Recent Posts

4 Tips for Keeping Mold Out of Your Rental Homes

3/19/2024 (Permalink)

Mold Prevention

The best way to avoid water damage from mold growth is to be very serious about mold prevention. Use the following list of tips to reduce the risk of mold and related damage in your Springfield/Mt Vernon, rental properties:

Inspect Your Property

One of the reasons that mold is a common problem is that it survives well in a variety of situations and especially in dark, out-of-the-way corners. Your very first step should be peeking into those corners, inside closets and cabinets, in the basement, at the foot of the shower, and in the attic. Look for visible signs of mold and for any signs of water or moisture.

Teach Renters To Clean Up Spills and Leaks Immediately

It's easy to think that a spilled glass of water isn't problematic, but, in reality, anytime you leave moist areas on the carpet or watery footprints on the floor of the bathroom, mold could begin to grow. Mold prevention requires that your renters respond immediately to any type of water in places where it shouldn't be. Even in places such as sinks and showers, the humidity levels must be controlled.

Lower the Thermostat and Increase Ventilation

A cozy warm corner with consistent humidity is inviting to mold spores, so keeping your properties a bit cooler during humid weather could reduce the risk of mold. Airflow is effective at reducing humidity in bathrooms and kitchens. Discuss these facts with renters.

Reach Out to Professionals

If there's already mold on the property, contact mold remediation professionals right away. With specialized equipment and training, these technicians can respond thoroughly to existing colonies. It only takes a little hidden spot of mold to grow throughout your rental property.
Use these mold prevention tips to protect your rental property. Thoroughly inspect for water and mold, clean up all moisture, use temperature to resist mold growth, and get help when you need it.

Contact us at 703-644-0620!

Protecting Your Home From Lightning Strikes

3/1/2024 (Permalink)

You do your best every day to prevent fires in your home by being attentive to any open flame, having working smoke detectors and having a fire extinguisher nearby. But what happens when Mother Nature sparks a fire from a lightning strike? Unfortunately, external fires are much harder to prevent and predict.

In fact, it is actually relatively common to suffer home damage due to a lightning strike. 2020 brought 70,000 damage claims due to lightning. It is definitely a possibility that you will experience a lightning-related fire at some point, so it is important to know how to react when you do.

What Is Lightning?

Lightning is the result of a giant spark of electricity that comes from an overcharged storm system. The spark travels from the clouds to the ground quickly and powerfully.

Lightning is most commonly associated with thunderstorms, but the phenomenon can also happen with forest fires, snowstorms and volcanic eruptions.

Protecting Your Home

Whenever lightning hits your home, it can start a fire either from the heat of the strike or a resulting electrical surge. If a fire starts, you may not notice right away if the fire starts in the attic or in your walls.

Thankfully, you will probably still be alerted by the sound. Lightning strikes are incredibly loud and can produce an immediate burning smell or scorch mark.

If you want to take some preventative measures against lightning, invest in a lightning rod. This is a metal pole that diverts energy away from the strike so your home doesn’t have to absorb all of the energy on its own.

Nearby Lightning Fire Risks

Lightning can contribute to wildfires relatively easily. An average of 9,000 fires are started each year by lightning! When lightning does spark a wildfire, it can start quickly because of the intense heat.

Do your best to keep your landscaping tidy and consider using defensible spaces around your home as a buffer against any flames. Also make sure that your smoke detectors are in good working order so you can react right away to any situation.

If you do discover a fire after a lightning strike, the most important first step is to call 911 and get out of the house. After the flames are out and you can re-enter your home, call us at SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon to get your restoration process started. We will work tirelessly to complete your project and get you back into your home.

Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.

Is Your Dryer Safe?

3/1/2024 (Permalink)

A dryer seems like a convenient, safe appliance that lets you forget it and go. If you don’t maintain it properly, a lint fire can happen, which can cause sever fire damage to your home.

A Surprising Amount of Lint

Depending on your family size and how often you go through clothes, it is likely that you do a lot more laundry than you realize. An average family does approximately eight to 10 loads a week. Every load means small fabric, dust and dirt particles are collecting in your dryer’s lint trap, vent and duct work. Lint is highly flammable, making it vital to maintain cleanliness.

Cleaning Out the Lint

Instead of dealing with a potential dryer fire and needing expert help in repairing the damage, good habits can go a long way. Lint traps should be cleaned after very load. Most dryers make this easy. The trap usually slides out and the lint can be lifted off. Any lint that is leftover should be removed with a brush. Every few weeks, the screen should be rinsed with water. While the screen is out, vacuum in and around its entry point. Approximately once a year, unplug the dryer and inspect the vent and hose or pipe connected to the dryer. Wipe lint off the opening and clean any leftover in the hose or pipe. A brush can bused to clean the interior of the vent. Don’t forget the exterior vent. Ensure the vent flap is still attached and working properly. Vacuum or wipe out the opening. This should be done a few times a year.

Extra Safety Tips

To further avoid a lint fire, ensure your dryer is properly installed. Additionally, avoid drying clothes stained with chemicals, gas, oil or cleaning products, and only operate the dryer while at home. In most cases, a lint fire happens because of improper cleaning and maintenance. Taking a little extra to be safe is worth it.

Risks of Poor Fire Clean Up Job

2/15/2024 (Permalink)

When you have a fire, you want it cleaned up quickly and efficiently. However, depending on the cause of the fire and its extent, professional help may be needed to ensure that smoke damage is minimized as much as possible. If you choose to clean up after your own fire damage or hire someone who doesn't know what they're doing, then you could end up making things worse than they already are!

Damages are not always visible

It's possible that the damage to your home may not be visible to the naked eye.

Smoke damage can leave your structure of your home damaged. Structure damage includes walls, ceilings and floors. It can cause odor problems from mold growth caused by moisture trapped in porous materials like drywall or wood paneling and furniture.

Professional help

Smoke contains many harmful chemicals. Some of these chemicals are toxic and require professional experience and equipment for adequate cleanup. A small amount of smoke can be dangerous. If you don't know how to clean up after a fire yourself, hire a professional who does know how to do so safely.

If the smoke is not cleaned up correctly, it can become permanent. Smoke odor damages property value by devaluing homes on the market or even reducing their resale value after moving out of them due to poor air quality caused by fire cleanup jobs gone wrong.

Done right the first time

It is important to hire a professional fire damage clean up company to ensure the job is done right the first time. If you don't, your home could be at risk of further damage and secondary damages. A good company like SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon will have the experience and expertise in this type of work to ensure a job well done.

Poor fire damage clean up jobs can result in long-lasting damage

The first step in restoring your home after a fire is removing the smoke odor. The second step is removing any fire damage that may have occurred to your property, including drywall and other building materials. The third step involves making sure there's no mold growth on or around anything that was damaged by water or smoke during cleanup efforts. Finally, you need to make sure all of your belongings are safe and secure while they're being cleaned up by professional contractors who know what they're doing!

If these steps aren't taken properly, then long-lasting damage could result - which means more money down the line when it comes time for repairs or replacement costs because everything needs fixing again after being exposed so long without proper care being taken previously.

If you are facing the aftermath of a fire, it is important to remember that there are lasting risks involved. Poor fire damage clean up jobs can result in long-lasting damage if not handled by professionals. The best way to avoid these problems is by hiring experts like SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon who know how to handle this type of job and ensure all areas are clean before leaving your home or business premises.

Smoke & Soot Cleanup

2/15/2024 (Permalink)

Smoke & Soot Cleanup

Smoke and soot are very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your Springfield/Mt Vernon home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allow us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and Soot Facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

  • Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

  • Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

  • Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Water Damage Repair | Springfield/Mt Vernon

2/14/2024 (Permalink)

Commercial Water Damage and Restoration services are available 24/7 in Springfield/Mt Vernon because our team covers territories in all these states. This means if your commercial or multi-family residential building is damaged by water and requires a large-scale approach to restoration we can help. We have the labor, equipment and resources to mobilize our team and scale up production to meet the moment anywhere in our territories and beyond.

* This means if a major storm causes damage in a shopping mall covering multiple floors, we can help.

* If a pipe burst on the 8th floor of a multi-family property causing water damage from the 8th floor down, we can help.

* If a music venue has water damage in an area of the building where electrical and musical equipment can be damaged, we are the ones they trust to fix the problem and stop damage before it gets a worse.

Basically we are water damage professionals and can manage, restore and reconstruct your commercial property after a water damage event. We have been part of restoration efforts after most of the major storms on the east coast and in the gulf over the last decade and are called in when project management, labor and equipment are in high demand.

We also offer storm preparation services. So if your commercial property is prone to flooding call us today. We can help you prepare for the next major storm and help you to avoid costly damage.

Call Us! 703-644-0620

A Water Damage Restoration Company Can Save You Thousands

2/14/2024 (Permalink)

You will find many restoration options if your business or home is affected by water damage, such as a burst pipe, flood or roof leak. This is why it is important to consider who you hire to fix your property.

1. It is essential to evaluate the property and determine what can be saved. Our experienced managers will quickly determine the best way to save the structure. This is a crucial step that can save you a lot of money in the long-term.

2. Equipment for drying. Hire a company that doesn't use the most efficient drying and air scrubbing tools. This will likely mean they will have to use the equipment for longer periods of time on your property, which could cost you more. We invest in the most efficient restoration equipment to ensure our techs work efficiently. This is the best way to save money for our clients in the long-term.

3. All phases of restoration and reconstruction are offered by us. We are a highly efficient company and employ skilled and experienced carpenters and craftsmen to complete your job professionally.

Spring Cleaning

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

Spring is right around the corner here in Virginia and for most that means spring cleaning! Maybe you finally cleaned out the catch all closet and need it scrubbed down floor to ceiling? Or you hauled all that old unused furniture to the curb and the carpet underneath was disgusting? Well, the typical homeowner will probably cover the basics with dusting, mopping, vacuuming, throwing things away here and there, making the infamous ‘donate’ pile and wiping down surfaces and furniture. However, sometimes your spring-cleaning needs go a little deeper than that.

Our SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon technicians can do the dirty work for you no matter how bad the situation. Here are just a few ways we can help you:

  • We have specially formulated SERVPRO chemicals
  • We use green products safe for pets
  • HEPA vacuuming
  • Carpet Deodorization and cleaning
  • Ozone Machine for strong odors
  • Using reach poles to clean tall ceilings
  • Washing walls/moldings/baseboard etc.
  • Floor cleaning
  • Trash out/de-cluttering services

Get a head start on your spring cleaning today and call us at (703)471-6020.

Commercial Restoration and Cleaning Services

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

When this Southfield school cafeteria flooded, We were onsite within an hour to inspect the damage and to begin the water extraction process.  In less than four days we had the cafeteria dry. We use advanced inspection and monitoring equipment to determine if the structure is dry. 

If water damage is not handled quickly and properly, it can cause severe damage to the structure not to mention the potentially harmful health effects of mold. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get.

When your business operations are interrupted by a water damage, you need professional help to get your property back to business. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon provides professional cleaning or emergency restoration services to get your business running smoothly again. We have the training, equipment, and resources to handle any size disaster. We service the following types of commercial facilities:

  • Small Office Buildings
  • Large Office/High-Rise Office Buildings
  • Apartment Buildings
  • Restaurants
  • Hotel/Motels
  • Small Retail Stores
  • Large Retail/Big-Box Stores
  • High-Rise Residential
  • Manufacturing & Industrial
  • Government/Military

Is Your Air Clean?

1/31/2024 (Permalink)

It seems that in addition to the more mainstream celebrations and holidays there are various observances that aren't as well-known. For example, did you know that February was "National Care About Your Indoor Air Month?" It just so happens that your local SERVPRO franchise is equipped to help you with that! If the air is coming out of your vents smells musty, or your air vent looks dirty, it could be time for an HVAC and air duct cleaning from SERVPRO. A healthy living environment starts with clean air. Each time your HVAC system circulates, your air ducts collect dust, dirt, and other airborne particles that were missed by the air filter. In just one year, a typical home can collect more than 40 pounds of dirt, dust and particles. Everyday house cleaning gets most of it, but it takes a professional cleaning service like SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon to clean air ducts.

As a homeowner, you should schedule a routine air duct cleaning if:

  • You have pets living in your home
  • You have allergies or asthma
  • You smoke
  • Your home has suffered damage
  • Your has been renovated or is being remodeled. 

SERVPRO's uniquely trained technicians follow the air duct cleaning process industry standards as defined by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).