John’s Tip of the Month

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Water, it’s the essence of life. 

But when things go wrong it’s a whole different story. 
My friends in Boise had to wait until the end of summer to paddle board on the ponds in the city parks, due to the threat of E. coli from the spring flooding. When the health department tested to find the sources, they found human, dog, and goose feces to be the cause. 
Moving forward in time, the southeast is still recovering from record breaking hurricanes. I have read many reports of contaminated water. It’s a mix of bacteria, viruses, metals and other potentially toxic pollutants leached from the myriad of refineries and chemical plants in the area, along with an untold number of submerged septic tanks. 
So what does this have to do with us? 

We are just approaching our rainy season, and as we are very aware, there will be flooding somewhere in the area. We can’t change the weather but we can be prepared. Use the following list as a guide. 

• Preventative maintenance check list 
• Make sure the foundation grading slopes away from the building 
• Check for leaking plumbing 
• Make sure the plumbing is properly insulated 
• Check for missing insulation 
• Clean the area around the sump pump and check to make sure it is working order 
• Check the foundation vents they should be closed for the winter and open in the summer 
• Make sure the vapor barrier is intact 
• Check of pest 
• Make sure the roof components are in good condition 
• Flashing round vents and chimneys 
• Roof drains
• Rain gutters and gutter downspouts
• Clear landscape debris 
• Clean out all ground surface drains 
• Check all the door and window seals 

If a flood does happen you have the peace of mind knowing that the SERVPRO team will soon be on site, and they will make it “Like it never even happened.” 

Contact SERVPRO of Yamhill & Tillamook Counties and SERVPRO of Hillsboro / Forest Grove for emergency service when your house or business have water damage at 503-648-8513. We are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.