Water Damage, Mold and Restoration Companies in the Altoona, Pennsylvania Area

What Makes Altoona, Pennsylvania Different

Altoona grew up as a railroad city, and many homes are narrow rowhouses and older frame houses on steep hillsides, built long before 1978. Lead paint is common, and old plaster, boiler pipe wrap and floor tile may contain asbestos, so test before you tear anything out.

Winters bring snow, ice and many freeze and thaw cycles. Ice dams form along the eaves of homes with little attic insulation, and meltwater backs up under the shingles into ceilings and walls. Pipes in exterior walls and unheated basements freeze and split, and the leak often shows up only when things warm up.

Heavy rain and snowmelt run off the ridges fast, and basements with old stone or block walls seep in wet seasons. A sump pump with a battery backup and a dehumidifier prevent a lot of damage. Long power outages stop both at once. Never run a generator in a garage or near a window, because carbon monoxide kills quietly.