Champion vs. Old Man Winter

In January of this year Old Man Winter hit Georgians pretty hard. Temperatures in our area dipped down into the teens at night and barely got above freezing during the day on a couple occasions. Champion has learned from past experiences to be prepared for an influx of jobs from pipes freezing, thawing out, rupturing and then causing minimal to sever water damage to a home. Pipes can freeze in the wall or in the attic if not properly insulated.

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How to Prevent Water Damage

In 2007, 22% of all homeowner’s insurance losses in the United States were caused by water damage.  Just a few steps could help you prevent a water damage from happening.

1. Know where your water shutoff valve is located.  Be sure that the entire family knows how to shut off household water supplies in the event of a sudden pipe or hose break.


2. Let faucets drip during extremely cold weather. This keeps the water moving and helps to reduce the chance of freezing.


3. Never leave the house with appliances, such as dishwashers, washers or dyers, still operating.


4. Turn off the water while you’re out of town. Many homeowners have returned from vacation to find their washer hoses have burst and flooded their homes.


5. Inspect your plumbing every year. You should inspect your water pipes and fittings annually. This is a simple check that takes only a few minutes but could prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.


6. Inspect your water heater, washer, dishwasher, sinks, toilets and refrigerator ice maker for evidence of water leaks and repair immediately.


7. Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom while the shower is on. This helps to remove steam from the room.


8. Check your hoses and replace them if they indicate wear.  Consider replacing hoses to your washer and dishwasher every two to five years.


9. Repair window and door cracks with caulk. This helps to prevent water from seeping into the house from outside.


10. Clean out gutters and down spouts regularly. This helps prevent overflowing, which may damage your roof.

Champion Saves the Day for a Local Restaurant

Recently, a local franchise restaraunt/bakery experienced a burst pipe inside a wall.  The loss was estimated to have occurred sometime after 11 p.m. after everyone had left for the day.  The bakers arrived at 5 a.m. the following morning to discover the loss.  The bakers were at a loss as to what to do until a Champion Marketing Representative called to check on an order she was scheduled  to pick up later that morning.  They explained to her that her order would not be ready because they had water damage in their facility. 

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Prepare for Tornado Season

Tornado season is right around the corner and every family should take the time to prepare for it.  In Georgia, the average number of days with reported tornadoes is 6.  Most tornadoes in Georgia occur from March to May but they have been reported throughout the year. Tornadoes usually occur mid-afternoon to early evening time frame, but can occur any time of the day or night. Thirty-seven percent of all tornadoes are classified as strong or violent and these tornadoes are most likely to occur in April. In Georgia, tornadoes are often hard to see as they are surrounded in areas of rain and hail. The hilly terrain can also limit ability to see a tornado.  Therefore, it is very important that you educate yourself and your family about tornadoes and also have a plan of action in place before bad weather develops.  Some very helpful websites I came across are listed below.

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A Good Time Was Had by All...

Today we hosted a continuing education course for insurance agents and adjusters about wood floor drying.  We enjoyed having those ladies and gentlemen with us (as always) and it seemed that they had a good time, too.  Lunch from Cafe Pig was a real treat.  We're already looking forward to the next one, March 17, about Ethics. 

Today was an especially exciting day for us because the speaker was one of our very own, Jeremy Reets.  He shared a lot of valuable information about how the innovative Thermal Energy System (TES) he developed himself can be used (among other things) to save hardwood floors that would previously have been unsalvageable.  This saves time and money, is environmentally friendly, and spares homeowners a lot of stress and grief. 

Speaking isn't a new thing to Jeremy:  Every six weeks or so restorers from all over the US and beyond come to our facility for TES training.  We have a very unique "flood house" on site-- an actual house that gets flooded and dried over and over again.  One of the highlights of today's course was that the agents and adjusters got to flood the house and then see how TES is used to begin the restoration process.  Jeremy developed TES as part of his never-ending quest to find a better way to do things.  It's something I like to tease him about (I am his wife, after all) but I have to admit it's a pretty remarkable system!

Starri Reets - Event Coordinator

http://www.tesdryingsystem.com/

There’s a New Fire Chief In Town!

Born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, Fire Chief Johnny Teeters brings 38 years of experience to the Coweta County Fire Department. Chief Teeters helped Greensboro improve the city’s ISO fire insurance rating from a seven to a one. We had the opportunity to briefly interview Chief Teeters. Here is what he had to say.

How do you like Newnan?
I think it is great, it is a little more rural than I am used to. It is like going back to a slower time. I have loved every minute here so far.

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