How Serious Can Flood Damage Affect Your Home in Jacksonville, Florida?

Floods have a big impact on both individuals and communities and have social, economic, and environmental consequences. They both give negative and positive consequences. Floods affect environments. 

Most people are aware that the impacts of flooding can cause loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops and livestock, and weakening of health conditions by bringing water-borne diseases. People’s normal lives are disrupted. Communication links and power plants are also affected when flood gushes through,  people are forced to leave their homes.

It can also lead to loss of livelihood. Damage to infrastructures can also cause long-term impacts. Floods can affect clean water supplies, wastewater treatments, electricity, transportation, communication, education and healthcare. It also causes loss of land value and reduction in purchasing power.

Small damages from floods can include a little water seeping through basement windows or floor drains overflowing slightly. Not only that, serious damages could also stem from them. Let’s discover some of the worst possible effects water damage can bring into your home.

Widespread Mold Growth

Mold is the last thing that you want in your home. It only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to grow on your water-soaked items. This includes everything from clothing to toys and carpets.

Aside from breaking  the structural integrity of your home, mold can also be very toxic to your health. It causes allergic reactions and breathing problems especially to sensitive individuals. If you are not quick to respond to flood damage, rampant mold growth could take over your house.  Call ServiceMaster by PWF for immediate response.

Black Water Contamination

The type of water that can flood your home is divided into three categories:
·  Category 1: clean water from sanitary sources
·  Category 2: gray water from home appliances that can make you sick if ever your body absorbs it
·  Category 3: black water from unhygienic sources that can contain human or animal waste. This water contains pathogens that can make you extremely sick.

It is better if you rectify a home with black water contamination, but it is the most difficult contamination to recover from.

Broken Wiring, Gas Lines, and Appliances

You should always turn off electrical and gas services to avoid electrocution or gas leaks if you are going to have a flood clean up. Rewiring and installing new gas lines may be necessary to get your home back up and running. 

The Best Option is to Move

If your home is engulfed in floodwater, correcting and repair costs could easily exceed the cost to move. Soaked earth pressing in on the foundation could cause it to crack. Tilted walls or a shifted roof could even lead to collapse. Inside the house, sagged ceilings and drywall might collapse easily, especially if mold starts to grow.

Starting from scratch may be the only option, even though you have completely repaired your home. You still need to refurnish and install new appliances and fixtures.

Recover from Flood Damage with Our Help

We all know floods can be very devastating, both emotionally and financially. If serious water damage has got you wondering, a company offering flood damage remediation in Jacksonville will be able to help you out. We also offer water damage restoration services in Jacksonville and will give you an assessment.

ServiceMaster by PWF is servicing Jacksonville and other parts of Duval County. Contact our office near you. Pinellas: 813-295-7797, Ocala: 352-292-8988, Gainesville: 352-441-3020, Lake City: 386-866-3349, Duvall | Clay | St. John: 904-999-4481.

Top Property Preparations for the Hurricane Season in St. Augustine, Florida

There are advantages and disadvantages of owning a property. Natural disasters make us wonder why we thought that investing in a certain property was such a great idea. Hurricanes can cause damages but they can usually be predicted days or weeks in advance, giving us time to prepare. 

Hurricanes can smash lives as well as break properties. Being prepared can help you minimize the storm’s impact. The best time to start is before the threat is brewing at hand. Here are some ways that you can prepare before a hurricane strikes. When the storm does hit, call ServiceMaster by PWF for all your clean up and repair needs.

1. Plan your evacuation route very well ahead of time - you may need to evacuate ahead of time if you live near the coast or in a mobile home. It is an intelligent move if you create your own evacuation plan well before the disaster strikes if you don’t get any instructions from your local government. In this way, you’ll know about the nearest shelters ahead of time, take your pets into account, make sure to take important documents, and make a trial run.

2. Consider a generator - in the time of an approaching natural disaster, considering purchasing a generator for your property is one of the best options. Generators are will save you money in the long run; they can be very costly but after a disaster hits, you will be very glad that your purchased one.

3. Prepare emergency supplies on hand - people go to stores when a hurricane warning is being issued. Get ahead of the rush by having the following on hand:

·  Extra batteries
·  Candles or lamps with fuel
·  Matches (keep them dry all the time)
·  Materials and tools for emergency home repairs-such as heavy plastic sheeting, plywood, hammer,    etc.
·  First aid kit
·  Prescription drugs
·  Supplies of drinking water
·  Canned foods
·  Portable/chargeable/battery-supplied radio
·  Flashlights and batteries
·  Basic tools

4. Personal Property Inventory - making a home inventory will help you ensure that you have purchased enough insurance to replace your personal possessions. It can also speed the claims process, validate losses for income tax purposes, and is helpful. Just make sure that your home inventory is among the important documents that you’re going to take with you.

5. Have the Proper Insurance - obtaining proper insurance is the first thing that you should do before you even close a property. Ensure that the insurance goes into effect the second you close on the property. Once the hurricane is on the radar, it is too late to get the proper insurance coverage.

6. Take steps to protect your home - hurricanes can turn landscaping materials into a mess, and can break windows and doors and much of the property can be damaged. While modifying your home to protect against these possibilities is undoubtedly an expense, you can do it in stages.

·  Replace gravel or rock landscaping materials with shredded bark since it is much lighter and will not cause much harm.
·  Cut weak branches or tress that could fall on your house and keep shrubs well-trimmed.  
·  Ensure that door exteriors are hurricane-proof and have at least three hinges and a dead bolt lock that is one inch long. 
·  Sliding glass doors should be made of tempered glass and, during the storm, must be covered with shutters or plywood. 
·  Replace old garage doors and tracks with a door that is approved for both wind pressure and impact protection. 
·  Secure outside wall openings such as vents, outdoor electrical outlets, garden hose bibs and locations where cables or pipes go through the wall. 

A hurricane can destroy anything in its path, with its lashing winds, heavy rains, and storm surges. Here are some tips on how to survive the wild rage of a hurricane.

Before it hits
·  Residents living near coastal areas should create evacuation plans before a warning issue is raised.
·  Stock up emergency supplies including food, water clothing, medications, first aid kits, flashlights, batteries, other important documents, and gasoline.

During the storm
·  Evacuees should listen to local authorities on radio or television. Get inside the most secure building possible and stay away from windows.
·  Wait for the authorities to announce that the hurricane has passed.

ServiceMaster by PWF is a water damage restoration and flood damage restoration company in St. Augustine and all other areas of St. Johns County, as well as surrounding Northeast Florida counties. If you want to be prepared, check out our company. We also perform storm damage restoration in St. Augustine. We have great tools to help get you and your family-even your pets-organized and ready to act quickly if emergency strikes. Contact us today! 813-295-7797.

Prevent Summer Fires in Clearwater FL by Reading These Tips!

By latest statistical monitoring records according to the National Inter-agency Fire Center, from January 1 to May 10, 2019, there occurred 10,625 wildfires where about 211,923 acres were burned while in 2018, there had been 58,083 wildfires and about 8.8 million acres were burned. Furthermore, according to U.S. Department of Interior, 90 percent of wild land fires in the United States are caused by people.
 

Wildfire is a man-caused natural disaster that should be taken seriously. One of the main causes of wildfire is campfires during the summer season. Outdoor activities like summer campfires can be enjoyable and fun without the hassles of anxiety and fear through awareness and safe fire practices. Let ServiceMaster Restore by PWF, having a combined 30 plus years of industry experience, especially with fires, give you tips on how to prevent summer fires from happening. This article is limited to open campfire prevention for informative purposes only.

Open Campfire Safety Tips

Safety Tip No. 1: Observe Safety Rules
Most parks and camps impose strict rules and regulations. Follow and adhere to their campfire rules and regulations; there are even times when fires are not allowed.

Safety Tip No. 2: Have a Safe and Controlled Spot
Before starting a fire, pick a safe spot where it will not potentially spread out. Basically, dig out a small and shallow pit by scrapping away grass and leaves and surrounding it with big rocks. Have emergency water and shovel nearby to be ready in case something happens. Assign a knowledgeable person to be in charge of the campfire area and the responsibility of putting out the fire after an activity ends.

Safety Tip No. 3: Control and Manage the Use of Fire
Build your bonfire or campfire in the middle of a dirt-surrounded area and totally away from combustible elements like dried leaves, hanging tree branches, and tent areas. Safely guard the area by separating the wood that you will be using within the cleared area. Keep lighter fluids or matches out of the reach of children. The size of the fire should only be enough for cooking and should not be played with.

Safety Tip No. 4: Extinguish Fire after Use
Use water and shovel dirt and do the safe and trusted method--the "drown, stir and feel" method. First, drown the fire with water. Second, stir the area with the shovel and put out any remaining embers with water. Third, feel the area using the back of your hands for remaining glowing small fire sparklers. 

Always bear in mind that during an outdoor activity, stay alert all the time and be conscious with safety and environmental responsibility. By practicing the above safety tips, you can have a good memorable summer campfire activity with less hassles!
 
For more fire preventive tips, please feel free to call  ServiceMaster Restore by PWF at 813-295-7797; our service technicians are always ready to serve. ServiceMaster Restore by PWF specializes in the restoration of any property after any disaster, large or small, including water, fire, and smoke damage, even mold.
   
For fire damage restoration in Clearwater, soot removal in St Petersburg, smoke damage restoration in Oldsmar and other restoration services, contact us now! For other details and information, please visit our website at https://www.servicemasterbypwf.com/ or you may contact us directly @ https://www.servicemasterbypwf.com/contact-us/; our service technicians would be happy to visit our clients residing in Clearwater, St Petersburg, Oldsmar, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor, Madeira Beach, Pinellas Park, St Petersburg Beach, Tarpon Springs, Treasure Island, Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Gulfport, Belleair Bluffs, and other Northeast Florida areas. 813-295-7797