Don't Let Heavy Rains Cause Sewer Backup

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

When there are heavy rains, an abundance of water and debris end up in municipal sanitary sewers, which can overload the sewer system. When there is more water than the sewer system can handle, excess water can flow backward into your home's sewer line and subsequently overflow into your basement. This is extremely common in our area. 

Growing tree roots may pose another danger to your sewer line after storms. Tree roots may grow quickly over the summer months due to the increase in rain. Tree roots can pierce the pipes as they search for nutrients found in sewage. Within the system, roots continue to grow and may cause broken or blocked pipes. 

Signs of a Clogged Sewer Pipe 

• Slow drainage in toilets, showers, or sinks
• Bubbling noise as you flush toilets or shower/sink drains 
• Another drain backs up when you flush toilets
• The smell of sewage (rotten eggs or sulfur)
• Lush, green spots in your yard above the septic tank or broken pipes

Sewer backups should be considered an emergency since the water may contain viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that can cause serious illness. SERVPRO of Sapulpa, Tulsa Hills has the specialized training and equipment to quickly and safely clean contaminants like sewage. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Flood Insurance Basics

5/12/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding of your home or business can be a major headache. However, preparing with flood insurance coverage may help pay for repairs to the building and replacement equipment.

What Is Considered Flooding?

For insurance purposes, the definition of flooding differs from the general meaning. To be classified as a flood, the water must affect at least two acres of land or two separate properties. Additionally, the water must come from one of the following sources:

• Mudflow
• Overflowing rivers, lakes or other bodies of water
• Accelerated accumulation of surface waters, such as excessive rainfall
  
  

If your property is damaged by flooding, you will need separate flood insurance to cover the damage. Typical commercial insurance won’t cover it.

What Does a Flood Policy Cover?

Every policy is unique, but a flood policy will generally cover damage to both the structure and its contents. Make sure the limits of your policy are high enough to replace your items. Most flood policies will not cover other expenses such as loss of use and income interruption. You can purchase excess flood coverage to insure your business beyond the limits of a standard policy. This will increase your limits and may include income interruption, temporary relocation expenses and other costs related to the flood damage.

How Do I File a Claim?

The procedure for filing a claim varies with each company. In general, these are the steps to get the process underway:

Before any damage occurs, make an inventory that lists all contents and the purchase prices.
After a flood, document the damage. Make sure to take detailed photographic or video evidence.
Contact your agent and let them know about the damage. They will arrange for an adjuster to come out.
You may wish to begin cleaning up the water before the adjuster arrives. Mold can begin to grow within 24 hours.

Dealing with a flood event at your business can cause a great deal of stress and tension. Adequate flood insurance and qualified restoration services can decrease anxiety and help you get your business back to normal quickly and safely.

SERVPRO of Tulsa Hills, Sapulpa 918-248-1440

Getting Rid of Mold After a Flood

5/12/2022 (Permalink)

Keep Your Home Safe From Mold

When a storm hits flooding in your home could cause some serious issues. While the water alone is a problem, mold growth can create further difficulties that may remain or return if not properly handled. Untreated water damage can be a growing source for the fungus, and musty smells can be an indication of mold already growing inside your house. Here are some steps you can take to keep your home safe from mold.

1. Act quickly. Within just a couple of days, mold growth can spread across your house. Mold is present nearly everywhere. It is distributed as small spores too tiny to be seen by the naked eye, so it can grow even where you may not see it. It’s important to work as quickly as you can to ensure the cleanup of water damage to prevent this.

2. If you find mold, avoid direct contact with it. Disturbing the mold yourself may cause further problems if you do not have the proper equipment and training. Touching it and attempting to dry it can cause it to release more spores into the air.

3. Get rid of all of the mold. What mold you may be able to find is likely only a small amount of the entire infestation, so trying to handle it all by yourself can make matters worse. Professionals with proper training and equipment should be able to safely locate all of the mold, even if it’s deep beneath layers of drywall.

4. Make sure it doesn’t come back. Mold removal is only half of the job, as this involves getting rid of the mold that has already grown. However, mold spores are almost everywhere and cannot be seen. This is when mold remediation is important. This ensures that mold doesn’t grow again from other sources of water or high humidity.

While flooding can be a harmful problem there are ways to ensure that mold growth doesn’t persist after the flood. If you are careful in handling the problem, you can ensure that you continue living in a mold-free home for many years to come.

Give us a call, we are HERE TO HELP SERVPRO of Tulsa Hills, Sapulpa 918-248-1440

Cleaning Up Your Contents After a Flood

5/12/2022 (Permalink)

Cleaning After Water Damage

The water inside your property can be a headache, and cleaning up can be an even bigger one. Where do you start? Whether you haven’t found the right water remediation company or prefer to handle content cleaning yourself, here are some key ways to effectively clean after water damage.

Gather Supplies

There are a few items you will want to gather and keep handy as soon as you get started. These include:

• Rubber gloves
• Mops
• Sponges and cleaner
• Buckets
  
  

Get Rid of the Water

Whether your property has had an inch of water or several feet, it can be a breeding ground for mold, which can ruin personal items as well as property. This makes early water removal and content cleaning vital.

Flood water is considered black water, so it’s best to have professionals remove this. If you can’t wait, the old-fashioned way of water removal works. Once you’ve turned off all electricity to the area, use buckets, mops, and towels to soak up as much water as possible.

Dry Things Out

Once you’ve gotten everything initially dry, use a dehumidifier and fan to remove whatever moisture remains. Opening windows can also help you dry the area out quickly before mold or insects take hold.

Disinfect Your Items

When everything’s dried, use a disinfectant to remove any bacteria that the water may have carried inside. Wipe down walls, wood and non-upholstered furniture. Prevent mold growth by applying antimicrobials.

Dispose of Damaged Goods

Non-porous materials can be saved but porous materials may have to be thrown away. These can include electronics, paper and other delicate items. Organize those items into piles and take them to recycling centers when possible.

Flood content cleaning can be hard work, but it’s necessary. Use these tips to get your space back to normal, or better yet, call a remediation company to make things like new.

SERVPRO of Tulsa Hills, Sapulpa 918-248-1440

How a Tornado Forms

4/28/2022 (Permalink)

There’s no denying that tornadoes are a destructive force; but how does something that destructive form? The UCAR Center for Science Education has a good explanation for what causes tornadoes to occur. We hope that knowing how these funnels of terror form might help in some way.

The first thing to note is that a tornado won’t form unless the circumstances are just right. As noted in the post on the UCAR site, “Air rising in thunderstorms can begin to spin when it's affected by winds blowing it in different directions. It starts to rise and is pushed to the side by wind. It rises a bit more and is jostled again by wind moving in another direction. Winds moving in different speeds and directions at different altitudes cause the rising air to start spinning.” They go on to say that this is most likely to happen in massive storms called supercells. However, it is important to note that not every instance of spinning air like this will result in a tornado. It is just that if there is a tornado, these are the factors that most likely will be the cause.

It is also important to note that spinning air near the ground is also necessary for a tornado to form. What that means is that Gusts of warmer and cooler air rise and fall as they blow. The right amount of air like this is what causes air near the ground to spin. If this continues the air will pick up speed as it is drawn inward. This is the air that will begin to move across the area it is in and can be tilted vertically. When that happens, that is when the gusts can be considered a tornado.

While this is a lot of information and some of it may seem scary, it’s important to know that not all thunderstorms will produce tornadoes. If a tornado does occur, just remember to follow any safety plan you have in place and stay calm!

SERVPRO of Tulsa Hills, Sapulpa 918-248-1440