How to Prevent—or Handle—Frozen Water Pipes for Your Omaha Home

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Winter might be harsh outdoors, but when frozen water pipes burst, the real emergency conditions are, ever so suddenly, indoors. Whether you’re thinking ahead to protect yourself from this bad scenario—or you’re thinking on your toes in an actual pipe-burst situation—you can use the following helpful tips from Omaha home restoration experts to ensure that you act smart. Choose your scenario below.

Prevention Tips:

1. Insulate your water pipes.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not expanding ice from within a pipe that makes it burst; it’s the remaining liquid water finding nowhere else to go but out. Wherever your pipes are warm to the touch, insulation is likely needed. Insulating your pipes not only serves as a preventative measure for pipe bursts, but also reduces the cost you pay for hot water. Ask a local hardware store for pipe insulation that you can install yourself—quickly and painlessly. You can also receive federal tax credits in the process.

2. Seal those seams.

To keep cold wind away from your pipes, seal cracks and holes in your walls with caulking. Simply walk along the walls of your house and feel for drafts. And for fainter drafts, light an incense stick. When the smoke is offset, there’s a draft. 

3. Some doors are best left open.

Did you know? Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm inside air from reaching pipes under sinks or in adjacent outside walls. It’s a good idea to keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to let warm air circulate around the pipes to prevent freezing.

4. Don’t hesitate to use your taps.

As long as water is running and pressure doesn’t build up, there’s a far lower risk of freeze and pipes bursting. Also, it’s okay to let faucets lightly drip where you believe there could be risk of cold pipes. The slight relief in pressure prevents potential buildup within your pipes.

5. Leaving for a trip? Don’t over-lower the heat.

While understandably it saves money to lower your thermostat when you’re away from home, it’s important to not be overzealous and allow your home to cool excessively in your absence. A home kept reasonably warm will ensure pipes share the same cozy condition.

Emergency Tips:

In the event of a frozen or broken pipe, it’s best to call a certified professional and Omaha home restoration expert immediately. In the meantime, locate the main water shut-off valve in your home. Depending on where you live and your house type, your shut-off valve may be in a utility room (or on an outside wall in a utility area of the house), crawl space, basement or at the meter. Twist it completely clockwise to interrupt the flow of water.

While a pipe burst requires immediate assistance, you can also call a professional any time of year for additional precautionary tips on how to prevent this worst-case scenario. And for the best repair and restoration in the instance of water damage and other incidents, contact a certified, award-winning construction contractor serving homes and businesses since 1987.

402.572.7457 | mytotalconstruction.com

Maintenance is a must for your Omaha roof

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With the potential for hail storms to roll through greater Omaha, your roof is in constant danger of bombardment. Thinking that your roof suffered damage in a storm and calling for an inspection isn’t always enough to warrant an insurance claim. Many insurance companies look at a variety of factors when determining if insurance will cover damage.

1. How wide spread was the hail damage?

Damage to a singular roof in your Omaha neighborhood or area might raise a red flag for insurance companies. If a number of residents from a particular area all file claims, insurance companies are more likely to approve the claim for your property. It is important to speak with neighbors in your vicinity, if you think you have any hail damage to your Omaha roofing.

2. Negligence is cause for denial.

Just about all insurance policies imply that it is the homeowners responsibility to provide routine maintenance. If your Omaha roofing was in need of repair prior to a storm, an insurance company can deny your claim based on the lack of care. Often times insurance companies do not want to pay for the cost of an entire new roof, so showing that you provide routine maintenance (fixing leaks, address damage as it occurs) can increase your standing with your insurance company.

3. Have a certified 3rd party look at your roof!

At Total Construction Services, we have HAAG certified inspectors who are trained to examine and estimate the amount of damage and the work required to fix your Omaha roofing. We work directly with insurance adjusters, providing inspection services and estimates upon request of insurance providers.

402.572.7457 | mytotalconstruction.com

Ice Damming Causes Roof Damage in Omaha

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After the latest bombardment of snow storms, many households throughout the Omaha area had to deal with ice damming. Those nasty icicles, and the inches of snow that create them, can seriously challenge your roofing installation. After the snow melts, it is important to inspect your Omaha roof for damage.

Often times, these storms shed light on poorly installed skylights. After the melt, check the skylights for signs of leaking. Improper insulation, bad installation, as well as other factors, play a role in leaking and should be addressed immediately.

It is also important to inspect your roofing for warping. Warping indicates that the wood underneath the shingles may be compromised, creating a serious issue. Peeling, or bubbling, shingles are another sign that your roofing need attention.

If you think your roof has some damage, call your insurance provider to have the roof inspected. Total Construction Services in Omaha can inspect your roof as well. Our HAAG certified inspectors are a trusted source for insurance agents. We can diagnosis damage and provide a course of action to help protect your home.

Call us today 402.572.7457. | www.mytotalconstruction.com

The surprise storms that shook eastern Nebraska—and the aftermath

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It caused millions of dollars in damage. It leveled nearly half a town’s homes and businesses—including a whole school and a church—and caused grief and suffering for many Nebraskans. It even led federal warning coordination meteorologist, Greg Carbin, to coin the phrase “Nebraska Nasty”.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, the June weather of 2014—with its wildly destructive hailstorms and tornadoes—placed our state on the list of the nation’s most remarkable weather of 2014. It’s a distinction that is as tragic as it is unexaggerated. After all, four EF4 tornadoes occurred in Nebraska in one day. Much of the town of Pilger, NE, was leveled by tornadoes, while other towns, such as Blair, were pummeled by softball-sized hailstones being hurled by winds up to 90 mph.

It’s a disaster still being felt by many nearly eight months later.

But thankfully, progress is returning. A growing number of Pilger’s 73 homes that were destroyed are now being rebuilt, and Blair’s once 550 building permits have skyrocketed to nearly 5,000.

For towns like Pilger and Blair, top-level contractors are more necessary than ever. And that’s why Total Construction is once again on the scene, working closely with insurance companies and homeowners alike to provide solutions and the peace of mind that comes from experience.

When storms hit, we act.

Total Construction Services carries a strong history of expert repair amidst the worst storm damages suffered by Nebraska homeowners. Just as we’ve been widely present in the wake of last year’s terrible streak of storms, we’re also equipped for whatever 2015 can deliver—and ready to combat the Midwest’s unruly storms with decades of hardened Nebraska experience.

We know construction—and insurance.

With an In-House Insurance Claims Center, Total Construction works with adjustors from several insurance companies year-round. We can expertly address every need and concern—down to the slightest detail—with a strong local knowledge of the best materials and best practices to do repairs right the first time. Our job is to make the process seamless between adjustor and homeowner, leaving both parties satisfied.

Nobody wants disaster to strike. But when it does, we’re here to help with our comprehensive approach to service that has twice earned us the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award. We can help you restore the calm after the storm.

402.572.7457 | mytotalconstruction.com