It’s hard to imagine, but your HVAC system is a delicate ecosystem, despite all the power it contains. We’ve talked about water damage and how to manage it, and we’ve talked about proper furnace maintenance, but we haven’t talked about the crossover between the two. What happens when water meets the furnace?

Furnace Placement and Common Flood Areas

As you might have guessed, there is one big commonality between water damage and your HVAC- location. The most common place for your furnace to be housed is in the basement, because of the convenience and accessibility to pipes throughout the home. Unfortunately, your basement is usually where excess water will end up if your home is flooded. Whether due to heavy rains, flash floods, busted pipes, or sewage back-up, water will make its way down into your basement if it didn’t start there in the first place.

What Parts of the Furnace are At Risk?

Depending on the depth of water and the amount of time the furnace has been exposed, the damage can be extensive. More often than not, professionals will recommend you to replace the furnace rather than repair it, to avoid further damage/danger to the home. What parts of the furnace could be damaged? We’re glad you asked!

• Metal surfaces/integrity
• Valves
• Controls/Thermostats
• Burners
• Gas lines
• Electrical wiring
• Filters

How Can I Keep My Furnace Safe?

There are a few important things to know in order to avoid water damage to your furnace. 

1. Reconsider/Evaluate the location of your furnace. Like we said, it’s convenient to keep your furnace in the basement, but if you live in a flood zone, you’re asking for trouble. While it might be expensive to move the furnace, it could be safer and cheaper in the long-run. 
2. Proper Maintenance. Keep up with the health of your water lines, and be sure not to skip any steps. Choosing not to replace a few lines can lead to an even greater expense.
3. Professional Services. Whether you are looking for someone to check on your water lines, relocate your furnace, help with water damage restoration, or any other project in your home, make sure you have experts you can trust. 

Superior Cleaning Solutions

If you’re looking for affordable, dependable care to make sure your home is safe and set-up with risk management in mind, contact us and schedule an appointment today.

Water damage is a big problem for any homeowner. The cost of repairing your home after water damage can be astronomical. But, that’s just your home. What about your valuables? The best thing you can do to protect your valuables from water damage is to be proactive. Consider doing these four proactive steps to protect your most precious possessions.

Store in Air-Tight, Waterproof Containers

You want to keep all your most treasured possessions in air-tight and waterproof containers. Keep these containers preferably up high out of reach of potentially flooding waters. Sometimes water gets in your home no matter what you do. Keeping your valuables in the proper containers will be good damage control in those uncontrollable situations. 

Stay On Top of Repairs

Keep your home on a regular rotation of home repairs. Your home can develop cracks in the foundation, windows, and doors. It is very important to have these issues repaired as soon as possible. You risk water getting into your house and causing significant damage if you don’t make the proper repairs.

Check Your Appliances

You need to make checking your appliances a part of your yearly home maintenance. The hoses on your dishwasher, washing machine, and ice maker can grow old and become loose. Poorly maintained hoses can lead to water flooding into your home and damaging your valuables. 

Don’t forget to check your water heater and also put it on a regular rotation for maintenance. Your water heater should be partially drained every six months to prevent sediments from building up on the bottom of the water heater and causing erosion and rust. Don’t forget to check the pipes when doing the water heater maintenance.

Turn Off Water Supply

Turn off the water main when you are leaving town. If you can’t turn off the water main, consider turning off the water to individual faucets or appliances. Leaving your home empty means you may not be home if or when a pipe bursts. Water could be flowing into your house without your knowledge and before you can get home in time to save your valuables. Prevent this from happening by cutting off the water completely when leaving.

Water damage can be a traumatic experience. That’s why you need a professional to come alongside you for the entire process of recovery. At Superior Cleaning Solutions, we’ve been in the water restoration business for over twenty years. We are family-owned/operated, and we know how important your valuable possessions are to you. We have the skills and equipment to make sure your home is properly restored. For all your water restoration needs, contact us!

When you’re dealing with water damage, there are a lot of factors at play. In the moment, it can be difficult to know what to prioritize and what to take seriously. We hope you never have to face water damage in your home, but if you do, we hope these 5 facts will prepare you to deal with the problem, and keep the right mindset in decision-making.

1. Response Time is Crucial

While you may already know this, we had to make this our first fact because it is the most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with water damage. If treatment isn’t started during the first day or two, damage will multiply exponentially. The longer the water sits, the higher the risk of irreparable damage. 

2. There Is More Than One Type of Water Damage

Most people think that all water damage is equal, regardless of how it started, where it came from, or what the water might have carried with it. One of the first things a professional will do is determine the cause of the water damage. The way the situation will be handled might change if the water isn’t fresh, but rather sewage back-up.

3. The Actual Problem Might Not Surface for a Month or Two

Once the water has been drained and the area has been sanitized and dried out, the problem is only partly finished. While you might be struggling to deal with insurance claims, and replacing damaged belongings, the old foundation, wood support beams, and walls are fighting a battle as well. Mold, mildew, and fungus might grow as a result of the flooding, but you won’t know about the issue for sure until after the initial incident

4. You Can’t Always Prepare for What You Can’t Control

Even the best-prepared home can’t always prevent water damage. But, you can be ready to respond immediately and call for help when the time comes!

Superior Cleaning Solutions

At Superior Cleaning Solutions, we pride ourselves not only in the regular maintenance of the families we take care of, but also in emergency response. Let us be your help in times of crisis- contact us to find out more, or schedule an appointment.

If you’re in the middle of dealing with water damage in your home, we know you’ve got a lot on your mind. How long will this take? Should I hire a professional mold service? Can any of my possessions be saved or recovered? How can I stop this from happening again? Unfortunately, though your insurance company should be on your side, often they are looking out for their own interests. Here’s what you need to look out for when taking care of water damage.

Insurance

In exchange for monthly payments, your insurance company offers protection and support from issues that appear without warning. At least, that’s how it works in theory. But if you live in areas with a high-risk for flooding, or own an older home, your insurance may not be as helpful. Below are a list of things to be aware of: what your insurance usually covers, and what it might not.

Risk Factors

If any of these things apply to your home, or the area you live in, there may be some complications with getting help from your insurance company. Be sure to understand what you are paying for, and how things could change when certain events occurs.

• Living in a flood zone (your insurance won’t cover this, usually you will need an additional insurance specifically for floods)
• Older home
• Older pipes/fixtures

There are a few other things that can affect the help you receive, including:

• Waiting before filing a claim
• Increased rates after placing a claim

Types of Water Damage Normally Covered By Insurance

If the water damage you experienced was caused by any of the reasons below, document the event well to be sure your insurance will support you.

• Vandalism/property damage
• Rain/snow
• Mold
• Damage resulting from putting out a fire
• Plumbing issues like frozen pipes or accidental overflow
• Roof leak

If you’re struggling to deal with the effects of water damage, there are organizations and companies who can also offer support.

Superior Cleaning Solutions

At Superior Cleaning Solutions, we have professionals ready to help in every area of water damage recovery, from assessment, to cleaning, and eventually to restoration. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!

If a pipe leak, flooding, or other water damage has found its way into your home, you may be feeling frustrated and hopeless. Even with regular maintenance and attention towards damage prevention, severe weather and other conditions are completely out of your control. 

Causes of Water Damage

As stated above, there are two main reasons water damage occurs: conditions within the home, and conditions outside the home. Here are a few of the most common sources of water damage:

Inside the home

• Overflowing sink
• Overflowing bathtub
• Overflowing toilet
• Washing machine overflow
• Roof leaks
• Sewer Backup

Outside the home

• Natural disasters
• Heavy rain
• Hail
• Frozen water lines

Process of Water Damage Restoration

The process of treating water damage depends on the source of the damage, however there are some basic steps that our professionals always take:

• Emergency response- after calling us about your situation, we strive to respond within an hour
• We assess the damage with you, and come up with a restoration plan that you approve of
• Our company talks directly to your insurance company, so you don’t have to!
• Water extraction: after determining what sort of water we’re dealing with, we bring in equipment to remove the water
• Using dehumidifiers, air movers, fans, and other equipment, we will dry out the area to begin the restoration
• Once dry, our company handles the removal of all equipment moved, and any next steps necessary

Water Damage Prevention

Here are a few things we recommend to prevent water damage in your home:

• Regularly cleaning gutters, downspouts, and even ditches that lead water away from the home
• Be aware of where the water main is in your home, to be sure you can stop the water flow quickly
• Check and maintain your appliance regularly to notice any wear on hoses or pipes that might lead to water damage
• Install water detection devices in important areas around pipes, toilets, and sump pumps
• Watch your water bill- if the price doesn’t look right, there might be a leak you haven’t noticed

Superior Cleaning Solutions

If you’re concerned about the safety of your home, or have an emergency water situation, we are here to help. Contact Superior Cleaning Solutions to set up an appointment, or receive immediate help in dealing with flooding, frozen water lines, or other emergency water damage situations.

We all want our homes to be a safe, dry space for our friends and family. However, water lines leak, plumbing overflows, and the natural elements can cause flooding when we least expect it. It’s important to know exactly what types of flood water are out there, so that you know the best solution if the need arises. At Superior Cleaning Solutions, we want to help familiarize you with the three main categories of flooding so that you know exactly how much damage these waters might cause. 

Clean Water

Clean water flooding is most often caused by water line leaks or an overflowing tub or sink. Generally, this water does not contain contaminants and is not harmful to you or your family. However, it is still important to get clean water dried up as soon as possible, as any type of water can become harmful to your home if left over time. 

Grey Water

Grey water flooding is most often caused by an overflowing washing machine or toilet. It contains harmful microorganisms that can cause sickness when it comes into contact with you or your family. Thus, it’s important to get it properly cleaned immediately. The more unwanted substances in the water, the more harmful it can be to your structure.

Black Water

Black water flooding is most often caused by sewage backup or heavy rain and roof leaks that cause standing water to form in your home or around your outside structure. It is the most harmful type of flood water, as it contains unsanitary particles and bacteria that can cause extreme damage to both your home and your family’s health. 

Expert Water Restoration Solutions

No matter the type of flood water in your home, it is essential to act within the first two days of flooding to prevent serious damage from developing. At Superior Cleaning Solutions, we take flooding seriously. With over 20 years of experience, we know exactly how to evaluate what method of water restoration your home needs. Call us today to get the best water restoration results for your home.