Water Damage Restoration in Elkridge, MD

Structural fires cause massive property damage and devastating loss of life. Even if firefighters manage to put out a fire quickly, the smoke and tons of water pumped into the building will inevitably cause a lot of damage. Although it’s great that expert fire damage restoration in College Park is just a phone call away, it’s better to prevent a fire from happening at all. Here are 10 common causes of structural fires to be mindful of:  1. Unattended Portable Space Heaters The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes portable heaters as fire hazards that shouldn’t be left unattended. Electric heaters are high-wattage appliances and can start an electric fire. Wood and coal stoves, meanwhile, use fuel for combustion. Both electric and non-electric heaters generate enough heat to ignite a fire, and the risk will be high if combustible materials like curtains, newspapers, clothes, or flammable liquids are nearby. Therefore, fire experts recommend turning off portable heaters – including models with automatic shutoff functions – before going to bed. 2. Unattended Candles Many light candles to create a cozy ambiance or enjoy a favorite scent. Unfortunately, many also forget about them and would leave the room or go to bed without blowing their candles out. These oversights can be very dangerous: it only takes one freak incident, like a pet cat knocking the candle over, to start a fire.  Professional fire and water restoration in College Park can restore a gutted property, but the loss of life and damage to priceless belongings are irreversible. Always keep an eye on lit candles in your home. 3. Fireplaces Fireplaces are essential in winter, but that doesn’t make them less hazardous. They are as risky as portable heaters and unattended candles: sparks might ignite a nearby carpet, and unsupervised children and pets can accidentally start a fire. Modern fireplaces are also hazardous because they generate heat. Moreover, they are connected to electricity or gas lines, which means faulty connections can lead to combustion.  Like portable heaters, fireplaces should be extinguished before leaving a room or going to bed.  4. Faulty Wiring The risk of a house fire increases exponentially when the electrical wiring is worn out, poorly designed, or incorrectly installed. Faulty wiring can cause short circuits and overloading, two of the most common causes of electrical fires in homes and commercial buildings. Electrical fires spread very quickly. If this happens to your property, you’ll inevitably need fire damage restoration in College Park after the fire-out.  5. Overheating Appliances Old or broken appliances and devices tend to heat up quickly or more so than usual. This is usually a sign that their electrical systems are failing and becoming more hazardous daily. Overheating can cause electrical shorts, and in turn, can lead to electrical fires. Buying new appliances and reducing the fire risk in your home would be better. It is safer and much cheaper than re-furnishing your house and hiring professional fire damage restoration in College Park.  6. Cooking  The kitchen is filled with controlled fire hazards: gas stoves, electric stoves and appliances, kitchen torches, and flammable ingredients like cooking oil, alcohol-based sauces, flour, and sugar. If someone leaves a pot holder on a hot stovetop or spills cooking oil out of the pan, flames can flare and catch even the most experienced cooks off guard.  Cooking will always come with some risks, so we recommend taking preventive measures like keeping a portable fire extinguisher within reach and installing fire alarms in the kitchen. 7. Propane Gas Tanks Many households still use propane or hydrocarbon gas tanks for cooking, heating, and powering backup generators. They are more convenient and affordable in remote locations. They are generally safe to use. Unfortunately, mistakes in handling tanks can result in devastating fires.  Propane gas tanks explode when exposed to high temperatures and open flames. Faulty valves can cause leaks, which can also lead to fire explosions. These scenarios are highly destructive, and damaged properties will inevitably need fire and water restoration in College Park afterward. 8. Lint in the Dryer Many don’t realize that the lint screen in their dryers can become a fire hazard if they don’t clean it regularly. Lint is combustible, and when you have a thick layer inside your dryer, it can catch fire from the heat. Case in point: from 2010-2014, the NFPA reported 15,970 house fires due to clothes dryers – 27% of which was because of accumulated lint. Remember to regularly check and clean the lint trap in your dryer to prevent combustion. 9. Smoking Many don’t realize that the hot ashes in an ashtray and smoldering cigarette butts can ignite fires if the embers make contact with flammable materials like dried leaves and paper. The risks are even higher with a filled ashtray: cigarette butts are combustible and wrapped with paper. They can, therefore, still catch fire. Accidental fires from ashtrays are minor and easily controllable. However, it can escalate if unattended. To be safe, smokers must regularly empty ashtrays and make sure every butt they throw is completely extinguished.   10. Mishandling Flammable and Combustible Materials  Whether at home or work, we are surrounded by flammable consumer products like alcohol sanitizers, nail polish, hairspray, cooking spray, lithium-ion batteries, paint, and more. These items are generally safe but can cause massive fires if not handled or stored correctly.  For example, suppose you store 9-volt batteries in a kitchen drawer near your stove or keep spare screws and other metal trinkets in the same drawer. You’re risking those batteries shorting out and generating enough heat to ignite flammable materials like paper receipts and coupons nearby. Proper handling and storage of flammable and combustible materials, i.e., keeping aerosols away from open fire and storing lighters and matches out of children’s reach, will go a long way in preventing fire on your property. Restoration 1 of Columbia Are Here For Your Property Restoration Needs Structural fires can happen anytime, and the consequences are often devastating – emotionally and financially. Understanding how fires can start is key to preventing them and protecting people and properties. However, if a fire occurs despite your best efforts, you can always count on Restoration 1 of Columbia to restore your property. Our experience and skills in fire damage restoration in College Park are unparalleled. Whether you’re dealing with minor smoke damage or structural damage, we can help.

Humidity is necessary for our bodies to function normally and stay comfortable, especially during Maryland’s snowy winters. Too little moisture can cause various problems, from dry and irritated eyes to chapped lips.  However, you don’t want excessive humidity inside your home. Whether it’s due to using humidifiers or having poor ventilation, the resulting high amounts of moisture lead to foggy windows, musty odors, and even mold growth. If left unchecked, mold remediation in Annapolis may be required to get your home back to normal.     Importance of Maintaining Optimal Indoor Humidity  Controlling humidity levels inside your home is essential for maintaining a healthy and comfortable environment. Too much humidity not only increases your discomfort but also promotes the growth of mold, creating health risks and damaging your home’s contents.  Fortunately, using a dehumidifier is a simple yet effective way to safeguard your home and loved ones.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendation, indoor humidity must be between 30% and 50%. To keep yours within this range, a smart strategy is to measure the amount of water vapor in your home’s atmosphere using a hygrometer. Once you have a reading, take the appropriate action to achieve the ideal amount – whether adding humidity with a humidifier or removing moisture with a dehumidifier.  Higher capacity whole-house dehumidifiers can remove as much as 130 pints in a 24-hour cycle, while lower capacity models can remove 70 to 80 pints per day. Meanwhile, portable dehumidifiers can remove around 25 to 50 pints per day.  5 Benefits of Using Dehumidifiers  If you’ve discovered high indoor humidity levels, it’s crucial to act quickly before the situation worsens and mold remediation in Annapolis becomes necessary. Here are some of the many benefits you can get out of including dehumidifiers in your game plan:  Improved Indoor Air Quality  Excess humidity in the air can lead to the growth of mold and dust mites, which can increase pollutant concentrations and make respiratory issues more common. Unchecked indoor dampness can also degrade materials in your home over time, worsening air pollution. When this happens, your overall comfort, health, and wellness are also affected.  A dehumidifier helps eliminate the conditions that promote the emergence of pollutants, ultimately making the air cleaner and healthier to breathe.  Enhanced Comfort High humidity levels can make you feel clammy and uncomfortable, even when you’re indoors. They can even impede your body’s ability to cool down.  On the contrary, using a dehumidifier along with your air conditioner not only maintains optimal indoor humidity but also helps you feel cooler and more comfortable. In the long run, this may also reduce the need for excessive air conditioning, leading to lower energy consumption and potential savings.  Preservation of Home Structure and Furniture  Your home’s structure and furnishings can also suffer after prolonged exposure to excessive humidity. Wooden furniture, flooring, and walls are particularly susceptible to warping or fracturing from moisture and condensation, while metal items may rust. Furniture and upholstery can harbor mold and develop a musty smell.  Maintaining an optimal humidity level with a dehumidifier saves your possessions from damage and premature deterioration, consequently prolonging their lifespan.  Microbial Growth Prevention  As mold thrives in damp environments, humid conditions can allow them to grow and spread throughout your home quickly. What’s problematic about having extensive contamination is that it can release spores into the air, which can cause allergic reactions and other health issues when inhaled.  As such, removing excessive moisture in the air with a dehumidifier helps prevent mold from growing or coming back.  However, remember that a dehumidifier only lessens the air’s moisture. Addressing the underlying cause with professional mold removal in College Park is still recommended to eliminate long-term mold concerns and make your home healthy again.  Health Benefits  As we’ve mentioned earlier, dehumidifiers can prevent your home from becoming an ideal environment for mold, dust mites, and other pollutants. This spares you and your loved ones from frustrating and debilitating allergic reactions.  But that’s not all – a dehumidifier keeps your indoor atmosphere comfortable, reducing your risks of experiencing heat-related illnesses during Maryland’s hot and humid summers. Ultimately, it allows you to breathe clean and dry air, helping improve your sleep quality and promoting overall well-being.  Looking for a Long-Term Solution for Your Mold Problems? A dehumidifier is a small investment that can make a significant difference in your home. Used correctly, it can help create a healthier and more comfortable living space for you and your loved ones.  However, while using dehumidifiers is a common strategy for reducing the chances of microbial growth, it may not be as effective if the contamination has already spread in your home. In this case, hiring mold removal professionals is necessary to restore indoor air quality and keep molds from returning.  At Restoration 1, we’re here to help you keep your living spaces comfortable and free of mold. From the basement to the attic, we’re ready to control any contamination in your home and restore all affected structures. Contact us today to learn more about our expert solutions or schedule your mold remediation in Annapolis. RESOURCES Don't Get Stuck With Damaged Property Fill in your details, we'll contact you right back. First Name** I consent to receive text messages from this business. Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Δ

Water damage in commercial properties can cause operational disruptions, damaged products or raw materials, and significant property damage costs. To prevent this, commercial property owners and business owners should take necessary precautions to avoid the risk of water damage.  One of the best ways to catch issues in their earliest stages is to conduct regular maintenance and inspections with your water appliances, plumbing, drainage, and other water systems. When done right, you can have regular maintenance that prevents damage and reduces the need for a water damage company in Columbia to intervene. Maintenance Steps That Prevent Significant Commercial Water Damage These are some of the ways you can conduct regular maintenance. Choose the relevant solutions to your operations and facility to ensure you mitigate the risk of commercial water damage.  1. Regular Plumbing Maintenance Your plumbing system can experience regular wear and tear. Throughout the year, pipes can experience mineral build-up, pipe freezing in the winter, and the usual degradation over time. Left untreated, it can eventually lead to leaks and other issues that get worse. As a result, leaks, cracks, and burst pipes can lead to water damage around the property.  Professional plumbers recommend plumbing maintenance scheduled at least once a year. Avoid going two years without having your plumbing checked as much as possible. Regularly scheduled maintenance can help plumbers see the early signs of damage. Treating these early signs is more cost-effective than waiting for the damage to break and disrupt your operations.  2. Make a Maintenance Plan for Your Spaces In addition to your pipes, fixtures such as equipment, roofing, and drainage systems could be a source of water damage. These will also need maintenance, so consider creating a more comprehensive maintenance and monitoring plan to ensure these risks are less likely to develop unforeseen issues.  To create your maintenance and monitoring plan, ensure that you have someone who can conduct the following: Create, schedule, and conduct inspections and preventative maintenance on your property’s systems. Plumbing and drainage systems, appliances, and other equipment have varying schedules, so having a way to keep track ensures every aspect is checked against water damage. Spot and address early signs of water damage. During operations, there may be signs of water damage, such as mold growth, odors, and discoloration around your property. Even if your team is conducting regular maintenance, areas of your operations could be overlooked and can promote water damage. Establish emergency protocols. In case of an unexpected incident like a burst pipe or flood, establishing protocols can help mitigate the effects of water damage. You and your staff should be aware of steps such as how to turn the water supply off, how to prevent contamination, how to keep employees safe during an emergency, and what should be prioritized when salvaging equipment or items. 3. Address Visible Issues Immediately If you see the first signs of water damage or plumbing and draining issues, you should address them swiftly. Contacting a water damage company in Columbia for the early signs of wear or a plumber for problems with your plumbing mitigates the damage and how it impacts your workplace.  For significant leaks that lead to water damage, here’s what you should do: Shut your main valve or the valve connecting your water supply to the leak’s source.  If any equipment was impacted by the leak, dry it immediately. If there are large spills and puddles in the room where the water damage started, try removing all the furniture for better reach when drying the property.  Ensure most of the area is dried off as much excess moisture as possible. There’s no telling how much moisture has seeped into the flooring and walls, so contact a professional water damage company in Columbia to handle the rest of the potential water damage.  Contact a plumbing professional to handle the source of the water leaks.  4. Training Your Employees Employees, especially those in leadership and managerial positions, should know the risks of water damage and the issues that lead to it. Regular training allows them to spot the warning signs and what to do immediately and ensures their safety in unexpected emergencies. Establish policies and points of contact in case of hazardous events. 5. Protecting Your Property For commercial and industrial establishments that are prone to or have a high risk of water damage and emergencies that could lead to it, taking the necessary precautions can minimize your losses and mitigate disruptions. Some of these best practices include: Installing Safety Features: Backflow valves, water alarms, water-resistant barriers, and sump pumps can be an investment that minimizes the effect of water intrusion on your commercial property. Reinforcing Pipes and Plumbing Fixtures: Investing in quality plumbing fixtures and then working with a credible service provider to install them ensures your pipes are more durable than the average types against wear and tear. Efficient Drainage Systems: Prevent flooding by ensuring your drains are clear. On top of managing your plumbing systems, ensure your drains are free of blockages that could affect how well water flows out of your property.  Restoration 1 Delivers Water Damage Cleanup in Columbia for Commercial Properties Water damage can affect operations, revenue, and productivity in the workplace. By having these strategies ready before an unexpected accident, you can minimize the damage and downtime of plumbing issues, flooding, and other unforeseen circumstances.  However, not all signs of water damage are visible to the naked eye. Unless you know where to look, underlying and untreated water damage issues could spread around the property’s furniture, equipment, and structure. If that’s the case, contact a reliable water damage company in Columbia, College Park, and Annapolis, MD, and give Restoration 1 a call.  At Restoration 1, our emergency service response is available 24/7. Let our technicians visit your establishment, assess the damage, and recommend the necessary repairs and steps to bring your property back to its original condition.  Contact Restoration 1 today for dependable property restoration solutions in Columbia-College Park-Annapolis, MD. RESOURCES Don't Get Stuck With Damaged Property Fill in your details, we'll contact you right back. First Name**

Structural fires cause massive property damage and devastating loss of life. Even if firefighters manage to put out a fire quickly, the smoke and tons of water pumped into the building will inevitably cause a lot of damage. Although it’s great that expert fire damage restoration in College Park is just a phone call away, it’s better to prevent a fire from happening at all. Here are 10 common causes of structural fires to be mindful of:  1. Unattended Portable Space Heaters The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recognizes portable heaters as fire hazards that shouldn’t be left unattended. Electric heaters are high-wattage appliances and can start an electric fire. Wood and coal stoves, meanwhile, use fuel for combustion. Both electric and non-electric heaters generate enough heat to ignite a fire, and the risk will be high if combustible materials like curtains, newspapers, clothes, or flammable liquids are nearby. Therefore, fire experts recommend turning off portable heaters – including models with automatic shutoff functions – before going to bed. 2. Unattended Candles Many light candles to create a cozy ambiance or enjoy a favorite scent. Unfortunately, many also forget about them and would leave the room or go to bed without blowing their candles out. These oversights can be very dangerous: it only takes one freak incident, like a pet cat knocking the candle over, to start a fire.  Professional fire and water restoration in College Park can restore a gutted property, but the loss of life and damage to priceless belongings are irreversible. Always keep an eye on lit candles in your home. 3. Fireplaces Fireplaces are essential in winter, but that doesn’t make them less hazardous. They are as risky as portable heaters and unattended candles: sparks might ignite a nearby carpet, and unsupervised children and pets can accidentally start a fire. Modern fireplaces are also hazardous because they generate heat. Moreover, they are connected to electricity or gas lines, which means faulty connections can lead to combustion.  Like portable heaters, fireplaces should be extinguished before leaving a room or going to bed.  4. Faulty Wiring The risk of a house fire increases exponentially when the electrical wiring is worn out, poorly designed, or incorrectly installed. Faulty wiring can cause short circuits and overloading, two of the most common causes of electrical fires in homes and commercial buildings. Electrical fires spread very quickly. If this happens to your property, you’ll inevitably need fire damage restoration in College Park after the fire-out.  5. Overheating Appliances Old or broken appliances and devices tend to heat up quickly or more so than usual. This is usually a sign that their electrical systems are failing and becoming more hazardous daily. Overheating can cause electrical shorts, and in turn, can lead to electrical fires. Buying new appliances and reducing the fire risk in your home would be better. It is safer and much cheaper than re-furnishing your house and hiring professional fire damage restoration in College Park.  6. Cooking  The kitchen is filled with controlled fire hazards: gas stoves, electric stoves and appliances, kitchen torches, and flammable ingredients like cooking oil, alcohol-based sauces, flour, and sugar. If someone leaves a pot holder on a hot stovetop or spills cooking oil out of the pan, flames can flare and catch even the most experienced cooks off guard.  Cooking will always come with some risks, so we recommend taking preventive measures like keeping a portable fire extinguisher within reach and installing fire alarms in the kitchen. 7. Propane Gas Tanks Many households still use propane or hydrocarbon gas tanks for cooking, heating, and powering backup generators. They are more convenient and affordable in remote locations. They are generally safe to use. Unfortunately, mistakes in handling tanks can result in devastating fires.  Propane gas tanks explode when exposed to high temperatures and open flames. Faulty valves can cause leaks, which can also lead to fire explosions. These scenarios are highly destructive, and damaged properties will inevitably need fire and water restoration in College Park afterward. 8. Lint in the Dryer Many don’t realize that the lint screen in their dryers can become a fire hazard if they don’t clean it regularly. Lint is combustible, and when you have a thick layer inside your dryer, it can catch fire from the heat. Case in point: from 2010-2014, the NFPA reported 15,970 house fires due to clothes dryers – 27% of which was because of accumulated lint. Remember to regularly check and clean the lint trap in your dryer to prevent combustion. 9. Smoking Many don’t realize that the hot ashes in an ashtray and smoldering cigarette butts can ignite fires if the embers make contact with flammable materials like dried leaves and paper. The risks are even higher with a filled ashtray: cigarette butts are combustible and wrapped with paper. They can, therefore, still catch fire. Accidental fires from ashtrays are minor and easily controllable. However, it can escalate if unattended. To be safe, smokers must regularly empty ashtrays and make sure every butt they throw is completely extinguished.   10. Mishandling Flammable and Combustible Materials  Whether at home or work, we are surrounded by flammable consumer products like alcohol sanitizers, nail polish, hairspray, cooking spray, lithium-ion batteries, paint, and more. These items are generally safe but can cause massive fires if not handled or stored correctly.  For example, suppose you store 9-volt batteries in a kitchen drawer near your stove or keep spare screws and other metal trinkets in the same drawer. You’re risking those batteries shorting out and generating enough heat to ignite flammable materials like paper receipts and coupons nearby. Proper handling and storage of flammable and combustible materials, i.e., keeping aerosols away from open fire and storing lighters and matches out of children’s reach, will go a long way in preventing fire on your property. Restoration 1 of Columbia Are Here For Your Property Restoration Needs Structural fires can happen anytime, and the consequences are often devastating – emotionally and financially. Understanding how fires can start is key to preventing them and protecting people and properties. However, if a fire occurs despite your best efforts, you can always count on Restoration 1 of Columbia to restore your property. Our experience and skills in fire damage restoration in College Park are unparalleled. Whether you’re dealing with minor smoke damage or structural damage, we can help.