What To Do If You Find A Leak In Your Commercial Building in Greenville, SC

Water damage is not only a residential concern. In the commercial setting, leaks can cause drastic problems for a business owner. Not only can they cause costly damage and repairs, they can also halt operations, damage the building's interior, and cause accidents. In severe cases, the company even may have to be shut down to fix the damage.

A large-scale water damage problem in a business facility can stem from a water leak. If neglected, it may require professional water damage restoration services like those offered by ServiceMaster of the Upstate. Find out what you can do if you find a leak in your commercial building with help from the experts at ServiceMaster of the Upstate in this article.

Common Leaks Detected in Commercial Buildings

Commercial building leaks come from different sources, such as a heavy usage of bathrooms, kitchens, or other water-intensive processes. Here are the most common types of leaks found in commercial buildings and how to prevent them.

Roof Leaks

Roof leaks are commonly caused by a nonfunctional or poor drainage system, roof penetrations by HVAC, vents, pipes, or gas lines (common in flat roofing), or a damage membrane or flashing.

Clogged drainage systems can be fatal in case of water ponding, and there is a need to reroute the standing water in order to prevent seepage. Roofs undergo wear and tear as they age, and regular roof inspections are important to detect punctured membranes, cracked flashing, and other issues.

Faucet Leaks

Like other frequently used fixtures, faucets can wear out over time. Water loss can result from leaking seals or faucet components. An increased water bill and faucet drips becoming trickles are also signs of water escaping down the line.

Toilet Leaks

Water can leak from the toilet tank drain due to flapper failure, among others. Repairing these leaks must be immediate as they may cause additional damages to other components of the toilet, increase the water bill, or even cause the replacement of the entire toilet system.

Plumbing Leaks

A complex network of pipes can be located under floors or over ceilings in commercial buildings, so in order to keep record of any possible leaks in the system, a leak detection system may be employed. These come in different forms and some types may even have automated sensors that can shut off water flow. Consult a contractor for advice regarding the best water leak detection equipment suited for a building before installation.

In case of a plumbing leak, turn water off at the main shutoff valve or at the area affected, block entry to the area, and call a licensed plumber.

To prevent plumbing leaks, routine inspection of pipes must be performed. Choosing to upgrade pipes, faucets, and fittings is also recommended, especially if the plumbing system has aged.

Basement and Other Underground Leaks

Basement or underground leaks can usually be traced from a cracked foundation or cracks in a buried piping system. Since leaks like these are hard to detect, they cause water issues that are often massive and sudden, such as flooding and structural damages.

Some signs of underground leaks include wet soil, grass or plants growing faster in a certain area, and an increase in water bills.

Basement and underground leaks need the intervention of a professional water damage restoration company, like ServiceMaster of the Upstate. They cannot be fixed by simple plugging.

Hidden Leaks

Hidden leaks may be lurking in wet or damp areas on floors, ceilings, and walls. As with other types of leaks, they may also cause an unexpected increase in water bills. Other signs of hidden leaks include cracks and discolorations on walls, ceilings, and flooring; a musty odor or visible mold growth; and the sound of running water when the water is turned off.

After identifying a leak, the restoration, repair, and reconstruction process may need to be carried out but a professional water damage restoration technician.

Get Professional Services from a Trusted Greenville Commercial Water Damage Restoration Company

Regular maintenance pays off in the long run, and will prevent incurring costly repairs, loss of revenue, and temporary or permanent stoppage of operations. A company is less likely to experience water damage from leaks if problems are solved as soon as they are detected.

Water damage is a time-sensitive process that needs proper skill and equipment. If you suspect a leak in your business in Greenville, South Carolina, contact ServiceMaster of the Upstate. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to guide you from crisis to resolution. Our commercial water damage restoration services include taking quick action to get a business back to normal fast.

We are an insurance-preferred company and can guide you when filing for insurance claims. Call ServiceMaster of the Upstate today at (864) 310-7891 or message us at https://www.servicemasterupstate.com/contact/ for water leak damage repair and restoration services in your commercial property. We service Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens, Newberry, and Saluda, South Carolina and surrounding areas.

7 Areas that are Prone to Mold Damage After Flooding

Whenever floodwaters have receded and clean-up has been done, one of the most common mistakes committed by homeowners is overlooking areas where molds and mildew may grow.  

Most homeowners might have thought they have thoroughly cleaned all possible areas. However, molds have hidden colonies and tend to spread out of control. By the time you discover them, it may already be too late and a huge and costly removal project may be required.

To help you know where these molds might hide and spot them beforehand, here are seven areas prone to mold that you can check or let a professional inspect.

 

Prone Area No. 1: Underneath Walls

House walls are not waterproof. Walls may look strong and durable, but they are vulnerable to water and humidity. Drywall and wood walls are the favorite thriving places of mold and mildew. Wood is a prime food source for mold growth and mildew damage.

 

Prone Area No. 2: Beneath Cabinets

Cabinets are typically built from wood, and as stated previously, wood is a food source for mold. Check all your cabinets in the kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and even the parking area which could possibly be affected by flooding and moisture. 

Remember, a small amount of sustained moisture can start the growth of mold, such as a small leaking pipe, dripping from a loose drain, or a worn-out water line.

 

Prone Area No. 3: Inside Air Vents

Air vents are the most frequently overlooked areas in a house. As known, air vents connect every part of the house, whether through walls, underneath floors, or above the ceiling. Humidity and moisture can build up in these vents and these vents could be a source of mold growth.

 

Prone Area No. 4: Beneath Floors

Almost any type of flooring is susceptible and prone to mold infestation. If you do happen to have laminate or wood flooring, your job is not going to be easy. You may need to dry out the material completely.

 

If you are fortunate and able to open up a portion of your flooring to let airflow circulate all over it, chances of solving the problem are slim because mold will grow and colonize the whole area again. 

When mold has colonized your flooring, you may need to replace it completely, and the cost for floor replacement is a big budget headache.

 

Prone Area No. 5: Inside Attics

The attic is the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof. Though you might think that your attic is safe and it is far from flood since it is the topmost part of your house, think again. 

Double check if there is a roof leak or if a portion of your roof has blind spots. Once water has seeped through the roof, there is a big chance that mold will grow and thrive.     

 

Prone Area No. 6: Window Frames

Even though flooding may not reach your windows, mold can develop in and around window frames. It happens when the windows leak rain in from the outside. 

Check if mold has developed around the window in your basement, kitchen, or living room, and find out how water is getting into the window frame. However, if you do notice some mold growth on your windows, it may be due to a lack of ventilation.

 

Prone Area No. 7: Upholstery and Other Fabrics

After any flooding incident, one of the items you must prioritize checking is your furniture. This happens if upholstered parts of the furniture, such as sofa cushions, have not been dried thoroughly or have been stored in plastic while they’re damp.

You can get rid of mold as a DIY project; however, it is complicated and dangerous and you could possibly damage your furniture. It is recommended to call in the professionals who have the skills and tools to remove the growth of mold and mildew on your furniture.  

 

Mold Remediation Process

If you plan to remediate mold, it's always best to hire a professional mold removal and remediation service. Experts performing Mold Damage Repair in Newberry focus on identifying the cause of the problem and providing recommendations to find a long-term solution.

 

The team at ServiceMaster of the Upstate offers professional services which are backed by years of experience to ensure that you get the best possible results. We offer a detailed quote for mold remediation.

 

You can let the experts of Water Removal in Newberry inspect and assess your property after a flood or another water damage incident. If mold is found, they have the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation.

 

ServiceMaster of the Upstate is one of South Carolina’s leading restoration companies. They have experienced and respected experts in mold removal. Unlike other non-specialist mold removal companies that are often not trained or certified, all of our expert technicians are highly trained in the safest and most effective practices of Mold Damage Restoration in Newberry.

 

They also offer other services, including:

• Water Damage Restoration
• Fire and Smoke Restoration
• Cleaning
• Trauma Clean-up 

Contact us at (864) 310-7891 or through our website at https://www.servicemasterupstate.com/contact/, before the mold spreads and increases your repair bill and your exposure to health risks.

6 Common Types of Mold in Your Home

TYPES OF MOLD & HOW THEY ARE AFFECTING YOUR HOME

Mold is present all around us. Some forms pose no threat to humans, while others like the dreaded black mold can cause serious health effects like chronic fatigue or coughing. It’s essential to always be on the lookout for mold to protect the health of you and your family, as well as to avoid costly mold removal. Always check for mold in your bathrooms, cellars and other moist places, and make sure your home is well-ventilated with controlled humidity levels.

MOLD REMEDIATION COMPANY IN SOUTH CAROLINA

If you think that you already have mold in your home, it may be time to contact a mold remediation expert from ServiceMaster of the Upstate, especially if you notice any that match the descriptions of the dangerous molds recorded above. Small, closed-off spaces such as attics and basements are particularly susceptible to the damp conditions that attract mold. For mold inspections or mold remediation, look up a trusted mold remediation company in South Carolina like ServiceMaster of the Upstate and get them tended to as soon as possible.

TYPES OF MOLD AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM

Mold comes in a variety of colors and varieties and can be present in almost every space of your home.

Six common types of mold you may find include:

Acremonium:

Acremonium mold is a toxigenic mold type that evolves in its appearance over time.

It first starts out as a small moist mold that turns into a fine powdery substance.

Acremonium mold is often pink, grey, orange, or white in color.

Acremonium typically grows in household systems and areas such as condensation from humidifiers, cooling coils, drain pans, and window sealants.

Aspergillus

With a black or green ground pepper-like appearance, you can often find aspergillus around toilets, painted surfaces, or around air ducts.

If inhaled, Aspergillus can cause allergic reactions that cause asthma attacks, fever, and a mucus cough.

These commonly found molds should be checked frequently.

Aureobasidium:

Aureobasidium is an allergenic mold that can sometimes be found growing behind wallpaper or on painted or wooden surfaces.

Aureobasidium usually develops in pink, brown, or black color. As it ages, aureobasidium typically turns a darker brown color.

The primary health risk of aureobasidium is its ability to cause infections of eye, skin, and nails. Because of its potential to cause dermatitis (skin rash), it should never be touched directly with bare skin.

Alternaria:

Alternaria is black with a velvet-like texture. Although it is a common type of outdoor mold, it is easily airborne, traveling for a warm, wet place to multiply. This is when it will cause an issue for your home.

It will cling to plants, furniture, and in damp areas like under sinks, showers, or window frames.

The health risks of this mold include a runny nose, sore throat, hives, and rashes on the skin. Babies and those with asthma should be especially careful around this mold.

Cladosporium:

Cladosporium is olive or black color and found in wood and textiles. This is another mold that is more commonly seen outside, although it can also find its way into your home.

Attaching itself to damp areas of the home like the basement, attic, and bathrooms. Similar to other molds, it can cause allergic reactions like watery or itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, and other common cold symptoms

Trichoderma:

This green and white mold can feel almost wool-like and thrives in a variety of environments. These can include wood, paint, carpet, and filters.

Its adaptability is due to its strong metabolism, so almost anywhere can be a potential living space.

Potential Health Risks: Most Trichoderma species aren’t amongst highly dangerous forms of mold, but it can trigger allergies as well as asthma.

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF MOLD

Some mold types can produce minor health effects like allergy symptoms, while others are highly toxic to humans, which can cause:

Chronic coughing and fatigue

Dizziness

Nausea and vomiting

Rashes

Internal bleeding in the lungs

Damage to internal organs

Brain damage like memory loss and tremors

Implementing consistent home checks in places like the bathroom, attic, and basement can help to catch the growth of mold before a loved one begins to feel these symptoms. Have a professional mold expert, like ServiceMaster of the Upstate, come into your home when an outbreak of mold is found. An expert will know how to tackle the issue so it does not return.

WHAT DO WHEN YOU HAVE MOLD IN YOUR HOME?

Water penetration can occur anywhere in your home. In addition to the bathroom and basement, to avoid extensive damages and mold growth, it’s important always to be looking at the following areas for the signs of water damage:

Ceilings and Walls: In the ceiling, water damage can either be the result of water leaking in through the roof or, if there’s a bathroom on the floor above, from a leaking pipe in the bathroom. For walls, you’ll want to check for the same sources of water damage, as well as areas around doors and windows.

Floors: Many things can be the cause of water damaged floors, including overflowing sinks and tubs or leaky appliances.

Exterior Walls: Improper drainage or gutters that don’t whisk water away from your house are common causes of exterior wall damage.

Attic: Stains, mold, and swollen insulation are the common signs your attic has damages.

Appliances: Check under or behind your refrigerator, washer and dryer, water heater and toilets and sinks for signs of pooling or leaks.

THE MOLD DAMAGE EXPERTS AT SERVICEMASTER OF THE UPSTATE

At ServiceMaster of the Upstate, we pride ourselves on offering fast and friendly mold removal and water cleanup services to all of the residents of the Greenville, Saluda, Spartanburg, Newberry, and Lawrence area. We’ve been trusted to help homeowners clean their homes and remove mold and pride ourselves on doing your job right the first time. We also offer emergency 24-hour services, so you’re not displaced for too long. For your cleanup needs, give us a call today at (864) 310-7891 or complete our online contact form.

Four Events That Need Professional Clean up Services

Life is loaded with exciting bends in the road. Some major life events are expected, while others happen instantaneously and unexpectedly. Some of these life events could have a significant impact on your home, and that impact could mean you need professional home cleaning. While many people enlist the help of a professional restoration company after a flood, storm, or fire, the truth is that you could use professional help after plenty of other events as well. Here are some of them.

Moving

You might have waited for this moment all your life. Searching endlessly until you found the right one. What an exciting feeling! But wait… are you aware of what that home has been through? While inspections and history reports can tell you about foundation work or a collapsed roof, they don’t really tell you about other things such as how many times the seller’s dog soiled the carpet in the den or all the times their child accidentally threw up in the living room. That home could have a ton of germs and bacteria that you are not aware of.

Moving is a great time to call for professional home cleaning, particularly before you start moving in. Have the professional carpet cleaner work on the carpet and disinfect it, the bathroom areas thoroughly scrubbed, and other high-traffic areas wiped down until you can be confident that your new home is thoroughly clean and bacteria-free. That way you’ll move into a home that looks its best, is safe, and what you can really be sure that’s free from those unwanted germs.

Construction, Renovations, or Remodeling

Some time has passed in your home, and you really want a new environment. So you thought of updating that old, outdated kitchen to make it more of a modern masterpiece. Weeks later and your contractors have finished installing your countertops and plumbing fixtures, and you’ve just about gotten clear to start moving your appliances back in. But then you realize that your contractors have left behind a lot of dust and debris from that renovation. There are crumbled drywall on your new floor, dust all over your countertops, and even sawdust in a room and all over the house. Just imagine the chaos.

While you might think a vacuum and mop can take care of this, you really should have professional cleaning experts come in and conduct a construction cleanup service. Construction often involves the use of chemicals and substances that are hard to remove, that you certainly don’t want in an area like your bathroom or shower, so it’s best to have the professionals scrub the area down for good and make sure all traces of these things are removed.

Serious Illness

We are all aware how COVID-19 changed the world and it likely will never be the same. People everywhere have been infected, and many of the less-severe cases have been treated at home to avoid overcrowding hospitals. However, that might mean that most homes have to deal with the possibility that the virus might still linger on the surfaces of furniture or in flooring. Once everyone in your home has recovered from the disease and are symptom-free, it’s time to call home disinfecting experts in Greenville. This will help ensure the virus is removed for good and that your home will be safe and properly sanitized and disinfected.

Sewage Leaks or Spills

A sewage leak can happen for any number of reasons: a leaking pipe, an overflowing septic tank, or even a total sewer line failure resulting in sewage seeping up through your foundation from below. All of these issues have one thing in common: they can be extremely dangerous to anyone inside. Raw sewage contains millions of bacteria and diseases, and even a small amount of contact with the inside of your home could be dangerous. On top of that, most homeowners don’t have the tools to properly and adequately clean up after one of these spills happens.

These events are unavoidable. That’s why you have to know who to call when you experience these.

Call ServiceMaster of the Upstate at (864) 310-7891 for a 24-hour emergency service in South Carolina. We are serving Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens, Newberry, Saluda, and surrounding areas and counties.