Restoring Your Home: Navigating the Path to Recovery After a Rainstorm in Austin, Texas

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In the heart of Texas, where the warmth of the people matches the sun that often graces the sky, a sudden rainstorm can transform the familiar into the unexpected. The resilience of Austin residents, however, shines brightly during the aftermath. Restoring a home after a rainstorm is a journey that requires patience, diligence, and a strong community spirit. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to restore your cherished abode in Austin, Texas, after the rain clouds have cleared.

1. Assess the Damage: The first step in the restoration process is a thorough assessment of the damage. Carefully inspect your home inside and out, looking for signs of water intrusion, structural damage, or compromised roofing. Document the damage with photographs and notes. This documentation will be invaluable when dealing with insurance claims and restoration professionals.

2. Ensure Safety First: Before diving into restoration efforts, prioritize safety. Check for electrical hazards, gas leaks, and structural damage. If significant damage is present, consult with professionals before proceeding. When it’s safe to do so, start the cleanup process to prevent further damage and mold growth.

3. Water Extraction and Drying: Water extraction is crucial to prevent mold and mildew. Utilize pumps, wet-dry vacuums, and dehumidifiers to remove standing water. Ventilation is key; open windows and use fans to promote air circulation. Focus on drying out carpets, walls, and furniture to prevent long-term water damage.

4. Mold Prevention and Remediation: Austin’s humid climate makes mold growth a concern after rainstorms. Act swiftly to prevent and remediate mold. Clean and disinfect affected areas with a bleach solution. For extensive mold infestations, consult professional remediation services to ensure thorough cleanup.

5. Roof Inspection and Repairs: Roof damage is common after heavy rains. Inspect your roof for missing or damaged shingles, leaks, or structural issues. Hire a professional roofer to assess and repair any damage promptly. Proper roof maintenance is essential to safeguard against future rain-related issues.

6. Address Interior Damage: Rainwater can infiltrate walls, ceilings, and floors, leading to interior damage. Inspect these areas carefully and address any signs of water damage promptly. Replace damaged drywall, insulation, or flooring to prevent further deterioration.

7. Landscaping and Drainage Improvements: Evaluate your landscaping and drainage systems. Poor drainage can lead to flooding and water intrusion. Consider adding gutters, downspouts, or French drains to direct water away from your home’s foundation. Proper grading of the land can also prevent water from pooling around the house.

8. Restoring Electrical Systems: Water and electricity don’t mix. If water has affected your electrical systems, have them inspected by a licensed electrician. Electrical outlets, wiring, and appliances that have come into contact with water might need replacement to ensure safety.

9. Check HVAC Systems: Inspect heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for water damage. Waterlogged HVAC systems can circulate contaminated air throughout your home. Have professionals clean and sanitize the ducts and replace filters to maintain indoor air quality.

10. Consult with Restoration Professionals: For extensive damage or if you're unsure about handling certain repairs, consult with reputable restoration professionals. Experienced experts can assess the situation, provide accurate estimates, and efficiently restore your home to its pre-storm condition.

11. Insurance Claims and Documentation: Work closely with your insurance company throughout the restoration process. Keep detailed records of all communication, photographs of the damage, and receipts for repairs and replacements. Thorough documentation is essential for a smooth insurance claims process.

12. Consider Future Preparedness: Learn from the experience and consider future preparedness measures. Invest in flood insurance, maintain your home regularly, and fortify it against potential weather-related damage. Being prepared can significantly reduce the impact of future rainstorms on your home.

13. Community Support and Resources: In Austin, a strong sense of community prevails. Reach out to local resources and support networks if you need assistance. Community organizations, neighbors, and local government agencies often provide valuable assistance and information for homeowners dealing with storm-related challenges.

14. Emotional Support and Resilience: Dealing with the aftermath of a rainstorm can be emotionally draining. Seek support from friends, family, or counselors to cope with the stress. Lean on the resilience of the Austin community; their collective spirit often serves as a source of strength during challenging times.

Conclusion: Restoring a home in Austin, Texas, after a rainstorm is a testament to the resilience and determination of its residents. By taking systematic steps, ensuring safety, collaborating with professionals, and tapping into the supportive community network, homeowners can navigate the path to recovery successfully. With each restoration effort, Austin’s homes not only regain their structural integrity but also stand as symbols of the indomitable spirit that defines this vibrant Texan city.

Eliminating Pesky Pet Odor Around Your Home

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Having a pet can be such a blessing -- they’re always there to brighten your mood with wagging tails and kisses, and they can never give or get enough love. While bringing a dog or cat into the family is a very valuable and wonderful decision, it also comes with a lot of work. Between feeding, training, and finding a place for Fido to stay when you go out of town, pet care is no easy feat. 

One of the biggest concerns of having a four-legged family member is keeping your home clean and germ-free. Here are a few tips to getting rid of pet odors and stains that will keep you and your furry friends happy: 

Clean Up Immediately

The first way to avoid pet odors is to be vigilant in cleaning up any and all accidents immediately. Odors can stick to fabrics and upholstery, not to mention the foundation of the home, when spills aren’t cleaned up immediately. Once it seeps through the carpet and into the pad below it’s harder to clean and you will need a full restoration.

Keep Up With It

While in a dream world you could wait to do a thorough cleaning until you notice a problem, by then the damage is usually much farther along than you’d imagine. One of the best ways to stay on top of pet odor and upkeep your home is to have a routine deep cleaning that will eliminate odors, protect your floors, and stop any potential damage in its tracks. 

Call In The Professionals

So maybe you let a few things slip and before you know it, you’re faced with a pet odor problem. Never fear! That’s why The Steam Team is here. Our trained professionals and state-of-the-art equipment is here to take on the challenge. 

The best way to prevent pet odors is to be on top of them. Have a routine deep cleaning appointment to keep everything well maintained, and don’t be afraid to call in The Steam Team when things get hard – that’s what we’re here for!

More Expert Advice On Using Steam Cleaners In Your Home

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Here on the Steam Team blog, we recently talked about the best method for cleaning tile and grout flooring; steam cleaners! But you may be wondering what else steam cleaners can be used for. Can they clean just about any surface in your home? Do they have their limits? Is it better to buy a steam cleaner yourself or to pay for a professional steam cleaning and restoration service? Let’s talk about it.

Clean and Safe Method

Steam cleaning, first of all, is far better for your health and your home than most other cleaning methods, because it only uses water and heat. No chemicals necessary! Nearly all household surfaces are properly sanitized with steam cleaners, more than just the percentage of clean that most chemical cleaners offer. Because the steam evaporates, surfaces will dry faster when cleaned with steam cleaners. Steam cleaners are also excellent at cleaning those tough to reach spots and removing hardened substances like wax or glue.

Best Surfaces To Steam Clean

Steam cleaning works wonders on nearly every surface of a home, but for some materials you may need to pay attention and think of the effect that water and heat may have. For example, steam cleaning is great for carpets, upholstery, mattresses, and even curtains, but for all of these surfaces you need to make sure you’re using an upholstery attachment. 

For floors, tiles, ceramic and metal fixtures steam cleaning works great to kill germs, mold, and fungus, so long as a floor attachment is used. With a window attachment, you can easily clean glass and windows. Even kitchen appliances can be cleaned with handheld steam cleaners. 

The only materials that can’t be steam cleaned are paper and cardboard products, delicate fabrics and anything covered in water-based paint.

Our Pro Technicians

Now that you understand what kind of jobs steam cleaners can be used for, you need the right team of technicians to get the job done. The Steam Team professionals are trained at handling high-powered steam cleaners and other cleaning equipment. If your home or business is in need of restoration or cleaning, call The Steam Team today.

Notice Discoloration Or Cracks In Your Hardwood Floor? Here's What To Do

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Hardwood floors are a lovely addition to any home or business space, as long as you can keep them well maintained. Do you know the signs to look out for to tell if your hardwood floor needs refinishing? If your hardwood floor has tons of little scratches on the surface, or obvious cracks, or has become completely dull, and won’t be sleek and shiny again no matter how much you clean it, you may need refinishing. So how do you go about having your floor properly refinished?

Professional Hardwood Floor Services

A quick search on the internet will show you that there are alot of different cleaning companies you can go to for hardwood floor refinishing. Most companies will agree with you on a specific time, and then come in and start working on the floor without much prior consultation. But here at The Steam Team, we want to take our time to get the job done right, so that you won’t have to call us up to come fix a mistake later down the line. When you give The Steam Team a call about your hardwood floors, our professionals will give your floor a thorough inspection first, asking you questions along the way and walking you through the best solutions for your floor. Then they’ll begin extensive damage repair, fixing all cracks and splits in the hardwood before they move on to a full cleaning. Once the floor has had a full cleaning and abrasion, it’ll be ready for refinishing.

For the actual refinishing, two separate coats of sealer will be applied. Once they’ve both had time to dry, your hardwood floor will be cleaner and brighter than ever before, and it’ll be strengthened for years to come.

Steam Team Professionals

When you go with The Steam Team for hardwood floor refinishing, you’ll be choosing the most highly trained technicians with years of experience, using only high-powered professional equipment for a completely dust-free refinishing process. For more information on how we can help you with hardwood floor refinishing, or our many other services, please visit The Steam Team website.

A Few Great Tips For Keeping Natural Stone Clean

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The authentic, beautiful look of natural stone makes a great addition to any home or business. Whether you use it as flooring, a countertop or even as your walls, there’s nothing quite like the look of natural stone. As with any flooring, countertop, wall or any other surface, natural stone has its own unique maintenance needs. Here at The Steam Team, we have professionals with all the expertise on how to clean your home or business, so today, we’re going to talk about how to best clean natural stone.

First Steps

If you’re cleaning the stone yourself, here are a few simple tasks you can start with. Sweeping and some light mopping are a great way to clean the surface. If you must use a vacuum rather than a broom, make sure there are no cracked or broken parts on the bottom of the vacuum that could damage your stone. When you mop the stone, just be sure you’re using a cleaning solution that is approved for natural stone. These simple first steps will make a big difference.

Intermediate Cleaning

Now for the more detailed stuff. This involves stain removal and grout cleaning, which is far too often neglected, leaving the grout to build up with dirt and damage the floor, or leaving stains that never go away. When it comes to this step, remember again to only use products approved for natural stone.

Thorough Professional Cleaning

When you need to deeply clean your natural stone (maybe the grout and stains are just too difficult for the methods you’re using), call in a professional. Here at The Steam Team we have all the right equipment and expertise for the job. And you can rest assured that when The Steam Team cleans your floors (or other surfaces), you won’t have to worry about your natural stone being damaged. So what are you waiting for? Visit The Steam Team website and give us a call today.

5 Tips to Keeping Your High Rise Clean

Do you need help cleaning your high rise building this season? No problem- for The Steam Team! If you’re looking to spruce up your office, don’t hesitate to call in The Steam Team!  You can rely on us; we really know what we’re doing! Below are five tips for keeping your high rise clean all season long!

Dust Blinds and Draperies

Every now and then, window blinds and draperies need to be cleaned! If you call in The Steam Team, we won’t use any ordinary duster on your blinds; we’ll steam clean them! And most of the time, we can do this without even removing them from where they hang, making things super easy in the long run!

Wipe Down/Steam Clean Surfaces

Admit it, sometimes you have lunch at your desk. The obvious downside to doing this is that it causes buildup of grime on your desk over time! We recommend steam cleaning the surfaces in your office; the best news is, it won’t leave behind any residue for you to clean up!

Vacuum Carpeting

Carpeting must be vacuumed! It’s the only way to remove dust, dirt, and allergens from the fibers of your carpet. Make sure you move slowly as to thoroughly remove these particles from your flooring.

Vacuum Rugs

When vacuuming your flooring, don’t forget to include any area rugs you may have in your office! They’re notorious for hoarding dust and dirt as well! If you have allergies, a thorough vacuuming will do you a lot of good!

Spruce Up the Area

We mean, decorate! A little bit of office decor can go a long way, friends! Have a little fun this season and spruce up your high rise building with some wall hangings, or mirrors. You’ll love the aesthetics, and so will your clients!

If you need help with your high rise this season, give The Steam Team a call today! We can help you keep it thoroughly clean- you’ll love the results!

Restoring Your Home From Fire Damage: Advice from The Experts

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there were 352,000 house fires reported in The United States in 2016 alone! A fire can spread very quickly, engulfing an entire house in less than five minutes! Even when the fire has gone out, the trouble is far from over. But if you’re careful to follow this advice, you can make your home good as new!

Safety and Preparation

First things first, NEVER enter a fire-damaged area until fire officials give you the all clear- and even when you do, be sure to make use of the proper safety attire;

• Waterproof boots

• A body suit made from plastic

• A breathing mask

• Goggles

• Industrial strength cleaning gloves

Once you’re all suited up, the next step is to search the structure for any breaches, and seal them immediately. The best method for addressing a breach is by using a rugged tarp that can create a full seal around the breach.

Restoration

Now that you’ve protected yourself and your home from any potential harm, you’re ready to get to work on the house itself. You’ll want to begin by removing any water from the house, which is normally pooled all over the ground after a fire. You can remove the water using a water pump and a press extractor, which can either be purchased from a supplier, or at a local store such as Home Depot. The next step is to remove the soot and ash from all the surfaces of objects in the house. This can be done with sponges and heavy-duty cleaners. With the soot removed, you can examine the damage and decide whether your things can be restored, or need to be thrown out.

Once the fire-damaged items have been removed, walk around and see the extent of the damage to the floors, walls, and ceiling, to determine what needs repairing. Thoroughly clean the soot off of the entire foundation- This step may take a few days. When that’s finally done, you’ll want to replace the filters in all of your heating and A/C units to reduce that smokey smell. Then, you’re finally prepared for the long process of fully restoring those heavily impacted areas.

Professional Help

If doing all that work yourself sounds too daunting, you’re in luck, The Steam Team has restoration professionals that are ready for your calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! They’ll start by inspecting the entire structure of your building(s) to get a good picture of the extent of the damage. This process allows you to get a full report on the scope of the damage, as well as a great estimate of repair costs.