Disaster Recovery News

Residents in an Ontario condominium recently had a tricky situation from which they needed to escape. The homes were not filled with smoke and flames. Instead, the floors in several units were covered with scalding, hot water. TheSpec.com reports that hot water flooded the sixth floor down to the second level of the parking garage.

Officials report that at least three residents had to go to the hospital because of the incident; one suffered scald burns from her knees to her feet as she tried to evacuate. Unfortunately, the pets that lived in the condo where the flood originated received fatal burns from the hot water. Fire officials who responded to the disaster report the 30-story condominium has massive amounts of water damage. The cause of the broken hot water pipe is not known yet.

The Home Safety Council reports that about 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths occur in the U.S. from hot tap water. Hot water can burn an individual as easily as fire. It only takes one second to receive a third-degree burn from water that is at least 140°F. To help prevent hot water burns, you should set your hot water heater at no higher than 120°F.

Because heat causes objects to expand, hot water has the potential to damage items faster than cold water. Consequently, items made of porous materials like walls and documents can receive more damage than usual from hot water. Thanks to the latest in document restoration technology, Rapid Refile’s special vacuum freeze dryer has a capacity of up to 2,000-cubic-feet per month. This equipment features a controlled drying and monitoring system that prevents over-drying. Rapid Refile’s vacuum freeze dryer has the most advanced technologies to recover and restore water-damaged books and documents without any distortion or warping.

Learn about Rapid Refile’s services.

[photo: Kevin Dooley]

Contractors across the U.S. face a new rule and new expense—mandatory home sprinkler systems. The Florida Wires reports that some states now require homes built after January 1, 2011 to have sprinkler systems. This poses a burden on the home construction industry, which is down more than 90 percent in some states, such as Connecticut. Contractors argue this safety feature should be voluntary.

International Code Council Reasoning

The International Code Council states that the new regulation applies to homes and townhouses that are fewer than three stories high. The rule is an attempt to be proactive. The Florida Wires article reports that, according to the Insurance Institute, 2,100 people died in one- and two- story homes in 2009, and 9,300 house fire-related injuries were reported. Mandatory sprinkler systems help wet combustible materials, thereby benefiting the elderly, disabled and children who may not be able to escape a fire quickly.

Home Builder Resistance

Home contractors argue that, unlike smoke alarms, studies have not proved that sprinkler systems improve the safety of a home. Moreover, a sprinkler system could raise the cost to build a home by up to $10,000. Many contractors fear that a home with a sprinkler system will look less attractive to prospective homeowners because of the unfounded fear that the sprinklers will go off by accident. Building sprinkler systems are notoriously known to cause enormous amounts of water damage within homes and offices, often by causing damage to electronic equipment, carpet and furniture.

The issue regarding the cost of home safety will continue to be a debated topic. Fortunately, there are disaster restoration services available to help business and homeowners who have experienced water damage from a sprinkler system. Services offered include the recovery of wet documents and the proper drying of wet books and photographs. However, regardless of the safety features a home may have, families still need to practice fire safety techniques to prevent fires, as well as create a stay-safe plan in the event a fire breaks out in the home.

[photo: Snapper]

Any business can suffer the consequences of water damage. The Glendale News-Press reports that the Burbank Police and Fire headquarters suffered water damage after a construction contractor did not take “proper precautions” to ensure water would not damage the floor or interior of the jail.

The building’s concrete floor absorbed the flooded water, which caused the paint to bubble and create uneven patches. Moreover, the faulty construction job caused rain to enter the jail’s walls, which left evidence of the water damage and residue. If left untreated, the water damage could cause harmful mold growth and compromise the structural integrity of the building. The Burbank Police Department states that the water damage remediation will take a minimum of six months, as the entire jail floor needs replacing along with the other areas affected.

During the flood restoration process, which is set to begin on April 11, all individuals arrested by Burbank police will have to be booked and housed at the Glendale jail. The Glendale News-Press states that this is the second time the Burbank facility has suffered water damage in the past decade. This latest incident at the Burbank jail is affecting business continuity, as the city will need to hire off-duty officers to help with inmate transportation needs.

Fortunately, for the Burbank police department, they have some time to hammer-out the details of their business continuity and flood restoration plan, and have assistance from the city of Glendale. Your business, however, may not be so lucky. Flooding in businesses often happens unexpectedly and quickly, and a business disaster plan can help ensure business continuity.

Learn more about developing a plan for your business.

[photo: Gareth Simpson]

The spring flood season is just around the corner. According to FEMA, floods are the most expensive type of disaster in the U.S., and everyone should have a home and/or business safety plan that includes flood insurance. Flood insurance does not just cover damage from excessive rains or bodies of water that reach flood stage. It covers water damage in general, including a malfunctioned sump pump, burst or broken pipe or a leaky roof. Even if you do not live in a flood-zone, having a flood insurance policy can help save you money when it comes to the high costs associated with recovering from water damage.

Myths and Facts about Flood Insurance

Myth: There is no way a flood will ever happen where I live.
Fact: Nearly 25% of flood insurance claims occur in areas that have a low to moderate risk of flooding. While it may not rain a lot where you live, the pipes in your home or office to a broken sewer line can cause water damage at any moment. Moreover, you do not need to live in a flood-zone to purchase flood insurance.

Myth: Flood insurance is an expense I cannot afford.
Fact: It is cheaper to pay for flood insurance than to pay for flood restoration services out-of-pocket. Additionally, the farther away your home or business is located from a flood-zone, the cheaper a flood insurance policy costs.

Myth: If there is a flood, federal assistance will help pay for the flood recovery expenses.
Fact: Federal assistance is often not available for more than 50% of community flooding incidents. Before a community is eligible for federal disaster assistance, the President must declare it a disaster area, which could take several weeks. Disaster assistance is then generally provided in the form of a loan that includes interest. When you have a flood insurance policy, the only thing you may need to pay is the deductible—an amount you can choose when you purchase a policy. In the event of a flood, a flood insurance policy will provide the funds to pay for the flood remediation expenses, such as drying wet documents and replacing water-damaged items.

When it comes to flood insurance, it is not a question about whether you may experience a natural disaster or not. The real question is if you can afford to pay the thousands of dollars associated with recovering from water damage.

[photo: thirteenthbat]

As you prepare your spring cleaning checklist, add to it tasks that can help prevent water and mold damage. Taking the extra time to complete these extra items can help save you time and money. These spring cleaning tips work well for the home and office alike.

Getting Ready for Spring

• Take the time to fix your windows if the winter weather took its toll on them. This could include adding new weather stripping to them. Windows in good working condition help prevent water damage in a home.
• Caulk the windows in your home. This will help maintain the temperature of your home while minimizing energy losses. Additionally, caulking can help prevent water damage and the growth of mold.
• Clean and setup dehumidifiers in your home. Humidity encourages the growth of mold spores you cannot see, which can cause you to feel sick.
• Clean all your fans well, including your ceiling fans. If any mold grew on the blades of a fan, you could risk spreading the spores throughout your home or office when used.
• Test all of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they work. If you cannot remember the last time you replaced the batteries in the alarms, replace them ASAP.
• If you have a sump pump, make sure it works well before the spring rains begin to pour. Failures in sump pumps are one of the most common causes of basement flooding when the weather begins to warm.
• If you already have experienced a minimal amount of mold growth in your home, clean it right away with a household bleach product. If you are sensitive to bleach, you can make a natural mold cleaner by combining 2 cups of water with 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Spray the mix on the affected area and wipe it away with a towel. The tea tree mixture is also a good solution to prevent mold growth in damp areas such as windows and bathrooms.

If your mold problem covers a large area or has affected your ceiling, walls, books or wet papers, call a mold restoration specialist soon. These professionals can help kill the mold, prevent it from returning and restore mold-damaged books, photographs and documents.

Learn more about mold prevention.

[Photo: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection]