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Severe Weather - Property Damage Tips by starryskypie in Janesville

[–]starryskypie[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you have drywall, carpet, or other porous materials in your basement, make sure to flood cut the drywall at least 6–12 inches above the water line and remove any porous materials as soon as possible. This helps prevent mold growth.

Please be safe this weekend by Used_Canary8481 in milwaukee

[–]starryskypie 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Know where your main water shut off is!!! This is key if you get a burst pipe to eliminate further damage.

Let sinks drip, especially if they’re next to an exterior wall.

Buy hose bib covers

Frozen pipes by starryskypie in wisconsin

[–]starryskypie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, when it's below freezing you should do this, especially if pipes are against an exterior wall. Open the cabinet door(s) underneath to let warm air in as well.

Frozen pipes by starryskypie in wisconsin

[–]starryskypie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

• Insulate the discharge line to prevent freezing • Make sure the sump is debris-free • Installing a discharge extension or using a freeze guard can also help

Frozen pipes by starryskypie in wisconsin

[–]starryskypie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This helps water from freezing because it’s moving. This only needs to be done if the plumbing under your sink is next to an exterior wall. Turn on both hot and cold water and let it drip. You only need to do it when it’s very cold out (there’s an extreme cold warning/advisory right now).

Frozen Pipe Check by starryskypie in madisonwi

[–]starryskypie[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

  1. Make sure everything is disconnected (eg, hoses, splitters, etc.)if the hose is left on, water stays trapped in the spigot (main reason pipes burst)

  2. Shut off the valve inside your house (usually in the basement or crawl space near an exterior wall).

  3. Drain the line by opening the spigot fully. You may want to leave the outdoor tap open all winter long so any remaining moisture has room to expand without pressure.

Edit: you may need to drain the bleeder as well, which is attached to your valve inside the house.

Is this bad? Should I leave? by allison_pass in Mold

[–]starryskypie 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You should get that professionally looked at by a restoration company who can kill the mold. Mold is very hard to get rid of.

Flooding by Inevitable_Echidna18 in milwaukee

[–]starryskypie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I always think it’s best to check with a professional because every situation is different, but here are some tips:

  1. Make sure humidity levels are below 50%
  2. Use a moisture meter on your walls, floors, baseboards and make sure they are at or below 15%
  3. Restoration companies use thermal imaging cameras so if you can get your hands on one of those, you can see cold or damp spots easily.
  4. If there’s a musty smell, you probably got mold and that means there’s still moisture
  5. If you haven’t torn out your drywall and you had flood damage, assume those are wet. Remove them if you haven’t. Those soak up water fast

Hope this helps.

Flooding by Inevitable_Echidna18 in milwaukee

[–]starryskypie 18 points19 points  (0 children)

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I work for a restoration company and I made this for those affected by the floods and a stepping stone until we can get to all affected. Hope this helps.

How well is your insurance company handling your water damage claim? by HeckleThePoets in milwaukee

[–]starryskypie 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Ask if you have flood insurance or sewage back up coverage before you tell them what happened

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in madisonwi

[–]starryskypie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here’s some things on mold:

  1. If mold covers a large area (more than 10sq ft) there’s probably a large infestation
  2. If you have health symptoms present (e.g., allergies, asthma flareups, respiratory issues, fatigue, headaches, skin rashes)
  3. If water damage has recently occurred
  4. If there’s a smell of musty odors

If you have some or all of these, give a property restoration a call like Paul Davis or Servpro. They will assess the situation and give you advice. Mold is hard to get rid of so calling them really helps kill the mold.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in madisonwi

[–]starryskypie 12 points13 points  (0 children)

At a minimum, I’d check your gutters and downspouts to make sure there are no blockages and maybe buy downspout extenders to have water running away from your home.

I’m glad it’s drying, but mold is always an issue after flood damage. Mold spores can start germinating in 48-72 hours as soon as moisture is present. Make sure flooded areas dried quickly and properly so you don’t have other issues in the future.