Freezing weather has had an adverse affect on many homes and businesses this winter because of freezing and bursting water pipes.

One of the most dramatic incidents was when a radiator on the second floor of Fayetteville Main Street, Inc., burst and poured forth thousands of gallons of water onto the floor for about two weeks. The water seeped through the floor, ceiling, down through the walls and covered the downstairs’ floor.

Everyone had assumed that the water had been turned off to the second floor since the owner of the building, Dr. Strickland, wasn’t using the space.

Carol Foster, executive director of Main Street, had been out of town on business, so when she returned, she found an overwhelming mess.

As former director of the Better Business Bureau in this area and former client of David Sanders, owner of Personal Touch Carpet Care, she knew she could depend on his expertise to remove the water and moisture before mold began to grow.

“Without training and tools, there’s no way to tell where all of the water is,” said Sanders.

He stresses the importance of removing the water within the first three days before mold begins to grow.

The building that houses Main Street is an historic building that was moved from an area near Higgins Funeral Home on East Market Street to its current location on College Street East. It served as a law office for many years, and the upstairs was a dental office at one time.

“We have restrictions because it’s a historic building. We had to have permission from the insurance company because the walls are so old,” Sanders said.

The first step was getting hot air into the spaces behind the walls and in between the floors. Sanders has different kinds of machines that help to remove moisture. One blows in hot air, and another is a dehumidifier. An infrared instrument tells Sanders where water or mold is located behind walls and in between layers of floor. Other tools tell him how much humidity there is in certain areas.

“We can tell if our efforts are working,” he said.

Sanders is a master certified in three areas – master textile cleaner, master fire and smoke restorer and master water restorer. This includes carpet and upholstery cleaning, air duct cleaning, water and fire damage restoration, odor control, stain removal and a host of other services. In order to keep his certification, he must continue to certify in various areas.

“In our area we’re the only ones that have mold remediation,” said Sanders.

David’s wife, Alesia, is his partner, and their 17-year-old daughter, Jamiah, is learning the business end of Personal Touch.

“I really do enjoy my job,” said Sanders. “I’m fascinated by science and people.”

It took two weeks to complete the restoration of the Main Street building.

“David goes above and beyond,” Foster said of Sanders’ work.

In order to protect the furniture and old wooden baseboard from the water, David took them home until the job was completed.

“We can’t praise David enough and the people that work with him — and he’s punctual; you never have to sit and wait,” Foster said.

To contact David at Personal Touch Carpet Care call (931) 433-8446 in Tennessee or (256) 828-2588.

Thanks to Elk Valley Times