Roof Leaks Can Cause Mold

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

Roof Leaks Can Cause Mold

The best way to keep your Anaheim, CA home safe from water damage is by preventing leaks before they happen. If you’re in need of a new roof or have a leak that needs to be addressed, give us a call!

Mold can Grow From Water Leaks

Mold can be a problem for any homeowner. If you let water enter your home, mold may grow on the surfaces it lands on. Mold growth can cause damage to the structure of your home and make it difficult for you and your family to live. But if you fix roof leaks, you'll prevent this from happening in the first place!

The cost of repairing water damage is expensive, but fixing a leaky roof is one of the best ways to avoid having to deal with these problems later down the road.

Can you Prevent Mold From Growing?

Mold can be prevented by keeping the area dry, cleaning up water that leaks in, ventilating the area, and removing any mold that is growing.

If you Have a Leaking Roof Call Someone Right Away

If you have a leaking roof, don’t wait to get it fixed. Your home is already at risk for mold growth, so don’t add to that risk by letting the leak go unaddressed for weeks or months on end. If your roof has started leaking, call a roofing contractor right away and get the issue taken care of as soon as possible.

In addition to calling someone right away if your roof starts leaking, make sure that you keep up with regular maintenance of your roofing system. This includes checking for leaks regularly—especially after heavy rainfalls—and replacing damaged shingles or tiles when necessary. Also check with local building codes regarding inspections of roofs; some areas require these inspections every few years while others may only require them every 10 years or more seldomly (depending upon where you live).

Water Damage can Cause Even More Damage

When you have a roof leak, the most obvious effect is water damage. Water can seep into your walls and through your ceiling, causing mold growth and wood rot. It can also cause electrical problems in some cases.

Mold is a common problem in homes, and most mold growth is caused by water damage. But if you have a roof leak, it could mean more than just the regular concerns of mold growth. In some cases, that leak can lead to structural damage or even become a fire hazard!

When water damage occurs and the wood beneath your home begins to rot from moisture exposure, it's called "dry rot." If this happens in an area where there's already mold growth (because of leaking pipes or another source), then you're likely going to have some serious problems on your hands. If left untreated for too long, dry rot can cause significant structural issues with your home—not only because of the rotting wood but also because it'll get into other areas like insulation or electrical wiring that doesn't need any additional damage done to them.

Address Leaks as Early as Possible

If you find a roof leak, it's important to fix it as soon as possible. If you don't, the leak will get worse and cause more damage. For example, if your attic floor is wet because of a leaky roof, mold will grow on that wet surface. 

Mold can also grow in walls that are next to the damp part of a ceiling or wall where water has been leaking through cracks in the plaster or drywall over time. 

Call the Professionals 

If you've noticed any of the signs listed above, it's important to take action quickly. Although there are DIY ways to fix a leaky roof, if you want results that last and don't cause further damage to your home or possessions, then it's best to contact a professional roofing company as soon as possible.

When hiring a roofing company, look for:

• Licensed professionals who have insurance and proper certifications in order to protect yourself from liability issues later down the line.
• A business with hundreds or thousands of satisfied customers because they do good work and keep their word.

Although it can be difficult to do so, try to stay calm when you discover a leak in your roof. Getting angry or upset will only worsen the situation and make you more likely to make mistakes that could lead to further problems down the road. If possible, call a professional immediately who will inspect your Anaheim, CA home for damage and provide repair services if necessary.

How To Prevent Mold Growth

8/23/2022 (Permalink)

Follow The Three Steps Below To Prevent Mold Damage

Mold growth in your Anaheim, CA, home may be a result of water damage, high humidity, or other issues. Following the three steps below can greatly reduce the likelihood of your home developing a severe mold problem.

1. Minimize Mold Spores 

A visible patch of mold results from mold spores attaching to a surface and multiplying. Therefore, decreasing the number of mold spores decreases the chance of visible mold developing. Air purifiers with HEPA filters can trap the spores in the air, and regular carpet cleaning can remove spores stuck in carpet fibers.

2. Control Moisture 

Because it is impossible to eliminate all mold spores from your home, it is important to make sure the spores do not encounter conditions conducive to mold growth, i.e., food, water, and warmth. Most homes are warm enough and have a variety of food sources to sustain fungi, so controlling the moisture level is key to preventing an infestation. Keep the indoor humidity lower than 50%.

It may be necessary to run a dehumidifier in bathrooms, basements, and other wet areas. Clean up spills and repair leaks promptly. If your home suffers water damage, dry up the water as quickly as possible. For severe cases, it may be necessary to hire a professional restoration company to ensure everything is fully dry and clean.

3. Perform Routine Inspections 

Mold prevention strategies are important, but it may not be possible to avert all growth. Fortunately, regularly checking for signs of mold damage ensures that the problem is caught before becoming disastrous. Check wet areas, hidden areas and anywhere that has had mold before. Keep an eye out for warping drywall, peeling wallpaper and other signs of deterioration as these can indicate mold is growing behind the walls.

Water damage and other mold-causing situations may be unavoidable. However, understanding the conditions necessary for mold growth and acting quickly when those conditions arise can help keep your home mold-free.

Storm Preparation: Steps To Take To Protect Your Home From Storm Damage

7/6/2022 (Permalink)

Storm Preparation: Steps To Take To Protect Your Home From Storm Damage

With storm season well under way, you need to take active measures to protect your home from flooding and storm damage, if you have not already done so. Depending on where you live, preparation measures may look slightly different. That said, there are certain measures that all homeowners across the country can take to reduce their risk of excessive damage and the need for costly repairs. Those include the following:

• Clean out the gutters.
• Trim trees and overhanging branches.
• Install a sump pump.
• Install storm shutters.
• Invest in a generator.
• Invest in flood damage insurance.
• Prepare an emergency preparedness kit.

By doing each of the above, you can protect both your home and yourself in the event of a bad storm.

There Are Some Storms For Which You Just Cannot Prepare

By taking many of the above measures, such as cleaning out your gutters, trimming branches that overhang your home and installing storm shutters, you can keep the worst of wind, rain, snow and hail damage at bay. However, there are some types of damage, such as flooding, that you cannot fully protect against. Though sump pumps and other anti-flood measures help to an extent, they're not always 100 percent effective. If your home does flood, you want to act as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Some things you can do include the following:

• Elevate any furniture in the affected area.
• Turn off power to the affected area.
• Remove any valuables from the affected area.
• Take pictures of the damage and contact your insurance company.
• Reach out to your Anaheim, CA, flood damage remediation team for immediate assistance.

A restoration team can help dry out your home, clean your household items and perform mold remediation, if necessary. It is important that you contact your flooding team ASAP, as the longer you wait to remediate the damage, the worse the secondary damage, such as mold and rot, will become.

How the High Standards of Preferred Vendors Qualify Them To Handle Your Emergencies

3/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Franchise specialists are subject to 21 guidelines they must adhere to in order to give clients the best service possible.

How Preferred Vendors' High Standards Qualify Them To Handle Your Emergencies

If you have recently undergone a disaster like a flood or fire that left property damage in its wake, one of the first steps you take may be to contact your policy provider for help. An insurance agent from the company may refer you to a professional cleanup and restoration business in Anaheim, CA, from their preferred vendor program.

Those establishments that fall under the umbrella of trusted provider have close relationships with insurance firms and supply high-quality work at reasonable, economical prices. How do you know that you can place your confidence in them though? Well, besides the fact that they have been carefully vetted, preferred vendors like SERVPRO possess qualifications that put them among the cream of the crop in the restoration industry.

They Generally Have Intensive Performance Guidelines

Usually, such enterprises will set and follow strict guidelines to ensure their performance is up to snuff. These may encompass anything from employee background checks to insurance. SERVPRO Franchise specialists are subject to 21 guidelines they must adhere to in order to give clients the best service possible.

They Are Fast and Affordable

Preferred vendors establish the budget they must stay within ahead of time with your carrier and stick to it. This keeps costs from soaring to astronomical levels. They also complete their tasks in a speedy manner due to a few reasons:

Many, like SERVPRO, are open to receive requests 24 hours a day, allowing them to respond quickly.

All the background and preparatory details have been hashed out between the insurer and them, eliminating the need for long negotiations with an insurance agent.

There is often an existing drying time limit.

They employ experienced and trained individuals who know what they're doing when it comes to assessing the situation and finishing the job.

They Validate Through Industry Standards

Through the use of manuals and handbooks, teams can offer industry standard validation. This and the utilization of proper equipment lead to high caliber work.

When a force of nature wreaks havoc on your structure, your insurance agent may recommend operations from their preferred vendor list. These are proficient and thoroughly screened in advance.

The Claims Information Center: Helping Streamline the Insurance Process

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

Streamlining The Insurance Process With The Claims Information Center

While the insurance claim process in the Anaheim, CA, area is no cakewalk for homeowners, insurance agents don’t necessarily have it any easier. The job of an agent or an adjuster is to verify the information provided on a claim and to ensure that all information is reliable and accurate. Thankfully, a disaster restoration expert has created a solution for all your claim woes. SERVPRO has created a claims system that will likely reduce research and approval time.

1. What Is the CIC?

The CIC stands for the Claims Information Center, and it is a culmination of claims organized by type, cause and response times. Additionally, the system provides an insurance agent with insight into the performance of the company against other national performers.

2. How Is It Useful?

The CIC allows agents to research a similar insurance claim to the one they are working on and to track its progress. This tool essentially operates as both an encyclopedia and a project manager, allowing insurers both accuracy and dependability.

3. What Is ReportER?

ReportER is SERVPRO’s corporate database and is, through the Management Dashboard, essentially the access point to the CIC. This is the area where agents can research and check on any current projects. The database is routinely updated, providing insurers with accurate and timely information regarding their current outstanding claims.

It is true that the insurance claim process is no cakewalk, and that insurance agents take on the brunt of the work. However, the CIC system allows an agent to research and verify information in a more accurate and reliable way.

Through an innovative dashboard design, they are able to access information in the ReportER database and answer questions about project completion and corporate efficiency. Agents can now understand the whole picture by visiting one comprehensive and straightforward site. The Claims Information Center has truly streamlined the insurance process.