Water Backups in Cleveland & Akron Caused By Snow Melting

Basement backups can be very dangerous. Grounds around NE Ohio are pretty saturated with temperatures starting to rise and snow melting. PuroClean Professional Services have been flooded (no pun intended) with phone calls from property owners seeking advice on how to handle their wet basement problems and for cleanup requests.

Homeowners suffering from water damage are faced with an extremely stressful experience. Water loss and damage is a real threat for property owners. In fact, according to the Insurance Information Institute in the last year, 22 per 1,000 household have entered a claim for water related damage. These situations are more common than most people think. At times in the year such as now, water damage is often the result of the weather, such as storms, melting snow, freezing pipes, and ice damming.

When presented with flooding situations, time is of the essence. React quickly. Call 440-748-7876 for professional help. Available with 24-Hour Emergency Service.

To help minimize loss, and prevent further damage while technicians from PuroClean are en route, property owners should follow these guidelines:
Insurance
o Call your agent.
o Take photographs of the damage.
o Keep all receipts from hotel stays, home repair materials, etc.
Plumbing
o Check pipes on well pumps and irrigation systems.
o If sewage is backing up in the shower or under the toilet, your whole system is backed up. Call a professional and don’t use other sinks or toilets.
Roofing
o If the neighbor’s roof is missing shingles after a storm, you can assume that yours probably is, too.
o If only a few shingles are gone, try to cover the area with a garbage bag.
o If you have a large area of ripped tar paper or wood, cover it with a tarpaulin and call a roofer immediately.
Electric
o Most damage to electrical systems comes from water.
o Appliances exposed to water should be serviced before being used again.
o Check for sparks or frayed wires if wires are exposed call an electrician and do not turn on the power.
o If it appears that water has infiltrated your breaker box, call an electrician.
o Avoid fallen and dangling wires or metal fences.
o If a limb has fallen on a power line, turn off the power and call the utility company.
o If a fallen limb touches your property, it becomes your responsibility, but you should not attempt to clear them as they may be tangled in power lines. Call an electrician.
Flooding (Take these steps to minimize damage before the restoration professional arrives.)o Throw out all food, including canned goods, medicines and cosmetics that have been touched by flood water.
o Keep a photographic inventory of anything that must be thrown out.
o Don’t take pets into a flooded area and never let them drink standing flood water.
Miscellaneous
o Turn on air conditioner if damage occurs in summer.
o Move valuable paintings, art objects and photos to a safe, dry place.
o Open closet doors, furniture drawers and luggage to aid in drying.
o Remove any wet fabrics and dry immediately.
o Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
o Stay out of any rooms where the ceiling is sagging from trapped water.
o Turn off the breaker before unplugging appliances.

PuroClean Professional Services
440-748-7876

Emilio Soli, George Cruz - Managing Partners

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