Lexington Water Damage Remediation Services

Whether you are moving into a home that had pets or you can’t seem to get that sewage smell out of your basement, ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services of Lexington can help you address it. We specialize in removing odors from various spaces in the home.

Kentucky has had many serious flash floods, as well as a series of smaller floods in recent years. Lexington in particular floods in heavy thunderstorms, which are extremely common in the winter and spring months. After the emergency is over, and you’re back to your house, you may find that your basement and 1st floor of your house has been damaged by water. The basement, especially, might have trapped a lot of the flood water in. What do you do?

You hire us, reputable Lexington water damage remediation experts, to manage and handle the repair of your property. We are experts in our field, managing a variety of repairs with skill and precision. Our advice will help you get through the next steps in repairing your property so you can get back to normal as soon as possible.

Our company won’t leave you hanging. In addition to our standard services we also offer specialty services, such as reconstruction, board-up and tarping, post-loss recovery, and biohazard services. We are also capable of handling any event related to trauma incidents, vandalism, and other unique situation. Call for more information.

Discoloration, tarnishing, and even structural damage can all be caused by fire damage. We are able to rebuild and refresh your property after any type of fire incident, including eliminating smoke odors.

What is Water Damage?

In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to worry about our possessions or our homes. But, disasters happen all the time. When it does, you might be able to get a homeowners insurance pay-out, but what if you don’t want to replace the things that have been damaged?

Well, if your property or belongings have been damaged by water, there’s a variety of companies that deal with that exact problem! Water damage removes water that is still in the item and then returns it to its pre-incident state.

When you have water that damages your home, it’s important to find a local service provider that can act quickly to remove the water before it gets worse. When water remains stagnant and untreated, it becomes a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Acting quickly is the most important part of keeping water remediation costs low and not increasing the size of the problem.

Common Causes of Water Damage

There are numerous sources around a home or business property that can end up being the cause of water damage. Some of the common sources related to water damage include issues with broken and leaking pipes. It is also commonly caused by washing machine overflows, leakage, and broken hose issues with dishwashers, leaking roofs, windows, doors, flooding, and seeping of groundwater. All of these circumstances can end up causing serious water damage. It is for this reason that it is important to address these issues promptly when they occur.

Among the many sources of water damage, issues with broken pipes are among the most frequent culprits. It is recommended that property owners have their pipe fittings inspected at least once per year by qualified professionals. These inspections should include areas such as sinks, toilets, bathtubs and showers, water softeners, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines. It is important to be proactive to effectively prevent water damage from occurring. When water damage does occur, it is important to bring in our reliable Lexington water damage services that we offer here at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services.

Water Damage Categories

Water damage falls into three distinct categories. These categories are based upon the level of water contamination that is present in each individual situation.

Category 1 – This category refers to examples such as overflows of sinks and appliances as well as issues with breaks in the waterline. Category 1 water damage was caused by a water source that is not considered to be a health threat to humans.

Category 2 – Water damage category 2 refers to water damage that was caused by a source that contains contaminants that can cause sickness to humans. These contaminants will include biological, chemical, and physical contaminant types. This type of water is often called grey and it can contain microorganisms. The source of this type of water is generally from areas such as sump pumps that have failed and toilet bowls that contained urine. The water that discharges from appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers are also common sources for this type of water.

Category 3 – This category of water damage is often referred to as black water and it is considered to be highly contaminated. The dangerous fungi, bacteria, and other unsanitary contaminants that are present in this category of water can serious sickness and discomfort. This is water damage that was caused by water that came from sources such as sewage, river and stream water, seawater, and standing water, among other sources. Back flows from the toilet that originated beyond the trap are also classified into category 3. When category 2 water is not removed quickly, it can often end up being reclassified under the third category.

Classes of Water Damage

Water damaged is also categorized by class. There are four classes of water damage. They are determined by the probable evaporation rate. The type of materials that were damaged is taken into consideration when this calculation is made. The first step for effective water damage removal is to determine which class of water damage applies to the individual situation.

Class 1 – This classification is characterized by a slow evaporation rate that only affects a part of the room where the damage has occurred. The affected material has a low level of permeance.

Class 2 – The second class of water damage has a fast evaporation rate. In this class, the water has affected the entirety of the space in question and may have wicked up along the walls by up to 24 inches. Carpeting and cushions are affected.

Class 3 – Class number three includes the fastest evaporation rate and usually involves situations where the water came from overhead. This class of water damage tends to include an entire area being affected. This includes walls, carpet, ceilings, etc.

Class 4 – This is a water damage class that involves special circumstances related to drying. In this class, the materials involved have low levels of permeance and often include areas such as concrete, hardwood flooring, plaster, and crawlspaces, among other areas. Water damage professionals generally have to bring the humidity down to a low level to effectively dry areas affected by class 4 water damage.

When you are in a situation where you are dealing with any of these classes of water damage, it is time to contact the leading team for water damage in Lexington. We can effectively determine the class of damage that is present and then take appropriate action to deal with the situation.

How Bad Is Water Damage to a House?

Water damage can cause serious issues to a house. These issues can include serious structural damage that causes major safety issues. It can be helpful to have an idea of what water damage looks like when viewing a home that you are considering for purchase. If you are considering purchasing a house that has water damage, it is important to bring in our team at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services to perform a detailed inspection of the property. We can determine the extent of the water damage and provide you with an estimate of what it will cost for repair.

What Does Water Damage Look Like?

There are five key signs that you can look out for as indicators of water damage. Knowing the signs of water damage can help you when deciding on the purchase of a property or identifying damage that has occurred at your current one that you own.

1. Visible mold and stains
2. Noticeable changes to ceilings, floors, and walls
3. Unexpected rises in your water bill
4. The presence of musty odors
5. Your property has outdated plumbing

If you have identified any of these issues with your property, or a property that you are considering for a purchase, then it is time to contact our team at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services so that we can assess the situation and come up with a plan to fix your water damage.

What Should I Do If My Property Is Flooding?

Don’t panic! Property flooding is a horrible thing to have to deal with, but the most important thing to do is to act calmly so you don’t hurt yourself or your loved ones. Acting quickly can not only save your property, but also your life. it’s important to remember the following steps:

Use Caution

Water, especially running and large bodies of water, are dangerous. If you are unable to follow a step or would put yourself at risk to do so then you should focus on your safety first.

Stop More Water From Entering Your Property

If it’s a flood, wait for it to stop. If it’s a burst pipe, shut off the water which the pipe is flowing through. We can’t start removing the water until the water stops coming in, so it’s important to minimise damage, if you are physically able to.

Turn Off The Electricity

Water and electricity are not a good mix! Make sure you turn off the electricity, as live wires touching the water can cause shocks that end lives, especially if you get stuck in the water as electricity passes through you.

Seek Shelter

After these steps have been followed- don’t worry about your house. It has already been flooded, and now the most important thing is to look after yourself and family. In the case of a natural disaster, seek your local temporary shelter. These are usually schools, gyms and churches. If the problem is a burst pipe inside your house, you might be able to seek shelter with a neighbor or in your backyard.

Call Your Landlord or Insurer

It’s important to let the person who manages your property know that there has been damage to your house. If you are calling your homeowners insurer, make sure to ask if you need to wait for an adjuster to show up to begin the clean-up and repair process. In the meanwhile, don’t be afraid to make a personal account of your losses to report it to the adjuster.

Call Our Water Damage Remediation Experts in Lexington, Today!