Rain Storm, Snow Storm, Ice Storm

2/19/2021 (Permalink)

Left untouched, wet ceiling drywall and insulation will create an environment for mold growth.

Storms can happen anytime of the year in the Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, or Villa Park area.  Just because we are in the dead of winter doesn't mean we are safe!

The snow is going to thaw.  If you have a healthy amount of snow on top of your roof, when it melts, it's going somewhere.  Hopefully, it will stay out of your home or business.  Ice dams will occur if the melting snow has nowhere to go.

SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison has been through these situations.  We can take care of the inside water damage that may occur.  

Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace or Villa Park residents, please give us a call if you have water damage from an ice dam.  

Give SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison a call.  630-543-1700

Winter Storms

1/29/2021 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes will eventually burst! Let the professionals at SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison help you with the cleanup.

Winter storms bring snow, wind, cold weather and ice.  SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison knows that cold and ice can endanger your water pipes.  Follow some simple tips to keep pipes from freezing:

• Run water consistently during cold snaps
• Leave a faucet to drip overnight 
• Check for adequate insulation in exterior walls of your home
• Turn off water to your whole home if you leave on vacation

Being preventative will ensure that you don't have an accident with a frozen pipe.  However, if an accident occurs, know that SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison will be able to proved assistance with the cleanup.  We are available 24/7 to help you with your emergency.  You can call SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison at 630-543-1700.  We are here to help.

Flood Water is Not a Playground

6/1/2020 (Permalink)

Flood Water Can Be Dangerous

When more than a couple inches of rain falls, sometimes the sewers cannot keep up. The result is large areas of water building up in streets and yards. During these times, you will see people walking/wading through this deep water. There are many dangerous reasons why you should not walk through the water.

One reason why flood water is dangerous is because it is a mixture of sewage water and chemicals. The water picks up everything and anything along the way. This can include human or animal fecal matter, gasoline, oil, and other substances that can cause serious illness, rashes, or chemical burns on your skin.

Another reason that flood water can be dangerous is the contents in the water. The water can easily pick up small items like rusty nails, broken glass, or sharp branches. Since the water is typically dark and dirty looking, you cannot see what is lurking under the surface. By walking through the water, you are more likely to have a sharp object cut you which will allow the dirty water to enter the wound which can result in serious illness or infection.

Another danger that occurs are downed power lines. These lines have live wires just sitting in the water surging electricity through it. The water is a perfect conduit of the electricity without out any signs of danger. Once a person touches the water, then the electricity will pass to you. In a flood situation, please stay away from large areas of water. Allow professional first responders to take care of the situation. There is no reason to risk your well-being!

For Immediate Assistance 24/7 – Give SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison a call!! – 630-543-1700

Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park Residents: We specialize in Flooded Basement Cleanup and Restoration!

5/18/2020 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison, we know that a basement can flood at any time, although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall. Basements are inherently prone to flooding because they are the lowest level of a building and are normally built partly or entirely below ground level. There are a number of reasons why your Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park basement could flood, including: 

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home
• Storm sewer backup
• Sanitary sewer backup
• Foundation drainage failure
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure
• And many more

Have Questions about Basement Flooding?

Call Today - 630-543-1700

If flood water is not handled quickly and properly, it can jeopardize your health and safety, and cause severe damage to your home’s structure. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get.

The bottom line: a flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison and let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are Flooded Basement Specialists:

• We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a Preferred Vendor to many National Insurance Companies
• We Bill The Insurance Directly – One Less Thing For You To Worry About
• Our Technicians are Highly-Trained  in Water Restoration Techniques
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment

Basement Flooded? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help - 630-543-1700

Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park Storm Damage? SERVPRO is Ready!!

5/1/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO ofLombard/Addison specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

Spring is here and when storms hit Lombard, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, or Villa Park, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison can access equipment and personnel from a network of over 1,700 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States. Wouldn't it be reassuring to be in the hands of such a strong network of resources and professionals?

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today!!

SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison - 630-543-1700

What's Lurking in the Flood Water

7/16/2019 (Permalink)

When more than a couple inches of rain falls, sometimes the sewers cannot keep up. The result is large areas of water building up. A lot of times you will see people walking/wading through this deep water. There are many dangerous reasons why you should not walk through the water.

One reason flood water is dangerous is because it is a mixture of sewage water and chemicals. The water picks up everything and anything a long the way. This can include human or animal fecal matter, gasoline, oil, and other substances that can cause serious illness, rashes, or chemical burns on your skin.

Another hidden damage can be the contents in the water. The water can easily pick up small items like rusty nails, broken glass, or sharp branches. Since the water is typically dark and dirty looking, you cannot see what is lurking under the surface. By walking through the water, you are more likely to have a sharp object cut you and then the dirty water can enter the wound which can result in serious illness or infection.

One danger that happens more often than you think are downed power lines. These lines have live wires just sitting in the water surging electricity through it. The water is a perfect conduit of the electricity without out any signs of danger. Once a person touches the water, then the electricity will pass to you.

If there is ever a large amount of standing water. Please stay away from it and allow profession first responders take care of the situation. There is no reason to risk you wellbeing!

Polar Vortex February 2019

4/5/2019 (Permalink)

January 30^th the temperatures dropped to -22*F. The frigid temperatures caused any standing water in pipes to freeze and expand in the pipes. The expansion created holes and cracks. While the temperatures stayed below zero, the water stayed frozen in the pipes and there were no visible issues. During the next few days, the temperatures rose gradually, therefore; the water in the pipes started to melt. The melting water found all the cracks and breaks in the pipes. SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison started receiving calls for broken pipes and water damage to homes as early as January 30^th. Our crews worked extremely hard to keep up with the demand of our services. One of the best parts of SERVPRO is the ability to ask for help. We were able to call our “Storm Team” in. Our Storm Team consists of franchises from all over the country that can spare a crew or two to come help with our disaster. Our helping hands were able to assist with all calls that were going to our national call center while we were able to focus on customers that were calling our franchise directly. We can proudly say our crews at SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison helped over 13 families and businesses the next few weeks after the freeze. You can trust us to be there for you for any restoration and remediation needs.

Frozen Pipes

1/31/2019 (Permalink)

A frozen pipe can be identified by frost on the outside of the pipe or the water pressure is lower than normal!

So, you have done everything you could to prevent frozen pipes, but your pipes still froze in this record-breaking weather. You do not have a burst pipe, yet. The frozen water could be preventing the water from flowing out or the ice has not expanded enough to crack the pipe. Here are a few tips to defrost them safely without a burst.

1. Turn off the water that supplies that pipe or the water supply to the entire home.
2. Call your local plumber if you have any questions. The plumber is a professional and knows how to properly defrost your pipes.
3. If you are confident you can defrost them on your own you can use a hair dryer, space heater, or a heat lamp to slowly defrost the pipes.
4. Wrap your pipes in temperature controlling tape. You can purchase this tape at a local hardware store.
5. Do Not Use a propane torch or anything with an open flame. These pipes are typically hidden under cabinets. Using an open flame to defrost your pipes could be a huge fire risk.

If there is a burst, the first person to call is your plumber. Your second call should be to SERVPRO of Lombard/Addison at 630-543-1700. We are available for emergency services 24/7.

Winter Storm Harper

1/17/2019 (Permalink)

Ice damming and pipe bursts are the main cause of water damage during the winter months.

Winter Storm Harper is on everyone’s minds. Will it hit us? How much snow will fall? If the wind is blowing a little south the storm could pass Chicago and its suburbs, but if the wind blows a little more northeast then Harper will lay a thick layer of snow on us. Whether the storm goes right through us or takes a small turn here are some winter tips to keep in mind.

1. While shoveling, keep your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and keep you back straight. Do not twist or throw snow while shoveling. Instead walk the snow to a spot you want to put it. Only shovel small amounts of snow at a time. Shoveling is a hard exercise. Make sure you take plenty of breaks while shoveling. Heart attacks from over exertion are a major cause of winter deaths.
2. Keep cabinet doors open especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. This allows the heat from the home keep those hidden pipes warm. Also, think about allowing a small trickle of water to flow out of the faucets. The continual movement of water prevents the water from freezing in the pipe. This could prevent a pipe burst.
3. Make sure no furniture is blocking heat registers. This helps keep costs of heating your home a bit lower while keeping the pipes from freezing as well.
4. Avoid ice damming! Ice damming is when the snow melts off your warm roof and refreezes in the gutters. Ice damming leads to the water soaking into the home creating water damage. To avoid ice dams, insulate the attic floor to prevent the heat of the home escaping through the roof. Also, having a water-repellent membrane installed under your roof can prevent water intrusion even if ice damming occurs.
5. Only drive if absolutely necessary. Don’t travel alone, or let others know when you leave and when you expect to arrive at your destination. Keep you gas tank full. Also, make sure your antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, and other fluids are full. In case you get stuck somewhere you want to be able to use your car to keep you warm. You should always have a blanket, extra gloves, bottled water, a first aid kit, and a flashlight in your car just in case you are in an accident and there is no one to come help immediately.
6. A common misconception is that alcohol warms your body up. While the initial feeling of alcohol warms your stomach, the reality is alcohol is a blood thinner. The thinner your blood the faster your extremities (fingers and toes) will be susceptible to hypothermia. Try warm non-alcoholic beverages to keep your body warm or to quickly warm up the core after being outside for long period. (hot chocolate, coffee, etc.)

These tips are handy whether the storm lands 12 inches of snow or only a quarter of an inch. Use your better judgment when driving and shoveling. Also, make sure you are consistently checking the news for weather updates.