Branch Environmental
  • Mold
  • Asbestos
  • Water Damage
  • Education Center
  • (706) 510-0335
  • SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION
  • Menu Menu

Home of 10,000 Leaks: Why Water Damage Leads To Mold

Mold & Air Quality, Water & Storm Damage
Roof Leak with Mold GrowthBranch Environmental

Come learn the story of one of our real customers. It’s a story we see repeated over and over again. Homeowners have problems with allergies or asthma and wonder if mold is contributing. Water damage quickly leads to mold. Their home had many tiny leaks that lead to multiple mold sources. Come learn more about how, why, and where mold can grow in your home and how to prevent it!

Read more
July 7, 2020/by Emillie Skinner
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/32731c01d2e3ff6b20200706-15600-uxl1yg.jpg 1080 1440 Emillie Skinner https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Emillie Skinner2020-07-07 10:44:522020-07-07 10:57:59Home of 10,000 Leaks: Why Water Damage Leads To Mold

15 Fire Safety Tips for the Holiday

Water & Storm Damage
House Fire

Fire damage to property and injuries can often be avoided, especially around holiday celebrations. Come learn 15 tips to keep your home fire safe!

Read more
June 29, 2020/by Brandon Harper
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/maxresdefault.jpg 720 1280 Brandon Harper https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Brandon Harper2020-06-29 11:30:332020-06-29 12:50:3215 Fire Safety Tips for the Holiday

Top 6 Types of Water Damage and How to Avoid Them

Mold & Air Quality, Water & Storm Damage
Water Damage - Leaking Pipe

Water damage to your home is not something you want. You can’t prevent catastrophic flooding, but you can prevent many types of water damage in your home. Basic home maintenance and prevention can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in costly repairs. Come learn about the top 6 types of water damage, and how basic home maintenance can help you prevent water damage!

Read more
June 25, 2020/by Emillie Skinner
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-damage.jpg 261 433 Emillie Skinner https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Emillie Skinner2020-06-25 10:04:582020-06-25 10:05:56Top 6 Types of Water Damage and How to Avoid Them

How To Navigate an Insurance Claim

Water & Storm Damage
Water Damage Mitigation

If you have damage to your home, navigating an insurance claim can be daunting. We walk you through the process step-by-step. Come learn more!

Read more
May 28, 2020/by Brandon Harper
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/storm.jpg 800 1200 Brandon Harper https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Brandon Harper2020-05-28 11:31:162020-06-04 13:28:21How To Navigate an Insurance Claim

Do You Know How To Shut Your Water Off?

Water & Storm Damage
Water Meter Box

There’s a water leak! Do you know what to do? Does your family know? Knowing how to shut the water off in your home is essential. Come learn how with us!

Read more
May 20, 2020/by Brandon Harper
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/meter.jpg 1024 1820 Brandon Harper https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Brandon Harper2020-05-20 14:48:212020-06-04 13:30:01Do You Know How To Shut Your Water Off?

Top 10 Ways to Prevent Water Damage

Water & Storm Damage
Water Damaged Home

Water damage is a problem no one wants to have. Can you avoid water damage before it happens? Yes, you can! Basic home maintenance can go a long way in preventing water damage and prevent an even bigger problem: mold. Come learn how to prevent water damage and keep your home in top notch condition!

Read more
May 20, 2020/by Emillie Skinner
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-damage-1.jpg 333 500 Emillie Skinner https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Emillie Skinner2020-05-20 12:01:552020-05-20 12:01:55Top 10 Ways to Prevent Water Damage

Branch Environmental Keeping You Safe

Asbestos & Lead, Health, Mold & Air Quality, Water & Storm Damage
Excellent Work -Keeping You SafeImage by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Here at Branch Environmental your health, safety, and well-being are our top priorities. We are experts in environmental safety and air quality, and we treat your home or business like our own. We want to reassure you that you and your family are safe when we come to inspect or to work on site. For this post, we will talk about the details of our inspection process and how we do the work we do.

Read more
April 23, 2020/by Emillie Skinner
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/clipboard-1067035_1920-Image-by-Pete-Linforth-from-Pixabay.jpg 1280 1024 Emillie Skinner https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Emillie Skinner2020-04-23 09:39:142020-04-23 09:39:14Branch Environmental Keeping You Safe

Prepare Your Pipes for Winter

Uncategorized, Water & Storm Damage

It may be slow coming to us the year, but freezing temprature is around the corner and now is the time to get ready. Georgia’s mild winters often keep us from preparing our homes as we should. Cold tempratures can wreck havoc on plumbing, and a burst pipe will quickly rack up costly damages to your home.

Fortunalty, staying ahead of the game is easy. Here are a few simple tips to prepare your pipes for winter.

1. Prepare Your Outside Faucets

Your exterior faucets are directly exposed to the weather and are the most vulnerable pipes you have. Start by disconnecting and draining any garden hoses. Place a Foam Faucet Cover over each spigot to keep them insulated.

2. Insulate Unheated Pipes

Find any pipes that run through unheated areas such as garages, crawlspaces or attics. These will be more prone to freezing and should be insulated with pipe wrap or heat tape.

3. Leave Water Dripping

If you are expecting a particularly cold night and want a little extra peace of mind, leave your faucets running at a trickle. This will keep water moving and prevent freezing.

4. Keep The Heater Maintained

If your heater has not been serviced recently, there is a good chance that it will go out on the coldest night of the year. Get ahead of the game by having the pros service it now. Be sure to change the filter every month. This simple step will keep your pipes safe and keep you warm!

5. Plan For Travel

If you are leaving town for any length of time, take a few simple steps to protect your pipes. First, keep your heat running at 55 degrees or warmer. Next, leave the cabinets open so heat can easily get to the pipes. Finally, shut off your main water supply to the house and turn off your water heater at the breaker. These simple steps could save thousands in water damage repairs.

Finally… Know Who To Call

If the worst happens and you are faced with water damage from a burst pipe, have our number handy. Branch Enviromental is on call 24/7 to handle you emergencies.

November 29, 2017/by Brandon Harper
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Frozen-Pipes-Tacoma.jpg 303 520 Brandon Harper https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Brandon Harper2017-11-29 11:48:082018-02-22 14:17:48Prepare Your Pipes for Winter

6 Tips to Keep Frozen Pipes from Bursting

Uncategorized, Water & Storm Damage
Faucet on frozen pipes

After the far-below-freezing night of January 6th, we received dozens of calls regarding frozen pipes bursting. The pipes freeze, expand, crack, and then flow freely when they thaw. It’s not pretty, and we empathize with our clients in this situation.
It can happen to anyone when it’s that cold — 7°F! — so we want to provide a few tips on how to prevent frozen pipes from bursting, ruining parts of your home, and certainly ruining your day.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes from Bursting

1. Find out where your water shut off valve is.

It’s usually by the street and has a metal cover over the inground box. The valve is inside and can be closed using a crescent wrench or a water shut off tool found at most hardware and home improvement stores for under $10. Turn the valve clockwise, or to the right, to shut off the water. Don’t wait for the emergency—find it in advance. If you’re not sure where it is, call the water department and ask them to show you where it is located.

2. Leave the sink faucet dripping overnight.

You’ve likely heard this one, but it’s a good practice to remember. Unfortunately, if the temperature drops low enough, the water flow won’t always save your pipes. Note: We DON’T recommend this for outdoor faucets. See tip 6 below to learn how to protect outdoor faucets.

3. Make sure you have adequate insulation in the walls.

Most of the frozen lines that we’ve fixed have been in exterior walls, which you can’t easily open to investigate. It may be worth calling an insulation provider to check how protected your water pipes are. Insulation should be on the exterior side of the pipes.

4. Heat pipes from the inside the house.

If you think you have a non-insulated wall and you have access to it on the inside, a space heater in the adjacent room can help keep lines warm and prevent them from freezing.

5. Insulate water wall lines in the attic.

A lot of pipe bursts happen in attics. Do you have exposed, non-insulated water lines in your attic? If you can see them, then the answer is yes. Cold air coming in through soffit vents can freeze your pipes inside the attic. The attic is a really bad place for a leak, because the leak can soak the ceiling below it and cause it to come crashing down. By properly insulating your attic, you protect your pipes and save on energy costs.

6. Cover outdoor faucets.

The best thing to do on the outside of the house is to use outdoor faucet covers. These come in various styles and are constructed of plastic, styrofoam, or even fabric. Don’t wait until the day of the cold-snap, because like milk and bread at the grocery store, faucet covers are one of the first items to sell out when cold weather is on the way.

In that case, wrap your faucets with towels, insulation, and waterproofing material, like a garbage bag or or plastic sheeting. Secure with bungie cords and/or duct tape. Ideally, pick up the store-bought covers next time you’re near a home improvement store. Better early than sorry!

Unfortunately, even with all these precautions if it gets cold enough your pipes can still freeze and burst. If that happens, stay calm and follow our quick guide on what to do if your pipes burst!

January 29, 2014/by Josh Kardos
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/frozen-faucet.jpg 319 296 Josh Kardos https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Josh Kardos2014-01-29 16:37:122018-02-22 14:17:486 Tips to Keep Frozen Pipes from Bursting

Burst Pipes and Flooding: A 6 Step Plan of Action

Uncategorized, Water & Storm Damage
Flooding from burst pipes

After the frozen first week of January, calls about burst pipes started pouring in. Dozens of folks suddenly had a lot of water on their hands, and the below-freezing weather didn’t help.

We don’t usually get this many calls about burst pipes because it usually doesn’t get this cold in the Athens area. But freezing temperatures aren’t the only culprit of unexpected flooding. Dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets can all flood and cause serious damage to your home. What do you do in these situations?

First Steps to Take When Your Home is Flooding

1. Stay calm, find the water shut off valve, and turn it off!

It’s usually by the street and has a metal cover over the inground box. The valve is inside and can be closed using a crescent wrench or a water shut off tool found at most hardware and home improvement stores. Turn the valve clockwise, or to the right, to shut off the water. It is incredibly helpful to know where the water valve is located before the disaster happens. Make it a goal to make sure you know where it is before going to bed tonight. Your local water department is happy to help.

While you’re turning off the valve, have someone call us so we can get there ASAP to help. Add our number into your phone now in case of emergency: (706) 310-0097.

2. Begin containing water in a single area.

Use buckets, towels, and/or a shop vac to keep the water from running all over your home. Essentially, you’re trying to sand bag in an area to prevent further damage.

3. Keep the water away from hardwood floors if at all possible.

Some hardwood floors can be refinished, but some have to be removed and replaced. If you can contain the water in a room with tile or vinyl floors, you’ll be able to avoid an inconvenient remodel.

4. Use whatever you have to get the water out.

Scoop the water up with a dustpan or plastic container and throw it in the sink or out the door. It’s important to remove as much water as fast as you can to mitigate damage.

5. Remove all affected carpet pad.

If the flooding has reached your carpet, pull back the carpet and remove the wet carpet pad. If you don’t, the carpet pad will hold water like a sponge, allowing the water to soak into the subfloor and cause extensive, and expensive, damage.

6. Take pictures and document the damage and work you perform.

Do not forget this important step. If you plan to file an insurance claim, you will likely need documentation of the water damage and any work you performed to mitigate the damage. Pictures showing how far the water traveled are invaluable, as are pictures of wet carpet pads and the burst pipe or plumbing fitting. Some insurance companies will require you to submit the damaged water line or fitting, so make sure to ask your plumber to leave the damaged part with you after he or she performs the repair.

If you do these things right away, you can dramatically reduce the level of flooding damage in your home, but please don’t think “All under control, I’ll call Branch next week.” Mold can start growing in 48 hours! Water behind baseboards and cabinets, wet carpet tack strips and other areas that are hard to reach are a ticking mold time bomb.

Call a professional as soon as possible, or the problem will grow exponentially and become much more expensive to fix. To learn how to prevent burst pipes in the future, check out our 6 ways to keep frozen pipes from bursting.

January 29, 2014/by Josh Kardos
https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/flood-room.jpg 403 612 Josh Kardos https://branchenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Branch_logo.png Josh Kardos2014-01-29 16:31:472018-02-22 14:17:48Burst Pipes and Flooding: A 6 Step Plan of Action

Follow us on Facebook

Categories

Recent Posts

  • mold removal costsMold Removal Costs – Branch Tells You The Truth In 5 minutesJanuary 15, 2021 - 9:14 am
  • mold removal near meMold Removal Near Me, 11 Things To KnowJanuary 6, 2021 - 8:39 pm
  • Black Mold Removal7 Things You Should Know About Black Mold RemovalDecember 30, 2020 - 8:23 am
  • mold removalSpotlight on Mold RemovalDecember 23, 2020 - 9:03 am
  • Happy Holidays!Image by Biljana Jovanovic from PixabayBranch’s Holiday Cleaning Guide – Updated for 2020December 15, 2020 - 10:25 am

Office

72 1/2 Main St
Watkinsville, GA 30677

Contact
(706) 510-0335
info@branchenvironmental.com

Hours
Mo-Fr: 8:00-5:00
On Call 24 x 7

Connect
Facebook
Twitter

Services

Mold Inspections
Mold Remediation
Asbestos Surveys
Asbestos Abatement
Lead & RRP
Fire & Water Damage

About

Home vs Mold Inspection
GA Asbestos Regulations
Education Center
Jobs
Contact Us

What We Do

Because of mold & indoor toxins, people live in homes and work in buildings that make them sick. We find & eliminate those toxins so you can get back to living your best life.

Get In Touch

We’re available by phone weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m, and for emergencies 24×7.

(706) 510-0335

72 N. Main Street
Watkinsville, GA 30677

(706) 510-0335 Schedule an Inspection
Nobody should live in a home or work in a building that makes them sick.
Scroll to top