How to Fix a Clogged Dishwasher

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

When your dishwasher fails to drain, it can cause a huge mess in your Green Lake, WA home or business.

How to Fix a Clogged Dishwasher

Dishwashers save us so much time, energy, and money compared to hand-washing dishes. That's why when they stop working properly, we are often majorly inconvenienced. There could be a number of reasons your dishwasher seems clogged or it won’t drain. 

Clogged Drain Hise

Check the drain hose. If there is a clog in your drain hose, it will prevent water from draining out of your dishwasher. To check for this problem, remove the lower panel from your dishwasher door and look for items such as food scraps or hair that may be clogging up the hose. You'll need to remove these items before starting to clean or replace the drain hose if needed.

Clean out any debris in the bottom of your dishwasher with hot water and soap (or vinegar). If you've got some nasty stuff caked onto that tub, this should take care of it. Be careful not to use too much force while cleaning though: you don't want to damage any components so keep scrubbing with gentle pressure only! You will want to replace parts if necessary (such as removing old hoses).

Clogged Drain Pump

If your dishwasher is not draining and you have checked the drain hose, check the drain pump. Remove the lower panel and clean out any debris around the pump. If you find no blockages or obstructions in this area, check for stuck impellers by following these steps:

• Disconnect power to your dishwasher (unplug it).
• Remove the upper rack from the inside of the dishwasher tub.
• Use an Allen wrench to loosen the screws holding the motor assembly together - remove the motor assembly from the inside of the tub by lifting up on the top edge of the motor assembly. If you cannot easily lift it off, try disconnecting the electrical wire harness first so that it will move more freely when raised up out of place. 
• Check impeller blades for damage or debris build-up that may impede water flow through the pump. If there appears to be no damage or blockage, reinstall the motor assembly back into its original position by reversing the order above.

Call a Plumber

When you can’t figure it out, or don’t want to, call in an expert! A Plumber should be able to help you figure out what’s wrong, and help you get your dishwasher back to normal again.

When your dishwasher fails to drain, it can cause a huge mess in your Green Lake, WA home or business. In these situations, you will want to have a professional come and clean up the water as well as ensure there is no water damage to the areas surrounding the dishwasher. Call SERVPRO of Seattle Northwest to get your Seattle home back to normal after a dishwasher failure. 

Hiring the Right Fire Restoration Company

10/6/2022 (Permalink)

If you need a fire restoration company give SERVPRO of Seattle Northwest a call.

Hiring the Right Fire Restoration Company

If you have a fire in your home or business, you need to make sure you choose the right fire restoration company. The last thing you want is for your home or business to be damaged by smoke and water damage. When choosing a fire restoration company, keep these tips in mind:

Choose Someone Local

When choosing a fire restoration company, it's important to consider whether they're local. A local company will know the area and can get to you faster than a national or international business, which may be less familiar with the area. They'll also have an easier time obtaining permits from local authorities if necessary and providing immediate assistance during an emergency situation.

Experience is Important.

It's important that you find a fire restoration company with experience. Why? Because experience means the team knows what to do and how to do it, which is exactly what you need when dealing with the aftermath of fire damage.

Experience also means knowing what to expect and how to handle it. For example, if your home has been damaged by smoke or heat from a fire, an experienced team will know how long it takes for certain types of materials like wood and insulation to stop emitting dangerous toxins into your living space. This can help them schedule their work so as not to expose you or your family members unnecessarily while they complete repairs in other parts of your home (or even nearby).

Check Credentials

With so many fire restoration companies to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one to hire. Before settling on a company, you should do some research and ask the following questions:

• Are they licensed and insured?
• Do they have proper certifications for their employees? If not, how long has the company been in business?
• How many years of experience do they have in this field (at least 5 years)?
• Can I see examples of their previous work or speak with others who have used them before?

A Good Reputation is Important

You want a company that will have a positive impact on your community and one that is known for its integrity, quality workmanship, and customer service. The best way to find out about a company's reputation is by asking for references from previous customers. A good rule of thumb is that the more references you can talk to the better. 

If they don't have any then it may be time to consider another option because there was likely something wrong with the work they did if no one wants to talk about it!

You should also check out their website before deciding on which company you would like to use for your fire restoration needs in order to make sure they are credible and trustworthy based on what information they present online (e.g., photos). 

Make sure their website looks professional too - many websites are extremely outdated so this could be an indicator that someone has been slacking lately with keeping things up-to-date! You can also look at social media accounts such as Facebook where people often post comments or reviews about services provided by certain businesses.

Verify a Good Emergency Response Time

Next, look for a reasonable emergency response time. The average response time for a fire is just under four minutes. In that short amount of time, you could be losing everything—which is why it's so important for the property restoration company you hire to be able to get on-site quickly and start working as soon as possible. When looking at different companies, ask them how long it will take them to respond in case of an emergency or accident (some companies have 24/7 availability), as well as how long they'll be on the job once they arrive at your property.

Look for Effective Communicators 

Make sure you ask how they will keep you informed about the progress of your restoration. The best companies will be available to answer any questions, and also provide regular updates in order to help prevent unnecessary stress for their clients.

It's also important to ask if a third party will be used for communicating with clients. If so, make sure that this person is well-trained and experienced in providing client communication.

We think that the most important thing to look for in a fire restoration company is one that’s local, has the experience, and has a good reputation. If you want to make sure they have all of these things, ask them about their credentials and certifications. Also, ask about their communication process—how often will they update you on the status of your job?

When you are looking for a fire restoration company, give SERVPRO of Seattle Northwest a call to get your Seattle home back to normal after a fire. 

Keeping Employees and Customers Safe During a Thunderstorm

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

Storm in Seattle, WA

As a business owner in the Seattle, WA area, the health and safety of your employees and customers are of paramount importance from both production and ethical standpoints. Ensure their well-being during thunderstorm weather by keeping your commercial buildings up to code and enacting necessary safety procedures.

Remove Employees and Customers From High-Risk Areas

Should a rainstorm ever become serious enough to threaten the safety of the employees or customers of a business, all persons must be immediately relocated from any hazardous areas of the property.

• In commercial buildings, remove any employees stationed near skylights or windows and prevent patrons from accessing these areas.
• For extremely vulnerable areas, such as water parks and open-air stadiums, close the facility until long after any storm has ceased.
• During emergency situations, remove all employees and customers from the premises or provide adequate shelter for them.
  
  

Keep Trees Trimmed

In addition to aesthetic benefits, regularly trimming the trees outside commercial buildings makes them less susceptible to falling over in the high winds of a severe rainstorm. Remove any damaged or oversized branches and invest in the long-term health of any landscaping on company property.

Maintain Lightning Rods

Contrary to popular belief, lightning rods do not change the likelihood of a building being struck by lightning. However, should lightning ever try to strike the building, a lightning rod will provide a safe path into the ground, diverting it away from the people inside. Once installed, lightning rods will need to undergo periodic inspections every 3-5 years.

Quickly Restore Damaged Property

Any storm damages that occur on commercial property should be tended to as swiftly as possible. Finding the right storm damage restoration company to clear debris and make repairs can be the difference between satisfied customers and a negligence lawsuit.

As the owner or manager of a company, it is up to you to protect the people who work for or frequent your business. By planning for rain storm emergencies, you can properly maintain the integrity of your business. 

4 Ways To Prevent Mold in the Office Fridge

8/24/2022 (Permalink)

Fridge mold.

Preventing Fridge Mold

Maybe your breakroom fridge in Greenlake, WA isn't as bad as the one at an office building in San Jose, CA, where, in 2009, 28 people became sick from fumes of spoiled food and disinfectants. Perhaps your office fridge isn't that bad yet, but you can use this as a cautionary tale to coworkers. Here are four tips on preventing fridge mold at your office:

1. Store food the right way. This sounds straightforward, but the USDA recommends repackaging foods into smaller portions for efficient chilling. This is especially important after-work events where large quantities of food were shared. When deep containers of warm food are placed in the fridge, the center may stay warm long enough for bacteria and mold to grow. Be sure to cover food to help keep moisture in and better maintain the humidity of the fridge environment.

2. Maintain the proper temperature and humidity. Mold can live at temps of 40-100° F, but you can reduce the opportunity for fridge mold by keeping the temperature at 40° F or lower. Buy a thermometer to keep inside of the fridge for easy monitoring and don't keep the doors open for long periods of time.

3. Know when to throw away food. Don't rely on mold smell to motivate you. Food should be removed weekly and never left over the weekend. Food that has sat at greater than 40° F for more than 2 hours is not safe to eat, so throw out all food when the power has been out that long.

4. Use proper cleaning methods. For disinfecting fridge interiors, don't use harsh cleaners that may transfer odors to foods. Frequent cleaning with baking soda and dish soap is all you need. Pay attention to high humidity areas that are at higher risk for fridge mold, like crisper drawers and seals.

Hopefully, you won't need a hazmat team to help your office through disinfecting fridge cleaning, but mold remediation specialists are available to help with any mold problem in your building. With their knowledge and special equipment, they make sure to clean up mold while preventing the further spread of spores.

When Mold Problems Lead to Legal Action

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

Mold damage in a home in Wallingford, WA.

Any property that has the potential for excess moisture has the potential for black mold growth. For landlords in Wallingford, WA, maintaining the trust of their tenants involves taking care of issues that can lead to mold problems in a timely manner or, if such a problem already exists, having it mitigated as soon as they're made aware of it. Failing to do so can lead to legal action.

Landlord's Responsibilities

Rental law in most states requires property owners to provide reasonably livable spaces for their tenants. Examples of the service renters can expect are often written directly into the lease agreement:

• Routine maintenance
• Prompt repairs to faulty plumbing, HVAC system, and security devices
• Restoration of structural issues

The implied warranty of habitability is violated when the air quality in the apartment or condo is diminished because of unresolved black mold problems. If reasonable standards are not met, the tenants may have no choice but to sue for damages.

Tenants' Rights

Ideally, if tenants report a mold issue to their apartment manager, the manager will call mold remediation specialists immediately to assess the mold damage and take care of it. Furthermore, landlords are legally obligated to reimburse tenants for any damage or loss they experience as a result of the fungus problem. If they fail to respond or deny that a problem exists, however, tenants may sue for damages. These lawsuits typically end up in small claims court unless the cost of repairing damage caused by the mold exceeds the state's limits on such cases. In that case, tenants should seek the advice of personal injury lawyers to proceed with legal action.

Black mold is not a problem that just goes away on its own. Getting rid of it requires cooperation between landlords and tenants. If the problem is reported before it gets out of hand and mitigated as soon as it's reported, there may be no need for legal action at all.

Replacing Your Bathroom’s Supply Line May Prevent Water Damage

7/28/2022 (Permalink)

Our team is highly trained in water loss and we carry the equipment to handle any size loss.

A bathroom leak can be caused by many different problems, but a common one you may not think about is the water supply line. Over time, the mineral buildup may occur inside the lines or the materials may degrade with age. Many people in Seattle, WA are not aware that supply line damage can be the source of minor or even larger water leaks. You should periodically inspect your supply line, but how often should it be replaced?

Know When To Replace a Bathroom Water Supply Line

•If you find corrosion or pitting in stainless steel lines

•If plastic supply lines become brittle or cracked

•If the tubing is wet, even without obvious evidence of damage

Stainless steel tubing, on average, has a lifetime warranty. However, there are things that can cause failure in the tubing, leaving you with supply line damage. In particular, the effects of chlorine can be very destructive to braided stainless steel tubing. This means you should avoid using cleaning products that contain chlorine on the supply line. In addition, corrosion can take place just from being exposed to the fumes from chlorinated products.

Plastic tubing, on the other hand, can become brittle over time and may need to be replaced every five to eight years for optimum performance. It is flexible and sturdy and can do a good job as well. So when should you replace either type of line? You should inspect your supply lines every year or so whether you notice leakage or not. If you buy a used home, replace all of the supply lines, and have the home inspected carefully for a bathroom leak or a shower pan leak.

If a bathroom leak or flood damage is found, on its own or in addition to supply line damage, trained home restoration experts in Seattle, WA can assess the damage and help you learn the best way to return the home to safe and sound condition. Take stock of these items in your own home to keep things running peacefully and in good order.

What To Expect from a Storm Restoration

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding may occur in basement areas while the roof has loose shingles from the wind.

Things You Can Expect To See During a Restoration

When your home experiences Ballard, WA, flooding, you may come to realize that the cleanup job will be different from normal repair work. Fortunately, a local storm damage restoration service can be there to help. From damage location to various repair needs, these professionals can soon have your home looking “Like it never even happened.” Here are a few things you can expect to see during a restoration.

1. Multiple Damage Types

A heavy storm can leave you dealing with multiple damage types in your home. Water damage can come from leaks or flood issues, and mold damage can appear if water isn’t cleaned up quickly enough. Storm winds can cause problems and sharp drops in temperature can cause pipes to freeze. In some cases, there may even be damage caused by hail.

2. Damage in Multiple Locations

A storm has the ability to cause damage in multiple locations simultaneously. Flooding may occur in basement areas while the roof has loose shingles from the wind. This is why if you believe your home has sustained storm damage it’s important to inspect the entire property.

3. Various Repair Needs

A storm can leave various repair needs around your home from fixing loose shingles on the roof to cleaning up flood damage. This can quickly become a much larger scale repair job than you may be used to. Many restoration services have the ability to handle various types of repair work, and with a full crew, many jobs can be completed at the same time.

A restoration service can clean up any flooding and related damages after a storm hits your home. They will also be able to handle the variety of repair needs that storm damage can bring above and beyond a normal repair job. From damage types to damage location and repair type, These professionals should be able to take care of any issues and have your home looking “Like it never even happened.”

The Cost of Mold Damage

7/3/2022 (Permalink)

Mold damage in a Seattle, WA home

You may think that a bit of mold damage to your Seattle, WA, home is not a big deal. Yet the problem will not go away on its own. If you allow the mold growth to continue, you may have to call in professional mold removal specialists. The more extensive the damage, the more the mold cleanup will cost.

Mold Inspection

If you suspect a mold problem in your home, you should first bring in an inspector to confirm if your suspicions are correct. This can cost between $200 and $600. A qualified mold inspector should have:

• An undergraduate degree in science or engineering
• Proof of mold investigation coursework
• Industry certification
  

Mold Remediation

Once an inspector has confirmed the presence of mold in your home, the cleanup can begin. The process typically starts with mold removal. Experts will also clean and disinfect any personal items, walls or carpets affected by the mold.
The cost of this service can vary. If you only have mold in your crawlspaces, you will likely have to pay between $500 and $4,000. However, if your home has major structural damage, the repairs could cost $10,000 or more.
The expense doesn’t end there. If the infestation is severe, you may need to temporarily move out of your home during the black mold removal. You would then have to spend more money on hotel costs.

Insurance Coverage

While insurance may pay for this black mold cleanup, the coverage only applies in certain circumstances. If the mold growth resulted from a burst pipe or a similar emergency, you will likely be covered. However, if you failed to properly address a water leak or flood in your home, and this excess moisture led to the mold, you may be responsible for the cost of mold removal.

Finding and cleaning mold from your home is an expensive process. Insurance may not cover the costs, either. You should thus do what you can to limit the buildup of mold in your house.

Is Your Water Bill Higher Because of a Leak?

6/22/2022 (Permalink)

A pipe burst can create more extensive repair en cleanup services in your Greenlake, WA home or commercial property.

Is Your Water Bill Going Up As A Result Of A Leak?

An abnormally high water bill for your commercial building can be perplexing. You might wonder where the extra expense is coming from, and you will want to correct the issue as soon as possible.
If you have no reason to believe that your building has been using significantly more water for business operations, it is possible that you have a water leak somewhere in the pipe system.

Here are several steps to take when dealing with potential leaks.

1. Determine the Likely Sources of the Water Leak

There are many possible sources of leaks in commercial buildings. Has your building had plumbing issues in the past? If so, it may be a good idea to look for signs of a plumbing leak. Check the building for stains, bulging walls, unstable floors, or loose tiles.

Many commercial buildings have water leak sensors installed in the piping systems. These sensors can help you pinpoint the source of the leak.

2. Check Your Insurance Plan

Leaks are often covered under commercial property insurance plans. However, different plans may have different exclusions, and it is important to get familiar with the details of the plan as you begin negotiations with the insurance company.

3. Call a Disaster Cleanup Company for Large Leaks

In more severe cases, a pipe break could create a large leak that will require more extensive repair and cleanup services. Repairing the pipe is just the first step; you must also make sure that the surrounding areas are free from mold and water damage. A professional water restoration company in Greenlake, WA, can help you make sure that the damage from a large leak is contained and mitigated so that your business operations can move forward smoothly. 

A high water bill may be frustrating, but taking these steps can help you address the underlying problem quickly and effectively.

How To Stop a Toilet From Flushing

6/14/2022 (Permalink)

A toilet overflow can be a problem in any commercial building.

How to Prevent Toilet Flushing

A toilet overflow can be a problem in any commercial building. What do you do when a toilet will not stop flushing? There are several things you can do to address the issue.

1. Determine the Flushometer Type

Flushometers are the devices that cause commercial toilets to flush. Some are manual but many are now automatic. The correct solution to a toilet flood may depend on the type of flushometer that the toilet uses.

2. Shut Off the Water to Prevent Toilet Overflow

On one side of the flushometer, there should be a slot for a flathead screwdriver. Using a screwdriver at this spot allows you to turn the water off.

3. Remove the Flushometer's Lid (Manual)

For a toilet with a manual flushometer, use a wrench to loosen the lid at the top. Once the lid has been loosened, you will be able to screw it off. Remove the flange as well, and do not be alarmed if small amounts of water spray from it.

4. Clean the Gasket (Manual)

After you remove the flange, you will be able to see the gasket. Remove the gasket and clean it thoroughly. Use something small and precise to help you clean the weep hole. After you clean the gasket and weep hole, put everything back together following the previous steps. If there is still toilet overflow, you may need to replace the gasket entirely.

For commercial toilets with automatic flushometers, you can shut off the water using the same screwdriver technique that you would use on a manual flushometer. You may need a plumber to help you determine whether you need to replace the diaphragm kit or service the solenoid.

You can follow these steps to stop a toilet from flushing. If your building experiences water damage, it is a good idea to look for water restoration services in Ballard, WA, as soon as possible.