Extreme weather can lead to extreme property disasters
Extreme changes in the weather are one of the largest causes of property disasters. Most people who associate property disasters due to weather often think that they only occur in areas where there is severe flooding such as along the Mississippi River or the potential for a hurricane along the Gulf Coast. The reality is severe weather changes can affect homeowners in almost every state and lead to an unexpected property disaster. Weather is by far the largest single factor that leads to large scale catastrophes. Large scale thunderstorms have the potential to quickly lead to property damage from fallen trees and flooding from water saturation. Wind storms can wreak havoc on a property as it has the potential to blow shingles off of the roof and break windows. Tornadoes and Hurricanes often get the most attention by the media and can cause large scale disasters across many communities.
Ice and snow storms can be just as dangerous for property owners. Last week, the central part of the U.S. (Oklahoma City) was caught in a severe winter storm that included significant amounts of ice. Large amounts of ice can quickly cause billions of dollars worth of property damage. Ice is amongst the most dangerous of all weather conditions as the weight can quickly cause trees to collapse, roofs to buckle and lead to fires and floods in a home. Compounding the problem with icy roads make the situation all the more difficult to manage for emergency restoration crews and rescue teams trying to reach people in need of help. The severe cold weather combined with the right level of precipitation can create all kinds of problems for property owners as was witnessed in the Oklahoma City area last week.
Property fires are often more common in the winter time. The sever cold weather will quickly strain a homes heating and electrical systems. Large wind gusts have the ability to cause frozen pipes and break down electrical lines. Properties that are multi story in size are likely to be more susceptible to weather condition changes. Basement areas can also be a challenge with sever weather as they easily flood and take on water, especially when a property loses electricity and a sump pump is not able to properly work.
There are very few areas of the country that are immune from the dangers of severe weather. Northern states are more likely to face challenges from cold weather, and most southern states have greater exposure to storms originating off of the ocean. Staying alert and safe should be every property owners number one focus during these times. Properties and structures can be rebuilt after a catastrophe, so personal safety should never be jeopardized to try and save a home or business. If your property has been damaged, contact an emergency restoration contractor for a safety analysis before you re-enter the structure. Personal safety should never be jeopardized and often dangers such as down electrical lines, broken gas lines or air born contaminants may be overlooked by individuals who lack the experience to inspect a property.
Introducing American Renovations by Jarvis Property Restoration
Jarvis Property Restoration is pleased to announce American Renovations, a new addition to our family of companies. For the past thirty years Jarvis Property Restoration has been a leader in providing emergency restoration services to homeowners and businesses following an unexpected disaster. Following numerous requests from our customers, we have created American Renovations to fill the demand for remodeling and home improvement projects in a non emergency setting.
American Renovations, by Jarvis Property Restoration, will look to become a leader in the home improvement industry. The initial focus will be on servicing homeowners in the Metro Detroit area. The team of expert contractors and service professionals forming American Renovations bring a combined fifty plus years of experience into the business and have worked on small and larges scale projects in almost every neighborhood in the tri county area. American Renovations will offer a wide variety of homeowner services including: new window installation, roof replacement, siding and more. American Renovations has established relationships with top industry manufacturers including Anderson Windows, James Hardie Siding and GAF roofing. American Renovations will offer free in home consultations to review any size home remodeling project and assist with helping homeowners identify energy savings opportunities in their properties. American Renovations will be participating in the Home Improvement Show at the Rock Financial Showplace January 29-31, customers who stop by the display booth will be eligible to win an IPod as well as receive savings coupons for future projects.
Jarvis Property Restoration was founded in 1979 by Sheryl and Bill Jarvis. The company has grown to become one of the countries largest property restoration firms and has played a key role in disaster recovery for FEMA declared emergency areas. In 2008, Jarvis Property Restoration led the cleanup and recovery efforts of twenty eight government buildings in Cedar Rapids, Iowa following a flood from the Cedar River. Jarvis Property Restoration has offices located in Florida, Iowa and Michigan.
Ice dams become problematic as the weather gets colder
Midwest temperature swings can quickly create problems for property owners across the region. One of the more common challenges that homeowners face is roofing and water damage originating from an ice dam on the roof and gutter system. Ice dams are a buildup of ice that originates on slanted roofs, often originating near the gutter system. During the winter months when temperatures can fluctuate up and down, snow melts and tries to drain down the roof slope, often the water begins to accumulate in the homes gutter system as drainage is not efficient during this time of year, as the temperature cools, ice begins to form. This process gradually works to create large ice dams in the gutters, which have the potential to create significant property damage.
Ice dams create a large strain on a properties roof, flashing and gutter system. As the ice begins to form, it can buckle under the properties shingling system, lifting up the shingles and eliminating the protection to the home. As the weather turns warmer, this ice begins to melt and suddenly you have the potential for water damage to your ceiling and interior of your property. In severe cases, the weight of the ice dam has the potential to cause your gutters to drop and subsequently create significant roof damage.
Ice dams are often a sign that a property is poorly insulated in the attic area. Large temperature differences between the top of a roof and the sides increase the probability of an ice dam forming. There are several measures homeowners can follow to prevent ice dams as well as minimize their growth during the winter months. The best defense is proper insulation of the attic and a system that enables air to flow properly efficiently in the attic area. Once an ice dam has formed on the property, avoid climbing on the roof as this is extremely dangerous. Most home improvement stores sell specialized shovels that you can operate from the ground level to remove excess snow from a property. Removing excess snow, helps to reduce the amount of additional water adding into the ice dam area. You can also utilize a special snow melting chemical on severe areas, but avoid using ice to try to melt snow. A common practice for many property owners is to place the chemical in a hose stocking and place in or around the gutter system. This method should be closely monitored as the hose could quickly find its way into the downspout area and further clog your water drainage from your home.
Ice dams are one of the luxuries of living in the Midwest. The best defense is a good offense, attic insulation is your best weapon to prevent ice dams and add to your homes energy efficiency. Property restoration firms are a great resource to contact to help reduce the damage, provide emergency roof repairs and dry down your property when necessary.
Thank you for making Support Our Troops fundraiser a success
Jarvis Property Restoration would like to extend a sincere Thank You to the hundreds of volunteers who participated in the Support Our Troops care package program this weekend. In cooperation with the Desert Angel foundation and Macomb County Commissioner Kathy Vosburg, Jarvis hosted hundreds of volunteers in our disaster recovery center, who worked to create and stuff care packages for U.S. troops who are stationed overseas.
Think Jarvis hits the airwaves across Metro Detroit this week
Think Jarvis! hits the airwaves across Southeastern Michigan this week as Jarvis Property Restoration launches its first ever television commercial. Featured in the thirty second video are Jarvis employees including the owners Bill and Sheryl Jarvis who started the company back in 1979, originally as a painting and carpet cleaning company. Today, Jarvis Property Restoration has grown to become one of the nation’s largest disaster recovery and property restoration firms. Specializing in helping home owners and businesses recover after an unexpected disaster such as a flood or fire occurs at their home or business. Jarvis has worked extensively in FEMA declared emergency areas, including playing an instrumental role in helping to restore twenty eight government buildings in Cedar Rapids following a large scale flood in the summer of 2008. With multiple offices across the Metro Detroit area, as well as Iowa and Florida the company is prepared to respond to an unexpected disaster immediately.
The new commercial was developed in conjunction with Michigan based M-1 studios. Providing a visual experience that consumers can relate to as well as demonstrating an immediate call to action were critical components in creating the video. Property owners are often under enormous stress following an unexpected disaster, and Jarvis Property Restoration wants to help alleviate their concerns by immediately going to work to help them minimize additional property damages and help them get their lives back in order.
Cleaning up from a hurricane, restoring a property from water damage caused by frozen pipes or an unexpected fire in a commercial building are challenges the staff at Jarvis Property Restoration tackle on a daily basis. We hope you enjoyed our commercial and the faces behind the scenes of what makes Jarvis Property Restoration a local leader in the restoration business. Our commitment remains the same:
Customer Satisfaction Is Our Number One Goal!
But now, we hope in the aftermath of a disaster you remember “THINK JARVIS!â€
