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When the beginning of the Monsoon season hit Tucson, it was beginning to look like we were going to have a dry season. Now we have had our first huge Tucson Monsoon storm on Friday causing downed trees, damaged roofs, hail, and tens of thousands of customers in the dark. The emergency calls are coming in with the questions “What do we do when water is leaking from your ceiling?”
Leaking water needs to be taken care of quickly!
Stop the Source
Your insurance company will want to see that you took immediate steps to stop the leak to prevent further damage. Start taking photos of everything for the insurance company including where the leak came from, what it damages, and how you tried to stop it from getting worse.
Homeowners have been tempted to let water leaks dry on their own, but mold is a serious consequence to waiting.
TIP: If you have standing water in your home be sure to make sure the electricity is off before you walk through it. A quick response often means less damage and the least amount of restoration work.
Call Us Right Away
If your emergency occurs during normal business hours (M-F 7:00am – 4:00pm), please call our office at (520) 297-4736. If your emergency occurs outside our normal hours, please call Commercial Cleaning and Restoration’s emergency line at (520) 391-4615. Once we have your address and basic information, an on-call team will be there within hours.
We can begin necessary emergency procedures like:
- Prevent secondary damage to the rest of your home and belongings.
- Tarping the roof to prevent more water from entering the home.
- Placing professional drying equipment in the home to prevent mold.
- Work on a plan to begin water damage repairs.
TIP: For DIYers, do not jump into roof repairs or even roof tarping without taking serious safety precautions to avoid injury or death. Never forget that while there is a surface to stand on, you are still working at a height that can be fatal with one misstep.
Contact Your Personal Insurance Agent
When you call the claim line, they automatically open a claim. It will stay on your insurance record whether you decide to use it or not. Consider calling Commercial Cleaning and Restoration rep first. We can provide an opinion and a damage quote. With our expertise and your personal agent’s knowledge of your policy, we can help you decide if a claim is the right way to go.
TIP: when the flood water is on the ground and enters your facility, this is covered by flood insurance. If the water comes down the roof and walls, your regular insurance will cover it.
Monsoons are Not the Only Cause of Ceiling Leaks
Air Conditioning
Our most frequent calls are about water leaking from the ceiling due to an air conditioner. As temperatures in Tucson have skyrocketed to 110º F to 115º F, your AC is running longer than normal.
Your air conditioner removes heat from your home with evaporator coils. The evaporator coils cool the warm air as it blows over it. This causes condensation to form on the coil. The moisture on the coil drips in a pan known as the condensate drain pan. From the drain pan, the drips leave your home through the condensate drain line and drain outside. If your drain line becomes clogged with dirt and debris, the water backs up and overflows the pain. This causes puddles on your roof and eventually leaks through the ceiling of your home.
Leaking water needs to be taken care of quickly!
Stop the Leak
In this case, the condensate drain line needs to be unclogged. Freeing the line allows water to escape once again.
Call Us Right Away
Again, if your emergency occurs during normal business hours (M-F 7:00am – 4:00pm), please call our office at (520) 297-4736. If your emergency occurs outside our normal hours, please call Commercial Cleaning and Restoration’s emergency line at (520) 391-4615.
We can begin necessary emergency procedures like:
- Unclogging the drain.
- Placing professional drying equipment in the home to prevent mold.
- Work on a plan to begin roof damage repairs.
Leaking Skylights
A leak coming from your skylight is probably the easiest to notice. Your leaking skylight could have suffered damage from falling debris, hail, or age. The leak could also be caused by damaged flashing, rather than the window itself.
Clogged Gutters
A lot of Tucson homes do not have gutters, particularly homes in newer subdivisions. Living in a desert with little rain, it is easy to forget drainage issues. During the monsoon, you can watch the rain pouring off the roof in sheets.
If you have gutters, be sure to clean them out and seal any gaps before the heavy rains begin. If you decide to install gutters, rain should run off the roof into gutters and through downspouts and hard pipes that drain a minimum of 10 feet away from your home.
Overhanging Trees
If a tree in your yard hangs over your roof, you risk damaging your roof from falling branches, debris, bird poo, and more – all of which can lead to roof leaks. If the leaves find their way into your gutters, you’ll soon be dealing with a clog. The best way to deal with overhanging trees is to prune back its branches.
Water Damage Restoration
Water Cleanup • Emergency Tarping
At Commercial Cleaning & Restoration, we want the best for you and your home and we will work to prove it to you.
We also clean carpets, area rugs, and upholstery.
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