Freezing Temperatures and Water Damage

The new year in Cincinnati is so far starting off cold! A quick scan of the headlines shows “water mains across Cincinnati have burst” and “another fire started by someone trying to thaw frozen pipes.”

If you haven’t seen it yet, WCPO offers tips to help keep your pipes from freezing and (hopefully) our September post How to Prepare Your Home (and Carpets) for Fall helped you prevent some issues.

Given the cool temps and recent snow, now is a good time to check your home for:

• damp carpet
• water stains on the ceiling and drywall
• peeling paint
• a musty smell

Keep in mind that tracking down water leaks can require some investigative work. A friend just spent part of his Christmas evening helping his in-laws track down the source of a damp spot on the carpet toward the middle of their den.

It initially appeared as if the water had come from an adjacent bathroom, but it turned out that the leak originated from the roof. The water dripped onto the ceiling of a closet and ran down the inside of the wall at the back of the closet. Once it hit the subfloor, it worked its way under the carpet and out toward the center of the room before finally working its way into the insulation of a basement wall. Luckily, this was a relatively small leak and was caught quickly.

If you find a small leak, one of the first priorities is to contact a local roofer who can quickly fix the problem. If the trouble is caught quickly, and the amount of water is small, it might be a simple matter of getting some fans on the area and touching up paint.

However, if you find yourself in a situation with a major leak from freezing pipes, it might be best to get some help. As discussed in How to Handle a Water Damage Emergency, water damage restoration tips include acting quickly, checking with your insurance company to see what’s covered, and hiring a company with the right experience.

With more than 33 years of water damage restoration experience, you can trust Extra Effort to work with your insurance company to return your home or business to its original state.

Our skilled professionals have the expertise to quickly to answer any questions you have about mold, mildew, stain and moisture removal. Once the process has been thoroughly explained to your satisfaction, we will:

• Bring in powerful water extraction systems, industrial air movers, and dehumidifiers
• Apply safe bacterial control agents
• Handle all restoration work, including removing and replacing carpet padding, drywall, insulation, and baseboards
• Clean and restore your carpets

As the co-owner of a father/son business, you have my personal guarantee that our job isn’t complete until our state-of-the-art moisture-detecting equipment tells us your home or business is safe and restored to its original condition.

Questions? I am always available to answer your stain removal questions and concerns. Call us today at (513) 777-8770 to learn more about our carpet and upholstery cleaning services. Or email us at service@extra-effort.com to learn about this month’s cleaning special.

Elliott S. Fishman, Co-Owner
Extra Effort Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Inc.

About Elliott S. Fishman

Elliott Fishman, along with his son Brian, is the owner and operator of Extra Effort Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Inc.   We serve the residents and businesses of Greater Cincinnati to include West Chester, Mason, Maineville, Loveland, Wyoming, Fairfield, Indian Hill, Montgomery, Hyde Park and Anderson Township. Elliott started this company in 1984, based on the belief that it takes Extra Effort to make each job a success. The father/son team puts the extra time, extra care, and extra effort go into every task they undertake – no matter how large or small the job. Extra Effort’s quality equipment, trained technicians and safe products have made the company a top choice for residential and commercial carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, water damage / water extraction, fabric protection, odor control and spot removal.