The Importance of Professional Mold Remediation: Why DIY Isn't Enough

6/10/2024 (Permalink)

Mold can be a persistent problem in homes, especially after water damage. While DIY solutions might seem like a cost-effective approach, professional mold remediation offers several key advantages.

1. Thorough Inspection and Assessment

SERVPRO® professionals conduct a comprehensive inspection to identify all mold-affected areas. Mold can hide in places you might not consider, such as behind walls or under flooring. Our thorough assessment ensures that all mold sources are identified and addressed.

2. Advanced Equipment and Techniques

SERVPRO uses advanced equipment and techniques for effective mold removal. From air scrubbers to HEPA vacuums, our tools are designed to eliminate mold spores from the air and surfaces, reducing the risk of recurrence.

3. Containment and Prevention

To prevent the spread of mold during the remediation process, SERVPRO sets up containment areas. This includes sealing off affected areas with barriers and using negative air pressure to keep spores from spreading to other parts of your home.

4. Comprehensive Cleaning and Sanitizing

Our team cleans and sanitizes all affected areas to remove mold spores and prevent future growth. SERVPRO’s specialized cleaning agents and techniques ensure that your home is safe and mold-free.

5. Restoration and Repairs

After the mold is removed, we focus on restoring your home to its pre-mold condition. This may include repairing damaged drywall, flooring, and other structural elements.

By choosing professional mold remediation from SERVPRO, you ensure a thorough and effective solution to your mold problem, protecting your home and health.

Fire Damage Restoration: How SERVPRO Helps You Rebuild After a Fire

6/10/2024 (Permalink)

Experiencing a fire in your home can be devastating. SERVPRO® is here to help you through the fire damage restoration process, ensuring your home is restored to its pre-fire condition.

1. Initial Assessment and Inspection

Upon arrival, SERVPRO conducts a detailed assessment of the fire damage. We inspect the extent of the damage to both the structure and contents of your home. This assessment helps us develop a comprehensive restoration plan tailored to your needs.

2. Board-Up and Tarping Services

To secure your property and prevent further damage, we provide board-up and tarping services. This step is crucial to protect your home from the elements and unauthorized entry.

3. Smoke and Soot Removal

Smoke and soot can cause significant damage and lingering odors. SERVPRO uses specialized equipment and techniques to remove smoke and soot from walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. Our goal is to clean all affected areas thoroughly.

4. Cleaning and Sanitizing

In addition to smoke and soot removal, we clean and sanitize your belongings. SERVPRO’s advanced cleaning methods and products help eliminate odors and restore your personal items.

5. Restoration and Reconstruction

The final step in the process is restoring and reconstructing your home. This may involve minor repairs, such as painting and installing new carpet, or major reconstruction of entire rooms. 

By following these steps, SERVPRO ensures a comprehensive and effective fire damage restoration process, helping you rebuild your life and home after a fire.

Dealing with Flood Damage: Immediate Steps to Take Before Help Arrives

6/10/2024 (Permalink)

Floods can cause extensive damage to your home, but taking immediate action can help minimize the impact. Here are some steps to take before professional help arrives:

1. Ensure Safety First

Before entering your home, ensure it is safe to do so. Check for electrical hazards and structural damage. If there is standing water near electrical outlets or appliances, do not enter until a professional has assessed the situation.

2. Stop the Water Source

If the flooding is due to a burst pipe or another internal source, try to stop the flow of water if it's safe to do so. This may involve turning off the main water supply to your home.

3. Remove Excess Water

If possible, remove excess water using mops, buckets, or a wet/dry vacuum. Be cautious of contaminated water, and avoid using electrical appliances if the area is wet.

4. Move Furniture and Valuables

Move furniture, electronics, and other valuables to a dry area to prevent further damage. Place aluminum foil or wooden blocks under furniture legs to avoid staining carpets or flooring.

5. Ventilate the Area

Open windows and doors to allow for better air circulation. This helps with the drying process and reduces the potential for mold growth. If you have fans or dehumidifiers, use them to assist in drying out the affected areas.

6. Document the Damage

Take photographs and videos of the flood damage for insurance purposes. Documenting the extent of the damage can help with your insurance claim and ensure you receive adequate compensation.

7. Avoid Contaminated Water

Floodwater can be contaminated with bacteria, chemicals, and other hazardous materials. Avoid direct contact with floodwater and wear protective gear if you need to enter affected areas.

8. Contact Your Insurance Company

Notify your insurance company about the flood damage as soon as possible. They can provide guidance on the claims process and may help arrange for professional assistance.

9. Call SERVPRO® for Professional Help

Once you’ve taken the initial steps, contact SERVPRO for professional water damage restoration services. Our team is equipped to handle the full scope of water damage, from extraction and drying to cleaning and restoration.

By following these immediate steps, you can help mitigate the damage caused by flooding and ensure a smoother restoration process when professional help arrives.

Do you know the signs of water dmaage?

6/19/2023 (Permalink)

Sound

Sometimes you can’t see water damage, but you can hear it. Water damage might sound like dripping water, it might sound like creaking floor boards or it might sound like rushing water. Of course, these sounds might also be the result of a perfectly functional plumbing system, so what you’re looking for is signs that have changed.

Smell

Another sense you can use to look for signs of water damage or moisture in your home is smell. Dampness has a very distinct odor and this might also be accompanied by the musky smell of mold. Look out for smells in conjunction with other indicators of water damage. Pooling Water or Puddles If you have something dripping or leaking, then this can leave pools of water. If you notice an unusual puddle, then keep an eye on it to see if it comes back after you clean it up. If it does, then you may have a leak or seepage.

Coldness

If your home is very difficult to heat, then this might be a sign that you have dampness affecting your walls. Water and moisture will often draw heat out of walls in order to evaporate and this, in turn, leaves those walls and the property overall much colder.

Mold

Just as there is no smoke without fire, there is no mold without water damage. You may not need water damage restoration if the mold is a result of condensation in your bathroom, but in any situation, this is a sign that there is too much moisture in some part of your home and you need to deal with it swiftly by drying the area. Mold has its own smell and can also cause health symptoms such as cold-like or allergy symptoms as well as headaches and nausea.

Discoloration

Discoloration is another sign of water damage. In particular look for ‘streaks’ of water that are running down the side of your home. This can sometimes be a sign of an overflowing gutter, which will result in watermarks that are quite distinctive and show where the water has traveled down the wall.

How fire smart are your children?

6/14/2023 (Permalink)

Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they have to be working properly. For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area.

Teaching children fire safety-

1. Teach kids never to play with matches and lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children.
2. Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room in case of a fire. Get a stopwatch and time how fast your family can escape. The kids will love it. 
3. Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe. 
4. Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.
5. Blow out candles before you leave the room or before you go to sleep.

Making sure your children know the basics is important to getting them out of a fire quickly!

Why choose us?

6/14/2023 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Wayne County we often get the question of Why SERVPRO?  What is it that SERVPRO can do differently than all the other cleaning and restoration companies out there.  The answer to those questions always start the same way, with the list of all the training and certifications held by SERVPRO employees, the systematic process that is used to manage different projects, and the support provided by corporate and the SERVPRO network. 

While those are all valuable assets, what truly sets SERVPRO of Wayne County apart is the people.  Between the office manager, production manager and our production team, they average 20 years of experience just with SERVPRO.  This amount of experience provides them with all of the tools and knowledge necessary to handle projects of any type or size. 

Whether its routine carpet cleaning or a large commercial water loss or fire damage, the crew at SERVPRO Wayne County has the experience to make it "Like it never even happened."

Suffer a Fire Loss? Here is a list of Dos and Don'ts

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

All of our fire technicians are certified to restore your property faster!

A backdraft of emotions often sweeps over homeowners after a fire ravages their home. Fear, uncertainty, stress and doubt about the future of the property can be overwhelming well after the flames have been extinguished. After the first wave of heroes have rescued the property, call SERVPRO of Wayne County to help you restore it. With the industry-approved, cutting-edge technology and open communication, we strive to not only restore your home, but your peace of mind as well. While you wait for our SERVPRO professionals to arrive, there are a few things you can do until help arrives: 

• Limit movement in the house to prevent soot particles from spreading  
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs and high traffic areas and upholstery to help preserve it 
• Coat chrome faucets, trim and appliances in petroleum jelly or oil 
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpet  
• Do not wash any walls or painted surfaces 
• Do not clean any electrical equipment  
• Do not send clothing to a dry cleaner 

The first 48 hours after a fire damage can make a massive difference between restoring versus replacing your belongings. Luckily for you, SERVPRO of Wayne County offers a variety of services to help ensure your property, belongings, and memories are restored to their preloss condition.  

Why is cleaning smoke after a fire necessary?

4/7/2022 (Permalink)

Call us at 919-751-5353 to get started!

After a fire, there is a combination of damages, from fire to water to smoke. Smoke cleaning is one of the most challenging types of damage to remove from a property because it is so invasive. Smoke gets into electronics, snakes through HVAC systems, and seeps into porous fabrics and materials. If you want the best chance of recovering smoke-affected items, contact a fire remediation professional in Goldsboro, NC. 

The 4 Step Smoke Cleaning Process

One of the biggest complaints about fire damage is smoke odor. The odor permeates everything. It is incredibly challenging to remove and will likely require a tremendous amount of patience. Any professional service will follow a four-step approach to remove the odor of smoke residue.

1. Surface Debris Removal

The first stage of smoke damage cleanup is the surface cleaning of items in your home. There will probably be a thick coating of ash, sediment, and residue on almost every surface in the affected area. The remediation team will comb through the space using vacuums and other tools to pre-clean the space, allowing further steps to be more effective.

2. Sanitization

Smoke residue is toxic; it is not something you want to get on your hands and face or into your mouth and lungs. Whenever entering your property after the fire but before cleaning, you should wear appropriate protective gear, like gloves and a mask.

The remediation company will go through after the initial cleaning and sanitize the space using different cleaners and purification techniques. You will need to call in other professional services to clean and repair appliances or HVAC systems in some circumstances.

3. Washing and Scrubbing

The remediation service will go through at least two or three cleaning and scrubbing cycles to remove any remaining residue and odor. In some instances, you might not have a choice but to get rid of furniture and other porous items. Smoke odor tends to seep deep into fabrics, and sometimes deep cleaning is not enough to remove or eliminate persistent odors.

If you wish, you can contact specialty cleaners for items that hold particular sentimental value. These cleaners often have techniques and tools that are beyond the scope of a traditional remediation service.

4. Restoration and Deodorization

The service you hire will ensure that everything they can clean has been cleaned and scrubbed thoroughly before moving on to restoration stages. The final stages of cleaning will involve deodorization, which can utilize air purifiers.

The restoration of your property will include the replacement of damaged walls, ceilings, floors, etc. When the restoration company is done with your property, it should look like pre-disaster conditions, meaning your family can return to a place that looks and feels like home.

Smoke cleaning is a bit of a tedious process. However, when performed effectively, the process should eliminate the remaining odors and damage. The extent of the cleaning will depend on the severity of the fire, and the scope of the damage often dictates the efficacy of the restoration process. Unfortunately, after a fire, the only way to determine salvageability is to have your property assessed.

If you suffer a fire loss, call the professionals at 919-751-5353

Accidental Activated Sprinkler System?

4/6/2022 (Permalink)

Most typical business owners don’t spend time thinking about the effects of flooding due to their fire sprinklers being activated. However, it happens, and it’s an issue that could quickly get out of control and cost you tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The obvious solution is prevention, but first you need to know what could cause this to happen.

Four Reasons for Accidental Activation

Contrary to popular belief, the modern sprinkler system is not activated by fire alarms or even smoke caused by burnt food in your breakroom. They actually have to be subjected to extreme heat that either bursts the red liquid bulb or melts the sensor on the device. There are several things that can cause them to accidently activate, here are some reasons this could happen:

• Vandalization of the sprinkler system
• Improper installation of the system
• An accident
• The sprinkler heads being used inappropriately.

Here are some Immediate Steps to take Prevent Loss

The first step to take in an emergency flooding situation is to turn off the water. Multiple people within your organization should be capable of doing this. Once the water is shut off then cleanup can begin. It’s possible that hundreds of gallons of water have been released in a short time, so damage to machinery, walls and floors can happen quickly. The best plan is to contact an experienced and reputable water restoration company like SERVPRO of Wayne County. They’ll be able to quickly and correctly dry each surface and reduce the risk of mold.

What’s the Long Term Approach?

With the initial cleanup underway, the next step is to contact your insurance company and prevent the problem from occurring again. Your employees should be trained to never hang anything from a sprinkler head or even touch it. The ideal placement for sprinkler heads is in a location which is difficult for a person or even a machine to accidentally contact it.

Flooding in your business may seem inconceivable, but there are steps you can take to prevent and minimize your damages. But an experienced restoration company like SERVPRO of Wayne County can get your facility looking “Like it never even happened.”

Is your business prepared for disaster?

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

As the spring season begins, North Carolina is prone to storms and potential tornadoes. With these types of weather events, comes damage and wind, water and mold damage are just a couple things that can disrupt your business.

Did you know that over 50% of businesses who are affected by a disaster may not recover? That’s HALF, and the number one reason a business DOES survive is because they have a plan in place for when a disaster does strike.

SERVPRO of Wayne County is here to help your business be prepared for any type of disaster by creating an Emergency Readiness Plan (ERP) for your business. By developing an ERP, you can reduce interruptions because you will have an action plan if and when disaster strikes. Knowing what expect and do is key to minimizing how fire, water and mold can affect your business.

What’s in an Emergency Readiness Plan (ERP)?

• A list of priority contact information for the business
• A list of personnel, their contact information and responsibilities after the disaster
• Building details such as where are the breaker boxes, floor plans, shut off valves and any other items that may need immediate attention

• A file containing critical information that would be needed in the event of an emergency such as username and passwords to office equipment, file servers, bank accounts, etc.
• A list of external groups that could be available to assist you and your business
• And finally, a plan to help you get back on site, and then back to work

For more information on how to put together an Emergency Readiness Plan for your business, call SERVPRO of Wayne County and one of our trained professionals can help you.