Water Damage Causes:Kids

In the mind of a child, all things in or around water are wonderlands filled with magical creatures and limitless adventure. A kid could laugh merrily at the toy's struggle against the mighty toilet maelstrom and then do a belly flop into the tub turning the ordinary and boring bathroom into an enchanted land of rain and waterfalls. Who knows what wonders those shiny, oval shaped thingys behind the toilet are protecting or... hiding? The only way to find out is to take them off and bathe in the unexpected pleasure of an unknown shower. Unfortunately, the kids quickly learn that the innocent fantasy world they just enjoyed also creates strange reactions and verbiage from the adult who comes to discover the existence of such world.

To the adult, the toilet maelstrom is an expensive plumbing call if they cannot rescue the toy from becoming a huge block. The wonderland of rain and waterfalls is water strewn across the bathroom which needs to be cleaned up before it causes damage. The removed flow controls necessitate the immediate shut off of the water coming into the bathroom to cease the continual flow of water shooting onto the wall and covering anything and everything in the area. Parents just don't understand.

On the plus side, building designers understand that a bathroom is reasonably expected to have a higher level of water than other areas of the home and have taken prudent preventative measures to limit damage but none of these prudent measures will do anything should the water damage not be discovered until some time later. Here are some simple action points to limit the internal hurricane damage caused by Hurricane Playtime:

* ALWAYS be aware when any faucet is turned on and running
* Have some type of curtain or door to prevent splashed water from going everywhere
* Keep the area closest to the water well stocked with absorbent towels
* Pay attention to toilet flushing combined with excessive laughter or giggles
* Ask the child to see a toy that went into the bathroom but did not come out

Let's face it, we were all kids and watching SuperDooper Man battle the ferocious toilet maelstrom is pretty cool. While as adults we can appreciate such allure, we simply do not want to deal with the financial cost of cleaning or restoring the collateral damage caused by SuperDooper Man's epic battle. Still, no matter how prudent you are in limiting such damage, if you have kids... it is coming.

Your best remedy, should you awake one day to find your home is full of water as a result of such unrestrained collateral damage, is to hire an independent, professional water damage restoration company to return your home to its preloss condition. An independent, professional water damage restoration company can be counted on to accurately and honestly assess your damage and outline what needs to be done to fix the issues as quickly as possible resulting in both child and adult coming to see the independent restoration professional as a superhero knight that valiantly battles the water dragons and its associated vipers to protect the honor and wellbeing of the trapped homeowners.

Game on!

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Water Damage Causes:Pipe Break

Pipe breaks are very common causal sources for water damage and can happen any where, at any time, and in any condition. The damage caused by a pipe break is in direct relation to where the pipe is and how long the pipe has been leaking before it was discovered. An internal pipe crack that leaks a small, study stream of water, for example, may not be noticeable or found until such time as the inevitable mold smell occurs whereas a break in a toilet pipe is immediately visible and can be controlled reasonably quickly.

Old and aging pipes are prime candidates for breakage as are newer pipes that are under undue pressure or simply not installed or secured properly. Blocked pipes can also wreak havoc and cause water damage. Such potential sources include a blocked toilet, a clogged dishwasher, and excessive hair stuck in the bathroom sink. Although not technically pipes, other common breaking points include the washing machine hose, the ice maker water hose, and the garbage dispenser waste valve. Unfortunately, this quickly complied list is far from exhaustive as these sources are only a few common sources of water damage.

Here are some easy bullet points to prevent or limit potential water damage:
* Inspect your utility bill religiously as any unexpected cost increase could be a sign of hidden leakage
* Pay attention to slow drains and have them cleared of blockage
* Regularly inspect all water hoses for signs of wear and leakage
* Ensure that all filters and appliances are free from blockage
* Monitor any appliance overflow valve for water and address as necessary
* Have old pipes replaced

The bullets presented herein serve only as a guideline for routine maintenance and should be adhered to the best of your ability and time. Hopefully these points can help you prevent, stave off, or limit any water damage but in the event that you are in need of a remediation expert, your best bet is an independent, professional water damage restoration company. An independent, professional water damage restoration company is customer focused and operates in the best interest of the customer as the financial viability and permanence of such company is symbiotically intertwined with customer satisfaction and customer referrals. There are a lot of potentially destructive alternatives and biased dissenting opinions out there but there is only ONE best method for returning your asset to its preloss condition and that is by using an independent, professional water damage restoration company for your restoration.

The fiduciarily prudent decision is blatantly obvious. Experience the satisfaction for yourself.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Water Damage Causes:Air Conditioner Leak

In our line of work, and in our area of the county, we commonly come across water damage that is caused due to an air conditioner breakage, leakage, or failure. While the underlying reasoning for such accidents are irrelevant in the scope of this article, for those of us in the warmer climates, air conditioning is a necessity... NOT a luxury. Since such air conditioning malfunctions are fairly commonplace, we herein present some simple suggestions to limit your exposure to such risks.

* Clean or Replace Air Filters Monthly
* Feel for Cold Air coming from visible Ducts or around the Unit
* Listen for any Unusual or Out-of-Place Sounds
* Ensure that the Overflow Sensor is working
* Check the Drain Lines to verify they are clear
* Make sure the AC Unit is serviced regularly

The benefits of adhering to these simple suggestions include enhanced overall air conditioning system efficiency, reduced cooling and maintenance costs, and ongoing comfort but let's face it, while these benefits are great, money is tight and many people are doing less routine and preventative maintenance in order to retain more of their hard earned money. While there are areas in which financial cost reductions are reasonable and prudent, the potential tradeoff for skipping ac maintenance can not only result in water damage but any short term savings can easily be offset by the displacement costs that water damage can cause. An inquisitive reader may question that last statement noting that such displacement costs are customarily reimbursed by their insurance policy, which is generally true, but such reimbursement may be subject to policy terms and limits and still require you to come out of pocket in order to be reimbursed thus far in excess of the simple maintenance cost of maintaining the ac unit. While we certainly appreciate and support fiducial prudence, in some cases, such prudence is best served by the counterintuitive method of spending a little to save a lot.

Unfortunately, the sad reality is that even if such measures are employed... water damage can, will, and still does happens. Despite all of your prudent preventative measures to prevent water damage, the list of potential sources for water damage intrusion is staggering. In the event that the reader is in need of a water damage restoration company, the BEST choice to protect your asset and restore your asset to its preloss condition is by using a professional, independent water damage restoration company. A professional, independent water damage restoration company is customer focused and gets its work through customer satisfaction and referrals but don't take my obviously biased word for it...

Make the prudent step and see for yourself why.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Top Ten Risks of NOT using an Independent Water Damage Restoration Company

1. The adjuster preferred company may finish and leave the job by extracting the top water while leaving your asset saturated with absorbed and ingrained moisture.

2. The adjuster preferred company may be a national franchise whose interests are on selling franchises.

3. A franchisee may be, and usually is, only trained per the guidelines of franchisor's "accelerated" training program which, in most cases, fails to meet the extensive and encompassing hands-on experience and continuing education requirements an independent restoration company must endure and maintain in order to achieve and retain professional industry certifications and recognition.

4. The adjuster preferred company gets work and maintains its "preferred status" solely by doing the minimal amount of work required for the lowest possible cost in order to appease the adjuster whose interests are solely to minimize the insurance company payout by any and all means necessary.

5. Such means are well documented and include many bad faith and psychological manipulation tactics.

6. One such mean is the insurance company making it seem that the hiring of an adjuster preferred company is a legal requirement - it is only a requirement if it is a stipulated tenant of the written policy - so that the adjuster preferred company can continue to provide its lowball and low quality work.

7. It is interesting to speculate that some of the bad faith interrogation and psychological manipulating tactics are borderline violations of humanitarian guidelines as written in documents including the Geneva Conventions so the insurance company and adjuster are trained to deploy such tactics subtly and quietly.

8. The benefit of such lowball and low quality work is that, to the naked eye and to the uninformed yet trusting consumer, the visible and obvious water is gone so the threat and damage is gone as well - as it is assumed and conveyed by the adjuster; however, the remaining moisture can deteriorate into structural damage, mold and health issues, and, at worst, asset condemnation. Should any of these maladies manifest, the insurance company can deny the new claim citing previous water damage thereby dodging the asset replacement costs while minimizing the initial remediation costs.

9. Insurance companies, including their agents, employees, and management, are for profit companies who continue to make their obscene and elevated profit margins and bonuses by doing everything they can to ensure money comes in but it does not go out - except to their pockets.

10. Make no mistake about it... the insurance companies ARE hitting and maintaining their profit margins and bonuses by feverously and dogmatically employing such tactics - even it an economy in which it seems that so many people are on hard times that such achievements are unprecedented and impossible. There is no secret or magic formula... such "achievements" are obtained by charging more while paying out less.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

The Likelihood of Water Damage

A major insurance company analyzed its claims data and concluded that its policy holders were 10 (TEN) times more likely to suffer water damage than fire damage.  In North Carolina alone this insurance company determined that water damaged claims - excluding water damage caused by catastrophes - accounted for 28% of its property claims in the state.  The insurance company - in a predictable attempt to control this info and for its own interests - went on to state that much of the damage was preventable thereby parlaying its own realized risk onto the policyholder who may not have had any reasonable expectation of control over the situation.

In response to such ongoing and unrealistic circumvention of responsibility, an independent water damage restoration company in Illinois recently decided to educate the insurance industry and created a "Flood House Laboratory" ("FHL").  The FHL was conceptualized to, and is being used to, educate insurance company adjustors, agents, and relevant personnel as to what full, proper, and customer focused water damage restoration entails and requires.  The FHL is a small scale "house" that is complete with hardwood floors.  The continuing education insurance company representative is required to flood the house and then physically work with a variety of tools ranging from low level and ineffective "adjustor approved" tools and techniques through professional equipment to see and experience the difference firsthand.  From this experiment even the most blind adjustor was able to see, and have an appreciation for, the true level of workmanship and expertise an independent water damage restoration company has opposed to the standard, adjustor approved lapdog that under-prices and under -performs simply to appease the adjuster and get work.

The scary part of this "appreciation" is that such appreciation is something a reasonable policyholder would assume is common knowledge to their insurance company and adjuster.  The policyholder is reasonable to question how their insurance company and insurance adjuster could properly and fairly assess their water damage and assign a fair and reasonable indemnification valuation to their loss if they are not properly educated in water damage restoration.  Unfortunately, the policyholder soon realizes that their loss is nothing more than another burdensome claim to be unfairly and prejudicially adjusted in favor of their insurance company and in blatant disregard of their contractually bound and written policy.

This is why the policyholder must insist that their water damage claim is handled by a professional, independent water damage restoration company to ensure that their loss and subsequent indemnification claim is handled to their expectation, interest, and favor.  Despite the friendly and outgoing attitude of the insurance company's dispatched adjuster, the adjuster is a double agent who, admittedly, works for or contacts with the insurance company and is there, primarily, to find any possible reason or unintentional policyholder mistake to reduce or deny the claim so that they do not have to pay.  Despite this, the insurance company still, in an apparent otherworldly and sociopathic manner, fully expects the policyholder to continue making full and timely payments on their policy... the audacity of this fully excepted and enforced self serving, "nothing for something", narcissistic concept is jaw dropping.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Dangers of Unknown Water Damage

Wikipedia reports that Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack, better known as Brittany Murphy, big screen star of films including Clueless, Girl Interrupted, 8 Mile, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys, died on December 20, 2009 from pneumonia despite public speculation of an eating disorder or drug abuse.  Sharon Murphy, mother of Brittney Murphy, has filed a lawsuit against her former attorneys alleging legal malpractice, breach of express and/or implied contract, and breach of fiduciary duty concerning the legal firm's negotiation of a settlement in this case which is underscored and aggravated by Sharon's reported discovery of "extensive water damage and mold infestation".   Sharon suggests the real cause of death of her daughter and her daughter's husband, Simon Monjack - who died five months and three days later with the same diagnosis, was Black Mold.

Black mold or toxic black mold is known to the scientific community as S. chlorohalonata and is one of the fifty species of Stachybotrys.  S. chlorohalonata is frequently found in water damaged buildings with poor indoor air quality and can result in a wide range of ailments depending on the length of exposure and the volume of spores inhaled.  It is well reported and documented that long term exposure can result in a bevy of maladies including immunosuppression, dementia, ongoing and recurring respiratory infections, irregular heartbeat, and death.

If Sharon can prove that the underlying cause of death for Brittany and Simon was in fact black mold infestation that was caused by the builder purposely covering up known water damage then she may in fact have a legitimate case against her previous attorney who settled the case opposed to perusing damages against the builder - who may be criminally negligent and, therefore, strictly liable for the deaths.  Alas, I am not an attorney and I am not qualified to practice law so I can only speculate, for entertainment purposes only, as to the potential responsibility and liability of this case.

However, what I can state without disclaimer is that mold abatement (defined as suppression or termination) is well within the operating scope and professional expertise of a professional, independent water damage restoration company.

A professional, independent water damage restoration company is professionally trained and industry certified to remediate (repair) water damage and eliminate other damages and risks caused by water damage including mold.  The reader would be wise to consider that such qualification and expertise may not be what you get when you call a national franchise or your insurance adjuster's suggested or "preferred" company to remediate your water damage as these "dependent" companies tend to cut corners in order to continue being preferred.  Perhaps the builder in question was an insurance company  preferred company?  We can only speculate.

R.I.P. Brittany Murphy

R.I.P. Simon Monjack

Best Wishes Sharon Murphy

May no one have to suffer the caustic and fatal effects of black mold again.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.

Why You Should Repair Water Damage Quickly

It is an unfortunate reality that many people underestimate the potential damage water can cause with even limited exposure time.  Chemistry teaches that water can be a base or an acid depending on environmental factors meaning that in high acid environments, water acts as a base and in low pH environments, water is slightly acidic.  The mutable nature of water affords water the ability to carve through solid rock to create beautiful natural wonders but this same ability can also destroy drywall, plumbing materials, and other common building materials.  This point, however, is often forgotten when people deal with water damage.

When dealing with water damage, many people simply focus on the top layer of water and neglect to do anything for the layers of water that have penetrated the subsurface or been absorbed in to the gypsum board (aka drywall and sheetrock) and sill plates usually due to the double whammy of they do not understand the risks and they do not have the proper extraction equipment.  Wikipedia reports that gypsum board is "easily damaged by exposure to water" and "supports the growth of mold."  While gypsum board is treated to make it more water resistant, should the gypsum board be punctured or should water, as in the case of water damage, collect around the unprotected area of the gypsum board, the porous gypsum board will then readily absorb and hold the water.  The longer this absorbed water stays inside the gypsum board the more damage it causes.

Unlike fire damage that leaves a visible and generally static path of damage, water damage can be subtle and can manifest its destruction over a period of time.  Opposed to the immediate destruction caused by fire, water, similar in many ways to stress, can slowly chip away at the host until it requires extensive repair at a cost that is MUCH higher and over an area MUCH larger than initial exposure would have been required to treat.  The subtle nature of water is what causes water damage to be regularly underestimated and, therefore, undertreated in real world case scenarios.

Unfortunately, despite the best intention and valiant effort of many honorable do-it-yourselfers, their efforts are for naught as they simply lack the equipment needed for remediation and such equipment is not commonly available at your local rental shop.  At best these people may have access to a commercial carpet cleaner which can effectively remove the top layer of water but does little to penetrate the subflooring or remove the absorbed water so they will stop when the area feels dry and will leave a fan on.  This method is very similar to the method employed by remediation professionals in the infancy of the water restoration profession but this was soon sent to pasture as it was quickly shown to be ineffective, at best, and a catalyst for decomposition and mold growth, at worst.

The best way to combat water damage, and to prevent the short and long term devastation caused by water damage, is to call a professional water damage restoration company as soon as the damage is found.  While the honorable do-it-yourselfer will have the unrelenting urge to break out their equipment and assist the professional water damage restoration company, the best way a do-it-yourselfer could assist the company is by disabling the source of the water damage (if possible), ensuring the area is free from electrical risks, and ensuring the affected area is free of debris and physical hazards (if possible) so that the professionals can extract the water as quickly as possible to minimize the restoration time.

Proper timing is essential for the fastest restoration.  Now you know.

This article is composed by and offered as a public service by Jimmy K. Jimmy K is the Independent Owner and Operator of Emergency Response Restoration (http://www.emergencyresponserestoration.com/), 2665 N Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. Jimmy K is a true consumer advocate who is not afraid to battle the insurance company to ensure the proper restoration of the consumer's water damaged home office or asset.