While it is impossible to guarantee 100% that your building materials and items will be completely safe from a natural disaster, there are a number of measures to be taken to limit the risks. Although RestorationMaster is ready to provide emergency disaster restoration services during the most desperate times, we don’t want you to go through this process if it can be avoided. Just be sure to take the following measures in order to save you and your family from one of life’s biggest headaches:
Water Damage
- Monitor the following to ensure there are no leaks present or are in working condition for the following:
- Dishwashers
- Refrigerators
- Ice makers
- Gutters
- Thoroughly clean your gutters every fall season to ensure that there are no blockages.
- Prevent frozen and burst pipes in the winter time through proper insulation. Always turn off the water line while you are away for an extended period of time. You can also close interior valves for outside hoses during the colder months. Leave open the cabinet doors during extremely low temperatures to allow heat to circulate around the cold pipes.
- Be mindful of where you plant bushes, shrubs, and trees. As some species of vegetation can grow large roots, they can wrap around the underground pipes. With the increased pressure, they can break and cause a large water loss to your foundation.
- Do not pour any grease down the drain. While this may seem like a no-brainer, it still happens quite often. When the grease hardens, it will create blockages on the inside of the drain pipes. The pipe then becomes damaged and is prone to break at any time.
As mentioned previously, many cases of water damage can be prevented. However, accidents do happen. RestorationMaster understands this completely. In the event of a floor or extreme water damage to your property, you can rely on us to provide efficient water damage cleanup services in any emergency situation.
You can also check out the water restoration checklist to know what to expect when the water mitigation specialist arrives.
Fire Damage
- Make sure that there is a smoke detector in every room in order to be alert the minute a fire takes place. Also, keep a fire extinguisher stored in a kitchen cabinet or in a living room closet.
- Schedule frequent appointments to have the following cleaned and maintained before using: furnaces, heating systems, fireplaces, and chimneys.
- Be sure that the fireplace is properly secured, placing a mesh metal gate around it at all times. This is to prevent any sparks, burning wood, or coal from popping out and onto the carpet, or worse, onto your pets’ hair if they are laying by the fire.
- Avoid electric circuit overloads. Be sure to check all extension cords, fuse boxes, and circuit breakers to ensure that the total number of appliance circuit usage does not exceed 1500 watts.
- Always supervise burning candles, especially around young children and pets. When playing, they may not be paying attention to the burning candle nearby. RestorationMaster recommends replacing real candles with those that use a light bulb to greatly reduce the risk of a fire.
- Never step away from a burning stove. As there is a huge risk associated with leaving a stove unattended, anything nearby can easily catch fire. If you need to step away, be sure to turn it off first.
Although the majority of fire damage cases can be prevented, it is not 100% guaranteed. If you do encounter a fire within your home, call 911 immediately. The damage must then be restored as quickly as possible in order to save your home and belongings. Be sure to call RestorationMaster right away for emergency fire damage restoration services at (480) 781 4836 in the Phoenix, AZ area.