Posts Tagged ‘Flood Damage’

Water Damage and the Hidden Dangers of Mould

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Important Information Regarding Health Risk

The floods we have seen across many regions of the country in recent months have brought water damage restoration and the dangers of mould into the public eye.

Floods or unexpected water damage such as a burst pipe can have a devastating impact on a property and those who live or work within that property. If water damage is not dealt with correctly and quickly by experienced technicians, water damage may result in undetected toxic mould growth, leading to expensive mould remediation.

Besides the additional costs involved in treating the mould, the presence of mould poses serious health risks with many types of mould proven to lead to respiratory illness, allergies, rashes and asthma. The elderly, children and people with low immune systems are most at risk.

The spores of fungi remain present in the air and on objects. They lie dormant, waiting for the perfect conditions of high humidity and warm temperatures to grow. Once the growth begins, it spreads quickly. Since microbial growth is exponential, quick response is imperative to control it. Dehumidification is effective in arresting the growth, but the active growth must be stopped and spores must be removed.

To avoid the danger of mould and the cost of remediation, the National Upholstery, Carpet Cleaners & Restorers Association advise, ‘Hire a restorer who has been trained in specialised water damage restoration. Not all companies who offer restoration services have the appropriate skills to carry out the work. The drying process is the most important part of the restoration process and if it is not carried out professionally there are many risks that can occur. Choose a NUCCRA Member who specialises in Restoration. These companies have the training and experience to carry out the work. If your insurance company sends you a restorer ask if they have a IICRC qualification and ask to see their IICRC card. You do not want to put yourself or your family at risk by having the job done by someone untrained’.

At Steamy’s Cleaning and Restoration Services it is our goal to get water damaged properties back to a liveable and safe place for the family and get business premises back to normal as quickly as possible. Steamy’s has IICRC qualified technicians to ensure your property is properly and safely remediated. If you or anyone you know have any questions about recent flood damage and any remediation work done, feel free to contact us today on 1300 881 110.

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Posted in Carpet, Rug and Upholstery Cleaning, IICRC, Restoration, Water Damage | Comments Off

Keep your pipes warm in winter to minimise flood damage

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Over the past month, we’ve had a heap of call outs for flood damage due to hot water services bursting. These jobs are always a common occurrence in winter as it is not uncommon for pipes to burst after water freezes inside them. Having a pipe burst in your house or building can be a painful and frustrating exercise, and it’s important that you know how to deal with it so to best minimise damage, cost and stress.

Unfortunately, pipe bursts in the chilly winter weather are not an uncommon occurrence. Water in pipes can often freeze and expand, which places extreme pressure on the inner wall of the pipes, causing the pipes to expand or explode.

If a pipe bursts in your house, you need to act quickly. Water damage to carpets, upholstery and contents can be extensive and the best way to restore it is to make sure you minimise the damage in the first place.

If your pipes burst, you should immediately turn off the stop tap to stop water flowing through your pipes to remove the cause of the flood. There is no point in calling a restorer out to help you if the water is still running. After you have stopped the flow, you need to contact your water damage restorer to come out and evaluate the damage as soon as possible. Flood damage to carpets, upholstery and contents can be much more extensive than most people believe (if not dried out properly, water damage can even lead to mould growth – which is a lot more expensive to fix than the original water damage!)

While you are waiting for a restorer to get to the site, you should block the escaping water with a towel, open all the taps in your house to reduce flooding and the pressure on the system, Turn off the source of heat for the hot water and central heating to avoid electrical problems and call your plumber to come out and assess the pipe burst.

There are a number of ways that you can avoid your pipes bursting. Make sure to repair all dripping taps and faulty valves which drip, as these can often allow waste pipes to freeze. Keep your house warm and stop draughts into your house during winter to keep the pipe work warm. Most importantly, make sure your stop tap works, so that in the event of a burst you can turn off the water. If you don’t have one, get one fitted!

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Posted in Water Damage | Comments Off