What Can Bring Salt Water Damages to Your Toms River Homes and Businesses?

4/28/2021 (Permalink)

Drying equipment in full effect in this room after all the saltwater was removed.

Living and working at the Jersey Shore, most of us are pretty familiar with different forms of natural disasters and events that can cause water damage. Most common here in Ocean County, NJ are:

• Hurricanes
• Tropical Storms
• Severe Storms
• Nor'easters 
• Storm Surges 
• Flooding
• Winter Storms

Some of these storms and weather systems move across the landscape, picking up water from the ocean, bays and lagoons and depositing them on properties as it travels.

Storm surges are defined as the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide. The surge is caused primarily by a storm’s winds pushing water onshore. The amplitude of the storm surge at any given location depends on the orientation of the coast line with the storm track; the intensity, size, and speed of the storm; and the local bathymetry bathymetry by the National Ocean Service.

Winter storms, such as blizzards, heavy snow and ice storms, do not seem like they belongs on the list but when we receive a lot of snow and it warms up quickly, that melted snow needs to go somewhere. That somewhere from your roof could be through your roof into your home or business and the snow from the ground and landscape could melt into your crawlspace or basement.

Why do these natural events cause so much damage?

The simple answer is water. The more complicated answer is salt in the water. Any water containing salt (saltwater) can be extremely corrosive on metals, such as pipes, and concrete, including foundations, pilings, sidewalks, and structural walls. Plaster, bricks and mortar can also be targets of salt water corrosion. When salt penetrates concrete it holds on and it breaks down very slowly so the process of salt corrosion may takes years to see the full effects.

From salt water damage you cannot just pump out the salt water and expect your property to be back to it’s pre-water damage condition. The system will need to be flushed with fresh water to remove the salt, and then pumped repeatedly until there is no sign of salt remaining.

When a saltwater intrusion occurs in the Toms River area, contact SERVPRO of Toms River. We are certified water loss specialists and our crew work quickly and efficiently to restore your commercial or residential property to its preloss condition.