Common Causes of Water Damage in Kitchener

9/8/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is ready when the unfortunate happens!

Understanding Water Damage and Its Causes in Kitchener, CA

The famous lines 'water, water, everywhere' take on a different meaning when you find yourself uttering them in your home or office, signaling a troublesome situation – likely water damage. In Kitchener, various factors can lead to water damage, including:

1. Leaky dishwashers or washing machines
2. Clogged pipes
3. Leaking roofs
4. Broken toilet pipes
5. Heavy rain
6. Snow or ice accumulation

The extent of water damage hinges on the volume of water and the underlying cause.

Prompt action is crucial, as delaying the cleanup process can result in more extensive damage, leading to higher repair costs once the cleanup is completed.

Water Damage Categories in Kitchener:

1. Clean water: Typically from overflowing sinks or malfunctioning appliances, this water doesn't pose an immediate threat to people. However, it can become contaminated once it stops flowing.

2. Gray water: Initially contaminated, this water originates from sources like broken toilets or sump pumps. It may not appear dirty at first, but it can turn brown.

3. Black water: Despite its seemingly clean appearance, black water is highly contaminated. It often stems from broken sewage pipes or stagnant water sources.

At SERVPRO of Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, we understand the urgency of addressing water damage promptly. The longer your property remains waterlogged, the more severe the damage and the costlier the repairs will be once the cleanup is underway.

Give us a call at 519-837-8787.

Visit our website for more information: https://www.SERVPROguelph.com/water-damage-restoration

Tips to Stay Safe in Case of a Residential Flood

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can help with flooded floors and basements in Guelph

Damage inside of a house is always frustrating but one of the most stressful situations a homeowner can deal with is a residential flood. In the middle of a disaster like a flooded home, it can be hard to figure out where to start when it comes to cleaning up and restoring the damaged area. That is where SERVPRO of Guelph comes in. We are ready to help when called and highly trained in property damage restoration and water damage specifically. 

Here are some steps that can be taken in the event of a flooded home/room to keep you and your loved ones safe:

• Make sure the floor is secure before you start walking through the water or wet areas
• If there is an exposed plug underneath the water, do not walk in that area because electricity can travel through water
• Call SERVPRO of Guelph to help clean up the flooded area
• Wet floors might be slick so walk slowly to avoid falling and sustaining injuries

We want to make tough situations as easy as possible for the homeowner and reduce the amount of stress they may be feeling. Call SERVPRO of Guelph for help with water damage at (519) 837-8787

Flooding in Your Home? Heres Some Quick Tips to Insure Your Safety!

9/6/2022 (Permalink)

Standing water from floods and even smaller puddles in your Guelph area home can become a source of disease and possible electrocution.  All kinds of things can be found in standing water such as animal waste, rotted plants, downed power lines, household waste, sewage and even wild animals.  If the water damage is inside your home, immediately turn off the electricity to your home and watch for any sources that might be contributing to accumulating debris, especially in bathrooms and kitchens.

To help reduce your risk to certain hazards associated with floods, SERVPRO of Guelph suggests:

• Don’t drive in flooded areas.

• Stay out of floodwater to prevent yourself from getting sick.

• If you come into contact with floodwater, wash the area with soap and water as soon as you can.

• Use alcohol-based wipes or sanitizer.

• Wash clothes in hot water and detergent.

• If you must enter floodwater, try to protect yourself by wearing rubber boots and gloves.

• Be wary of sharp objects in floodwater.  

• If you are wounded, see a medical professional to determine whether or not you might need a tetanus booster.

• Do not eat or drink anything contaminated by floodwater.

• Do not let children play in floodwater.

If you find yourself dealing with any type of water damage, contact SERVPRO of Guelph right away at (519) 837-8787.  We will be there and make your disaster “Like it never even happened.”

When Water Damage Strikes, We Strike Back!

1/20/2022 (Permalink)

Your Water Damage Professionals!

After suffering a water loss timely mitigation will prevent further damages from occurring. The longer water is in place the more damage to flooring, walls, trim and contents will occur. SERVPRO of Guelph is always available to mitigate water damage and prevent further damages from occurring allowing you to return to your home or business faster.

SERVPRO of Guelph trained staff will get to work immediately, determining what is affected, and proceed with a mitigation plan to help restore your property to preloss condition. With the latest training, equipment, and technology SERVPRO of Guelph will make it “Like it never even happened."

Whether its your home affected, business, commercial property or multiple story building call SERVPRO of Guelph at (519) 837-8787 for 24 hour service.

Winter Water Damage

1/16/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Guelph, Here to Help!

Canadian winters are known to be extremely cold with large amounts of snow and ice expected. Having below freezing temperatures, Snow, and ice, your home or business could be in jeopardy for water damage. It is crucial that you are aware of the hazards and can prepare, prevent or act quickly if faced with winter water damage.

FROZEN PIPES

A frozen pipe can burst at the point where the ice blockage inside the pipe is located, but typically the rupture is caused by the backflow pressure between the water source and the blockage. A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to your
property if not addressed quickly.

ICE DAMS

Ice dams can be a major problem during the winter season. They form when heated air melts roof snow downward into water dammed behind still-frozen ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run into the gutter system, it can backflow under the roof ’s shingles and into the structure’s interior areas.

PREPARE YOUR HOME

• If you own a home which is unoccupied during a cold period, ensure you have ample heating fuel and that the indoor thermostat, in all areas of the home, is minimally kept at 55 degrees and ensure that you have a trusted person check the home periodically during your absence.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells. This allows warm air to circulate around pipes.
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets, especially if the pipes for faucets run through unheated or uninsulated areas of your home.
• Consider shutting off outdoor faucets. Find the shut-off valve in the basement or crawl space and turn it to “off .”
• If you follow the previous step, then open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it drains completely and the inner valve is shut off.
• Ensure gutters are clean and secure. Leaves and debris accumulate, causing a damming effect on gutters, which could lead to roof problems and water damage.

PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS

• Check your business property for downed tree limbs and branches. Weather, such as wind, heavy rain, ice, and snow, can cause branches to fall, which could cause damage to the property and potentially cause
  personal injuries.
• Inspect property, especially walkways and parking lots, for proper drainage to alleviate flood hazard potential.
• Inspect all handrails, stairwells, and entryways to address and correct potential slippery or hazardous areas. Install mats or non-slip surfaces and post caution signs where water could be present.

Cold weather, snow, and ice storms can cause severe damage to your home or business. When these types of disasters strike, immediate action is necessary to prevent additional damage to your property. Our team has the winter storm experience, expertise, and the resources to remediate damage caused by winter weather. If disaster strikes your home or business during the winter months, know that SERVPRO has your back.

How Vital is Professional Water Removal?

12/22/2021 (Permalink)

Before and After Water Damage

Water loss incidents occurring in residential and commercial settings always have the potential to get out of control without the right actions occurring quickly. As much as the average homeowner would like to save their time and money, affording professional restoration services, this is often the most credible solution to the situation. Still, for actions like extraction and water removal, how vital is it to seek out the expertise and advanced equipment of restoration professionals?

Knowing what you need for water removal in your property starts with discovering the answers to three key questions:

How severe is the current damage?
What types of materials have become exposed to standing water?
Can someone else do this faster and more thoroughly to better protect my property?

Knowing the severity of the situation you face can help you to quickly determine whether it is within your skill set to restore. Often water removal tools available to homeowners have limited strength, so widespread saturation can be too much for portable wet-vacs or even submersible pumps. Equipment from a broader inventory, like our SERVPRO professionals can access, can address standing water promptly throughout every affected area of the property.

Secondly, you need to understand where the water damage has spread and what materials have become affected by the standing water. There are specialized tools certified technicians can use that can help to remove water and saturation from carpeting, authentic hardwood flooring, drywall, and even concrete board underneath tile.

Conceding a situation is beyond your resources and skills to help can be a challenge for many homeowners, especially those accustomed to handling problems on their property as it arises. Our SERVPRO professionals can help with a thorough evaluation to walk you through what actions can fully restore your property and get things back to normal quickly.

Gaining an understanding of the emergency in your house can help you to quickly decide if our SERVPRO of Guelph rapid response team can help. No matter the source or the severity, our full-service approach to water loss recovery can make these situations “Like it never even happened.” Give us a call anytime at (519) 837-8787

When Water Damage Strikes, We Strike Back!

12/22/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Guelph is here 24/7, because Water Damage doesn't wait...

After suffering a water loss timely mitigation will prevent further damages from occurring. The longer water is in place the more damage to flooring, walls, trim and contents will occur. SERVPRO of Guelph is always available to mitigate water damage and prevent further damages from occurring allowing you to return to your home or business faster.

SERVPRO of Guelph trained staff will get to work immediately, determining what is affected, and proceed with a mitigation plan to help restore your property to preloss condition. With the latest training, equipment, and technology SERVPRO of Guelph will make it “Like it never even happened."

Whether its your home affected, business, commercial property or multiple story building call SERVPRO of Guelph at (519) 837-8787 for 24 hour service.

Our Professionals Will Return Your Home to Pre-Damage Condition

8/16/2021 (Permalink)

Count on the Professionals, Call us at... (519) 837-8787

Effective water removal methods are key to restoring items after a water event. Professional services are required when you need the job to be done in the right way. It ensures your home and property is left both clean and dry. This article addresses some of the concerns that property owners in Guelph experience when such incidents happen.

The equipment that our SERVPRO technicians use when performing water removal procedures makes the difference. Water removal is the first step we perform when we start performing restoration procedures. We have to look at the depth of the standing water and whether the site is accessible or not. We use portable water extractors when removing water from an area that does not have enough space to place massive water extraction tools such as truck-mounted water extractors.

When water remains in place for some time, some parts of the structure such as walls and their insulation are likely to be affected. We can use moisture meters to determine the content of moisture in the waters. Normally, we have non-penetrating and penetrating moisture meters. Our SERVPRO technicians have the skills of determining the right tools to use. If the structure is adversely affected, we may go ahead and remove the baseboards. After removing them, venting the walls cavities is possible as part of the restoration process.

It is the work of SERVPRO technicians to inspect the insulation of your property. The insulation power lessens, and some can be matted after the water event - which occurs in most porous insulation. Though it is possible to restore fiberglass insulation, it is not always the case. We check whether the level of the water is above the sill plate before making appropriate restoration measures. Our experts have done this before, and we know the challenges we need to overcome when doing this work.

SERVPRO of Guelph is ready to help you perform proper water removal in your home. Our skilled technicians are highly trained, and we use the state of art equipment to do the work. Call us today at (519) 837-8787 for quality services.

Emergency Safety for Flooding

8/16/2021 (Permalink)

Summer Storms in Southwestern Ontario

Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Fergus, Elora, Rockwood and our surrounding communities do experience summer storms from time to time.

Here are some tips to help keep you safe.

• Do not attempt to cross flowing water.
• During threatening weather listen for radio and/or TV, for warning bulletins.
• Never try to walk, swim, drive, or play in flood water.  You may not be able to see how fast the water is moving, or see holes or submerged debris
• Beware that flash flooding can occur.  If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.
• Stay away from streams, rivers, drainage channels, and other areas known to flood suddenly.
• Do not drive into flooded areas and do not drive around a barricade.

Be safe, and listen to local and provincial instructions to help you weather the storm.

If your home or business suffers water damage during these events, SERVPRO of Guelph is available 24/7 and Here to Help.

When Water Damage Strikes, We Strike Back!

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Guelph is here 24/7, Water Damage doesn't wait

After suffering a water loss timely mitigation will prevent further damages from occurring. The longer water is in place the more damage to flooring, walls, trim and contents will occur. SERVPRO of Guelph is always available to mitigate water damage and prevent further damages from occurring allowing you to return to your home or business faster.

SERVPRO of Guelph trained staff will get to work immediately, determining what is affected, and proceed with a mitigation plan to help restore your property to preloss condition. With the latest training, equipment, and technology SERVPRO of Guelph will make it “Like it never even happened."

Whether its your home affected, business, commercial property or multiple story building call SERVPRO of Guelph at (519) 837-8787 for 24 hour service.

Winter Water Damage

12/14/2020 (Permalink)

Help Protect Yourself This Winter

Canadian winters are known to be extremely cold with large amounts of snow and ice expected. Having below freezing temperatures, Snow, and ice, your home or business could be in jeopardy for water damage. It is crucial that you are aware of the hazards and can prepare, prevent or act quickly if faced with winter water damage.

FROZEN PIPES

A frozen pipe can burst at the point where the ice blockage inside the pipe is located, but typically the rupture is caused by the backflow pressure between the water source and the blockage. A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to your
property if not addressed quickly.

ICE DAMS

Ice dams can be a major problem during the winter season. They form when heated air melts roof snow downward into water dammed behind still-frozen ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run into the gutter system, it can backflow under the roof ’s shingles and into the structure’s interior areas.

PREPARE YOUR HOME

• If you own a home which is unoccupied during a cold period, ensure you have ample heating fuel and that the indoor thermostat, in all areas of the home, is minimally kept at 55 degrees and ensure that you have a trusted person check the home periodically during your absence.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells. This allows warm air to circulate around pipes.
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets, especially if the pipes for faucets run through unheated or uninsulated areas of your home.
• Consider shutting off outdoor faucets. Find the shut-off valve in the basement or crawl space and turn it to “off .”
• If you follow the previous step, then open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it drains completely and the inner valve is shut off.
• Ensure gutters are clean and secure. Leaves and debris accumulate, causing a damming effect on gutters, which could lead to roof problems and water damage.

PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS

• Check your business property for downed tree limbs and branches. Weather, such as wind, heavy rain, ice, and snow, can cause branches to fall, which could cause damage to the property and potentially cause
  personal injuries.
• Inspect property, especially walkways and parking lots, for proper drainage to alleviate flood hazard potential.
• Inspect all handrails, stairwells, and entryways to address and correct potential slippery or hazardous areas. Install mats or non-slip surfaces and post caution signs where water could be present.

Cold weather, snow, and ice storms can cause severe damage to your home or business. When these types of disasters strike, immediate action is necessary to prevent additional damage to your property. Our team has the winter storm experience, expertise, and the resources to remediate damage caused by winter weather. If disaster strikes your home or business during the winter months, know that SERVPRO has your back.

You Got Flooded? Call SERVPRO of Guelph

12/3/2020 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO® of Guelph, we are water damage restoration specialists and are ready to restore your home back to pre-water damage condition. We are available 24/7 so that when a disaster strikes, we have your back. We quickly extract the water and then dry your property using state-of-the-art equipment. SERVPRO® of Guelph uses moisture monitoring equipment to effectively measure and document the drying process to ensure your property is dry.

• 24-Hour Emergency Service
• Faster to Any Size Disaster
• Highly Trained Water Restoration Technicians
• A Trusted Leader in the Water Restoration Industry
• Locally Owned and Operated
• Advanced Water Inspection, Extraction, and Drying Equipment

What you can do until help arrives

After any water damage situation, your primary focus should be safety first:

• Is it safe to stay in the house?
• Electrical and "slip and fall" hazards are some of the most prevalent concerns.
• Only do activities that are safe for you to perform.
• Wet materials can be VERY heavy. Be careful!

What To Do After Flooding

• Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
• Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
• Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Gather loose items from floors.

What NOT To Do After Flooding

• Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
• Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
• Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Don't use television or other household appliances.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging

Every water damage situation is different. Call SERVPRO® of Guelph at (519) 837-8787 and have our experience working for you.

Emergency Safety for Flooding

8/4/2020 (Permalink)

Summer Storms in Southwestern Ontario.

Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Fergus, Elora, Rockwood and our surrounding communities do experience summer storms from time to time.

Here are some tips to help keep you safe.

• Do not attempt to cross flowing water.
• During threatening weather listen for radio and/or TV, for warning bulletins.
• Never try to walk, swim, drive, or play in flood water.  You may not be able to see how fast the water is moving, or see holes or submerged debris
• Beware that flash flooding can occur.  If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.
• Stay away from streams, rivers, drainage channels, and other areas known to flood suddenly.
• Do not drive into flooded areas and do not drive around a barricade.

Be safe, and listen to local and provincial instructions to help you weather the storm.

If your home or business suffers water damage during these events, SERVPRO of Guelph is available 24/7 and Here to Help.