The Polar Vortex is set to return to our region today – and it’s bringing lots of snow with it this time. When I heard the reports coming in over the weekend, it reminded me of a poem my grandmother used to recite every winter:

“The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
He’ll hide in a barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide him head under him wing,
poor thing!”

The problem for us humans is, we can’t hide in a barn – and ice and snow can bring with it all sorts of winter water damage – both inside and out!
Statistics gathered by the Insurance Information Institute suggest that property damage from water and freezing are the second most frequent cause of damage, coming in just below wind and hail as the most commonly reported homeowner’s insurance claim.

So, once the snow stops, bundle up because it’s time to do your rounds.
Look for leaks in your roof, damaged walls, and broken windows.
All that snow outside that melts and re-freezes can form a blockage, preventing water from properly running off of your roof, and leaving it nowhere to go but inside your home. This is called an ice dam.

In addition, the weight of the ice and snow on your roof can get to be too heavy, causing structural damage to your home. Usually this is a problem with flat roofs on older buildings. But, other damage like blistering, bruising, and splitting can happen on your roof shingles – even on newer homes!

And, winter storm damage to your roof outside can mean water damage inside your home – damaging walls and ceilings.

The second kind of water damage associated with winter freezing temperatures: burst pipes!
In a previous post, we discussed how to prevent frozen and burst pipes.

But if you didn’t get this information quickly enough, here’s what to do if you discover frozen or burst pipes now:

• If your pipes are already frozen, don’t wait for them to burst! Take measures to thaw them immediately with a hair dryer, or call a plumber for assistance. But be careful: don’t stand in water with an electrical appliance!

• If your pipes have already burst, first turn off the water at the main before trying to mop up. Then call PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services 877-750-7876 Avoid potential mold growth! Don’t wait to get your property dry.

• Call your insurance agent as soon as you can. An insurance adjuster doesn’t need to see the damage; however, they will want to inspect any damaged items. Make a list of the damaged articles, and take pictures!

• Protect your property from further damage. Remove any carpet, carpet pad or furniture so that no additional damage will occur. If this is not possible, put pieces of tin foil under the furniture to protect it from damage from the soaked carpet and pad.

• Save the receipts for what you spend—including additional living expenses if you must leave your home until repairs are completed—and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Standard homeowners policies or business property and casualty policies will cover most of the kinds of damage that result from a snow storm or deep freeze.
At PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services, we are always happy to work with your insurance company.

We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and are always available for emergency response at 877-750-7876.

We know that working with your property and casualty insurance company is important, and we pride ourselves in open communication – both with you and the insurance adjuster throughout the process.

PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services crews have been out day and night helping homes and businesses recover from the effects of the freezing temperatures from the polar vortex which resulted in the “frozen pipe apocalypse.”

And, while many people will have this day off to celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, our teams will continue their 24 hour response to the communities we serve in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey – helping people get clean, dry and sanitized so no mold will grow.

But while we do that, here’s a song that accompanies our journey and epitomizes our commitment – on this day, and all others!

“Shed A Little Light” by James Taylor

Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
and recognize that there are ties between us, all men and women living on the Earth.
Ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood, that we are bound together
in our desire to see the world become a place in which our children can grow free and strong.
We are bound together by the task that stands before us and the road that lies ahead.
We are bound and we are bound.

There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest

Shed a little light, oh Lord, so that we can see, just a little light, oh Lord.
Wanna stand it on up, stand it on up, oh Lord,
wanna walk it on down, shed a little light, oh Lord.

Can’t get no light from the dollar bill, don’t give me no light from a TV screen.
When I open my eyes I wanna drink my fill from the well on the hill,
do you know what I mean?

Shed a little light, oh Lord, so that we can see, just a little light, oh Lord.
Wanna stand it on up, stand it on up, oh Lord,
wanna walk it on down, shed a little light, oh Lord.

There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist, there is a hunger in the center of the chest.
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
and though the body sleeps the heart will never rest.

Oh, Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King
and recognize that there are ties between us.
All men and women living on the Earth, ties of hope and love, sister and brotherhood.
*************************************************************************************

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Martin Luther King Day!

The polar vortex is predicted to return to our Greater Philadelphia region next week, bringing with it more freezing temperatures.

The good news is, because the cold is predicted to stay around for the long haul – well into February – the deep freeze will keep the ground frozen and finally decrease the burgeoning tick population in our region.

That means fewer people will be infected with Lyme’s disease this summer!

The bad news is, with temperatures staying well below freezing, more homes and businesses will be managing water damage from frozen and burst pipes.

For most people, a flood in their home or workplace is viewed as an inconvenience – a pain maybe, but “no big deal.” And, a lot of people believe that just using a shop vacuum and a few fans will take care of the problem.

Unfortunately, unless you call in the professionals to do an assessment with meters to measure the moisture, it’s the water you can’t see that can have damaging effects on your health later on this year.
Because a lot of water – 30 gallons or more – can get soaked into your dry wall and the insulation behind it.
And it won’t dry out by itself.
That makes it a prime suspect for mold growth and termite infestation later this Spring when temperatures return to normal.

The health threat from mold growth after water damage is no joke!

Recent research published last year in November in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the Journal of The American Chemical Society (JACS) by Inamdar, Hossain, Bernstein, Miller, Richardson, and Bennett entitled “Fungal-derived semiochemical 1-octen-3-ol disrupts dopamine packaging and causes neurodegeneration” suggests that even more than a simple allergic reaction to the mold spores resulting in symptoms like asthma, toxic mold growth can cause damage to your nervous system.

The damage from mold exposure can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.

This is because when mold grows it emits “volatile organic compounds” (VOC) into the air. It’s the VOC’s you smell when you identify a “moldy” or “mildewy” odor. When you inhale the VOC’s, they can disrupt the neurotransmitters – the chemical messengers- in your brain and body. And, these researchers demonstrated that the VOC’s from mold don’t just affect humans this way. They affect fruit flies too!

The implications of this research suggest that even before you see visible signs of mold growth, the odor alone associated with mold growth in water damaged buildings can be hazardous to your health!

So, if you live or work in a building that has had water damage from burst pipes or a flood and you experience symptoms like memory problems, brain fog, or muscle weakness and tremors, the research demonstrates it’s not all in your head!

In a previous post, we discussed the 3 important things you can do to prevent frozen and burst pipes. However, not everyone will know what to do, or more importantly will take action.

 

So what are you to do if you do experience water damage from burst pipes during this next round of freezing temperatures from the return of the polar vortex?

1. Don’t ignore it and assume you can handle it on your own. That assumption could put your health at risk later this year!
2. Call in the experts! First, call a plumber to repair and replace the broken pipes.
3. Next, call PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services at 877-750-7876.

We have the technology – the meters to measure the moisture – to track the extent of the water damage from burst pipes.
And, we have the knowledge, experience, tools and manpower to get your building clean, dry and sanitized so no mold will grow!

The good news is, after the severe cold and all that snow, now the temperatures are warming up!

The bad news is, the ground is still partially frozen, and all the rain that is expected to fall in our region might cause flooding when the ice jams on the Delaware River break.
All that water is expected to affect homes and businesses in Trenton and Hamilton New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania in the next 24 hours.

Have you ever thought what it would cost if your home or business got flooded?

Here’s a neat interactive way from (imported from the FloodSmart.gov site) to estimate how much flood damage might cost you based upon:
1. the size of the property and
2. how many inches of water invade the building
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/flash/costofflooding/CostOfFlooding.swf

Using this tool, a 3 inches of water flooding the basement of your 2,000 square foot home could cost as much as $22,590.00! This number includes the cost of damages to both the contents AND the structure. And, if you have a commercial property this cost could go up exponentially as the size of the building increases.

Now that you know the possible costs, you might want to consider contacting your insurance agent and purchasing flood insurance. This is a separate policy from your standard homeowner’s policy. You will need to talk to your agent to find out if you have coverage, and what that coverage is. Specifically, if you do have flood insurance, do you have insurance to cover both the contents as well as the structure? Because these are 2 separate policies . . .

However, the policy won’t begin to pay you for damages until 30 days after purchase.

So what are you to do if you do get a flood in your basement this weekend?

First, understand that over the ground flood water is considered toxic Category 3 water because what started out as rain or river water flowed across the ground picking up microbes and bacteria.
It’s not just water that came into your house – your neighbor’s fertilizer and dog poop came with it too! So, always wear wear protective clothing if you need to enter a flooded space.

Second, check for damages to your water, gas, electric or sewer lines. If you hear a “hissing” noise, turn the gas off and call the gas and electric company ASAP. And, make sure you get your furnace and hot water heater checked for damage.

Next, if the structure and utilities are safe, you can get all the water pumped out. But before you do, make sure you take pictures to create a photo record of the all the damages – whether you have flood insurance or not!

Then, it’s time to start removing any wet carpeting, furniture, bedding, books, drywall – anything that was in your basement that could hold water.

This must be done as quickly as possible because bacteria and mold will start to grow within 24 to 48 hours.
And you really don’t want your flooded basement to contaminate the rest of your home or business.

After that, it’s time to clean and sanitize everything that came in contact with the flood water.

Once the area is sanitized, it’s time to dry it out with fans and dehumidifiers! This process usually takes a few days, depending upon the structure and how much moisture affected the concrete.

Or you could just call us! 877-750-7876

These are all the steps that PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services follow when assisting flood damaged communities in the Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Regions. And, our certified technicians are trained to care for your property fast, decreasing the chance that you, your family, or your employees could become sick from exposure to toxic water!

What do you do when:

1. You’re a property manager of a condominium in Cherry Hill, NJ
2. and pipes burst at the same time in 2 different units
3. on a Saturday night?
4. causing water damage to 7 units at once?

You call PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services of course!

Burst-pipe problems begin to appear in our Greater Philadelphia area when temperatures fall into the teens and upper 20′s.

Pipes exposed to cold air (especially flowing air on a windy day) because of cracks in an outside wall or lack of insulation are vulnerable to freezing.
And a pipe with a 1/8-inch crack can spray up to 250 gallons in 24 hours!

But for this vacant condo unit in Cherry Hill, NJ the frozen and burst pipe problem was caused because the owner turned off the heat to the unit!

So, the very first tip to prevent frozen and burst pipes is: Turn up the thermostat!
Whatever money you might save by keeping the thermostat low when it’s below freezing outside might be used up with an emergency water extraction call.
And, as long as the extreme cold air stays around, keep that thermostat setting just a little higher when the temperatures outside drop below freezing.

If you normally lower the temperature at night, leave it at the warmer daytime setting.
If you have a home that’s super-insulated, this may not be necessary – but wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?

The second tip: A dripping faucet can prevent a pipe from bursting in extreme cold weather.
It’s not that the small flow of water prevents freezing: Opening a faucet keeps the excessive pressure from building up between the faucet and the ice blockage when freezing occurs preventing a burst in the pipes.

If there is no excessive water pressure, there is no burst pipe, even if the water inside the pipe freezes.
A dripping faucet may waste some water, so only pipes vulnerable to freezing (ones that run through an unheated or unprotected space) should be left with the water flowing.
The drip can be very slight – even the slowest drip at normal pressure will provide pressure relief when needed.
When both the hot and cold water lines serve one faucet, make sure both lines are open a bit, since both are subjected to freezing.
If the dripping stops, leave the faucet(s) open, since a pipe may have frozen and will still need pressure relief.

And the third tip: Open Doors! Underneath kitchen and bathroom sinks, inside cabinets, the temperature can be much lower than in the room – especially if these cabinets are on the outside walls of your home. Open up the doors to allow air to circulate. This also applies to bathroom doors or any room in which you have a faucet or water-filled appliance. And keep them open for the duration of the freezing temperatures outside to help battle frozen plumbing lines.

And remember, if you need help with emergency water extraction or professional drying after a burst pipe, whether you’re in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia, or the surrounding area, we’re only a phone call away at 877-750-7876

There are so many things that need to be done after a fire happens in a home and the steps that are needed to bring the property back after a loss like this can be overwhelming.
So here’s a short list of where to begin:

After the fire is out you need help, support, comfort, and people who can provide answers to your questions.

At PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services we can:

• secure your home against more damage with our emergency board up services;
• provide you with an estimate of the structural damage;
• provide you with an estimate for the cost to repair and renew items of personal property;
• clean and repair the structural damage
• store your household items until you are ready to move back in

When you need help recovering from a fire in your home, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 877-750-7876

2013 was a good year!

We had much less drama because we had no hurricane activity like we did in 2012 with Hurricane Sandy or in 2011 with Hurricane Irene and Tropical storm Lee. For sure, the beginning of the year found us assisting homeowners and businesses with the continued task of post-Sandy clean up. Because for many people with homes and businesses caught in the swath of Sandy’s fury, the trauma was just too much to address right after the storm hit. And, many people at the Jersey shore had to wait until they received financial assistance before they could address the issues in their homes.

However our mission to be of service for all things property damage related continues to be a driving force as we help New Jersey “Restore the Shore!”

With all the activity of doing property damage restoration activities – cleaning up after fire, water, mold, sewage, homicides, suicides and unattended death scene clean up, it’s easy to forget what we really do: we give our customers a sense of comfort and security after any kind of property damage loss – that everything is okay and life will continue.

 

Whether it’s a business that owns an abandoned hotel in South Jersey or a storefront in Philadelphia that needed our board up services to help protect the property and the community from vagrants and vandalism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or the construction company that needed our water damage, mold remediation, and post-construction clean up services using unmarked vehicles – so it wouldn’t alarm their customers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or the homeowner that needed mold remediation services to protect their home and the health of their family from mold sickness

 

 

 

Or the business that suffered a flood caused by frozen and burst pipes and a burst water heater needing help to get clean an dry again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or the homeowner who needed our help with hoarding clean up:

 

We are proud to be of service to all the communities we serve in the Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region!

 

 

But perhaps our proudest moment in 2013 was when we received the call from Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia ReStore when they had a water loss. We were able to get them clean, dry, and sanitized quickly – before any mold could grow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services is proud and honored to be the first choice of restoration companies for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia!

Ah yes, it’s Christmas week. Folks are scurrying to wrap that last gift, make that batch of cookies and welcome guests into their homes.
And the kids! They’re excited that it’s finally Winter break . . .
Memories and stories come flooding back of Holidays past… and the foibles and adventures during the current and previous generations are told and re-told with gusto.

One year my dad got a chemistry set for Christmas. I think he told me he was 12. Being the enterprising young people they were, he and his sister decided to make self-igniting gun powder. With a mortar and pestle. In the basement.
It doesn’t take much imagination to guess what happened next. The explosion must have been epic! And the smoke staining the basement walls and the smell of sulfur must have been horrific! But, with a wink and a smile my dad reported it only took him 3 months to grow his eyebrows back . .

Fast forward a few years to my own time with 3 small children. We do have a challenge as parents – we don’t want to stifle a child’s native curiosity or creativity.
What’s interesting is that when so many children see water at their level, whether it looks clean or not, because it’s within their reach, they consider it part of their playground. And sending the rubber ducky stocking stuffer from Aunt Suzie down the toilet to play with the brown fishies makes perfect sense when you’re three . . . Of course, we didn’t know until after the toilet had overflowed and water filled the basement. Which was when we found the plastic green army man and legos wedged into the sump pump . . .

And when you’re six, the specter of Santa making his list and checking it twice makes you want to be a lot more nice. So, you take matters into your own hands and decide to help mom get ready for the big day by helping her clean . . . with a garden hose turned on full bore. In the living room. On Dad’s favorite chair. . .

So many of the holiday safety tips that come out this time of year focus on adults: avoiding electrocution by installing GFI circuits, avoiding tree fires by inspecting the wires for possible damage, avoiding kitchen cooking fires and avoiding floods in kitchens from clogged dishwasher drain lines.
And these are all important.
But with all the hustle and bustle, we often forget the potential mishaps that can occur with kids. And, no matter how good a parent you might be, it’s not possible to watch them 24 hours a day!

 

So here’s the short list of 2 tips to avoid property damage during the holidays that might be caused by well-intentioned kids:

1. Keep an inventory! I know this sounds strange, but doing a roll-call at night when you round up the toys will help you know if some have gone missing. If they have, you can casually ask where they might be . . . if your kid’s story involves any mention of the toy “hiding” it’s time to do a search! Toilets and sump pumps are prime hiding suspects . . .

2. Don’t ever read your kids the story “Curious George Gets A Medal.” Ever! Although it’s a delightful story (and it was one of my youngest son’s favorites), George’s problem solving skills do indeed involve pulling a garden hose through the window to clean up a mess . . . I mean seriously. Our kids don’t need our help or suggestions with things like this. They come up with enough stuff like this on their own.

Whatever your property damage needs this holiday season, remember you’ve got a friend indeed!
Our business exists to help you and yours to enjoy all the wonders the season has in store.
Whether it’s overflowing toilets, and basement flooding, or fires,
PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 877-750-7876

                                 ‘Twas the week before Christmas

 

And all through the shop
All our equipment was out,
-Even the mop!

Helping homeowners and businesses
Recover from loss
So Santa could come into town
-Like a Boss!

More rapid than eagles
And Santa’s bright sleigh
PuroClean E.R.S.
Technicians respond – 24 hours a day!

 

 

   From fires in your Chimney
To burst pipes and mold,
And specialty board up
For a house that aint sold

  To puff backs and hoarding,
Flooded basements, burned flues
We send you the best -
Harry Allcroft and crews!

   With James, Kyle, and Craig
On the scene of the damage
With comfort and caring ,
You know they can manage!

   Your holiday saved,
Your property clean, dry, and bright
You hear them exclaim
As they drive out of sight

 “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

  From our house to yours, wishing you the very best for a safe and happy holiday season!