Considering theextensive flooding occurring right now, it would be easy to curse the day yourbasement was born.

It’s a dank pitbelow your feet, in some cases constantly flooding, growing mold and smelling foul. Condensation forms on pipes and walls,sump pumps get overwhelmed or fail and your precious belongings stored belowget ruined….arrgh!

You may swearthat you’ll never own a basement again.   BUT…consider the alternatives.  The grass isnot necessarily greener without a basement.

Alternative#1 - Crawlspace:  

 A crawlspace has all the same characteristics of a basement with 3-5 feetless ceiling height and possibly dirt floors.  Many a cold winter’s day have I spent on mybelly crawling around dealing with moisture problems within these places, typicallyonly suitable for raccoons and hobbits.  Utilitiesare irksome to access (like a broken pipe, electrical or HVAC system) and goodluck replacing your furnace filter!  Idon’t even want to get started about the all-around nastiness of sewage in adirt-floor crawlspace.  

 Alternative#2 – Concrete Slab: 

 This should work, right?  No pitunder your feet…what could go wrong? Many slab homes utilize concrete toinstall ductwork, water supply lines, drain lines and other utilities, but, muchlike utilities in any other home, these will fail or require maintenance.  Instead of walking into a basement or scootinginto a crawlspace, you are bringing in a jackhammer, the whole time hoping you know exactly where the problem is andthat the problem area isn’t under a wall or a cabinet. Not to mention, if apipe above the slab were to break it just continues to spread horizontally intothe living space, tainting kitchens and bathrooms.  Flood waters are often not covered under property insurance and falls under Category3/black water due to all the fun pollutants it picks up along the way requiringall of the drywall and textiles to be removed that have been touched by thefilth.  Hopefully the homeowner hasthousands of dollars squirrelled away for such an occasion.

 Alternative#3 – Learn to LOVE (or at least take careof) your basement: 

Although I am not a fan ofdisaster proofing your home and taking every step of the building process tothink “ok, what if I flood?,” there are materials such as fiber mat drywall,vinyl composite trim, nature stone floors that will help minimize damage.  A battery backup with check valve on your sumppump system is a great idea too. Simply put, build to code and mitigate damagequickly using certified professionals.

 Mike’s Advice

Obviously my advice is to keep your basement.  Responsible ownership is the key. Think aboutwhat you keep and where you keep it. Plastic totes, pallets, or wood blocksminimize damage and make for easy cleanup. Finished areas need to consistentlyhave a relative humidity below 60% with strong foundation walls and floors.  A drop ceiling is always a good idea vs.drywall; drop ceilings make for slick access to utilities and it is simple andinexpensive to replace damaged tiles.  Ifyou are going to frame up and install drywall and insulation, build away from wallsto allow the foundation to breathe. Keep in mind, though, with all due respectto the Transamericapyramid, there are no disaster proof buildings, especially when it comes towater damage.

Don’t give up! Basements are stillthe best, as frustrating as they may be.  If managed carefully, (a big ‘if’) crawlspacescan be effective spaces for storageand access to the utilities. However, the addition of a basement is typically abetter investment during new construction.

Mike Bowman is a Production Manager for PuroCleanProfessional Services in Brunswick, OH and is a Master Fire & SmokeRestorer, Water Restorer and Textile Cleaner having served North East Ohio for12 years. He has been asked to speak about restoration for the Red Cross andhas been an instructor for the TMC Group in both the United States and Canada.He can be reached at: mbowman@puroclean.com

Keeping Households Safe Following Storm Water Damage

In spring there is a wide range of weather activity - including storms with heavy rainfall that can cause ground flooding. These floods often result in water damage to homes, which may appear on the surface as a minor loss, but can quickly escalate into needless, extensive damage to both property and health.

According to the restoration industry benchmark (IICRC Water Damage Standard S500), all such flooding is defined as Category 3 damage – the highest level of contamination. This includes all instances where water travels over the ground and then enters the home through basement windows or rises higher than the level of the floors. Category 3 floodwater is sometimes referred to as black water. This designation applies to water that contains unsanitary materials with the potential to cause illness in humans. Examples of black water include sewage backflows and rising water from rivers, streams, runoff, and seawater that enter a structure.

Safety must be the very first consideration when exposure to Category 3 contaminates are a possibility. Category 3 water can contain harmful organisms such as viruses (Hepatitis A, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, entero viruses, etc.), parasites, and many kinds of harmful bacteria. In addition, numerous fungi in the form of mold spores are always present. This can become a problem if timely decontamination does not occur, followed by professional drying within 24 to 48 hours after water enters the home.

When dealing with Category 3 water damage, it is very important to contact a professional remediation company such as PuroClean to handle the loss. Professionals will accomplish several basic functions:

• First, the safety of the building occupants and all workers are the primary consideration.

• Second, a thorough inspection to determine the severity and extent of the damage and the appropriate restoration process.

• Third, the quick removal of excess water and contaminated porous items (carpet and pad, drywall, upholstered furniture, etc.) and any sewage, wastes, and other materials.

• Finally, the restoration of the environment to its pre-loss dry state as quickly as possible using an established Balanced Drying System.

Flooding from outside the building causes a large area of direct contamination and an elevated health risk. All porous and many non-porous materials are affected by the contamination. All contaminated porous items, such as drywall, carpet and pad, upholstery, drapery, and particleboard furniture, must be removed and properly disposed. Restoration must be thorough to include removing moisture barriers such as vinyl and plastics that will conceal and retain the contamination. Cabinets and other structural enclosures must be inspected and possibly removed if contamination is present - especially if it is inside the walls behind these items.

As stated, all Category 3 losses present serious risk of illness. Therefore, Contractors should ensure that all employees wear appropriate personal protective equipment. The protection needs to be extensive, which could include waterproof coveralls, face shields, and even respirators.

The professional restoration company will know when to use an air scrubber to help clean the air and when to set up a Negative Air Machine to prevent contamination from spreading to unaffected areas. This is important if the flooded area is limited to a specific area of a structure, to prevent additional contamination from moving to other areas. The professional restoration company will also insure that all remaining surfaces and materials (such as structural lumber, subfloors, concrete, etc.) are cleaned and sanitized with approved cleaners and disinfectants. In some cases, structural materials are sealed to stop further contamination and to help prevent the development of mold.

Following a Category 3 black water loss, a professional restoration business will know and apply the proper procedures, techniques, products, and equipment to help restore property to its pre-loss condition safely and as rapidly as possible – at the same time protecting the health and well-being of employees and others who might need to enter the area.

Regardless of the circumstances – if water damage occurs from storms, floods or other sources, call your local PuroClean office, the “Paramedics of Property Damage.” For all water damage or damage from fire or smoke, these professionals are standing by and will mitigate the loss to prevent further damage, and will then provide restoration services to return the property to a pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. All PuroClean offices have professional, well-trained and certified Technicians who provide the latest state-of-the-science services to all property damaged from water, fire/smoke, mold, and other disasters.

PuroClean Professional Services

866-944-PURO (7876)

PuroCleanProServices.com

The fire is out, and the smoke has cleared. The fire department is gone, and the home owners are left with a disaster on their hands. It is important to have a professional mitigation company that can meet the required professional standards in service while recognizing the importance of extending true compassion and understanding.

After a fire is extinguished, a homeowner’s first obligation is to call the insurance company. This is most likely the first, and probably the only time, they will have to deal with this type of situation. They are distraught, stressed and traumatized. They need help.

So, what do you say to them? What suggestions can you make to begin the process of not only restoring their property, but also helping to restore their lives?

Safety is always the first concern. You want to ensure that the homeowner does not enter and walk around in the structure, which could expose them or other occupants to hazards. This can be a problem because smoke darkens the structure and obstructs the view of identifiable safety concerns. There may be compromised structural components, falling debris or even electrical-safety issues. Depending on the severity of the loss, the homeowner or other occupants may need to consider leaving the building.

In addition to the structural hazards, it is also important to consider health issues, especially in exasperating any respiratory ailments or concerns of the homeowner or others living in the damaged structure. Every fire generates particles of incomplete combustion (PIC’s) that remain in the air and on surfaces after the fire is out. Many of these PIC’s are known as carcinogens. They range in size from 0.1 to 4.0 microns. A micron is 1/1,000,000 of a meter—takes the thickness of a dime and slices it 1,000 times! Because of their very small size, PIC’s are easily inhaled.

The homeowner should consider leaving the structure, at least temporarily, especially if someone already has a known respiratory concern (infants, seniors, diabetics, asthmatics, etc.) If the homeowner decides to leave, have them secure the property to the highest extent possible. The next step is to get the professional mitigation company involved immediately! The sooner they start the restoration process, the easier it is going to be to assess, evaluate and act on the damage. The faster the response is, the greater the chance of saving property and possessions. For instance:

WITHIN MINUTES:

Plastic and marble surfaces begin to permanently stain. "The most effective way to ensure maximum service and outcome is to recommend a mitigation company you know and trust."

WITHIN HOURS:

Metals tarnish, grout stains, fiberglass yellows and furniture yellows.

WITHIN DAYS:

Flooring stains, fabrics are lost, and wood furniture finish is compromised.

And, the list goes on. The faster a professional can begin, the faster the occupants can return to a restored and healthy environment, and the better the homeowner can manage the loss to keep restoration costs as low as possible.

A professional mitigation company’s personnel know how to allay the many concerns and fears that a homeowner has after a fire. A prompt, knowledgeable and sympathetic response will go a long way in explaining the process and assuring them of the best possible outcome. The most effective way to ensure maximum service and outcome is to recommend a mitigation company you know and trust. Explain to the homeowner that they will be contacted; then call the mitigation company with the necessary information and let them make contact. Check with your client to confirm contact, but if you’ve made the right referral, the company should have already made contact letting them know what to expect—and that they will be on the site in a matter of hours.

Another responsibility of the homeowner is to document the personal items they have lost and try to attach a value. Take a moment and think of all the things you would hate to lose if a fire occurred in your home. Your customers are experiencing those emotions for real. They should review what was in the affected room or rooms and begin documenting losses as soon as they are able. A professional will take the time to communicate with the insured on the processes that will take place, how their property and personal items will be protected, and work with them on getting their lives back together.

The responsibility of the professional Smoke and Fire Company includes:

• Respond rapidly to the customer

• Communicate the procedures and secure an authorization

• Scope the damage and provide a detailed estimate

• Control and contain to prevent continuing damage

• Prevent cross-contamination

• Properly clean and process the entire job

• Process and properly dispose of wastes

• Provide effective odor control

• Provide an environment ready for any final repairs

From the time the first call is received until the mitigation is complete, a professional mitigation company is essential in handling the claim and in managing the cost.

PuroClean Professional Services

866-944-PURO (7876)

PuroCleanProServices.com