Preparing Your Home for a Hurricane

10/12/2022 (Permalink)

We are currently nearing the end of another hurricane season. It is a very scary and stressful time for people who live in high risk areas. 

There are several safety tips to keep in mind in order to reduce the damage done to your home. Taking simple steps can potentially save you a lot of damage and money after the storm. Not to mention they will help keep you safe.

According to the CDC, the first step you should take is to clear your yard. Make sure there’s nothing that could blow around during the storm and cause additional damage to your property and others. Move bikes, lawn furniture, grills, propane tanks, and building material inside or under shelter. It is also a good idea to move your car into your garage if you have one. It clears the driveway for emergency crews if needed, making rescue efforts more quick. Doing so may also reduce any potential damage to your car.  

Another tip to keep in mind is to cover up your windows and doors. Use storm shutters or nail pieces of plywood to the outside window frames to protect your windows. This can help keep you safe from pieces of shattered glass. This is extremely important if you are going to be stuck in your home during the storm. Getting medical attention during a hurricane is nearly impossible. Taking the extra step of covering up windows and doors can prevent serious injury. 

The CDC also recommends that you turn your power off during a hurricane. If you see flooding, downed power lines, or you have to leave your home, switch your power off. This helps reduce the risk of having a power surge inside your home. It also makes the restoration process easier after the fact for the electric companies. Not to mention it reduces the risk of fires or electrical shock from downed power lines. Be sure to have properly charged flashlights for safety in the dark. Yet another suggestion is to fill water containers with potable water ahead of time. Taking these proactive steps in your home can help you recover much faster from a hurricane. It makes your home safer for you and your family and will lead to less damage from the storm.  

Finally, be sure to have an emergency kit that contains items such as: hand cranked radios for communication and cell phone charging, a supply of batteries for other useful devices such as flashlights and a properly supplied medical kit.

The CDC has many more tips to help you weather the storm. Please visit CDC.gov for more information.

SERVPRO Storm Response

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

A Fast Response Is Crucial

In many cleaning and restoration situations, immediate action is needed. With over 1,700 U.S. and Canadian Franchise locations, SERVPRO is strategically positioned to be faster to any size emergency.

An immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Water is particularly invasive, quickly spreading throughout your property and being absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, etc. SERVPRO Franchise Professionals arrive quickly and start the water extraction process almost immediately.

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes:

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants can cause health effects.

Commercial Storm Damage Restoration

4/18/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial Storm Damage Restoration

Storms and inclement weather can bring wind damage, heavy rain, and flooding that can devastate any business in a matter of minutes. There’s never a convenient time for flooding or water damage to strike, and storms don’t just strike during regular business hours; that’s why SERVPRO Franchise Professionals offer 24 hour emergency service 365 days per year.

Every hour that you spend cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises in your business, give our Professionals a call and they’ll be there fast with the help you need.

•  24 Hour Emergency Service
•  Faster to Any Size Disaster
•  A Trusted Leader in the Storm and Water Restoration Industry with over 1,700 Franchises
•  Highly Trained Storm and Water Damage Restoration Specialists

Thunderstorm Facts

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

Thunderstorm Facts

There are three different types of thunderstorms; all of which can be identified with a humbly trained eye. Dennis Mersereau, from Mentalfloss.com, breaks down each of the types of thunderstorms.

First, there are single-cell storms, which pulses up, rains for half an hour, and dissipates. Although it may seem pretty straight forward, these storms can cause heavy winds from its downdrafts that can trigger more storms in a chain reaction.

The second type of storm, and the most common one that contains squall lines, are called multi-cell thunderstorms. These storms have the possibility of becoming dangerous due to their squall lines, which are a narrow band of high winds and storms associated with a cold front.

The third and final thunderstorm, called a supercell storm, has a rotating updraft. The twisting updraft helps these supercell storms survive for many hours and produce more severe weather, like: large hail, higher winds, and strong tornadoes.

Storm Safety Tips

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

One of the most simple ways to see if it is safe to go outside either before, during, or after a storm, is to just follow this rule: When thunder roars, go indoors!

While you should always exercise caution when attempting to be outside in a storm, it is highly suggested that you refrain from doing so until after it presides.

If you look outside and see that a storm is brewing, stay inside! Do not wait to go indoors until it rains because you could be asking for trouble — lightning may strike as far as 10 miles away from any potential rainfall.

You know could be in harm's way if you are outside and hear thunder. Naturally, it's not every day that you know of someone new who gets struck by lightning. But you should always take shelter in enclosed spaces to keep you safe from the elements.

While cars are considered safe, tractors, motorcycles, golf carts, and bicycles would typically not be considered shelter. Try and find a way to get indoors and stay there.

If you need storm cleanup restoration, give us a call!

Severe Storms and Weather

12/10/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is able to assist with any storm damage your home may sustain. Please stay safe and up to date with local storm warnings.

Did you know?

According to the Red Cross lightning strikes kill more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes? 

Severe weather is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Severe storms can wreak havoc on your home or business and can be accompanied by flash flooding, damaging winds, fallen trees and power outages.

One of the most common disasters SERVPRO remediates is roofs damaged, if not destroyed, by a fallen tree. In fact, as is common throughout the United States, winds may be strong enough to down tree limbs, knock out power, or may even be strong enough to down entire trees onto homes, parked cars, or whatever happens to cross their path, thus producing structural damage to homes and buildings (www.weather.com).

In a more severe circumstance, SERVPRO teams from the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area collectively responded to the victims of Hurricane Sandy back in 2012. Countless homes, stores, vacation retreats and hotels were severely impacted and many of them have required years of repairs and recovery.

Therefore, with the amount of damage that can be done, it is important for you to adhere to any known storm warning or threat of severe weather. Stay indoors, secure your immediate area and if possible, stay up-to-date.