Safeguarding Your Property: The Vital Role of Water Damage Restoration for Flooring

4/9/2024 (Permalink)

Residing in Springfield/Mt Vernon offers numerous benefits, but it also presents the risk of water damage, particularly during hurricane season or due to plumbing issues. Among the most vulnerable components of your property affected by water infiltration is your flooring.

Whether it comprises hardwood, carpet, tile, or laminate, water damage can wreak havoc on your floors without swift and effective intervention. Here's why prioritizing water damage restoration is paramount for preserving the integrity of your flooring in the Sunshine State:

Structural Integrity Preservation: Water penetration into the subflooring can compromise its structural stability over time, leading to warping, buckling, and potential collapse. Timely water damage restoration efforts play a crucial role in preventing further structural deterioration, thereby safeguarding the stability of your property.

Mold Growth Mitigation: Moisture resulting from water damage creates an ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew, especially in porous flooring materials. Mold proliferation not only jeopardizes indoor air quality but also inflicts extensive damage to your flooring, posing health hazards to occupants. Professional water damage restoration includes thorough drying and dehumidification to inhibit mold growth and curb its proliferation.

Preservation of Flooring Materials: Various flooring materials react differently to water damage, with hardwood floors prone to warping and carpeting susceptible to saturation and mold accumulation. Adhering to proper water damage restoration procedures tailored to each flooring type aids in salvaging and preserving these materials, reducing the need for costly replacements.

Restoration of Aesthetic Appeal: Water damage often leaves behind visible stains, discoloration, and unpleasant odors on your flooring, detracting from its overall aesthetic appeal. Professional restoration services encompass comprehensive cleaning, sanitization, and deodorization to rejuvenate your flooring's appearance and eliminate lingering odors.

Protection of Property Value: Untreated water damage can significantly diminish the value of your property, dissuading potential buyers and reducing resale value. Investing in water damage restoration demonstrates your commitment to property maintenance and helps uphold its value over time.

At SERVPRO® , we recognize the unique water damage challenges faced by flooring in Florida. Our team of certified professionals possesses the expertise, experience, and cutting-edge equipment necessary to address even the most severe water damage scenarios. Whether it entails water extraction, moisture mitigation, or flooring restoration, we're dedicated to assisting you in restoring your property to its preloss condition. Do not overlook the detrimental impact of water damage on your flooring.

Entrust the skilled professionals at SERVPRO to deliver prompt and professional water damage restoration services tailored to your specific requirements. Reach out to us today to discover how we can aid you in safeguarding your property and preserving the integrity of your flooring amidst water damage concerns.

Carpet Cleaning | Springfield/Mt Vernon

4/9/2024 (Permalink)

When you have a business that your clients walk into on a daily basis, presentation is everything and having nice clean carpets goes a long way. It doesn't matter if it's commercial or residential we can do it all.

SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Contact us today at (703)644-0620.

Do You Know How to Stay Safe During a Hurricane?

4/8/2024 (Permalink)

Our local SERVPRO of Springfield/Mt Vernon Here to Help® when your home or commercial business in the surrounding areas sustain hurricane damage. Below is some information on how to stay safe during a hurricane: 

Stay Informed

• Listen for emergency information and alerts
• If told to evacuate by local officials, do so immediately

Dealing with the Weather

• Determine how best to protect yourself from high winds and flooding
• Take refuge in a designated storm shelter, or an interior room for high winds
• If trapped in a building by flooding, go to the highest level of the building. Do not climb into a closed attic. You may become trapped by rising flood water.
• Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters. Turn Around. Don’t Drown!
• Stay off bridges over fast-moving water
• Avoid being in a room with multiple windows. If possible, go to a room that has no windows or a designated storm shelter room within your home. 

Personal Safety

• Be prepared to take cleaning items with you like soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, or general household cleaning supplies to disinfect surfaces you may need to touch regularly
• Maintain at least 6 feet between you and persons not part of your immediate family while at the shelter [by avoiding crowds or gathering in groups] as much as possible 
• Anyone over two years old should use a cloth face covering while at these facilities
• Only use generators outdoors and away from windows

Call Us Today!

When you have storm damage in your home or commercial business, our local team will restore your property damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 703-644-0620.

Do's & Don't | Springfield/Mt Vernon

4/8/2024 (Permalink)

DO:

• Shut off the water or contact a qualified party to stop the water source. 
• Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock. 
• Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting. 
• After removing lamps and tabletop items, wipe excess water from wood furniture. 
• Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Remove any paintings, art objects, computers, documents, and other sensitive items to a safe, dry place. 
• Use wooden clothespins to keep furniture skirting and draperies off damp floors.

DON'T:

• Enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist. 
• Leave colored rugs/items on wet carpets or floors which mat cause staining. 
• Use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water. 
• Use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially wet concrete floors. 
• Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet or enter rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water. 

Call us today! 703-644-0620

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