Archived Storm Damage Blog Posts
Taking Cover for Severe Weather | SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast
6/22/2024 (Permalink)
Has your home been hit hard by an unexpected storm? SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast is here for the rescue. Call us now!
Storms can be intense in our community, bringing heavy rain, strong wind and lightning. While we are grateful to not see too many tornadoes in our area, the other storms can be just as dangerous.
We can’t prevent storms from rolling through the Seattle area, but we can all take steps ahead of time to stay safe while the weather rages overhead. Incorporate these tasks into your storm preparation plans so that you are always ready for the unexpected.
Getting Ready
The first thing you need to have is a reliable way to receive weather alerts. You may check the forecast each morning, but weather is unpredictable and can deteriorate quickly. Have at least two different ways of receiving alerts, with one being a method that doesn’t rely on electricity to work.
Now that you are ready to be alerted, it is important to have your emergency kit packed and your safe shelter location ready to use. Have a small bag packed with a first-aid kit, flashlights with extra batteries, your weather radio, chargers, shelf-stable food and any medication that your family needs to remain comfortable during this time. You should also make sure your sheltering location is clear and ready to use at a moment’s notice.
When the Storm Arrives
Make sure all your windows and doors are shut tight and then head to your sheltering location with your family. Don’t forget to bring your pets along!
Make sure the location you choose is far away from windows and in a lower, more interior part of your home. If there is a sturdy table or desk in the room, consider gathering underneath it to protect yourself if your home suffers significant damage.
Stay in your sheltering location as long as necessary and only leave when the alert expires and the weather moves on. Bring your phone and weather radio with you just in case so you can be informed of any new storm cells popping up. Use caution when walking around your home, as serious storms can cause serious damage.
The Recovery
Storms can follow very specific damage patterns, so your home may suffer far worse or far better damage than your neighbors across the street. Take photos of any damage you see, and walk carefully around broken glass, bent floorboards or unsteady walls. Get SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast on the phone right away!
Our storm restoration team will arrive as quickly as we can to start securing your home and addressing your damage. We will expertly lay tarp over your roof or board up broken windows while we get to work removing water and tackling your repairs.
We will help you recover faster because it is our goal to minimize disruption after storm disasters. You can always count on us when Mother Nature makes a big impact on your home.
A single storm can have devastating effects on your home. Call SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast today.
Winter is Coming: 3 Essential Home Preparations for Seattle Residents
9/29/2023 (Permalink)
While Seattle may not experience extreme winter weather, it's still a good idea to have an emergency kit on hand.
As the grey skies settle in and the temperature starts to drop, winter in Seattle brings its own set of challenges. From heavy rainfall to the occasional snowstorm, it's essential for residents to prepare their homes to withstand the season's rigors. Let's examine three key steps that Seattle residents can take to get their homes winter-ready while keeping SERVPRO® in mind for storm-related damage restoration.
Roof and Gutter Maintenance:
Seattle's frequent rain and occasional snow can put a strain on your home's roof and gutter system. To prevent leaks, water damage, and ice dams, it's essential to perform the following tasks:
- Inspect your roof for missing or damaged shingles and have them repaired promptly.
- Clean your gutters and downspouts to prevent blockages and ensure proper water drainage.
- Consider installing gutter guards to minimize debris buildup.
By maintaining your roof and gutters, you can reduce the risk of water intrusion and costly repairs during the winter months.
Weatherproofing Windows and Doors:
Proper insulation and sealing are critical in keeping your home warm and energy-efficient during the winter. Here's what you can do to weatherproof your home:
- Inspect windows and doors for gaps or drafts and seal them with weatherstripping or caulk.
- Consider upgrading to energy-efficient windows and doors to improve insulation.
- Use draft stoppers at the bottom of exterior doors to prevent cold air from entering.
Enhancing your home's insulation not only keeps you comfortable but also reduces heating costs during the chilly season.
Prepare an Emergency Kit:
While Seattle may not experience extreme winter weather, it's still a good idea to have an emergency kit on hand in case of power outages or severe storms. Your kit should include:
- Flashlights and extra batteries.
- Non-perishable food and bottled water to last for a few days.
- Blankets, warm clothing, and extra supplies for your family and pets.
- A battery-powered radio to stay informed about weather updates.
Having an emergency kit ready can provide peace of mind and ensure you're prepared for unexpected winter events. Check what else the National Weather Service includes in their recommended emergency kit list.
Seattle's winters may be milder compared to other parts of the country, but it's essential to prepare your home for the season's unique challenges. By maintaining your roof and gutters, weatherproofing windows and doors, and having an emergency kit at the ready, you can keep your home comfortable and safe during the colder months. However, if winter storms do cause damage to your home, remember that SERVPRO is here to help with storm-related damage restoration services. Contact SERVPRO for prompt and professional assistance, so you can enjoy a worry-free winter season in Seattle.
What Can SERVPRO® Do for Flood Damage in Seattle Homes?
7/31/2022 (Permalink)
Storm damage often includes flooding. Call SERVPRO to assess and mitigate the situation in your family home. Our technicians are standing by 24/7.
Extraction and Water Removal Services are Critical After Flood Losses.
Flooding can be a devastating force in Seattle homes and businesses. Flash flooding and rising water bodies threaten nearby structures with penetration. Removing surface water concerns is a priority to prevent flood damage from getting worse.
Extraction Strategies to Protect Seattle Homes
Removing standing water is one of the priorities for responding technicians after flood damage in Seattle homes, as pooling can allow for penetration into porous flooring and wall systems. Migration of moisture can threaten structural cavities when mold and microbial threats develop and contamination spreads, so extraction and water removal are vital to reducing these possibilities. Some of the standard water removal equipment available to our technicians includes:
After flooding, mitigation efforts like water removal are vital to protect the property and its contents. Our SERVPRO® team can help however you need when you call (206) 362-9295.
Do Wall Systems Become Irreparably Damaged After Flooding in Seattle?
5/6/2022 (Permalink)
No matter how your property is affected by water damage, SERVPRO® is ready and available to help 24/7.
The Exterior Wall System Separating the Inside of Your Home From the Elements can Often be the First Damaged Materials When Flooding Occurs
Flooding can be one of the most calamitous natural forces against Seattle homes and businesses, especially when they come amid already damaging severe weather. Rising waters pressing against the outside of your house can exploit vulnerabilities in your home's exterior to allow for flooding to reach inside.
Flood damage to Seattle homes is often a gradual process, and for many structures, it can begin with the migration of water through the wall system. Each of the individual components of this unit can become individually compromised. It requires our in-house contractors to repair and replace these elements or our flood restoration technicians to dry them thoroughly, depending on their severity.
Siding/Veneer – Veneer material like masonry or siding can be the first affected by exposure to flooding. While brick can get cleaned and repointed, broken or compromised, siding requires replacement.
Plywood – Beyond the siding or veneer is the backing plywood material. OSB and plywood are both porous and can absorb moisture quickly.
Insulation – Insulation is highly porous and permeable as well. Exposure of these materials often requires replacement as it is often cheaper than attempting to dry and restore it.
Framing - Framing is often one of the last materials to show direct damage from flood exposure, often allowing it to be cleaned and dried instead of removed.
Drywall – Gypsum sheetrock is among the most porous and permeable of all exposed elements in a wall system. These materials must often get replaced if not immediately dried after exposure.
When Can These Removed Materials Get Replaced?
After restoration, our technicians can work seamlessly on the repairs and reconstruction that the property needs. This process includes the replacement of removed exterior wall system components.
Did the Recent Floods Damage Your Seattle Home?
3/21/2022 (Permalink)
Has floodwater invaded your home? Call SERVPRO for fast and effective remediation.
Can You Remove Floodwater from Seattle Homes on Your Own?
Many homeowners delay the restoration of their Seattle homes after flooding because they believe that DIY methods are sufficient to address the current conditions of their property. In short, flooding of your property can present widespread concerns that penetrate far beyond the surface levels of exposed materials. Professional restoration offers specific advantages over attempting to restore your home on your own after a flood.
One of the immediate advantages of choosing professional restoration services like our SERVPRO team is the array of extraction tools in our inventory for flood water removal in Seattle homes. We have dozens of machines capable of handling smaller volumes of water in a vacuum to our more massive and more formidable pumps that can move thousands of gallons of water per hour. We can fit the right extraction tool to the specific circumstances to ensure that we can provide a consistent draw of standing water until the damaged region is ready for drying.
Addressing the water that you cannot see is another level of removal that many homeowners do not even recognize. With advanced detection devices such as surface moisture meters and probes, our SERVPRO professionals can identify the presence of moisture in materials and the degree of concentration. We can even dry out wall and ceiling cavities that might hold water after migrating flood conditions with drying equipment like our positive pressure systems.
The placement and use of centrifugal air movers can help to begin evaporative drying. These units provide a focused blast of heated air at a specific point on a moist surface to evaporate surface dampness. When materials have become too severely damaged to remain structurally sound or present a substantial risk for microbial growth, we can look to our in-house division of licensed general contractors to help with controlled demolition and build back.
As damaging as flooding can be for your property, our SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast team can help with sophisticated technology and advanced equipment. We can help when you need complete restoration through an inspection of the drying work that you have done in your home after a flood. Give us a call anytime at (206) 362-9295.
How Do I Clean Up My Flooded House After a Storm?
2/27/2022 (Permalink)
Storm damage cleanup involves flood removal and dealing with debris. Contact our certified technicians to partner with you during this difficult time.
SERVPRO will Help you to Restore your House to its Pre-loss State After a Storm
A storm has caused damage to my residence, including flooding and wind damage. I need a restoration firm that can handle the damage to prevent it from spreading to parts that had not been initially affected. Which firm can assist me?
SERVPRO is the right firm to contact if you find yourself in this predicament and would like to tackle it quickly. We’ve got well-trained technicians who are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to perform storm flood removal in your Seatle property. Our flood damage repair process may include:
- Safety precautions
- Sorting out
- Cleaning and decontamination
- Ventilation and dehumidification
Safety precautions
We can ensure your safety and that of those residing in your house. Turning off gas lines and electricity helps prevent short-circuiting and a break out of a fire. We also wear personal protective equipment when accessing the building.
Sorting out
Our SERVPRO technicians can sort through the damaged materials. We dispose of those damaged beyond repair and salvage those with minimal damage.
Cleaning and decontamination
SERVPRO technicians can remove the dirt and silt on the building’s floor. We can also use powered sprayers to spray antibacterial products directly to the affected surfaces to kill the bacteria that the floodwater brought in.
Ventilation and dehumidification
Our technicians use air movers to expedite drying time and improve evaporation at the surface level. If the lower part of several walls is wet and involves damp drywall behind baseboards, we can position enough air movers to create a vortex of circular airflow around the walls. We maintain the vortex by placing air movers near each wall at a 15 to a 45-degree angle. Our SERVPRO team also uses dehumidifiers to remove water vapor from your home, ensuring thorough drying.
SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast is available at any hour of the day to restore your house after storm flood damage. Contact us at (206) 362-9295. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.
Making Sure Your House in Seattle Is Well-Insulated Can Help Prevent Winter Water Damage
1/2/2022 (Permalink)
Ice can cause water damage in homes and businesses.
SERVPRO® Can Provide Help with Water Damage Repairs in Seattle
Houses get constructed so that the water lines run in areas where other building materials can't get wet. Homes in the northern states that get cold in the winter get built to withstand temperatures and prevent pipe freezes. However, your insulation can wear out over time, and cracks that leak heat can form.
Frozen pipes and ice damming in Seattle can be caused by sections of your home not staying at the temperature they should be. For example, if your water lines running next to your exterior walls get too cold, they can freeze and burst. Or, your roof could become different temperatures, and an ice dam can form, which can prevent melting snow from draining.
All of the building materials in your home must remain at the temperature they are supposed to be. Because if they do not, your property could suffer from water damage in the winter. Luckily, our SERVPRO technicians can provide you assistance by offering the following emergency services:
- Water Extraction Services
- Water Damage Debris Removal
- Water Clean Up
- Repairing your Home After a Water Leak
- Applied Structural Drying (ASD)
- Attic Mold Inspection
- Black Mold Damage Restoration
However, before you get forced into an extensive restoration project, it is wise to make sure your building is well-insulated. Over time, the insulation in your walls, attic, and crawlspace can get worn out, decreasing its R-value. It is wise to make sure your structure is properly insulated, especially before the frigid temperatures hit in the late fall season. You can add insulation to places like your attic or crawlspace. You can also go through your house and seal any cracks or gaps you see in your attic or around any water lines.
To reduce the damage caused by a disaster like frozen pipes or ice dams in the wintertime, call SERVPRO of Seattle Northeast at (206) 362-9295.
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