Why does your Kennesaw basement flood?

12/3/2019 (Permalink)

If your home or business suffers water damage call the pros that know how to make it "Like it never even happened." ...SERVPRO of East Cobb!

Choosing a restoration company can be difficult. It’s fine to judge a company’s work when things go smoothly, but it's a better measure of a company to judge them on how they handle issues when a project doesn’t go as planned. You want to choose a company that you know and that you can trust. A company with roots in the Kennesaw community and an impeccable track record. You want a restoration company that stands behind their work and offers warranties. You want SERVPRO of Marietta West!

Everyday SERVPRO of Marietta West answers customer’s urgent calls concerning any number of different types of water, mold, and fire damage. Our number one goal is to return your property to preloss condition and make it “Like it never even happened.” That’s why SERVPRO of Marietta West fields some of the most knowledgeable, well trained, and capable water restoration technicians in all of Metro Atlanta area. SERVPRO is never more than a phone call away and is always ready to answer your call 24/7, day or night. When disaster strikes, don’t go it alone. It’s time to call the professionals at SERVPRO of Marietta West.

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When your home or business suffers water damage, you don’t just want things cleaned. You want your life back and that's where SERVPRO of Marietta West comes in. We specialize in water restoration, flooding, and storm damage. One of our main strengths, aside from mitigating and restoring our customers property, is our customer service. From your initial call to your final bill, SERVPRO of Marietta West will make every effort to make this process easy and hassle free. We will treat you and your family with respect and empathy, and will always treat your home and belongings with care. Doing all that we can to help you regain control following a water disaster. 

It is important to know the classification of the contaminated water you are dealing with when it comes to water restoration in Kennesaw. Knowing the classification allows SERVPRO professionals to choose the proper course of action to restore your property to preloss condition.

Classification of Contaminated Water   

• Category One (CAT1) is the least harmful. Thought of as clean water, or water that doesn’t pose health concerns or threats to humans. This damage affects only part of a room, with materials that include particle board, plywood, structural wood, vinyl composition tile, and concrete. Often caused by broken or leaking appliances or sinks.
• Category Two (CAT2) is often referred to as greywater and may cause sickness if ingested due to microorganisms. Has a fast rate of evaporation. This faster rate means that carpets and cushions are damaged. The seepage of water up a wall is less than 24 inches, and moisture is held within structural materials. Often caused by broken toilets, sump pumps, and HVAC drainage lines.
• Category Three (CAT3) is commonly known as “blackwater” and is unsanitary due to bacteria and other organisms that can cause sickness and other health issues. Has the fastest rate of evaporation. Damage may come from faulty sprinklers or other ceiling sources that can soak the walls, furniture, carpets, ceilings and the subfloor. A wide-spread water event.
• Category Four (CAT4) requires special water restoration and removal treatment. This classification affects flooring, plaster, stone, brick, crawlspaces, and concrete. 

Pipe Leak - A pipe leak in the basement can cause an untold amount of water damage depending on what type of pipe is leaking. Does the pipe have constant water flowing through it or is a drain line that carries water to the sewer? Pipes with constant water pressure tend to spray water non-stop until the water is shut off or the leak is repaired. If the leak is not detected quickly, water will accumulate and saturate porous materials like sheetrock, flooring and other textiles like furniture. In most cases, walls and flooring are able to be dried to IICRC S500 Standards using air-movers, low grain refrigerant dehumidifiers (LGR dehumidifiers), with minimal demolition required. When drainage lines or pipes leak there is often less water involved, but the water is most likely highly contaminated. This type of water damage would be categorized as CAT3 water damage, meaning that special care will need to be taken to prevent mold growth and contamination of on affected areas. Furniture and carpeting will need to be removed and disposed of properly. Hardwoods, carpeting, and any other flooring will also need to be removed. Sheetrock can be mitigated by performing a “flood cut” around the base of the wall in any area affected by the water damage. Any materials that came in contact with the CAT 3 water will need to be evaluated for restoration and will most likely have to be replaced.

Toilet Leaks / Sewage Backup - Toilet leaks and sewage backup probably seem very similar to the untrained eye, but the treatment protocols can vary greatly. Sewage backups typically contains “greywater”, “blackwater”, and even human waste. All sewage jobs are categorized no lower than a CAT3 water damage, but not every toilet leak is categorized as CAT3 water damage. A good way of determining if your toilet leaking CAT3 water is to determine what part of the toilet the leak is coming from. If the leak is coming from beyond the toilet trap (the bowl, the base, or from the inner workings of the toilet) then it is most likely CAT3 water you are dealing with. If the leak is coming from the toilet supply line, then there is a good chance that the water would be considered CAT1 water damage because the leak originated from a potable water source. 

The cleanup procedures for CAT1 typically involve minimal demolition and textiles like carpeting, hardwood floors, furniture, and other textiles have a greater likelihood of being dried, cleaned, and restored to preloss condition. Typically technicians will extract standing water and water from saturated carpeting, treating the areas with antimicrobial professional cleaning products. Air-movers can then be placed in the affected area(s) along with LGR dehumidifiers. Once dry, surfaces in the affected area are given a final cleaning using SERVPRO’s proprietary professional cleaning products and antimicrobial treatments to prevent future mold growth.

CAT3 water damage tend to be a little bit more involved restoration process due to its hazardous nature and requires additional precautions. The first step is to extract any standing water and water from saturated carpeting. Then the demolition phase will begin. This step requires that anything that came in contact with contaminated water be removed, be it drywall, flooring, or furniture. Once demo is completed the entire area is cleaned using professional antimicrobial cleaning products. Drying and air filtration equipment can be placed in the affected area until the structure is dry to IICRC standards. 

Weather Events, Floods, and Storms - When we respond to water damage that occurs due to weather events like heavy rains, floods, and high winds we are dealing with water damage that originates from outside the home or business. Water that makes it way inside the structure of a building is commonly referred to as “intrusive water”. Water that originates from outside your home or business is also categorized as CAT3 water, due to the likelihood of it carrying heavy metals, bacterial/biological agents, and microorganisms which are hazardous to your health. Materials like drywall, vinyl floors, carpeting, and furniture that come in contact with this type of water will need to be removed or assessed for restoration by a trained professional. If not handled properly or left untreated, areas damaged by CAT3 water or “intrusive water” can develop mold growth very easily.  

Storm and Flood damage can originate from many places like doorways, along window seals, rooflines, and even the foundation. In major flooding events, water levels can rise in floodplains or flood zones putting homes and businesses a major risk of water damage. Flooding events typically affect large swaths of the community and whole cities, like the floods in Nashville, TN or Joplin, MO. Floods even affect large portions of states like the floods in Louisiana,  Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Storms are typically thought of as more isolated events like when a tree falls on a house or high winds damage damage siding or shingles. 

Landscaping Grading and Drainage Issues - Rainfall can also trigger events that exacerbate underlying issues with the structure or design of the building. Like when rainfall overwhelms drainage systems like gutters, drainage ditches, floor drains, or sump-pumps. Water damage caused by landscape grading or drainage issues refer to issues stemming from the topography of the land that the structure is built on or inadequate drainage systems put in place to shed water safely. Issues can be naturally occurring, like building a home in or near a floodplain, or they can also be man-made, like when gutters get clogged with leaves causing rainwater to pool and penetrate a building. An example of naturally occurring issues would be when a home is built near the base of a hill or in a valley. Rainwater that falls on the hillsides runs down the hill and comes to rest at the lowest point causing pools of water to from near the base of the hill, water to intrude into the structure,and damaging to the property. An example of man-made issues include poorly planned property landscape grading, poorly planned structural additions to the property, poor maintenance and/or installation of drainage systems, or removal of trees/shrubbery or other ground coverings that cause erosion issues.

Call SERVPRO of Marietta West (770)428-5467 today and let us truly make it “Like it never even happened,” with our construction!

Emergency Building Services

When your home has been damaged by a storm or water, the immediate concern may include temporary protective measures to prevent additional damages, like placing a roof tarp. Learn more about our Building Services.

•  Board-Up
•  Roof Tarp
•  Temporary Fencing
•  Move-Out / Pack-Out
•  Temporary Warehouse Space

Repairs and Minor Building Services

The following building and repair services may be necessary to restore your home to pre-water damage condition. 

•  Drywall Removal and Installation
•  Hardwood Floor Repair
•  Tile Floor Repair
•  Painting
•  Carpet Repair and Installation

Building Services and Reconstruction

SERVPRO of Marietta West can simplify the restoration process by handling both the initial water damage mitigation and rebuilding the affected areas. Having one qualified company for the entire process can save time and keep costs low. We can provide this continuity by supervising a full range of restoration services that will bring the building back to full functionality.