SERVPRO is Devoted to Our Augusta Community.

11/3/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Dedicated to Helping Augusta Residents Overcome Natural Disasters and Flooding by Providing Expertise, Guidance, and Flood Water Extraction Equipment.

Augusta is home to over 70,390 households and 24,000 families. While people from all over gather together every spring for the world-famous Golf Tournament, The Masters, winter can often be much harder for our residents. Every year sub-zero conditions can contribute to property damages by freezing pipes as well as winter storms. Residents need to stay ahead of incoming natural disasters by tuning in to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio and preparing appropriately for a potential storm or flood warning. 

SERVPRO is well-prepared for an incoming flood this winter by ensuring our technicians stay up-to-date with modern protocols and rely on our experience from last summer when Thunderstorms in August caused significant damage to Grovetown residents and power outages on Katherine and Dorn streets. Nevertheless, there are several things to look forward to in Columbia County this year, with many events continuing by adapting to the new safe social distancing measures, including:

• The annual Columbia County Fair takes place on Thursday the 22nd of October and runs until Sunday the 1st of November. Every year we gather together to celebrate and preserve the heritage of Columbia County and eat delicious local-farmed produce.
• As the spooky season begins, Harlem residents are encouraged to join in the 2020 Halloween Golf Cart Parade. The parade starts at 10 am on the 24th of October, and there is still time to enter your own decorated parade cart. 
• Georgia has a rich history as a rural farming community. There's no better way to celebrate our heritage than by taking a trip to The Maize at Steeds Dairy. Recently adapted to allow for social distancing, this historic dairy farm is open to visitors from the 25th of October to the 14th of December. 

The impact of Flash Flooding on Augusta Residents

As recently as September, Augusta University Health's sciences campus suffered some of the worst flash flooding impacts in recent memory. Heavy rainfall, rising water levels of the Savannah River, and an unfortunate connection between a storm drain and sewer pipes led to maintenance holes overflowing with blackwater. Blackwater damages can be especially harmful to health carrying raw sewage among other human pathogens. There were significant amounts of damaged property to dispose of and water pumping or extraction. 

Contamination in water supplies that burst or overflow can be among the most challenging for restoration companies. These waters can absorb into household materials, exterior soil walls, and cause physical damage to properties. To repair properties with this type of damage requires the demolition and removal of large amounts of a building assembly. Safe disposal, water extraction, and thorough decontamination are also necessary to return a home to its preloss condition in these instances. If your property suffers from localized flash flooding, it is vital to reach out to a professional restoration service to restrict damages and mitigate further losses. 

What are floodplains, and how do they affect Augusta residents?

• Flood plains are areas that run alongside the Savannah River, which can have a maximum depth of forty-two feet at peak times of the season. However, the Savannah River is known as a tidal river, which means it can be influenced by tornadoes or rising sea levels. These natural events can lead to saltwater intrusion when large amounts of seawater enter groundwater aquifers. Some residents directly experience water pushing up through crawl spaces, flooding lower rooms, and causing extensive damage to their personal property. 
• When rising water levels reach above banks, they can begin to overflow into the flood plain below. These are a common cause of flash flooding, which accounts for up to 12% of homes in North Augusta and Augusta. You can contact the local government to receive ordinance maps that explain whether your property is situated in flood risk zones. Unfortunately, these areas can affect insurance premiums and cause periodic damage due to tropical storms in the summer, such as Hurricane Sandy, as well as flash flooding, which usually occurs in the fall and through winter. 
• County Columbia residents living in a high-risk flood plain may be able to participate in the county's flood buyout program. This initiative has been in place for the past twenty-years. It provides residents with the opportunity to sell a regularly flooded property back to the Augusta Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. Properties that the council acquires are demolished and converted into green spaces that allow for the natural flow of water through floodplains without causing harm or inconvenience to residents. Unfortunately, residents outside of a flood zone can still be affected by storm-related flooding and should keep hold of a local restoration company just in case. 

Can SERVPRO Help Augusta Residents with Flood Water Extraction after a Natural Disaster?

In the immediate aftermath of weather or flood-related event, it can be tough figuring out whom to turn to for help. SERVPRO uses expertly trained and nationally qualified water restoration technicians to help homeowners overcome all water damage categories in your property. We can aid you by mobilizing essential mitigation equipment and arriving on-site within just four hours of a loss notification. Throughout the restoration program, an experienced and compassionate crew chief can answer any questions you may have about your property's potential damages or special services you may need. 

Our services can help you:

• Secure your property against looting, water intrusion, or unlawful entry by performing emergency board-ups to areas of damage and entrance ways
• Inventory your belongings in a digital form and transport them from your home to a safe, dry, and secure storage facility while we perform the necessary work to restore them.
• Enlist the assistance of vital subcontractors to work on your home structure while we perform mitigation, cleanup, and restoration of the property. 

Flooding can be a devastating reality for many residents of Augusta. Our leading flood water extraction services can help your home recover quickly from a natural disaster. Contact SERVPRO of Columbia County at (706) 868-5441.