Water Damage Restoration in Newnan, Peachtree City, & Stockbridge

According to the IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration (IICRC S500), there are three categories of water that cause damage in buildings. They are summarized as follows:

Category 1 Water

– That which is clean at the releasing source and does not pose a hazard if consumed by humans. Category 1 water may become progressively contaminated as it mixes with soils on or within floor coverings or building assemblies (walls, decking, subflooring). Time and temperature, which promote the growth and amplification of microorganisms in water can cause Category 1 water to degrade. Examples: burst water pipes, failed supply lines on appliances, vertically falling rainwater.

Category 2 Water

– That which begins with some degree of contamination and could cause sickness or discomfort if consumed by humans. As with Category 1 water, time and temperature can cause Category 2 water to become progressively more contaminated.

Category 3 Water

– That which is highly contaminated and could cause death or serious illness if consumed by humans. Examples: sewage, rising flood water from rivers and streams, ground surface water flowing horizontally into homes. There are two ways in which water enters a building as a result of wind storm damage: The first involves falling or windblown rainwater that enters as a result of damage to roof components or wall assemblies. The second involves horizontally traveling ground surface water (Category 3) containing silt and soil contaminants that infiltrate into structures, generally through doors or around foundation walls. This ground surface water (storm surge) may accumulate to a depth of several inches or several feet. When structures are partially submerged or remain substantially flooded for weeks, far more elaborate procedures usually are required. Most household microorganisms (fungi, bacteria) typically require five conditions for germination, growth, amplification and dissemination. Generally, they include:

organic food source, especially cellulose (e.g., paper, wood), which are found in abundance in construction materials
moisture, even high humidity (67% RH plus)
moderate temperature – 68-86°F/20-30°C
stagnant air
time – several hours to several days

Anything that can be done to control or minimize these optimum conditions will prolong the time required for microbial growth.

Leaks under the sink, slow draining pipes, cracked tile or missing grout, soft or stained walls and floors, leaks under and around the base of the dishwasher, and moisture behind the refrigerator.

Lock and secure your property when not occupied to prevent looting. Keep in mind that alarms may malfunction if the electricity or telephone service has been interrupted.

Start with the toilet; check the water lines, the floor around the toilet, the tank and the toilet rim. Make sure no leaks are visible. Then inspect the Shower and Bathtub. Inspect the tiles, the grout, drain and visible plumbing. Confirm that all seals are tight and dry. Be attentive to discolorations or soft areas around the bathtub walls.

Check the outlet pipe to make sure it is not clogged or frozen. Follow the pipe and confirm that water are directed away from the property.

Check that the pump is clean. Plug in the pump and remove the lid (if there is one). Use a flashlight and look into the pump and see that the inlet pipe is clean and free flowing.

Test the pump by pouring at least 5 gallons of water and pumping it out. Be sure to pour the water in a way that will simulate the average flow into the pump. Force the pump to turn on and off 2-3 times and watch the action of the on/off switch while listening to the pump.

Generally, there 3 important red flags for water damage, originating in the refrigerator:

Moisture behind or under the refrigerator including on the coils in the back of the refrigerator.

Leaks from hose connection and seals. (commonly found in the icemaker’s water supply line)

Growth of mold is a major sign because it indicates an ongoing problem that must be treated immediately. This problem is usually detected in the drain pan if your refrigerator has one.

If your hardwood floors are the sand and finish type, then we can usually save them. This is the best method because it prevents you from needing a patch down the road and they usually noticeable.

This is ultimately your decision. You should consider all safety issues, odors, electricity, noise from equipment, etc. If you are vacating your premises for any length of time, consider the following: forward your mail to your temporary residence, stop newspaper and other deliveries, notify utility company, cable company, etc. of temporary suspension of services.

Assuming your books were soaked in clean water for less than 24 hours and mold is not present, you will have to start by prioritizing salvage order: collection books and valuable books must be dried before all other books. The best method for paper drying is freezing. Insert the books into plastic bags and place in the freezer. To prevent pages from adhering to each other, place a baking sheet every 20-30 pages.

Not necessarily. Dishes, cooking utensils and food preparation areas can be sanitized, disinfected and then reused. Throw away wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers, since it’s nearly impossible to safely clean them.

We recommend that you make a list of items (including food items) that are determined to be non-restorable. It is best to have a copy for yourself as well as your insurance company.

• Cash
• Checkbooks
• Flammables
• Gasoline cans
• Medications
• Personal documents
• Pets
• Stamp/Coin collections
• Valuable jewelry
• Valuable Paintings
• Weapons/Ammunition

Not necessarily. This is a question that is best answered on a case-by-case basis. In the event of a sewage back-up, any material that has been touched by that water must be disposed of, including carpet. In other types of water losses it depends on several factors. Most of the time, we are able to save the carpet from replacement.

Dangers are not over when the water goes down. Do not endanger yourself or your family after a water event. Keep children and pets away. Try to protect yourself and your family from stress, fatigue, and water-related health hazards.

Follow these basic safety rules:

• Determine Structural Stability
• Cut off power supply
• Turn off water supply
Turn off gas supply
• Beware of animals
• Use protective gear

DO:

Have a professional plumbing contractor eliminate the water source.

Call a professional water damage restoration company immediately for help! Damage from water and bacteria growth can begin within just a few hours.

Remove as much water as possible from floors by mopping or blotting with clean white towels.

Turn off circuit breakers supplying electricity to wet areas if appropriate. Unplug and remove any small electrical devices located on wet carpet or other wet surfaces.

Remove wet area rugs or other floor coverings that are not attached. Do not remove wall-to-wall carpet.

Hang draperies and pin up furniture skirts to prevent contact with wet carpet.

Wipe furniture and prop up wet cushions for even drying.

Place aluminum foil under legs of wood furniture (especially antiques).

Remove small furniture items to prevent rust or stains and to expedite restoration.

Remove books, shoes, paper goods, fabrics, potted plants and other items that may stain the carpet (be sure to check under the beds and in closets).

Move photos, paintings, art and any high-value items to a safe, dry location.

Open drawers and closet and cabinet doors to speed the drying process.

Make plans for a restoration crew to move large furniture items onto dry carpet, linoleum, garage or storage area.

DON’T:

Don’t use your home vacuum because electrical shock may result as well as damage to the vacuum.

Don’t use TV’s or other appliances on wet carpet or floors.

Don’t place newspaper in the traffic areas because the ink transfers easily.

Don’t walk on wet carpet more than necessary in order to keep from spreading damage.

Don’t activate the HVAC system if it has been directly contacted by the water or it may spread contamination.

Don’t disturb visible mold.

Yes. Champion will perform water damage services for any loss. Champion has the knowledge, people, and equipment to do the job correctly, no matter the size of the job.

Champion is qualified to handle any type of water damage including sewage overflow, leaking pipe, icemaker lines, dishwasher or washing machine hoses, rising water from heavy rains and tornado losses.

Most structures can be dried in three days or less. However, when the moisture goes undetected for a prolonged period of time this can take longer to dry.

Many times, taking a do-it-yourself approach to water restoration only compounds the problem because it’s difficult to accurately diagnose the scope of the damage. There are also less experienced water restoration companies out there that don’t fully understand the proper steps and precautions to take, and leave the customer with an even bigger problem than they had originally. The use of non-commercial equipment (like a shop vac) will not properly extract water from the carpet and pad. It is important to properly dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours.