Black Diamond | Water, Fire, and Storm Damage Blog Updates

Water Damaged Carpet: How to Clean Up

Water damaged carpet isn’t just a potential money pit, but it can also create significant health concerns.

Flooding can be a homeowner’s biggest nightmare. There are many mistakes, failures, and even natural disasters that can leave you underwater literally and figuratively. Black Diamond Restoration has completed our share of water damage projects, and today we’re showing you exactly how to clean up water-damaged carpet on your property.

How Does Water Damage Occur?

There are a variety of reasons your home could sustain water damage. Internal plumbing issues, such as an overflowing tub, broken pipe, or backed up sewer can happen. Foundation or drainage problems can lead to groundwater or other water sources leaking into the basement of the home due to gravity. Older homes can be more susceptible, as are those with poor grading or high precipitation levels.

How to Clean up Water Damaged Carpet

Identify & Prevent Cause. The first step to take is to identify what is causing the flooding because otherwise, any cleaning will be impossible or, at best, temporary. It’s important to find the root of the flood to take steps to repair it permanently. You may also want to take photographs for insurance claims, if relevant.

Remove Water Carefully. You can remove small amounts of water with a wet-dry vacuum or even a broom if you have a drain within reach. Additionally, you’ll need to treat deepwater with immense care to prevent electrical danger. Wear rubber boots and avoid touching wires or electrical elements, and when in doubt—call a professional for safety and pumps to remove deep water.

Evacuate. It’s time to get furniture and any other items out of the flooded rooms and off the wet carpet. Discoloration and contamination can occur, and any pressure or friction on a wet carpet can cause adhesive backing to separate from the carpet. Plus, you need the carpet exposed to as much air as possible for the next step.

Dry the Carpet. Once you remove standing water, you need to dry the carpet as quickly as possible to prevent the onset of mold, discoloration, and other potential problems. Use squeegees, towels, fans, heat, dehumidifiers, and any other helpful tools to soak up and evaporate the excess water.

Clean the Carpet. When you’re dealing with backed-up sewage, you should also be concerned about sanitizing your carpet. Even when the water is culinary or reasonably clean, you need to worry about mold and other contaminants. Clean your carpets by carefully shampooing every inch or steam cleaning. Professional carpet cleaners are best for this step to ensure a healthy clean.
Stay Off. It’s best if you leave your water-damaged carpet alone for a few days to give it time to dry fully; this means keeping furniture out and keeping feet off of it. Air out the carpet with open windows when possible.

Black Diamond Water Damage and Disaster Restoration Can Help

On top of the horror of a flooded home, you’ll have to deal with evacuating the water, cleaning water damaged carpet, and hoping you’ve done enough to save them. Instead, you can call Black Diamond Restoration and rest easy. We’re proud to serve Salt Lake County.

Avoid Water Damage by Cleaning Rain Gutters Properly

It’s vital to clean gutters properly since leaves, sticks, and other debris can clog them, preventing their job of flushing water. The result is that water creeps under the roof and maybe into the foundation. In the winter, it can also cause ice dams. This is why it’s vital to clean gutters properly — learn why in today’s blog.

Rain Gutter Maintenance

To ensure your gutters stay clear of debris that can cause water damage, we recommend cleaning your gutters at least once a year, especially with overhanging trees or ones that have lost leaves from a major storm.

Regular maintenance enables you to check the health of your gutters. At some point, gutters will need repairing or replacing to help protect your home against water damage. However, first, clean your gutters, and then you can assess if there’s damage.

If you’ve never had your gutters cleaned before or cleaned them yourself, here is a step-by-step process.

How to Clean Gutters

Before you climb to the roof, ensure you have a good, sturdy, extendable ladder. Remember to position the ladder on a sturdy surface (watch out for landscaping rocks below that can shift). Consider using a ladder stabilizer for safety and for preventing damage to the gutters. Here are the rest of the steps to cleaning gutters.

Wear a long-sleeved shirt, work pants, and rubber gloves; cleaning gutters is a dirty job.

Using a small, plastic scoop (available at a hardware store), scoop out all the junk collected in the gutters. You can also use a kitchen spatula, which won’t damage the gutters.

Spread a tarp underneath your work area to collect all the junk from the gutter to protect your landscaping and lawn.

After removing the debris, use a garden hose to flush the gutters and downspouts. Clear out any leftover debris. Doing so will show if there are any leaks. If you need to replace gutters, learn about installing new gutters.

When gutters are clean, repair any sagging metal by mounting a gutter hanger.

That’s it! Gutter cleaning gets easier after a while and makes you feel great once done. Ensure you put it in your annual maintenance schedule.

Signs of Gutter Damage

Here are some signs to help you determine if your gutters need repair or replacement.

Cracks, Splits or Sagging

Small cracks can occur, which allows water to seep into the fascia boards behind the gutters. (the shingles above the gutter and the foundation below) Any split, cracked, or sagging gutters should be replaced.

Paint Damage and Rust

Peeling paint or rust indicates water is present on the surface of the gutters continuously. Check for clogs and remove debris to start the water flowing. Replace or touch up the paint on the damaged section.

Pools of water and mold

If you see standing water or mildew near the foundation, it means your gutters are clogged. There could also be a defect in the gutter system. Remove the clog, and if the problem persists, replace that section of gutter and downspout.

Water damage or watermarks

On a dry, sunny day, inspect directly beneath the gutters for any evidence of water damage. This could indicate they are leaking or overflowing with water. Look for any blockages in the area, and if there’s not any, it means the section has a crack or a leak that needs repairing or replaced.

Black Diamond Restoration Can Help

If you’re dealing with water damage from clogged gutters, contact us to restore your property to what it once was — even better. We offer emergency service when you need it, and service Salt Lake City and surrounding areas throughout Davis and Utah Counties.

How to Prevent Fire Hazards in the Bedroom

Bedroom fires make up half of all home fire deaths and are where electrical fires start. However, by implementing some tips, you can easily prevent fire hazards. Stay tuned to learn 11 tips to help avoid potential fires in the bedroom.

Fire Statistics in the Bedroom

According to FEMA’s U.S. Fire Administration, most people die in bedrooms or lounges from smoking-related fires with those in a one-bedroom apartment facing the biggest risk. Between 11:00 and 7:00 AM accounted for 51 percent of civilian fire fatalities in residential buildings, and 47 percent of those resulted in death. Thirty-seven percent of those individuals were trying to escape with 32 percent sleeping. Males accounted for 58 percent of fatalities and females, 42 percent of fire fatalities. Adults aged 50-69 equaled 37 percent of fire fatalities. Children less than 10 years old made up of 11 percent of civilian fires.

Tips to Prevent Fire Hazards

The above statistics could have been reduced if these following tips had been implemented.

Always supervise space heaters and turn them off before going to sleep.

Don’t run electrical cords under the bed or carpeting and don’t trap cords against the wall where heat can build up. Untangle cords to allow heat to disperse and never overload an extension cord.

Only use electric blankets and warmers from laboratory-approved manufacturers. Do not fold them to prevent damaging the wiring. Also, never sleep with an electric blanket turned on and inspect it regularly for overheating.

Keep flammable objects like candles, space heaters, or electronics at least three feet away from heat sources.

Keep lit candles away from bedding, curtains, or paper, and think about purchasing candles with battery-operated flameless candles.

Use only mattresses that meet the 2007 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard.

Don’t smoke in bed since there’s a higher chance of falling asleep with a lit cigarette and catching the bed on fire. Consider using fire-safe cigarettes to prevent fires, as they extinguish quicker.

Install arc fault circuit interrupters. (AFCIs) When an unintentional discharge of electricity occurs in the circuit, AFCIs shut off the circuit, preventing electrical switch fires.

Never put charging devices under bedding, and that includes leaving a laptop on the bed, which can increase the risk of a fire.

Install smoke alarms in and out of the bedroom and test smoke detectors monthly. Change batteries annually around the same time and replace detectors every decade.

Create a fire escape plan, marking sure there are two exits for each room. Twice a year, practice a home fire drill with everyone at night and during the day.

Black Diamond Restoration for Fire Damage

Fire hazards can be prevented, but if you need restoration from fire or water damage or have mold or sewage issues, we can help. Black Diamond Restoration has a dedicated team of trained and experienced professionals that provide the highest quality of complete restoration and reconstruction services. Contact us at (801) 512-4194 to learn more. We serve Salt Lake City and surrounding areas of Davis and Utah County.

5 Facts About Fire & Smoke Damage

Whether it’s small or large, fires can do significant damage, but lingering smoke can cause several issues, including respiratory conditions in people. Today’s blog will discuss 5 facts about smoke damage that you need to be aware of, to keep you and your family safe.

Fire and Smoke Damage Facts

Even when a fire is out, and everyone is safe, you may think you’re in the clear; however, danger can still be around. You must deal with the aftermath of a fire. The following facts will help you mitigate the effects of fire and smoke and prevent further damage.

Safety remains a priority, even when the fire is out. The damage left behind from a fire can be dangerous, so a professional must ensure your property is safe before returning.
TIP: Using respiratory protection and wearing gloves following a fire helps prevent exposure to soot. Opening all the windows and using fans help ventilate your home.

After a fire, damage can occur quickly. Severe damage can affect your property and even the structure of your home. Residue from soot starts to settle on the area immediately after the fire, landing on furniture, walls, ceilings, and in the carpet — even if the fire was minimal.
TIP: Don’t wait to treat any damage. Within hours, wood furniture finishes will be ruined; metals will rust, and clothing will permanently be discolored. Further, fire damage can stain painted walls and damage flooring. This will result in a more costly and challenging restoration.

Using a professional fire restoration company is best following a fire. Even though it’s an extra cost, an expert fire restorer helps limit further problems you may face with the damage.
TIP: Contact someone within 24 hours of experiencing a fire. They can assess the extent of the damage, determine items that need to be removed or repaired, and clear out any smell of smoke.

You need to take special care with cleaning and deodorizing textiles. Smoke and soot can be challenging to remove from fabrics like carpet and clothes and textiles. Soot and smoke can settle into carpet fibers soon after a fire, so ensure a restoration company removes the damage immediately.
TIP: Special treatments may be necessary to restore individual items; this includes several wash cycles to remove smoke from bedding and clothing or removing the carpet if the damage is severe.

Fire suppression activities can also cause damage. Other than fire and smoke, those tools needed to put out a fire can result in damage. Water can cause damage, and standard firefighting chemicals also leave a mess, which may require an expert’s specialty to treat.
TIP: List any damage that has occurred due to the fire, like smoke damage and suppression tactics and contact your insurance company to file a claim.

Need Assistance?

For professional restoration after a fire, contact the experts at Black Diamond Restoration at 801-512-4194 or fill out our form. We provide 24/7 emergency service with 20 years of experience in disaster restoration and water damage for Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties.

Six Tips on Handling Smoke Damage to Your Home

Smoke damage can wreak havoc on your home. Whether it’s from a kitchen fire or an electrical fire that happened from faulty wiring, these problems can be costly and make your home smell terrible. If not treated properly, the damage can be long-lasting.

Here are six tips on handling smoke damage and getting your home looking and smelling good again.

Wear safety equipment. Before you start doing anything, ensure you wear protective eye goggles, a safety mask, and gloves to protect your health. This protects your skin from smoke particles, as well as your lungs.

Ventilate your home. Once the fire has been extinguished, and your chimney flue is opened, it’s time to ventilate your property. This is vital, so no permanent damage is done. Open all your windows and doors and ensure your HVAC systems are shut off, so the smoke doesn’t spread. Consider getting some industrial fans and face them towards the doors and windows to allow for circulation and vent out the smoky air.

Vacuum any soot. Rent an industrial vacuum cleaner and suck up any loose soot and ash from your furniture, curtains, and carpets. It’s important to aim the nozzle at the soot, but don’t push it down, or you risk a permanent stain. Note, get the most potent shop vac you can find, so it has the greatest chance of getting up the most soot from your surfaces.

Deep clean all surfaces. Now, it’s time to deep clean everything, including tables, countertops, furniture, etc. You may have to replace any severely smoke-damaged items. Clean walls, ceilings, bedding, or any other surface impacted by smoke. Take a dry sponge, wipe off any soot, and use cleaners to get off any stubborn stains. You can use rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or paint thinner. Soak your rag or sponge and wipe the walls throughout the room, even light bulbs.

A few tablespoons of dish soap or degreaser in a gallon of hot water can be used to wash the walls with a sponge or rag. You may need to use a combination of chemicals for severe fire damage. Refresh your water when it gets too black or smells smokey. After washing with your preferred cleaner, wipe down your walls with fresh water and a clean rag or sponge to remove any remaining cleaning products.

Dry it all out. Use the fans to dry all the surfaces you cleaned. It may take a few days to a week or more to get the smokey odors out of your home, but using the fans will help speed up the process. Look around the room and identify any materials that readily absorb odors. Put those items together in a separate room or even outdoors if the weather is good. If there is severe smoke damage, you may have to throw some items out. This includes upholstery, curtains, or furniture. Avoid using cover scents or fragrances to mask the smoke rather than remove it since the oils cover surfaces and don’t allow them to breathe. Replace your HVAC filters after, so they don’t continue to circulate smoky air.

Call the professionals. After most of the smoke damage has been cleaned up, it’s time to bring in the professionals. Since there are likely jobs you can’t do alone, getting a trained professional will ensure your home is taken care of and get you in your home quicker.

Need Help Restoring Your Home?

At Black Diamond Water Damage & Flood Disaster Restoration , we specialize in restoring your home after a fire. Our trained and certified professionals come to you and evaluate and assess the damage on-site as quickly as possible. We are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for you. Contact us for restoration today at 801-512-4194.

How to Prepare for a National Disaster

Disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. Often, there’s not much time to prepare when an earthquake just struck your town, as Utah has seen this year, or the Coronavirus that hit and left people home for months.

Read today’s blog on the steps you need to take in preparing for a national disaster, so you and your family stay safe.

National Disaster Preparedness

There are two significant steps to take when preparing for a national disaster: creating an emergency plan and getting weather and emergency alerts, as outlined by the usa.gov website. Below, we’ll discuss each step in detail.

Create an Emergency Plan

Is it just you at home, or are you, empty nesters? Or do you have children? How old are they, and do they have special needs? Do you live in a highrise apartment, rambler, or a multi-storied home? The dynamics of your family unit should factor into your national disaster emergency plan first and foremost. Here is a checklist for creating your plan:

A family emergency plan that includes where to find shelter, an evacuation route, and how to say in contact with family members
An emergency kit you can make yourself that contains all the necessary supplies to survive. This includes water, food, batteries, flashlights, first aid kit, whistle, dust mask, cell phone with chargers and a backup battery, local maps, and more

Medication and medical supplies each family member needs and may need if injured. Also, information on preparing medications and what to do with those who have a disability

The important financial and medical information, and the creation of an emergency savings account (if not already created), and insurance needs covered

Pet emergency plan to get your pet ready by building a kit with basic survival items and more.

Business emergency plan in preparing your organization for hazards, including identifying your risk, and how to stay safe from types of disasters

Obtain Weather and Emergency Alerts

It’s integral to ensure you have ways to get emergency alerts via your phone, computer, or even by radio/ham radio. To get your home, family, and business ready for natural disasters, do the following:

Get emergency information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) app. It includes weather warnings for up to five locations, disaster, aid, and shelter information.

Receive emergency alerts by enabling your smartphone with the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) public safety system. You receive automatic notifications for severe weather, disasters, and national emergencies.

Find government information and services to aid you or family members in dealing with a disaster or crisis while living outside or traveling outside the U.S.

After a National Disaster, Call Black Diamond Restoration

After a national disaster, you need quality services from a restoration company that serves all your needs 24/7. Black Diamond Restoration employs licensed and certified professionals who can help restore your home or commercial property, so please reach out and contact us at (801) 512-4194 today.

The Top Five Myths About Mold

Everyone is exposed to indoor and outdoor mold daily, and most of the time, it’s not a big concern. When the temps are right, there’s a food source, (literally any building material) and moisture, mold is likely to develop on any surface in your home. Left untreated, it can cause a big problem. But, there are some myths about mold you may not be aware of and ones we will address in today’s blog.

Stay tuned to learn the five myths about mold.

Five Mold Myths

Before we get into the myths, make no mistake, mold can cause serious health issues if left unchecked. It can harm or destroy building materials it feeds on, so it’s important to get the facts straight about what to do about it.

Myth #1: You Must Test for Mold

This isn’t a must-do and is pretty much impossible since there are more than 10,000 types of mold! There are no health-based safety standards for mold levels, so you would waste valuable time and money while you could be removing it.

Myth #2: Black Mold is Deadly

Surprise! This popular myth needs to die. It’s not the color that dictates toxicity. Some types of mold can produce mycotoxins, given the right conditions. There’s not a consensus on which mold produces the poisonous substances, and the ones that do, can produce them but not always.

Myth #3: Only Bleach Kills Mold

Nope. Even though bleach does kill mold, it’s caustic on your lungs and doesn’t always do a thorough job of removing it. The safest way is to scrub with soap and water; it’s a more effective way to eliminate mold from hard surfaces. Now, if drywall or carpet gets moldy, you can’t clean it; you have to replace it. Bleach is only necessary if the moisture that caused the mold comes from sewage. A ¼ to ½ cup of bleach per gallon of water will eliminate mold from the area, but leave it on for 30 minutes before rinsing it off and then dry it thoroughly after.

Myth #4: No Odor Equals No Mold

This can be a dangerous myth. Just because you can’t smell if, doesn’t mean it’s not there. A professional inspection is best. Mold is likely present somewhere in your home if there are any roofing or plumbing leaks. Check your basement, crawl spaces, bathrooms, or sink cabinets for water spots.

Myth #5: Kill Mold with Products

Only a temporary fix, these product solutions only help, but shouldn’t be a permanent fix. Even if you kill the mold, it will return, unless and until you fix the underlying problem.

Need Help with Mold?

You won’t know definitively if you have a mold problem unless you get an inspection. Contact Black Diamond Restoration and fill out a form alerting us of your problem. We have trained, certified, and experienced experts who know what to look for and how to fix it right the first time. We serve Salt Lake City and surrounding areas.

Tips for Eliminating Fire Hazards this Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and with it, fire hazards that increase with more outdoor activities, such as barbecuing and setting off fireworks. Continue reading to learn about how you can eliminate fire hazards in your backyard and enjoy the summer this year.

Summer Fire Statistics

Most fire hazards indeed occur in the summer, with EMT, fire departments, and ERs busy during the summer months. Here are some sobering statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration about fire injuries during the summer that can be prevented or drastically reduced.

July is the peak month for grill fires. (17 percent) May comes next, with June and August following behind. This includes both structure, outdoor, or unclassified fires.
In 11 percent of grill structure fires and 23 percent of outside and unclassified grill fires, leaks or breaks were the main factors of fires.
Approximately 19,000 patients visit the emergency room each year due to injuries from grilling.
Gas grills cause a higher amount of home fires overall than their charcoal counterparts.
The leading factor contributing to fires was the failure to clean the grill (1/5th of all structure fires). In 17 percent of cases, a fire was caused by something too close to the grill.
In 2018, an estimated 9,100 fireworks-related emergency room treated injuries occurred. The culprits were firecrackers, sparklers, and bottle rockets, with the hands, head/neck, and eyes frequently involved with injuries.
Sparklers are the #1 cause for emergency room visits during the July 4th holiday celebrations.

Tips for Summertime Fire Safety

Many fires can be prevented with simple safety tips you can teach kids about, so everyone stays safe this summer. These tips may seem obvious and include:

If using charcoal or propane barbecue grills, ensure children and pets are kept at least three feet away from them.
Keep your grill clean by removing grease buildup; before using for the season, give it a good wash.
Never leave your grill unattended.
Always ensure your gas grill lid is open before lighting.
If you want to see fireworks, go to a public show, instead of attempting to do one yourself.
Keep a close eye on children with sparklers or other fireworks. Never let them near you while lighting them.
Do not use consumer fireworks.

Remember that fireworks are dangerous to pets as well. They could also increase the likelihood of fire damage to your property or those adjacent to you. When using your grill, fire pits, or torches and personal fireplaces, keep them out from under roof edges and well away from deck railings, tree branches, or siding. (at least 10 feet away)

For Fire Damage, Call Black Diamond Restoration

Most fires can be prevented by following these safety steps above. However, if your property has been damaged by smoke or water damage, Black Diamond Restoration can help. Our professionals are here 24/7 to assist you in emergencies. With over twenty years of experience, our professional and certified technicians perform all repairs within our service areas. Contact us here or call to schedule an appointment today.