The Soggy Reality of Thunderstorms in the Koreatown Area | SERVPRO of Wilshire Center

2/28/2024 (Permalink)

The aftermath of home storm damage is not something you should have to deal with alone. That’s why SERVPRO of Wilshire center wants to help. Call us!

The state of California is known for its beautiful weather, sunny days and overall pleasant weather, and the Los Angeles area is no different. We are so blessed with the weather in our community and will never complain about all the sun!

However, when it does rain, it can certainly rain. If we are experiencing drought conditions, rain can become a serious weather hazard when it does fall and any accompanying wind can take a minor situation and make it worse. 

We also aren’t strangers to experiencing hurricanes from time to time! Knowing what to do before, during and after a storm can help you stay safe and in control. 

Preparation Is Key 

Start getting your home ready as soon as a storm or rain is forecast. Clean up your yard and secure down anything you don’t want tossed about your yard due to any high wind. 

Set up your downspouts to point away from your house, and make sure your gutters are in good working condition. Grab a weather radio or tune into the local weather forecast to better understand the direction and severity of the storm. 

Stay inside and away from windows while the storm is in the area, and only go outside to look for potential damage when you are sure the storm has passed and there isn’t another wave on the horizon. Bring your phone and radio with you just in case you need to be alerted to any changing conditions.

Check in with other family members if they were not home when the storm passed through, and head over to check on your neighbors. Just because you and your home fared OK, it doesn’t mean that your neighbors did, too. 

Once everyone is determined to be safe, take a survey of your home to discover any damage that you incurred right away. Get us on the phone so we can get started on your restoration faster. 

Tips to Secure Your Home

We are proudly locally owned and operated, which means that we are watching the same forecast as you and experiencing the same weather. The only difference is that we start preparing our teams as soon as potentially dangerous weather is forecasted. We will be ready and waiting for your call as soon as you need us. 

Once we make our connection with you and start getting our people and trucks ready, you can also help mitigate damage to your home while you wait for us to arrive. Lay down tarps to protect your belongings from further damage, open a window or run a fan to start drying out your space, or set out buckets to catch any drips from getting onto your floor. 

Our team will get to work removing standing water while also securing your home from suffering more damage if it is exposed to the elements. We are proud to handle any sort of damage you experience, including minor water leaks all the way to severe impact damage if a tree falls on your home. We will be here for you from the very first phone call to the last walkthrough of your newly refurbished space.

Surprised by storm damage? Call SERVPRO of Wilshire Center today. 

Rainy Realities in Southern California

8/29/2023 (Permalink)

Though Southern California is adept in handling earthquakes and fires, storm and rainfall commonly cause unexpected damage to one's home.

Experience the allure of Southern California's sun-kissed paradise, but don't let its sunny reputation blind you to an impending threat—rainstorms. While the region thrives on sun-soaked days, it often struggles when rain clouds gather. Unaccustomed to heavy rainfall, Southern California faces water damage challenges that demand proactive measures. Embrace the solution: SERVPRO, your ally in storm mitigation and restoration, ensuring homes and businesses stand strong against unexpected weather events.

Southern California's Rain-Related Vulnerabilities:

Weathering the Unseen Storms: In a landscape built for earthquakes and wildfires, Southern California's infrastructure and homes lack preparedness for heavy rains. Streets flood, homes suffer from water seepage, and businesses face interruptions—all due to inadequate drainage systems.

Risk in Unfamiliarity: Southern Californians' limited exposure to rainstorms breeds a sense of complacency. Unaware of potential water damage consequences, individuals and communities find themselves ill-equipped to handle sudden storms.

Structural Insufficiency: Designed to combat earthquakes and wildfires, homes and businesses lack storm-specific fortification. This makes them susceptible to water intrusion, structural weakening, and the risk of mold growth.

SERVPRO's Essential Mitigation Expertise:

Swift Action, Strong Defense: SERVPRO's reputation hinges on rapid response to storm emergencies. Armed with advanced tools and skilled professionals, they assess water damage and initiate immediate mitigation strategies.

Customized Solutions for Every Crisis: Storms are unique, and so are SERVPRO's solutions. Customized mitigation plans cater to each scenario's specific needs, maximizing effectiveness and minimizing downtime.

Extraction and Drying Mastery: SERVPRO excels in water extraction and thorough drying methods. Swift water removal and efficient drying prevent mold, mildew, and further structural harm.

Comprehensive Restoration Expertise: Going beyond mitigation, SERVPRO specializes in comprehensive restoration. They repair roofs, replace damaged drywall, and salvage belongings, ensuring no storm aftermath is left unaddressed.

Empowering Communities Through Education: SERVPRO doesn't just restore; they educate. Through workshops and resources, they empower communities to prepare for storms, ensuring everyone has a role in preventing damage.

Southern California's vulnerability to rainstorms demands preparedness, and SERVPRO emerges as the ultimate ally. With swift response, customized solutions, restoration excellence, and community-focused initiatives, they safeguard homes, businesses, and communities against the unpredictable. As clouds gather, SERVPRO's expertise shines a beacon of hope, fortifying Southern California's resilience against water damage's darkest impact. Embrace SERVPRO for a future where storms are no longer a threat but an opportunity to stand strong in the face of uncertainty.

Wind Storms

5/10/2021 (Permalink)

Storms have a few components to them, wind being one of the most dangerous being wind. During a storm wind speeds can exceed 50-60 mph and at which point they start to become damaging. Damages caused by high speed winds can be anything from flying debris hitting your property, falling trees, flying bushes and branches. these types of incidences can cause serious damage by hitting or falling on your property, even possibly destroying it. This is why its important to always have a plan of action for when disasters such as storms strike, which SERVPRO can help with. We can help you create a readiness plan at no cost to you, so when disaster strikes you are always prepared. We are happy to uphold our amazing service to our clients!

Gutter Problems

5/10/2021 (Permalink)

A problem that may come as a surprise during a storm is your gutters, though there are many other more important issues during a storm that may need your attention your gutters can also cause a lasting problem if forgotten about. During a storm debris can be blown onto your property from high speed winds, causing your gutters to be filled and block water from properly flowing though them. When gutters aren't functioning properly, water can build up in vulnerable areas and possibly leak through into your property causing many types of damage. These damages could include moisture throughout your property which could cause mold, electrical and wiring issues, and damp and soft drywall. Always make sure to clean out your gutters to make sure your property is well taken care of.

Flooding Is Never Nice

4/14/2021 (Permalink)

Whether you live on the coast, near a lake, or riverside, the flood will find you. And when it does, it can leave you with years’ worth of damage, not to mention credit card bills and bankruptcy.

Various news stories of commercial and residential properties drowning in murky waters, or sitting empty a year later look abandoned and still reeking with remnants of saturated insulation and mold hanging from the beams, will inject fear into any property owner.

That’s when you call the professionals at SERVPRO® of Wilshire Center, to make sure the situation is handled so there are no surprises and no adverse effects on the occupants’ health or safety.

SERVPRO® Cleans Up the Mess after a Flood

Homeowners tell us there is no greater devastation than seeing the house they’ve made a home destroyed by a quick-moving flood. The fact that the flood could have been caused by something as innocuous as a leaking pipe behind the washing machine makes the destruction seem even more senseless. In addition, water renders some materials more susceptible to rot. These are just a few of the many aftereffects of a flood. All of our SERVPRO technicians have been properly trained to professionally clean up the mess after a flood.

SERVPRO® of Wilshire Center Should Be On Speed-Dial

The SERVPRO® of Wilshire Center team has been trained to respond, swiftly and knowledgably.

Back in the day (as they say), houses were made of straw, stone, or brick. If they weren’t blown down or burned up, they were abandoned by the time the children were grown. Today, the American home is our castle. It reflects our lives, interests, and loves, travels, hopes, memories and the most important people we share it with.

Let’s hope you are not victim of a home-destroying event. But if it happens, don’t panic. Keep our number handy 323-667-3100. We’re here 24/7 to answer the call and make your loss “Like it never even happened.”

Storms and Infrastructure

4/14/2021 (Permalink)

In places like California where storms don't occur often,  the infrastructure and plumbing is not entirely ready for large scale storm flooding. There have been scenarios such ass the example that is about to be written, where the infrastructure failed and cased massive damage. This example is a case when there was a storm in Southern California and the flood waters that came from the storm filled he storm drains to a point where they went beyond capacity and cracked, this caused the flood water to flood into an apartment building nearby the affected area. This type of damage is sometimes a freak accident such as this is unavoidable, but the best thing to do is  always keep in mind that such scenarios can occur, so when disaster strikes you can act quickly. SERVPRO is always ready to help!

Protecting Your Home From Storm Water

4/14/2021 (Permalink)

During a storm, you can go outside and observe how the water flows. Take note of the different grades and slopes and whether they divert the flowing water away from your home. Look for any low spots that collect or pool water and for any steep slopes that have indications of surface erosion.

Consider the steps needed to protect your property from water runoff. Rain that falls on roofs, driveways, patios, roads and other impervious areas moves across the ground surface at greater speeds. The property adjacent to these areas could be more susceptible to damage. Frozen soil can also increase risk of damage by preventing water from being absorbed by the soil. Replacing impervious areas with pervious surfaces, such as permeable paving stones or pavers, can also help.

Other questions you might consider:

Is storm water that falls on impervious surfaces diverted away from your house? This is the work of things like roof gutter downspouts, driveways, walkways and patios. Runoff from these surfaces should be directed to an area that has the ability to absorb or slow the surface flow, such as landscaped areas, and away from your house.

Does your driveway or other impervious surface have a negative pitch back toward the house? Consider installing trench drains or area drains to help prevent pooling and divert water away from the house.

Do you have retaining walls on your property? If so, it is important that the walls have a drainage system in place to alleviate pressure behind the wall. Periodically clean weep holes to ensure they are not clogged. Surface water should not be allowed to cascade over the top of the wall and instead should be diverted to the end of the wall or around it.

Is a portion of your house below ground level, such as a basement? Make sure any sewer and water lines, or any other pipes or lines that penetrate subsurface walls, and foundation cracks are properly sealed. Basements that are prone to water intrusion should have a water collection system in place, such as a sump pump system. 

Do you have a sewer or septic system and property with known high water tables? Have the system checked by a professional. If the groundwater rises too high, it can affect the efficiency and operation of the system. In some cases, this may lead to sewer back up or waste leaching above the ground or back into the house.

Make sure that your house exterior is maintained, including roofing, flashings, weather barriers, windows, doors and sealants.

While you cannot prevent against all damage from storm water runoff during large acts of nature, these steps can help protect your home when storms do hit.

Storm in LA

9/21/2020 (Permalink)

After a storm here in Los Angeles everything floods. There is nothing we can do about it. From the roads not draining to buildings being flooded. It is going to happen. Restaurants that are on the ground level, inches away from the elements of nature are subject to getting water damage due to the floods going under the doors. Over time water finds itself inside your business. Restaurants need special care because of the food industry laws. When the floors start to mold and the dry wall starts to get soft you should call SERVPRO right away. SERVPRO has years of experience dealing with restaurants and the health laws. If your food letter grade goes down, call SERVPRO today and we will make sure everything is back "Like it never even happened."

Lightning

2/25/2020 (Permalink)

We all know storms and lightning are a massive and scary force of nature, but how powerful are they exactly? Let’s find out with some fun facts about the power of hurricanes and storms.

• The lightning in a storm is an enormous amount of electricity, if you crunch the numbers it averages out to around 10 billion watts! That’s enough power to sustain a small towns electricity for a whole day.
• The previous fact was about a single bolt of lightning, now listen to the energy produced by a hurricane. The average hurricane, meaning not even a large one, can produce more energy than the whole planet uses every day many times over, to put that into perspective that’s around the same power as 10 thousand atomic bombs! 
• Now you may wonder, what happens if im struck by lightning? Well most times it is fatal to be struck by lightning but there have been reported cases of people surviving being struck by lightning and surviving, even cases of people being struck multiple times throughout their lives! What are the chances of that?

Be Ready for Anything

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

As time passes the Earth's climate zones slowly shift from place to place, meaning that areas that have yet to experience certain weather patterns will start to experience them. This means that areas that previously had minimal risk of catastrophic weather may now be at a higher risk. This fact will have a great impact on places that are now more likely to experience weather events such as storms. These areas may not have the proper infrastructure to properly contend with the harsh conditions of a storm, for example of the thousands of houses that are already built in these newly high risk areas, very few will be built to withstand the conditions that a storm may bring such as high speed winds, flying debris, and a torrential downpour. This could cost hundreds of millions in potential property damage. To be better prepared be sure to see if your home or property is ready for such harsh conditions and contact your local SERVPRO and create an emergency readiness plan.

Better Safe then Sorry

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

Everyone knows the term “Better safe than sorry,” and we think everyone should apply this to their homes as well as their everyday lives, SERVPRO can help prepare you for events like storms with our storm readiness plan. Besides that here are some storm safety tips on how to better ensure your property isn’t damaged in a storm.

• Ensure your roof is safe and stable, a damaged roof can cause a collapse and possible water damage through leaks from the rain.
• Repair any broken or damaged walls and windows, any structural damage in your home or property can possibly become catastrophic issues when stressed by the conditions of a storm, even becoming a hazard to people inside the building
• Regularly trim and maintain trees and vegetation around your property to prevent falling and flying debris in high speed winds.
• If applies, check for loose fence posts and foundations to prevent them from falling/flying out of place

Storm Readiness

1/30/2020 (Permalink)

There are many types of natural disasters, but a storm is among the worst on a large scale. When a storm hits it can not only affect one home or family but many, even entire communities can be displaced by severe storms. We’ve spoken on measures you can take to prevent damage a be prepared when a storm strikes so for any information on that check out our previous blogs but for any other case, you can contact us at the info above to also create an emergency readiness plan and be prepared to deal with the damage a storm can cause. If you have any other questions about how we deal with storm damage you can again contact us at the info above. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. 

How SERVPRO Deals with Storms

1/30/2020 (Permalink)

When we are alerted to a building or buildings that have been damaged by a storm we know a few things. First we know that the home has likely experienced water and structural damage, after that we also know that water and structural damage can also give way to mold growth and even more structural damage if left to sit for a long time. We deal with the damage accordingly, firstly removing all the damaged and unusable structural material and also starting on the drying process to dry the materials that have remained. After this process we deal with any other damage such as residual mold from the water damage and ensure the property is ready for a full restoration and rebuild so our clients can get back to their lives and businesses as fast as possible!

California Hurricanes

1/30/2020 (Permalink)

Although California is more known for its dry and hot weather that causes fires, it’s not devoid of it’s wet season either. Although there has never been a record of a tropical hurricane making landfall in California, there have been a few close calls with huge hurricanes coming dangerously close to California's shores and breaking just before reaching land. This means that California is most likely safe from a hurricane large enough to cause severe damage reaching the homes of its citizens, but as we know, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you would rather be prepared for such a scenario, you can call SERVPRO at the number listed above and we can set you up with an emergency readiness plan that will prepare you for any kind of disaster to come.

Be Prepared for Unexpected Storms

9/19/2019 (Permalink)

Be prepared for a storm in your area.

In areas that storms don't occur often, an unexpected storm can do more damage than expected. In Southern CA storms are not common place, meaning the population is often not prepared for that type of disaster. While CA building codes are prepared to handle disasters such as earthquakes, storms and flooding are not considered as much meaning damage that comes from flooding and high winds can be much more disastrous. SERVPRO helps by helping our clients create a storm readiness program free of charge for those who wish to be prepared for anything. Realize that almost anything can happen anywhere, so essentially being safe is better than being sorry. If you don't know how to prepare for disaster, contact SERVPRO of Wilshire Center and we would be happy to help!