Dealing with water damage has several different details that you need to be prepared for. There is so much more than just cleaning up the water. You have to worry about the mess and even bacteria that water can leave behind. We’ve put together this simple guide to help walk you through all the things you should know about damage repairs.
Damage can occur for multiple reasons, whether you had a leak that eventually caused huge issues, or a burst pipe, or even had flooding throughout the home. It’s important to know how to properly handle the situation and work through cleanup, repair, and restoration.
The Water Makes a Difference
Understanding the type of water that caused your damage makes a difference. Different colors or types of water might require different approaches. Clean water isn’t as concerning. Unclean water causes contamination and carries bacteria.
However, water that is colors like gray, black, or other colors indicates contamination and possibly even toxic substances in the water. These have to be handled very carefully with safety protocols. Anything the water touches also has to be sanitized and disinfected.
If a pipe burst that was not a sewage pipe, it’s probably clean water. Sewage or water from weather flooding may not be clean. Pay attention to these details.
Safety is the Priority
When things dry up, there could still be safety issues. You need to protect yourself before you walk into the mess. There could be bacteria or debris. The possibility of contamination from the water is present. It’s also possible that the foundation or structure could be affected by the water, making the structure unsafe for walking or moving.
Safety is the priority here. You’ve got to consider the safety of what you touch as well as where you move. Consider the risk of electricity if outlets or appliances are affected. You also need to wear appropriate clothing. Put on gloves, safety goggles, and rubber boots before you head in.
Get Things Drying
The faster that you can get the drying process started, the better you will be. The longer water sits, the more damage it can cause. You should move things out of the water as much as possible and then start moving water out.
A restoration company can bring in industrial drying equipment to help here. You should also open doors and windows if able and set up fans or dehumidifiers. Move contents out and away from water to keep them dry and mitigate the potential damage risks.
Mold Risks from Water Damage
Anywhere that water makes an appearance, you run the risk of mold. All mold spores need to thrive is a bit of water and maybe some warmth. In that case, they can thrive and spread quickly. Water is the common denominator here. If there were spores present, you will likely be facing mold damage on top of your water damage.
The best way to avoid mold is to get water out immediately. It only takes about 24 hours for mold to start growing, so this is why speed is absolutely critical.
Water Damage Restoration
When you are dealing with damage, there are a lot of things to consider. The best thing you can do is bring in a restoration service to help dry things out and get your home back in order. Semper Fi Yuma can help with cleanup, water removal, and restoration. Just give us a call!
How much do you know about the carpet in your home? Do you walk across it with shoes on? Do you have kids or pets that are hanging out on the carpet? Our carpets can get really dirty beneath the surface and we might not even realize it. This is why carpet cleaning is so important.
Maintaining your carpets with regular vacuuming will help keep the surface looking great. But you should be worried about what’s below the surface. This is where it gets tricky. Take a look at this guide to understand 3 important things to know about carpet cleaning.
1. Don’t Ignore Carpet Cleaning
The first thing you should know is that cleaning the carpets should never be ignored. Even if you have your own shampooer, it’s still a good idea to bring in professional cleaners once in a while. You’re not doing anything wrong. It’s great that you are proactive in cleaning the carpets to the best of your ability.
However, professional cleaners have industrial equipment and knowledge that will help get the deep down clean that your everyday vacuum or home shampooer simply can’t get as well. Home cleaning is designed to give you a surface clean, while professional cleaning is all about a deep clean.
If you were to look under your carpet, you would likely be alarmed by what you find. You can build up several pounds of dirt, dust, and debris beneath the carpet and never even know.
2. Carpet Cleaning Has Multiple Steps
Professionals don’t just walk in and start shampooing the carpets. There are several steps to the process. These steps are designed to achieve a really deep clean. Otherwise, why would you pay for the service? Here are the steps that should happen. They may not be exactly the same at every company, but most will follow some similarity and should have all parts.
Vacuuming the entire space well
Treating any spots that are known or visible
Cleaning using a safe cleaning product
Drying or prepping you for drying time expectations
Some companies will help you move furniture out of the way, while others require you to move furniture before the appointment.
3. Quality is Important
When you seek out a professional to help you with cleaning, it’s important that you make sure they truly do a good job. The best way to do this is to learn about their experience and their processes. It’s ok to ask questions and figure out what they do. The truth is that this industry is really not regulated. A company could make promises and then not actually deliver.
You want to avoid falling into that trap. However, there are businesses that take the initiative to get certified with IICRC. This is the International Institute for Cleaning and Restoration Certification. This is an accreditation that gives you an indication of how your cleaner strives for excellence and quality.
Professional Carpet Cleaning
The industry recommends that you get professional cleaning completed once or twice a year. If you have pets or children, it’s better to clean them more often. You daily cleaning will be sufficient in between deeper cleans from a professional. Semper Fi Yuma Floor Care and Restoration is here to help with any of your cleaning and restoration needs.
Renovation can be fun. It can also be a ton of work! When you’re working through the processes, it’s possible you will need restoration services to help you out with your tasks. From deep cleaning to restoration of fire, water, or mold damage, you should know your resources and where to turn if you need additional help.
Check out these restoration services.
Deep Cleaning Restoration Services
Sometimes the hardest part of renovation is the deep cleaning that is required. When you’re working on making something beautiful, you can’t forget to clean flooring, upholstery, carpets, and more. These essential parts of the room need to be cleaned to match the luster of your renovations.
The really cool thing about deep cleaning is that you might be able to use carpet cleaning rather than purchasing new carpet. It’s the same with tile and grout cleaning. When you bring in the professional services to deep clean, it’s amazing how brand-new that particular aspect might look. This allows you to focus your attention on other elements of renovation.
Fire Restoration
Fire damage is never something people want to deal with, but it does happen. Fires can leave behind extensive damage from smoke, flames, and even water or chemicals. On top of the visual damage, you also have to worry about the odors that can be left behind.
A restoration team can help tackle fire damages if this is part of your renovation process or needs. This restoration service is very specific, but it’s a major help. When you experience a fire, you shouldn’t have to try to figure out how to renovate and restore on your own. That’s why restoration companies are trained and experienced in these services.
Water Damage Restoration
Another common reason for renovations is water damage. Whether you had a leak that got out of hand or you experienced some sort of flooding in your home, water damage is awful. It can affect your structural integrity, ruin anything it touches, and even leave behind mold or bacteria as well.
Water damage often strikes unexpectedly and it can wreak havoc. Whether it was Mother Nature, a leaky roof, or a pipe that failed you, you’ve got to handle the aftermath on your own. But the truth is, you don’t really have to handle it on your own. Renovation is key to getting your home back to its pre-loss condition.
A restoration service provider can jump in and help you clean up and remove the water, disinfect and sanitize, and restore the affected areas.
Most restoration services can also help with mold if that is a related problem or you happen to stumble across it as you work.
Professional Restoration Services
When you need restoration or renovation, rely on a company that can have you covered. Semper Fi Yuma Floor Care and Restoration is here for you. No matter what type of restoration or deep cleaning you need, we can help. Our teams will be happy to help you get your home or business restored and beautiful again. Just give us a call!
When it comes to tile and grout cleaning, you have two options. You can try DIY solutions over and over, or you can call in the professionals. Don’t get us wrong: you absolutely can do your basic cleaning on a regular basis. But at what point do you acknowledge a professional cleaning might be in order?
Take a look at this comparison guide to help you understand the differences.
DIY Tile and Grout Cleaning
DIY cleaning is what you do every time you clean your home. When it comes to your tiles, you are likely mopping or using some sort of cleaning solution. Perhaps you even do some deeper cleaning of the grout with things like baking soda or dish soap. That’s awesome!
DIY cleaning is affordable and reliable most of the time. It’s your go-to option, and we don’t intend to take away from that. It gives you a chance to lovingly care for your home. You get to do the cleaning whenever you choose to do so, and it’s a great workout to boost!
So why wouldn’t it be enough? The downside to DIY cleaning is that sometimes it simply isn’t deep enough to really get a true shine back on your tile and grout. If you’re using chemicals, it’s quite possible you are leaving behind a yucky residue or that it’s finding its way down into the pores of the grout.
Your capacity to clean tile and grout using DIY solutions is limited. You’re incredibly capable but there is only so much you can do without the industrial equipment that professionals use for the process. Your clean with DIY solutions is a great surface clean. However, over time, it’s simply not enough to keep the tiles looking great on a deeper level.
Professional Tile and Grout Cleaning
When you compare the two, you’ll find that the professionals just have different resources than you. Most of them don’t use harsh chemicals that actually leave residue behind. Instead, they use industrial-level equipment that is gentle and effective.
They also use professional solutions. The combination of equipment and solutions is designed to get you a deeper clean that lasts longer. Where your tile might have been looking a little bit dingy, it will look almost new again. Not only will your tile be clean, it will be sanitized. The clean will feel like your tile is restored and refreshed.
The cool thing about the professionals is they can get this deep clean in a few hours or less, depending on the size of the space. Now, you could also see a couple of downsides here. First of all, it can be more expensive to bring in a professional than to do it on your own. It can also be subject to finding a professional who works with your schedule.
However, you only need professional cleaning maybe once or twice a year. In between, your everyday cleaning habits should be sufficient.
Professional Cleaning Services
When it comes down to it, you can use a professional cleaning service to get a nice, deep clean. Semper Fi Floor Care and Restoration is here to help with your cleaning needs. Our veteran-owned business does our best to work with your schedule and get your tile floors looking wonderful again. Give us a call to book your cleaning.
When it comes to floor care, there is really a lot to know. Each type of flooring requires different care methods, and then treating stains can throw another wrench into the process. When it comes down to it, understanding your floors and what you can do to take care of them is important. You should also know the little details that might help with cleaning and care.
Check out these 4 floor care techniques that every homeowner should know.
Welcome, Welcome!
Did you know that a simple welcome mat makes a huge difference? You don’t even have to use a welcome mat. Something like a runner rag or a standing mat in high-traffic areas is extremely helpful. Why? Because high-traffic areas tend to get more foot traffic than other spaces.
This foot traffic tracks dirt and debris across your floor, and it likely wears down the floor faster. Using a rug or a welcome mat in those areas can help to reduce the wear as well as the dirt that is being tracked throughout your home. Start with a welcome mat at your front door, but also pay attention to those high-traffic areas and think about how you can use rugs there too.
Don’t Let Spills Lie
When spills or stains happen, they’re simply a part of life. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. You need to handle spills and stains as quickly as possible. We know that sometimes you don’t realize it happened until later. But take care of it as soon as you notice it.
The sooner you treat a stain, the less likely it is it will leave behind lasting stains that are even harder to get rid of. Clean them up quickly and try to avoid letting them sit.
Material Mindfulness
Always be mindful of your materials. For example, laminate floors don’t do well with water. You have to be very careful using water. Stone floors can easily be damaged or discolored if you use the wrong thing on them. Get to know that material and the best practices for taking care of it.
You certainly don’t want to use cleaning practices that might ruin or harm your floor, and attention to detail in this capacity will improve your floor care results. Those floors can be picky! Just get to know them really well.
Establish Floor Care Rules
Finally, try to establish some basic rules for your household to protect your floors. Make it an assigned chore to vacuum or sweep regularly. You can split this up throughout the home. Another good rule is not allowing shoes on the carpet or past the entryway. Shoes can track in bacteria, dirt, and debris. They are often the culprits behind dirty and worn floors.
Determine a plan for professional cleaning cycles to help keep your floors properly cleaned and maintained.
Professional Floor Care
You can do a lot to be proactive with home flooring care. However, it’s also important to remember to use routine professional cleaning. Semper Fi Yuma can help out with any of your care and cleaning needs for the floors. Our experts will get your floors looking great. Just give us a call to schedule.
