Disaster Recovery News

After a week of heavy rains left California wet and muddy, residents are bracing for yet another storm. The National Weather Service reports a smaller storm is expected to make landfall on Tuesday and should last a couple of days.

This comes as bad news as people took advantage of the drier weather and began the restoration process this weekend. The week of stormy weather affected the hills to the beaches: recently wildfire-devastated areas experienced mud slides and the coast had dirty beaches as the San Gabriel River sent trash to line the ocean shores. Stranger yet, cities across the state witnessed the fall of hail, and the sighting of a funnel cloud prompted a tornado warning near Brentwood. Work crews and residents in California are now scrambling to clean up what they can before the next wave of rain hits.

It is vital that water damage caused by the recent storms is cleaned up as mold damage will soon follow if items are left damp. A company that specialized in disaster recovery services can assist in this effort and help businesses and homeowners get back on their feet by drying wet documents and other items.

Learn more about how to recover from a flood.

Image from the Fairhaven Recreation Center

The #1 New Years resolution among Americans this year was to lose weight. With this, gym owners prepared and anticipate a rise in gym members during the month of January. However, a gym in Fairhaven found themselves losing out on business as they rang in the New Year with water flooding their fitness center.

The Fairhaven Recreation Center had a pipe burst, causing water damage in the area where exercise machines and other fitness items were located. SouthCoastToday.com interviewed recreational director Warren Rensehausen, who stated: “It couldn’t have happened at a worse time.” January is one of the busiest times of the year for the recreation center and the Wellness Room was closed for repairs until all the water damage was remediated. According the Fairhaven Recreation Center’s Facebook page, the Wellness Room just opened back up this week.

The cause of the broken pipe is unknown. The clean-up from the waters included cutting into plaster to replace insulation, drying out fitness equipment, and waiting until everything was dry. Luckily the water damage was found early so the damage was minimal.

Business continuity is essential, especially during times when business owners know they’ll be busy. Business should have a plan to prepare for unexpected events like burst pipes or natural disasters.

Learn about how having a plan can help keep clients and save money on restoration costs.

The weekend rain continues to pour down on Southern California as four storms are predicted to blow through the area this week    . Rain is expected to continue through Tuesday morning and turn into a stronger storm with lightening and thunder. Hail, tornadoes, and up to 1.5 inches of rain are expected to make an appearance this afternoon and last through the night.

Authorities are advising commuters to exercise caution this evening on their way home. They also ask that people stay inside when there is lightening and thunder.

The coastal areas have a high-surf advisory in effect through the end of the week. A flood watch has also been issued through Wednesday.

The strongest in this series of storms is expected to affect Southern California on Wednesday and Thursday. Experts predict that as much as 8 inches of rain could fall in the area.

More on this story from the LA Times.

The heavy rains are bringing floods to may areas affected by the storms. Business owners need to make sure their data and documents are protected and who to call should items become damaged by water. If items damaged by flood waters are not restored properly, they can be further damaged by the molds that are likely to follow.

Lisa Scottoline recently wrote in her Philly.com column, “Chick Wit“, about an unfortunate event that unfolds on Christmas Eve 2009.

Scottoline recounts purchasing a new TV for her home and hiring an electrician as the installation of it required rewiring the electricity. Soon after the electrician begins his work in the basement, he emerges upstairs and reports to Scottline a pipe burst in the radiant heating of her home: the sub-floor was soaked, the insulation was wet and falling apart, and the area was flooded.

This notice began a chain of events that most don’t want to deal with-let alone on Christmas Eve. A plumber had to be called to do emergency work, followed by an HVAC tech. The HVAC tech was able to turn off the rain of water, but the plumber had to come back in to finish the repairs.

The plumber made it out a few days later, on New Year’s Eve, and told Scottoline she needs to call an “emergency water-damage company or (she) could have a ‘microbial problem’.” This microbial problem meant mold.

The “water-damage” company was able to make it Scottoline’s home quickly on the same day and they began remediating the flooded crawlspace. They took out the insulation and installed equipment to eliminate the moldy flood waters. A dehumidifier was also placed strategically in the home to make sure everything was properly dried so mold would not spread or re-grow.

Scottoline reports her biggest concerns in this ordeal were the noise of the dehumidifier and the though of having moldy water in her home.

Questions that others might have wondered: How did the pipe burst? How can I prevent this incident from happening again?

It’s not uncommon for pipes to break during the winter months. Read about preventing frozen pipes.

“Water-damage” companies are very expedient in their services and have trained professionals that know what to do to solve the current problem and prevent future ones from happening. Learn more about flood restoration services.

Extreme winter weather can make conditions more than just cold and slippery. When snow and ice accumulate, it can become heavy and cause building damage or water damage.

Snow and ice can collapse roofs, especially on older buildings. Older buildings have a greater risk of corrosion, which can weaken its structural integrity. Newer buildings that have roofs made of light-weight metal, roofs that are flat, or roofs that do not have a lot of supports are more likely to give-in under the pressure of excess snow and ice.  Snow drifts on a flat roof that have projections, a lower roof, or other equipment can accumulate snow that has drifted with the wind. This can cause vulnerability unless additional strengthening supports are added. One should contact a professional about safely removing excess snow and ice from a roof.

Image by zieak

To help keep ice of roofs that are sloped, make sure attics are well ventilated so the snow on the roof does not melt and turn to ice. Melted snow and ice can enter a roof via the eaves and flat roofs can experience water damage if ice dams form and prevent water from flowing into drains on a roof.

Snow that builds up on walls and windows can cause water damage if it melts and leaks in through improperly sealed windows or into the basement. Basement drains, window wells, outside walls, and gutters need to be clear of any object that could cause them to clog.

10-12 inches of fresh snow or 3-5 inches of old or packed snow equal 1 inch of water and 5 lbs. of pressure for every square foot on a roof. Preventative building maintenance is crucial during the winter months to help avoid costly repairs. Learn more about winter weather preparedness and building maintenance.