News

When Homes Attack

The Register-Guard

Exploding washing machine hoses, leaky ice-makers, “protein fires,” clogged dryer hoses, demolished garage doors, flaming drapes, sparking chimneys, leaking toilets and sinking floors.

What do these household mishaps have in common? They’re all very expensive to fix and potentially dangerous. They’re also mostly preventable.

“Most disasters happen because somebody got distracted from what they were doing,” says Michael Jones, owner of Willamette Valley Restoration, a company that deals with all of the above problems and more.

Jones recalls the case of a woman who left a boiling chicken on the stovetop while she went to work causing what’s known in the industry as a “protein fire.” She returned to find a pile of bones, a tar-like gook and a horrendous odor throughout the house.

Jones says the acrid white smoke such as a conflagration causes permeates everything it touches, requiring thousands of dollars in cleanup. Walls need to be repainted and sealed, drapes, clothing and carpets all need to be professionally cleaned.

After more than 20 years in the business, Jones has seen it all, from the woman who drew herself a bath and then went to sleep without turning the water off to the construction crew that flooded all three stories of a newly constructed house with frozen pipes. There are some disasters that he sees repeatedly, such as candle fires, garage door drive throughs and stovetop incidents involving rubber baby bottle nipples.

You might think that most household disasters are due to stupid mistakes, but restoration experts say that only about a third of the messes they mop up are due to boneheaded maneuvers by homeowners. Most are small maintenance issues that grow into big problems.

For example, take the case of the exploding washing machine hose. In this common household calamity, an aging water line explodes, creating a small geyser in your laundry room. If you’re home when it happens, you might be able to limit the damage. But if Murphy’s Law is in effect, you’re on vacation when the line bursts, your laundry room is on the top story of your house and you arrive home from Fiji to find a new water feature in your living room.

One way to avoid such a disaster is to install a shutoff switch for you washing machine, which allows you to quickly turn off the water while not in use. Rubber hoses should be checked regularly and replaced every three to five years. The key to limiting problems throughout the house is maintenance, Jones says.

“My advice to people would be to put together a maintenance checklist and set an appointment with yourself to spend a few hours (inspecting your house),” he says. “Even if it’s just once a year… you’re just trying to make sure everything is up to snuff.”

Todd McDonald, a claim representative for State Farm Insurance in Eugene, says water incidents account for 72 percent of household messes. One of the most common accidents he sees is broken refrigerator supply lines. A kink or leak develops in the thin plastic or copper tube that brings water to your refrigerator. Leaks can go undetected for weeks, severely damaging hardwood floors, subfloors and other areas of your house.

Because homeowner’s insurance generally does not cover repeated leaks and mold from slowly dripping water lines, it’s especially important to inspect your house regularly, McDonald says. But even if insurance does cover the bills, you probably don’t want this happening to you. McDonald points to the case of a Cottage Grove homeowner whose leaky faucet caused $100,000 worth of water damage while on vacation.

“When they returned, the entire house had about an inch of water throughout,” he said.

Other common problems include leaky water heaters.

Emergency Assistance at Royal Avenue blaze

October 28, 2010

WVR provided fire damage restoration and emergency assistance services at house fire on Royal Ave., Eugene, OR.

full article

2nd Annual Lane County Pink Ribbon Tea

Marist Arts - Electrical Fire and Restoration by WVR

"Willamette Valley Restoration was on the scene almost immediately to access the damage and begin the extensive clean up required. They packed up and removed absolutely everything in the theatre, both to make it easier to clean the smoke damage and to expedite the cleaning of the walls and ceilings."