How do I know if there’s a leak under my Oak Ridge house?
Many of the original wartime houses sit on crawlspaces, and plumbing that old can drip for months before anyone sees it. Nobody goes under the house unless they have to, so the signs show up upstairs:
- a soft or springy spot near the bathroom or kitchen
- vinyl or wood flooring that lifts or cups
- a musty smell that comes back after you air the house out
- a water bill that jumps for no reason
Any one of those is a reason to look. We find where the water is going, dry the framing and subfloor with air movers and dehumidifiers, and take moisture readings until it’s dry. See water damage restoration.
What if the leak has been going long enough to grow mold?
Wet wood can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours, and a slow leak gives it far longer than that. If we find growth on joists or subfloor, we stop the moisture first, then clean up the mold so it doesn’t come right back. More on mold remediation. Like all restoration, it starts with a look at the job and a written estimate, not a phone price.
How fast can a rental be turned between tenants in Oak Ridge?
Between the older houses that became rentals and the apartments around town, Oak Ridge has a lot of tenants coming and going. A make-ready usually means carpet, tile and sometimes a sofa or chairs in a furnished unit, all before the next lease starts. Tell us the move-out and move-in dates and how we get in, and we’ll tell you honestly what fits in that window. See janitorial and make-ready cleaning.
Can old kitchen and bath tile look clean again?
Often, yes. Tile from decades back is usually tougher than it looks; it’s the grout that holds the stain. We deep clean tile and grout, rinse the dirt out of the lines, and can seal the grout afterward so the next tenant’s spills don’t soak in. Some cracked or crumbling grout is past cleaning, and we’ll tell you so before we start. Read about tile and grout cleaning.
What about pet odor left behind by a tenant?
It’s one of the most common make-ready problems. Urine that reached the pad needs more than a surface clean. We treat the spots and use steam cleaning, which is our pick for pet urine. Some old spots can’t be fully saved, and we’ll say so up front. See pet urine and odor removal.
Do you work near Melton Hill Lake and the west end of town?
Yes. We work all over Oak Ridge, from the older neighborhoods off the Turnpike to newer homes out toward Melton Hill Lake. Prices are the same across our service area; the starting list is on our pricing page, and the final price is confirmed on site. We’re a family-owned Knoxville company, licensed and insured, working since 2011.