Water damage in your home or office is a major deal. When a major leak or flood occurs, it usually comes as a surprise and can cause thousands of dollars in damage. The question is, how do your approach cleanup of such an event?

Knowing that immediate action is required, please take a few minutes to read why ensuring some shortcuts can detract from alleviating the problem of water damaged carpets. Cornerstone Chem-Dry wants you to have the information that will prepare you for such a crisis.

Hypothetical Situation

We are all familiar with the stories of busted pipes. Let me tell you about a situation that tends to occur many times for many people.

Mr. and Mrs. Barrera have 14 grandchildren, ages ranging from 8 months through 16 years of age. The Barrera’s recently bought a house with a swimming pool for summer fun with lots of water to survive the Texas heat.

In the midst of all those grandchildren are siblings; Andy, Carlos, and Brittney; ages 13, 14, and 13, respectively. A rather large family, these three have three younger siblings Seth, Olivia and Caroline ages 3, 4 and 4, respectively.

The three older kids engaged in the Battle of Water Balloon fought at Fort Pool one Sunday afternoon. The three younger kids watched, squealed with excitement and plotted their move; they, too, wanted in on the fun. The one, most notable, difference: an indoor splash-o-rama seemed much more fun. From here on we’ll let your imagination depict what Mr. and Mrs. Barrera walked in on while coming inside for lunch.

So, here we have water-soaked carpets on a Sunday afternoon. Their first attempt was using several towels, but quickly realized the size of the damage was not towel effective. The Barrera’s had learned that mold, mildew and other fungal growth promoting bacteria can occur within the 12 – 48 hours of saturation.

We find that many customers discover the hard way that simply leaving the carpets until the next day or later can almost guarantee the need to replace the entire damaged carpet. Home owners have had family members who became very sick from the direct results of waiting. For this reason, Mr. and Mrs. Barrera should call a professional. If they call Cornerstone Chem-Dry, we could have a crew out to their home in a couple of hours—yes, even on a Sunday!

Sanitary Vs. Unsanitary

The first process for treating water-soaked carpets is the determination of the water source. In this case we were dealing with sanitary water. These are cases where the carpets are most often salvageable and returned to normal in a short time.

Should someone’s carpet be soaked with unsanitary water – toilette overflow, sewage contamination, etc. – there is the possibility of carpet replacement for obvious health issues. Even with the sanitary water-damaged carpets a sanitizing agent is used as a deterrent for bacterial growth.

Once our technicians have assessed the situation, as all are not approached in the same manner, we give the proper recommendations accordingly. For instance, sometimes certain rugs, furniture, or other soaked items are required additional drying time. Other times the recommendation is to discard the items. Having a professional access each case is a good idea since many variables are at play for the appropriate action.

Should your carpets ever become soaked, rest assured that Cornerstone Chem-Dry is available 24 hours a day for the treatment of your home. Be aware that even a small amount of soaking can cause serious health problems in your home among your family.

We are ready and waiting for the care of your carpets. We serve the entire North Texas region. Simply call us today from your Dallas, Tarrant, Rockwall, Collin, or Denton County home or office at 877-685-9663.

Freezing Pipes
Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end of a pipe, which leads to pipes bursting at their weakest point. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to freezing in extremely cold weather, where holes in your houses outside wall for television, cable or telephone lines allow cold air to reach them.

To keep water in pipes from freezing, take the following steps:

• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow the heat transfer. The more insulation the better.
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes (particularly in the kitchen and bathroom).
• Keeps a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. You can even drain the water system, especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods.
• Cover all outside hose faucets.

Know Your Water Supply
Know where shutoff valves for the main water supply, certain appliances, sinks and toilets are located in your home. In the event of a leak, this will enable you to quickly shut off the appropriate valves before calling Cornerstone Chem-Dry. Consider shutting off your water supply if you will be away from home for a week or more.

Inspect your plumbing water lines and waste lines for leaks, damage or corrosion. If you notice problems, hire a licensed plumber for further inspection and repairs.

Protecting Your Home from Water Damage
Water Loss Mitigation Devices. Water damage can occur almost anywhere in your home. Frozen water lines as well as water-bearing appliances and fixtures, such as refrigerators with icemakers, dishwashers, washing machines, toilets and water heaters, are common sources of water leaks. The number of these sources in today’s homes has led to an increased risk of water damage.

Unfortunately, slow leaks from these appliances and fixtures are often impossible to see until it is too late. If a leak goes undetected, it can lead to rotting in the house frame and subfloors and can be a precursor to a catastrophic leak that releases several hundred gallons of water. Water loss mitigation devices may help prevent these problems, while also saving you money on your homeowner’s insurance premium.

Passive Leak Detectors
Passive leak detection systems are intended to alert you to a water leak. They generally sound an alarm tone within the home when a leak is detected. More advanced products may be connected to a centrally monitored fire and burglar alarm system, alerting you if a leak is detected – even when you are away from the home.

Passive leak detectors are helpful, but they do not provide the best method of protection from water leaks. The effectiveness of these systems depends on someone being in your home to take immediate action to stop the leak.

Active Leak-Detection Systems
Active leak-detection systems provide a more comprehensive solution. These systems not only alert you of a leak, but also stop the water flow before it can cause significant damage to your home. These devices are typically installed on your home’s main water supply line and instantly shut off water flow once a leak is detected.

The leak detection methods vary by product but typically include the detection of higher or longer-than-average water usage and/or the use of small sensors placed near areas that are more prone to water leaks, such as a hot water heater, appliances or under sinks.

Active leak-detection systems can be quite sophisticated. They may offer sensitivity variables such as “at home” and “away” modes that affect the speed in which they respond. They can allow for sprinkler systems or other water-use-intensive systems and do not infringe on your water consumption preferences, such as taking long showers.

In addition, active leak-detection systems can be connected to a “smart home” system and/or centrally monitored alarm system, which could alert you when you are away from home. Generally, active leak-detection systems start at $500 and can cost as much as several thousand dollars, depending upon the product features, labor rates, and size of the system.

Shut off the water source.
Move furniture off of carpet to avoid furniture stains. Call your homeowner’s insurance company to start a claim if the damage is extensive. Remember most homeowner’s policies have a deductible equal to 1-2 percent of your home value.

If a water damage emergency happens to you…
Call Cornerstone Chem-Dry at 877-685-9663  immediately. Our trained and certified water damage technicians are on call 24/7 and will be dispatched to your location.