How to Prevent Water Damage in Austin

5/16/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

Some of the biggest causes of water damage in Austin are excessive rain, floods, and storms. However, water damage can occur in a variety of other ways as well –from leaky pipes, broken hoses, faulty vents and clogged toilets in your home or commercial property. All of these can create a multitude of problems.

Consider this: If you have a small pipe in your Austin home or office, and there’s even a hairline crack in it, you could be leaking up to 200 gallons of water a day. Annual routine inspections of your pipes and appliances that use water, such as dishwashers, sinks, bathroom plumbing, washing machines, refrigerators, as well as replacing any hoses that are problematic will help prevent leaks before they happen or get out of hand.

While minor leak repair can save you a lot in the end, nothing can really prepare you for excessive flooding, especially in cities like Austin, Texas that are prone to heavy periods of rain and flooding. If you experience heavy water damage, flood and water damage to your home or business, then water damage restoration by a commercial cleaning service will be a necessity.

Harmful Types of Water Damage

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), states that there are three different types of water that can be harmful, because of their potential contaminants. These classifications often have no relation to storms or floods.

1) Clean Water: Clean water is often the result of an appliance that leaks or eventually breaks down. Overall, it’s not as dangerous as #s 2 & 3, but it shouldn't be ignored, as this type of water can cause problems down the road.

2) Grey Water: Grey water is wastewater without the fecal contamination, but that doesn't mean it’s not contaminated. Grey water derives from plumbing problems, including leaks, seepage, clogged dishwashers, washing machines and toilets that overflow. If not addressed, grey water can contain a large amount of biological contaminants that will make you sick, especially if you have asthma, allergies or respiratory problems.

3) Black Water: This type of water damage is considered extremely dangerous as it can host harmful bacteria derived from sewage backup, floodwater and backed up toilets. The abundance of contaminated waste in black water should not be taken lightly, as the waste and pathogens can produce harmful bacteria that can be detrimental to your health if not remediated immediately.

The Four Classes of Water Damage in Austin

While water can greatly damage a home or business, in most cases it’s the time frame of how the water evaporates that’s responsible for different levels of damage. The longer the evaporation, the more harmful the damage will likely be.

According to the IICRC, there are four different classes of water damage, all of which are based on their levels of toxicity. Porosity also plays a large role in the extent of the damage. If an Austin home or business uses materials with low porosity, then it’s likely that the materials will absorb a minimum of the overall moisture. Minor floods can cause damage to carpets, but if ignored, then the water will eventually seep into the walls and can weaken the stability of the structure. Temperature and the time frame in which the damage is cleaned can greatly impact the spread of toxins, including mold. This is why it’s crucial to immediately address and remediate any type of water damage, so that it doesn't gestate and cause further problems.

Class 1 is characterized by a slow rate of evaporation that usually affects building materials with low porosity. This means that the materials can actually absorb the water, which is usually a limited amount impacting a small part of a room, or even larger rooms with materials that can take in limited moisture.

Larger amounts of water can be ranked as Class 2. Here, the amount of water can impact an entire room, leaving carpeting and furniture at risk. Signs include water creeping up walls and staining them, causing damage to most structural materials.

Class 3 involves the greatest amount of water damage, with water soaked ceilings, walls, insulation and carpeting. In most cases, an entire room or house has fallen victim to the water damage.

Class 4 mainly revolves around the extent of drying time and if any building materials are salvageable. Of course this all depends on the overall extent of the damage. If your Austin home or business is made of materials with low or no porosity (brick, concrete, plaster, stone and wood), then there’s a greater chance that it will be harder to properly remediate the water damage. The materials may have experienced such saturation that it will take low specific humidity to prevent further issues.

Additional Water Damage Problems

Wood Damage

While materials such as sheet rock, plaster and insulation can be affected by water damage, wood is also susceptible. If you have an older structure, largely constructed out of wood, water damage can affect the ceiling beams and floorboards. Excess water if not properly remediated, can waterlog beams and cause extensive damage and sagging from the excess weight. If the damage is extreme, them beams and floorboards, including the subfloor, may have to be replaced. In addition to the possibility of wood sagging for the water, beams and floorboards can also become warped and bring on mold and mildew. If caught early and properly dehumidified, the wood can be properly dried out and not have to be replaced.

Some Ideas on Preventing Water Damage

As Austin is particularly susceptible to flooding, you should prepare yourself and your property from any potential water damage that flooding can cause.

• Gutters: Most people don’t regularly clean their gutters. Leaves, twigs and other objects land in your gutters and just sit there. When a storm occurs, all of those objects will most likely stay there and clog the downspouts. With nowhere to go, all that water can run down the side of your house and business and seep into the foundation, walls and floors, leading to water damage and mold. Keep your gutters clean and if you have downspouts, position them at least ten feet from your structure, so that the water doesn't have contact with your structure.
• Sump Pumps: If your Austin home has a basement, you should always check your sump pump to make sure that it’s working, especially when inclement weather is on the rise.
• Fixing Leaks: It’s important to maintain the quality of hoses and pipes, by repairing any leaks that you may find. Pipes can leak through sealant and caulk if it’s old. Check for dark spots around pipes, as well as on the ceiling. Replace any damaged or loose shingles on your roof; this can help stop leaks and also prevent your roof from rotting in the future.

By taking some routine steps to prevent water damage, your home or business should be able to withstand a flood or rainstorm. However if you should experience water damage, and are not able to remedy it on your own, you will need to call a professional cleaning service, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin, to take care of it for you.