Water Damage in Winter

12/11/2023 (Permalink)

Modern plumbing systems have made accessing running water in homes a straightforward task. It allows residents to engage in everyday activities like bathing, washing, or enjoying a glass of iced tea directly from the tap. Despite these conveniences, unexpected plumbing incidents can turn this luxury into an unanticipated problem.

Whether residing in a house or a condominium, harsh winter conditions, especially during extreme temperatures, pose a significant risk of water damage. Failing to address frozen pipes in cold weather can lead to cracks and ruptures, causing water to overflow into different areas of the home.

The consequences of water damage unfold swiftly, causing floorboards to warp and infiltrating porous materials like sheetrock and drywall. Addressing the issue promptly is crucial to prevent further damage. In the unfortunate event of such damage, seeking professional help is recommended. Companies like SERVPRO have the expertise to mitigate both structural and cosmetic water damage efficiently.

SERVPRO® Technicians take necessary precautions to ensure the safe execution of their work. Properly assessing the damage involves considering factors like the extent of moisture and the types of materials involved, such as carpet, insulation, wood floors, and baseboards. Additionally, the layout of the room, including walls, windows, cabinets, and closets, is taken into account to determine the optimal placement and number of air movers. The correct angle of equipment is also crucial, ensuring that air effectively carries away moisture without bouncing off walls.

The mantra "We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster" is not merely a slogan for SERVPRO; it defines their commitment. With technicians available 24/7, ready to respond promptly, residents experiencing water damage in their homes are encouraged to contact SERVPRO without delay.

Why SERVPRO when it comes to getting your carpets cleaned!

9/20/2023 (Permalink)

The Importance of Hiring Professional Carpet Cleaners

Professional carpet cleaners are the only people who should be trusted to do the job. Anyone with less experience or certification will likely not do the job correctly. And their carelessness could end up costing a lot more in the end. 

Carpeting is typically one of the most long-term investments in the home. Most people associate high-cost flooring with tile, marble or hardwood, but carpet can carry a high price tag as well. There are various fibers and matting to choose from, as well as the padding beneath it. When it’s all said and done, it can cost just as much if not more than some other options. Once that investment is installed, great care should be taken to keep it in the best condition possible. This will mean regular vacuuming in high-traffic areas and regular maintenance from professional carpet cleaners.

Why should someone always hire professional carpet cleaners?

Professionally trained technicians have certification in all types of fibers and construction, so they know which products and equipment to use and how to employ them properly. The technician can assess the area for any spot treatment that may be necessary and will know which tools and specialized products to use. They will also be aware of the correct methods to complete the job effectively. Technicians will also inform the customer of ways that they can prolong the life of their carpeting and how to properly treat spills and accidents should they occur.

What can happen if someone doesn't use professional carpet cleaners?

A lot of damage can occur if a certified technician or firm is not hired to do the job. They can over-saturate the fibers and promote an environment that may foster mold and other microbial growth in time. If using improper equipment, the fibers can be damaged, which would result in replacement being required much sooner. If the wrong cleansing agents are used, or they are not properly rinsed out, they may damage the fibers or make future soil adhere quicker, which will require cleaning more often than would otherwise be necessary.  

What should a customer expect when they hire professional carpet cleaners?

Upon arrival, the technician will assess the carpeting. Once that is complete, the process can begin. First they will vacuum the floor during a process called dry soil removal. This removes any loose items in the flooring. Then soil suspension and extraction will take place. The technician uses a preconditioning agent that is mixed to separate the soil from the fibers. Various methods are employed to extract the soil from the flooring. Grooming may also be done to improve the fiber piles, matting, and to equally disperse protectors or conditioning agents. Then the drying process can begin. Carpets that have been professionally cleaned should be dry in less than 24 hours. Homeowners can assist in this process by ensuring the right temperature is maintained, and there is adequate ventilation.

SERVPRO Tips: After A Fire

9/20/2023 (Permalink)

After a fire, your primary focus should be safety! Things like...

• Is it safe to stay in the house?
• Electrical and "slip and fall" hazards are some of the most prevalent concerns.
• Only do activities that are safe for you to perform.
• Wet materials can be VERY heavy. Be careful!

What To Do After A Fire

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

So give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and ready to make things "Like it never even happened."

Have A Fire or Smoke Damage Emergency? Call 574-306-4134!

Ask The Experts: When is comes to burst pipes, what should I be looking for?

9/20/2023 (Permalink)

If you have a pipe burst in your business, you no doubt see the damage water can do. However, you may wonder why everyone says you have to hurry to clean it up. After all, the damage has been done, right? Maybe not. You don’t want to deal with mold cleanup, too.

Here are a few ways floods can harm your building even after the water stops rising:

• Black mold
• Structural damage
• Foul odor

How does hurrying to call for professional restoration services help? These explanations may help you understand the process. 

Stop Molding

When water rises in your business, it creates a uniquely humid area. This humidity helps mold spores all over the building grow. Within 24 to 48 hours, mold can become visible. However, getting started on the restoration process as soon as possible can help pull the moisture from the area and stop mold in its tracks. 

Keep Structures Safe

The longer the water sits, the more it can damage your business’s walls and floors. As the water stays in place, it seeps through the walls and makes them softer. With enough time, this can make your building unsafe to be in altogether. Furthermore, the more soaked everything in the room where the pipe burst becomes, the harder it is to rid the area of mold. 

Prevent the Smell

Mold is the main reason why you need to call a professional restoration crew. As you probably know, mold smells awful. Naturally, this isn’t good for business. Instead of waiting for that odor to fill the building, stop it before it starts. A restoration company can send an odor control specialist to help. 

When it comes to flooding in your business, there’s no sense in waiting. A pipe burst can be a big enough problem without mold, structural problems, and a foul odor on top of it. Contact the professionals at SERVPRO of Kosciusko & Noble Counties and let us come in and make it "Like it never even happened."

Why SERVPRO? Schools and Mold Just Don't Mix!

9/20/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Kosciusko and Noble Counties covers a large geographic area that includes several different school systems. Schools are able to call us if they have any issues that their maintenance staff can not handle. The following information from https://www.epa.gov/ are reasons why you might find mold in schools and how to handle it. We get calls all the time for water and fire damages, but also for mold. If you suspect mold in your home, business or place of work - give us a call today!

Common Moisture Sources Found in Schools

Moisture problems in school buildings can be caused by a variety of conditions, including roof and plumbing leaks, condensation and excess humidity. Some moisture problems in schools have been linked to changes in building construction practices during the past twenty to thirty years. These changes have resulted in more tightly sealed buildings that may not allow moisture to escape easily. Moisture problems in schools are also associated with delayed maintenance or insufficient maintenance, due to budget and other constraints.

Suggestions for Reducing Mold Growth in Schools

Reduce Indoor Humidity

Vent showers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside.

Control humidity levels and dampness by using air conditioners and de-humidifiers.

Provide adequate ventilation to maintain indoor humidity levels between 30-60%.

Use exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing and cleaning in food service areas.

Inspect the building for signs of mold, moisture, leaks or spills

Check for moldy odors.

Look for water stains or discoloration on the ceiling, walls, floors, and window sills.

Look around and under sinks for standing water, water stains, or mold.

Inspect bathrooms for standing water, water stains, or mold.

Do not let water stand in air conditioning or refrigerator drip pans.

Respond promptly when you see signs of moisture and/or mold, or when leaks or spills occur

Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours of occurrence to prevent mold growth.

Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.

Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely.

Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.

Check the mechanical room and roof for unsanitary conditions, leaks, or spills.

Prevent moisture condensation

Add insulation to reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e. windows, piping, exterior walls, room, or floors).

Floor and carpet cleaning

Remove spots and stains immediately, using the flooring manufacturer’s recommended techniques.

Use care to prevent excess moisture or cleaning residue accumulation and ensure that cleaned areas are dried quickly.

Do not install carpeting in areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).

Ask The Experts: Fire Alarms Save Lives

9/20/2023 (Permalink)

The fact is a fire alarm can save lives and every home should have more than one. That’s right houses are supposed to have more than one alarm. In order to better prepare yourself for a potential emergency, it is essential to know the answers to the most frequently asked smoke alarm questions.

1. How many smoke alarms do you need?

While people tend to concern themselves over the possibility of fire and smoke damage, they should be more concerned with the number of alarms in their homes. You should have a signal in every bedroom and outside of every bedroom. You should also have smoke alarms installed on every level of your home. Keep in mind that this is the minimum and that you may want to have more.

2. How often should you replace the batteries?

The general rule is that you should replace fire alarm batteries at least once a year. Granted, the instructions may state that the batteries have a longer shelf life, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

3. When should you replace the smoke detector?

In order to provide the greatest defense against fire damage, you should replace your smoke detectors every 8 to 10 years. Obviously, this is dependent on the type of alarm and any guarantees. To keep track of the timeline, you can write the date of purchase on the alarm and even record it in a calendar app with a reminder to replace.

4. What type of smoke detector should you use?

While you can reach out to the fire department or a fire restoration company in the area to learn about the specific types of fire detectors, each can be put into two categories: ionized and photoelectric. Each one provides different strengths and weaknesses depending on the kind of fire and smoke, which is why you should have a mix of detectors in your home.

A fire alarm is a life-saving tool. Be sure to install them in your home today, for the safety of you and your loved ones.

SERVPRO Is Here For When The Winds Blow & Cause Damage

3/28/2022 (Permalink)

Winter often brings some of the worst storms! Are you and your business ready? SERVPRO is here to help you should disaster strike...including winter storms! 
Winter storms can be accompanied by strong winds that can cause severe wind damage including, roof damage and felling trees. Ensure that your storm damage expert can handle wind damage situations. They should be in a position to offer roof damage solutions and reinforce your buildings against the effects of wind damage in the future. Home restoration for wind damage is easier with a resourceful storm restoration expert.

Winter storms can leave residential and commercial buildings with severe ice damage and flooding from ice dams. A more severe scenario is having frozen pipes, which could mean that you will not have water. You could also get an ice dam forming on your roof, and it will prevent water from draining from your roof. The water that stagnates behind the dam can lead to a roof leak at first but get worse with time if you do not get the ice dam thawed. Only a storm remediation. expert can carry out roof repair to get rid of the ice dam. Frozen pipes because of ice damage can block all your pipes, leading to flooding because of a roof leak.

You can prevent ice damming! Make sure to include plenty of ceiling insulation evenly to create a temperature exchanges between the underside of your roof and the inside of your rooms. This will ensure even melting of the ice preventing frozen pipes, a roof leak, which manifest as water stains on your ceilings. A storm remediation. expert can undertake the roof repair if ice damming catches you unawares. The roof repair needs to be handled immediately to avoid structural damage.

So if a storm causes a disaster for your home or business, give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help make things "Like it never even happened."

When It Comes To Storm Damage - Leave It To SERVPRO To Help!

3/13/2022 (Permalink)

Why SERVPRO when it comes to storm damage!

Although no one can stop the rains, there are ways to limit flooding in your home. Overland flooding or backups due to overwhelmed storm sewage systems are but two of the sources of floodwaters in the lower levels of your home. Regardless of the source of the water, we have the technicians and the equipment to help you recover.
 
Even though the water causing flood damage to your home may be drawing your eyes down as it seeps into the foundation or lower levels, the problem often is at the roofline. Clogged gutters and damaged downspouts cause water to pound down near the perimeter of your home, saturating the soil and ultimately invading through the slab, poured, or cinder block foundation. We can respond to and restore the damage but expect suggestions from our managers or production crew to minimize or even eliminate future flooding.
 
The grading and landscaping around your home can also contribute to the seepage of floodwaters into the foundation. Over time even correctly graded ground can erode and shift, encouraging rainwater to drain into your home rather than away from it. SERVPRO crews also see scenarios where plantings surrounding your home contribute to excess water moving into the porous materials making up the base and protecting the lower levels of your house. Irrigation systems or merely an overdone watering of foundation gardens have the unhappy result of a wet home.
 
SERVPRO evaluates the characteristics of the water flooding into your home to determine whether it needs to be contained and disposed of according to local regulations. The sooner you get our team to your home the more likely that the water checks out as Category 1. If the soil around your home is loose, dirt particles can flow in with the water. Lawn chemicals, fertilizers, and even pet wastes can taint the water, requiring careful handling. Gutter overflow can also contain bird and animal waste and mold, threatening the flooded area with microbial growth if not disinfected and dried out after the flood water evacuates.
 
Submersible pumps and water extractors pull most of the flood water out of your home. If Category 1 we can drain it outside, but take care to deposit far from the house to prevent it from flooding again. We use moisture meters and infrared scanners to locate hidden pockets of moisture and to set a baseline for drying goals. SERVPRO crews position air movers, heaters, and dehumidifiers to dry out the affected space. The moisture numbers are monitored to ensure we achieve standard levels.
 
The team at SERVPRO has the necessary training and experience to remediate seepage-based flooding. Do not hesitate to call us if we can help!

Why Call SERVPRO When It Comes To A Fire?

3/12/2022 (Permalink)

Why SERVPRO? 

A fire can be devastating to your home or business. After the fire trucks leave, your property will likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also widespread water damage and flooding from firefighting efforts. SERVPRO of Kosciusko & Noble Counties has specialized fire and water damage restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. They also can remove the pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet.

Board-ups - In some cases firefighters may break windows and cut holes in the roof in order to vent the fire. It is extremely important to secure openings to your home or structure using sturdy, durable materials designed to protect it from both weather intrusion and intrusion by outsiders.

Types of Fire/Smoke/Soot

Wet Smoke – Plastics and Synthetics; Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood; Fast burning, high temperatures, dry, powdery, non-smeary residues.

Protein – Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

Fuel Oil Soot – Furnace Puff Backs. Other Types – Tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residue.

What to do after a fire:

• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.

What NOT to do after a fire:

• Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting SERVPRO of Kosciusko & Noble Counties.
• Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may damage garment further.

SERVPRO of Kosciusko & Noble Counties has what it takes to restore your home back to pre loss condition.

Water Prevention Tips

3/11/2022 (Permalink)

One of the worst problems that homeowners encounter is water damage.  The causes range from weather related issues to aged or faulty plumbing systems.  Severe storms causing backups or flooding, cold temperatures resulting in pipes freezing and bursting, washer or dishwasher problems, sump pump failures and clogged drains are all types of water damage that can occur.  Water damage can cause a lot of damage to homes and property which will cost a significant amount of money to repair.  The best thing to avoid spending a lot of money on repairs is to prevent water damage from happening.

There are three key ways of preventing water damage that every home owner should know and apply.

• Watch for water leaks and address them promptly; inspect your roof occasionally and repair any damaged, loose and missing shingles. You should also check for stains on ceilings, toilets that shake and dark spots below pipes.
• Ensure all drains are clear and working properly. Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clear and make sure that your yard is sloped some distance away from the foundation.
• Check appliances (washer, dishwasher, ice maker) frequently and inspect the supply and drain lines to be sure that they’re in good condition. Check to ensure that your water heaters and sump pump are in good condition.

Other steps you can take to prevent water damage include: 

• Keeping track of your water bill.
• Disconnecting hoses when not in use.
• Installing water detection devices.
• Closing your water main whenever you are going away for an extended period.
• Taking care of your vegetation and trees.
• Avoid landscaping too close to the utility pipes.

If you have done all the above but are still facing water damage problems, it is time to seek professional help.  SERVPRO of Kosciusko & Noble Counties is prepared to assist you with any water damage issues.  Contact us at (574) 306-4134.  SERVPRO…working to make it “Like it never even happened.”