Do you know your flood risk?

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According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), everyone lives in a flood zone. Even those who don’t live near water are at risk, because anywhere it rains, it can flood. Heavy rains, clogged or insufficient drainage systems, nearby construction projects, broken water mains, and inadequate levees and dams can cause flooding that put your home and belongings at risk.

Your home is one of your greatest investments. It’s important to prepare ahead should a disaster occur. Here are three simple steps to help make sure you’re ready in the event of a flood.

  • Create a “flood file” and keep it in an accessible waterproof and fireproof container. It should contain a personal property inventory of your home, a copy of your insurance information, copies of any critical personal documents (e.g. social security cards, titles, and deeds), and a CD backup of computer documents and digital photos.
  • Prepare your home by making sure your sump pump works and has a battery backup, your gutters and downspouts are clear, your electronics and appliances are elevated, and any valuables and keepsakes are moved to a higher level.
  • Develop an emergency plan that includes evacuation routes from home, work, and school. Make sure that the plan includes an out-of-town contact list that all family members can call in case you get separated. Also, create an emergency kit with extra drinking water, non-perishable food, first-aid materials, blankets, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries that can be grabbed easily if you need to evacuate.

It’s important to know that most home policies don’t cover flooding and just a few inches of water damage can cost thousands. To get an idea of what flooding can do, check out this interactive tool

Fall Roof Maintenance

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1. Seasonal Fall Roof Maintenance, Protect Your Home From Trees

The first thing to do when it comes to fall roof maintenance is to make sure that no tree branch is within fifty feet of your home. Trees and houses are not friends! If a tree and its limbs are even close to touching your roof, you are asking for trouble. We’re talking insects, critters, even damage to your roof; keep tree limbs away from your home!

2. Inspect Your Roof and Flashings When Conducting Fall Roof Maintenance

Get up on your roof, safely and with the correct personal protective equipment, look for cracks. Pay close attention to where your roof meets your chimney or any other rising or falling parts of your roof. These areas will not be covered with regular roof material but rather a smooth metal called flashings. Make sure there are no wrinkles in the flashings as they can eventually become cracks which lead to leaks.

Even though you could climb up on your roof and play fix it, man or woman, you probably want to get a trusted professional in there at some point. Just to make sure you did not miss something that is an issue. Sure it’s fun to do it yourself, but when it comes to your roof, you may want to be a little less adventurous.

3. Your Fall Roof Maintenance Should Include Cleaning Your Gutters

Clean your gutters; it is a good idea to go into winter with clean gutters.  As the snow melts and runs off your roof, it follows the same path as rain, and therefore you want to bring as much of it off and away from your home as possible while it’s melting. The usual course of snow is that it melts when it warms up during the day and freezes up again as it cools down at night. If your gutters are not squeaky clean, the snowmelt will build up in there and drip over the sides; this will create icicles. These icicles are pretty to look at but present a major risk for tearing your gutters off your roof and even worse, falling and hurting someone.

Fall roof maintenance can help you catch problems while they are still small and can save you a lot of money and aggravation in the future. Call Rapid Restoration if you are in need of a roof inspection.

10 Tips When Water Damage Hits

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Water is a powerful element. While critical to meeting basic human needs, water can also be unpredictable, relentless, and destructive. This becomes alarmingly apparent in the face of a natural disaster such as the recent Hurricane Florence. North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner, Steve Troxler, said in a statement, “This was an unprecedented storm with flooding expected to exceed that from any other storms in recent memory.” Property damage is estimated at $17 billion to $22 billion, according to Moody’s Analytics, making it among the 10 costliest hurricanes. And nearly 40 inches of rain fell over North Carolina as experts predicted an additional 2 to 5 inches of rain expected in the Carolinas and Virginia.

 

To help facility executives navigate the tricky aftermath of significant water damage, this article outlines 10 best practices for water remediation. These practices should be the basis for water remediation within an overall strategic disaster plan, designed to arm facility managers with the strategies, tactics, and critical information needed to respond to emergencies in a timely manner. In addition to following best practices, it is important for facility managers to familiarize themselves with their flood insurance policy and establish a trusted relationship with the insurance company to efficiently and seamlessly assess water related damage and begin the remediation process.

Based on 30 years of experience, these tips will help expedite the remediation process to ensure the safety and security of all those involved.

Best Practices For Water Remediation

1. The most important factor, when faced with water damage, is safety. Align yourself with appropriate local resources including fire and police, mechanical contractors, insurance, utility, and restoration companies and alert immediately.

2. Familiarize yourself with water shut-offs for quick access and label accordingly. Swift action is critical to minimize loss, mitigate risk, and protect assets.

3. Electricity presents the greatest danger. Look for water coming through light fixtures or electrical boxes.

4. Immediately shut off the following if affected by water: electrical box, circuit breaker box, and meter panel. Once the electricity is shut down, cord off the affected area with caution tape.

5. Identify the source of water damage. Assess degree of contamination to determine remediation plan. Be aware of associated health effects depending on the contamination level to update emergency personnel when they arrive on-site.

6. Identify potential environmental hazards such as lead or asbestos. Prolonged exposure to asbestos and/or lead can cause serious illness and significant health problems.

7. Relocate or protect valuable contents from affected areas including electronics, computers, furniture, artwork, files and documents, clothing, etc.

8. Have basic items on hand such as plastic garbage bags for use in covering items noted above and for the disposal of items, caution tape, duct tape, and basic hand tools.

9. Contain and/or isolate the area(s) of damage to protect staff and on-site emergency personnel. Create a plastic barrier around the perimeter of the contaminated area and cord off with caution tape.

10. Begin mitigation with restoration partner on-site to preserve, secure, and restore your property to good working order.

Whatever the source — natural disaster, leaking pipe, backed up sewer, or broken sprinkler line, water can wreak havoc on your property, putting your most important assets in danger. Having a strategic disaster plan in place, a partnership with a trusted restoration company and familiarity with the flood insurance policy is paramount to long-term success. Taking the time to review these best practices will help ensure swift action when needed, to get your property in good working order once again.

For more information contact Rapid Restoration & Construction.