GRANDVILLE, Mich. — West Michigan residents are dealing with lingering water damage following spring storms, leading to a nonstop influx of calls for local restoration crews.
At ServiceMaster Restoration, crews are seeing an increase in flooding issues across Grandville, Hudsonville and Jenison. The damage can start unexpectedly, even affecting the restoration experts themselves.
"I was working on my brakes and calipers, and it started leaking on my head. I looked up and there was water damage on the ceiling. It can happen to anyone, homeowners, employees, it’s definitely a stressful situation for everyone," Blaine Witters said.
Witters is a project manager for ServiceMaster Restoration, but recently found himself on the other side of the call at his home in Holland.
"We ended up setting some containment, put some dehumidification in there, as well as an air scrubber. We took down some of the drywall and now we are currently drying the space to help remove the moisture," Witters said.
Richard Moore, head estimator for ServiceMaster Restoration, said that this time of year brings specific challenges for homeowners.
"Right now, we actually have two seasons. In the winter, it’s the burst pipe season, and then this time of year, it’s the sump pump season. A lot of people’s sump pumps get overwhelmed, floor drains back up. It’s been pretty much nonstop," Moore said.
The damage from flooding can spread rapidly throughout a home.
"The water itself can begin to cause damage immediately. The humidity that the water causes once it reaches above 40 to 60 percent, it can begin causing secondary damage. A loss in the basement can affect the entire house," Moore said.
I asked what homeowners should be doing today to protect their properties.
"I think one of the most important things you can do is know where your water shut off is. Secondly, I would say there are moisture detectors," Moore said.
Moore advises residents to remain vigilant and not to ignore potential warning signs.
"If you think you hear water, go check. If you hear gas hissing, go check. It's never gonna not be important. It might just not matter, but you may find something that could save you and your family's life, gasoline, water detection, carbon monoxide, anything like that," Moore said.
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