Blog Archives

The True Value of a Restoration Company in Toms River, NJ

3/30/2023

When a fire, flood cleanup in Toms River, NJ, water leak, mold damage cleanup in Toms River, NJ or other issue that makes your home either inhabitable or just an inconvenience to deal with, you must decide “Will I clean this up myself, or hire a pro?”

While some small, minor “disasters” can be tackled by a do-it-yourselfer, most restoration projects are best left to the pros.

Here’s why.

Safety

Obviously, keeping your family and loved ones safe is important to you. When dealing with disaster issues, what might seem like a minor issue may actually be a dangerous situation. Water damage in Toms River, NJ, even from the smallest leaks, can result in mold growth. Wet materials that might seem to be drying out could hold moisture in hidden areas. Smoke from a fire can be dangerous as well.

Back to normal

Anyone that has never suffered from a loss might not understand the emotions, frustrations and feeling of hopelessness that are common during a restoration project. Using a professional company means things move along quickly, and you are back in your home or able to use damaged rooms as soon as possible. Doing it yourself can make the project drag on for days longer than necessary, often with undesirable results.

Insurance coverage

Water, fire, smoke, wind, mold… what’s covered? And what’s not? Insurance policies are difficult to interpret, yet a professional disaster restoration company in Toms River, NJ works with insurance companies every day, so they are best equipped to help you through the process of dealing with insurance agents and adjusters. You want to be treated fairly and receive fair coverage from your insurance company. Having a qualified, reputable restoration contractor in your corner helps with the entire process.

Do what’s right. Call your disaster restoration company when you suffer any type of loss.

When Insurance Fails in Brick, NJ

3/26/2023

Devastating pipe breaks in Brick, NJ, failing sump pumps, a smoky kitchen fire, the roof leaking from damage from high winds… no one wants to deal with any of that.

But it does happen, and when it does, you probably do what is natural – you pick up the phone and call your insurance company, most likely your insurance agent, who may direct you to anyone from a central call center to handle your claim, an insurance adjuster, or perhaps to a local disaster restoration in Brick, NJ contractor they know.

And then the fun begins.

You aren’t sure yet if you have coverage, because the insurance company is dragging its feet. The adjuster isn’t able to come out for a few days, something you can’t believe. You worry, fret, and wonder if the damage to your home will be covered, and if you will have to pay for some (or all?) of the water damage in Brick, NJ. You know you have to cover the deductible, and that’s not cheap.

The work begins. Everyone is in a hurry because if the damage isn’t fixed right away, other issues will surface. The restoration contractor does what he is trained to do, and the work progresses nicely, and eventually all is well again at home.

A few days late, the adjuster shows up. And he delivers a devastating blow. While you have coverage, the cost to repair the mold damage in Brick, NJ is more than the insurance company feels is fair, so they will only pay a percentage of the costs. The rest? You have to pay for that yourself.

What can you do?

One thing is to get another opinion. Hiring an independent insurance adjuster to review the job, all the paperwork, and your insurance policy might shed light on the issue and give you more info you need.

Depending on the new information you receive, you can revisit the issue with your insurance company. Taking this information to the insurance adjuster who you are battling with probably won’t do much good. It’s time to go over his head, as the saying goes.

If the difference between the costs of basement cleanup in Brick, NJ, and repairs and the offer from the insurance company is high enough, you can also consider a claim to the state entity (such as the insurance commissioner) that has authority and power to help. Many claim to be subject to bad business practices. You might be advised to hire an attorney, all which will cost you more.

The good news is if you hire the very best disaster restoration company, they have the experience to help you deal with all of this. After all, it pays to call a pro!

Preventing Water Damage

3/22/2023

DID YOU KNOW that a nice vacation is one of the most coveted, relaxing events you can experience? That’s right… a relaxing time in a beautiful location, enjoying time with family and friends… it can’t be beat.

But that nice vacation becomes a disaster with all kinds of regrets if the family arrives home to a flooded basement in Toms River, NJ!

It is one of the absolute worst events in life. You didn’t want to come home. You wanted to extend your vacation, but you know you have to go to work on Monday. So you arrive home late Sunday night, and when you walk in the door, instead of nice, plush carpet awaiting your footsteps, you discover a squishy experience, and the first thing you hear is the sound of a pipe spewing water all over the place in another room. Oh no! Just how much water damage in Toms River, N.J. do I have?

Oh, if only you had been home when that pipe broke! If you had been home, you could have quickly shut off the main water supply and cleaned up the small mess. But Murphy’s Law dictates that if the worst can happen, it will. Pipes seem to break when no one is home. Sump pumps seem to fail when no one is home. The list goes on and on.

What can you do?

Here are some tips homeowners can use to ensure water damage does not occur:

1.    Secure all windows and doors. Remember that a storm can drive water into your home if there is any type of opening, even a small one at a window.

2.    Don’t turn off the heat! Keep the thermostat set at a level that ensures nothing inside will freeze. In winter months, you never know how cold it may get when you are on vacation.

3.    Some hot water heaters have a vacation setting. Play it safe and take advantage of it.

4.    This one is really important! Shut off all water supply sources to anything that might leak, like the washing machine. Even better? If appropriate, shut off the main water supply to the home, but leave instructions if anyone is going to visit or stay at your home while you are away.

5.    Make sure your sump pump is in good working order. A failed sump pump means ground water is going to intrude and create havoc in your home.

So enjoy your next vacation, but don’t let coming home be a disaster. Follow these tips to make sure you don’t suffer from a water damage disaster.

And remember to get a mold test in Toms River, N.J. down the road.

(But if you do, call a water damage pro. Always use a professional if mold removal in Toms River, N.J. is needed. They can fix it!)

‘Do Not Do’ Activities After a Water Damage

3/19/2023

Broken pipes in Brick, NJ, leaky roofs, plugged up drains, wind-driven rain, and other issues can strike at any time, especially during spring weather.

When water intrudes, you want to clean it up, and fast. Most homeowners call their favorite water damage cleanup in Brick, NJ company, but while they wait, they find it very difficult to do nothing about their unfortunate situation.

Some may attempt to vacuum up the water, get out all the fans, rip out wet sheetrock, and other tasks that need to be handled — at least in the minds of those affected by a disaster. It’s really tough to sit by, wait, and do nothing in a situation like this.

But often, that’s exactly what you should do. Nothing. Make the phone call to your basement cleanup in Brick, NJ company and get their advice and wait for them.

With this in mind, consider these definite “do not do” activities in the event of a water damage in Brick, NJ situation.

Do not vacuum up any water with an ordinary vacuum cleaner (yes, it’s been done and not with good results) and it is best to avoid even a wet/dry vacuum. If you must do some water extraction yourself, make sure it is a professional grade piece of equipment, such as something you might rent, as there are safety considerations to keep in mind — such as avoiding electrocution.

Don’t use electrical appliances, even ordinary ones that might seem harmless, when in the vicinity of flooded areas. Make sure any power cards are properly grounded in your home.

Don’t go into heavily flooded rooms if you can, don’t walk on wet carpet or through flooded areas, such as a basement. Again, the electrical issue can be a factor. If the flooding is limited and you simply have a squishy carpet, you may be able to move around the home, but only after you have made certain power is turned off in affected areas and there are no safety concerns.

Don’t start pulling apart building materials, such as sheetrock, or removing carpet, as you might make a bigger mess that will make more work for the restoration company that is on its way. Small injuries can quickly become infected injuries.

Don’t wait! Disaster restoration in Brick, NJ companies work 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s the nature of disaster work. Do the right thing, and give your favorite restoration company a call the minute disaster strikes. After all, it pays to call a pro!

Pipes that (Usually) Freeze First

3/13/2023

When you have frozen pipes in Trenton, NJ, they create havoc that is time consuming and expensive.

Your home is full of all kinds of pipes, including fresh water pipes that supply your bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, and more. These fresh water pipes are under pressure, and if they freeze up, they can become a burst pipe in Trenton, NJ and create a huge mess that must be cleaned up quickly.

You might have heard some say that hot water freezes faster than cold water. If you do a quick Google search, you will see all types of references to this topic. You might have seen videos of people throwing hot water up in freezing air and it freezes instantly, creating ice crystals. But no matter what you personally believe, one thing is accepted as true among many disaster restoration professionals:

Hot water pipes freeze and break faster than cold water pipes.

This statement isn’t based simply on water temperature. It’s based on the makeup of the water, and some studies show that hot water contains more dissolved gasses, and those chemical particles crystalize first.

Many restoration professionals will tell you that they have been on many water damage in Trenton, NJ jobs where the hot water pipe was broken and spraying water, while the cold water pipe was fine.

And at the same time, many have experienced hot water spigots doing nothing while their cold water companions, just within inches of each other, work just fine.

There are many articles about what is called the “Mpemba” effect, that warm water freezes faster than cold water. While it makes for interesting reading, the main takeaway for you is to make sure that no pipes in your home ever freeze.

You can do this with some planning. The best solution is to make sure your pipes are wrapped with heat tape or insulation, combined with ensuring no cold drafts are allowed into walls or cavities in your home. Another preventive step to take is when the temperatures really dip into the sub-zero range, and especially if you have had pipes freeze in the past, consider allowing them to drip during extended times of not being used. Yes, this will run up your water bill a bit, but it is definitely cheaper than a devastating pipe break and resulting water in basement in Trenton, NJ.

But if the unthinkable does occur, and a pipe breaks and damages your home, do the right thing. Call your favorite basement cleanup in Trenton, NJ company. After all, it pays to call a pro!

When Bathrooms Flood

3/7/2023

It happens, and not at the most opportune time. You push the flusher, and then it all happens. The toilet overflows. You panic, you might scream…that’s just one simple issue, and with bathrooms there are many issues…. You may need emergency cleanup in Toms River, NJ.

A clogged toilet may overflow when flushed, or a water supply line leaks under a bathroom sink, or someone (possibly you) starts filling a bathtub and forgets, or you have a burst pipe in Toms River, NJ —any of these can turn the water loose in the bathroom. Not a good scenario at all.
When this happens, it’s may seem it is all over, and you can’t fix what’s happening. However, there are some things you can do to fix some serious issues.

Control the flow
It may be a simple concept, yet when you can’t find the shut-off valve, panic can attack. Don’t delay – look for the shut off values now and be ready for what’s going to happen eventually.

Watch the electricity
Where there is water, and electricity, there is danger. Mark your power supply so you can find the breaker that turns off the power to your bathroom. While in the basement, check to see if you need basement cleanup in Toms River, NJ.

Start mopping or extracting
Standing water is not a good thing. While a fresh leak is one thing, if given time that water can start to seep into areas that can create costly damage. With the first inclination of water intrusion, start extracting. You need to avoid excess water damage in Toms River, NJ.

Of course, the best thing is to call your favorite water damage restoration company. After all, it pays to call a water damage cleanup in Toms River, NJ company!

‘Do Not Do’ Activities After a Water Damage

3/5/2023

Broken pipes in Brick, NJ, leaky roofs, plugged up drains, wind-driven rain, water damage in Brick, NJ, and other issues can strike at any time, especially during spring weather.

When water intrudes, you want to get basement cleanup in Brick, NJ, and fast. Most homeowners call their favorite emergency cleanup in Brick, NJ, but while they wait, they find it very difficult to do nothing about their unfortunate situation.

Some may attempt to vacuum up the water, get out all the fans, rip out wet sheetrock, and other tasks that need to be handled — at least in the minds of those affected by a disaster. It’s really tough to sit by, wait, and do nothing in a situation like this.

But often, that’s exactly what you should do. Nothing. Make the phone call to your attic cleanup in Brick, NJ company and get their advice and wait for them.

With this in mind, consider these definite “do not do” activities in the event of a water damage situation.

Do not vacuum up any water with an ordinary vacuum cleaner (yes, it’s been done and not with good results) and it is best to avoid even a wet/dry vacuum. If you must do some water extraction yourself, make sure it is a professional grade piece of equipment, such as something you might rent, as there are safety considerations to keep in mind — such as avoiding electrocution.

Don’t use electrical appliances, even ordinary ones that might seem harmless, when in the vicinity of flooded areas. Make sure any power cards are properly grounded in your home.

Don’t go into heavily flooded rooms if you can, don’t walk on wet carpet or through flooded areas, such as a basement. Again, the electrical issue can be a factor. If the flooding is limited and you simply have a squishy carpet, you may be able to move around the home, but only after you have made certain power is turned off in affected areas and there are no safety concerns.

Don’t start pulling apart building materials, such as sheetrock, or removing carpet, as you might make a bigger mess that will make more work for the restoration company that is on its way. Small injuries can quickly become infected injuries.

Don’t wait! Disaster restoration companies work 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s the nature of disaster work. Do the right thing, and give your favorite restoration company a call the minute disaster strikes. After all, it pays to call a pro!

3 Ways to Avoid Water Damage

3/2/2023

What is water damage in Trenton, NJ? It’s anything that happens in your home that causes problems for you and your family.

It can be a simple over-flowing of a sink onto the kitchen floor. Or perhaps a toilet didn’t flush properly and it sloshed out a bit onto the bathroom floor. Then again it can be a little more serious such as from broken pipes in Trenton, NJ that spewed water everywhere in the basement when it was time for spring watering of the flowers, and now you need basement cleanup in Trenton, NJ.

No matter what, a water damage in your home is bad news. Even the tiniest bit of water can cause all kinds of problems, from the worse (mold damage in Trenton, NJ) to the least (pesky odors).

There are three things you can do to help prevent water damage in your home.

Know the water supply turn-off location. If a pipe breaks and spews water all over, knowing how to turn off the water is important. You have pipes and water supply points all over your home. The one main turn-off location should be on everyone’s mind.

Repair leaking faucets now. What may be dripping slowly can quickly become a bigger problem soon. And don’t forget those hoses under the sink that feed the dripping faucet. They can burst, too. Look for wet areas under all sinks.

Change the hoses on your washing machine. Washing machine hoses are pretty cheap to replace but if one of them were to burst, it’s disaster time. These hoses are always under pressure and if they, for some reason, tend to break when you are not at home.

While there are other ways water damage situations an occur in your home, these are the common ones. Don’t make a mistake… prepare now and avoid problems in the future.

But when the worst thing happens, such as a water damage in your home, don’t delay. Call your water damage cleanup in Trenton, NJ pro today!

Jo Lucas

Archives