16. March 2010 by Dean of Clean.

Well, spring is here in Durango and soon you’ll be hooking up the sprinkler or hose to water your lawn or flowers. And chances are, you have a so-called “freezeless” outside faucet on your house. But did you know these faucets aren’t actually freezeless?
Freezeless faucets actually can freeze if a hose is left attached to them in cold weather…and even the best of us often forget to take the hose off during that first hard freeze or two.

Due to their design, if they freeze, the pipe will often break inside your wall…and when you turn the faucet on, most of the water will run into your walls instead of out to the hose! And it’s all too easy not to notice until suddenly there’s a big puddle in the living room or basement!

So before using your outside hoses unattended this year, check them first. Use a closed nozzle on the hose and listen carefully for any unusual noises inside the wall that might indicate a leak. If you hear something odd, or the water pressure seems low, turn the faucet back off and call a licensed plumber to repair the pipe before using it. (I use Brad at TimberLine or Gene at Roto-Rooter)

And if in spite of your best efforts you experience a broken pipe, ice damage or any other water damage situation, call UltraSteam at 385-8444 for Water Damage Restoration in Durango, or click the link for more information about water damage and the steps you must take to minimize the damage if you should experience it.

Happy gardening, may your green thumb shine bright - and have a great spring!

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3. March 2010 by Dean of Clean.

Hi everyone! We just wrapped up three floods in a row, all caused by melting snow on the client’s roofs, running into an ice dam at the edge that caused the water to flow into the attic and down walls, damaging the drywall, carpet, pad and subfloor. So as the weather warms up, be sure to check your roof, especially north-facing eaves, and make sure you don’t have ice dams built up that prevent your roof from shedding its’ winter snowload.

Water damage in your walls, ceiling or flooring is not a simple do-it-yourself matter. Just because you can’t feel moisture on the interior wall surface doesn’t mean that there is not be moisture trapped inside. If not dried promptly, it can lead to microbial growth within just a few short days, damaging your home’s structural integrity and your family’s health. Sometimes we can dry your walls and carpet in place, minimizing the disruption to your life, but on some jobs we may need to remove wet drywall and insulation to prevent mold growth in exterior walls. UltraSteam has the sophisticated moisture mapping equipment needed to detect moisture inside walls, ceilings, floors and carpet, and a dedicated team of IICRC Certified Water Damage experts with over 50 years of combined experience, to return your home to normal…like nothing happened at all!

If you need help removing the snow or ice here in Durango, CO, give my friend Chip Huntoon a call at 946-8041 and his friendly, professional crews will be glad to help out, or check his website at CH Property Services of Durango for a complete list of services.

If you should suffer the misfortune of water damage to your house, call 385-8444 right away and UltraSteam’s courteous Water Damage experts will respond right away to remove standing water and start drying your house, keeping it healthy and secure.  Learn more here: Durango Flood & Water Damage or call us with any questions you may have!

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