As water levels begin to recede, ServiceMaster of Canada sees increase in water damage calls and aids in home and business cleanup
Calgary, AB (Jul. 3, 2013) – As thousands of home and business owners struggle to clean up from the catastrophic floods in Calgary and surrounding communities, they’re turning to disaster restoration experts to help reduce the water damage caused by the severe flooding.
ServiceMaster Restore, the leading residential and commercial disaster restoration company, has mobilized resources from across North America to answer the call of local residents to help get their lives back on track with disaster cleanup efforts. Qualified professionals are also providing expert tips to help contain and reduce water damage and mold concerns.
“This is one of the worst natural disasters we have seen in Canada in a long time,” said Stephan Roy, national director, ServiceMaster of Canada. “We have tapped into our national network of franchisees to come aid in disaster cleanup so we can help get homes and businesses back to some sense of normalcy. All of our experts are trained, equipped and ready to serve the community.”
CBC News reported that economists have predicted the flooding in Alberta will cost Calgary’s economy billions of dollars and affect the Canadian economy as a whole.
Roy added, “The community involvement and spirit has been unbelievable, and we thank them for their patience and understanding during this very difficult time.”
Overland flood water can seep into properties through basements or collect around the foundation, resulting in water damage, mold, mildew and rot. To help prevent this type of damage, it’s important to act fast in removing the water.
“When flood waters strike your property, it can quickly spread and cause serious damage and bacteria growth,” said Peter Duncanson, a disaster restoration specialist for ServiceMaster Restore. “Water moves quickly and if the conditions are right, bacteria will spread quickly, so it’s important for people to be prepared to act fast.”
Duncanson calls mold “nature’s digester,” as it will destroy most cellulose-based materials such as wood, wallpaper, cardboard, and drywall. A significant mold problem will likely require remediation, which may involve replacing carpet, sheetrock, baseboards, subflooring and other light construction. The cost can quickly escalate into thousands of dollars, and insurance coverage for these occurrences is often capped, if they are covered at all.
What to do when flood waters strike:
- Call for professional help. Damage from water and bacteria growth can begin within hours.
- Remove as much water as possible by mopping and blotting.
- Remove wet rugs or other floor coverings not permanently attached. Do not attempt to start removing your wall-to-wall carpet.
- Lift draperies off the floor, loop through a coat hanger and place hanger on drapery rod.
- Wipe furniture, prop up wet furniture cushions for even drying and place aluminum foil under furniture legs.
- Move photos, paintings and art objects to a safe, dry location.
- Do not remove books from shelves. Rather pack them tightly to prevent warping of pages until a restoration professional can begin the specialized drying process.
- Open drawers, closets and cabinet doors to enhance drying.
What not to do:
- Do not enter a room with standing water until electricity has been turned off.
- Do not use a regular household vacuum or wet/dry vacuum to remove water.
- Do not lift tacked-down carpet without professional help.
- Do not use electrical appliances while on wet carpet or flooring.
- Do not disturb visible mold.
- Do not open windows or doors for ventilation. Opening windows could actually slow the drying process and raise the humidity level in the affected area.
If the water damage becomes too much to handle, call a your professional remediation experts at ServiceMaster Restore at 1-800-RESPOND (737-7663).
About ServiceMaster Restore
With more than 4,000 franchised and licensed locations around the world, ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Recovery Management serve customers through a global network of franchises that provide a range of residential and commercial restoration and specialty cleaning services resulting from damage caused by water or fire, smoke, odour, wind, hail, Visit www.servicemasterrestore.ca for more information.
About ServiceMaster Recovery Management
With management team experience in 27 different countries on countless disasters, including clean-up after Hurricane Katrina and the Pentagon after September 11, 2001, ServiceMaster Recovery Management is one of the largest large commercial disaster recovery companies. More information can be found at www.servicemasterrecoverymanagement.com.
About ServiceMaster
With a global network of more than 7,300 company-owned, franchise and licensed locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world’s largest residential service networks. The company’s high-profile brands are Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 20,000 corporate associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands provided services and products to approximately 8 million customers during the last 12 months. The company’s market-leading brands provide a range of residential and commercial services including termite and pest control; lawn, tree and shrub care; home warranties and preventative maintenance contracts; furniture repair; home inspections; home cleaning; janitorial services; and disaster restoration. Visit www.servicemaster.com for more information.
SOURCE: ServiceMaster
