Des Moines Residents Forced to Evacuate After Flooding
August 13, 2010
Nearly 300 residences on Des Moines’ east side were forced to evacute Wednesday after the Four Mile Creek overflowed its banks after yet another night of heavy rains. Many of the residences in the Four Mile area have suffered significant damage as gas and water meters were put out of service forcing the shut down of gas and electricity to some areas. Dozens of the displaced people were forced to check into emergency shelters located throughout the area.
In the Country Estates Village mobile home community, several residents were forced to leave when the water had reached their top porch step and many residents there had said that they have never lived through anything like this even after being in the area for up to forty years.
The greater Des Moines area has been drenched with around eight inches of rain since last weekend. This week, hot and humid weather during the day has been followed by nights that brought pounding rains all across the central part of the state. The relentless rain has caused the Four Mile Creek and Walnut Creek to produce record water levels on the west side of Des Moines, leading to officials asking nearby residents to evacuate. The sewer system in the city is also backing up into many basements in the city with the south and east sides seeing the worst of it.
Residents who have storm water backing up into their basements are being warned by the local health department that the water is most likely contaminated and to use extreme caution. Police patrol units are being deployed to those neighborhoods that have been evacuated to guard against burglaries and break-ins. Rescue workers were busy Wednesday seeing to it that everyone who needed to be taken to dry land got a lift on a boat.
In Ames, flooding caused a water main to burst, which forced the city to shut off water to its population of 55,000. The Iowa State University basketball arena was submerged in five feet of dirty flood water and it is unknown when the facility will be open again as cleanup efforts and a full evaluation must be done to assess the degree of damage sustained. The National Weather Service has put a flash flood watch into effect for parts of Iowa from Thursday through Friday night. New storms moving into the area could result in three more inches falling in the already heavily saturated regions of the state.
Iowa Governor Seeks Disaster Declaration after Flash Flooding
July 10, 2010
Governor Chet Culver asked President Obama to declare thirty-five counties in Iowa federal disaster areas after severe flash flooding ravaged portions of the state. Storms moved through the state earlier this week and dumped a great deal of rain which caused rivers to overflow their banks, many communities in Iowa saw some degree of flooding damages.
Over twelve inches of rain flooded the post office in Dewar which forced the mail service to moved to the nearby Gilbertville P.O. Governor Culver is requesting that eighteen counties get individual assistance and that thirty-two to receive public aide. The Waterloo area saw the worst of the damage as six inches of rain fell, flooding basements,local streets and roadways. In Cedar Terrace, many residents were sandbagging their homes with the hopes of keeping flood waters at bay.
The 2010 spring and summer rains have cost the state of Iowa a large amount of money. De Moines officials report that the cost of fighting this year’s floods is $1 million. Half of that was spent to shore up levees, build temporary levees and to fix sewer systems. The other half of the money went towards labor. Des Moines has been on alert for more than seven days as the rain swollen Des Moines River threatened a levee protecting a neighborhood near the downtown area in the beginning of July. Officials are beginning to breathe a bit easier however as the river levels are dropping, allowing them to put an end to around the clock levee inspections.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed over the central portion of the state earlier this week as they moved up toward the northeast. Due to the nearly six inches of rain that fell, flash flood warnings were put into effect in numerous cities and towns. Flash flood warnings remained in effect for several days for many Iowa counties located in the eastern part of the state.
A flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service for the Little Sioux River at Linn Grove. Residents were asked to take precautionary measures and preparedness action. Locals are being asked not to drive their vehicles through flooded areas as the water depth and road conditions may be hazardous. The flood warning is extended until 7 pm on Saturday July 10th so anyone living in the area should prepare their homes by moving valuables up to a higher level in the house and sandbagging foundations.
How to Get Rid of Mold or Mildew in Your Attic Following Flooding
June 21, 2010
Having a burst pipe or tank in your attic can create a huge mess and dealing with the flood afterwards can be a real chore. Once you have fixed up most of the damage you might feel that your job is done, but the truth is that they might only have started. As the weeks go by you may be horrified to find that you are developing mold or mildew in your attic. Mold and mildew can cause a lot of problems for you and your home but luckily it is usually quite easy to get rid of.
Why you shouldn’t Leave Mold or Mildew Untreated
The idea of crawling back up into your attic to deal with mold or mildew probably isn’t going to appeal very much to you. It will appeal even less if you have recently spent a lot of time up there trying to sort out the mess of a flood. Maybe you might be tempted to leave it for a bit and see what happens. This is always a bad mistake and leaving these fungi to their own devices can cause you big problems in the future. The spores from some molds have been shown to exacerbate conditions like asthma and there may even be a link between black mold and cot death. Mold has also been associated with other health problems. It is also important that if mold is left too long it will become too big a job for you to put right and you may have to pay professionals a lot of money to put things right. Never delay with this type of problem; it is just too risky.
Getting Rid of Mold or Mildew from your Basement
Assuming that you haven’t allowed things to progress to far you should find mold fairly easy to get rid of. Make sure that you are cautious while tackling the problem and cover your whole body in clothing; you also need to ensure that you don’t inhale any spores or allow them to get into your eyes. You can either spray on or soak the area of mold using a bleach or vinegar solution. If you want to be sure of getting rid of the problem for good though, you are probably best to use one of the liquids that have been especially designed for dealing with this type of fungi.
A Wet Basement Requires Immediate Action
May 3, 2010
Nothing is more frustrating than having to deal with a wet basement. Walls and floors can become damaged and your valuable possessions such as family heirlooms, important documents and furniture can be ruined.
We have been in the business of dealing with wet basements for over three decades. We specialize in cleaning flooded basements resulting from storm damage such as residents in Nashville are experiencing as well as: broken pipes, sewage problems and flooding. Our emergency response team will arrive at your premises quickly to repair and restore your property in this time of disaster. We employ highly trained IICRC technicians who have the expertise necessary to help clean up and make the repairs in a short amount of time.
Our company has an extensive history of arriving on the scene at some of the worst natural disasters that have occurred in the United States including Hurricane Ike and Katrina. Our background in disaster relief in areas that have been declared state of emergency zones by FEMA is what is what is needed to swiftly assess your basement flooding in order to implement a quick plan of action and to ensure that the entire area is dried thoroughly so that things go back to normal in your home or business as quickly as possible. Whether your property disaster is in Boston, Rhode Island, Florida, Tennessee or Iowa we will arrive quickly to begin assisting with cleanup and recovery.
We bring trunk-mounted water extraction machines with us that are capable of removing 20,000 gallons of water per hour, TES drying machines and high powered fans to get the job done efficiently. We understand the importance of thoroughly drying behind walls, in crawl spaces and around plumbing fixtures are these are the places that damaging and potentially health threatening mold can quickly begin to develop and spread. We know the horrid damage that mold can do inside a structure. You will be given the peace of mind knowing that mold has no chance of developing as a result of your flooded basement. We bring along industrial grade desiccant dehumidifiers that are extremely effective in absorbing the moisture from the air which will eliminate the possibility of mold from ever having the chance to begin developing.
We are experts at cleaning and repairing the items in the affected area that have been subjected to water damage. We use the latest cutting edge technology and cleaning solutions that are proven to restore water damaged items of all types. We will clean what is salvageable and let you know which items you should throw away as some types of stuffed furniture and thick carpeting for instance cannot be dried quickly enough to avoid the possibility of mold and mildew developing.
Time is of the essence when your home or business has been subjected to basement flooding. Shortly after you contact us, our team of professionals will arrive on the scene and take control of the situation.
Torrential flooding on east coast leaves a path of property damage
April 9, 2010
Flood Closes off Train Tracks and More Interstate 95 is the main route that connects Boston with New York. A stretch of it was closed off in Rhode Island for quite a while recently due to heavy flooding in the area, the likes of which have never seen there before. Amtrak suspended several of their trains within that area due to the water that covered up their train tracks. The flooded area covered an area from New Haven, Connecticut all the way to Boston. The regional service from New York to Boston was suspended, as well.
After the damage from the flood, an aerial state tour was undertaken to see how bad things actually were. Water torrents had surrounded Warwick Mall, and rapids were coming close to Macy’s doors, while an entire movie theatre was submerged in water. Cars were also submerged to their roofs and oil slicks could be seen floating atop muddy waters throughout the neighborhood. Although there were a lot of parts still unaffected around the state, there were a lot of broken up roads, submerged ball fields and flooded up businesses and homes in many places. This heavy rain was just another setback that Rhode Island had to go through after struggling with a rather high unemployment rate of 13% for months. Several hard-hit areas included the business districts and the main shopping area of the state, Warwick Mall. Even West Warwick was threatened, the town that the state refers to as a distressed community due to the heavy tax burdens and the amount of low income residents living there. During the very last rounds of the flood, businesses in West Warwick lost around $730,000 in revenue alone. There are around a million residents in the state of Rhode Island and all of them were asked to conserve their electricity and drinking water after the electrical substations and sewage systems all got flooded. In fact, after a sewage and water treatment plant in Warwick failed, the officials began to ask the residents not to flush toilets or wash clothes, either.
Rescues due to the flooding went on for three days in Rhode Island along the river of Pawtuxet and beyond. At one point, the river crested at 21 feet – almost 6 feet more than the record it held before, which was only set two weeks before. This was 12 feet more than its regular 9-feet level. The river is finally back to its banks now, though. And hopefully the state will be back on its feet soon, too.
Coping With Water Damage after a disaster
March 31, 2010
If your business or home has experienced flooding due to a storm, a pipe break, roof leak or any other reason, your action taken could help to avoid you having many more problems in the future. Residents all throughout the New England area have experience significant property damages due to due flooding over the last three days. Many communities such as Cranston and Providence are in considered a FEMA declared disaster zone.
Whenever a building has been flooded, mold can begin to grow within 24 to 48 hours of the water damage. Therefore, it is vitally important that you act fact to prevent further devastation. Be sure to get a hold of your insurance company so that a report can be filed and do not neglect to document the damage using both written notes and photographs.
In the case that the flood happened a while before you noticed it, you should call in a consultant so that the extent of the damage can be assessed. Often times these contractors can help by taking the damaged materials out of the affected area such as dry wall, so that repairs can be made to the underlying area. Be sure that the contractor you hire is actually experienced in water damage restoration as these are the only type of professionals who know how to thoroughly remove the water, repair the damage and dry the area out so that microbiological contamination cannot start to grow.
Professional water damage remediation companies, once called, will do a visual assessment of the damaged area and will let you know what course of action must be taken to remedy the problem. If you have a substantial amount of flooding, then you will likely call in a local Providence flood damage cleanup company or other local company depending on where you reside. If mold contamination is suspected either by your reporting of having symptoms or by visual indication, the source of the mold will be located and it will be determined what route it took to end up where it is. If the source of the water has been present for an extended period of time, you can expect some type of structural damage that must be dealt with.
If your home is located in an area that is subjected to flooding, be sure to carry adequate flood insurance. Many people falsely believe that their regular homeowners insurance will cover flood and water damage, but the fact is, you need to take out a separate policy in order to be fully covered. It should also be noted that flood insurance must be purchased at least 30 days prior to making a claim.
Protect Your Home from Natural Disasters
March 23, 2010
Any homeowner knows how important it is to keep one’s home safe from natural disasters. While you can be given some level of advanced warning for things such as hurricanes, other disasters such as earthquakes hit out nowhere. Of course certain areas are more prone to particular natural disasters than others. One wouldn’t expect to be hit by a tornado if one lives in the Tropics. Similarly, those who inhabit very cold regions have little to fear from hurricanes. Still, the world’s weather patterns are changing and it would be irresponsible for any homeowner to ignore the very real threat posed by natural disasters.
If one has lived in an area for a while then they will already be familiar with the types of natural disasters that they can expect to have to deal with. If one is new to a neighborhood then it is always a good idea to ask questions. Remember that, while there are some general precautions, each type of natural disaster will have its own precautionary measures.
As seen in the news recently, earthquakes can be particularly devastating. There is little that one can do if one’s home is already built, unless one is willing to go through costly structural renovations. If one lives along a fault line then this may be a necessity rather than an option. Barring overall collapse of the structure, the greatest danger from an earthquake is from falling items. Therefore, everything in the household should be securely fastened. This includes any pictures or other items hanging on walls. Bookcases, cabinets and other such furniture can be secured by means of bolts or l-brackets. Even the water heater should be fastened to a wall.
To protect one’s home from storm damage, one should always ensure that the house is in good order and that there are no leaks. Check the roof to make certain that there are no loose areas. Trim any branches that may be close to the home and which could become missiles in high winds. A good investment is storm shutters for the windows, and even the garage door. Gutters, drains, and anything that forms part of the drainage system should be properly cleared so that there will be no blockage of water causing a back-up on the property.
No one can say for certain when a natural disaster is likely to hit, although some areas are luckier than others. While one may not be able to completely prevent any damage from occurring to one’s home, one can at least keep it to a minimum. Anything else can be dealt with by a reputable restoration company.
Wet Basement From Flooding Determine the Cause
March 16, 2010
Most wet basements are caused by surface water which does not drain properly away from the foundation of the house. The source of this water can come from roof water if there is no gutter, or from roof water if the gutters are plugged as well as from excessive watering of nearby gardens and shrubbery. Another common cause is from rainwater runoff coming from nearby yards, walks or driveway-especially if the landscaping forces the water to drain toward the house instead of away. If water is directed toward the home, the water will puddle up and sooner or later, soak into the ground and become a source of a wet basement.
Sometimes damp basements are caused by other things, such as the major flooding that has occurerd in the Boston area. A home that is built on a down slope or on the base of a hill is very vulnerable because surface water has a better chance of soaking into the ground and following the laws of gravity to reach the foundation. The foundation will block this water for a while, but sooner or later, the pressure from the water will cause cracks in basement walls and the water will make its way inside. Rivers that are close by can overflow during a heavy storm-especially in the spring time, which can directly flood a basement as well as contribute to groundwater build-up which can eventually seep into a basement. Some homeowners can live in a new home for years and not experience groundwater seepage due to drought. However, when a particularly heavy rainstorm moves into the area and adjoining rivers and creeks swell and overflow, they may be suddenly faced with a basement full of water. Cleaning up from the water damage is a major challenge for homeowners and business owners alike.
There are drains installed around the outside of a house under the basement floor to get rid of subsurface water and to eliminate the build-up of ground water. If these drains get clogged they will not handle the water. These drains can also be damaged during landscaping projects without the homeowner being aware of it.
If you find that your basement is becoming damp and you cannot determine why, take a look at all of these possible reasons. You may need to call in a contractor who can check everything in order to find where your problem originates from. You should also consider installing new gutters and long downspouts that are directed several yards away from your home. Be sure to be aware of your property lines so that you do not direct your unwanted water onto a neighbor’s land that may cause him problems as well.
spring weather brings on flooding conditions
March 8, 2010
The spring and summer are typicall the most favored season of the year. It brings good weather that allows people to have barbeques and go to beaches. This season makes it great for people that have been stuck inside from winter to get out of the house and take vacations. As nice as this season is it can also bring the worst storms of out of all the seasons. Strong storms can form resulting is flooding that can cause intense damage to communities. Flooding is the most common and devastating disaster to occur.
Large storms can create flash flooding which can hit communities in minutes with devastating force. In the emergency of flash flooding if there is time make sure that important documents and personal items are moved to upper levels of the home. If there isn’t enough time to gather items get to higher grounds as quick as possible. In some case the location of a home can put it at risk during stormy weather. If homes are located near a body of water such a lake or river heavy rains can cause water levels to raise leading to floods. Intense floods can cause erosion and damage properties. Excessive amounts of rain can also cause mud slides. Mudslides start off slow, but can pick up speed with tremendous force in an instant. These mudslides can sweep away homes and vehicles. Heavy rains can overflow drainage systems flooding homes and other properties. Flood waters can be backed up into basements and crawlspaces. These overflowing waters can back up sewage waters in which can lead to sewage damages. Heavy rains can also flood streets making hectic difficult driving conditions. Excessive amounts of rain and high winds can also damage roofs leading to water damaged attics. Clogged gutters can allow rain runoff to puddle around the foundation of the home which can lead to a water damaged basement. If properties are damaged by water it creates a higher risk of mold forming. In the event homes or business are damaged by water it is important to check if mold have formed. Mold can form and spread within forty-eight hours of a water loss.
It is important to be safe and aware during severe storms that can pose a threat of flooding occurring. Watch the television or listen to a radio to keep updated on a storm. Remember if you have to go into flood waters go through standing waters and not moving waters. Also test the security of the land with a sturdy stick or pole to ensure the ground is safe to walk on.
Tips to Prevent Water Damage from Household Leaks
February 26, 2010
One doesn’t need to be faced with a big flood in order to experience water damage. There are many things within the home that can cause small leaks and this can be just as bad as having a basement flood during a storm. Fortunately there are some things which can be done.
Often, where there is a tiny leak, it can go unnoticed for weeks or even months on end. That’s not to say there’s no way of finding them. Ensure that one knows how to read the water meter then turn off all faucets and any appliances that may use water. Keep checking every few minutes over the course of an hour or so. If the value stays the same then there’s no leak. If it increases, even if this is negligible, there might be a leak somewhere that needs to be addressed.
Water damage in the bathroom can not only cause discoloration of the tiles but it can also be dangerous since it makes it very easy to slip. The biggest culprit in this is the caulking around fixtures such as the bathtub and toilet. Check these areas for any signs of cracks or mold growth. If one notices any of these, re-caulking will have to be done. However, it’s also a good idea to call in a plumber to ensure that pipes within the wall aren’t leaking and causing the effects seen.
Air conditioning units are notorious for developing small leaks. If they’re the sort which are placed outside the home then this may not be a problem, but inside units can easily cause water damage to flooring. It’s a good idea to have all air condition units in the home checked by a trained technician once a year or so. This will determine if there are any obstructions and allow for the problem to be dealt with before it really becomes an issue.
Washing machines, by their very nature, deal with water. Unfortunately that water has a bad habit of seeping through any loose or deteriorating hoses. The amount may be so small initially that it’s easy to miss, especially if it settles under the machine. Washing machine hoses should be inspected every couple of months to ensure that the connection is secure and it doesn’t need to be replaced. The same goes for any machine that regularly uses water, such as the dishwasher.
Pipe cleaners are a homeowner’s friend. Don’t be afraid to use them. There are many products on the market which simply need to be poured down the drain and they remove any sludge that may have built up. Obstructions are one of the most common causes of pipe leakages so it’s important to deal with them early.
