Recent Storm Damage Posts
Are you familiar with flood terms?
5/18/2022 (Permalink)
When the flood waters rise...so do we.
Last year, many residents experienced flood damage and SERVPRO of Medina County was ready and able to help. As the rainy season approaches we wanted to make sure that the Medina County community is prepared for any floods that may happen with some tips.
Before the Flood:
Tips from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) for Preparing Your Home or Business for a Flood.
- Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so.
- Disconnect electrical appliances.
- Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
- Do not walk through moving water. Even six inches of moving water can make you fall.
During the Flood:
- Listen for news reports to learn if the community’s water supply is safe to drink.
- Avoid floodwaters. Water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage. Water may also be electrically charged.
- Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
- Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
After the Flood:
Flooding is still possible. Listen to weather radio, commercial radio, or TV for information.
Know the terms:
Flood Watch:
Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to weather radio, commercial radio, or TV for information.
Flash Flood Watch:
Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
Flood Warning:
A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.
Ask SERVPRO of Medina County about setting your business up with an Emergency Response Profile.
Heavy Rainfall can lead to water damage
4/18/2022 (Permalink)
While water damage is typically associated with events like flooding or plumbing malfunctions, heavy rain can also cause its own set of issues regarding water damage around the house.
While any level of moisture can cause damage, heavy rain is considered rainfall at rates over 0.3 inches per hour and can work its way into much smaller vulnerabilities in your home. To help you better prepare and avoid water damage, we have put together a list of how these rapid rainfall rates can cause issues.
How Heavy Rains Cause Household Water Damage
Backup of clogged gutters. Clogged gutters can cause significant damage to your home after heavy rains. If there is debris in the gutters, it will be difficult for water to drain away, which can then result in leaks from puddles as the water is left standing against the roofline.
Leaks around windows and doors. Windows and doors are supposed to be sealed against the elements, but as their weatherproofing ages, it can deteriorate as well. When heavy rains roll through, water can find its way into minuscule cracks and cause damages.
Poor drainage around the foundation. If your home is at the bottom of a hill or does not have adequate drainage around the foundation, heavy rains can build up against the base of your home and lead to leaks in your basement or crawl spaces.
Leaks in and around the roof. Roof leaks are one of the leading consequences of heavy rains, and they can sneak up suddenly. All it takes is for a shingle to be scraped away or a weak spot to form and rainwater can begin seeping in as it falls.
Malfunctioning of a sump pump system. For homes with sump pumps, doing regular maintenance and checking for issues is key—otherwise, the pump system can get overwhelmed and will not be able to effectively move water away from the home.
Leaks around chimneys and skylights. Houses with chimneys and skylights tend to be more vulnerable to heavy rains than homes without them. While they are nice features to have, the seals where they meet with the roof can grow vulnerable over time and become overwhelmed when rainfall is heavy.
The Dangers of Flash Flood
4/18/2022 (Permalink)
Flash flooding is not always on people’s radar as a dangerous weather event, as things like lightning strikes and high winds appear to be far more common. However, many people are surprised to learn that flooding is the second leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States.
Part of what makes flash floods in particular so dangerous is because of how quickly they can come about and how they can impact even small bodies of water. An overflowing storm drain or neighborhood creek can quickly cause a significant impact if it rains heavily enough, which is why it is important to be vigilant if they are a possibility.
What Is a Flash Flood?
A flash flood is defined as flooding that begins within six hours of heavy rainfall, which is why they are so common after storms and other severe weather. They can be highly unpredictable, but are especially common in urban areas due to overflowing storm drains and other drainage issues that might arise during a storm.
How Will I Know if I Am at Risk for Flash Flooding?
One of the most important things to remember in regards to flash floods is to carefully heed all warnings put out by your local weather officials. A flash flood watch means that flooding is possible, so it is wise to think of your action plan. If a warning is issued, that means flash flooding is likely to begin soon and you should execute your safety plan. If there is a flash flood emergency, that means there are life-threatening levels of water in the area and you should immediately take action.
What Are the Rules of Flash Flood Safety?
Knowing the rules in regards to flash flood safety is so important for ensuring you and your family can be protected from these traumatic events. Here are the important things to remember:
- Stay away from low-lying areas during periods of heavy rainfall.
- Have a safety and evacuation plan in place in case flooding becomes imminent.
- Never attempt to walk or drive your car through floodwater.
- Do not let children play near floodwater, as it can contain harmful substances.
- If floodwaters block your route, find a different way to go.
Common Types of Storm Damage
3/30/2022 (Permalink)
Texas is no stranger to damaging storms. The best way to be prepared for a storm is to know what type of storm is coming. Did you know there are 10 different types of storms? Each of them have unique causes and create unique kinds of damage.
SERVPRO of Medina County knows the importance of keeping a home or business safe before, during, and after a storm. Keep reading to learn more.
The 10 most common storms
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Flooding
- Snow storm
- Hail storm
- Thunderstorm
- Lightning storm
- Tropical storms
- Ice storms
- Derecho storms
Depending on where a person lives, they likely won’t experience every type of storm in their lifetime. You might even be wondering what that last one is – a Derecho storm is a giant storm made up of many large storms. To be considered a Derecho storm, multiple storms must be raging at over 58 miles per hour over a path of 240 miles.
If you don’t live on or frequent the coast, you may never experience a hurricane (also know as a tropical cyclone or typhoon). However, neighboring states often still feel the effects of hurricanes through heavy rain or damaging floods.
Some storm damage is obvious: hail breaks windows and thunderstorms cause power outages.
But since hurricanes can have far-reaching effects, it’s particularly important to be informed on the damage they can cause. It’s important to be educated on all types of storm and the damage they cause, but this blog will focus on hurricane damage - whether you experience a hurricane’s immediate effects or the aftermath.
Most Common Storm Damage from Hurricanes
Storm Surge
Storm surge is mostly felt by those who live on the coast directly hit by a hurricane. Storm surge is when wind drives so much water to the shore that it causes the water to pile up far past the predicted tide level. The force of this water is so powerful that it can destroy buildings and other structures.
Flooding
Floods from a hurricane are often directly tied to storm surge. Storm surge forces extra water past the normal tide level, onto the shore and even far inland. The accompanying heavy rainfall also contributes heavily to flooding. Rainfall caused by hurricanes can impact an area even 100 miles from where the hurricane landed, causing widespread flooding. But a tropical storm doesn’t have to reach hurricane level to cause heavy rain and floods.
Wind
Wind caused by hurricanes can reach speeds between 74 - 155 miles per hour. The powerful speed and force of storm winds can uproot trees, fell power lines, and hurl debris. Objects moved by wind can cause more damage, like broken windows or damaged roofs. The wind during a storm can also be powerful enough to lift the roof on your house. Often, these damaging winds are caused by tornadoes that form because of the hurricane.
The damage caused by storm surge, floods, and strong winds can be far-reaching and unexpected. That’s why it’s important to take precautions like packing an emergency preparedness kit, installing storm resistant features on your home, and following any official warnings at the onset of a storm.
The damage in aftermath of a storm can be excessive and overwhelming. Clean up can also be dangerous. SERVPRO Medina County is the leading expert in storm damage restoration.
SERVPRO of Medina County Storm Damage Remediation Experts
3/30/2022 (Permalink)
Did you know that SERVPRO of Medina County will travel to help with damage that occurs after a storm or other disaster? We just recently went back East to Virginia to aid another SERVPRO with their influx of burst water pipes due to a massive freezing event. We have also traveled during hurricane Harvey to aid local Houston residents with their storm cleanup. As your local SERVPRO, we want you to rest assured that we are here for any of your storm damage remediation needs whether it be damage due to a hail storm or a burst pipe due to our random freezes. If you have water in your home or office and you need it out immediately, we are always here to help at (830) 584-1704.
Flooding Can Happen When You Least Expect It
3/30/2022 (Permalink)
Flooding can happen anywhere. According to the National Weather Service (NOAA), "Approximately seventy-five percent of all Presidential disaster declarations are associated with flooding." NOAA lists the most common flood hazards in the United States as:
- Storm Surge & Coastal Inundation from Tropical & Non-Tropical Systems
- Burn Scars/ Debris Flows (Caused by Wildfires)
- Dry Wash (Caused by heavy rainfall in dry areas)
- Dam Breaks/ Levee Failure
Just because you haven’t experienced a flood doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. In fact, 20% of all claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) were for policies in low-risk communities. On average, floods cost $3.5 billion in annual losses in the U.S., and commercial flood claims average more than $75,000 (NFIP).
When catastrophic water damage happens to you, SERVPRO of Medina County Franchise Professionals can help. They can help you prepare ahead of time with an Emergency Ready Profile® (ERP), or respond to any size disaster to begin cleanup and restoration to get you back in business as soon as possible.
Your local SERVPRO of Medina County Franchise Professionals are ready to help make it “Like it never even happened.”
When Storms or Floods hit Medina County, SERVPRO is ready!
2/22/2022 (Permalink)
When Storm Ida Hit LA, SERVPRO of Medina County was part of an emergency response team, that went out to help anyone who was affected by the storm.
SERVPRO ofMedina County 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 Medina County, 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 830-584-1704
24/7 Emergency Service