How Promptly Done Water Mitigation Tasks Protect a Home in Helena

6/16/2024 (Permalink)

If you find water damage in your home, contact SERVPRO immediately. Our technicians are ready to help remediate your home.

Water Mitigation Cuts the Hassle After a Disaster

Water from any source and saturating building materials inside your Helena area home can cause significant damage. Our water mitigation services ensure that clean-up and restoration proceed on time and efficiently. These extra steps create benefits that outweigh any perceived delays or added costs.

SERVPRO® wants homeowners in Helena to know that water mitigation can begin before our arrival. Although we use our equipment to remove water and eliminate excess water vapor, you can initiate the process that hinders the development of water damage.

Here are a few ways to minimize damage from water or excessive humidity:

• Always know where the water main is, 
• Protect things on or near the floor, and 
• Help prevent humidity from accumulating.

Knowing the water main's location inside your residence can help you take control of the situation. You can shut off the water flowing into your home, preventing further damage. You can more easily protect your new investment if you learn where this is when you move into a new home.

Protecting things on the floor ranges from the legs of your furniture to children's toys, such as cushions, stuffed toys, and other items usually found on the floor. You can do this by putting everything quickly into a plastic bin or moving it to higher ground, such as the couch or a lazy boy chair in another area. You can protect treasured family portraits by placing them in an air-tight container so humidity cannot cause secondary water damage.

After shutting off the water main, if that was the cause of the situation, and you have removed moisture-sensitive items, consider increasing the airflow within the residence. A fan or two can push damp air outside, keeping dry things from absorbing moisture. It also decreases the risk of microbial infestations.

However, you should call SERVPRO immediately after such an emergency. Our equipment can expand water mitigation services and explain the next steps involved in restoring your home. Contact us at (406) 458-6008.

Helena Homeowner’s Guide to Water Damage

10/16/2023 (Permalink)

Count on SERVPRO for reliable water damage and restoration to your Helena home, "Like it never even happened."

Water Cleanup Swiftly Mitigates Damage to Helena Properties

Because water damage can occur at any time in any building, you must always know what to expect. Suppose your Helena home has an overflowing bathtub, a burst pipe, or a natural disaster such as flooding. If not addressed quickly enough, the fallout can wreak havoc on your belongings and building materials. SERVPRO® wants you to know what to expect should you have a water-related emergency on your property.

Is it time for a water damage inspection?

Once water damage occurs in your Helena home, it is wise to have professionals inspect all impacted areas to determine the extent and what should be done to repair it. Our processes involve several steps, such as:

• Our skilled technicians will inspect the affected area to address the cause and assess the extent of your water damage. We use moisture sensors and meters to locate problem areas under flooring, beneath ceilings, and behind walls.
• Once the initial assessment is done, we may use other equipment like borescopes and thermal imaging to get further details on the damage. During this time, we may also have to remove some insulation and drywall to get to the heart of the problem.
• After all scoping is complete, our crew chief works to formulate a plan to handle all water damage and begin the restoration process. We will also ensure all documentation gets filled out to help facilitate your insurance claim, should you make one.

Water removal services and drying performed by professionals are the best way to get your property back to preloss condition. SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls arrives promptly with all the right equipment to help pull up standing water and eliminate excess moisture that could lead to secondary damage or microbial growth.

If you require help with water damage in Helena, having our professional SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls team is the best way to ensure quality results. Request help online or call (406) 458-6008 for 24/7 emergency service.

Water Mitigation is the First Step for Saturated Homes in Helena

5/18/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the tools to extract the water and restore the damage.

Water Mitigation Stops Damage Before It Happens

When a home retains excessive water from floods, heavy rain, or leaking pipes, it can cause severe damage to the building's structure and contents. Water mitigation is the process of preventing, reducing, or reversing the damage caused by water. In Helena, homeowners must act quickly to initiate this first step in preventing impending damage.

In Helena, water mitigation specialists use various techniques to remove water, prevent further damage, dry out the affected area, and get everything clean. Water mitigation can help save homeowners from paying for more expensive repairs. The sooner a homeowner can call for water mitigation services, the better the chances are for reducing the recovery costs after a disaster.

Here are some of the various methods we use to prevent, reduce, or reverse water damage to a home:

• Water extraction,
• Structural drying,
• Dehumidification, and
• Cleaning of contents.

SERVPRO's specialists use pumps and vacuums to remove standing water from the affected area. Standing water, including puddles, can hide safety hazards.

After removing visible water, we use air movers, heaters, specialized mats, and extraction equipment to dry the home's interior. The entire process may take several days, depending on the extent of the water damage. We understand that some of our machines may seem very noisy. If it becomes too bothersome, please let us know, and we can work with you to make it less annoying.

We also use dehumidifiers and desiccant machinery to remove excess moisture from the air. Drier air helps dry out any dampened materials. If water originated from a continuing source, we might install a permanent dehumidifier.

We also take steps to minimize damage to non-structural property, like the contents of your home. We can assess the damage to such items and take steps to clean and restore them.

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls is always available to assist you with the effects of any disaster. Call us at (406) 458-6008.

Helena Residents Deserve Safe, Efficient Water Damage Cleanup

3/20/2023 (Permalink)

Have water damage in your Helena home? SERVPRO is prepared with restoration equipment and experienced technicians. Call us today!

Call SERVPRO 24/7 in Helena for Water Damage Restoration Assistance

Even with precautions in place, there can be times when your home or business sustains water damage. This could be a malfunctioning appliance, failing plumbing with a hidden water leak, burst pipes, or a significant water spill. Secondary damage and black mold growth are possible when you do not promptly address the water issue. SERVPRO is there whenever Helena property owners require assistance with water restoration, working to restore versus replace whenever possible. With our 24/7 availability, We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

You could face many common challenges in terms of water damage in Helena. SERVPRO features skilled water restoration technicians (WRT) who know how to adapt to meet such challenges based on each project. With our scalability and elite disaster response team, you can also look to us for sudden flood damage from storms and other disastrous events.

We are a Trusted Name in the Restoration Industry

Just a sampling of things that you can count on when you contact us for water removal services and restoration include:

• Rapid response times – we are available around the clock, all year long
• Reputation – we are a trusted name in the restoration industry
• Community – we are locally owned and operated with a vested interest in the greater Helena area
• Scalability – we are there for residential and commercial customers, regardless of the size and scope of the water damage restoration project

What Training Does a SERVPRO Technician Have?

To be successful with water damage calls requires a great deal of training in the science of drying, known as psychrometry. Our team members receive ongoing training in water mitigation, damage assessment, and all related areas as set forth by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Each team that heads out contains specialists in one or more of the following areas:

• Water damage restoration
• Advanced structural drying (ASD)
• Mitigation awareness
• Mold cleanup
• Carpet and upholstery cleaning
• Odor control and more

Never Wait When a Water-Related Emergency Happens

No matter the source of the water damage, water removal services must begin as soon as possible. Failing to do so could bring costly secondary damage or mold and mildew growth. SERVPRO arrives fast to start the assessment of the damage so we can select the best tools for the job. We have an extensive inventory of equipment at our warehouse, including:

• Water pumps and extractors scalable to each size and type of project
• Generators to ensure a power source should your electric supply become compromised
• Air movers and industrial-grade dehumidifiers to speed drying and restore relative humidity (RH)
• Air scrubbers with HEPA filtration to tackle musty odors and remove airborne particulates
• EPA-registered antimicrobial and cleaning agents

What About Contents that Come Into Contact With Water?

Our pack-out services help relocate affected contents for drying/cleaning or safe storage if you have contents or inventory impacted by water. Our specialized technicians carefully assess, sort, label, and list everything to ensure a paper trail for each item. Some items may get moved to staging areas or our warehouse for further cleaning, while others get packed up and moved out to reside in our climate-controlled warehouse during the restoration project. Moving items out to get stored helps free up space for our technicians to work.

SERVPRO is Here for Helena Commercial Properties Dealing with Water Damage

Water issues call for a prompt response, whether you have a small eatery or a large-scale manufacturing company. We are available for our area commercial customers to handle any size or type of water-related emergency so that you can feel confident your business does not miss a beat. Be sure to talk with us about developing your Emergency READY  Profile (ERP) to prepare for an emergency on your commercial property!

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls is there whenever you require help with water damage. Request help online or give our customer care team a call at (406) 458-6008 for more details.

Challenges Water Restoration Poses in Large Helena Facilities

12/28/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage restoration services by SERVPRO are top-notch. We are ready at a moment's notice.

 SERVPRO Responds Appropriately to Water Damage in Helena

Running extensive facilities requires almost perfect skills to organize people and schedule daily activities. When an unexpected event, such as water intrusion from a burst plumbing line or missing shingle, interferes with any aspect, operations can halt. Timely water restoration is essential to reinstate entire operations.

The water restoration processes your Helena facility requires may challenge you, especially if you choose to handle them in-house rather than involve a professional. SERVPRO provides the tools, trained staff, and necessary experience to respond to challenges leading to better outcomes.

Restoration Challenges Posed by a Large Facility

• Moving water or air over vast distances
• Difficulty reaching elevated areas
• Challenges in executing drying procedures

Removing spilled water is one of the main restoration procedures to undertake. Such water may be spread over the vast floor surfaces or trapped in an interior wall deep within the facility. Extracting and properly disposing of it is critical. The extractors our technicians use have storage tanks, thus easing transfers. Alternatively, we use large, wheeled trashcans as receptacles during the extraction.

Ventilating the Property

Circulating air in the property is essential to facilitate faster evaporation, thus drying wet areas faster. Unlike dealing with water, where movement is directional from the structure to the exterior, air movement requires more control. For instance, isolating the affected areas is essential before circulating dry air to ensure no interference from the air in the surrounding regions or the exterior of the building. Our technicians can establish a closed drying system by installing containment and using air movers and dehumidifiers.

Essential Drying Equipment

• Direct expansion units for heating and cooling
• Desiccant dehumidifiers
• Indirect fired furnaces

Another problem that might afflict restoration is the need for more power or lighting to facilitate the repair. SERVPRO is well prepared with portable or industrial generators to supply sufficient electricity to run all the equipment. We also have a stand, string, and wobble lights to illuminate all the dark areas.

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls can tackle any challenging water restoration task limiting interruptions to your daily schedules. Call (406) 458-6008. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Drywall Water Damage Repair in Helena Homes

11/15/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls today if you need help with professional water damage restoration.

SERVPRO Restores the Interior Condition of Your Helena Home

In the event of moisture intrusion in your Helena home, it is highly likely to affect drywall surfaces. Water damage worsens as time passes and creates the ideal conditions for mold growth. You must rapidly extract excess moisture in a structure to prevent the drywall from encouraging mold growth and experiencing severe structural harm.

The period it takes to repair water damage in your Helena home can vary. Factors such as affected materials and areas significantly impact the restoration timeline. For example, a small home damaged by a substantial amount of water may take longer to restore than a large house with only minor moisture damage. Larger areas may require longer drying times. Regardless of the size, specific protocols are necessary to restore your home’s interior quality completely. That is why having a company such as SERVPRO perform restoration eases the process for you.

Other variables that determine how long the process may take:

• How long has the water been in contact with the property
• The volume of water inside the house
• Whether the water leaks impacted building materials
• Whether the water is contaminated

Factors Affecting Drywall’s Drying Time

In some situations, drywall can dry out on its own, but this may take longer, and you would want to avoid risking the chances of dealing with mold.

Factors determining drying time:

• Extent of damage
• Drying method
• Moisture barriers on the wall

Wet drywall would dry slower the more moisture it has absorbed. By using drying methods and equipment such as dehumidifiers, air filtration devices, and structural drying cavity equipment, SERVPRO crews can speed up the drying process.

Whether just one area of your drywall needs water damage repair or an entire floor is affected, SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls can help. Call us at (406) 458-6008 to thoroughly clean and dry your affected properties. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Best Practices in Helena to Handle Water Removal

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

When dealing with water damage, it is best to call in the experts early. Our SERVPRO team is standing by 24/7 ready to help your home.

SERVPRO Has Certified Water Damage Technicians to Ensure Your Water Removal Job Moves Quickly!

Do you have water pouring into your Helena home from burst pipes in the middle of the night? It would help if you remain prepared by having a team ready to tackle your emergency services water damage needs. By keeping SERVPRO’s number handy, you can count on a 24/7 response that will help you to get your property restored faster.

Water removal in Helena involves a lot more than extracting standing water. Removing all hidden moisture that may have developed due to water migration is critical. SERVPRO technicians know how to follow the path of migration into nooks and crannies so that you do not have costly secondary damage or the onset of mildew and mold. With our detailed cleaning and sanitizing with EPA-registered products, you can rest assured that we do everything we can to eliminate the potential health effects that can arise if mold develops.

Take the Following Steps Until We Arrive:

• Try to stop the source of the water
• Use towels or blankets to keep water from moving into other rooms
• If you possess a wet/dry vacuum, try to pull up as much water as possible
• Turn on ceiling fans or box fans to circulate air

Once SERVPRO Arrives, We Will:

• Scope the scene to formulate our assessment
• Develop a course of action for water clean up
• Begin extraction and drying measures
• Determine if controlled demolition is necessary
• Finish the job with detailed sanitization and deodorization

Water removal and water damage repairs handled by SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls will get you the best result – guaranteed! Call us at (406) 458-6008.

When Your Great Falls Home Experiences Water Damage

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

Are you prepared to remediate water damage in your home? SERVPRO is!

Common Types of Water Damage in Great Falls Homes (And What to Do About It) 

The two most common areas in a home where homeowners experience water damage are the kitchen and bathroom. However, many other areas can wreak havoc, from washing machine malfunctions to water tank failures. When these events occur, the faster the cleanup begins, lessening the potential for loss. 

When Great Falls homeowners experience water damage, the initial actions can help limit issues before SERVPRO techs arrive on-site. Your to-do list should include: 

• Pick up items on the floor such as magazines and decorative baskets
• Put down towels to absorb water, particularly at carpet edges and baseboards
• Put foil between stained wood and wet carpet to avoid transfer bleeds
• Take small furnishings out of the loss area if it is safe to do so 

SERVPRO techs use state-of-the-art equipment to determine the actual scale of water loss. It is vital to go beyond what they can see and find hidden water that migrated behind baseboards or within wall cavities. This attention to detail negates further issues such as foul, musty odors and mold growth.

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008 handles any size of water damage in local properties and restores it to its preloss condition, "Like it never even happened." 

Environmental Conditions for Fast Great Falls Home Drying

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

No matter when you make the call, we have technicians who can assist you.

SERVPRO Uses the Elements to Their Advantage in Drying Your Great Falls Home After Water Damage

Drying out a Great Falls property after water losses of any size or severity can require understanding the sciences of moisture removal and evaporation. A balance between three distinct elements can maximize the drying efforts of our SERVPRO professionals when we first arrive at your compromised address. Manipulating any one of these elements can improve recovery efficiency provided that the other connected conditions maintain the balance.

Between the temperature of the drying zone, the airflow throughout this region, and the humidity levels, our technicians must control these elements to remove water damage from Great Falls homes. A better understanding of the individual effects of these sciences can showcase the connections between each branch of this drying process.

Temperature

Cold temperatures can slow down the effectiveness of drying approaches. To establish a drying zone, containment practices can make the affected region easier to warm to promote thorough moisture removal from materials and the environment. While air movers and other drying equipment can exhaust warmer air that can elevate the temperature, we can also directly impact the damaged area with portable electric heaters.

Airflow

Direct airflow against saturated materials can help to alleviate moisture concerns and potentially prevent the need for tear-out and reconstruction. Drying construction materials and contents can leave a cool-air barrier resting just above the surface, which can often get removed with the application of direct airflow like our centrifugal air movers.

Humidity

Maintaining a balance in all these drying elements means adjusting moisture removal equipment to meet the demands of elevated humidity levels. With air movers and other drying tools trained at wet surfaces and regions of the house, evaporation can elevate moisture content levels in the environment. In most cases, this demands a careful balance between an air mover and a dehumidifier to maximize the drying process for our SERVPRO team.  

A balance of the three facets of drying can make your home's mitigation and restoration efforts more efficient and cost-effective. However, we can help when water damages threaten your property, give our SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls team a call at (406) 458-6008.

Is a Professional Water Removal Service Necessary to Restore a Helena Basement After a Water Leak?

2/20/2022 (Permalink)

Basement water damage can cause decay as well as possible mold issues. Tackle this right away by contacting SERVPRO for water removal.

Water Remediation for a Helena Home is Much More than Water Extraction and Requires Professional Attention

Water intrusion in your Helena home is disruptive and inconvenient. It doesn't matter whether it started due to a broken pipe or a leaking water heater. Most homeowners want to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently with little to no secondary damage. Your best option is to call a water restoration team to restore a house after water threatens it.

In Helena, your water removal squad is a phone call away. Our SERVPRO staff can save you time and money when you allow us to assess the damage and use targeted equipment and techniques. Even though it seems like you can tackle water extraction on your own, in reality, a complete water damage restoration job is a complex process. It involves using state-of-the-art measuring equipment such as infrared moisture meters, capable of detecting water in tucked-away corners of your home. It also entails the application of anti-microbial solutions to thwart mold growth. Among other reasons why you should place your trust in SERVPRO and our certified water restoration technicians, consider the following:

• Access to industrial-grade equipment: Our staff can choose from water extraction and restoration equipment suitable for diverse volumes of water and structural considerations.
• Assistance with insurance claims: Insurance companies often require documentation and supporting evidence for their claims. Our careful record-keeping assists in that process, making it easier to navigate and reach a resolution.
• Safety: since we consistently operate under challenging circumstances, we take every safety precaution recommended for our industry. From erecting physical barriers to using personal protective equipment, we keep safety top of mind for the protection of all.

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls is ready to help when you call us at (406) 458-6008. Reach out and let us work to leave your home “Like it never even happened.”

Don’t Let Water Damage Overtake Your Helena Living Space.

1/30/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO water damage restoration teams have the knowledge and experience for every size of disaster. We are ready at a moment's notice.

SERVPRO Handles Water Damage Calls of All Kinds in Helena

Whenever you have water damage of any kind, you run the risk of material degradation, loss of structural integrity, and environmental problems from black mold and other toxic pathogens. Just because it seems as though your Helena property may look dry after your DIY efforts, it does not mean that all hidden moisture gets accounted for. Professional water restoration technicians (WRT) are your best bet for bringing your property back to normal, which is where SERVPRO comes in.

With SERVPRO’s flood and water damage response team in Helena, you can have peace of mind that your project gets handled correctly the first time around. We have specialty drying equipment, technical training, and years of experience handling the whole gamut of water restoration situations.

Our Emergency Services Water Damage Response

• Initial response, mobilization, and inspection
• Rapid extraction of all standing water in your home
• Restorative drying followed by daily monitoring
• Evaluation of any possibly hazardous building materials
• Removal of unsalvageable building materials
• Reconstruction
• Cleaning, sanitizing, and deodorizing your interior

Did you know that removing all standing water ends up making it faster than just trying to dry out your interior? We have a mitigation team to handle water removal services while the drying equipment is set up.

Our SERVPRO franchise is locally owned and operated, which means we commit to our area residents and business owners to provide quick, efficient, high-quality work. We even go the extra mile to act as a liaison with your home insurance provider to ensure all aspects of your water damage claim go as smoothly as possible.

Do you have questions about our water damage restoration services or wish to set up a team to head to your home? You can reach us at SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls by calling (406) 458-6008 or requesting help online.

How Can Water Damage Influence the Energy Efficiency of Your Helena Home?

11/21/2021 (Permalink)

When water damage affects your home, deterioration continues to occur. Call SERVPRO to investigate and start the water damage remediation process.

SERVPRO Executes Water Removal To Address Immediate and Forestall Future Issues

When water is introduced into a structure, it changes many materials. Some of these changes may be subtle, but they can significantly impact your Helena home. One such case is moisture reaching wall cavities and affecting the insulation, which can create energy inefficiencies.

If you do not understand such impacts of water damage in your Helena home, you may end up footing hefty power bills long after the water intrusion is dealt with, thus leading to unnecessary losses. SERVPRO can help you resolve the initial water intrusion without leaving long-term issues. Apart from larger bills, you might encounter other problems.

Some of the problems associated with water intrusion in insulated areas include:

• Reduced fire resistance
• Compromised antimicrobial qualities
• Matting or rusting 

Resolving water damage around the affected areas without leaving long-term issues requires proper planning. Devising a plan is only possible if you know what you are facing. Our SERVPRO technicians evaluate the type of insulation you have to determine the right action.

The common types of insulation include fiberglass, cellulose, and Rockwool. Each of these types of insulation presents unique challenges after moisture exposure. Cellulose and Rockwool mat when wet, so removal is the only solution. Fiberglass is more resilient, but it is not always possible to restore it because the vapor barriers in the material slow down drying.

Drying insulated walls requires:

• Removing baseboards
• Drilling holes between wall studs
• Forcing warm, dry air into the cavities to improve evaporation

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls considers every water damage incident significant, thus deploying sufficient resources to make it "Like it never even happened." Call us at (406) 458-6008

Why Are Wet Vacuums a Preferred Water Removal Tool in Great Falls Homes?

10/1/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of the room affected, water damage needs to be dealt with properly. Contact our certified team for water removal services.

With their Versatility and Portability, Wet Vacuums can Quickly Manage Water Damage in Great Falls Properties

Emergency services often have the greatest impact on the overall restoration process, as this is set to overcome pressing concerns in a damaged home. Standing water can require several tools and approaches to remove. While we lean heavily on the versatility of wet vacuums, our SERVPRO team can also choose:

• Truck-mount pumps
• Submersible units
• Traditional toweling/mopping

Shallow Damage and Inaccessible Areas

Wet vacuums are among the most heavily used for water removal in Great Falls homes because many water pooling situations do not exceed several inches. Furthermore, the portability of these units and their typical lighter weight makes them ideal for less accessible areas when combined with attachments like light wands.

Deep Extraction of Carpets

Carpets can be a common flooring element of homes and businesses throughout our service area, so having a portable unit strong enough to run a carpet wand is efficient for restoration. This extraction effort can protect the upper layer of carpeted floors, padding, and subflooring from permanent damage by pulling trapped moisture.

Low Demands on Portable Power

Another one of the advantages of choosing a wet vacuum for much of the extraction needs is the low-draw demands of the unit. Flood and water damage can leave the property without an adequate power supply, so our SERVPRO team uses generators and spider boxes to have the needed outlets and electricity to power the recovery tools.

Extraction is a vital element of mitigating water damages in your home. With tools like wet vacuums, this process can be more efficient and cost-effective. Our SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls team can help with post-water damage recovery 24/7 at (406) 458-6008.

Is Water Cleanup Important for Helena Residents to Avoid Contaminated Substances?

8/17/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls knows how important every room in your home is. Call us today for water damage issues.

SERVPRO in Helena Can Provide Expert Water Cleanup for Biohazardous Substances

When water enters your home, it immediately begins to make the surfaces, fixtures, and contents unsanitary. The longer water remains in the house, the more likely it is to migrate deeper into the building assembly. Drying a room with surface water intrusion is much easier than drying interior drywall, plasterwork, insulation, or foundations. Equally, the longer water remains in the property, the more likely it is to attract micro-organisms. Micro-organisms can include bacterias, molds, or viruses, which can prosper in wet, humid environments. Professional technicians are capable of performing:

• Water damage restoration
• Water clean up
• Ceiling repairs from water damages

Maintaining a healthy home is the core principle of water cleanup professionals in Helena. There are possibilities for homeowners themselves to carry out water mitigation tasks and cleanup. However, suppose these circumstances involve dangerous materials like lead paints or asbestos and hazardous substances like mold or sewage. In that case, it is vital to use a fully qualified restoration technician. When biohazardous implications are present controlling ventilation is necessary to prevent the spread of sewer gases throughout the home or contaminate other materials. 

• Areas of the home that show no signs of damage can be sectioned off or used as a temporary storage and cleaning space for wet possessions. 
• Usually, these cleaning rooms are sealed using a polyethylene sheet to prevent water or water vapor from affecting walls, floors, and ceilings. 
• Brickwork, timber, plasterboard, and drywall can all be adversely affected by exposure to moisture and usually require professional assistance with correct drying equipment to return to a preloss condition. 

If you need the help of a professional water restoration technician, contact SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls for water cleanup at (406) 458-6008.

How Can SERVPRO Overcome Bound Water in Materials of Your Great Falls Home?

4/28/2021 (Permalink)

Burst pipes behind walls can make water damage that much harder. Contact team SERVPRO to investigate the situation and remediate the damage.

Burst Pipes and Leaks Can Lead to Water Trapped in Building Materials of Great Falls Properties

Because so many potential causes for water damage exist in area homes and businesses, water clean up is among the most common service callouts our SERVPRO team receives. We offer fast and reliable service to begin mitigation work in these situations, showcasing years of experience that our restoration team has for water damage remediation. Water disasters of varying types present unique obstacles for restorers, so establishing the kind of damage and the necessary restoration and recovery steps as soon as possible is critical to help with:

• Burst pipes
• Ceiling leaks 
• Basement flooding
• Emergency services water damage 
• Flood restoration
• Water damage remediation 

Water Removal Services for Standing Water Concerns

After burst pipes, ceiling leaks, and other types of water damage in Great Falls homes, water removal services are necessary. Often, professionals cannot calculate the full extent of a disaster's damage until surface water concerns are addressed by responding technicians from our SERVPRO team.

There are numerous machines and instruments in our recovery inventory to efficiently remove pooling water and begin subsequent water clean up and flood restoration, including truck-mount extractors, electric submersible pumps, trash pumps, and wet vacuums. Specialty weighted extractors and carpet wands can also help to prevent trapped water from becoming bound.

Drying Tools for Appropriate Water Clean Up

There is no mistaking that drying is among the most important steps to overcome water damage, which can also happen in several ways. Bound water can be a challenging obstacle for responding technicians, primarily because the composition of the affected material begins to degrade and deteriorate at this stage. Axial and centrifugal air movers directed at impacted surfaces can promote surface drying and evaporation. However, more direct measures are often necessary to overcome trapped moisture and water beyond these visible points.

The Injecti-Dry system and other positive and negative pressure systems work to infuse warm, dry air into structural cavities to promote evaporation and better protect exposed materials. The objective of using this multi-hose system and directly blasting air into these cavities is to reduce the need for tear-out and reconstruction.

Water Damage Repairs and Controlled Demolition

Despite the efficiency and efficacy of drying tools and devices to promote evaporation in structural cavities, there are circumstances where too much damage and degradation has occurred. Our general contractor license allows us to complete multiple water damage repairs and reconstruction services your home might require. Beginning with controlled demolition to remove ruined materials, we can begin reconstruction and build-back as soon as water clean up completes.

Bound water can often only get resolved by removing and replacing drywall, flooring, and other affected building materials. Between our general contractor license and our highly experienced Water Restoration Technician (WRT) team, you can count on SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls to help. We are available 24/7 at (406) 458-6008.

Can SERVPRO Handle All Aspects of Complicated Water Mitigation and Asbestos Abatement in Helena?

3/29/2021 (Permalink)

We love hearing from our customers!

SERVPRO Streamlines Water Damage Cleanup and Hazardous Material Remediation Much to Our Customer’s Relief

The types and intensity of a Helena homeowner’s water emergency services requirements vary with each scenario. SERVPRO’s commitment to speedy service from highly-qualified licensed and certified technicians enables us to provide wrap-around strategies that:

• Minimize the disruption caused by the event
• Avoid the need to hire several contractors
• Ensure the tasks completed meet or exceed all applicable rules and regulations

How Does SERVPRO Respond to a Helena Resident’s Request for Water Damage Help?

Let one of our valued customers answer this  question with a recent testimonial:

Dear Jesse,

I’m writing this letter to let you know how much I have appreciated the wonderful service that Josh Wittenberg and Josh Forrest have provided. From the morning they arrived, they have been hard-working and so very courteous. I have so appreciated their work ethic and their attention to detail as they worked to clear up and clean up the water mess in my home. I also appreciated their sensitivity to the stress I was under. SERVPRO is fortunate to have these two fine employees and I was fortunate to have them at my house to solve my problem.

Sincerely Mary S.

P.S. Nathan M and Logan from Helena did a wonderful job on asbestos abatement today (March 16th). They were also so courteous, friendly and hard working.

What Resources Does SERVPRO Call Upon to Deliver Comprehensive Water and Asbestos Abatement?

Helena water emergencies demand workers complete proper training from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), and evidence an exemplary work ethic. Compassion for the worry and fear experienced by customers is a must. The team responding to Mary S’s disaster illustrates the certifications, skill, kindness, and dedication of our crew chiefs and workers.These gentlemen brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to this job with their IICRC certifications as

• WRT (Water Restoration Technician)
• OCT (Order Control Technician)
• CCT (Carpet Cleaning Technician)

Advanced training and certification from the state also allowed a smooth transition to the needed asbestos remediation. The crew members hold Montana Project Contractor/Supervisor Certificates for Asbestos Abatement, so discovering hazardous asbestos-containing materials did not delay or slow the completion of the project.

No matter what unexpected issues occur, SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls has the workforce prepared to take your water restoration challenge from start to finish. Call (406) 458-6008 to ensure your water damage remediation is in our capable hands.

Problems with Water Damage in Great Falls?

1/29/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage? SERVPRO is prepared with restoration equipment and experienced technicians. Call us today!

SERVPRO Can Provide Water Damage Restoration Services in Great Falls

There are many instances where your property can suffer from moisture entering your dwelling. An appliance such as your water heater could malfunction and leak water into your structure. Or, a water pipe leading to your refrigerator ice machine could weaken and leak over time.

If you ever suffer from water damage in Great Falls, a professional restoration company like SERVPRO can help. When dealing with water-related issues on your property, we can take the following steps to complete the restoration process:

• Inspection/Hazard Mitigation: The first step we take upon arrival at your residence is to figure out where the water went and to mitigate any potential safety hazards before work begins.
• Extraction: Since water is easier to remove while it is still a liquid, we can use heavy-duty extractors to extract moisture from your contents and building materials.
• Applied Structural Drying: We can set up a combination of air movers and dehumidifiers to speed up the natural evaporation and drying process.

For fast 24/7 service, call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008.

Story Time Fun For Your Little Ones In Helena This December

12/1/2020 (Permalink)

The SERVPRO service vehicle can grapple with any type of water damage to your Helena property. We have the toys and equipment to get it done!

Lasso The Moon Toys In Helena Invites You To A Story Time Session

Downtown Helena is a charming and character-filled area that features a pedestrian walking mall so you can shop in peace and enjoy a stroll. Lasso The Moon Toys is Helena’s specialty toy store, with unusual toys for children of all ages. They also offer regular story sessions.

• Join Pam every week for storytime.
• Each week has a different theme.
• Some weeks also feature a guitar sing-along.

All sessions are free, though kids might want to bring some pocket money to spend. Sessions are every Saturday at 11:00 AM.

Storytime with Pam is best suited to little ones aged between 1 – 8 years old.

We all hope that our homes will not suffer a leak or water damage while we are out at a fun event. However, sometimes appliances will malfunction, or pipes will burst. If this should happen to you, call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008 for help with water damage repair.

Can a Home Recover After Dirty Water Intrusion?

10/30/2020 (Permalink)

Great Falls Homeowners always rely on SERVPRO for removal of water after plumbing or sewage problems. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

SERVPRO Water Cleanup Services Help Great Falls Residents to Overcome Water Intrusion from Unsanitary Sources.

How does dirty water affect water restoration?

Water can enter your Great Falls home from clean or unsanitary sources. A typical example of dirty water could include a sewer backup or a bust in a wastewater supply. There are varying levels of water contamination that can affect your home. Blackwater refers to category three water contamination and could include raw sewage. Greywater may come from exterior sources or wastewater supply lines. These water intrusion types can be tough to clean without professional assistance, and it is crucial to identify affected materials to restore or replace them. A home with category two or three-level water intrusion can be odorous, support the growth of microbial bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and affect your health. Sometimes, water can reside in materials or building assembly and continue to damage your home after the initial intrusion is cleaned.

How do technicians decontaminate a dirty water intrusion?

The goal of water cleanup for your Great Falls home is to return it to a sanitary state. In situations where there are biohazardous substances, technicians must disinfect the area to ensure your family remains safe. An initial layering of disinfectants can help to reduce the potential losses associated with contaminated water. A second treatment is required before applying biocides to the clean surfaces, which can break down microbial organisms. These home areas can be highly infectious, which is why technicians need to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), including splash goggles, chemical resistant clothing, and respiration apparatus. Generally, non-porous surfaces like tiles or porcelain can return to a preloss condition with chemical cleaning actions.

How are chemical agents applied to water losses in homes?

• Mixing the correct quantities of an EPA-registered broad-spectrum disinfectant for direct application onto surfaces.
• Allow the product to remove bacteria or dirt by providing enough dwell time in accordance with the manufacturer's guidance.
• Maintaining pH levels and the correct temperature within the affected area to ensure that disinfectants are at their most effective.

What are chemical agents used in water restoration?

When dealing with a house with contaminated water intrusion, there are various powerful cleaning agents used to destroy potentially harmful bacteria. To create a safer environment and return your home to its preloss condition, our technicians undergo extensive training in the usage of chemical products. These agents could include antimicrobial chemicals that reduce microorganisms in the water by preventing them from reproducing. Disinfectants and sanitizers are more aggressive methods of killing these microorganisms to return the home to a safe state. Sterilizing agents may sometimes be used; however, these aggressive chlorine-based products can often damage materials and are reserved for exceptional circumstances. After applying chemical agents, we frequently deodorize properties to reduce unpleasant odors from both water intrusion and chemical action.

What are the types of chemical agents used to reduce water contamination?

• Phenolics have a strong odor but can be useful as disinfectants, antiseptics, and antimicrobials. These can also be misted using an ultra low-volume fogger.
• Quaternary compounds can sanitize an environment by breaking down micro-organisms at a cellular level.
• Chlorine can damage materials and be an effective, low toxicity cleaning agent for dealing with stains or soiling in the property.

Why do technicians use different types of disinfectants?

Most chemical cleaning agents reduce or destroy microorganisms that could be making your home unsanitary. However, a typical water intrusion event can contain hundreds of different species of fungi, bacteria, or viruses. A single, multi-use disinfectant kills not all of these species. To ensure that your home returns to a safe and sanitary condition, technicians need to use multiple types of cleaners to capture all potential contamination. In some circumstances, SERVPRO technicians work closely with an industrial hygienist to return a property to its preloss state. Suppose you are remaining in the property during restoration. In that case, we may have to use low toxicity cleaning agents so that you can resume your everyday life during the cleaning process.

What guidance should be followed when using chemical agents?

• The environmental protection agency (EPA) has federal guidelines for using chemical agents within a home environment.
• The EPA and state law govern how chemical cleaners are disposed of, with some types unsafe to disperse into waterways or local sewer points.
• Manufacturer guidelines for the safe dilution, temperature, and dwell times of chemical agents must be followed at all times to avoid secondary damages.

Contaminated water intrusion events can make your home unsafe to live in. Contact SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008.

Water Intrusion Has Soaked my Carpets, What Should I Do?

9/11/2020 (Permalink)

We have the equipment and technicians ready to go to tackle your water damage restoration needs.

SERVPRO in Great Falls Can Mitigate Losses from Water Damage Including Carpet Restoration or Replacement

Is restoring a wet carpet easy?

Homeowners with carpeted properties in the Great Falls area may find restoring or replacing their carpets a challenge. Water damaged carpets in Great Falls can be up to 50% weaker when wet, so extra care needs taken to ensure that you do not inadvertently cause further damage. If there is minor water exposure in a room with plenty of bulky furnishings, it may be more time-efficient to use in-place drying methods- where the carpet remains in place. One of the challenges with wet carpets is that water can soak through to the carpet pad beneath. The padding can break-apart or stagnate without intervention. When removing carpeting, take extra care to detach gently and avoid pulling it to reduce the tearing risks. A carpet should come away from the floor quickly with the right tools and methods.

What equipment is used for removing wet carpets and pads?

The impact of water damage in Great Falls may center on carpets and flooring. SERVPRO technicians carry a stock range of equipment for carpet removal. You may need knee kickers, a stair tool, a seaming iron, and various adhesive material. Secondary gear includes heavy-duty plastic bags and carpet pads, which can be used for transporting wet disposal items from the property. In living room spaces, we may also use PVC pipes to circulate air beneath the carpet while leaving it in-place- a method known as 'floating' carpets.

What other tools should I consider for wet carpet restoration?

• Pressure washing equipment
• Duct tape, plastic sheeting, and sliders
• Low permeance flooring like vinyl may require a perforation roller

Carpet restoration can be a challenge, especially when the carpets are wet. Contact SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008 for expert assistance.

More about Great Falls.

How Quickly Does Water Damage Create Mold?

7/22/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says--We're Faster To Any Size Disaster in All Areas of Helena--We Restore Water Damaged Properties--No Matter Where!

SERVPRO Technicians Mitigate Water Damage to Helena Properties with Commercial-Grade Tools

Home water damage in Helena or any other locale is frustrating to deal with, particularly during the summer months. Warmer weather and higher humidity levels bring an increased risk of microbial growth without fast mitigation.

If your Helena residence requires water damage mitigation services, SERVPRO technicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to restore your property to a preloss condition. This team undergoes extensive training and certification per Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards to ensure that they can meet the industry benchmarks for clean and safe home restoration.

How Do I Detect Interior Pipe Leaks and What Can I Do to Repair Them?

Detecting Leaks

If you are concerned about a potential leak in your home from faulty or damaged plumbing, turn off all appliances in your home that use water. Check your water meter and write down the number you find on it, and repeat this step at least three hours later. Does the number continue to increase? If so, a leak somewhere in your plumbing is likely. However, this detection method does not work as well if you have a constantly dripping faucet or running toilet.

Dealing with Interior Leaks

If your interior plumbing is damaged, it may be time to call in a professional to handle the job.

What can a licensed pro do?

• Safely perform the demolition necessary to access the pipe and structural elements that may have been affected by water damage.
• Licensed techs can remove damaged plumbing and replace it with functional parts.
• Restoration professionals can detect moisture damage and leaks with sophisticated tools and then perform water extraction and structural drying services
• Perform any necessary patching, sanding, priming, and painting necessary to repair damaged drywall and return your home to a pre-leak state.

Certain materials require extra care, including tile, brick, and plaster. SERVPRO has access to reputable subcontractors who can render professional rebuilding services after a disaster.

How Does Water Damage Give Way to Microbial Growth?

While many homeowners in Helena may think that microbes and mold are only a problem for large-scale water damage, this is untrue. Any kind of water damage, at any scale, can create an environment that allows mold to thrive. Microbes can grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours after the initial disaster, meaning fast action is a must for keeping your home clean and safe.

What Are the Properties of Mold?

Mold grows by eating organic materials and reproduces by releasing spores into the air that cling to nearby surfaces. In nature, this is highly useful. Mold digests plant debris and allows for new growth to occur.

Many different types of mold thrive on an equally diverse array of surfaces, however. As long as your property is appropriately warm, humid, and full of organic materials such as wood, paper, and plant-based fibers, mold can quickly spread.

How Do I Prevent Microbial Growth in My Home?

• Keep an eye out for water leaks in your home and prevent them as quickly as possible. Clean up spills immediately after they occur.
• Keep attics and crawl spaces insulated and ventilated to minimize the risk of mold growth in a water damage situation.
• Move furniture at least a few inches away from walls to improve air circulation in hard-to-reach areas.
• Always use exhaust fans in high-moisture areas, such as laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
• Ensure there is enough airflow and ventilation in your home, especially if water damage is detected on the property.

While these measures can, in many cases, prevent microbial growth in your home, SERVPRO highly recommends contacting a specialist for your water damage mitigation needs to optimize safety through fast action rendered by trained professionals.

What Does SERVPRO Use to Remediate Bacterial and Microbial Proliferation?

• Access to over 100 proprietary cleaning solutions that remediate microbial growth as well as staining and odors from water damage.
• A variety of delivery methods for sanitation products, including sponges, mops, sprayers, squeegees, and foggers.
• SERVPRO education, certifications, personal protection equipment (PPE), and containment techniques to remove microbial growth while preventing its spread through your property.
• Structural drying equipment such as air movers and dehumidifiers inhibit microbial growth quickly when implemented after the use of water extraction tools.
• Odor Control Technicians (OCTs) can use commercial-grade deodorizers, including EPA-registered antimicrobials and ultra-low volume (ULV) fogging systems, to eliminate water damage odors.
• Powerful box fans circulate air as much as 3,200 cubic feet per minute to improve indoor air quality before and after odor control measures are implemented.

SERVPRO of Helena / Great Falls can ensure that your home looks, “Like it never even happened.” Call (406) 458-6008 for rapid-response mitigation that is available 24/7.

Can Anything Be Done to Restore Water Damaged Documents in Helena?

6/9/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls offers innovative solutions to specialized water damage scenarios.

See How SERVPRO Shares Surprising Strategies to Salvage Priceless Pictures and Documents in Helena

Working remotely allows you to choose your Helena office decor and location, a great perk until an accident occurs. Perhaps you station yourself by an open window or on the other end of the table that holds the family aquarium. Rain blowing inside when you run an errand or water escaping when the tank cracks can flood across your spreadsheets, notes, and books, soaking important data and printed reports. Personal possessions, such as photos, might be affected as well.

Do I Have to Throw Away Wet Papers and Pictures?

Some materials hold up well to water damage in your Helena home office, but papers, books, and photos are fragile and become more so when wet. The instinctive response to coping with wet papers, quite frankly, is to dispose of much of them as the typical homeowner knows of few ways to combat the deterioration of the cellulose fibers soaked with fluids. Fortunately, our production facility technicians have some better responses to these circumstances.

Freezing Paper and Photos Is a Solution?

It is not precisely the freezing of the damaged documents and photographs that is the answer. Instead, it is the specialized method by which the moisture absorbed into the pages is vaporized that is the drying trick. SERVPRO offers as a resource freeze-drying. Freeze-drying, or sublimation, uses pressurized chambers to transition water from a frozen state directly to a vapor without moving through the intervening liquid state. Although the papers might not regain the perfect smoothness and clarity they offered initially, vital information is saved. In the case of photos, irreplaceable memories are restored.

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls offers innovative solutions to specialized water damage scenarios. Call us at (406) 458-6008 before you make the mistake of giving up on the reclamation of your property too soon.

My kitchen is starting to become odorous with damp spots, yellowing, and water-loss, what can I do?

4/22/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO in Great Falls can and will mitigate your water damage problem

Staying calm and contacting professional assistance is your best chance of returning your Great Falls home to a pre-incident condition.

To reduce call-out times, you may want to use water restorers local to the Great Falls region. SERVPRO is close by and ready to help.

How can I predict potential water issues in my home?

Homeowners that require water cleanup in the Great Falls region always ask us how to avoid making the same mistake twice. Sometimes water-loss is unavoidable as the result of an external factor such as flash flooding or excessive rainfall. But some types of water problems are wholly avoidable by conducting regular maintenance checks and, in older homes, considering updating pipes, boilers, or plumbing.

What should I check to avoid a water loss scenario at home?

- Regular inspection, maintenance, and updating of appliances in wetrooms around the house
- A professional inspection of the interior and exterior plumbing with a particular focus on ensuring exterior pipes have sufficient insulation
- Avoid leaving running water beyond what is necessary for use
- Being aware of changes to water pressure in the home
- Check wetrooms at least once a year for potential sealant wear or leaking
- Be vigilant against unpleasant odors as well as discoloration in some regions of the home. These can be the initial signs of water damage.

What steps can I take to reduce loss in the home during a water emergency?

While waiting for SERVPRO technicians to arrive, you may want to consider shutting off water supply pipes at the source to prevent water from continuing to pour into your home. If the source of moisture is not immediately apparent, shutting off the water at the source can be especially useful. If possible, open windows in the affected area. Ventilating space can be essential in preventing high humidity levels and microbial growth. As far as is possible, seal the affected area from other rooms of the house. You can seal affected areas by shutting doors and placing a dry towel up against the door. Try to avoid introducing chemical agents to the area as these can interfere with the professional procedure.

Do professional restorers need to deconstruct parts of my home when conducting water restoration?

SERVPRO endeavor to perform restoration with a minimum loss, inconvenience, and expense to the homeowner. Our culture is to restore and not replace structural elements and contents whenever possible. Our water restoration technicians (WRT) use a range of measuring equipment to avoid using the aggressive removal of building materials. Moisture sensors can be placed on the surface of walls and measure the temperature at the surface level. Using these measurements, our technicians can accurately predict the extent of water migration and whether it affects cavities as well as open spaces.

Why does paintwork peel on the ceiling as well as on upper and lower walls?

The peeling of paintwork and wallpaper can be a sign of water residing inside cavities of the home. The water inside walls can condensate on outer walls causing dripping, discoloration as well as cracks. Other symptoms of cavity water damage may include a sagging ceiling or unpleasant smells.

Can you restore my home when water is present in wall cavities or crawlspaces?

Our service incorporates advanced structural drying (ASD) techniques into our restoration. Structural cavities can be a headache to dry because there is restrictive access to space, while most drying techniques require some form of ventilation. SERVPRO can ventilate inner cavities by drilling small holes beneath the baseboard then attaching air hoses or injectors. These setups can ventilate hot air into the cavity while moisture sensors on the exterior wall can measure how effective the drying technique is in real-time.

What equipment do you need to drywall cavities properly?

- Drying mats for floors that use tiles, floorboards or laminates
- Thermal imaging cameras, moisture sensors as well as boroscopes to assess the effectiveness of the drying strategy
- Air moving equipment using axial and centrifugal designs for increased efficiency
- Drills, as well as other appropriate tools.

-Injectidry systems for wall cavities as well as other restrictive spaces

Homeowners do not need to panic when facing a water emergency. Professional restorers can help to inform you of the potentially dangerous outcome of a water situation as well as performing the necessary tasks to avoid that outcome. Mold growth can be a typical result of a water loss scenario in the home. However, homeowners that seek out professional assistance early can often reduce the impact of mold growth or prevent it entirely. Our staff incorporates mold restriction methods during water cleanup to ensure that your home gets back to its preloss condition with minimal risk of secondary damage.

If you need assistance with a water emergency, do not hesitate to contact SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008.

When Your Great Falls Home Experiences Water Damage

3/20/2020 (Permalink)

Are you prepared to remediate water damage in your home?SERVPRO is! This is just some of the equipment at our disposal for your water damage emergency

Common Types of Water Damage in Great Falls Homes (And What to Do About It) 

The two most common areas in a home that homeowners experience water damage are the kitchen and bathroom. However, there are a host of other areas that can wreak havoc from washing machine malfunctions to water tank failures. When any of these events occur, the faster the cleanup begins, lessens the potential for loss. 

When Great Falls homeowners experience water damage, the initial actions can help limit issues before SERVPRO techs arrive on-site. Your to-do list should include: 

• Pick up items on the floor such as magazines and decorative baskets
• Put down towels to absorb water, particularly at carpet edges and baseboards
• Put foil between stained wood and wet carpet to avoid transfer bleeds
• Take small furnishings out of the loss area if it is safe to do so 

SERVPRO techs use state of the art equipment to determine the actual scale of water loss. It is vital to go beyond what they can visually see and find hidden water that migrated behind baseboards or within wall cavities. This attention to detail negates further issues such as foul, musty odors, and mold growth. 

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008 handles any size water damage in local properties and restores it to its preloss condition, "Like it never even happened." 

More about Great Falls.

Surviving Water Damage in Your Home

8/7/2019 (Permalink)

f your are experiencing a water damage call SERVPRO at 406-458-6008.

Water Damage In Your Home

Water damage in your Helena or Great Falls home is a frustrating and time-consuming problem. No one anticipates the issue; therefore, it’s always a major inconvenience and added expense. Particularly with broken pipes, there are several steps you need to take to start the water cleanup process.

1. Stop the Water Flow and Clear the Area

When a pipe breaks or bursts, you first need to stop the water flow. Always know how to shut off the water in your house, and turn it off immediately when you notice water leaking. If there is a large amount of water, it’s a good idea to turn off electricity in the room as well. Also clear the area of any decor items, furniture and especially electronics. If there are removable rugs or floor pads, take them out of the room.

2. Call the Professionals

As tempting as it may be to handle this problem alone, it’s always a good idea to call water damage specialists. They will remove the water and assess the damage to your home. It will give you peace of mind to have professionals dry out the area, as well as items within it. One of the frustrations of having broken pipes is not just the initial water, but also the threat of mold. Professionals will check unseen places, like below flooring and within walls for moisture in order to dry them and prevent mold.

3. Check with Your Insurance Company

The next call should be to your insurance company. If you have flood insurance, that will be very useful. If not, ask for details of your homeowner’s insurance policy and what exactly it covers. Once you know this information, you can prepare your budget and work with the water removal company on payment.

Water damage from broken pipes is a problem you need to deal with immediately. You should make sure to turn off the water and electricity, call a company specializing in water removal and restoration and check your insurance policies. Following these steps will make a hectic process a little more manageable and have you on your way to a restored home.

Tips to prevent water damage

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

It is not uncommon for Montana to get hail the size of tennis balls or golf balls. Please inspect your roof and home after a hail storm.

1.) Clean your gutters and ensure good drainage. 

2.) Direct down spouts 5-10 feet away from the house and ensure good drainage.

3.) Test your Sump Pump regularly.

4.) Fix all water leaks immediately.   

5.) Check for dark spots under pipes and on ceilings.

6.) Repair any cracked caulking. 

7.) Inspect your roof regularly. Replace missing roof shingles ASAP.

Lewis and Clark and Cascade Counties have been hit with many Severe Thunderstorms this summer. Please make sure to inspect your roof for hail and wind damage. If water damage is suspected call SERVPRO at 406-458-6008.

Frozen Pipes

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

Busted pipes can cause considerable damage to your Helena or Great Falls property.

The temperatures here in Montana have been dropping and the winter weather is here.  When the temperatures go below freezing level, your property is at risk for frozen pipes, which can create a major disaster in your home or business.

Be Prepared

• Know where your water shut off is located, in case of a frozen water pipe burst.
• Insulate exposed pipes in your home or business, especially if they are in unheated rooms.
• Open bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors during cold spells to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
• During extremely cold weather, keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets. Running water is less likely to freeze.
• Consider shutting off outdoor faucets and open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it completely drains and the inner valve is shut off.
• Keep your heat set to the same temperature both day and night.
• If you plan on being away from your property for an extended period of time, leave the heat on and set the thermostat to at least 55°F.

Discovered Frozen Pipe

• First sign of freezing is reduced water flow from a faucet.
• Keep the faucet open when treating frozen pipes.
• Apply heat to the frozen sections using a heating pad, hair drier, or another safe heat source. Do not use an open flame device.
• Check additional pipes and faucets for freezing.

When a Pipe Bursts

• Shut off the water at the main valve.
• Call your local restoration professionals, SERVPRO® of Helena & Great Falls.

A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to your property if not addressed quickly. If winter weather causes water damage to your home or business, call SERVPRO® of Helena & Great Falls. We are available 24/7 in Cascade county, Lewis & Clark county and surrounding areas.  

Vacation Water Damage Preparedness

11/26/2018 (Permalink)

Call us at SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls if you ever come home to damage in your house. 406-458-6008

If you ever come home from vacation to find your home flooded, call us immediately. (406) 458-6008.

With the holiday season upon us, many folks are making travel plans and preparing to visit friends and family around the country.

While you are away on vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is water damage to your home. Unfortunately, a water loss can strike at any time, whether or not you are present for it. Here are a few tips you can use to minimize the potential of water damage to your home whilst away.  

Quick pre-departure home inspection

After you have bought your plane tickets and packed your luggage, make sure to do a quick inspection around your home for potential problematic areas. Have a look at the pipes under your sinks, look for any issues with your water heater or furnace, inspect the supply lines that connect your major appliances and check the gutters and roof for any leaks, blockages or abnormalities.

This quick step can greatly reduce the potential for damage while you are away and give you peace of mind in the process.

Turn off the water main

An easy way to insure that you have no water related issues while you are away is to simply turn the water main off. It may be days before someone discovers standing water in their home, and turning off the water main on the way out the door will eliminate the potential to find unwanted surprises when they return.

Hire a house sitter

It’s always a good idea to have a trusted friend, family member or neighbor keep an eye on your home while you are away. Even better if they can stop in once or twice a day to make sure everything is in order. Make sure that whoever you choose receives adequate instructions and emergency contact information.

Nobody wants to return to their home after a fun vacation to find water damage, but sometimes, despite best efforts, they can still happen.

If you do return from your vacation to find water damage in your home, stay calm and contact a reputable water restoration company such as SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls immediately. The longer you wait, the more there is a chance for secondary damage.  

(406) 458-6008

Water Damage & Homeowners Insurance

8/3/2018 (Permalink)

Are you covered in your insurance policy.

A water loss is a very common calamity and a fact of life for many homeowners. Insurance policies can give you peace of mind, but many times, homeowners may not be aware of what is and what is NOT covered in their policy until it’s too late. We review seven common potential water related disaster scenarios below. You may want to update your policy accordingly after reviewing this article.

Broken pipe due to freezing

During the winter months, temperatures can reach extremes that can freeze the water in your pipes and cause them to burst. Most home owner’s policies cover this type of damage unless it was caused by negligence. An example of this would be if you left your home unoccupied and without heat.

Swimming pool leak that results in damage to your basement and lawn

Generally speaking, swimming pool leaks will not be covered in your homeowner’s policy unless the leak was the result of a falling tree. Damage to your basement and personal belongings is usually covered but damage to your lawn is generally not.

Appliance failure

Water damage from a failing appliance, such as an overflowing washing machine or broken toilet is covered if the issue is accidental and not the result of negligence. If you have failed to maintain your appliances and supply hoses, and this results in damage, it will not be covered.

Sewage back up

Although sewage backups are not covered by most standard home owner policies, additional endorsements may be added to the policy for this purpose. If the sewage back up was caused at a city level, you should contact the appropriate authorities in your municipality to discuss your options.

Natural disasters and storms

Damage incurred from floods are not covered in standard homeowner insurance policies. This includes intruding water from overflowing rivers, lakes or seawater, in addition to storms. If you require protection from this type of damage, you will need to get it separately in addition to your standard policy. Check with you insurance agent to find out your options.

Water seepage from ground water beneath your basement

This type of damage is considered a maintenance issue and is not covered in standard homeowner’s insurance policies.

Leakage through roof during or after a rainstorm

If your roof has not been properly maintained, this type of damage will not be covered. However, damage to your belongings may be covered, depending on the type of insurance policy you have. It is always a good idea to perform preventative maintenance to your home, especially if you live in an area with high precipitation or snow such as Helena or Great Falls area in general.

A lot of homeowners are unsure how to handle mold growth in their home as it pertains to their insurance policy. It is good to educate yourself on this type of claim prior to it occurring.

If you experience a flood in your home or discover that you have a mold issue, call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls 406-458-6008 immediately to get the remediation process underway as soon as possible. We deal with insurance companies on a daily basis and can help you navigate your claim. We are always here to help.

Water Restoration Steps

7/30/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage in your home can do extensive damage quickly. Call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls to help keep the damage to a minimum.

The Steps of Water Restoration

In the event of a water related disaster in your Great Falls home, your FIRST line of defense is to call a reputable water restoration company such as SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls. Most of the damage will occur in the first 48 hours. The longer water has a chance to sit, the more expensive the repairs will be.

Upon arrival, SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls will likely perform a variation of the following steps:

• Assessment of the damage

This step consists of a walk though of the area in question. Information and photos will be gathered. The surrounding area will also be inspected. Many times, water can seep into neighboring regions and can sometimes go undetected without the aid of a trained water restoration professional.

• Water Removal

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls will then begin to remove the standing water. This process will involve vacuums and extraction pumps. This step is a race against time, as the longer the water sits, the more chance for secondary damage.

• Drying

Once all of the standing water has been removed, the drying process can begin. This stage will utilize strategically placed industrial air movers and dehumidifiers. SERVPRO utilizes scientifically proven methods and state of the art equipment to decrease the dry time. Every job is different and will require its own “dry plan”.

• Restoration

This step includes the removal of unsalvageable materials such as damaged carpets, drywall and other waterlogged building materials. This step will reveal how much of the area was able to be restored to a preloss condition.

Each water restoration job comes with its own unique set of challenges, and is assessed on a case by case basis. This list is intended to merely explain the general procedures of water restoration. Our blog contains a wealth of information on the subject of water, fire and mold restoration. If you are looking for a reputable and dependable disaster restoration company, SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls is an industry leader and we take pride in every job we perform. Call us today to set up an assessment. 406-458-6008

Why Pipes Burst

12/13/2017 (Permalink)

When water freezes, it expands. That's why a can of soda explodes if it's put into a freezer to chill quickly and forgotten. When water freezes in a pipe, it also expands the same way. If it expands enough, the pipe bursts, water escapes and serious damage results.

Surprisingly, ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs. It's not the radial expansion of ice against the wall of the pipe that causes the break. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream. Between the ice blockage and a closed faucet at the end. It's this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed. Upstream from the ice blockage the water can always retreat back towards its source, so there is no pressure build-up to cause a break. Water has to freeze for ice blockages to occur. Pipes that are adequately protected along their entire length by placement within the building's insulation, insulation on the pipe itself, or heating, are safe.

Call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls if you experience a broken pipe in your Helena or Great Falls home (406) 458-6008.

Water Damage Restoration in Helena & Great Falls Homes

11/13/2017 (Permalink)

Water can do a lot of damage to a home that is not visible to the eye. Let SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls help restore your home. 406-458-6008

Water Damage Restoration

Many Helena & Great Falls homeowners who find damaged areas in their residence often try to patch the area up with store-bought repair materials. These items are typically only for temporary repairs, not permanent ones. Water can damage a home in various ways, each requiring its own solution.

When your Helena or Great Falls home needs water damage restoration, SERVPRO can assist you with the needed work. Our tools, machinery, and equipment help us in providing professional services for both large and small jobs. Because water damage spreads and grows larger, small affected areas should receive timely repair work. Prevention always requires less work and expense than what larger jobs need. Acting quickly instead of waiting for water damage to become more noticeable or problematic costs homeowners thousands extra.

Experts in restoration work can save you both time and money by doing the repairs the correct way, the first time. This eliminates the need for temporary materials, which restoration professionals need to remove before performing more permanent repairs.

SERVPRO technicians restore homes by removing sections full of water damage and then replacing the needed materials. Cleaning away the grime and grit that comes along with deterioration can revitalize some materials enough that replacement becomes unnecessary. Removing some materials leads to the discovery of additional damage on the wooden beams that make up the framework of a home.

Replacing structural supports with like materials restores the strength of the home's interior structure. Many homeowners experience an absence of creaking after this type of restoration. Window frames and doors become a bit more square once this happens, also, making them easier to open and close.

When water damage affects windows and doorways, re-framing them can solve the problem. Cabinets can also become water-damaged and require repair work. Floors, walls, ceilings, and even your belongings can sustain damage from exposure to water. We can restore all of these to like-new condition for you.

Water, while necessary for life, can quickly and easily create damaged areas in any home. Our experts also have the skills needed to locate the water coming into your home, and then eliminating the water's source, protecting your home from future water damage. Call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls at (406) 458-6008 for our round-the-clock services.

Preparing your Great Falls home for winter

9/25/2017 (Permalink)

If you find yourself with Frozen pipes call SERVPRO.

Before winter arrives

The three central causes of frozen pipes are quick drops in temperature, poor insulation, and thermostats set too low. You can prepare your home during the warmer months.

• Insulate pipes in your home's crawl spaces and attic, even if you live in a climate where freezing is uncommon. Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. Remember, the more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
• Heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization, and only for the use intended (exterior or interior). Closely follow all manufacturers' installation and operation instructions.
• Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.
• Before winter hits, disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.

If your Great Falls or Helena area home does end up with frozen pipes call SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls. 

Water damage? Get cleanup from SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls

8/30/2017 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls help you when water has taken over your home. Call 406-458-6008 today.

Damage Caused by Water, from Busted Pipes or Storms, Get Cleanup from SERVPRO

There are a variety of websites showing a simple 10-step do-it-yourself fix for protecting your structure after a flood. However, they often promote their products that fail to meet EPA specifications and even forgo mentioning other important factors involved in the process.

It is hard to receive quality results while attempting to repair flood damage in your home alone, without proper training, years of experience, and access to vital resources. Using a variety of home products and household tools does not provide you with the services you deserve.  

Here is a small look at what technicians face when providing services involved in your home’s restoration process. First, you should never enter a building deemed unsafe, always wait for a professional to tell you everything is okay. Next, protect yourself; it takes protective gear for everyone who wants to enter. Before you re-enter your property, inspect it for known hazards. You might cause significant damage, start a fire, or end up in the hospital if you fail to get it right. The best thing you can do is check about flood insurance coverage.

After checking everything, all contents including furniture, personal belongings, and any object not directly connected to the structure of your home needs moved to a safe, dry location. Be careful and avoid any additional damages, each of these items could be restorable. SERVPRO does all of this for you. This is an extreme scenario of what you can face after a flooding from a ruptured plumbing line, appliance, or storm related reason.

You need to remove mud and any other debris from carpeting and flooring. Rip every section of carpeting and any other flooring out of your home. Once done, an EPA-registered disinfectant, sanitizer, and virucide should get applied everywhere. The entire process includes cutting drywall on every wall down, at least 2-feet above the highest water line to allow for proper disinfection and drying. Leaving exposed wiring, pipes, and framing materials that require cleaning and drying. Sounds like a ton of work, but SERVPRO technicians train for this.

So far we have only covered steps 1-4 of someone’s 10-step online guide to flood damage recovery in your home. Do you still want to tackle these incidents on your own, or would you rather have an expertly trained restoration specialist from SERVPRO on your side?

Contact SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls for qualified flood damage restoration services you can count on to get you back on track. (406)458-6008.

Hire Professionals For Sewage and Water Damage Restoration

7/7/2016 (Permalink)

Picture from a water job that sat for 3 months. The home was covered in mold.

When water damage resulting from sewage issues or some other problem affects your property, you need to take effective action immediately. Although the water issue may seem minor, it can cause substantive damage to your house if it is not eliminated quickly and correctly. And while you may be inclined to start the water removal process on your own, it is important always to have this work completed by a team of professionals from SERVPRO  Here are several reasons why:

Water Damage Is Progressive
Water damage can worsen with each passing moment. The longer you postpone calling water damage restoration experts to fix the problems, the greater the damages will be. Apart from obvious damage to contents and building materials, you may also be victimized by a mold infestation if the water is not removed promptly. Exposure to fungi may cause health effects as well as increase restoration costs.

Sewage Water is Dangerous
If the excessive water on your property contains sewage, it is very dangerous. In fact, sewage water contains pathogens, pesticides, and waste matter. Black water causes health implications if you come in contact with this type of water. Contact professionals who can remove the sewage water quickly and safely. Don't attempt to do it yourself. Training, specialized equipment, and hazmat clothing are required for a return of safety to your property.

Electrical Hazards
Water, being a conductor of electricity, can send shocks powerful enough to cause electrocution under some circumstances. Whether you're dealing with black, gray or clean water, the extraction process brings with it electrical hazards. Don't subject yourself to the risk of electrocution. Instead, allow the experienced professionals from SERVPRO to complete the process for you. These individuals possess the knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to complete the process in a safe manner that precludes you and them from experiencing illness or injury.

Call SERVPRO Now
Although water damage in Longmont can disrupt your well-being and cause inconveniences within your daily life, it doesn't have to drain all your energy and assets. To restore your property and resume your way of life, contact the water damage restoration experts of SERVPRO. Our IICRC-certified technicians will clean and dry your property with remarkable speed, and we'll also provide you with complete customer service that keeps you calm throughout the remediation process. We will document, invite you for a final walk-through,  and guarantee that your home is dry and safe. "Like it never even happened."
Highly-Trained Water Restoration Specialists

As water damage specialists, SERVPRO of Helena & Great falls has the experience, expertise, and the advanced training that enables us to get your property dried quickly and thoroughly. We use scientific drying principles and provide validation and documentation that your property is dry and the job is complete. Learn about our water damage training and certificates. Call us 24/7 for help. (406) 431-8083.

Why choose Professional Damage Restoration?

7/7/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO equipment doing its work.

According to the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) there are a couple of reasons to choose a professional over doing it your self. Below are a few reasons:

• The process of fire and water restoration is very involved when it is performed properly.

• With quick reaction time and the appropriate skill set, a technician can help to prevent further damage and repair that which has already been done

• The process and equipment used during fire and water restoration will vary from case to case, since different materials require their own unique care. 

• For fire damage, general cleaning is done to remove ash and soot from ceiling to floor. 

• The quick remediation of the problem is important for more than repairs, it is also a health consideration

• Choose a company for fire and water restoration with the appropriate licenses and proof that they have the proper insurance.

• Whether the work to be done is in a commercial or residential location, technicians with experience and certification should perform the damage recovery.

• Call us at SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls so we can help you with your water, fire or mold damage. 

Lewis and Clark County and Cascade County 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

4/26/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - (406) 458-6008

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of  Helena & Great Falls has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls

SERVPRO of Helena & Great Falls specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.