Frozen Pipes Can Cause Flood Damage

Bursting Frozen Pipes and Home Flooding

Frozen pipes that have leaked or have been busted are an instant cause of flooding in the home. (Photo Credits)

Frozen pipes have been a common occurrence during winter. The worse thing about it is apart from a busted plumbing fixture, it may also cause flood damage.

In the event that frozen pipes burst what then should property owners do?

Hadley Insurit says water should be removed from an area as quick as possible, but if the damage is beyond a small area, professional help is definitely a must.

“For more severe damage, such as leaks affecting multiple rooms or floors of your home or cases where leaks have gone unnoticed for more than 8 hours, a water mitigation or restoration professional may be required.”

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Just the tip of the iceberg

The AA Blog agrees that busted frozen pipes bring more damage than the initial trouble it can cause. Emergency AceRestoration Flood home repair         

“Post-leak damage. It is worth noting that sometimes the secondary damage such as mould growth, corrosion and structural deterioration can be worse than the initial leak. A quick reaction time will help reduce the extent of the damage and the cost to restore your home.”

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Prevention is the key

The website Nothwards Housing explains that prevention is the key from keeping pipes from freezing, and eventually bursting.

“If you’re at home, use the thermostat to keep the temperature comfortable. During the day a good setting is 18°C – it’s comfy and keeps the cost down. If it’s freezing outside, set the heating to stay on all the time, but turn the thermostat lower for the night. Remember, the higher the thermostat, the more fuel you use. If you’re away in cold weather, leave the heating on all the time but set the thermostat right down to 6°C. This will stop your pipes freezing, but it won’t cost much.”

Read the rest of the tips here.

It is important to call on flood restoration specialists when a part of the home has been flooded. The cost of services of a flood remediation specialist is nothing compared to the financial burden untreated flood damage may cause to a structure, and on the health of its occupants.

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Flood Damage from the Roof

When Roof Leaks Give Way to Flood Damage

Flood damage may also come from a leaking roof. (Photo Credits)

Roof leaks are usually just taken and addressed for what it is – a Roof Leak. When it is being  remediated usually it is just the roofing structure that is repaired, and the flood damage it brought about is usually shrugged off.

Roof Doctor Utah warns shrugging off the flood damage a roof leak brought about, can cause even more damage and could even lead to health repercussions.

“When a basement floods, it can be toxic to clean. However, sometimes the worst water damage is what we don’t see. A rotting roof or foundation and dangerous black mold are often caught too late. Unfortunately, this is the kind of damage that homeowners don’t regularly check for. Insurance companies see it time and time again: The warning signs were there, but homeowners aren’t equipped to spot them, and they put inspections, seemingly small repairs and fixes on the back burner until real damage is done.”

Read the whole article here.

How to determine if there is a problem

To give homeowners a clue, Good Rich Roofing shared some ways on how to detect a roofing issue. AceRestoration Flood Removal near me San Diego         

“Check for the following signs of roof damage: Buckling shingles – Buckling is caused by movement in the roof deck. This also happens when roofing felt is improperly applied; Missing shingles – This usually happens when strong gusts of wind blow the shingles away. Improper fastening may also be a cause; Curling shingles – Shingles curl when too much water is absorbed; Damaged flashing – For new roofs, this can be caused by improper installation. For old roofs, on the other hand, damaged flashing can be caused by drying or cracking.”

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What to do now?

Lyon’s Contracting says, when a leak is evident, do not hesitate to immediately call for expert help.

“We’ll begin by tracing the roof leak back to its source. The wet spot on your ceiling doesn’t necessarily correspond to a roof leak above the same spot. Water can travel surprisingly long distances before leaking into your interior. We’ll find this roof leak and repair it. We’ll also perform a thorough evaluation of your roof’s current condition, and determine if there’s any hidden structural damage.”

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Roof inspections are very important when it comes to preveing flood and water damage.

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Protecting against Black Water Damage

The illnesses that black water damage can bring

Black water damage and health. (Photo Credits)

Black water damage can be life-threatening. It can cause illnesses and discomforts that could pose serious health risks to occupants of a home or a commercial structure. Ace Restoration Homepage

Category three water damage or what is described as water damage is primarily from Sewage backups, drainage overflows, and weather-related flooding.

KSFY.com says in case a homeowner finds his home getting inundated with black water damage here are preventive measures that he can do to avoid illnesses.

“Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. Discard any food that was not in a waterproof container. Undamaged commercially canned foods can be saved if you remove the can label, wash the can and then disinfect it with a solution of bleach water. Relabel the cans, including expiration date with a marker. Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water and detergent. Seek immediate medical attention if you become injured or ill.”

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Other preventative measures

The News Star also published some warnings. “If your home was flooded, it should be cleaned and dried quickly and thoroughly to prevent mold and future damage by wood rot. Since flood water may be contaminated with sewage or other biological pollutants, it’s advisable to safely disinfect, too. Areas wetted by clean rainwater, for instance from a leaking roof, may not need to be disinfected. All wet areas should be allowed to dry thoroughly before being covered or enclosed.”

Check out the rest of the post here.

More than just the obvious health dangers

The website My Ark LA Miss meantime shared that apart from the obvious illnesses there are other physical and mental discomforts that flooding could bring to homeowners and their families.

“The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals says the flood water and damage could pose a risk to the family’s health. Dr, Shelley Jones, the Regional Medical Director for DHH, says, ‘People, who have been through these traumatic things, are more likely to not eat right or not get enough rest making them more prone to disease.’ Experts say flood victims returning to their homes should be on the lookout for mold that could make them sick.”

More on the report here.

Black water damage should never be dealt with on one’s own. Professional help should be sought at all times to ensure that illnesses and other damages can be prevented.

Saving Flood Damaged Photos

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Saving Flood Damaged Photos

There is still hope for flood damaged pictures

What to do when photos get damaged by flooding? (Photo Credits) 

One of the most heart-breaking things a homeowner could see in his flooded home are photos and important documents destroyed by unexpected flooding. San Diego CA Flood

The good news though is that something can be done to salvage these memorabilia.

Ancestry.com gave several tips on what to do with water-damaged photos.

“Carefully separate photographs and documents using both hands and lay them flat on your absorbent surface. Make sure nothing is overlapping or the items will stick together as they dry. If you don’t have time to separate individual paper stacks, dry them in stacks no more than ¼” high. Photos should always be laid out in single layers. If preserving especially old photographs or artwork, consider placing wax paper on top of the item and weighting down just the edges with glass (jars, bottles, etc.) or any small heavy item so they will dry a little more flat. If using a clothesline method, hang only sturdy items only on the line. Hanging drenched papers might result in more damage to the item.”

Read the rest of the tips here.

Salvaging flood-damaged memorabilia

Crest Leaf however said that it will be best to call professionals in case an individual wants to make sure to save the memorabilia from permanent damage.

“If you are worried about messing up the steps, or unsure about how to salvage certain photos, rest assured that photo restoration companies can work their expert magic on saving as many of your family photos as possible.”

Check out the rest of the advice here.

Moving Forward

Moving forward, Water Damage Advice says moving forward, when everything has been restored, keepsakes and photos should at the very least be backed up. “Make extra copies of your important documents and store them in different locations in case of a flood. You can also scan your documents for storage on an external hard drive that you can store in a safe place. Copies of documents are one of the best ways to make sure that you will have one even if another is destroyed.”

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Have you ever had a water-damaged photo?

Restoring flood damaged documents

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Restoring Flood Damaged Photos

Can pictures still be restored?

What to do when photos get damaged by flooding? (Photo Credits)

Apart from furnishings and personal items, photos are also one of the personal effects of home owners that get damaged by flooding.

There is hope though for those who end up with damaged pictures. San Diego, California  

Crestleaf.com offers a unconventional tip for salvaging water-damaged pictures.

“While it may seem like an odd place to store wet photos, photo restoration professionals recommend that you place them in a container filled with clean tap water — the colder, the more beneficial to salvaging your photos. Only place photos in water if they’re still wet from a disaster, however. Change the water every day while you’re working on saving your family photos.

Separate as many photos as possible before returning them to the cold water bath, and repeat the soaking process if needed. After you’ve successfully separated your family photos, you should then store them in water until you are able to rinse them individually. Rinse each photo in another container under clean tap water (paying strict attention not to run it directly onto the photos). Do this until water runs clear into the container. Repeat.”

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There is still hope for flood-damaged photos

Click Here Ancestry.com also offers some advice especially to those who may not be able to tackle the salvaging process right away.

“If you are unable to deal with the drying process at the moment, carefully place all items into a plastic bag and then directly into a frost-free freezer. If possible separate some of the most important items using layers of wax paper. These items will hold up in a frozen state, buying you several weeks or even months of time so you can deal with them when you are ready. Once you’re ready to proceed, place your items in a cooler inside an air-conditioned space and allow them to slowly thaw over the course of ~2 days, then proceed with the following steps.  Note: If the items are in enclosure like albums or frames, remove them immediately to prevent from sticking. REMEMBER: Do not freeze glass!”

Check out the rest of the tips here.

Avoid water damage

Protecting documents and photos from possible flooding is still the best way to ensure that important memorabilia like pictured remain undamaged.

Water Damage Advice.com gave this advice to property owners.

“Sort your documents by the ones that are most important to the ones that are less important. The most important documents will need to be moved as far away from flood damage as possible. This means upstairs or in an attic. You can even go the extra measure of storing them off of the property in a storage unit or a safety deposit box at a bank.”

Read more here.

Did you ever had to deal with flood damaged photos?

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