet's de-lamination, is considered primary damage. 

Secondary Damage

Once water gets inside a structure, it naturally raises humidity levels indoors when moisture from wet materials evaporates into the air. Elevated humidity levels can also cause building materials issues since water transfers from the air into dry materials to reach equilibrium. When water vapor causes structural problems, it is called secondary damage.

Extraction procedures help reduce primary issues, and structural drying helps mitigate both primary and secondary water damage. When our SERVPRO technicians deal with any water damage situation, we monitor both relative and specific humidity.

What Controls Humidity?

Controlling humidity levels in a structure helps speed up structural drying times. Wet materials dry out faster if the humidity inside a building is kept low using air movers and dehumidifiers. Monitoring and strategic placement of these devices optimize drying times. When we keep humidity levels low, we also reduce water vapor in the air, causing fewer secondary issues. 

Relative Humidity

Relative Humidity (RH) is a measure of how much water is in the air at any given temperature. RH is expressed as a percentage, so if the relative humidity is 100%, then the air is holding as much moisture as it can at that temperature. At this point, if not sooner, condensation can occur inside the building. "Raining" inside your home can only exacerbate the already water damaging effects. Air can hold more water at higher temperatures, so increasing the house's temperature will lower the relative humidity. That is one of the features of our HEPA filters. Not only does the filter suck the moisture from the air, but it also heats the air to dry the space quicker.

Specific Humidity 

The temperature has such a significant effect on relative humidity, but it's not always a good gauge of how much water exists in the air. Specific humidity is the actual amount of moisture in the air. When our restoration professionals measure specific humidity, they count the actual grains of moisture in each pound of air. To find specific humidity, we measure relative humidity levels and the room's temperature. We then put these numbers in a psychrometric chart that gives us the grains per pound (GPP) number. 

If you ever need help with issues related to water or humidity, such as flood damage, storm damage, or microbial growth, call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth at (817) 557-6895, available 24 hours a day.

4 Easy Tips to Prevent Water Damage

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage is one of the most costly disasters your home or business can experience. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that billions are spent on water damage each year. View these suggestions from SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth for preventing water damage. 

1. Be careful where you plant.

Some plants and trees, like weeping willows, have pretty invasive roots. If you’re not careful, they’ll grow right into your sprinkler system, drainage field, pipes, and septic tanks. Plan before you plant to keep roots away from any water lines.

2. Clean out roof gutters.

On a rainy day, a clogged gutter can send water spilling into your home’s foundation, through the roof, or down to your basement. That could cause some severe water damage So next time you’re doing some seasonal cleaning, make sure those gutters are clean. If your gutters are too high, be safe, and get a professional to check them.

3. Use a drain snake instead of unclogging chemicals.

Most folks don’t realize these chemicals are eating away at their pipes (and they might not be too good for you either). If you rely on them a lot, you could be setting yourself up for leaks. That’s why owning a drain snake is an excellent solution to clear away clogs. They’re pretty inexpensive, you can get them at your local hardware store, and they can cut through most any clog you’ll have without damaging pipes or making your eyes red and teary.

4. Never pour grease down your sink.

It doesn’t matter if you flush it with hot or cold water; grease can still cling to your pipes and could even cause some severe damage and blockage. The safest thing to do is pour your grease into an empty can and either let it sit or put it in the refrigerator. Once it hardens, you can toss it in the trash and get rid of it. Done and done. However, we know that water and flooding emergencies can happen any time, so we’re ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – including holidays. Contact us at (817) 557-6895. 

What to do About Roof Water Damage

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

Homeowners know how expensive roof repairs and replacements can be. When looking to buy a new home, one of the first questions often asked is “how old is the roof?”. Different roofs typically last different lengths of time. Generally, asphalt shingle/composition roofs last around 20 years, fiber cement shingles last around 25 years, and wood shake roofs last around 30 years. Since it can thousands of dollars to replace a roof, it is important for homeowners to keep their roofs in the best shape possible.

Things like heavy rains, storms, and any type of adverse weather can reduce the life of a roof or require repairs along the way to keep it functioning. Some of the most common signs of water damage on your roof include:

• Ceiling is discolored
• Mold begins to grow in rings
• Smelly odors coming from the walls
• The texture of the flooring begins to change
• Water begins to accumulate

Roof damage signs can be misleading since they often appear in places other than the roof. For instance, you may have roof damage but the issue appears on the ceilings, floors, attic, walls, around home appliances, or even along the home’s exterior or foundation. The most important thing to know about roof water damage is the need to act quickly. If left untreated, damage repair can become extremely costly as the fallout reaches different areas of the home.

If roof water damage is discovered in your home, it is extremely important to take specific safety measures. 

• First, catch any dripping water with buckets. 
• Then, determine whether or not the leak is coming from the roof. 
• Next, talk to a roofer to decide what the next step should be.
• Finally, reach out to a water damage restoration specialist to address the issues caused by the roof problem.

At SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth, our water damage repair and restoration team is highly trained and has many years of experience in restoring a home after roof damage. Contact us today at (817) 557-6895  and we will send our team out to get your home back to normal in no time.

How to Restore Your Belongings After Water Damage

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

After severe water damage, SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth can clean and restore your belongings-even important documents and antiques.

Water in home settings can be devastating, whether from leaking pipes or backed-up drains or toilets. While there may be nothing you can do to prevent your items from becoming waterlogged in the event of an unexpected water leak, there are some things you can do to restore your belongings after water damage occurs. Here are a few ways you can clean up various items in your Florida home.

1. Separate Items

Before you officially begin the cleanup process, separate your items into those that are porous and nonporous. Porous materials may include wood, paper, rugs, and other types of fabric. Generally, these are more likely to harbor mold and bacteria from broken pipe water, so it’s essential to clean them quickly. Nonporous items are usually much easier to clean since they don’t absorb water and are less likely to harbor bacteria and mold.

2. Dry-Clean Nonporous Items

Dry cleaning may be appropriate when removing light water residue from nonporous items in your home. Items can also be dry cleaned before floor restoration professionals come in and thoroughly clean your items. 

3. Air-Dry When Appropriate

If you’re not dealing with dangerous water, such as sewage, it may be appropriate to gently air-dry most of your belongings. If possible, do so indoors unless the weather outdoors is ideal. You can increase the airflow inside your home using open windows, air conditioners, and fans. 

4. Toss Dangerous Items

Depending on the nature of floodwater in home settings, it may be dangerous to keep saturated items. If there is a high likelihood of the floodwater containing harmful bacteria, it may be best to throw away contaminated objects. In other cases, professionals may be able to safely clean and salvage some of your valuables. 

While you may be able to clean some of your belongings that water has damaged in your home, safety should always be your top priority, whether you’re dealing with a broken pipe or a sewer backup. It’s best to wait for professional help to arrive for help with dry-cleaning or salvaging contaminated items. 

Call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth (817) 557-6895. for additional information regarding water damage. We can professionally clean and restore the contents of your home. We are experts in water damage restoration and have top-notch equipment to dry out your home and get your life back on track as quickly as possible.

Faster to Your Water Damage Disaster

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

Don't wait too long to call SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth to clean up water damage in your home.

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours, and neither do we. SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Flooding and water damage are very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more. SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Within Minutes

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24

• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week

• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Severe biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week

• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth

SERVPRO of Southwest Fort Worth specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke, or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.