How to avoid sewage back-ups!

11/4/2021 (Permalink)

sewage back-up causing flood inside home

Have you ever encountered standing water in your home after a heavy rainstorm? If water has come up through plumbing fixtures or if you have standing water over a drain in the floor or bathroom, you may be experiencing a sewer backup. 

How to Prevent a Sewer Backup

You may be able to help protect your home from a sewer backup by taking the following preventive steps:

• Install a backup water valve: A plumber can install a water valve in sewer or drain lines. This valve lets sewage water flow out of the pipes, but not back in.
• Properly dispose of household waste: Items like paper towels do not decompose quickly and can contribute to plugging sewer lines if they are flushed down a toilet. And in the kitchen, be sure to properly dispose of cooking grease — if you pour it down the sink, it can harden in the pipes.
• Inspect and trim tree roots: If you have noticeable tree roots throughout your yard, you may need to have a professional trim them back to help reduce the risk of them growing into a sewer line.

While these safety tips can help minimize the risk of a sewer backup happening at your home, it’s important to remember that sewer backups aren’t typically covered by homeowners insurance policy. So, consider adding water backup coverage to your homeowners insurance policy which may help pay for repairs after a sewer backup.

Preparing for Colder Weather

11/4/2021 (Permalink)

insulating your pipes for colder weather

As the days grow shorter and the temperature begins to drop, it’s time to start getting your home prepared for the winter months ahead. Here's a checklist to make sure you’ve got everything all ready for winter!

• Get your furnace checked

A regular checkup for your furnace will extend its life, prevent carbon monoxide leaks and ensure everything is in working order.

• Keep pipes warm

Frozen pipes can burst, which can result in a major disaster. It may require complicated fixes and result in serious flood damage if you’re not careful. To prevent this from happening, don’t completely turn off your heat when you leave the house. Keeping the temperature around 55°F will be enough to ensure pipes stay sufficiently warm.

If you’re going to be gone for an extended period  turn off the water and drain the water pipes.

• Clean Chimney

When you burn wood in your fireplace, there’s a chance you’re creating a buildup of what’s called creosote. This can ignite when you burn wood in the fireplace and cause a dangerous chimney fire. Scheduling an inspection annually will help reduce this risk.

• Check your insulation

Check the seals around your windows and doors. If you find the seals to be lacking, use weather stripping or caulk to seal around the frame. You should also check to see if air is escaping through your outlets. You can purchase foam gasket covers that you insert behind outlet or switch covers.

Raging wind storms are no stranger to Northern MI

11/4/2021 (Permalink)

Tree fell from high winds.

Northern MI has grown accustomed to Mother Nature’s erratic weather. One day it can be sunny and 70 and hours later it can black skies and gusts of wind strong enough to blow a tree over. That tree that just so happens to blow over onto your home!

Roof damage is something you want to get fixed right away or damage from within could spread, causing a bigger problem! Patching the hole and removing the tree are the most crucial things that need to happen first. SERVPRO of Alpena is just a phone call away! 989-354-4940 We can help fix and dry the damaged area before other materials get damaged or worse- mold begins to start!

So, when the wind is blown and you hear a loud noise, don't be alarmed. SERVPRO of Alpena can assist you 24/7.

When Storms or Floods hit Alpena SERVPRO is ready!

5/24/2021 (Permalink)

Our highly trained crews are ready to respond 24/7 to storm or flood damage in Alpena!

SERVPRO of Alpena specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit Alpena, MI we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today 989-354-4940