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Water Damage Restoration

Polar Plunge: Busted Pipes Create Flooded Mess for Kentucky Homeowner

The polar vortex wreaked havoc on a Kentucky homeowner in this case study.

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February 28, 2014

The polar vortex brought dangerously cold temperatures, large amounts of snowfall and lots of frozen and broken pipes, especially in unsuspecting areas of the country.

Valarie King’s home in Lexington, KY was no exception. When the polar vortex wreaked its havoc on her area of the country, the pipes in her bathroom busted, resulting in massive home flooding and thousands of dollars worth of damage.

“We had ceilings on two levels of our home that were leaking,” King said. “There was flooding on the first floor and basement due to multiple broken pipes in the upstairs bathroom.”

With the large call volume that most restoration companies in the area were experiencing, King was having a difficult time getting ahold of someone to inspect and restore her home. She called a local restoration business first, who said they were sending out a technician. He never showed. She contacted other businesses in her area as well, but was told it would be at least a week before her home could be serviced. Finally, Rainbow International of Lexington came to King’s rescue, as it was adequately equipped to handle the increased workload the polar vortex had brought.

The crew extracted water from the basement and removed damaged carpet and unsalvageable furniture from the home. Even the home’s hardwood floors were damaged and had to be removed.

All in all, the project took seven days to complete. It started with removal of drywall, insulation and flooring. Three days into the job, 14 air movers were installed, as were two dehumidifiers.

 “The total dry out was only three days due to the fact that we did not have to compete with the carpet and pad for moisture removal,” says Mike Cossette, of Rainbow International of Lexington. “This dry out was a cut and dry job.” 

KEYWORDS: case study frozen/burst pipes Rainbow International weather events

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