Do you know what to do, and perhaps, more importantly, what not to do in a water emergency? We in North Alabama are no strangers to flash floods, whether they come from something as dramatic as a tornado or severe thunderstorm, or just a sustained period of heavy rains. Dave Cowan, President of the local Athens PuroClean franchise located near Clements, along with his daughter, Becca Conchin, who is Vice-President of Marketing, and son Duke, Vice-President of Operations, are part of a leading, well-trained, coast-to-coast team that is ready to help property owners prevent and reduce damage from water-related emergencies.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, water damage related incidents resulting from leaks and other “wet” mishaps are the No. 1 reason homeowners file claims with their insurance companies. Property owners can actually minimize damage and significantly reduce safety risks by following expert advice from PuroClean Property Rescue, which specializes in mitigation and restoration services for water, mold, fire, trauma events and other types of losses.
As the “Paramedics of Property Damage,” PuroClean Property Rescue arrives at the scene of a loss and takes the necessary steps to bring the situation under control, preventing it from becoming worse, and finally providing restoration services to help put the property back to pre-loss condition.
“No one thinks that a water damage crisis could ever happen to them, but the unfortunate truth is that every American is impacted by water damage at some point in their life,” said Dave. “Most people don’t realize the magnitude of a water-related disaster, and that there are actually some measures they can take themselves before we arrive in order to protect themselves and their property from further loss,” he added.
To help minimize loss, and prevent further damage while technicians from PuroClean Property Rescue are en route, Cowan suggests property owners follow these guidelines:
– Remove as much water as possible by mopping and blotting the saturated area.
– Wipe furniture to remove excess water.
– Place aluminum foil between furniture legs and wet carpet.
– Prop up wet furniture cushions for even drying.
– Lift drapes off flooring, loop through a coat hanger and hang on curtain rod.
– Remove wet area rugs.
– Turn on air conditioner if damage occurs in summer.
– Move valuable paintings, art objects and photos to a safe, dry place.
– Open closet doors, furniture drawers and luggage to aid in drying.
– Remove any wet fabrics and dry immediately.
– Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
– Stay out of any rooms where the ceiling is sagging from trapped water.
– Turn off the breaker before unplugging appliances.
Do Not:
– Use your household vacuum to remove the excess water.
– Use electrical appliances while standing on wet flooring or carpets.
– Enter a room where electrical cords are in water.
– Wait to call for professional help. The longer you wait, the more damage will occur.
Services provided by PuroClean Property Rescue include water damage restoration, odor control, fire and smoke restoration, sewage clean-ups, debris removal, water extraction, sanitization, crawl space drying, trauma restoration, emergency board-ups, structural drying, wind damage, disinfecting, mold removal and basement drying.
PuroClean’s technology allows people to repair their homes and regain their lives after a disaster. By quickly providing the insurance community and property owners with disaster restoration and mitigation services, PuroClean minimizes loss and prevents additional damage from mold, soot, smoke and odors to structure and contents.
About PuroClean
PuroClean is a leader in property damage restoration and has earned the trust of property owners, insurance professionals and home service providers throughout the United States and Canada since 2001. Backed by a comprehensive network of more than 300 franchise offices and a national training and business support center, each PuroClean office responds promptly to property emergencies, while demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and compassion. PuroClean certified technicians are thoroughly screened, insured and trained in utilizing the latest in mitigation technology and procedures throughout the remediation process while operating under a strict code of ethics. In addition to serving the needs of property owners, PuroClean offers hundreds of continuing education classes each year to insurance professionals and property service providers nationwide. Last year, PuroClean trained more than 10,500 insurance professionals nationwide helping them to earn their continuing education credits.
For more information on PuroClean, please visit www.puroclean.com/ppr-al.
PuroClean
8468 US Hwy 72
Athens, AL 35611
Office Phone: 256-729-5067
Cell: 256-509-8376
FAX: 888=463-4009
Email: dcowan@puroclean.com/ppr-al
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
