Winter Water Damage

12/5/2022 (Permalink)

Living in Alabama, Tuscaloosa residents don’t experience too harsh of a winter. Still, it is important to know what kinds of water damage Southern states could see during colder months. 

One of the most common issues for Tuscaloosa County residents during the winter months is damage from frozen water pipes. If outdoor pipes or pipes located in unheated areas of your home or business are not properly insulated or the temperatures get severely low, those pipes will unfortunately freeze and possibly burst.

SERVPRO says these outdoor pipes are the most likely to burst:

• Outdoor hose bibs
• Swimming pool supply lines
• Water sprinkler lines

Pipes in the following areas are at high risk to freeze and burst:

• Basements
• Crawl spaces
• Garages

Cold weather and winter storms cause different damage in different areas. Regardless of your winter emergency, SERVPRO of Tuscaloosa will respond quickly to any size disaster.

Holiday Travel Checklist

11/30/2022 (Permalink)

Your bags are packed, the vacation plans are made, and your furry friend is taken care of while you’re out of town. Just one more thing…have you prepared your home for possible water damage? 

Many people don’t consider home damage prevention when making holiday travel plans. However, nobody wants to come home to find water damage. Unfortunately, when you leave for long periods of time, your home is subject to damage from leaking or burst pipes.

You can feel relaxed about being away from home by following these steps:

• Have a friend or family member check on the house while you’re gone.
• Check for any leaks before leaving.
• Insulate any exposed pipes to prevent freezing.
• Turn off the main water valve if your home is going to be vacant.
• Clean debris from gutters and downspouts to prevent flooding.
• Inspect and test the sump pump if you have one to avoid returning to a flooded basement.

Don’t forget that holiday trip planning goes beyond your usual checklist. Stay prepared and create a plan anytime you are away from home. If your residential or commercial property suffers from water damage, call SERVPRO of Tuscaloosa to remediate the damage.

Avoiding Holiday Kitchen Fires

11/21/2022 (Permalink)

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is important to remember kitchen safety. For most, the kitchen is the heart of this holiday, but it can also be the most hectic room in the house before family time and celebrations begin. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for fires that start as a result of home cooking. There are more than three times the amount of kitchen fires on this holiday than any other day of the year.

Here are some safety tips from NFPA to prevent fires in your kitchen this holiday season:

• Stay in the kitchen if you are cooking on the stove top to keep an eye on the food.
• Stay at home while you are cooking the turkey to check on it frequently.
• Test your smoke alarms, and make sure they are working properly.

Having a plan in place before a fire emergency occurs can relieve the emotional distress in these situations. If you have damage from a kitchen fire in your Tuscaloosa home, call SERVPRO® of Tuscaloosa at 205-553-8377.

Storm Team Travels to Florida

10/20/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Tuscaloosa's storm crew works at a job in Florida.

The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends on November 30. With a little over a month left of the official time frame, it is important to remain aware of possible storms and prepared for the outcomes.

When nearby states experience damage from natural disasters like hurricanes, SERVPRO of Tuscaloosa bands together with an experienced storm team to help other communities. After Hurricane Ian struck Florida in late September, members of the crew from SERVPRO of Tuscaloosa traveled to Fort Myers, Florida to complete jobs in the affected area. Hurricane Ian is the deadliest hurricane to hit Florida since 1935, so the emotional and physical damage caused widespread pain across the state.

So far, our crew has been in the Fort Myers area for two weeks. Most of the jobs they are working on involve water damage to residential properties. 

Before Hurricane Ian, SERVPRO headquarters provided some tips to follow while waiting for professionals to arrive at the site of a disaster. Here are a few to keep in mind for the remainder of hurricane season:

1. Avoid contact with items contaminated by flood water. This is considered black water and can be harmful to your health.
2. Be extremely cautious when entering your home. If you must enter a flooded area, wear sturdy shoes and protective clothing.
3. Throw away any food (even canned goods) that were in contact with flood water.