HRS Restoration Services Blog

Learn more about Water damage, Fire Damage, Mold Mitigation, Biohazard clean-up, and more at the official HRS Restoration Services Blog.

How To Get Rid Of Sewer Gas Smells In Your House

A sewer gas leak in your home can cause serious health issues, and for this reason, you must identify and fix the source of the leak ASAP. Some common causes of sewer gas leaks include an eroded toilet wax ring, dried-out p-traps, biofilm buildup, and more.  

In cases when the problem cannot be resolved yourself, your best option will be to hire a professional sewer restoration team like HRS Restoration Services. We have the proper equipment and expertise to quickly detect the problem and conduct a high-quality repair.

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Unattended Death Cleanup Services

Cleaning the house after an unattended death can not only be a traumatic experience but also harmful to your physical well-being.   

For this reason, hiring a professional crew of cleaners is definitely recommended.  

At HRS, our dedicated team of experts will walk you through the entire cleanup process – we can even work with your insurance and law enforcement as well.  

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How To Stop & Prevent A Basement From Flooding

Apart from the property damage, basement flooding can result in different issues including mold growths, structural damages, and even electrical system damages. Being aware of the proper care and maintenance of your home can help you to prevent basement flooding, even when it rains heavily. 

With nearly two decades of experience, HRS Restoration Services is a trusted water extraction and mitigation company in Denver. Our team can locate and eliminate the source of the basement flooding, and prevent it from happening again in the future.

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Water Leaking Into Basement After Heavy Rain

There are different factors that can cause a basement to flood after heavy rain, including hydrostatic or lateral pressures, damaged foundations, clogged gutters, and more. Once the water leaks into the basement, it’s important to act fast to prevent serious property damage and mold growths.

At HRS, we have been fixing and restoring basement water damage for decades. Additionally, we can also fortify your basement to prevent future leaks from occurring. 

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Preventing Basement Seepage & Flooding From Snowmelt

Basement water seepage due to snowmelt is a common occurrence that can cause structural damage, mold growths, and more. And while it is possible to repair the damages yourself, we recommend hiring a professional restoration company to handle the repairs. 

With years of experience in water damage remediation, mitigation, and restoration, HRS Restoration Services is the go-to restoration company in Denver, CO. Our service team is ready to respond 24/7, 7 days a week, so give us a call if you need immediate assistance. 

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How To Cleanup Sewage Backup In Basement

A sewage backup poses a threat to your health and safety, which is why you must act quickly once the leak is discovered. 

While sewage spills can be treated yourself, removing the debris and sludge left on the surface and underneath your flooring may be difficult, not to mention highly dangerous

In this case, it’s better to get the assistance of a professional sewage cleanup company, like HRS Restoration Services. 

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Keeping Your Basement Floor Drain From Backing Up

Maintaining your basement drain is one of the best ways of keeping it from backing up. However, even with the proper preventive measures, there are still cases in which a drain can back up and for major water damage to occur. 

When your basement floor drain does back up, it’s important to seek the assistance of a professional water damage restoration company, like HRS Restoration Services. 

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Stopping Water From Seeping Through Basement Walls

Water can seep through basement walls due to poorly mixed concrete, soil type, and more. Regardless of the reason, it’s essential to act quickly: the longer water remains inside, the more significant the damages will be. 

To prevent significant water damage and to restore your property to its pre-incident state, we recommend contacting a professional restoration company like HRS Restoration Services. 

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What Causes Water Flooding In A Basement?

A basement can flood for several reasons, including heavy rains, improper plumbing or drainage installation, a lack of maintenance, and more. 

If your basement does flood, you must act quickly to prevent mold growths, structural and electrical damages, biohazards, and more. 

In the event of a flood, a licensed water damage restoration company like HRS Restoration Services can ensure that your property is returned to its pre-incident state.  

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How To Fix Basement Water Damage

The first step towards fixing the water damage is to identify the source of the water intrusion. This includes checking for drain backups, leaks or cracks in your basement walls, etc. And the faster this is done, the less damage your basement will accumulate. 

Once the source of the water is removed, the next step is to hire a water damage restoration company, like HRS Restoration Services, that’s trained and certified in water removal/extraction, water damage mitigation, and water damage restoration. 

At HRS Restoration Services, we have all the tools, skills, and expertise to handle the entire process and return your property to its pre-incident state. 

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Do Frozen Pipes Always Burst?

When frozen pipes burst, it’s not the ice in the pipes that causes them to burst. Instead, frozen pipes burst due to a buildup of air pressure inside the pipes. Furthermore, if the pipe is unsecured or already in a weakened state due to tree root overgrowth, it can be even more prone to bursting or developing a leak when the temperature drops. 

In the event of a burst pipe, it’s important to act quickly! Water damage accumulates faster than you might think, and a professional water damage restoration company, like HRS Restoration Services, can not only remove standing water but also repair and restore your belongings to their pre-incident state. 

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How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

The best way to stop a frozen pipe from bursting is to prevent it from freezing in the first place. 

However, without preventative measures, prolonged exposure to cold temperatures will increase the likelihood of a pipe in your home bursting. In this case, a professional water damage restoration company like HRS Restoration Services can clean up the water and restore your property to its original state. 

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What Causes Water Pipes To Burst? 

There are a variety of reasons why water pipes burst, including sub-freezing temperatures, pesky tree roots, corrosion, and more.

If a pipe in your house does burst, it’s important to take immediate action, as prolonged exposure to water can lead to mildew and mold growth and can even cause structural damage to your home. 

In the event of a major water leak, consider calling a professional water damage restoration company like HRS Restoration Services. 

Our team of certified contractors can not only extract the standing water in your home but also repair and restore your home to its pre-incident state. 

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Can Sewer Gas Make You Sick?

Sewer gases commonly form as a result of household and industrial waste breaking down. During this process, various toxic and non-toxic chemicals are released into the air. 

If you’re exposed to these chemicals for an extended period, you can become seriously ill and may even need to go to the hospital. 

If you suspect you have a sewer leak in your home, you should call a professional restoration team like HRS. Whatever sewer gas problem you have, we’re available 24/7!

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How Long Does It Take For A Pipe To Unfreeze

By the time your pipes have frozen, you have a dire situation. “How long does it take for pipes to unfreeze?” might feel like anyone’s guess. You can choose to wait and hope for rising temperatures to solve the issue or you can take steps to speed up the process. 

If a frozen pipe is underground but still within your home, like a shower drain, you may be able to successfully unfreeze it with running warm water and a lot of persistence. However, if the frozen pipe is leading into or away from your home, such as a water line, you may be faced with an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive task. 

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How To Unfreeze Water Pipes

As soon as you know that your pipes are frozen, the first thing you will need to do is open the faucet, just slightly to release any built-up pressure. Next, you will want to begin close to the faucet and use hot towels, a hairdryer, a portable space heater, or a heat lamp to get the water flowing again. 

Accessing frozen pipes under your home or that are enclosed behind walls is especially difficult if you don’t have the experience and the tools. To avoid unnecessarily damaging your walls and floors and risking a burst pipe, contact a professional restoration company like HRS. 

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Signs Of Collapsed Sewer Line

Signs of a collapsed sewer line may include frequent clogs in multiple household drains. If you detect the smell of sewage in your house, that is another sign that you may have a collapsed sewer line. 

If your sewer line breaks you may be tempted to start digging a trench to get closer to the issue. But unless you are experienced with plumbing and sewer line reconstruction, we suggest you call a professional disaster restoration company like HRS Restoration Services. 

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Sewage Leak Under House

Sewage cleanup under a house is unpleasant but can also be hazardous to your health. Sewage contains bacteria that may cause illness or disease. If you fail to wear the proper protective equipment or seal off other areas, you may spread the bacteria to other areas of your home. 

Indeed, sewage cleanup is a risky task best left to professionals. The health risks and risk of further contaminating your home are dire enough to warrant delegation to a team of trained professionals with experience, tools, and the repair skills this kind of situation requires.

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How To Stop Roof Leaks In Heavy Rain

If you have a leaky roof or ceiling, there are a few things you can do in the meantime. If you live in an area where precipitation is common and your roof is leaking, you can place a tarp on top of your roof. 

If the leak is in your home’s plumbing, find the main water valve shut-off valve to stop the flow of water. Make sure to collect as much water as you can with buckets and mop up the excess.

HRS Restoration Services is your go-to when your roof leaks in heavy rain or when your plumbing goes kaput. 

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How To Clean A Hoarder’s House

There are many potential dangers of cleaning a hoarder’s home. You may experience mold exposure symptoms and associated health risks, human and animal waste, live animals and insects, rotting food, and stress related to dealing with such an overwhelming task. 

HRS Restoration Services has nearly two decades of experience and understands how to clean up a hoarding situation and repair the structure. We know how to address the emotional aspects of hoarding and undertake the process in a respectful but efficient way. 

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Who Cleans Up A Crime Scene

There are many reasons to hire professional crime scene cleanup companies. Crime scenes, regardless of whether you have ties to the crime, are emotionally charged so this responsibility is best handled by a third party.

However, if your home or business is at the scene of a crime, we’re here to make sure the cleanup process is done properly. Since crime scenes may contain blood, bodily fluids, or infectious biohazards like Hepatitis B & C and HIV, it is important to hire a professional with the experience and equipment to ensure their removal. 

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How To Get Rid Of House Odors

There are many causes for household odors. From rotting food, trash, cigarette or cigar smoke, or pet-related odors, it’s hard to tell where one bad smell ends and another begins. Either way, you need a house deodorizer and we’re here to help!

Bad odors linger in porous surfaces like carpet and paint. The extent to which they persist has to do with how volatile the chemical compounds are that make up the odor. 

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How to Get Rid Of Brown Water Stains On Walls

Watermarks on walls are not just unsightly, they are the physical evidence of water damage. The first thing you need to do when you notice a water stain is to find the source of the water damage. If the damage came from a weather event, you may only need to patch up the area, apply primer, and repaint. 

But if you can’t identify the source of where the water came from, and you’re not a plumber, it may be time to call in a team of water damage professionals to learn what causes water stains on walls and how to get rid of water stains on walls. 

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How To Fix Ceiling Water Stains

Following a leak or water damage, watermarks on your ceiling will likely appear. Even if the water spots on the ceiling are no longer wet, you still need to determine the source of the leak. 

The best places to start looking are the roof, the upstairs radiator, or an upstairs bathroom. Unless you are a roofer or plumber, you may want to enlist the help of the professional water damage restoration team at HRS Restoration Services. 

As water mitigation and restoration professionals in Colorado, HRS Restoration Services handles whatever life throws at you–from detection, repairs, replacement, and cleanup. 

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What Is Water Damage Restoration

HRS Restoration Services provides a complete water damage restoration solution.

Beginning with water damage assessment, we handle water removal and water damage mitigation for affected items and surfaces. From beginning to end, our team of IICRC trained professionals provides superior customer service and attention to detail. 

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Signs Of Water Damage

Water damage can wreak havoc on your home or office, and it is not always as obvious as your ceiling dripping. Water damage can appear on your walls and ceilings as a dark, wet spot and look like flaky or cracking drywall. 

If you’re in Colorado, and not a plumber and a mold remediation specialist, we recommend calling HRS Restoration Services. We’re a full-service disaster restoration company with trained and certified employees to handle any disaster life or nature throws at you. 

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What Is Black Mold & Is It Dangerous?

You may have heard the terms “deadly black mold” or “toxic black mold” but the naming is more sinister than the reality. The association stems from a CDC study in 1995 suggesting a link between black mold and a deadly condition called Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage (AIPH). 

However, the CDC retracted this particular finding two years later in a follow-up study. Nevertheless, if someone is exposed to a large amount of black mold over time and they are particularly susceptible, it may be lethal. 

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Black Mold Exposure & Toxicity Symptoms

There are health risks associated with exposure to black mold, and knowing what to look for can help you avoid the worst of them.

For some people, exposure to black mold can lead to health issues like coughing, coughs, wheezing, burning eyes, itchy skin, and even more serious illnesses.

The most sensitive to exposure can suffer long-term health problems including psychiatric issues, joint pain, chronic asthma, and migraines.

Because of the potential for health issues, it is important to remove black mold as soon as you become aware that it is growing in your home. 

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Mildew Vs. Mold: What’s The Difference?

You usually hear the terms mold and mildew together when trying to identify mold vs mildew as though they are the same thing. It is more accurate to wonder if mildew is mold and describe mildew as a type of mold. 

While both are fungi that thrive in wet conditions, they differ markedly in appearance and in how they spread. Both mold and mildew can cause harmful health effects, especially to young children, older adults, and those with existing respiratory illnesses. 

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Toxic Mold Vs. Black Mold

Mold can become toxic or especially dangerous when exposure leads to severe asthma attacks, or the person has severe underlying health conditions. As such, all molds can potentially be toxic if the exposed individual has a mold sensitivity, regardless of the mold’s color.

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How To Get Rid Of Black Mold

When removing black mold, it’s important to be extra careful and to wear protective gear, especially if are allergic to mold. To remove black mold, you must first identify the source of the moisture. Then, like any other kind of mold, you’ll need to clean the affected surfaces with a cleaner like vinegar or baking soda. However, if your home or business has suffered a major water leak, your best bet is to call a professional mold restoration company like HRS.

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How To Get Of Mold Smell

If you have ever had a flood or water main break in your basement, you’ve certainly encountered the strong, musty, earthy smell of mold.  So once you smell it, how to get rid of mold smell in a house?

Read our Blog on how to get rid of the smell of mold here.

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How To Get Rid Of Mold On Walls

If you have visible water stains on your wall, there is likely mold behind and inside the drywall. 

Water stains are yellow or brown in color and may sometimes be damp to the touch. Another sign of mold on walls is when the paint is discolored in a particular spot. 

Mold is strong enough to compromise the structure of your walls and they may look and feel warped and contain indentations or bulges. 

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How To Get Rid Of Mold

In many cases, removing mold is as simple as cleaning the affected surfaces with natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, and tea tree oil. However,  if your house suffers a major water leak, your best bet is to call a professional mold restoration company like HRS.

The certified mold inspects at HRS can not only identify the exact cause of your mold infestation but also restore all affected surfaces to their pre-damaged state.

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What Is A Mold Inspection?

When you discover mold has infected your home or property after a water intrusion, it is vital that you contact a professional mold inspector to complete an investigation and determine where the mold is growing, where water is invading your space, how big the infestation is, and how much damage has been done.

A mold inspector does the initial review of a mold infestation. A mold inspection works to determine exactly where moisture is happening that allows mold to thrive.

Using professional tools such as thermal cameras and moisture meters, the certified mold inspectors at HRS can identify the exact cause of a mold infestation, and determine the damage that it has caused.

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Signs Of Black Mold

Early signs of black mold include wallpaper that’s peeling, an air conditioning or heating unit that smells weird, dark grout between tiles, warping drywall, and more.

At HRS, our removal professionals can identify the cause and clean the mold to ensure the health and safety of your loved ones.

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What Does Mold Look Like?

Mold is identifiable most often via the wet, musty smell that the spores emit. It can vary in color and texture, but most often appears as a spread of fungus.

To avoid the worst of the consequences of mold exposure, it is best to contact professional mold restoration and mitigation services like those offered at HRS in Denver. 

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What Does Black Mold Look Like?

Black mold can look like a greenish-black mold. When wet, the mold looks greenish-black and slimy, but can also look black and soot-like.

If there is water damage to drywall, wood materials, carpet, or wallpaper, there is a high probability that mold and even toxic black mold is present. 

Identifying black mold or the type of mold that is growing in your home, where it is hiding, and working to mitigate and restore the damage that it causes is vital to protecting the health of those who live and work in your home.

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Is Black Mold Dangerous?

Black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, is a term used for one of the types of mold that can grow in a home after a water intrusion. 

It is typically black or dark grey in color and smells wet and musty. It is usually found growing in areas of a home with a lot of moisture, darkness, and humidity. 

Those who live or work in a home that has been affected by black mold also might notice a burning or scratching sensation in their throat or lungs. 

Contact us as soon as mold is discovered, and our team will get started right away on working to ensure that any damage to your property or health will be limited to as little as possible.

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Does Mold Spread?

Does mold travel through the air? The answer is yes, it does. In fact, mold, like most other fungi, can spread through not only air but in water and on people and animals.

According to a report from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration), “Mold growths, or colonies, can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. They reproduce by spores – tiny, lightweight “seeds”- that travel through the air.”

Reaching out to the certified professional mold removal, remediation, and restoration team at HRS in Denver helps you stop mold from growing and decrease the chance that those who live and work in your infected space will suffer long term health issues.

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How Fast Does Mold Grow?

After a water breach, mold can grow in just 24 hours after spores attach to a moisture source. Once this happens, the spores begin to spread and create a colony. Colonies can expand as much as one square inch per day, covering a square foot in a short time.

Contacting a professional mold remediation service, like HRS in Denver, can help you remove and clean mold quickly. This is essential to protecting the health and safety of those on your property.

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What Is Mold Remediation?

Mold remediation is the process by which mold is identified, tested, dried, cleaned and the surfaces where it spread are disinfected.

Mold remediation professionals, like the team of certified technicians at HRS, follow strict guidelines and procedures that ensure that all mold in an area is found and steps are taken to ensure that mold will not return after remediation.

The extent of the remediation may vary based on the results of the inspection conducted by certified technicians, but stopping the growth and removing the remaining colonies is essential to protecting the health and safety of those who live and work in your space.

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What Is Mold?

Mold is a naturally occurring fungus that thrives in moist or damp conditions. It produces spores that come into a space via air or another transfer. The spores attach to moist or wet items and begin to grow.

It can occur indoors and outdoors and enter your home through open doors and heating and air conditioning vents. It can even be carried into your space by pets, on clothes and shoes.

Mold thrives in wet or damp conditions, making a property that has a leak, recent water damage, or flooding, especially at risk for mold growth.

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Mold Exposure & Toxicity Symptoms

Water damage in your home can not only leave you with structural damage and lost personal items, but you may also begin to experience symptoms of mold sickness.

Mold can cause upper respiratory issues, sneezing, stuffy nose, irritated eyes, dry skin, and in more extreme cases, bleeding lungs. These issues can abate after a few days away from mold exposure for some, but others may suffer long-term health issues for weeks or months.

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How Long Does It Take To Dry Out Water Damage?

Drying your house after a flood or other major water damage event is essential for avoiding mold. But how long does it take to dry out water damage? The short answer is that it depends. 

Drying out a home after water damage depends on several factors including the extent of the water intrusion, the size of the area affected, and the equipment used to help the drying process.

As certified water mitigation and remediation specialists in Denver, HRS technicians are professionals at speeding the drying process. This leaves your property healthier and cleaner than when moisture is allowed to remain after a water intrusion.

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What Is Water Mitigation?

Water mitigation is the process by which we remove any standing water or moisture that remains in your space. Water restoration, on the other hand, happens as soon as the drying process is complete and we are able to return your property to its pre-damage condition. 

The powerful combination of our certified, highly-trained mitigation team and experienced restoration professionals leaves you feeling relieved and able to return to normal use of your property when the mitigation and restoration process is complete.

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Always Available

Anytime of day, any day of the year, HRS is here to fix what may seem overwhelming and intimidating. Our professionals in Denver are here to help 24/7.

what is iicrc and Why is it important?

IICRC stands for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Formed nearly 40 years ago, it is a non-profit organization that establishes globally recognized standards for the cleaning and restoration industry, as well as providing certifications, journeyman and master designation, and education.

By choosing a firm with IICRC certified team members, you are assured the cleaning professionals have undergone rigorous training and will handle your disaster restoration with the highest standard of care.

Approach

Helping Our Customers Immediately.

Figuring out what steps to take when disaster strikes can be a daunting task. HRS is here 24/7 to walk you through the process and bring your home or business back to habitable condition(s).

Taking care of emergencies so you don’t have to.

At HRS, we understand the panic that can set in when your basement floods or a fire breaks out at your business. We are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to repair damage and give you peace of mind.

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Investigate

Clean

Repair