SERVPRO Is Ready To Respond & Help When Home Fires Hit

6/25/2022 (Permalink)

Contents Services

Inventory

One of the first priorities to complete an accurate inventory to help ensure you properly account for all your belongings. We provide a detailed room by room inventory of contents.

Move outs

When the structure has suffered extensive damage, everything will be relocated for cleaning and stored during repairs.

Contents Cleaning

All of the restorable contents in the affected areas will be professionally cleaned and deodorized. SERVPRO of Steuben, DeKalb and LaGrange counties offer wet or dry professional cleaning.

Structural Cleaning

Ceilings and walls

We will pre- test the walls and ceilings to analyze the extent of damage. We will reduce the cost of recovery by cleaning off the light soot from walls and ceilings.

Carpet and Floor Restoration

Residue from smoke or soot will settle and can be ground into flooring. SERVPRO of Steuben, DeKalb and LaGrange has the experience, the equipment and the cleaning products to protect and clean your flooring.

Ductwork

The HVAC system will be inspected to determine if they were affected. A restoration process will be determined to properly clean and deodorize.

Deodorization

We provide specialized services that will rid your home of offensive odors left by smoke damage.

What Shouldn't I Do After A Fire?

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Ask The Experts: What Shouldn't I Do After A Fire  A fire can cause so many problems. To help avoid even more issues and help for a successful restoration we have a do and don't list for you to follow until SERVPRO professionals arrive.Do

• To prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpet limit movement inside the home.
• Soot on your hands can further soil anything the person touches. Keep hands clean and soot free.
• Place old linens on rugs, upholstery, and traffic areas.
• If there is no electricity, clean out the fridge and freezer and prop doors open
• If the heat if off during winter, pour RV antifreeze in sinks, toilets, and holding tanks to avoid freezing pipes and fixtures
• Tape double layered cheesecloth over registers to prevent any particles of soot from entering or existing the HVAC system.

• Do not attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces.
• Don't attempt to shampoo carpets.
• Do not attempt to clean any electrical appliances.
• Do not consume any food or beverages that have been stored close to where the fire happened.
• If the ceiling is wet, do not turn on ceiling fans.

Planning and Being Prepared Needs To Happen Before The Disaster

5/21/2022 (Permalink)

When disaster strikes, it’s too late to plan and prepare; these things must happen well in advance. Though you, of course, hope to never need to spring a fire escape plan into action, having one in place can save lives. If you don’t have such a plan in your office, or if you haven’t reviewed yours in a while, make this a priority today.

Meet Together

An emergency escape plan is at its best when it has input from several key people. This isn’t a plan you or someone else should come up with on a whim. It requires a group discussion and varying ideas.

• Consider selecting an emergency response committee.
• Meet regularly to review past plans and determine what improvements you should make.
• Open the group to your organization; invite people to participate who have experience or expertise in devising such plans.

Know Your Space

If a fire starts in your building, it’s vital that everyone exits in a calm and orderly manner. Employees must be swift, however, and this means they need to know how and where to properly exit. Identify all possible exits on each floor and in all areas of your building.

Assign Roles

You can’t have a mad rush for the stairs or the doors if you need to evacuate the building. You also want someone to sweep the building for stragglers and someone else to count people once you’re outside. Make sure someone is covering these important duties.

Practice Makes Perfect

No fire escape plan should be complete without holding consistent drills. At least annually, practice exiting the building and meeting at a designated spot in a safe location near your building.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to make your fire escape plan. Firefighters and restoration crews will do their jobs. Make sure you do yours too.

SERVPRO Understands The Trauma of Fire Disasters

2/23/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Steuben, DeKalb and LaGrange counties understands the trauma of Fire Disasters.

We are dedicated to you and follow guidelines to make the restoration process as smooth as we can.

1. A SERVPRO Franchise Professional will contact you within an hour to arrange for service.

2. Within 4 hours, a trained professional will arrive on site prepared to begin emergency mitigation services.

3. The loss site will be reviewed with you., and your questions and concerns addressed.

• Identify the source of loss.
• Identify the source of your concerns.
• Identify the residue present.
• Identify safety issues.

4. A Franchise professional will begin pretesting for restorability from the source of the fire outward.

• What is restorable?
• what methods of restoration will be most effective?
• What items and areas are unaffected?
• What areas need to be reviewed by the adjuster or property owner?

5. The scope of the project will be communicated to you or your adjuster.

6. The structure and contents will be cleaned and restored.

7. After the work has been completed, a final walk through will be conducted with you to help ensure satisfaction.

SERVPRO Answers - How Can I Best Prepare For A Disaster?

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

We are faster to any disaster and are here to help make things "Like it never even happened."

Many people plan for disaster in their head, but what would you do if a fire broke out? 

• Know how to safely operate a fire extinguisher
• Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number.
• Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.
• If closed doors or handles are warm or smoke blocks your primary escape route, use your second way out. Never open doors that are warm to the touch.
• If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit. Close doors behind you.
• If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.
• Once you are outside, go to your meeting place and then send one person to call the fire department. If you cannot get to your meeting place, follow your family emergency communication plan.

If your clothes catch on fire:

• Stop what you’re doing.
• Drop to the ground and cover your face if you can.
• Roll over and over or back and forth until the flames go out. Running will only make the fire burn faster.

THEN:

Once the flames are out, cool the burned skin with water for three to five minutes. Call for medical attention. For more Fire Safety Tips call SERVPRO! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help make things "Like it never even happened."

Check out our reviews and other information on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau.

SERVPRO Board Ups - Why Are They Needed?

1/30/2022 (Permalink)

We are faster to any disaster and are ready to put our expertise to work for you and make things "Like it never even happened."

If your Commercial property has experienced a fire, there are several reasons why you might want to board up structural damage or windows. In addition to keeping the external elements out of your home with fire damage, boarding up can also prevent additional losses due to looting and make the fire cleanup process easier. 

Boarding Up

Most full-service restoration specialists offer boarding-up services. Here are four reasons to board-up after a fire.

1. The premises still have sustainable inventory. If the building still contains products that appear viable, you should consider boarding. These products may involve evaluation and cleaning and may not be suitable for sale, but it may be useful for insurance reasons to have them correctly processed rather than stolen.

2. You want electronics and other valuables to be protected. You may be able to restore certain electronics or other precious assets to working condition depending on the extent of the fire damage. Loss can be much more costly than repairing or replacing covered.

3. You need to keep out the elements. If the structure of your property has sustained extensive damage, you should try to keep the elements out. Exposure to additional water, wind, or sunlight can compound the damage caused by smoke residue and soot.

4. You want to limit soot damage. It is generally a good idea to reduce foot traffic on the scene of a recent fire. When soot gets embedded into carpeting or upholstery, it can be much more difficult to restore these materials to a pre-fire condition.

Talk to restoration experts at SERVPRO about whether boarding-up is a good strategy for preventing loss and limiting the damage after a fire. Your major concern is likely to be how to recover from fire damage as quickly and completely as possible. Preventing looting and exposure to the elements can make fire cleanup more successful.

We are faster to any disaster and are ready to put our expertise to work for you and make things "Like it never even happened."

Check out our reviews and other information on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau.

SERVPRO Tips: Training Can Make All The Difference With Fire Detection

6/1/2021 (Permalink)

Wet Smoke- plastics and synthetics; low heat, smoldering, sticky and smeary

Dry Smoke- paper and wood; fast burning, high temperatures, dry, powdery

Protein- virtually invisible, discolors paints, extreme pungent odor

Fuel Oil Soot-furnace puff backs

Other types- tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residue.

We also use professional deodorization equipment

Ultra Low Volume Foggers- will atomize liquid deodorizing agents, producing a fine mist that easily penetrates sites where odor-causing residues accumulate. The device can also be used to apply fungicides and disinfectants.

Thermal Foggers- Dispense solvent based products in large volume, dense fog suitable for confined areas. The fog consists of tiny particles of deodorant solution that pair with and neutralize odor-causing particles.

Ask The Experts: How Often Should I Clean My Vents Out?

2/26/2021 (Permalink)

Fires caused by a clothes dryer are more prevalent than you might think, with approximately 2,900 dryer fires reported each year. A lint fire that results from not regularly cleaning the dryer is the leading cause of clothes dryer-related fires. Every time you dry your clothes, lint is collected in your dryer’s vent and lint traps. It is important that you know when to clean them to prevent a fire from starting in your home in Steuben, Dekalb or Lagrange County. 

How Often Should You Clean Out Your Vents?

• Empty Filter Before Every Load: Lint is extremely flammable and can quickly overheat and start a lint fire.
• Clean Filter Every Six Months: It is also a good idea to clean the filter with a nylon brush to help combat clogging.
• Clean Out Vent Pipe Every Three Months: Make sure there is no lint in the pipe and check the outside opening for any debris.
• Have a Technician Visit Once a Year: During the visit, the technician will completely clean your vent system and ensure air can flow freely.
  
  

How Can You Tell If Your Vent Needs To Be Cleaned?

Your dryer will often let you know if there is an issue with the vents, but it is up to you to quickly take action and prevent a dryer fire. One common indicator that your dryer’s vents are clogged is that your clothes are not drying quickly. Clogged vents can also trap air and moisture inside your laundry room, making it feel hot and humid inside or even produce a musty smell. If your dryer feels hot to the touch after a load, this also is a sign your vents need to be cleaned.

A lint fire can be very dangerous and can cause extensive damage to your home, so regular cleaning and maintenance of your dryer are key. However, if a fire does occur, a fire cleanup company can help address any damage.