Water Damage Valparaiso – SERVPRO of Porter County

Water damage in the middle of a cold winter is difficult for property owners, but it also takes its toll on restorers. At SERVPRO, we are always ready to work even under such conditions to assist our clients in their hour of need. It takes sacrifice, experience and a degree of preparation. An example of preparation is the steps we take to protect our equipment from risks extreme cold poses. Jacob Blockbland from SERVPRO of Porter County gives a walkthrough of protecting a truck-mounted water extractor from temperatures below freezing point.

Unlike in other seasons such as summer when we operate the extractors freely, there is a need to protect them during winter especially if temperatures plummet below freezing point. Since water volume increases by 9% when it freezes, some of the interior components of the extractor are at risk of damage when operated in such conditions. "We insulate this van while we are running the truck-mount on a job, especially when it's below freezing point," Jacob points out the work done on one of our production trucks as part of the strategy that helps keep our water extractors running in cold weather. Since our SERVPRO technicians also rely on this equipment for other tasks such as restorative cleaning, there is a need to have an extractor in top working condition when dealing with water damage.

"We keep the door closed as much as possible," Jacob starts explaining the process of keeping temperatures constant. We only leave a small crack to let the hoses out of the production truck to the extraction area. The truck also has a heating unit near the front, which helps because insulation alone cannot maintain high temperatures. Jacob summarizes by saying, "we have the heat running, and this insulation can as well help keep the heat trapped, so nothing freezes in here."

If there is water damage in your property, call SERVPRO of Porter County, and our technicians are always ready to assist. You can reach us at (219) 476-1883 any time.