Sewage Backups....Don't Touch!

Contact with sewage is hazardous! Sewage contains a number of disease causing organisms and should ONLY be handled, removed and cleaned by a qualified professional! If your home has been contaminated or exposed to sewage, here are a few things you should know.

1- Call a professional as soon as possible. Companies, like my own, can provide service professionals to shut off or fix the actual cause of the sewage leak. Otherwise, contact your plumber immediately.

2- Call  a reputable disaster restoration company. Bowerman Restoration will respond to your emergency within one hour. We proudly service all of Westchester County, NY, Putnam County, NY, Rockland County, NY & Fairfield County, CT. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, just a phone call away, 1-800-638-4799. We work with homeowners, property adjusters and insurance companies to restore your property efficiently, with quality and care.

3- Call your insurance provider to report your claim. Being knowledgeable about your coverage will eliminate any surprises when an emergency arises. Your insurance company should provide you with a claim number and a property adjuster who will assess the damage to your home or business.

4- Keep a detailed list of any items, contents or personal property that was affected, damaged, contaminated or destroyed. If you had to replace or repair any of these items, save your receipts. Keeping an accurate log of all money spent will assist you during the claims process.

5- If anyone in the home or business has a compromised or weakened immune system, they should find other accommodations immediately. Those with compromised immune systems (infants, young children, elderly, sick) are especially susceptible to the dangers of contact with sewage. They should remain off the property until it has been deemed safe by a professional. Testing and sampling may be necessary to determine when or if the contamination has been eradicated.

6- Do NOT touch or use any item that has been contaminated or that you suspect has been contaminated. Even small amounts of sewage can cause severe illness. The items that are salvageable must be cleaned, sanitized and disinfected by an experienced professional.

7- If you suspect that you or someone in your home has had contact or is sick due to contact with sewage, see a doctor immediately. Sewage contains disease causing organisms and toxins that can cause very serious complications to your health. Professional restoration technicians have protective equipment and suits to reduce their risk when they are exposed to sewage. Never the less, the only way to completely eliminate the health risks associated with sewage is by having no contact with it whatsoever.

There are times when a home or business owner can handle small emergencies on their own but that is not the case when it comes to sewage. If your residential or commercial property has been affected by sewage, call Bowerman Restoration 1-800-638-4799, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

Don't Rip Up That Wet Hardwood Floor Just Yet!

A few months ago, we completed a fairly large restoration job in Scarsdale, NY. The homeowners had a significant amount of water damage to their home after several days of heavy rains. Because their house sits at the lowest part of a steeply inclined street, their house is the prime target for excess runoff from heavy rains, or any water for that matter. Being new homeowners, they had begun to update areas of the house to suit their personal tastes. One of the first things they did was installing beautiful hardwood floors throughout the basement. They were trying to create an upscale game room and the pictures that they showed me were really impressive. unfortunately, the heavy rainfall created alot of excess water, and water, as we know, seeks the lowest possible place to settle. It just so happens that the lowest point was their newly finished basement. They were devastated, to say the least. There was several inches of water covering their brand new hardwood floors when I arrived.
The clients assumed that their hardwood floors would have to be ripped out and replaced because of the warping they had begun to see after we extracted the water. It's actually not always the case. In this particular instance, we were able to successfully salvage their floors. Depending on how long the floors were exposed to the water, how much water actually penetrated the wood, and several other factors can determine if your floors can be saved. An experienced restoration company will have the tools to properly assess the damage and the equipment to properly fix it. The equipment that I use in scenarios where there are wet hardwood floors uses air that is directly injected under and in-between the planks or panels of wood. It can take several days of drying to properly salvage the floors, but only experienced technicians should be handling these types of repairs. It's important that flooring, among other fixtures, dry slowly, evenly and thoroughly. This principle actually applies to most damaged parts of the structure.
If your home suffers water damage, the best thing to do is to call a reputable disaster restoration company (preferably mine....shameless plug......I know). Next, take a deep breath and let the professionals do what you hired them to do. A great restoration company will have employees that can answer all of your questions and concerns, the proper equipment to do the job and a plan of action to properly handle the situation. If they don't, call another company!

How To Store Your Rugs The Right Way

When you are having any work done in your home or are moving, prevent damage from happening to your area rugs and store them the right way. I was called by a client in Larchmont that stored her rug in her unfinished basement while construction was being completed on her home. While her intentions were good, her actions created a bigger problem. The rug had a mold problem and large crease marks in it. So if you need to store your rug, do it the right way, and follow the simple steps below to keep your rug in its best possible condition.

 - Never store your rug when its dirty. Have your rug professionally cleaned before it is stored. A quality carpet cleaner, such as myself (shameless plug, I know) can pick up, clean and store your rug, eliminating the hassle all together.
 - Never store a wet rug. Even if the rug is damp, it can lead to mold growth. Other problems include cracking and de-lamination of the backing of the rug. These types of restorations can be costly.
 - Never fold your area rug. Folding you rug will lead to annoying creases and ugly wrinkles and can potentially damage the backing of the rug. The proper way to store your rug is by rolling it around an acid-free cardboard tube.
 - Never store your rug in a room that isnt climate controlled. Basements and attics are not good places to store your area rugs. Basements are typically damp and have the potential for water infiltration. Attics are typically too dry with little air flow. Store your rugs in a cool, dry room with climate control, so it wont get too hot or too dry.
 - Never store your rug on the floor. If the room ever gets flooded so will your rug.
 - Never store your rug in direct sunlight. Sunlight will fade your rug and the cost to fix the problem can be very steep.
 - Never wrap your rug in materials that have acidic properties. When you wrap your rug, it should be in acid-free paper or fabric that does not contain inks or dyes. We recommend using "TYVEK" building paper or Muslin, tucking the ends of the fabric or paper into the edges of the rolled carpet. Dont use any sticky tapes directly on the rug. They will leave residues and attract dirt.

These do's and dont's are important to follow to prevent damage from occurring to your rugs. But to eliminate the hassle and headache of wrapping and storing your rug all together, just call a professional, quality carpet cleaner. We will pick up, clean, properly roll, wrap, store, and even deliver your rug to you when you are ready. So to properly store your rug and keep it in its best possible condition, follow the simple steps above, or just call me!

MICHAEL BOWERMAN - PRESIDENT
MICHAEL BOWERMAN CARPET CLEANING, INC & BOWERMAN RESTORATION LLC

Cold Weather Reminder for Westchester County

I just want to remind everyone out there in Westchester County, NY and those in the tri-state area that the weather is changing tonight! The temperature is expected to dip down to about 18 degrees by midnight and then continue to drop thru the early morning, possibly getting as low as 12 degrees! When the weather gets this cold, I always get phone calls from clients with water in their home due to burst pipes. Remember to shut off all of your outdoor water faucets and sources, making sure that there is no remaining water in the pipes. Sprinkler systems and outdoor faucets that are not prepared properly for the freezing temperatures can absolutely burst. These lines must be "bled", which basically means removing the remaining water in the pipes after the main shut-off valve is turned off. Even if there is only a little bit of water in these pipes, they can burst when the temperature drops below freezing. Water expands when it freezes, thus causing pipes to crack, break and burst. Also remember that on days like this, when it is very cold and very windy, check the areas that surround your home. If you see any hanging branches that are lurking dangerously close to your roof, gutters, or windows, call a professional company to have them removed. Many times, it only takes one strong gust of wind to break branches from the trees near our homes. If the branches are big enough, they can leave massive damage in their wake; holes in roofs, shattering windows, or ripping off gutters. Even small branches and leaves that get blown about in windy weather can clog up gutters. You might not even realize that your gutters are clogged until the next rain storm, when water starts seeping into your house because the gutters cant carry it away. Being vigilant about keeping your home safe and periodically checking gutters, trees, and the foundation of your house can prevent a high priced remediation and reconstruction job. Stay warm this winter but most importantly, stay safe. If you do find that your having a problem with water, mold, smoke, soot, fire or sewage, and you live in the Westchester County area, give us a call. We have proudly serviced Scarsdale, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Ardsley, Bedford, Mamaroneck, Chappaqua, Purchase, Rye, Eastchester, Bronxville, White Plains, Yonkers, Tuckahoe, NYC, and Connecticut. We answer your emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.

MICHAEL BOWERMAN - PRESIDENT

BOWERMAN RESTORATION LLC - EXPERTS IN DISASTER RECOVERY
STORM, WATER, FLOOD, MOLD, SEWAGE, FIRE, SMOKE & SOOT REMEDIATION
17 JEAN LANE, HARTSDALE, NY 10530

WEB:   http://www.bowermanrestoration.com/
E-MAIL:   michael@bowermanrestoration.com
CELL:   914-804-5737
OFFICE:   914-674-1499
TOLL FREE:   800-638-4799

Cleaning Up Sewage In Larchmont, NY

So the latest job we have on our hands (no pun intended) is a sewage job in Larchmont, NY. I really empathize with these clients. They had a beautifully finished basement, with new carpeting, a fireplace, etc. This year they decided to put their Christmas tree down there and like any busy family, after they opened gifts, several of these items were left under the tree till they had the time to put everything away. Unfortunately, there was a sewage backup on Dec. 26 during the night. I really felt so bad because they have young kids and there were some items that got contaminated and could not be salvaged. Aside from the fact that their finished basement was damaged. I'm really trying to get this job done right, but I want it done in a timely manner so that this just becomes a very distant memory for this family. I guess we will be working some serious overtime to move this job along. Sewage jobs are pretty bad but someone has to do it. If you ever have a sewage problem in your home or business, give us a call. Bowerman Restoration proudly services Scarsdale, Larchmont, New Rochelle, White Plains, Chappaqua, Rye, Bedford, Yonkers, and all of Westchester County, NYC and Connecticut.


MICHAEL BOWERMAN - PRESIDENT
BOWERMAN RESTORATION LLC - EXPERTS IN DISASTER RECOVERY

Restoring Damaged Rugs

When it comes to a disaster, there is a list of to-do's that can be a mile long. One of the things that we specialize in, is restoring damaged rugs, such as Orientals, antiques, and heirloom rugs. When your home gets flooded, has a sewage leak, fire, or soot damage and your cherished rug gets caught in the mix, many times we can salvage, if not restore your rug. In certain cases, such as a fire, if a rug becomes so badly damaged that it costs more to fix than the actual value of the rug, than I would typically reccomend not bothering. But let's say there is only a small part of the rug that was damaged, then of course I would tell the client to do the repair. Many times, when a basement gets flooded, and it has wall-to-wall carpeting, we can remove the excess water and dry out the space so that we can eventually clean the carpets. But if you have a flood and the water has sat for over 72 hours, it is no longer considered "salvageable" by most industry standards. Usually we would reccomend removing both the carpet and padding underneath it to prevent any chances of mold growth. There are so many things that can damage rugs and carpeting; holes, ripped fringe, insect damage, flooding, burns, soot, and wear and tear in general. When you need an honest opinion and an honest estimate, give us a call. We have been proudly servicing all areas of Westchester County including, Scarsdale, Larchmont, Rye, Bedford, Chappaqua, New Rochelle, as well as NYC and Connecticut for generations.

MICHAEL BOWERMAN - PRESIDENT
BOWERMAN RESTORATION LLC & MICHAEL BOWERMAN CARPET CLEANING, INC.
17 JEAN LANE, HARTSDALE, NY 10530

WEB:   http://www.bowermanrestoration.com/
WEB:   http://www.bowermancarpetcleaning.com/
E-MAIL:   michael@bowermanrestoration.com
CELL:   914-804-5737
OFFICE:   914-674-1499
TOLL FREE:   800-638-4799

Before You Light That Match!

During the cold weather months, many of us enjoy sitting by the fireplace with a blazing fire burning. But I would like to remind everyone how important it is to use your fireplaces and wood burning stoves with safety as your first priority. Make sure you have these items inspected, maintained and repaired as often as neccessary. I receive plenty of calls during the fall and winter months from home owners with fireplace related mishaps. Aside from the obvious danger of something in your home catching fire, soot and smoke damage are just as dangerous and disasterous. I had a call just 2 weeks ago from a client in Scarsdale, NY who forgot to adjust the flue in their fireplace. They started a fire, walked out of the room to attend to something else but began to smell and see smoke. Thankfully, there wasnt any fire damage, but their entire living room as well as the rest of their first floor rooms were smoke and soot damaged. The living room was the worst but the smell of smoke traveled throughout the rest of the home through their central heating/cooling system. Smoke and soot damage can be devestating and it can get very costly to remediate. So take my advice please, and use precaution when using a fireplace or wood burning stove.

MICHAEL BOWERMAN - PRESIDENT
BOWERMAN RESTORATION LLC - EXPERTS IN DISASTER RECOVERY
STORM, WATER, FLOOD, MOLD, SEWAGE, FIRE, SMOKE & SOOT REMEDIATION
17 JEAN LANE, HARTSDALE, NY 10530
CELL: 914-804-5737