Latest news with #waterdamage
CNET
3 days ago
- Health
- CNET
Wet Phones in Rice Can Be More of a Problem Than Solution
Summer is full of beach vacations and lounging near the pool. But if you drop your phone in some water, it could result in an expensive trip to a phone store. While many smartphones are water-resistant, that doesn't mean they're waterproof so it's still important to dry out your phone. Here are a few ways to get your phone dry after dropping it in water or getting it dirty, and hopefully these tips can help save you from having to buy a new phone. None of these methods are guaranteed to work, however, and while there's a lot of anecdotal evidence, there are very few scientific studies on the subject. The most recent study we could find was from 2014 by Gazelle, a company that buys and sells used and broken phones. According to that study, the make and model of phone were found to influence whether a phone could return to working order, with Android phones typically faring better than iPhones. Phone manufacturers agree that removing your phone from water as quickly as possible helps to minimize how much water comes into contact with your device. That means you have a better chance of saving your phone but don't put your phone in rice after removing it from water because that could damage it. Here's what you should do if you drop your phone in water. If you follow these instructions and your phone won't turn on, or it turns on and has some issues, you should take it to an associated phone shop to see if they can help. What Apple and Samsung recommend The two biggest phone manufacturers have some tips in case you drop your phone in water. Apple says that many iPhones are splash, water and dust resistant when tested in controlled lab environments, but these resistances aren't permanent. If your iPhone gets wet, it might display a warning that there's water in your phone's charging port. If you see this warning, or your iPhone comes into contact with water, lotions, soap or other potentially hazardous material, here's what Apple says to do: 1. After removing your iPhone from the material, turn it off and dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth. 2. Tap your phone gently with the charging port facing down to get excess water out of the port. 3. Place your iPhone in a dry area with good circulation and wait at least five hours. Pointing a fan at your iPhone's charging port might help the process. After five hours, try turning your iPhone back on and plugging it back in. If you're still having issues, you can try the other methods mentioned in this article, or you can take your phone to an Apple store for further assistance. Apple also says don't put your iPhone in rice. "Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone," the company writes online. Drop your smartphone in water? Don't has similar instructions for drying your phone: 1. Remove your phone from the water, turn it off and dry it off with a dry towel or a clean cloth. 2. Place your phone in a well-ventilated area or in the shade with cool air from a fan. Samsung doesn't specify a length of time to wait, though. Samsung says even after you've followed these steps that there might still be water inside your phone so you should bring it to a Samsung Electronics Service Center. Both manufacturers also say if you drop your phone in a liquid other than clean water -- like soda or pool water -- you should quickly rinse your phone using tap water before drying with a towel and then air drying. Apple and Samsung say to never use a heating source, like a blow dryer or oven, to dry off your phone. The heat could damage it. Silica gel beads could help You could also try silica gel. According to Gazelle, silica gel beads are a good option to absorb moisture out of phones. Silica gel beads can be found in those white packs labeled "Do not eat" that many products come packed with. You can save these packs from packages you've received, or buy packs through online stores like Amazon or companies like Dry & Dry. Once you have your silica, here's what to do after dropping your phone in water: 1. Get your phone out of the water and turn it off. 2. Dry the outside of your phone with a lint-free towel. 3. Place your phone in a large container. 4. Fill the container with your silica gel beads and seal the container. 5. Gazelle recommends waiting 72 hours to let your phone dry. 6. Remove your phone from the container and try turning it back on. Other household items might help If you don't have silica gel beads on hand, you could try other household items. Gazelle found couscous and instant rice both work well as drying agents. Follow the steps in the above section, but replace the silica beads with either of these, wait for the same amount of time and then try restarting your device. Gazelle also tested conventional cat litter, oats, chia seeds and uncooked white rice but doesn't recommend these products because they leave behind debris that could damage your phone. For more tips, check out how low-frequency sounds can get rid of water from your phone's speakers, how to get two days out of a single iPhone charge and how to easily manage your Android permissions.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Costco shopper's home ‘underwater' after $3.5k fridge installed – he was forced to move out but store wouldn't help'
A FAMILY says their house was wrecked and left looking like a "construction site" after their new $3,500 Costco refrigerator caused catastrophic water damage. The flooding was so bad that they had to move out days before Christmas, but claim neither Costco nor the installers have taken responsibility. 5 5 The chaos unfolded in Jacksonville, Florida, where Bradley Byrd says a faulty water line installation destroyed his home. The fridge was delivered and installed in December 2024 by a third-party contractor through RXO Last Mile, arranged by Costco. Everything seemed fine at first, until six hours later, when Byrd received a FaceTime call from his daughter. "She facetimes me and says, 'Dad, the house is underwater,'" Byrd told CW local affiliate WJXT. Byrd rushed home to find water actively gushing through the floors and soaking nearly every room in the house. A video he took shows water splashing around his feet as he walked through the flooded house. He said the installers failed to wrap and secure the extra water line properly. "They allowed it to go underneath the refrigerator, and they allowed the refrigerator's wheels to sit on a line, which caused a crack that grew larger and larger," Byrd explained. The flooding ruined carpets, electronics, furniture, musical instruments, and even parts of the house's structure. The damage forced the family to flee and live in an Airbnb, just before Christmas. Homeowners fume as HOA imposes $400 bills after making costly service change - they fear losing water if they protest 'We got the tree up, Christmas presents wrapped. Everything was great. And then all of a sudden, a couple of days later, we had to leave,' Byrd said. Air quality tests later showed dangerous mold levels across most of the first floor. "So far, I have spent about $300,000 on repairs, mitigation, third-party charges for reports and testing, and to get our belongings moved out and into storage," he said. A public adjuster estimated the total damage to be around $700,000. Byrd said the best offer he received from the companies involved was $175,000. "They drop the ball and are hoping that I foot the bill with my life savings for their bottom line," he said. Byrd took a $38,000 payment from Costco to help with temporary living costs, but emphasized that he hasn't agreed to any settlement regarding the damages. Instead, he has been gearing up to take legal action. 'I think that, unfortunately, is the next step,' Byrd said. He created a website to document the costs and raise awareness. According to his site, $360,000 was needed to repair the home, $76,000 to replace personal items, $78,000 for temporary housing, $117,000 for mitigation and storage, and $72,000 for legal help. As of now, the Byrds have returned to a partially habitable home that remains without a fully functional kitchen or bathroom. 5 5 5
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
SafeHorns headquarters flooded by severe storms
The Brief SafeHorns recovering after HQ was flooded by severe storms West Campus building got close to three feet of water inside Monday's flood was the second time SafeHorns has suffered water damage from severe storms AUSTIN, Texas - The nonprofit organization SafeHorns is recovering after its headquarters was flooded by severe storms over the last 24 hours. Their building in West Campus received close to three feet of water inside. What we know SafeHorns moved into the basement of the Congregational Church of Austin in February 2024. Monday's flood marked the second time the organization has suffered from water damage caused by severe storms. "When I got here, I was shocked to see the line on the door of how much water. Over two and a half feet I'm guesstimating, and then once I opened the doors, it was just all throughout," said SafeHorns president Joell McNew. McNew says she spent hours Tuesday morning cleaning up the aftermath. "It's been an all-day event of cleaning it out, airing it out and, and we need the rain, but it's concerning because of the area that we are in in West campus. This is an area where people are using it as a restroom, so there's human waste. We have feces right there and trash and we try to keep up with cleaning it all the time, but it's a daily occurrence. All of that water is going into our creeks and the trash and now that's obviously what I was cleaning up today," she said. She added that there were not many items ruined in the flood, but the water did damage the floor tiles. Dig deeper The Memorial Day weekend marked a decade since the 2015 floods that took the lives of more than a dozen people and damaged hundreds of properties across Central Texas. Ten years later, the city of Austin says there have been capital improvement projects that enhance local drainage systems and infrastructure in flood-prone areas, but McNew says there is still work that needs to be done on the infrastructure in West Campus. "We know that West Campus has serious issues with drainage in the area. It's just really shocking at times because there's so many drains around us. When the city votes on June 5th for the expansion of Uno, which is going to bring a tremendous amount of density, more density to this area, which is already one of the most densely populated in Texas, that we look at the infrastructure," she said. What's next More rain in the forecast is also drawing concern for McNew. "After we leave today, we're going to try to barricade the door and get some plastic up and hope that, you know, we need the rain so badly, but we don't want it in the wrong place. We need to keep it out of our space and our property, and we're going to do the best we can to try barricade the door hoping that it'll prevent more flooding," she said. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Tan Radford.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How to prevent flooding in your home and basement: Expert tips as parts of Canada deal with rainfall warnings, flood alerts
As parts of the country continue to be pelted by heavy rain, strong winds and cold temperatures, many Canadians are on high alert for signs of flooding in their homes and basements. According to a recent Léger poll conducted on behalf of Allstate Canada, 10 per cent of Canadians with basements have experienced basement flooding. As we grapple with wet weather, it's a perfect time to reassess whether you have all the safeguards in place to protect your home from water damage. According to Allstate Canada, the average cost to repair a water-damaged basement has risen nearly 20 per cent over the past five years — approximately $40,000 according to the Government of Canada. Luckily, Jake Allemang, founder and president of Mechanical Flood Protection, which operates in Ontario and Nova Scotia, says there are many steps you can take to protect your home from basement flooding. Below, he shares what you can do to prevent water damage. There are two main causes of flooding that aren't related to plumbing concerns: Overland When water crosses land (often from a river or stream) and enters a home, that's called overland flooding. "It typically happens during major weather events like a hurricane or very bad rainstorm," says Allemang. Groundwater "Groundwater flooding is more sinister than overland flooding because, essentially, the water table rises over time and becomes unable to absorb water," says Allemang. "Then it creates hydrostatic pressure on your basement floor or walls." Issues with plumbing, such as broken or burst pipes, clogged drains or appliance malfunctions, can also cause flooding. In older communities with combined sewer infrastructure, sewer backups can be a problem, too. "If there's a heavy rainstorm, it could overwhelm the system," says Allemang. The result is the contents of the sewer flowing backward into people's homes. Even if you have flood insurance, you won't get back the priceless items or the time and space you lose during repairs. To reduce the chance of water damage in your home there are several steps you can take. Keep your eavestroughs clear: Regularly clean leaves (and ice) out of your eavestroughs so they can effectively collect water from your roof. Purchase downspout extensions: Direct rainwater away from your foundation by adding extensions to your downspout. "It's an easy trick that only costs about $10 for 10 feet," says Allemang. Place water sensors in basement corners: Place sensors in the corners of the basement and near the sewer or water-main entrance. While sensors won't protect you from flooding, they will sound an alarm at the first sign of water, giving you a chance to retrieve important items. Sump pump with a backup power source: Move groundwater away from your home and keep the water table low, even during a power outage. Backwater valve: Prevent sewer backflows with a valve that automatically closes if it senses fluid moving the wrong way. Smart leak detector: Automatically scan your plumbing system each day and, in the case of a leak, cut off the water supply. Turn it back on via an app. Allstate Canada's poll found that many homeowners use their basements to store expensive and priceless items: a fridge or freezer (55 per cent), skis and bikes (41 per cent), photo albums (40 per cent), entertainment equipment (32 per cent) and important financial, legal or tax documents (28 per cent). Even if you've installed flood prevention systems, there are other ways to help protect your items: Keep things elevated by placing them on shelves or hanging them on the wall Store items in plastic bins, not cardboard boxes Move your most important objects or bins upstairs Wet spots are a sign that you could be at risk for flooding. "You'll start noticing moisture spots on the floor, especially where the floor meets the wall," says Allemang. Before too long, you'll want to have a flood prevention or waterproofing company come in to assess your options, whether they involve installing or repairing drainage systems, redirecting water, sealing cracks or re-grading the landscape around your home. In the interim, use a dehumidifier to keep the space dry. Basement flood protection subsidies may be available at the municipal level (like in Toronto), so it's worth doing your research. However, "I have installed 296 sump pumps in the last year, and not one of those customers has ever gotten any kind of subsidy as far as I know," says Allemang. Flood insurance is often an optional add-on. Read your home insurance policy carefully and discuss additional coverage options with your insurance provider. Insurance companies will often provide a discount on coverage if you have flood protection devices installed. "We've seen savings of five to 15 per cent," Allemang says. If you get to the point where your home is flooding, there isn't a ton you can do. Shut off your water main: If you're able to safely access the shut-off valve (it's often located near the water meter), turn off your water. Stay out of the water: Electrified water can cause severe electric shock, while contaminated water can result in illness. Call a remediation company: They can safely pump out the water and use fans and dehumidifiers to reduce damage.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Introducing Comprehensive Restoration Services from Express Restoration
Express Restoration Launches Full-Service Restoration Solutions for Homes and Businesses EDMONTON, OK, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2025 / / -- Express Restoration is proud to announce the launch of its full range of professional restoration services, offering fast, reliable, and high-quality solutions for property damage. Serving residential and commercial clients, Express Restoration specializes in water damage restoration, fire and smoke damage repair, mold remediation, and storm damage recovery. With a team of certified professionals and advanced equipment, Express Restoration is committed to helping property owners restore their homes and businesses to pre-damage condition as quickly and efficiently as possible. Whether dealing with the aftermath of a burst pipe, a house fire, or unexpected flooding, the company responds with urgency, professionalism, and a deep understanding of the restoration process. Express Restoration's services include 24/7 emergency response, detailed damage assessments, comprehensive cleanup, and complete restoration work. The company also provides support with insurance claims, working directly with adjusters to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience for clients. Express Restoration's customer-first approach sets it apart. From start to finish, it focuses on clear communication, transparency, and attention to detail. Every project is handled with care and urgency, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum peace of mind. The company serves many areas and continues expanding its footprint to meet the growing demand for trustworthy restoration experts. From minor damage to major disasters, Express Restoration is equipped to handle jobs of any scale with speed and precision. Property damage can be overwhelming, but with Express Restoration, recovery doesn't have to be. The company is here to restore properties and a sense of safety and normalcy for its clients. For more information about restoration services, visit their website at About Express Restoration Express Restoration is a trusted provider of damage restoration services, specializing in water, fire, mold, and storm-related recovery. The company is known for its fast response, expert craftsmanship, and dedication to helping clients rebuild confidently. Media Contact: Content Editor Website: Noah Phan BrandRep, LLC +1 855-800-2833 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
