Don’t leave the storage of these solutions up to chance.
The Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) regulates the labeling of hazardous household products. Under the FHSA, substances that are combustible, flammable, corrosive, irritating, toxic, a strong sensitizer, or cause a substantial risk of personal injury or illness must be labeled as such.
In a home, this translates to products that include:
Aerosol cans
Gasoline
Oils and lubricants
Paint thinner
Rubbing alcohol
Turpentine
Linseed oil
Hand sanitizer
Nail polish remover
Stain removers
Hairspray and beauty products
Non-dairy creamer
Cooking oil
Kerosene
And more.
This list is not all-encompassing, but it’s a good starting point. Also consider products stored in attached and detached garages, sheds, or ancillary buildings when assessing the risk at your property.
How to Store Flammable and Combustible Liquids at Home
It’s hard to imagine a life without any of the potentially flammable items listed above. Storing combustible or flammable liquids safely is all about mitigating risk. Implement the storage strategies listed below in your home can help reduce your risk of fire.
Storage Dos:
Store products like oils and lubricants in a well-ventilated space in your garage or, preferably, a detached shed.
Store household items like cleaners and beauty products in a cool, dark space like a cabinet or closet.
Choose a storage location that receives adequate ventilation.
Keep an inventory of potentially hazardous liquids, so you always know what’s in your home, its quantity, and where it is.
Ensure your home is equipped with working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
Regularly change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A good ‘rule of thumb’ is to change the batteries when you change your clocks in the spring and fall.
Practice safe disposal methods for oil- or cleaner-soaked rags, empty containers promptly, and more. Many of these products are considered household hazardous waste, meaning they cannot be put down the drain or flushed down the toilet, and must be disposed of at a designated collection site.
Store all chemicals and hazardous liquids out of reach of children and pets.
Consider purchasing a flammable liquid storage cabinet.
Storage Don’ts:
Don’t store flammable liquids next to anything that ignites (lighters, matches, power tools, small engines, even kitchen appliances).
Don’t store flammable liquids with ancillary fuel (think paper, fabric, or other highly flammable materials).
Don’t hide combustible liquids away. Out of sight equals out of mind. Track these materials to ensure they are safely stored.
Don’t stockpile hazardous or flammable materials. A good sale is no reason to keep extra, potentially dangerous materials on hand.
Don’t leave flammable liquids near heat sources like heat vents or dryers. And never leave flammable liquids in the sun.
Don’t store gasoline in anything other than an approved canister.
How to Handle a Flammable Liquid Spill
Uh-oh, have you accidentally spilled turpentine or a flammable cleaning liquid at home? Quick and safe clean-up is key to maintaining a safe environment.
The exact cleanup steps will depend on the type of liquid spilled. For small spills, it’s recommended that homeowners:
Open doors and windows to increase ventilation.
Wear protective gear, like plastic gloves and goggles.
Use absorbent and non-reactive material, like kitty litter or sawdust, to soak up liquid.
Dispose of the soaked material safely (this will look different depending on what spilled).
Clean any residue from the spill using soap and hot water.
Your home or business has been the casualty of a flash flood. What should you do?
Immediately following a flash flood:
Stay tuned in. During flash flood recovery, it is essential to listen to local radio, TV, or your weather radio for necessary information. Flood dangers may still be present even after the water has receded. These news outlets will keep you informed of when it is safe to return or venture out.
Assess utilities. Turn off electrical if you see sparks, broken/frayed wires, or smell smoke/burning insulation. If you have to step in water to get to a fuse box or circuit breaker, consult an electrician for advice. If water or sewage lines have been damaged, consult a licensed plumber straightaway. If you smell natural gas or propane or hear a hissing noise, vacate the area immediately and contact the fire department.
Don’t drink the water. Do not drink tap or well water until it is has been declared safe for consumption and free of human waste contamination, fuels, and other pollutants. Don’t use it to brush teeth, prepare food, wash dishes, make ice, or even wash your hands with it. Undamaged water heaters and melted ice cubes may offer a clean source of water to get you by. If you don’t have access to safe water:
Boil water: Boil for one minute, then cool, storing in clean, covered containers. This will destroy most types of disease-causing microorganisms.
Bleach: Bleach will kill some – but not all - types of bacteria. 1/8 teaspoon or eight drops of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach per gallon should be used. Let water stand 30 minutes before using.
Be overprotective. Keep a close eye on children of all ages as well as pets.
Avoid flood-ravaged areas. Barricades have been erected for your protection. Additional flooding may occur, roads may have been damaged, and an array of hazards – both visible and invisible – may be present. Staying off of roadways also helps emergency workers more easily get to flood victims in need of flash flood recovery.
Keep away from moving water. Just six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet, and a couple of feet can carry away most vehicles. Avoid moving water at all costs.
If you must travel, use extreme caution. Only travel through flood damaged areas when absolutely necessary. If you must travel, wait till water has stopped moving, wear sturdy shoes, and use a stick to gauge depth and firmness prior to taking each step. Be wary of contaminated water (gas, sewage, etc.), electrical hazards, hidden animals, dangerous debris, eroded roads and walkways, and more that can quickly land you in a dangerous situation whether you are traveling by foot or car. Avoid entering any structure surrounded by floodwaters that may be weakened until they have been declared safe from collapse.
Cleaning up and repairing:
Get help. Contact SERVPRO of Kendall County for restoration services for water damaged items.
Disinfection protection. Once floodwaters have receded, carefully clean and disinfect each wet item to protect your home and family from sewage or chemical contaminants. Be certain to wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and boots, during cleanup activities.
Floods and food. Any items that have come in contact with floodwaters should be thrown out. This includes bottled water, canned goods, plastic utensils, baby bottles, and more. When in doubt, throw it out!
Scammers and con artists. Hire only professional, reputable contractors for cleanup and repair needs. Avoid the “drive-by” contractor.
Safe drainage. Should your basement become flooded, drain it gradually – about 1/3 per day – to prevent structural damage and collapse that may result from rapid water removal.
Insurance claims. Contact your insurance agents to discuss flash flood recovery claims. The typical homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover flood damage. Call to verify coverage before flash flooding – and the need to file a claim – affects you.
A leak can lead to more than just a discolored and damaged ceiling
If you notice a damp spot on your ceiling, it usually signifies a leak. Depending on your home, the source of the leak could be your roof or plumbing in one of the upstairs rooms.
Plumbing leaks often originate in bathrooms—and the chances are good that a water-damaged ceiling is the result of a leaky bathtub or pipe.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about addressing a bathroom or bathtub leak to prevent further damage to your home.
Determining the Cause of Your Bathroom Leak
The first step to addressing a leak is pinpointing its origin point. A bathtub leak is likely to blame when a downstairs ceiling is leaking from an upstairs bathroom. Bathtub leaks usually originate with the drain, the overflow drain, or a bathtub crack.
Once you’ve addressed the source of the damage, it’s critical that you 1) hire a licensed plumber and 2) hire SERVPRO of Kendall County.
The three most common sources of bathtub leaks are:
Bathtub Drain Leak: A leaky bathtub drain is a common cause of bathroom water damage. This type of leak occurs when the drain and attached lines beneath your tub may weaken, causing the seals to fail or cracks to form. This drip, even if slow, will result in water damage to the infrastructure below the tub area.
Bathtub Overflow Drain Leak: Every tub is equipped with an overflow drain to preemptively stop a tub from overflowing into your bathroom. Unfortunately, as tubs age, this overflow drain may crack, break, or leak. Most likely it is the drain gasket. Like a drain leak, a bathtub overflow drain that is leaking may cause damage to your home.
Bathtub Crack Leak: Perhaps the leak isn’t from the pipes at all. Bathtub leaks can be from discrete hairline fractures in the body of the tub itself. This type of leak can be easily missed. To determine if a crack in the bathtub is the source of your leak, fill the tub with water. Allow the water to be still and look for areas that pull the water. Those small currents are flowing to your bathtub crack.
Don’t get caught off guard by flooding in your rental.
What to Do When Your Apartment Floods
1) Make Sure Everyone Is Safe
The first thing you should do if your apartment floods is to make sure everyone is safe, including your pets. A small leak with water contained in one area or one room is not as much of a hazard as inches or even feet of water from a natural disaster. Use common sense, be safe and then move to step two.
2) Contact Your Landlord or Property Manager
If there is a broken pipe, a leak from the tenant above you or water coming from another source, the first thing you should do is call your landlord or property manager. With any luck, they can respond immediately and stop the water and reduce the damage. If you can do it safely yourself, turn off the source of the water. Whether that’s a valve that you can shut off or an appliance you can turn off, stop the water if you can.
3) Save Your Stuff!
If you can, move furniture and belongings from the flooded area. Put them in another room or put them up high and out of the water’s reach. If the entire apartment is flooded, do what you can to save as much as you can. It’s important to remove your valuables, especially if you’ll be displaced by the flooding. Put them in your car or take them to a friend or family member’s house for safekeeping.
4) Follow Up on Restoration Plans
Ensure your landlord calls SERVPRO of Kendall County. Nothing is more important to flood recovery than a quick response by a restoration company.
There are a number of items commonly found in your home that can be dangerous fire hazards.
Were you aware of these fire hazards in your home?
Microwaves Microwaves offer plenty of fire risks. Unnoticed metals on dinnerware, takeout containers – even in recycled paper products – can result in arcing, sparks, and fire. Popcorn, a commonly microwaved item, can easily catch fire when cooked for too long. If you have a fire in your microwave, turn it off immediately to prevent the fan feeding oxygen to flames and wait until it suffocates. Only open the door when you’re certain the fire is extinguished. Clean your microwave regularly and use only articles designed for microwave use to reduce fire potential. If your microwave malfunctions, replace it immediately. Microwaves are high voltage and pose an extreme fire risk when not properly operating. If your microwave malfunctions, unplug it. Never attempt to repair a microwave yourself, simply replace it or consult a professional.
Batteries All batteries pose a fire risk, even those with a weak charge. However 9 volt batteries are the biggest culprit of fire due to the close proximity of their terminals, which can easily short. A battery storage case is highly recommended. If you do not have one, leave batteries in their original packaging, not lying around loose. Store batteries standing up, placing electrical tape over the ends of each battery (all types – not just 9 volts) to prevent shorts. Do not store batteries in metal containers, or near other metal items such as keys, steel wool, and aluminum foil. Be sure to store 9 volt batteries separately.
Light bulbs Overlamping, or using a light bulb with wattage too high for a given outlet, can easily result in a home fire. Determining proper wattage is easy. Simply locate the proper wattage on each fixtures outlet. If the fixture is unmarked, stay under 60 watts to be safe. Caution must also be taken with CFLs (compact fluorescents). These spiral shaped bulbs could result in fire when improperly used. Avoid using CFLs in any lighting unit where the base of the bulb is enclosed by the fixture, such as with track and recessed lighting. If your CFLs are burning out early and you notice they are brown at the base when you remove them, the bulbs are overheating and could result in fire. Choose a cooler option, such as LED.
Dryer lint Dryer lint that has not been properly cleaned from your dryer vent or ductwork can cause heat buildup and fast-moving fires. Clean your dryer’s lint screen after every load. Use aluminum tubing to vent your dryer to meet current fire code standards. Your dryer’s lint trap only catches 25 percent of lint, so be certain to clean the vent and exhaust duct periodically, as well as the area behind the dryer, where lint can build up.
Laptops Laptops can get pretty hot during normal operation. Never leave your laptop on a bed or couch, or any place where its cooling vents are blocked. This could result in fire. Store laptops securely on a desk or laptop stand.
Stacks of newspaper, magazines Items you plan to read eventually can ignite quickly if left too close to a heat source. If you must keep old newspapers or magazines, be certain to store them in a cool, dry place in short stacks.
Heating blankets and pads Defective, old or improperly used blankets and heating pads can result in fire. To prevent fires, read and adhere to all manufacturer’s operating instructions. Do not place the cord between the mattress and box spring, or in any location where it may be pinched or folded. Avoid bunching, keeping the blanket or pad flat when in use. Use these items on the lowest setting no longer than the recommended time. Wash them carefully and take heed not to dry, iron, or dry clean them, which can melt heating wire insulation and increase fire risks.
Barbeque charcoal Throwing that unused bag of charcoal in the closest storage closet is a bad idea. Damp coal can ignite and start a serious fire. Store charcoal in a cool, dry place in a metal pail or garbage can secured tightly with a lid.
Closet clutter A sweater stack a mile high could easily come into contact with a light bulb and ignite. Don’t store combustible materials near light fixtures. Cut the clutter and keep belongings far away from bulbs.
Dust Dust bunnies around electronics, sockets, and heaters can ignite and start fire. Regularly vacuum dust near outlets, wires, and appliances, including crevices and areas behind furniture, to prevent fires.
Old appliances Old appliances with worn insulation and dilapidated wiring are a disaster waiting to happen. Check them regularly to ensure good working condition and the safety of cords and connections.
Reasons Why You Need Deep Office Cleaning Services
The benefits of deep office cleaning services go well beyond the elimination of germs and bacteria.
Office Sanitation Services: Reasons to Invest in Office Deep Cleaning Services
Healtheir and Safer Employees
When it comes to office sanitation, there's not a benefit more important than the health and welfare of your employees. Eliminating hidden germs and bacteria is one of the easiest ways to stop the spread of viruses or bugs around the workplace. While your office may look clean, some workplace equipment is 400-times dirtier than the average toilet seat. Deep cleaning hard surfaces can make a big difference in your employees' health.
More Productive Employees
Naturally, a clean office reduces employee sick days. Several studies over the years have shown that sick workers cost U.S. employers $2 billion annually. Spending money now on office deep cleaning services can have a great return on investment (ROI).
Everything Looks Brand New
Something is gratifying about shiny new things. Research shows that the human brain is hardwired to be attracted to novelty. So, even if it's the same old office you've worked in for more than a decade, a deep clean can give it a like-new facelift, and it can give your employees a sense of fresh surroundings.
Encourages Cleaner Individuals
Call it peer pressure, but if the tone is set early on that you run a clean office, expect your employees to follow suit. Many offices have general guidelines for employees to keep their workspace clean but expect that to be even more ingrained when they know their company is investing in a clean environment for them. This means providing things like anti-bacterial wipes and keyboard cleaner, but those are small costs that reap company-wide benefits when it comes to morale.
Increased Pride in the Office
You don't have to research too hard to understand positive work cultures result in more productive employees. A regularly deep-cleaned office can be a point of pride that employees recognize. When employees are proud of their office, engagement increases, there's more creativity and they feel their work-life balance is improved. Simply put, they're more excited to come into the office.
Easier to Recruit Employees
The best and brightest job candidates want to know their prospective employer cares about their health and safety and the office's overall vibe. If a candidate notices stained carpets, dingy grout or off smells they might be inclined to seek work elsewhere.
Discover Unknown Issues
You never know what hidden sanitation or health problems a deep-cleaning crew could discover while on the job. Where are those water stains coming from? Why is there a smell permeating from the vents? These are just a few issues a deep cleaning team could uncover for you
When you are handling water damage, immediate action is important.
Regardless of where you live, a leak, plumbing system backup or a significant storm can create a flow of water in the most inconvenient places requires prompt action to offset many types of damage to your home or business, as well as its contents.
The presence of moisture in the wrong places can cause various types of risk. There is physical damage to the structure itself, as well as to its furnishing and fitting. There is the risk of disease from germ and bacteria-laden backup from sinks, showers, drains, and toilets. If the moisture is not addressed quickly, the dampness can harbor mold and mildew that creates an environment for diseases, respiratory problems and even fatal conditions.
The immediate flow of liquid can destroy foundations as well as the entire structure. Many people do not realize the damages that flowing water can do. It is also true that a seep or drip of water can cause destruction if not addressed promptly and in an effective manner. There are multiple steps that need to happen when looking at reversing the problems caused by unwanted water.
If possible, the first step in restoring your property following a flood, leak or backup is to stop the flow of moisture, regardless of the type of force. This may mean shutting off the main valve if it is possible to do so safely. Care should be taken to avoid stepping into puddles or flow which might be in contact with electrical power. So, shutting off the power to the structure is recommended in many instances. If the shut-off is easily accessible, it can be done by the home or business owner, otherwise, the next step is to contact us for a prompt response.
When SERVPRO of Kendall County arrives, they will do an assessment of the cause. The removal of as much of the liquid as possible will help to prevent further destruction. This can be done through the use of pumps, or other equipment. Our technology allows us to remove excess moisture as quickly as possible. High power, industrial strength fans may be brought in to dry out the dampness.
Once the area is dried out, there will be a need to remove structural elements, furnishing, and fixtures which are damaged beyond repair. These materials must be removed to avoid the growth of mold or organisms which can interfere with health. If needed, the cause of the leak or other damage needs to be repaired.
Surfaces which have been subject to dampness should be treated to avoid the growth of mold. Mold can be a risk to your health, especially if the spores have gone airborne.
During Storm Season, Make Sure Your Sump Pump is Working Properly
The sump pump removes the water and dumps it at a designated area outside through its discharge pipe.
If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, you need to have a dependable sump pump and a good battery backup system. Because of their location below other floors of a building, basements and crawlspaces are prone to flooding, and this can cause notable damage and health issues in your home.
When water accumulates in your basement or crawlspace, the moisture can cause significant damage to the floor and walls. Humid conditions also cause the growth of mold, which apart from causing damage to walls, ceilings and other structures, also causes health problems like allergies and respiratory issues.
It is therefore important to have a mechanism that can efficiently and consistently remove water from areas that are prone to flooding. One of the ways to achieve this is by install a sump pumpand having a reliable battery backup system.
Sump pump?
This is a device that is used to remove water from areas that are susceptible to flooding. To play their role effectively, sump pumps are positioned in the lowest points in a home, notably within the crawlspace or the basement.
How a sump pump works
A sump pump is designed such that it turns on automatically when the level of water at the point where it is located reaches a certain point. This happens during occurrences such as flooding when it rains or when there is a substantial leakage from the plumbing systems. The sump pump removes the water and dumps it at a designated area outside through its discharge pipe.
How a battery backup system can help you
A battery backup system helps ensure that your sump pump is on standby at all times. Interestingly, flooding of a basement is in most cases associated with bad weather. Storms and falling trees can leave you without power. Yet it is during storms that your sump pump needs to be up and running.
With a battery backup system, you are able to protect your home from flooding by ensuring that your sump pump has power even when the mains electricity fails. A battery backup system turns on automatically any time there is a power outage in your home.
So, by installing a good battery backup system, you will not have any reason to worry in the event that there is a storm because your sump pump will function normally.
The first thing to consider is preventing potential fires by practicing pet fire safety.
The best way to protect your pets from the effects of a fire is to include them in your family plan. This includes having their own disaster supplies kit as well as arranging in advance for a safe place for them to stay if you need to leave your home.
When you practice your escape plan, practice taking your pets with you. Train them to come to you when you call.- In the event of a disaster, if you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them, too. But remember: never delay escape or endanger yourself or your family to rescue a family pet.
Prevent Your Pets from Starting Fires
Extinguish Open Flames - Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
Remove Stove Knobs - Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house - a stove or cooktop is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.
Invest in Flameless Candles - These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
Secure Young Pets - keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.
Help Firefighters Help Your Pets
Keep pets near entrances when away from home. Keep collars on pets and leashes at the ready in case firefighters need to rescue your pet. When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
Affix a pet alert window cling and write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating their pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.
Buildings are the biggest asset for every business owner; discovering structural damage of any type will surely be stressful.
Every commercial building is different, but each is at risk for water damage. Even a minor roof or pipe leak can lead to unwanted water intrusion and negatively impact the value of your property. Here are some water damage facts every business owner needs to know:
1. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE MAY STOP WATER DAMAGE ACCIDENTS
Get into the habit of inspecting certain elements throughout your building on a regular basis. Commercial water damage preventative maintenance tasks can include inspecting gutters, the roof, plumbing lines and drains. If necessary, have an expert inspect your building once or twice a year to help ensure everything is in proper condition.
2. ROOF LEAKS ARE A COMMON SOURCE OF COMMERCIAL WATER DAMAGE
Just a small roof leak can cause major havoc on a commercial building. Even if your roof is in excellent condition, the likelihood of a roof leak is prevalent in areas where severe wind, freezing temperatures and hail are frequent.
3. EVEN MINOR EXISTING LEAKS CAN LEAD TO MAJOR PROBLEMS
If left unchecked, minor plumbing malfunctions can cause extensive water damage. If you don't properly maintain your plumbing, your insurance company may not cover the costs associated with normal wear and tear.
4. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER CONTAMINATION
There are three different types of water contamination: white water, gray water and black water. The proper clean-up and safety procedures associated with commercial water damage vary depending on the type of water contamination. For that reason, it’s best to leave the water extraction, clean-up and restoration SERVPRO of Kendall County.
5. YOUR INSURANCE MAY NOT COVER ALL TYPES OF WATER DAMAGE
Some insurance policies cover sudden water damage, but there may be certain exclusions that apply. Typically, a standard insurance policy does not cover flood damage at all. For that reason, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with your specific policy to make sure you have ample protection.
6. YOU MAY NEED TO PURCHASE A SEPARATE FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY
There are different insurance policies for water and flood damage. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you may need to purchase a standalone flood insurance policy. Contact your insurance agent to determine if you need additional coverage.
7. IF WATER DAMAGE OCCURS, CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY
Once commercial water damage happens, call your insurance company right away so your insurance agent can begin filing a claim. The company may be able to guide you through the initial steps you'll need to take to keep your property protected, too.
8. TIMELINESS IS A NECESSITY
When water damage threatens your property, knowing how to handle the situation within a timely manner can make a tremendous difference. If you know the basics of what to do once it happens, you can help prevent further damage.
9. EXTRACTION IS THE BEST APPROACH TO MITIGATING WATER DAMAGE
If not taken care of immediately, excess water can lead to costly damage to your building's structure. An experienced restoration company like SERVPRO of Kendall County understands how to reduce the amount of water damage that happens after a major leak, flood or other problem occurs.
10. PROBLEMS MAY NOT END WHEN THE WATER IS GONE
Even after water is removed, moisture can hide in walls and underneath floors, eventually leading to mold growth. It's important to have a mold prevention specialist inspect your building to ensure mold isn’t growing or spreading through your property.
Call SERVPRO of Kendall County for all Your Cleaning Needs
The presence of mold contamination indoors should not be taken lightly. SERVPRO of Kendall County will help with your mold situations.
SERVPRO of Kendall County we take the necessary steps to ensure your mold remediation is done properly and follows the industry standard. Our highly trained staff uses the latest equipment to combat any mold situation.
1) Antimicrobial Application
This is a first step of corrective action. If your home or business has had recent water damage, but there is no visible mold growth, we can apply an antimicrobial agent that will prevent mold growth from occurring until the wet area is dried out. Antimicrobials can also kill existing mold spores if they are present.
2) Source Identification
Mold is often found in places that have been previously exposed to water or are near a moisture source. Some areas of concern are bathrooms, basements, sink cabinets and window sills due to condensation.
Our experienced technicians can identify elevated moisture concentrations in residential and commercial structures through the use of state of the art, industry specific moisture detection equipment and inspection tools such as thermal imaging. Often this can help determine the source of the moisture intrusion.
3) Containment
Mold can spread quickly if given the right conditions. Once the source of moisture intrusion has been repaired, our technicians isolate the contaminated area(s) to eliminate the spread of mold spores to other areas of the property. Containment is critical in minimizing the potential effects of cross contamination to other unaffected areas.
4) Air Filtration
During the process of mold removal, spores can be disturbed and become airborne. In conjunction with containment, the air needs to be cleaned as well. Negative air machines with high efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filters run continuously throughout the project. This ensures that mold spores, dust, microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs), and other airborne debris are removed from the affected area.
5) Removal and Cleanup
In most instances, the only effective way to ensure proper mold remediation is to remove affected materials completely. This commonly involves drywall, insulation, wood trim, carpet and even furniture.
SERVPRO of Kendall County follows S520 industry standards written by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) to professionally clean up mold from your home or business. If the area contaminated with mold is greater than 10 sq. ft, the use of a licensed environmental hygienist is required. The hygienist will provide a final clearance test, giving our customer peace of mind that the mold has been properly mitigated.
6) Replacement
As previously indicated, it could be possible that areas contaminated by mold require the removal of affected materials. In situations like this, SERVPRO of Kendall County can provide restoration services and repair affected areas with new building materials. At the conclusion, the property will be restored to a preloss condition.
FEMA aids individuals and families who have disaster caused damages to their homes as a result of a presidentially declared disaster.
Survivors who have uninsured or underinsured losses may be eligible for FEMA help to make their homes livable.
Understand What Losses FEMA May Cover
FEMA assistance differs from insurance. Assistance only provides the basic needs to make a home safe, sanitary and functional. FEMA assistance does not make you whole again, but it can give you a helping hand to recover. FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss.
Home damage must be related to the storm. FEMA inspectors may contact survivors who registered for help to conduct a remote inspection and calculate losses.
Examples of Safe, Sanitary and Functional Repairs to Make a Home Fit to Live in:
Property: FEMA may assist with the replacement of or repairs to disaster-damaged heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems as well as refrigerators and stoves. Other possible repairs that may be covered are utilities such as electrical, plumbing and gas systems. Non-essential items like dishwashers and home-theater equipment are not covered.
Ceiling and roof damage: FEMA may assist to repair disaster-related leaks in a roof that damage ceilings and threaten electrical components, like overhead lights, but not simple stains from roof leaks.
Floors: FEMA may assist to repair a disaster-damaged subfloor in occupied parts of the home, but not floor covering like tile or carpet.
Windows: FEMA may assist with disaster-related broken windows, but not blinds or drapes.
Other FEMA help may include temporary expenses to pay for lodging if a survivor’s home is uninhabitable, or assistance replacing essential household items.
As every survivor’s situation is different, FEMA calculations on what it may cover vary. Expenses for repairs that exceed the conditions to make a home safe, sanitary and functional are ineligible. Assistance depends on a host of factors like insurance coverage and in some respects the ability to pay.
Spend Grants Wisely
Disaster grants should not be used for travel, entertainment, regular living expenses or any discretionary expenses not related to the disaster. Survivors should keep receipts for three years to show how they spent FEMA grants.
If grant money is not used as outlined in the letter, you may have to repay FEMA and you could lose eligibility for further federal assistance that could become available later.
If Assistance Is Not Enough to Repair your Home to its Original Condition:
After you apply for disaster assistance, you may be referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA may contact survivors to offer them a low-interest disaster loan. Homeowners and renters who receive an application for an SBA loan should complete the application even if they decide not to take it.
For?businesses of any size?and certain nonprofits: up to $2 million for property damage.
For?small businesses, smallbusinesses engaged in?aquaculture and most nonprofits: up to $2 million for working capital needs even if they had no property damage, with a $2 million maximum loan for any combination of property damage and working capital needs.
For?homeowners:up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence.
For?homeowners and renters:?up to $40,000 to replace personal property, including vehicles.
4 Reasons You Need Professional Air Duct Cleaning for Your Office
By ensuring that your air ducts remain clean, you can increase the productivity of your workplace.
Mold Growth
– Visible mold growth in or around your HVAC air duct system should be a red flag. It is time to take action to avoid a potentially hazardous situation. To verify what you suspect is mold, the substances should be professionally tested. Mold issues with your air ducts are a real possibility especially if your HVAC system is located in the basement or attic. These areas are prone to high humidity and dampness; an environment in which mold can thrive. The combined effort of professional air duct cleaning along with removing the moisture source will drastically reduce the threat and potential hazards of mold.
Vermin
– You likely don’t want to think about it, but there is a good chance that rodents or insects have been traveling through your air ducts. These dark, secluded and sheltered areas make a perfect safe haven for certain critters. Many vermin carry unwanted bacteria that you just do not want spreading in your home or office. Periodic cleaning of the air duct system removes unwelcome guests and the mess they leave behind.
Excessive Dust and Debris
– Over time dust and debris can build up in your HVAC system. These contaminants can clog areas of your system or even be released into the home through supply registers. Dust and debris can accumulate faster if you have pets or have gone through a home renovation. Routine cleaning will help with reducing accumulated dust and potentially improve the indoor air quality of the property.
Efficiency
– Everyone is very conscious about home efficiency, especially when it comes to their utilities. Cleaning your air ducts on a routine basis plays a part in maintaining a HVAC system’s efficiency. A smooth running HVAC system is all about having strong air flow. Air flow can be hindered if ducts, coils, fans and motors are inhibited by dirt and debris. Eliminate this issue with professional air duct cleaning.
Fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials are preventable.
Here are essential smoking fire prevention tips for homeowners:
1. Using fire-safe cigarettes (FSCs)– Fire-safe cigarettes are designed to extinguish more quickly than standard cigarettes if ignored. Cigarettes that are fire standards-compliant have the “FSC” letters above the barcode.
2. Smoking outside only – As most smoking-related fires occur in living rooms and bedrooms, it is best to smoke outside. Cigarette butts or ashes can ignite many things in a home, such as curtains, beds, books, etc.
3. Not smoking in bed – Those who smoke in bed might fall asleep while their cigarette is still lit. If the cigarette falls, the mattress and bedding can easily catch fire.
4. Smoking away from medical oxygen – This is never a good idea as it can cause materials to catch on fire quickly and makes fires burn faster than normal.
5. Keeping children away fromsmoking materials – To prevent children from playing with cigarettes, matches or lighters, these smoking materials should be kept out of their reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.
6. Extinguishing cigarettes completely – Cigarettes should be doused with water or sand to make sure they are put out all the way. Before discarding cigarette butts and ashes in the trash, they should be doused with water again.
7. Using deep, sturdy ashtrays that can’t easily tip over – Ashtrays should be placed on level surfaces, outside the home. Also, water or sand should be put in them to ensure cigarette butts are completely extinguished.
8. Not smoking when tired – Those who feel sleepy or tired, or have taken medicine that makes one drowsy, may not be able to exercise proper caution when smoking.
9. Not throwing cigarettes in vegetation – Dry vegetation, such as mulch, peat moss and leaves, can catch fire when they come in contact with fresh cigarette butts.
10. Using electronic cigarettes with caution – Electronic cigarette usage also presents safety risks. Most e-cigarettes use lithium batteries, and using them improperly may result in accidents. E-cigarettes that are charging should always be supervised.
Contents Cleaning after fire damage in Kendall County
Often, your important documents, treasured keepsakes, favorite furniture, electronics, and other items can be restored if you act fast.
To increase the likelihood of restoring your property, here’s a look at what happens to your home and office contents after a fire, how to address fire and smoke damage, and what is involved in restoring your possessions.
How Smoke and Fire Damage Affect Your Personal Property
Fire and smoke damage can result in a number of unsightly and frustrating effects around your home or office, including:
Smoke stains
Soot and ash residue
Unpleasant odors
Waterlogged items
Structural damage
A variety of factors can influence what types of fire and smoke damage you incur, how serious it is, and what it will take to restore your contents and home after a fire. The type of fire (smoldering or blazing), how hot it burns, the materials that were burned, how long it burned before being put out — all these details affect what it takes to clean things up and get your property back in order.
During the restoration process, SERVPRO of Kendall County will take several steps, such as:
Assessing and documenting the damage for insurance purposes
Moving items out of harm’s way
Cleaning even the smallest cracks and crevices, where smoke and soot can penetrate
Ventilate the space to clear away lingering odor
What Items Can Actually Be Restored?
This is often the first question people ask after their home or business property suffers a fire. Though it’s understandable to think that a fire means everything you owned is now ruined, that’s not necessarily true. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, our specialized, state-of-the-art restoration processes and equipment help clean, dry out, deodorize, and preserve your contents.
Among the personal property items that can often be rescued and restored with proper, rapid care are:
Furniture
Electronics
Documents
Photos
Artwork
Heirlooms
It’s Important to Act Quickly
Though there are many factors that can affect the condition of your personal property, the number one factor that determines our ability to restore your contents and home boils down to one thing — time. Acting quickly to neutralize the damage and start the remediation process is crucial to getting as much of your property back to normal as possible.
How fast do you need to act? Here’s a quick guide:
In minutes
Fabrics and porous materials such as plastics, curtains, upholstery and wallpaper need immediate care to help avoid stains and discoloration.
In hours to a few days
Fire and smoke damage will permanently affect clothing, wood, furniture, flooring, fiberglass, appliances, and paint unless you act within hours to days to address it. Within this time frame, you also want to remove metal items, to prevent rust and corrosion.
In weeks
Because soot can penetrate deeply into all your surfaces, everything exposed to the fire and smoke should be cleaned as soon as possible, or you’ll risk permanent odors, stains, and other irreversible fire and smoke damage.
Using the Right Equipment Is Crucial
Here’s one added item you need to be aware of:
The equipment that is used to clean after fire and smoke damage can either preserve your contents or lead to further damage. For example, vacuuming your drapes and upholstered furniture with a typical home or office vacuum can end up simply spreading soot around or pushing it deeper into the fabric. SERVPRO of Kendall County uses top-notch equipment designed specifically for smoke and fire cleanup is therefore a must.
A chimney fire can, if hot enough, catch your rafters and frame on fire.
PREVENT CHIMNEY FIRES
Clean your chimney regularly: at least once a year. Now that heating season gearing up, it’s a prime time to do it. Spring is a great time too, as it’s a good idea to get the creosote out as soon as possible.
If you have a stovepipe chimney and had a chimney fire in the past, replace it. Chimney fires ruin stovepipes.
If you’re putting in a new stovepipe or replacing an old one, do not install the stovepipe upside-down. In other words, always install the pipe with the crimped part pointed down. Some people turn the pipe with the crimped side up, thinking that smoke is less likely to come into the room that way. Problem: with the crimped side up, creosote will run down the pipe, out through the joint, create a fire hazard, and ruin your floor. If, on the other hand, your pipes match each other and the stove, you won’t have a problem with it smoking if it’s installed the correct way.
Burn a really hot fire in the morning to burn the creosote out. Don’t do this until you’ve cleaned the chimney. Otherwise you’ll catch it on fire! Note that this will only reach the stuff near the stove; if you’ve got creosote further up, clean it.
Use dry wood; preferably firewood that has been seasoned from 8-12 months or more. Less water means less smoke and less creosote. Don’t use treated wood (construction scraps, anything painted, etc.); it releases poisons into the air.
Inspect your chimney or stovepipe once a year; this will catch anything you might miss and give you a professional cleaning if needed.
BE PREPARED
While “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and these next suggestions won’t prevent a fire, they will help enormously in case something goes wrong:
Keep a good fire extinguisher handy.
Make sure your smoke alarms are up to date.
Newspaper method: if a fire seems imminent, soak newspaper in water and chuck it in. That will stifle it.
Make sure you have an escape route planned out and practiced.
If a fire happens and you have time, cut all air to it (shut the stove doors and dampers), call 911 and get outside!
Whether it is due to old, faulty wiring or overloading a power strip, electrical fires can happen for many reasons.
Electrical fires can be prevented, and that’s why we put together these essential home electrical fire safety tips.
1. Don’t Overload Electrical Outlets
Electrical overloads can be very dangerous. If you have too many high-wattage appliances plugged into an outlet, a short circuit could potentially occur and result in a fire. Resist the temptation to use an extension cord as a solution.
2. Don’t Run Extension Cords Through Walls
And don’t run them under carpet, around corners, around beams or under doors. Especially with carpet, a faulty extension cords could potentially create sparks that cause a fire to ignite. Always throw away damaged cords and don’t try to repair them. Also, be sure only to use surge-protected power strips and to inspect for damages often.
3. Install and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
GFCIs are the perfect solution for outlets in areas which are continuously exposed to water, including bathrooms, laundry rooms, and outdoor outlets. They contain special built-in mechanisms to prevent electrical ground or short circuiting.
4. Examine Deficient Switches and Outlets
It’s important you inspect your light switches and electrical outlets for any deficient signs that could be potential warnings. Faulty switches are ones that can get particularly warm or shock you upon touch, which can be caused by exposed or deteriorated wiring. These can cause fires behind your switches, outlets and walls. If you spot any warning signs, remember to call your local electrician.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality in a Commercial Building
Keeping your employees safe and healthy in the workplace is important.
Keeping your employees safe and healthy in the workplace is important. After all, as a business owner, your employees are one of your most valuable assets. But when talking about creating healthy habits in the workplace, improving the quality of the air indoors is rarely mentioned.
Considering that breathing is something we do all day, every day, it’s important that the air we’re breathing is clean and fresh. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the average building is roughly five times more polluted than the air outside. This means you and your employees are likely subjected to indoor air pollutants, which can lead to health ailments (and sick days!) Fortunately, there are ways you can put an end to poor indoor air quality, like these three tips below.
1. Stop Indoor Air Pollutants at the Source
When it comes to indoor air quality, prevention is key. Poor conditions contribute to poor indoor air quality in the workplace, like leaky roofs and air conditioning system malfunctions (think improper cleaning, poor maintenance and the like). These conditions can lead to an influx of dander, dirt, dust, mold and other potentially harmful indoor air pollutants. While there are numerous ways to decrease these pollutants, prevention should be emphasized. Preventive efforts can be made in lots of ways. For example, always opt for all natural products, such as vinegar-based cleaning detergents. If you can, choose EPA recommended and indoor air quality safe products that are non-toxic.
2. Learn and Educate Yourself About Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air pollution is a big concern, yet many business owners and their employees know little about what it is or how it could potentially affect them. Long-term exposure to indoor air pollutants has been linked to numerous illnesses, including serious illnesses like respiratory disease and certain cancers. Because indoor air quality is so important, education is crucial. As a business owner, it’s a good idea to take the initiative to learn about indoor air pollutants and how you can improve the quality of the air you and your employees breathe. Take a more comprehensive look at indoor air quality.
3. Invest in Indoor Air Quality Solutions
When it comes to improving the quality of the air you breathe, a few small investments can make all the difference. Investing in a dehumidifier, for example, can remove up to 90 pints of excess moisture per day, which will help provide natural ventilation and improve the quality of the air inside. Another great option is installing a UV-C light system, which uses ultraviolet light to destroy volatile organic compounds from your commercial building.
Fire damage restoration is the process of returning a fire and smoke damaged property to preloss condition.
SERVPRO of Kendall County is your one stop shop for fire restoration. When our expert fire damage technicians gain access to the structure the restoration processis carried out from there:
1. Assessment of Damage
After first confirming the property is safe to enter, the first thing SERVPRO of Kendall County must do is perform an assessment of the damage sustained in the fire and ensuing water intrusion. This typically involves assessing how far the flames and smoke have penetrated into the structure and how extensive any clean up is likely to be. This step also involves assessment of the contents inside of the property to determine what should be discarded and what can be packed out and restored. At the end of a thorough assessment, the restoration company will have a better idea of the scope of the work, how long it will take and can begin formulating a cost estimate.
2. Security of Property & Debris Removal
After the assessment has been performed, the next step is securing the property. This includes installing fencing around the property, removing debris around the perimeter, and boarding up openings in the structure, as well as tarping or sealing off parts of the roof to protect what's left of the property from the weather. If certain areas of the property were not impacted by the fire, then it's important for our highly-trained technicians to ensure that this area is sealed off from the area that was impacted to minimize any cross contamination.
3. Demolition, Water Mitigation & Dry Out
The goal during this stage is to prevent further damage due to mold or corrosion by removing water and drying out the property. Personal property will be removed from the interior of the structure. Damaged drywall, flooring and other materials will be removed down to the studs as necessary. Water extraction crews will work with commercial equipment to dry out the structure. Roof tarps will be maintained during this stage to prevent further intrusion of water.
4. Clean Up & Smoke Removal
This is the most intensive part of a fire damage restoration job: clean up. This step typically involves a lot of manual labor to properly clean smoke and soot from interior and exterior surfaces. In many cases, every inch of the affected area will need to be cleaned. Following proper clean up, deodorizing agents are used to fully remove any lingering smoke odors. If water damage restoration has also been performed, it may be necessary to sanitize or apply antimicrobial chemicals to halt any subsequent mold growth. Off site, any contents that have been packed out are also likely being restored to preloss condition. Clean up also involves duct cleaning to remove any soot, smoke or debris that may have settled in ducts.
5. Construction & Restoration
The final step in returning the property to preloss condition is performing any necessary fire damage repairs or to rebuild fire-damaged areas. In the case of a fire, parts of the structure may be completely unsalvageable during the initial assessment, and therefore have to be removed and replaced. This may include: rebuilding and replacing the roof, replacing electrical, replacing and painting drywall, replacing flooring materials, replacing interior counters, fixtures, etc. to bring the property back to preloss condition.
The most effective water heater maintenance can additionally minimize the likelihood of breakdowns, which is important in ensuring minimal disruption
Maintaining your water heater is vital for many reasons. It is likely that you don’t realize how much you actually rely on your water heater. Your water heater provides many integral components to your home’s functionality, including allowing you to wash dishes and take showers. Without hot water, you won’t be able to effectively kill germs and thoroughly clean anything. The appropriate maintenance can extend the lifetime of your water heater. It can also enhance the overall energy-efficiency of your water heater, which goes a long way toward minimizing your related energy expenses.
1. Regularly Inspect
It is important to take time to regularly inspect and examine your water heater. These inspections can help you to catch potential issues in the early stages, which is when they will be far easier to repair. Take a brief moment to ensure that your water heater is continuing to function appropriately and efficiently.
2. Flush Yearly
It is important to drain your water heater on a yearly basis. This will allow you to clean out the interior of the tank and remove the buildup of sediment. Though sediment may not actually damage a water heater, it has a substantial impact on the overall efficiency of the heater. In order to effectively drain your water heater, it is important to shut off the water and the power to the water heater. You can then attach a hose to the water heater and drain the remaining water out of the tank. Allow the water to cool before accomplishing this step. After you have cleaned the tank out, you can refill it and turn it back on. Don’t turn the water heater back on until after it has been filled. Otherwise, it will put unnecessary strain on the heater as it tries to heat water that isn’t present.
3. Insulate Tank
Insulating the tank can provide many benefits for a water heater. Not only will it reduce energy expenses, but it can also extend the overall lifetime of the water heater. An insulated tank will prevent heat from escaping, which means that the water heater won’t have to work as hard to heat the water. This requires less energy, which will lead to lower energy bills. In addition, it reduces the overall amount of strain that is placed on the tank, which ensures that it lasts for much longer.
4. Lower Temperature
Most water heaters are originally set at a temperature that is far higher than is practical. In fact, this can actually be dangerous as it can cause water to be heated to a temperature much higher than is safe, resulting in burns. Many water heaters are set as high as 140° when all potential uses for hot water can be accomplished with temperatures of 120° or lower. Not only will lowering the temperature to 120° lower your overall energy expenses, but it will also prevent burns and injury.
5. Test Temperature Pressure Relief Valve
Test the temperature pressure relief valve on a regular basis to ensure that it is operating as it is intended to. This valve is in place to release pressure when it builds up too much within a water heater. You can test the TPR valve by inserting a bucket beneath the discharge pipe that is connected to the valve. After you have a bucket in place, you can lift the lever. If water comes out and stops when you lower the lever, the temperature pressure relief valve is functioning effectively. However, if water doesn’t come out or there is significant leakage, it is likely that the valve will need to be replaced.
6. Replace Anode Rod
The anode rod is an important component of a water heater and it needs to be replaced regularly, generally around 5 years. The rod attracts corrosive minerals in the water so that they corrode the rod rather than the inside of the tank. When this rod has worn out, the corrosive minerals can wreak havoc on the interior of the tank. It is vital to ensure that your anode rod is still functioning appropriately to protect your water heater.
7. Replace the Air Intake Filter
Tankless water heaters use air intake filters. These filters keep debris from entering into the heater, which allows it to continue functioning effectively and easily. These filters need to be changed regularly to ensure that they continue to provide the necessary functions.
8. Insulate Pipes
Not only is it beneficial to insulate the tank of the water heater, but it can also be helpful to insulate the pipes connecting to the water heater. This is especially important during the winter months, when pipes can reach dangerously cold temperatures. Insulating the pipes can prevent water from freezing in the pipes, which can lead to burst pipes that can cause extraordinary amounts of damage. There are many ways to easily insulate pipes, which can help to protect your entire building.
9. Obtain Professional Inspection
Though you can regularly inspect your water heater, obtaining the services of a professional will be far more effective. They have the experience and knowledge necessary to ensure that they will be able to catch potential issues in the early stages. Effectively maintaining your water heater can go a long way toward preventing serious issues from occurring. However, there are also many different types of water heaters, so it is vital to understand how to maintain your specific water heater.
When issues arise with your water heater, they can significantly disrupt your life. Regular maintenance can go a long way toward preventing these issues and ensuring that your water heater continues to operate efficiently. Not only will this lower regular energy expenses, but it will also lower the likelihood of repair and replacement expenses.
Learning what to look for and how to properly prepare can save lives and minimize damage.
High winds are a danger to people and property. Learning what to look for and how to properly prepare can save lives and minimize damage.
WIND CHARACTERISTICS
Wind damage can come from wind alone or from severe weather events, such as thunderstorms and tornadoes. Damaging winds that are not associated with tornadoes are often called “straight line” winds; they are often caused by strong thunderstorms. Damaging winds are defined as exceeding 50-60 mph; they can reach up to 100 mph, can produce a damage path extending for hundreds of miles and are more common than tornado damage. Anyone residing in thunderstorm-prone areas is at risk of this hazard. Structures of lesser construction, such as unbraced frame buildings and mobile homes, are at greater risk.
TORNADO CHARACTERISTICS
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud that is made visible by condensation and debris, roughly 1,200 tornadoes hit the U.S. every year. Peak tornado season for the southern plains runs May into early June; on the Gulf Coast, it is earlier in the spring; and in the northern plains and upper midwest, tornado season is June and July. Tornado strength is rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with ratings from EF1 to EF5.
TORNADO ALERTS
Two different alerts warn of impending tornadic activity:
Tornado Watch: A watch is issued by the NOAA. A watch means that weather conditions are favorable for tornadoes. A watch can cover parts of a state or several states; it indicates that one should watch or prepare for severe weather and stay tuned to the radio for a warning.
Tornado Warning: A warning is issued by the local NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office. A warning means a tornado has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar and there is a serious threat to life and property to those in the path of the tornado. A warning should heed immediate action to find safe shelter.
WIND SAFETY
Being prepared prior to a high wind event as well as knowing what actions to take during and after a thunderstorm can be the difference between life and death. Consider the National Weather Service’s following safety tips for both places of business and your home.
Before a high wind event or tornado:
Trim tree branches away from your building and power lines.
Secure loose gutters and shutters.
Identify an interior room or area of refuge – such as bathrooms or basements – that can be used as a safe room of shelter during high wind warnings.
Consider having emergency supplies available, including medical supplies, water and food in the event your building cannot be evacuated.
Establish an emergency action plan to address all potential catastrophic weather events including high wind storms and tornadoes. This should include an emergency meeting place or room, a method of taking attendance, notification methods and drills.
During a high wind event or tornado:
Go to your pre designated area of refuge – an interior area, such as a bathroom or basement – for shelter.
Stay away from glass and windows that could be hazardous if broken during the storm.
Tune to a trusted weather source for updates on storm conditions and location, so you know when you can safely leave your safe area.
After a high wind event or tornado:
Do not go near downed power lines. Report them to police and avoid them until a professional has evaluated them and deemed the area safe.
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown on your property.
Wear long pants, long sleeved shirts and sturdy shoes when assessing damage. If possible, stay out of damaged buildings until authorities have deemed it safe.
Myths and Misconceptions about Residential Water Damage
Knowing the facts about water damage can help you take proactive actions to protect your home and your family from leaks both big and small.
Although water damage is the most frequent cause of loss to luxury homes, most people don’t appreciate the specific impact it could have on them—and therefore don’t take proactive steps to avoid it. Following are the water damage assumptions we encounter most often, along with the real facts based on our analysis of thousands of water damage claims. Anticipating and dispelling these notions up front will hopefully help you sidestep costly losses (and headaches) in the future.
MYTH: “It won’t happen to me”
Internal plumbing system water losses (from pipes, appliances or fixtures) are the number-one cause of damage to luxury homes. Water damage occurs more frequently than fire, theft, flooding or any other type of home loss. Most people know someone who has had a water loss if they haven’t experienced one firsthand. Those in the northern parts of the U.S. are particularly vulnerable, when frequent and prolonged periods of severe cold cause hundreds of frozen pipes at a time.
MYTH: “I had water damage in my home. But now that we fixed the cause, it won’t happen again.”
It’s understandable to consider water damage to be an unlucky, one-off event. However, our data revealed the opposite to be true. Claims analysis shows that a home that has had an internal system water loss is at least twice as likely to have another water loss, even after the original repairs were made. In some cases, it’s up to 3.5 times more likely to happen.
MYTH: “A water loss won’t really impact me, because my insurance company pays for the damages.”
Because water damage costs in most cases will be covered by one’s insurance company, people assume there will be little-to-no additional impact to their lives. However, a reimbursement check cannot restore sentimental or one-of-a-kind items ranging from children’s artwork and cherished letters to heirlooms and other original documents. Family members will have to live through disruptive repairs or be displaced from home altogether. It also can take weeks to replace furniture and other damaged belongings—particularly when items are custom-made. In fact, the average water damage claim duration for a luxury home is between two and three months. Increasing concerns about mold issues are also adding to the time required for remediation.
MYTH: “I have a high-end home, so I’m less likely to have a problem.”
Water damage claims have been on the rise for the last decade, particularly among those with a high net worth. Luxury homes inherently have more at risk, as they typically have more than 40 water points in the home: multiple bathrooms and numerous water-based appliances. The more water points in a home, the higher the loss frequency. Each water point represents an opportunity for failures linked to connection points, supply hoses, valve assemblies, as well as the fixtures and appliances themselves.
MYTH: “Water damage isn’t that expensive to repair.”
In addition to increased loss frequency, luxury homes typically endure much higher loss severity. These properties often feature customized wall, ceiling and floor finishes, custom trim and woodwork, imported materials, expensive electronics with extensive wiring, and bespoke amenities like wine cellars, golf simulator rooms and home theaters. Even a little water in the wrong place can causes a catastrophic loss. For example, one section of damaged custom wood flooring may require an entire level of the home to be replaced.
MYTH: “There’s nothing I can do to prevent water damage.”
There are many ways in which homeowners can combat the likelihood and severity of water damage. Here are a few recommendations:
Home Maintenance
Implement scheduled maintenance plans for HVAC systems, plumbing systems (including water heater review), fire sprinkler systems (done by a certified fire sprinkler company), sump pump systems and roofing systems.
Use steel-braided hoses on washing machines rather than rubber, and replace them every ten years.
Regularly inspect water supply lines under sinks and appliances. Replace inexpensive plastic tubing and valves with metal or steel-braided connections.
Water Damage Mitigation Devices
Install automatic shutoffs in HVAC air handler drip trays in case drain lines clog and back up.
Install individual appliance shutoff systems on washing machines, hot water heaters or dishwashers.
If they start to leak for any number of reasons, the water to that appliance will shut off immediately.
Install centrally monitored water sensors at water points in the house to send an alert if anything leaks or overflows.
The best protection is to install a whole house shutoff device, which acts as a 24/7 security guard for the home. It senses leak anywhere in the home, including pipes, fixtures and appliances, and shut the water before damage occurs. Many devices are IoT enabled, with apps that notify users of issues such as leaks, freezing temperatures or unusual water use.
Other Proactive Best Practices
During subfreezing temperatures, vacant homes should be checked twice a day. Also implement a cold weather protocol, such as opening vanity doors to allow heat in, allowing a slow drip of water in bathrooms most susceptible to freezing, and making sure heat is kept at 65 degrees or more.
Install a basement sump pump. If one is already in place, make sure it has a backup power supply.
If planning renovations, consider installing additional loss prevention measures that are best done during construction.
MYTH: “Whole house shutoff systems are too complicated.”
Whole house shutoff devices provide the best protection from a catastrophic internal system water loss. Initially there may be a learning curve, as with any new home, but most devices are now Wi-Fi connected and app enabled, making them more user friendly than ever.
Water damage comes in many different forms and can occur in many different areas of the house.
There is nothing more important than knowing what to look for when you are looking to buy a home. Understanding all the elements you need to check and what you need to look out for throughout this process is vital. Water damage is one specific issue you should keep a lookout for. Water damage comes in many different forms and can occur in many different areas of the house. Educating yourself on water damage will keep you from purchasing a home that is not structurally safe or could be a health risk to your and your family. Provided below are a few pointers on how to identify water damage in a prospective home. Hopefully, when combined with your intuition, these tips will lead you to find your forever home.
What Signs To Watch Out For
Though there are numerous areas and ways your house could have water damage, the issue occurs more often in certain locations. Listed below are a few common signs that you should watch out for when touring a home.
Water Stains: While water stains are most often found on the ceiling, they can also be located on the walls. Make sure to keep track of areas where you have identified water stains.
Soft/Sagging Floor Spots: Keep a close eye out for these spots near the tub, shower, and sink. At times, these areas can be caused by a leaky or broken appliance.
Watermarks Under Cabinets: You might not think to look here, but you certainly should. If you find a damp or moist area underneath a cabinet or discover signs of mold, it’s likely that there is a leaking pipe somewhere nearby.
Warped Flooring: All flooring types can be damaged by water. Though this issue is often easy to identify, you should still make sure to check the corners of each room for signs of damage.
Some of the issues above might not be big problems that will keep you from buying a home, but you will need to make that educated decision yourself. Not identifying these issues will only lead to further trouble and frustration down the road.
Consistent cleaning is essential if you want to rid your home of dust and mites.
Dust is full of particles such as pollen, dead skin, mold spores and dirt that can aggravate the symptoms of allergies or asthma. Besides, a dusty house looks and feels like a dirty house. To keep your house dust-free for longer periods of time, follow these tips:
1. Doormats
Having doormats to pick up and hold onto dirt that people drag into the house on their shoes is a sure fire way to prevent dirt and dust from piling up. Also, create a rule of no shoes allowed in the house but be flexible with this for guests.
2. Keep Pets Clean
Dogs and cats shed skin and hair, not to mention whatever they may bring in from the outside. To keep these particles from clinging to your floors and surfaces, be sure to regularly groom your pets. Also, if your cat uses a litter box, keep that fresh and clean as well.
3. Keep the Air Out
Investing in central air and keeping the windows and doors shut keeps the outside from getting inside. The pollen and dust from the outside can create a significant amount of dust in your home so be sure all windows and doors are properly sealed as well.
4. Consider Getting Rid of Carpets
No matter how many times you vacuum, there will always be dirt and other particles in the carpet. This is a nuisance, especially for people sensitive to dust particles. The solution is to get rid of carpeting and install tile, laminate or wood floors.
5. Wash Your Pillows
Changing your pillow cases is not enough. You need to clean your pillows as well. This can easily be done in the washing machine with a mild detergent or you can get them professionally cleaned.
6. Beat Your Rugs
If you have throw rugs, take them outside and give them a good beating. This is how people did it long before there were vacuums and it works even better. Just stand back a bit so you don’t breathe in all the dust.
Creating a dust-free home will be simple by following these six tips!
Generally, mold can grow significantly within 24 to 48 hours after water damage.
How Fast Does Mold Grow?
Generally, mold can grow significantly within 24 to 48 hours after water damage. Mold can take hold of your home and grow rapidly within 12 days if it has the ideal conditions it needs to thrive. How fast mold grows after damage depends on various different factors. We discuss those critical factors below.
We all are aware that unnecessary damp conditions in our home can lead to the problem of mold growth. What we don’t realize is how important it is to act fast and repair the water damage urgently. Otherwise, it will only be a matter of days till mold takes over your home and destroys every surface it grows on. Well, after getting to know how fast mold can grow after water damage, you will never again delay fixing the water damage in your home.
The Time the Water Has Been There
How fast mold grows after water damage in your home mainly depends on how long the dirty water has been gathered in a spot. If the water has been lying there for more than a couple of days, then there are higher chances of mold growth developing rapidly in that area.
On the other hand, if you keep your home clean and dry the speed at which mold grows will slow down. Moreover, if you urgently take proper action then you might be able to save your home from the danger of mold growth. This means you get the repairs done right after the water damage occurs.
The Temperature of Your Home
Another main factor that comes into play for mold growth is the temperature if your home. If your home is always warm, then there are higher chances of mold growth. Higher temperatures provide the ideal conditions for mold to regenerate quickly.
This is why we suggest you try to keep your home cool after it has been affected by water damage. Cooling your home will significantly slow down the development of mold and give you a better chance to treat the problem at its initial stages.
The Ventilation in Your Home
Another factor that affects the speed at which mold grows after water damage is ventilation. If you keep your home airy and dry, then this will slow down the process and minimize the risk of mold growth in your home.
The Availability of Organic Surfaces
Organic surfaces are ideal for mold spores to feed on. Once they latch onto an organic surface like wall paint, they spread rapidly throughout the room. So, the availability of many organic surfaces in your home will speed up the spreading of mold. However, if you invest in inorganic wall paint, then the spreading will happen at a much slower pace.
Last Few Words
Overall, mold can take hold of your home and spread rapidly if it gets access to the ideal conditions it needs to thrive. Generally, mold can grow significantly within 24 to 48 hours after water damage. Therefore, as a responsible homeowner, you must make sure you get timely repairs to avoid putting your home at risk of mold growth.
Water is one of the biggest threats to your home and belongings, so it’s critical to know what home insurance covers if your home suffers water damage
Year after year and home after home, water damage is among the most common claims filed by homeowners. Renters, condo owners and landlords each year. While many water damage claims are covered by their home insurance policy, many need to be handled by flood insurance.
Since water knows no bounds and can easily sneak into your home through many different forms, let’s take a look at some of the most common types of water damage claims and seven critical tips you should know when dealing with water damage claims.
Common Types of Water Damage Claims
Preventing water damage claims from occurring is the first step in the process, but some just can’t be predicted beforehand. The most common type of water damage is flooding, which is also the most common natural disaster on earth.
Flooding isn’t covered by home insurance. Instead, you must purchase flood insurance to properly protect your home, belongings and financial future.
Aside from flooding, many instances of water damage are covered by your home insurance policy. Things like your home's structure other structures on the property, and your personal belongings are among those items protected by insurance.
Additionally, if water damage temporarily forces you out of your home, loss of use coverage can help to reimburse you for additional living expenses you incur. The following 10 scenarios are among the most common water damage claims filed each year.
Flooding
Sewer Backup
Clogged Toilets
Heavy Rain
Melting Snow
Leaking Roof
Foundation Cracks
Plumbing Leaks
Bursting Pipes
Broken Appliances
1. File a Claim Quickly
The first thing you’ll want to do when you notice any water damage in your home is to file a home insurance claim. If the water damage was due to flooding, you’ll need to file a claim with your flood insurance provider.
But whatever you do, file a claim first because it gets the ball rolling with your insurance company. Remember that they may be dealing with a lot of similar claims (especially if the water damage was due to a heavy rainstorm, melting snow or flooding), so they’ll likely be working on a first-come, first-served approach.
2. Move Undamaged Possessions From Harm’s Way
After filing a claim, you’ll want to move any of your undamaged possessions out of harm’s way so you’re not dealing with a bigger headache than you need to. If you’re filing a water damage claim, there’s a good chance that you may have many damaged items, so salvaging those undamaged items before the water gets to them will limit your claim and your headaches.
Moving undamaged items out of harm’s way also allows you to see what’s damaged and what’s not damaged. The chances are good that items near the water damage may need to be repaired or replaced even with slight water damage.
3. Document All Damages
After the water damage claim has been filed, you’ll want to document all the damages by taking photos and videos. This means you must document the standing water, if any, and every single item that was damaged by the water.
While it may be tough for you to determine how much water damage you’re facing, documenting everything can make sure you can rebuttal any damage that may be unaccounted for during the claims process.
Having a proper home contents list in place can help you more accurately document the possessions you own, how much you paid for them and the value they still carry. It’s simply a document listing all your possessions, when you bought them, how much you bought them for and any pictures of the items if you have them.
4. Drain Standing Water
After documenting all of your damaged possessions and the areas of your home, you’ll want to drain the standing water. Draining the water helps to prevent further damage, such as the water seeping into your floors and walls and spreading through the wood and flooring.
5. Dry the Water-Damaged Areas
When you drain the standing water sufficiently, your possessions and the floors and walls of your home will likely still be waterlogged, especially if you have carpeting. To dry the water-damaged areas, you’ll need to lift a few corners of the carpet and place fans around the room to dry the affected areas.
Drying the area, especially the walls and carpet, can prevent mold growth. The last thing you want to do after filing a water damage claim is to have black mold spread throughout the affected area and have to file another home insurance claim for mold and remediation removal.
6. Keep All Damaged Items
Even after you dry the area affected by water damage, you’ll want to keep all of your water-damaged possessions until your insurance adjuster has had a chance to thoroughly examine them and make an assessment as to how much money you’ll get to repair or replace your items.
The last thing you want to do is throw away your items prematurely, so it’s best to wait until you’re authorized by your insurer in writing that it’s OK to dispose of the items. After all, they may need to determine how much you'll get for your items, especially if they’re factoring in depreciation.
7. Begin the Recovery Process
Unless something like your roof or walls have been extensively damaged and continue to allow water inside your home, you’ll want to hold off on making any repairs until you’ve been authorized to do so by your insurer.
Waiting for their authorization prevents the risk of making repairs that aren’t factored into the total claim value. But if your roof or walls are leaking, it’s OK to throw up a tarp or plywood to prevent further water damage.
Summer is finally here, and along with it comes a different kind of inclement weather.
Summer is finally here, and along with it comes a different kind of inclement weather: thunderstorms and worse, tornadoes. Because our Illinois climate is conducive to severe summer weather, it’s important that you properly prepare your home each summer season to help mitigate storm-related damage.
At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we know storm damage repairs and water damage restoration aren’t necessarily at the top of any homeowner’s wishlist. So help you get prepared this summer season, below, we’ve listed the steps you’ll need to take to protect your home.
Trim Your Trees
Do you have large trees in your yard? Do any branches extend over the roof of your home — or anywhere near it? If so, it’s important to trim back those branches each year, preferably before summer storm season hits.
Heavy winds can force branches to break free from large trees, and when those branches fall, they can land on your roof, damage your siding, and potentially, puncture your home. You’ll then be left to deal with glaring damage to the outside of your home, and potentially, extensive damage to the inside, too. Because rainwater will easily enter through a gaping hole in your roof or siding, you’ll likely also be facing water damage restoration if you fail to maintain your trees properly.
Clean and Inspect Your Gutters
When your gutters are damaged or full of debris, water cannot flow through the channels as efficiently as it should. And when summer storms bring heavy rainfall, clogged and damaged gutters can’t handle rapid water accumulation.
As pouring rain fills clogged gutters to the brim, water eventually begins to spill over the sides of the gutter, landing adjacent to your home’s foundation. Unfortunately, water accumulation around your foundation can cause a host of problems, including:
- Basement or crawlspace flooding
- Mold and mildew growth
- Foundation shifting, if the water exposure is prolonged
- Compromised structural integrity
To avoid water accumulation around your home’s foundation, make sure you inspect and clean your gutters at least twice per year, and more frequently during extended periods of inclement weather. Water damage restoration is an extensive process, but it can often be avoided simply by practicing routine maintenance.
Get a Roof Inspection
Even if you had a roof inspection last year, schedule another one before summer storms make their appearance. Your roof provides a critical layer of protection against the outside elements, and even minor damage can compromise its structural integrity.
Because harsh winter weather, snow accumulation, and ice dams can cause unseen damage to your roof, it’s important to schedule annual roof inspections even if you cannot readily detect deterioration or damage. A professional roof inspector knows exactly what to look for in terms of roofing red flags, which include:
- Damage to roof flashings, which can allow water to leak inside your attic
- Wood rot or warping due to moisture accumulation beneath the shingles
- Missing, cracked, curled, or otherwise damaged shingles
- Mold and mildew proliferation, which signify water damage and compromised structural integrity
Because your roof plays such an integral role in the protection of your entire home, having yearly inspections is one of the best ways to avoid weather-related problems and storm damage repairs.
Is Your Business Up-to-date With Current Fire Code
Every community has fire codes that, by law, all local businesses must follow.
Experts estimate that 60 to 80 percent of all businesses never recover after experiencing a structural fire. Sadly, they fail for a lot of different but understandable reasons. Employees find new jobs. Customers locate services and products elsewhere. Critical records are lost. Suppliers move on. Given these challenges, it’s prudent to protect your business by reducing fire hazards in the workplace. One of the best ways to do so is ensuring compliance with current fire codes.
Every community has fire codes that, by law, all local businesses must follow. Promulgated by consensus groups – code and local officials, manufacturers, fire protection experts, industry representatives – these codes, which contain common standards as well as ones specific to individual municipalities, provide abundant benefits for communities. They create safer working environments, safer buildings for visitors, job security (job loss occurs when companies close after fires), social stability (burned structures create eyesores and security risks), higher property values and economic benefits (insurance carriers may offer lower premiums) among them.
Because these standards support healthy communities, officials regularly revise fire codes and inspect businesses, usually annually, to certify compliance. Unfortunately, businesses often fail to update their prevention measures when codes change. Common violations that inspectors see following code updates include:
Sprinklers have not been installed in buildings where they are now required.
Manual fire alarms have not been installed where they are now required.
Fire egress routes are not maintained as required.
Signage has not been updated as required.
Fire prevention equipment – sprinklers, fire department hook-ups, extinguishers, fire alarm systems and smoke alarm systems – isn’t inspected and maintained as required.
Fire prevention equipment has not been updated to comply with structural changes to the business.
Add these new violations to those that inspectors are used to seeing regularly – blocked exits, propped open fire doors, items hanging from sprinkler heads and dark exit signs – and the property quickly becomes unsafe.
The best way to ensure your business complies with the latest version of the local fire code? First, ask your company’s safety officer – regardless of size, every company should designate a safety officer – to inspect the property for fire hazards. Next, call the local fire department and request a voluntary inspection. These local professionals point out deficiencies ahead of the official inspector, who could levy fines for code violations.
OUTDOOR FAUCETS: THE ONE THING YOU SHOULD NEVER FORGET TO DO IN WINTER
An outdoor water faucet is especially vulnerable to the cold, so it’s extremely important to prep your water faucets for the winter.
If you own a home, chances are pretty good that you have at least one outdoor faucet. With outdoor faucets, it’s exceptionally important to remember to detach your garden hoses at the end of the season, close the inside shut-off valve(s), and drain the faucet fixture before it freezes.
Water expands when it freezes, and nothing changes that. How much does frozen water expand? Ice takes up nearly 10% more space than the same amount of liquid water does. Unfortunately, in the case of a water pipe, the pipe is already full when water is in a liquid state, so there’s no room for expansion if the temperature drops low enough for the water to freeze. Once the water in the pipe freezes, something’s got to give, and it’s usually the pipe itself, the valves, the joints, or maybe even all three.
An outdoor water faucet is especially vulnerable to the cold, so it’s extremely important to prep your water faucets for the winter. The heat from your home that is transmitted through the pipes most likely won’t be enough to protect your outdoor faucet. Here’s what you can do to help prevent a watery disaster from striking in the middle of winter!
CLOSE THE SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR THE FAUCET
From the inside of your home or building, close the shut-off valve that controls the flow of water to the outdoor faucet(s). If the valve isn’t set back from the outer wall of your home, an accidental freeze can damage your shut-off valve, making it impossible to stop the flow of water. If your shut-offs are very close to the outer wall of your home, consider moving them back farther into your home to better protect them from freezing.
DISCONNECT YOUR HOSES!
Leaving a frozen, water-filled hose attached to the outdoor faucet is asking for trouble! Disconnect your garden hoses, drain them and hang them up for the winter. Your hoses will last longer, be better protected from the elements, and will be less likely to leak at the connectors. They’ll also be less likely to develop splits that will leak when the hose is pressurized.
DRAIN THE FAUCET
Finally, open the faucet and let any residual water drain out of the pipe. Draining the outside faucet is critical because standing water between the inside shut-off valve and the outdoor faucet can freeze and break both the fixture and shut-off valve. Creating an air space within the short segment of pipe gives any residual water room to expand if it freezes.
As an added measure of safety, insulate your pipes. Pipe insulation is inexpensive and can help protect your plumbing and valves from extreme temperature variations. Seal any open spaces, gaps, or foundation cracks that can allow cold air to circulate around your pipes. Close all basement windows and foundation vents in the winter to prevent cold outside air from reducing the ambient temperature in unheated crawl spaces and basements.
Finally, be aware that sometimes pipes and fixtures that have frozen and thawed don’t start to leak until the full water pressure is re-applied. In the spring, check your outdoor fixtures for leaks, even if you have taken steps to protect them from winter ice damage.
To help protect your home and family, be prepared and practice grill safety
When the weather warms up, it is the perfect time to start the grill and enjoy cooking delicious food with friends and family. However, before grilling season begins, make sure you are prepared to help keep your home and family safe. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), yearly, over 10,000 home fires are started by grills. Accidents happen, so it is important to know common ways gas grill fires start and how to make sure you are prepared to put out a fire in case one does start while you are grilling food.
Common Causes of Grill Fires
While barbecues are prone to flame up when grease starts to collect, it is not just your grease tray that you should be keeping an eye on. Outdoor grills are often placed in hazardous locations too close to the house, deck railings, outdoor sheds, and under patio awnings. To help ensure a safe grilling and BBQ experience, place your grill at least 10 feet from the home or other structures. Also, make sure there are no obstructions like a patio awning or tree branches above the grill that could catch on fire while you are grilling.
How to Extinguish the Grill Flames Safely
Flare-ups from cooking food on the grill are natural. However, when the flames on your BBQ become too large or spread to adjacent areas, it is essential to have a fire extinguisher within reach and know how to use it.
1. If your gas grill catches fire, the first thing you should do is attempt to turn the burners off. If you can reach the knobs safely (on a gas grill), this will help stop additional fuel from feeding the fire and creating a larger problem.
2. You can also close the grill lid, as a lack of oxygen will help ease the fire and slow it down.
3. Use a fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames using this technique- pull, aim, squeeze, and sweep. Once the fire has been put out, make sure to switch off any burners on the grill that were still on.
Be Prepared
To help protect your home and family, be prepared and practice grill safety. Check your gas lines to make sure there are no gas leaks before lighting the grill and keep grease trays and grill plates clean by using a grill brush after each use. For protection in case of a grill fire, have a fire extinguisher within reach in the event a small gas fire breaks out.
What are the 4 Types of Biological Hazards, in the Workplace?
While most biohazards often come from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds or fungi, they are further grouped into 4 major types or categories.
Also referred to as biohazards, biological hazards come from any biological substances that pose risks or threats to the health of living organisms (mostly humans and animals). In the workplace, some employees are exposed to a great number of biological agents. This highlights the employers’ responsibility to help educate workers about the various types of biological hazards, the risks associated with them, and how to proactively manage exposure through comprehensive risk assessment and management.
While most biohazards often come from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and molds or fungi, they are further grouped into 4 major types or categories.
Biological agents
Some biological hazard examples under this classification include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi (such as yeasts and molds). These are commonly considered harmless if kept under control, while some may cause serious risks and diseases to animals or humans like the COVID-19 virus.
Biotoxins
These refer to a group of substances with a biological origin that is toxic and poisonous to humans. Often, biotoxins are produced by plants, bacteria, insects, or certain animals, among others. Continuous exposure to these may cause, at the very least, a series of inflammatory reactions throughout the body.
Blood and blood products
While blood isn’t considered a biological hazard, it can still bring potential risks if it’s contaminated or its source is in any way infected. Also, blood products such as red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, tissues, and platelets are also hazardous if not properly handled.
Environmental specimens
Generally, these refer to plants, soil, or water that potentially contain the first two types of biological hazards—biological agents and biotoxins.
When dealing with biohazards , you should understand the different levels.
Biosafety level 1 (BSL-1)
BSL-1 is the lowest security level for handling biological material. This kind of material poses no or only a low risk to healthy adult humans and presents minimal potential hazard to laboratory personnel and the environment. BSL-1 laboratories do not have to be separated from the rest of a building. Laboratory workers can do their work on open bench tops, and there is no need to use special equipment. Standard microbiology practices usually suffice to protect laboratory workers and other employees in the building. This means, for example, that no mouth pipetting is allowed and splashes and aerosol formation should be avoided. Spills have to be cleaned up immediately and all work surfaces should be decontaminated each time work is finished. Eating, drinking, and smoking are not allowed in the lab. To protect themselves, workers generally wear eye protection, gloves, and a lab coat. It is recommended that access to the laboratory be limited. In general, an autoclave is only required when working with genetically modified organisms or modified genetic elements (e.g., plasmid vectors). Biohazard signs are posted whenever infectious agents are present.
Viruses: canine adenovirus types 1 and 2, Bovine enterovirus
Fungi: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Certain cell cultures> Endoparasites of animals and humans (e.g., some nematodes)
Biosafety level 2 (BSL-2)
All activities in a BSL-2 laboratory require higher security standards than in a BSL-1 laboratory. The biological material used in a BSL-2 laboratory consists of bacteria, viruses, and organisms associated with human diseases. The potential pathogenic or infectious organisms subject to BSL-2 standards pose a moderate hazard to healthy adult humans. However, because of their potential to cause human disease, great care must be taken to prevent percutaneous injury, and employees are subject to regular medical surveillance if necessary. The main difference in the work procedures followed in a BSL-1 laboratory and a BSL-2 laboratory is that employees in a BSL-2 laboratory will use a BSC as a primary barrier for potentially hazardous aerosols. These aerosols are generally formed during standard work procedures like mixing, pipetting, and centrifuging, so these activities should be carried out under a BSC. At a minimum, an autoclave has to be present in the lab as a second barrier. Windows open to the outside are not recommended. A sink for washing hands must be placed in direct proximity to the exit door. The laboratory should be easy to clean and decontaminate. Inside the laboratory, special lab coats, gloves, and face and eye protection should be worn. Special precaution must be taken with sharps that can cause injury. Access to BSL-2 laboratories must be restricted.
Viruses: Herpes simplex virus, HIV (when performing routine diagnostic procedures or working with clinical specimens)
Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3)
BSL-3 involves handling indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal diseases through inhalation and/or pose a serious threat to the environment. Compared with the BSL-2 lab, BSL-3 labs require additional security precautions: Only limited access to the laboratory is allowed. Moreover, laboratory personnel remain under medical surveillance and are offered appropriate immunizations for the agents handled or potentially present in the laboratory. All laboratory waste has to be disinfected, and the clothes worn in the lab must be decontaminated before laundering. Walls, ceilings, and windows must be sealed, and floors must be nonskid and resistant to chemicals. The design, operational parameters, and procedures of a BSL-3 facility must be verified and documented prior to the start of operations. Facilities must be documented and verified again a minimum of once a year. In terms of a primary barrier, all open manipulations of biological material must be done under a BSC (preferably Class II or Class III) or in a closed containment system, and special protective clothing must be worn. BSL-3 laboratories must have separate exits with self-closing doors as the second barrier. Moreover, an air-ventilation system providing negative air flow is required that does not recirculate exhaust.
BSL-4 entails handling very dangerous and exotic biological material that may cause infection inside the laboratory as the result of aerosols. Other agents can have a very similar antigenic relationship to existing BSL-4 material, but there is insufficient data available to designate the level for these agents. Biological material also handled at this level relates to existing infectious material where the disease transmission is unknown. In addition to the precautions taken at the BSL-3 level, BSL-4 requires additional protection: All clothes must be changed before entering the lab, and employees must shower before leaving. In terms of primary barriers, all work has to be carried out in a Class III BSC or in a Class I or II BSC in combination with the lab worker wearing a full body, air-supplied positive pressure suit. A BSL-4 laboratory is usually located in a separate building or in a specific insolated area of a building; this isolation serves as a second barrier. This level also requires dedicated supply and exhaust ventilation equipment with vacuum and decontamination systems. Depending on the material and requirements, special installation might also be necessary.
Examples of typical BSL-4 biological material
Ebola-Virus, Lassa-Virus, Marburg-Virus
Choosing A Water Damage Restoration Company, SERVPRO of Kendall County
Water damage to your home or business can be a tricky clean up process. You need a company to make it "like it never even happened."
Whether it is from a leaking pipe, a hole in the roof, or a natural disaster, water damage restoration is no joke and it needs to be taken care of professionally and promptly. When you realize that you have water damage, you will soon wonder how to go about choosing the right water damage restoration company to help get your property back to the way it should be.
It is not every day that you will seek a water damage restoration company like SERVPRO of Kendall County, so it can be difficult to decide how to start and what to look for. That is why we have put together these helpful tips for choosing SERVPRO of Kendall County.
24/7 Availability
Water damage restorationis not something that only needs to be handled from nine to five on weekdays. Water damage can happen at any time, so the right company to help you will be available any time.
In case of an emergency like a flood, the first steps are to get yourself safe, but once you and your family are cleared, you can start seeking SERVPRO of Kendall County's servicesto get your home back to the way it should be.
Water damage needs to be addressed as quickly as possible, as the longer water sits, the more soaked in it gets and the more damage it causes. The right restoration companywill be able to start helping you as soon as you are ready to get help. Every minute counts for the water damage restorationprocess, so do not choose a company that will have you wait a few days to start getting to work on getting things back to normal.
Licensed, Bonded, Insured
You often hear about licensed, bonded, and insured contractors, but do you know what it means? It means that a company has taken all the steps to be accountable for our work and has a way of making things right if things go wrong. SERVPRO of Kendall County licensed, bonded, and insured to perform the restoration work. It shows that we will take the job seriously and will do quality work.
If a company has not taken the steps to be licensed, bonded and insured, they may cut corners and skip the important details of doing the job right. You do not want to trust your property to someone who does not believe in taking all the necessary steps to be a real contractor. They may not be accountable for their work and you could end up needing additional help to fix their mistakes.
Choosing a company which is licensed, bonded and insured to do the work will ensure that your property is in good hands and you will have everything back to normal quickly and easily.
Understand Insurance
SERVPRO of Kendall County has the experience helping clients go through the insurance claim process. You have paid good money for your insurance, and you need to make sure that it is protecting you when you need it. SERVPRO of Kendall County will know all the answers when it comes to the insurance process.
If a company is not familiar with making insurance claims, they could miss an important step and the insurance company could use the mistake to not pay what they should. You need to make sure that the company you choose to help with your water damage restoration will make the insurance process easy for you.
Offers A Restoration Plan
The water damage restoration company you choose needs to be able to explain their plan of action to you in a way that you understand so that you are fully aware of all the work that needs to be done. There will need to be room for unexpected damage or other obstacles, but for the most part, SERVPRO of Kendall County will know exactly how to tackle your problem and have a good plan.
It is important that we will know exactly how we will get the water out of your property and stop any more water from entering so that no more damage can occur. Then we will have to take steps like evaluating what can be restored and what can not be restored. Then we have to execute the restoration plan.
Check References
A refutable water damage restoration companywill have good references, either from reviews written online or from friends and neighbors. If you are in a flood zone, you can ask someone else who has been affected by past floods which company helped them and if they did a good job.
When you read online reviews, don’t just look at how many stars they got, try to read the reviews and see what people thought of the services. Be wary of new companies or ones without any references,, they may not have the experience it takes to get your property restored the way you want.
Uses the Best Equipment
You need SERVPRO of Kendall County which utilizes the best technology and equipment available. Using the right tools will go a long way to making the restoration process faster and easier. New technologies and equipment are coming out all the time and are always improving the outcomes of water damage restoration.
Restoration work can be difficult, let the experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County guide you through the process.
Water damage in your home or office can be completely devastating. However, there may be situations where the water damage seems minimal to the untrained eye, leaving property owners to shrug it off and skip a call to the professionals. In many cases, property owners believe that the only reasons to call a restoration company are after a fire, major storm or other significant damages. In reality, it is always a good idea to contact SERVPRO of Kendall County, even in instances where the damage seems minimal.
When Should I Contact My Local SERVPRO?
There are a wide range of potentially hazardous situations that may require the help of your trusted SERVPRO of Kendall County team. From obvious disasters like a burst pipe or flood damage to preparing to put your home on the market and other preventative measures. Unsure if it’s the right time to make a call? Check out some of the most common scenarios where it’s appropriate to reach out for help from a professional restoration company below.
After Buying a New Home
While new homeowners do their best to check for any major issues before making an offer and closing on a new home, only time will help you to catch certain problems. If you’ve started to notice that something is off in your new home, like a musky smell or some outdated carpeting – it may be time to give your restoration company a call. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we can inspect any concerning areas in your new home and work to rule out water, mold, and weather damage.
After a Major Storm
Inclement weather can result in a host of different issues for property owners. Whether you are left to deal with the after-effects of flooding or a particularly nasty storm, calling SERVPRO of Kendall County as soon as possible is important. Even if you have only been able to identify small leaks if left untreated smaller issues can grow into much bigger problems. Particularly, mold is a huge concern after water damage has been found in the home or another building.
Whenever You Notice A Problem
While this one may seem like simple common sense, people often think that they can DIY a minor damage issue and usually end up in a lot of trouble. Unless you are a licensed professional, do the safe thing and call SERVPRO of Kendall County. Our skilled and knowledgeable team is more than happy to come to you and inspect any issues that you’ve found. Once we understand the problem, we will create a plan of action and are happy to work around your schedule to ensure your safety. No problem is too big or too small, so play it safe and leave the restoration work to the professionals.
Call SERVPRO of Kendall County Today
When you find damages on your property that range from big to small and everything in between, don’t hesitate to give our experienced technicians at SERVPRO of Kendall County a call. With many years of combined experience and a thorough knowledge of proper safety standards, we offer property owners the best 24/7 emergency services. Keep your home and family safe from potentially dangerous situations with the help of our highly-skilled team.
Causes Of Commercial Water Damage & How To Handle It
Commercial water damage restoration is always more multifaceted, detailed and demanding than residential water damage restoration.
Water damage in the office can not only stop work as you know it… it can also put you and your co-workers in danger. The minute you detect indications of commercial water damage, it’s essential to take action immediately.
Commercial water damage restoration is always more multifaceted, detailed and demanding than residential water damage restoration. This is because commercial properties have to take into account several tenants, as well as areas and configurations– and there’s the added pressure of timeliness since tenants want to get back to business quickly.
Whereas several water damage issues are predictable, extra difficulties can be avoided once the cause of water damage is established. In this article, we’ll discuss the most usual causes of water damage in commercial properties and how to deal with them. Here’s what you should know…
1. Damaged pipes
Cracked pipes can stem from plenty of causes, like deviations in pressure, degraded water supply lines and sewer sanitation clogs. Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to rupture. Bloated barriers, water marks on walls or floors, broken or unattached shingles, and mildew odor are all indications of damaged pipes. Identifying dripping pipes is not always an easy task– it typically requires several tools and a bit of time to find the problem area(s).
2. Roof drips
A dripping roof can cause ceiling destruction, mold or decay matters, fire dangers from shortened wires, and compromised structural reliability. Heavy rains and snow make roofs susceptible to destruction. Improper snow/ice elimination can also generate water damage in roofs.
3. Pooling at the base
If channels are not gutted frequently, they can get congested, causing water to outflow into the property through the roof or at the base. One of the most typical indications of leaks of this sort are pools of water adjoining or surrounding the base of the building. Poor sewer structures can also result in water damage at your base.
4. HVAC issues
HVAC structures function by heating or cooling the air via a sequence of pipes. Over time, these pipes/ducts wear out and/or get impaired, leading to leaks. The HVAC system needs to be gutted (cleaned/cleared) frequently. And extra water from the compression tanks has to be eliminated to avoid water damage.
5. Generate a flood plan
Flooding can occur at/on your property. There can be flooding issues due to drainage system catastrophes, overflowing nearby rivers, and even melting snow conditions. It’s important that you come up with a plan on what you will do if/when a flood occurs, and have this plan done before the flood happens.
6. Do a water damage check-up frequently
Water damage deterrence is more inexpensive than restoration. To avoid water damage, have a SERVPRO of Kendall County examine your property a minimum of once a year. Leak discovery is done in numerous ways, like moisture checking and the use of detection devices.
7. Spend time and money on maintenance
A precautionary maintenance strategy can help keep your commercial building protected and secure. Various areas of a commercial structure must be examined in order to be maintained properly. For instance, gates, windows, and doors ought to be inspected yearly for deterioration.
Choosing The Best Materials For Your Commercial Roof
Choosing the right roof for your commercial business can be essential, especially when it prevent water damage and fire prevention.
You need to choose the material that is best suited to the specific needs for your commercial roof. This process can be challenging. Commercial buildings have properties and designs that are quite different from standard residential properties.
If you are looking for materials for your commercial building, the following tips will help:
1. The current state of your existing structure
The first thing to look at that will help you choose the best material for your situation is the current physical state of your existing commercial roof. You should take into account the roof type, accessibility, protrusions and any structures like fire mitigation systems or HVAC housing. All of these factors will help you decide on the best material for your commercial roof.
Additionally, you can sometimes install a new commercial roof on top of an existing roof. This will save you the cost and time of taking down the existing roof. However, it is not always possible to put one roof directly on top of another.
Furthermore, you should take into consideration existing structures like skylights, vents and AC units. These systems can affect the installation and maintenance process of a different type of commercial roof. Also, you should consider foot traffic as it is likely that people may have to walk on the roof. This will ensure the safety of both your roof and the employees in the building.
2. Its location and climate
The physical location of a building is another important factor in choosing the best materials for your commercial roof. You should take into account the expected extreme weather conditions for that climate, nearby hazards like wildlife or overhanging trees, and local building codes. Different climates may require different types of commercial roofs for a building.
Additionally, a metal roof, because of its durability, may be well-suited for buildings that see a lot of hail and snow. On the other hand, a reflective-type roofing system would be desirable for buildings in a desert climate. This will help in energy efficiency, and Flexion is a good option. EPDM is another material that is good for buildings in climates with both extreme cold and heat.
Furthermore, two buildings in different locations may benefit from the same type of roofing systems for different reasons. TPO’s energy-efficient properties may be beneficial to a building in an urban setting. Likewise, the puncture resistance and tensile strength of TPO make it a good choice for buildings surrounded by trees with very low branches.
3. The type of business
The type of business that the building will be used for is another factor to consider when you want to get the best material for your commercial roof. The heating and cooling needs of a storage warehouse will be vastly different from that of a retail clothing store.
Energy-efficient systems like TPO or Flexion will be a good choice for a retail store where the customers expect a comfortable and moderate temperature. In contrast, EPDM, a less energy-efficient option, will be a good choice of material for warehouse inventories that are not temperature sensitive.
Buildings, housing manufacturers, and restaurants need a roofing system that can accommodate exhaust and ventilation systems. Buildings like this may require PVC, a material that can withstand damage from oils and chemicals. TPO and EPDM would be a poor choice, as they are both roofing materials that can degrade when exposed to these substances.
4. Impact on the environment
Another factor that will help you choose the best material for your commercial roof is the environmental impact it will have. You may want to look at roofing systems whose materials can be recycled when they have outlived their lifespan.
The reflectiveness of the material is another property as well; It could be able to accommodate green features like photovoltaic panels or additional insulation. The green options are more energy-efficient and subsequently, come with a lower utility cost.
5. Your budget
A commercial roof is a significant investment. However, your choice will inevitably be determined by your budget. Nevertheless, a commercial roof is an important investment, and you need to put more than the initial price tag into consideration. This way you will truly understand its value.
Additionally, the true lifetime cost of the commercial roof should also be considered. This may include factors like available warranties, longevity, repairs, and future maintenance.
In many cases, the lifespan of roofing materials that are less expensive is shorter. Such roofing materials would require frequent materials or repairs, which could prove more expensive in the long run.
6. Plan of the building
Different roofing systems have different longevity. This contributes to plans when choosing the best material for your commercial roof. Different commercial roofs can offer lifespans ranging between 10 to 50 years with proper maintenance and care.
Commercial buildings will most likely be around for decades. Most businesses would want a roofing system with a long life expectancy. However, owners of a property may not want to put a commercial roof on when they plan to sell the property soon. Although they know that is a long-lasting investment, they may not want to do it because of the high cost.
What Business Owners Need To Know About Filing Insurance Claims For Burst Water Pipes
Even if the water is shut off as quickly as possible, a pipe can disgorge several gallons of water into the walls and flooring.
Nothing can bring a business’s operations to a halt faster than the sudden burst of a water pipe. SERVPRO of Kendall County wants to prepare owners for the next steps after these incidents, including how to file a claim that will allow maximum coverage for water damage to a commercial building.
Why are Some Burst Pipe Claims More Costly Than Others?
The costs of water damage restoration can vary widely depending on the extent of the damage. Flooding that is contained to a single room may only require new carpet and pipe repair, while slow leaks can cause damage that goes through several floors—and possibly all the way to the building’s foundation. Even if the water is shut off as quickly as possible, a pipe can disgorge several gallons of water into the walls and flooring, causing partial or total closures until repairs can be made.
Many different factors can affect the extent of damage from a burst pipe, including:
Business location. The most common cause of water damage from internal plumbing is frozen water pipes. When temperatures drop suddenly, standing water in the pipes expands, cracking the pipe or busting through its seams. Pipes may freeze even in areas where snow and ice is less common in winter, especially if pipes are not properly insulated.
Building design and construction. The design and layout of the structure can impact both the likelihood and extent of water damage. Common structural factors that lead to burst pipes include unheated attics, failure to adequately insulate pipes between interior and exterior walls, and faulty installation of plumbing systems.
Sprinkler systems. Fire suppression systems can save lives, but they can also make flooding insurance claims more costly. Water from sprinklers come from larger pipes, has a more forceful water flow, and is sprayed directly from overhead using a wide disbursement system.
Multi-story buildings. Water will spread across floors, through porous surfaces, and down into the lowest recesses of a building, contaminating everything it touches along the way. If a pipe bursts on the upper floor of a hotel or an apartment complex, owners may have to replace drywall, lighting, flooring, and carpeting in every unit beneath the leak.
Age. Older buildings increase both risks and costs associated with water damage, since older pipes are more likely to break and may need extensive updates when they do. If a pipe bursts in an older structure, owners will need to pay for any updates needed to bring the building into compliance with current building codes.
The Five Classes of Fires and the Fire Extinguishers that Stop Them
By understanding what each fire class means, you can understand which fire types are a safety hazard at your business.
When buying fire extinguishers for your business, it’s important to buy the right type of fire extinguisher for your needs. There are several different classifications of fire based primarily on the fuel source. Every fire extinguisher is rated for the types of fires it’s effective in putting out. By understanding what each fire class means, you can understand which fire types are a safety hazard at your business. Once you are aware of what types of fires your business may encounter, you can buy the proper extinguisher for protecting against them.
Class A
Class A fires are defined as ordinary combustibles. These types are fires use commonly flammable material as their fuel source. Wood, fabric, paper, trash ,and plastics are common sources of Class A fires. This is essentially the common accidental fire encountered across several different industries. Trash fires are one such example. Class A fires are commonly put out with water or monoammonium phosphate.
Class B
The Class B fire is defined as one that uses a flammable liquid or gas as its fuel base. Common liquid based fuel sources include petroleum based oils and paints, kerosene, and gasoline. Flammable gases such as butane or propane are also common fuel sources in Class B fires. Class B fires are a common hazard in industries dealing with fuels, lubricants, and certain types of paint. Smothering these types of fires to remove oxygen is a common solution as are chemical reactions that produce similar effects. Note that cooking fires have their own classification and are defined as Class K fires.
Class C
The Class C fire is defined as a fire that uses electrical components and/or energized equipment as its fuel source. Electrical fires are often fueled by motors, appliances, and electronic transformers. Electrical fires are common in industries that deal with energy or make use of heavy electrically-powered equipment. However, electrical fires can occur on smaller scales in all businesses (i.e. an overloaded surge protector or bad wiring) and should be taken seriously. To extinguish such fires you cut the power off and use non-conductive chemicals to extinguish the fire.
Class D
The Class D fire is defined as one that uses a combustible metal as its fuel source. Examples of such combustible metals include titanium, magnesium, aluminum, and potassium. Note that there are also other metals with combustive properties you may encounter. Class D fires are a danger in laboratory environments. However, be aware that combustible metals are used as part of production and other industry processes, and you need to be certain of what materials you are using for day-to-day operations. When confronted with such a fire, common extinguishing agents such as water are ineffective and can be hazardous. To extinguish a Class D fire, use a dry powder agent. This absorbs the heat the fire requires to burn and smothers it as well.
Class K
A Class K fire is defined as a cooking fire involving combustion from liquids used in food preparation. Technically a type of liquid fire, Class K fires are distinct enough to warrant their own classification. Cooking fires are fueled by a wide range of liquid cooking materials. Greases, cooking oils, vegetable fat, and animal fat are all fuel sources found in Class K fires. Class K fires are naturally of concern in the food service and restaurant industry. Such fires can be very dangerous and far more destructive than you may think. Wet chemical fire extinguishers have become popular in putting out these types of fires.
The Right Extinguisher for The Right Fire
It is very important to have the right tool for a job. Fire extinguishers are no different. By being aware of the five classes of fires, you can be sure that you are purchasing safety equipment that will be effective should an accident or emergency occur.
It’s hard not to panic when a pipe in your home bursts or a drain backs up. Of course, the very first thing you should do is locate your main water stop valve and turn it off (by turning the small wheel clockwise). This is usually located in your basement near the front foundation wall or inside a crawl space if you have one. It might also be near your water heater.
What’s next? Here are five essential tips for drying out after major water damage:
Extract – The most obvious first step is to call SERVPRO of Kendall County to extract as much of the water as possible. We use professional-grade vacuums and pumps to remove excess water from floors, furniture, and carpets.
Remove – It’s critical to remove wet carpet and furniture when mitigating an area. Some carpet can be dried and saved, but if your flood was caused by a sewer backup, it will need to be thrown away. Either way, this is usually a hefty job and best saved SERVPRO of Kendall County.
Evaporate – Wood framing, subfloors, and drywall become saturated with water during a flood, so it’s important to dry them out fast to minimize the growth of bacteria and mold. Commercially available fans are helpful, but professionals typically use industrial air movers, which are much more powerful and help speed the evaporation process along exponentially. We generally use one of these industrial air movers for every 10 feet of wall space.
Dehumidify – The evaporation process increases humidity levels, so it’s important to remove any air moisture. Industrial dehumidifiers are best because they work fast and are more powerful. If you live in a dry climate where the humidity outside is lower than the inside, opening doors and windows is great—but be sure to close them if the outside humidity rises.
Heat – Warm air helps dry things more quickly, so as long as your furnace and air conditioning units were not flooded (which can cause contamination), you can turn on the heat to increase the drying rate.
Of course, drying out is only part of the battle when you’re dealing with the aftermath of a flood. It’s also important to disinfect the area properly to prevent the growth of mold and remove any harmful biological contaminants and microbes. This is something SERVPRO of Kendall County can help with, of course. We use industrial-strength disinfectants and equipment to ensure every home or property we clean after a flood or sewage backup is restored to its original condition.
Hardwood is one of the flooring types most susceptible to water damage.
Flooring is an essential — if not underappreciated — element of the home. While your family relies on sturdy flooring for everyday activities, perhaps this is most clear when your floors become damaged.
Your floors may experience water damage for many reasons — including water heater leaks, broken pipes and natural disasters like hurricanes or floods. However the incident occurs, odds are you’re left asking whether you should replace or repair your floor.
Each situation is different, but details like the type of flooring, the extent of damage, and the cost of repairs versus replacement will help determine which decision is best for you. Here are some tips for dealing with water-damaged floors.
If you’ve experienced a leak, flood or another water-related incident, it’s important to check the flooring around the affected area. Pay special attention to water damaged hardwood floors. Hardwood is one of the flooring types most susceptible to water damage. The longer your flooring was wet, the deeper the water may have traveled.
Odds are, you’ll know if the floor sustained damage when you inspect it. Abnormalities are typically clear signs of water damage.
Here are some specific issues to look for in your flooring:
Buckling: Buckling occurs when the flooring detaches from the subflooring beneath it. Your floor may separate at the seams or peel upward.
Crowning: When flooring loses moisture, it can shrink on the underside. This moisture loss leaves planks rounded, with a high point in the middle and low points on the edges.
Cupping: When your floor absorbs moisture, plank edges may curl upward — leaving the middle of the plank with a slight depression.
Discoloration: Any change in color may indicate mold or mildew. Inspect new stains and dark spots for growth.
Warping: Any abnormal bubbling, peeling, cracking in the flooring could indicate damage.
Odor: Unusual odors could indicate mold and mildew in the flooring or subflooring.
If the flooring shows only minor indications of damage, you may be able to resolve the issues by thoroughly drying the affected area. If not, you’ll need to consider restoration options. Some damage only appears after several hours, so give your flooring plenty of time to dry and show changes.
After you’ve identified the type of water damage your flooring has, you can decide whether you want to repair or replace it.
Hardwood is one of the flooring types most susceptible to water damage.
Flooring is an essential — if not underappreciated — element of the home. While your family relies on sturdy flooring for everyday activities, perhaps this is most clear when your floors become damaged.
Your floors may experience water damage for many reasons — including water heater leaks, broken pipes and natural disasters like hurricanes or floods. However the incident occurs, odds are you’re left asking whether you should replace or repair your floor.
Each situation is different, but details like the type of flooring, the extent of damage, and the cost of repairs versus replacement will help determine which decision is best for you. Here are some tips for dealing with water-damaged floors.
If you’ve experienced a leak, flood or another water-related incident, it’s important to check the flooring around the affected area. Pay special attention to water damaged hardwood floors. Hardwood is one of the flooring types most susceptible to water damage. The longer your flooring was wet, the deeper the water may have traveled.
Odds are, you’ll know if the floor sustained damage when you inspect it. Abnormalities are typically clear signs of water damage.
Here are some specific issues to look for in your flooring:
Buckling: Buckling occurs when the flooring detaches from the subflooring beneath it. Your floor may separate at the seams or peel upward.
Crowning: When flooring loses moisture, it can shrink on the underside. This moisture loss leaves planks rounded, with a high point in the middle and low points on the edges.
Cupping: When your floor absorbs moisture, plank edges may curl upward — leaving the middle of the plank with a slight depression.
Discoloration: Any change in color may indicate mold or mildew. Inspect new stains and dark spots for growth.
Warping: Any abnormal bubbling, peeling, cracking in the flooring could indicate damage.
Odor: Unusual odors could indicate mold and mildew in the flooring or subflooring.
If the flooring shows only minor indications of damage, you may be able to resolve the issues by thoroughly drying the affected area. If not, you’ll need to consider restoration options. Some damage only appears after several hours, so give your flooring plenty of time to dry and show changes.
After you’ve identified the type of water damage your flooring has, you can decide whether you want to repair or replace it.
Generally, roofs can withstand 20 pounds of snow per square foot before their structural integrity is compromised
1. Ice Dams and Snow Piles
If your area sees lots of heavy snow, make sure your roof is ready before the weather arrives. Too much snow or ice on your roof can cause it to weaken, leak or even collapse. Generally, roofs can withstand 20 pounds of snow per square foot before their structural integrity is compromised. Packed snow is heavier than fresh snowfall, so the faster you clean off your roof after a heavy snowstorm, the safer it will be. If you suspect your roof needs maintenance or you've noticed ice dams form in the past, have your roof inspected and repaired before winter to ensure it can hold up under heavy snowfall.
2. Indoor Accidents
Snow days often seem like stolen time. With no work or school, you're free to relax, play games and have fun with your kids at home. If you're kids get energetic when they're cooped up inside, you may be looking for any way to keep them entertained. With all that extra time inside, however, you need to be extra careful about everyone's safety. Keep an eye out for toys and snow equipment that get strewn around the house, and keep things tidy to avoid injuries or accidents. The American Red Cross also recommends turning snow days into fire safety days. The rate of home fires spikes in winter, so lighting a fire or using a space heater on a snow day demands caution. Make sure your chimney is clean and any wood you burn is dry, and use space heaters that are equipped with automatic shutoffs.
3. Kitchen Fires
Staying home could also mean extra cooking or baking, whether it's homemade hot chocolate, popcorn, cookies, soup, or a special snow day dish your family loves. Make sure your kitchen is a safe zone, too. Follow all our winter fire safety tips to avoid starting a fire on a snow day. Since heavy snowfall could make it harder to get help during an emergency, you'll be safer taking precautions than taking a risk. Snow days should be more fun than worrisome.
Weather conditions like snow, high winds, and ice can gradually create prolonged damage to roofs.
Different kinds of storm damage pose their own problems. Make sure you understand how the aftermath of common storms could affect your roof.
1. Water Damage
Moisture damage is the most common culprit and the easiest to spot. After heavy rainfall, it’s possible that your entire home could be affected by water damage. To avoid mold, structural problems, and rotting, schedule a roof inspection with SERVPRO of Kendall County right away. Even a small leak can cause expensive problems down the road!
2. Hail Damage
After a hail storm, you may notice dings in your metal roof, dark spots on your shingle roof, or even cracks in your siding. However, roof hail damage can be difficult to identify and even go undetected until more damage is done. Instead of waiting until it’s too late, it’s best to have a professional like SERVPRO of Kendall County come to take a look.
3. Wind Damage
Heavy winds are not only frightening, but they can also ruin shingle roofs, especially in the event of a tornado. Strong winds are powerful enough to lift your shingles and even permanently misplace them, leaving empty space for water to travel into and causing leaks. Wind can also send flying debris to your roof, resulting in cracks, holes, and other problems.
Spring storms can be intense, have your home ready, just in case.
While it's true that it's difficult to predict Mother Nature, you can take steps ahead of time to prepare your home for spring storms, minimize damage and keep your family safe. Use these tips to prepare for whatever Mother Nature has in store this season:
Prune dead or rotting branches from trees near your home or car that could fall during a storm.
Stock an emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, a first-aid kit, flashlights, extra batteries, and a battery-operated radio in case of a storm-related power outage.
Use surge protectors for electronic equipment in your homes such as computers, televisions, and appliances.
Install a lightning protection system that will redirect lightning strikes safely into the ground.
Know how to shut off the power to your house using the main fuse or breaker on the electrical service panel, and how to shut off water and gas support lines if instructed by disaster officials.
Learn about flood insurance at floodsmart.gov. Floods and flash floods occur in all 50 states and most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damages — even an inch of water can cause thousands of dollars in damage.
Check the condition of your roof and make any needed repairs to minimize damage in a storm. Clean gutters and downspouts so water will be diverted away from your home.
If a storm is imminent, it's time to batten down the hatches right away and think safety:
Use your TV, radio, or the Internet to stay up to date on changing weather conditions. Know the difference between a storm watch and the more serious storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
Tie-down or bring inside anything that could be blown around such as trash cans, barbecue grills, and outdoor furniture.
Get inside and close your windows and doors. Pull the blinds and drapes so that if the glass is broken, it's less likely to fly into the house.
Unplug expensive electronic equipment.
Set your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. In case of a power outage, food will be colder and last longer.
These steps can help you feel prepared for the uncertainty of the spring storm season.
Protein fires occur most often as a result of frying, grilling, or sauteing, but they may happen any time you cook high-protein food.
What Is a Protein Fire?
Although protein fire isn’t a well-known term, it’s one of the most common types of kitchen fires. A protein fire involves burning high protein foods like meat, fish, poultry, and eggs. They release grease and proteins into the air, often as a fine mist that coats surfaces throughout the kitchen.
One of the biggest problems with protein fires is that they don’t always have significant flames or heavy smoke. In fact, even just regular cooking can produce a heavy build-up of grease and soot in the kitchen. Protein fires occur most often as a result of frying, grilling, or sauteing, but they may happen any time you cook high-protein foods.
What Are the Signs of a Protein Fire?
The signs of protein fire may be after burning food, but they also will build up over time.
Persistent meat or grease smells that become rancid over time
Sticky surfaces that are nearly impossible to clean
Yellowish to brown stains that form drip-like patterns
Brown or black soot stain that seems to appear after cooking
Why Cleaning up a Protein Fire Is Difficult
While you will notice burned food, it is easy to overlook the risk of protein fires because of the lack of flames and heavy smoke. As a result, the grease and soot residue of protein fires often go unnoticed for weeks or even months. Even if there is a significant flair-up or smoke, the risk of protein fires goes overlooked unless there is flame damage.
The grease and soot will build up over time and lead to yellowish-brown stains and rancid, meaty odors. By the time you see or smell the signs of a protein fire, the stains are set in and difficult to clean.
The grease not only seeps into porous surfaces but also discolors most surfaces. The grease and soot along with other dirt and dust create a sticky layer that most regular cleaners cannot cut through. Even with repeated cleaning and deodorizing, protein fire stains and smells will remain.
The most common types of property damage caused by severe winter weather are roof damage or collapse due to snow, ice or sleet, and water damage from
Common Types of Winter Storm Damage You Might Face
It’s easy to imagine getting snowed in or having to deal with slippery surfaces due to ice, but there are actually many potential emergencies caused by winter storms. It’s a good idea to know some common disasters you might be up against before a storm arrives.
Flooding — Cold snaps and freezes can damage pipes and cause them to burst, leading to water damage and flooded areas that need emergency restoration.
Fires — Whether it’s due to unattended fireplaces, improperly cleaned chimneys, or space heaters plugged into overloaded outlets or left too near flammable objects, fires can often happen during a winter storm.
Roof leaks — Frozen ice that melts, ice dams that block drainage pipes, heavy snow and ice breaking through shingles, hail strikes, and even high winds from winter storms can all be harsh on your roof, leaving your property exposed to moisture damage.
What to Do if Your Property Is Damaged
Once a winter storm strikes, your property can be left facing a number of things that need fixing fast. And if you don’t know what to do next, the situation can feel overwhelming. To help you get quick, effective storm restoration for your commercial and personal property, here’s a list of 7 immediate actions to take when you’re facing a storm-related disaster.
1. Stay calm.
It’s tempting and natural to freak out when an emergency arises. But do what you can to take a few deep breaths, so you can think straight. It’s important to make good decisions. So, while you may need to quickly act to put out the immediate fires, so to speak, you also owe it to yourself to take your time with the decisions that need careful assessment.
2. Ensure everyone’s safety
When your property has suffered damage, it may put people on the premises at risk. So, be sure your family, guests, clients, and employees are safe. Move everyone out of any areas that are affected. Do a headcount to make sure you know where everyone is. If the property is unsafe, you may need to arrange for a temporary place for the family to stay or for employees to work while the property is fixed.
3. Turn off power and water to affected areas
Often, winter storms can lead to leaks or floods from damaged roofs or burst pipes. Keeping the water running may make flooding worse while leaving electricity flowing could lead to a fire that compounds the damage. So, know where cutoff valves and breakers are located. Shut off the flow to damaged areas, and call utility companies if you need their assistance.
4. Document any losses
As soon as you can, make detailed notes of anything that is affected by the storm damage. This might include everything from furniture and business equipment to personal documents, valuables, and more. This list will be useful in making insurance claims and obtaining replacements to help get you back on your feet fast. Take photos of everything too, especially before anything is done to fix problems. This is essential for the insurance claim process.
5. Contact your insurance company
Once the immediate danger is passed — the storm is over, the fire is out, the flooding is contained, etc. — then it’s time to reach out to your insurance company. Call your agent to get the process of filing a claim started. Ask what you will need to provide (documents, photos, etc.) to back up the claim. Leave everything in place, except for what must be moved for safety, until the adjuster comes to document what happened.
6. Remove property from damaged areas
As soon as you have documented the damage, you’ll want to move property out of the danger zone quickly to minimize further damage. Valuables and important papers take the first precedence, because they may be impossible or very difficult to replace. After that, move items that you’d like to save but that can be replaced, such as furniture and electronics. Keep in mind that a restoration company can often help restore these items as well as the building itself.
7. Keep all receipts and documentation
Once the storm restoration process begins, you’ll end up with a lot of paperwork. Hold onto everything — photos, lists, videos, estimates, invoices, claim forms, receipts, etc. Put it all in one file for safekeeping. Consider creating an electronic file for this information in a cloud storage account so you can access it from anywhere. SERVPRO of Kendall County will assist you with all your needs along the way.
Be prepared and informed if you ever have water damage in your home.
1. Call Your Insurance Company
Your homeowners’ insurance will vary depending on what policies you have. The insurance company will send an adjuster to look at and assess the damage and determine if it is a covered loss.
Document the values of each and every item you can think of and take as many photos as possible before, during, and after cleanup. This will help the adjuster when he or she is able to come to assess the damage.
2. Protecting Yourself, Appliances, and Valuables
The most important step in any major home disaster like flooding and water damage is to make sure you and your family are safe. There are several things you can do to stay safe in your home.
Turn off the power
Water and electricity obviously do not mix. But, if turning off the power requires you to enter or stand in wet areas it is best to leave it alone and call an electrician. Do not reenter a flood-damaged home before turning the electricity off.
Wear Protective Gear
Be sure to wear protective clothing–such as rubber boots and gloves–when you re-enter your home. This will protect you from injuries that can get bacteria-filled water in them.
Protect Your Valuables
You can lift wood furniture off the wet carpet areas and insert small blocks under the feet to prevent staining of the carpet. Likewise, remove any rugs that may be on wet flooring.
You may be forced to leave your home if the flooding is bad enough. Make sure it is also safe when you return to your home to begin dealing with the aftermath.
3. Start Water Damage Repair Immediately
Before starting the process of water damage removal in a flooded home, be sure to document all of the damage first. This will help with any future insurance claims you make.
If possible, water damage restoration should start 24-48 hours after you’ve been cleared to re-enter your home. In many situations, the damage is too extensive for one person or family. Get help from SERVPRO of Kendall County to stay safe and ensure thewater damage removal process is done correctly.
Be aware that you may need to remove flooring, drywall, and insulation to prevent mold and mildew from spreading in your home. Furniture may also need to be dried out, cleaned, or thrown away depending on the level of water damage. Water and moisture can damage hardware floors quickly, so this process should be started as soon as possible.
4. Identifying Mold
Mold can begin growing after the first 24 hours of a flood, and once it has started growing it can be difficult to remove. The quicker you remove items from water and begin drying them, the less likely they are to be lost to mold.
If it gets bad, you’ll often have to completely remove the affected areas. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and have a professional assess the situation.
As soon as you discover water damage in your home, it’s important to take what measures you can to prevent mold. Be careful that you’re not spreading mold spores throughout your home as you’re attempting to dry things out.
Usually, it’s best to have SERVPRO of Kendall County assist with the drying process, significantly lowering the chances of getting mold.
5. Deciding What Needs To Be Restored After Water Damage
The repair of water damage in your home from flooding is typically what takes the longest amount of time. Flooring and sometimes even walls need to be replaced, broken possessions are often in need of repair, etc. If major construction is needed, make sure you hire SERVPRO of Kendall County.
6. When To Move Back Into Your Home
Once you have the go-ahead from your insurance company, SERVPRO of Kendall County, and your local government(in the case of natural disasters), it’s time to move back into your clean, dry, mold-free home!
PROACTIVE WINTER WEATHER MANAGEMENT FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS
Winter weather can cause serious damage to your property if you aren’t prepared.
If you are a property manager, then you probably dread the winter time. Winter weather can cause serious damage to your property if you aren’t prepared. Fortunately, there are things that you can do in order protect your property against the cold and snowy winter months.
Reserve Your Snow Clearing Contractor
It should be on your priority list to receive snow removal, plowing, and de-icing solution when managing residential properties. You can avoid a headache and save time by reserving a snow cleaning contractor ahead of time and remaining loyal to them over the months and years for repeat business. It is important for rental property management companies to be proactive about weather concerns, rather than reactive… ie: Late to make important calls.
Inspect the Outside of Your Property
If you will be expecting cold weather, then it is important for you to make sure that your property is in tip-top shape inside and out. Seemingly harmless imperfections can create major problems later on down the road from roofs, HVAC, exposed pipes, chimneys, windows, and doors, etc. There are so many facets to a home that can lead to not keeping that cold air/snow out while maintaining the warm air inside.
Check for Snow on the Roof
Roof problems are one of the biggest property issues that our Raleigh property managers have to deal with. Most of these issues depend on the age of the home and prior condition of the roof structure. There are some things that can be done to prevent issues from occurring in the future, like checking to make sure all the vents are free of debris so that the melting snow can drain properly. This is also a great time to check and clear all gutters on the home.
Take Fire Prevention Steps
Holiday activities increase the risk of fires such as space heaters, candles, and interior/exterior lights can all increase the risk. It’s highly important to check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are in full working order. Also, have wood-burning fireplaces inspected regularly. It’s never a bad idea to review fire safety guidelines with your tenants.
Stock up on De-Icing Products
You can prevent falls by using de-icing and anti-icing products on walkways and sidewalks and patios. As the name suggests, de-icing products melt the ice and snow for more traction. Anti-icing products prevent the snow from building up. Our property managers recommend using a combination of both in order to get the best results.
Drying out the remaining moisture is a critical step for mitigating water damage in your home.
After removing the standing water left behind by a flood, drying out the remaining moisture is a critical step for mitigating water damage in your home. To aid you in your efforts to quickly dry out moisture in your home after a flood, here are five drying techniques from our experienced water damage experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County.
Dehumidifiers
Industrial humidifiers are capable of taking massive amounts of moisture out of the air in just a single day. Thus, they are a huge help for speeding up the drying process after a flood. However, you should be careful about the type of dehumidifier you use. Household dehumidifiers are typically too small to be effective so relying on a SERVPRO of Kendall County for access to an industrial humidifier is the way to go.
Desiccants
Desiccants are materials designed to absorb large amounts of moisture. They are ideal for quickly absorbing the moisture left behind in a flood. Desiccants are most commonly found in the form of sandbags. Sandbags are typically placed around the outside of a home to keep flood water from getting in, but they are also great for absorbing moisture that has already entered the home. While it may cost you a little more up front to purchase sandbags, it is often well-worth the quicker clean up that they afford.
Intra-Wall Drying
This technique helps the drying process inside of walls without removing drywall. In this process, baseboards are removed, and small holes are drilled through walls near the base. Technicians then push air into the cavity behind the wall. This dramatically reduces drying time for the wall, often to less than half of what it would take to dry it by other methods.
Rescue Mat Systems
Today’s powerful water extraction equipment is far more effective at removing moisture than simple vacuum units. Rescue mat systems can extract water from hardwood floors efficiently, leaving the underlying pad slightly moist but not wet. This is a huge help during the restoration process since drying out padding under the floors is one of the most difficult aspects of drying.
Air Movers
Air movers are a huge benefit for quickly drying out your home after a flood. Essentially, they are super-powered fans specifically designed to dry out a flooded area. Access to high quality air movers is one of the biggest benefits of hiring a professional water damage restoration company after a flood since it will significantly speed up the drying process.
You might find yourself wondering what questions to ask a restoration company.
Though you may experience building damage from a disaster, whether it’s from smoke, water or something else, there’s always the potential for recovery. But if you’ve never been in this situation before, you might find yourself wondering what questions to ask a restoration company in order to make sure your expectations are met. That’s where we can help you.
1. OUR COMPANY IS LICENSED AND BONDED?
Don’t think that just anyone is equipped to handle your restoration needs. A restoration contractor should be licensed to operate in your state. We have the proper licensing, insurance, and certifications to work on homes and businesses in your area.
2. OUR TECHNICIANS ARE CERTIFIED?
Not only do you want the company handling your property’s restoration to be legit, but also the people doing the actual labor. For example, services like professional mold remediation require the correct training and educational background. The minimum standard in this industry says that each technician should be certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Being an IICRC certified firm means that the restoration company meets a threshold for the number of certified technicians in each location. Our technicians are certified, specifically for water restoration, fire and smoke restoration, applied structural drying, microbial remediation, and more.
3. WE HAVE THE RESTORATION EXPERIENCE?
Every situation is unique, but that doesn’t mean others aren’t similar to your own. SERVPRO of Kendall County has handled a situation like yours. Some restoration companies specialize in single family home/residential insurance work, while others specialize in the commercial or multifamily industry; some only perform emergency services while others are full service companies that provide both emergency response and reconstruction; and some restoration companies are experienced with small losses but are not equipped to handle large scale, catastrophic losses. For example, SERVPRO of Kendall County is a full service company and has decades of working in single family homes and with insurance companies but we also have members of our staff who specialize in managing commercial and multifamily work. We can handle small, everyday losses like a toilet overflow affecting a single room but we also have a large loss division that can handle six and seven-figure projects.
4. WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7?
Disaster can hit at any time. SERVPRO of Kendall County is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
5. WE WILL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU?
Contractors can very easily earn a bad reputation because they fail to communicate progress and next steps. SERVPRO of Kendall County will provide you with regular updates so you are informed throughout the entire process.
6. HOW LONG WILL THE RESTORATION TAKE?
Don’t be left in limbo. SERVPRO of Kendall County is reliable and reputable, we will be able to give you a realistic expectation as to just how long it will take for them to finish the job.
Most don’t usually relish discussing how the weather can damage their home.
Here are seven different ways that weather can cause damage to your home.
1. Wind. This is probably the most obvious type of damaging weather pattern. Extremely powerful winds from tornadoes and hurricanes can scrape the shingles off the tops of roofs and pull gutters away from rooflines. But even wind gusts that aren’t as strong can cause large tree limbs to break and fall onto homes, which can cause roof leaks and bring down gutters.
2. Hail. Millions of dollars in damages are common from just a single hailstorm. If the hailstones are even moderately sized, their weight — coupled with the force at which they fall from the sky — can poke holes in the shingles of a roof. Large hailstones can even dent or bend gutters as well.
3. Rain. Though the rain itself usually doesn’t cause structural damage, any water that leaks into a home through gaps in the roof or walls can lead to messes that can be costly to clean up. This water can also lead to damage to walls, ceilings, and floors; as well as mold and mildew problems throughout a home. Also, too much rainwater in a short period of time can overload gutters, causing the rain to fall onto the ground where it can damage the foundation over time. (And of course, rain tends to cause flooding, which has its own problems.)
4. Cold. Wintry temperatures (usually below 20 degrees) can affect a home even when there is no precipitation. Frigid conditions can cause pipes to freeze; and if they burst, flooding can occur in basements or rooms. Pipes that are most susceptible to freezing include those connected to outdoor spigots and/or run through uninsulated walls and attics.
5. Snow. A little bit of snow usually doesn’t cause any problems. But multiple feet of snow can weigh on a roof or gutters and overwhelm physical support systems; causing buckling or holes in roofs and bending or breaking gutters. The same effect can be seen on overhanging tree branches, which can fall onto houses and wreak additional havoc.
6. Ice. During prolonged periods of precipitation and/or cold temperatures, ice can build up a gutter to form an ice dam. These dams, which are fed by snowpack on roofs, can not only buckle and dislodge gutters; but the ice can also creep underneath shingles to damage the roof. This, in turn, can lead to leaks through which eventually melting ice can enter a home’s attic or interior.
7. Sun. Even when the sun is shining, certain parts of your home could be susceptible to damage. During prolonged periods of heat, the sun can damage furniture, rugs, and artwork by fading colors and making fibers brittle. But wise usage of shades and drapes (or even tinting windows) can keep this from happening.
Four simple best practices to ensure safety in the laundry room
1. Clean the Lint Filter
Not once a month, or even once a week: “Clean the lint from the dryer’s lint screen after every load,” says Richard Handel, the test engineer who oversees CR’s laundry appliance lab. “This helps prevent a fire, and it also helps your laundry dry faster.”
2. Replace Accordion-Style Ducts
Generally, dryers are equipped with a 4-inch vent in the back, which homeowners or installers connect to the exterior vent with a duct. But not all ducts will do.
If you see a plastic or foil accordion-style duct connecting your appliance to the vent, it’s a good idea to replace it. These are risky because they can sag, allowing lint to build up at low points and trapping lint in their ridges.
Handel recommends a rigid metal duct. “The smooth walls allow the air to flow, and also reduce the buildup of lint,” he says. “A flexible metal duct should be your second choice.”
One other tip: Use duct connectors and metal clamps or foil tape to join sections of duct rather than sheet-metal screws, which can catch lint and cause buildup inside the duct.
3. Clean the Dryer Duct Annually (at Least)
If you notice that your dryer takes longer to dry laundry than it used to, that’s a clue that there may be a blockage in the dryer vent system. When you’re drying a load, go outside and look at the vent. Do you see or feel exhaust air? If not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked with lint.
Start by disconnecting your dryer from the power source. And if you have a gas dryer, also turn off the gas valve near the dryer.
“Carefully slide the dryer away from the wall so that you can access the vent that’s typically in the back of the dryer,” Handel says. “If you have a gas dryer, take care not to overstretch or damage the gas line.”
Disconnect the duct from the dryer, and vacuum both the dryer and the duct—as much as you can access. Where possible, separate the duct into shorter sections for better access, then reassemble and attach the duct to the dryer. Be sure all joints in the duct are properly connected and held together with clamps or foil tape. Then return the dryer to its original spot and reconnect the power.
While you’re at it, clean behind the dryer and underneath it—lint builds up there, too. In winter, check after windy weather or snowstorms to be sure that snow isn’t blocking the outdoor vent.
4. Handle Chemical Stains With Care
Clothes stained with gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals or substances need special care. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends washing such stained clothing more than once to minimize volatile chemicals, then hanging to dry.
If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that concludes with a cool-down period.
In the event that a fire does start, keep the dryer door closed to limit its oxygen supply—a fire needs oxygen to keep it going.
UNDERSTANDING COMMERCIAL BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
Business interruption insurance is a type of commercial insurance and falls into two categories. There is standard business interruption insurance that covers direct loss, and there is contingency business interruption insurance which deals more with indirect business loss. Both are subject to specific terms and conditions, so be sure to read through your policy thoroughly. The bottom line is important when running a business. We here at SERVPRO of Kendall County know that disaster can strike at anytime, so business interruption insurance can be crucial when deciding your insurance needs.
Business interruption insurance may seem like planning to fail, but any good business owner will tell you to hope for the best and plan for the worst. When assessing your business, it is a good idea to establish what could possibly interrupt your business and what the consequences of that are. Are losses likely to be more direct or indirect? This will help inform you regarding your choice of business interruption insurance. Never assume that it is part of standard commercial insurance. There are several further subcategories of business interruption insurance including, for example, event cancelation insurance. Business interruption insurance can be a complicated beast.
The answer to the original question, do I really need business interruption insurance, is an unequivocal yes. It is essential insurance. No matter what business you are in there is always the chance that there may be physical loss due to unusual weather patterns, freak accidents, or similar.
Prepare today with these home storm preparation tips.
Spring and summer are notoriously stormy. Your home could be at risk of flooding or wind damage. Don’t wait until a severe storm warning is issued in your area—prepare today with these home storm preparation tips.
Inspect the gutters and downspouts: Gutters must be clear of debris to drain properly. Clean them twice a year or consider installing a gutter guard system. Also, set up downspout extenders that deposit water at least 6 feet from your foundation.
Have your roof inspected: Every few years or following a hailstorm, hire a roofing company to check for damage. Patching up holes before it rains again can prevent destructive roof leaks.
Check water flow on your property: During heavy rain, go outside and observe how water flows around the house. With clean gutters and extended downspouts, rain should run away from the foundation. If the soil grading slopes toward your home, correct this before the next storm.
Inspect the crawlspace: Another place to check during heavy rain is the crawlspace. Look for evidence of water intrusion, such as discoloration, staining, musty odors and/or mold growth. Clean up the damage and correct the drainage on your property to prevent a recurrence.
Trim your trees: If any branches overhang the roof or brush the side of your house, they could cause damage during a storm. Prune your trees to help protect your property and consider re-grading the soil to give the roots something sturdier to cling to in high winds.
Secure your home: Consider installing window shutters or temporary plywood to keep your home tight and secure against the wind. If the windows break, your roof and garage door are more likely to fly away. Roof clips and garage door braces can also help secure these parts of your home.
Install a generator: Long-term power outages can be inconvenient or even dangerous. Keep the lights on, food chilled, and HVAC system running with a backup generator.
Install a sump pump: Flooding is one of the most common types of storm damage. Prevent groundwater from rising into your home by installing a sump pump in the basement. Include a battery backup to ensure continued operation during a blackout.
Unplug electronics: When a storm starts to pick up, it’s best to unplug small appliances and electronics. Lightning strikes can cause serious power surges and damage sensitive gadgets, even if they’re plugged into surge protectors.
Clear clutter from your yard: If a storm warning is issued, bring any loose outdoor objects inside. Patio furniture, potted plants, toys and trashcans can be swept away if left at the mercy of a tornado or hurricane.
Steps to Take Immediately Following Water Damage to Commercial Property
Business owners need to know what to do in these scenarios, especially while waiting for the commercial restoration services team to arrive.
Many events could result in serious water damage, but all of them require a prompt commercial cleaning service to set the property right again.
#1 Switch Off the Water Mains
When a property owner discovers water damage, Step One is always to find the source. If the problem is still active, such as a burst pipe or leak, shut down the water source. The company may need to call a professional plumber to control the water or close the water main before continuing.
Water leakage can happen anywhere in a commercial or residential building for various reasons. If the source is not apparent, a professional service may need to help with a diagnostic search through the area.
#2 Confirm the Water Source
If a leaking or a burst pipe is the issue, closing the water source will prevent further issues. If not, Step Two is finding other possible sources of the water damage. Important checks include walls and the roof, where pipes pass through, and various openings could present challenges.
Enlisting a water damage cleanup and restoration professional is crucial when a commercial building has suffered water damage. It can be dangerous with floors weakened by standing or running water, and collapse could result in possible injuries. There are also risks with fiberglass insulation, asbestos, and mold spores.
#3 Call the Insurance Company
Step Three is for the business owner to notify their insurance company about water damage and start a claim. Some commercial property policies may not cover water damage, so it is crucial to ask for details about the building’s policy coverage. Documenting the damage with photographs is also essential.
#4 Contact A Water Damage Restoration Expert like SERVPRO
Step Four is to find reputable commercial restoration services in the area, like SERVPRO of Kendall County.
We have years of experience to cover cleanup, water removal, drying out processes, and tear-out aspects of commercial restoration services in Kendall County. They safely complete dry out and removal tasks, minimizing damage and the risk of exposure. We also offers emergency service and mold remediation as one of the industry’s most reliable fire restoration companies.
Few things are as stressful to homeowners as water damage.
Few things are as stressful to homeowners as water damage.
At its worst, moisture has the potential to damage your home beyond affordable repair, with heavy structural consequences that include mold, wood rot, and even foundation cracks. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch it early and stop it before it spreads. But even small leaks that allow rainwater into the house can require major repairs to keep moisture at bay.
The best way to deal with water damage is to stop it before it starts. Here are measures that you can take to prevent water from entering your home from outside.
Waterproof your homes exterior
The exterior of your house is its first line of defense against water damage. Protect your home from the outside by maintaining the exterior.
Maintain Your Roof Properly handling the water that flows down your roof is essential.
Your roof’s primary purpose is to keep water out of your house. Neglecting it could lead to a whole host of problems, the worst of which includes extensive water damage that could compromise the structure of your home. Most roofs have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, so it’s easy to think that if yours is still within its period of usability, it’s fine. But that’s not necessarily true.
Climate, weather conditions, and even nearby trees can cause damage to roof shingles. Periodically inspect your roof damaged, loose, or missing shingles. Replacing any shingles that are missing or in poor condition is a quick and inexpensive project that can extend the life of your entire roof.
Seal Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are common vulnerable sites for water leakage. Water can seep in through the space around window and door frames if they’re not properly sealed. Don’t wait for a leak. Ensure that the weatherstripping and sealing around your windows and doors are in good shape.
Inspect the outside of your windows and doors. Any large cracks between the frame and the house can be injected with insulating foam sealant. Prevent other leaks by applying a fresh bead of caulking where the window meets the siding. Even a fresh coat of paint on window and door frames can block moisture from penetrating the wood.
Maintain Your Home’s Exterior Finish
Signs of water damage on your house’s interior walls that don’t seem to have a source, such as a mold, peeling paint, or discoloration, could be due to water entering through holes in your exterior walls. If your siding and exterior paint aren’t well-maintained, water could be leaking through to the inside of your home.
Periodically inspect your exterior walls. Look for signs of damage in your sidings, such as holes, wood rot, or warping. If caught early enough, you may be able to clean out the wet materials and repair only the affected siding.
Most common exterior siding, including stucco, aluminum siding, wood siding, and cedar shingles, need to be painted in order to protect your home properly. Paint adds more than just aesthetic appeal—it seals and protects your siding against rain, sleet, and snow.
Ensure proper drainage
You can take measures to keep water out of your home, but waterproofing alone isn’t enough to protect your home from water damage. If water isn’t properly diverted away from the base of your house, your foundation could be at risk. And even the best waterproofing measures are no match for standing water that collects on or around your house in areas of poor drainage.
Clean Your Gutters
Depending on surrounding tree coverage, gutters need to be cleaned out two to six times a year to ensure the proper flow of rainwater.
Making sure your gutters function properly is critical to protecting your home from water damage. If your gutters are full of leaves and pine needles, or not angled properly to funnel water to the downspout, then water will run down the side of your house and collect at the base, which could put your foundation at risk.
Check Your Downspouts
Downspouts should direct water at least three feet from the exterior walls of a home.
Functioning gutters send water out through the downspout, which should funnel the water away from your home.
If the downspout doesn’t extend far enough, then it could instead be funneling water directly into a puddle at the bottom of your house.
Downspouts should extend at least two to three feet from the house. However, the length of the downspout extension you need depends on your house and surrounding property. If your downspout is long enough, but you can still see water collecting at the base of your house, then you may need to install a drainage pipe—a relatively simple and inexpensive DIY project.
Redirect Runoff
If your home sits on the bottom of a slope, water runoff from your yard should be channeled away from your home. If it isn’t, then you probably have problems with standing water near your foundation. Over time, this can cause the ground near your foundation to erode, making it vulnerable.
A French drain could be a simple solution to direct runoff away from your home. At its most basic, a French drain is a simple trench filled with gravel; you could install one with or without a pipe. For an average cost of $1000 to $1500, this solution could save you a lot of money on foundation repairs in the future.
Of course, water damage isn’t limited to rain. Leaking pipes and valves inside your home can cause problems just as severe as rainwater intrusion, but your home’s protection begins with its exterior. Ensure that your roof, exterior walls, gutters, and landscape are working as they should keep your home high and dry.
Learn to detect sneaky leaks inside your home and on your property to prevent water damage and waste.
Plumbing leaks, unfortunately, are pretty common, even in newer houses, and it’s likely that every house will suffer from at least one. What’s more, not all leaks are obvious; in fact, they can be awfully insidious, making it crucial to catch and repair a leak as soon as possible. Every homeowner should know how to find a water leak.
Monitor the Water Bill
Monthly water bills are fairly predictable, so if you receive one that’s unusually high—and you haven’t been using excess water—you may have a leak. The EPA suggests that a family of four will typically use no more than 12,000 gallons per month, except perhaps during the summer if you water a garden or lawn. Even small leaks, such as a faucet with a steady drip, can waste as much as 10,000 gallons of water per year, so keeping an eye on your water bill is a smart, proactive practice.
Watch the Water Meter
If you suspect a leak, monitoring your home’s water meter will give you a definitive answer. The meter is often located beneath a manhole-type cover near the street or (in areas where temperatures don’t dip below freezing) on the side or back of the house, near to where the water supply line enters the house. Follow these steps to monitor the meter:
Turn off all water faucets in your home and make sure the washing machine and dishwasher are not running.
Check the water meter and make a note of the numbers you see. Come back in an hour and check again. If the numbers have changed, there’s a leak somewhere.
To determine if the water leak is in the house or outdoors (only for homes with meters located at the street), turn off the shut-off valve on your home’s main water supply pipe. This is either located in a basement or a utility room where the water pipe enters the home.
Check the water meter, write down the numbers, and wait another hour. When you check again, if the numbers have not changed, the water leak is inside your home. If the numbers have changed, the leak is in the buried water line that runs to the house.
Check for Patches of Greener Grass
Everyone wants a lush lawn, but if an area in your yard is much greener (and grows faster) than the rest of the grass, it could indicate the spot where a buried water line is leaking. If the leak is profuse, you might even see some puddles on the surface of the ground.
Investigate Appliances and Fixtures
If the water meter test indicates a leak inside your home, check the cabinets under the kitchen, laundry, and bathroom sinks to make sure they’re dry. You’ll also want to look for puddles around the bases of tubs, toilets, and showers and beneath the water heater, dishwasher, and clothes washer. If you find any puddles, turn off the water supply valve to that appliance or fixture and call a plumber.
ADVERTISEMENT Stay Alert to Leaking Clues
If a fitting on a supply line under your sink breaks and a spray of water comes shooting out, you know immediately where the trouble is, but some leaks are a lot sneakier! At worst, water may be trickling slowly from pipe fittings within a wall and go unnoticed and it can cause extensive damage. Even if the water meter test indicates that you don’t currently have a leak, one could develop at any point in the future, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for:
Wall discoloration. This could indicate water leaking from behind the drywall and soaking through to the front side. Water stains on ceilings and walls are usually yellowish or brownish in color.
Bubbling paint or bulging wallpaper. Both are signs that the wallboard is wet and the paint or wallpaper is no longerattached tightly. In some cases, you may also notice a bulge in the wallboard, which indicates the water damage is more extensive and the wallboard will have to be replaced.
A dripping sound. While some leaks are totally silent—for instance, if water is traveling along a wall stud—other leaks can sometimes be heard, giving you a clue as to the leak’s location.
A musty smell. Over time, a persistent leak provides the perfect humid environment for mold to grow. In some cases, you may notice black splotches on the outside of the wall, but often, mold will grow inside the wall where you can’t see it, so a musty smell is a red flag.
All of the above are signs of a leak, but keep in mind that not all water leaks are plumbing leaks. The water could also be coming from a leak in the roof or around a window. Either way, leaks should be addressed promptly to reduce the risk of water damage.
Preparing for how to put out an electrical fire, even if you don’t have a fire extinguisher, could be the difference between a minor accident and a ma
Taking precautions such as system upgrades is a smart way to lower your risk of electrical fires. However, it's important to know best practices should you ever be faced with one. Preparing for how to put out an electrical fire, even if you don’t have a fire extinguisher, could be the difference between a minor accident and a major catastrophe.
Put Your Safety First
If an electrical fire is growing quickly and you’re not able to turn the electricity off, you need to put your safety first. To ensure that you’ll have a backup if you’re not able to put out the fire yourself, call 911 right away and be sure to tell the dispatcher that it’s an electrical fire. Then before attempting to put out the fire yourself, make sure you can see two clear pathways to safety. Once one of those two pathways becomes blocked or unsafe to approach, evacuate immediately. It is not worth risking your life.
Disconnect the Electricity
First, disconnect the electricity from the source of the fire. If an appliance is a source, unplug it immediately. Unplugging it will reduce the risk that the flames will spread, and you can focus your efforts on that one source of the fire. If you can’t unplug the source, you’ll need to disconnect the electricity in your home. If you can safely get to your electrical panel, go there immediately and turn the power off. Once you’ve killed the electricity, you are no longer at risk of electrocution, and the source of the fire is now cut off.
Use Baking Soda for Small Electrical Fires
If the fire began in an appliance or an overloaded cord, once you’ve unplugged the power source, toss baking soda over the flames. Baking soda contains the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate, which is also in Class C fire extinguishers. Keeping an open box of baking soda easily accessible could become a lifesaver if a small appliance like a toaster or crockpot bursts into flames.
Never Use Water While the Power Is On
Although it may be your first impulse, never use water on any size electrical fire if your power is still on. Water conducts electricity, so if you toss water onto the flames, you are at risk of being badly shocked.
Prepare Your Business for Severe Weather in Less Than an Hour
Let’s take a look at the quickest, highest-impact tasks you can tackle when you know severe weather is on the way.
There are several steps you should follow year-round to make sure your business is prepared for rain, wind, and lightning.
Let’s take a look at the quickest, highest-impact tasks you can tackle when you know severe weather is on the way.
Double-check your emergency damage plan
First things first: Know what you’ll do if weather-related damage does strike your business. Your emergency damage plan should outline your building’s insurance coverage, unique risk factors, and SERVPRO of Kendall County's contact information.
Have your emergency survival kit ready
You should always keep an emergency survival kit handy in your business. Be sure to include:
Drinking water
Non-perishable food
Flashlights and extra batteries
Battery-powered radio
Standard first aid kit
Copies of important personal or business documents
Keep your survival kit in an easy-to-find location. By having all of these items easily accessible from the get-go, you’ll be able to devote more of the precious time before the storm rolls into other tasks.
Clean your gutters
Water damage is one of the most common (and most expensive) weather-related problems. It comes in the form of everything from flash floods to mold growth — and it costs business owners thousands of dollars each year.
Many preventable leaks can be staved off with one simple trick: Keep an eye on your gutters!
You should routinely clean your gutters and downspouts at least twice per year. If you have time before a storm hits, though, it’s a good idea to give them an extra sweep. This will make sure your drainage system is working at peak capacity to prevent water from accumulating on your roof.
Lock all windows and doors
Another way to prevent water damage is to make sure all openings to the outside world are properly sealed.
You can do this by:
Firmly closing and locking your windows
Securing your doors
Stuffing towels or other absorbent fabric in any draft spaces
Do a quick outside sweep
When you get word of a severe storm creeping in, head outside and take a lap around your business.
Be on the lookout for any immediate problems you can fix quickly, like:
Loose planters, personal belongings, or other objects that could turn into flying debris during high winds
Weak or dead tree branches, especially those near your home or business’s windows
Cracks in your building’s siding that can be sealed with a can of foam
Stay safe inside, and assess any damage when the storm has cleared
Make sure you are securely indoors before the storm’s rain, wind, and lightning hits. It’s better to leave a few building tasks unfinished if it means you’ll be safe.
Once the weather has cleared, head outside to evaluate the business for any damage. Walk the perimeter of your property and document anything that looks unusual, like:
Broken glass
Missing roof shingles
Damaged window shutters
Dislodged door or window frames
Fallen tree branches
Excess pooling of water
And more
If you notice any damage, get in touch with SERVPRO of Kendall County right away. We’ll come out to assess the damage, board up any broken windows or doors, and get things back to normal as soon as possible!
Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration: Why You Should Hire Us?
Home Flooded? Let the experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County help You.
A flooded basement made you do this search and brought you here? Wondering what to do next? You might be considering tackling this on your own but the problem might actually be deeper than it seems. SERVPRO of Kendall County is a professional provider of water damage cleanup and restoration service that is highly-trained when it comes to dealing with such issues and their aftermath. Mentioned are the major few reasons why you must only let the experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County deal with the damage caused by water.
Quick response time and professional advice. The thing with water damage is that it requires you to act quickly. In the time that you will take to ascertain what to do and what not to do, SERVPRO of Kendall County will be halfway through their work. We know exactly the drill to follow post such damages. Furthermore, once we are done restoring your home, we will also help you with determining which all appliances and furniture can be used again after repairing and which ones are to be discarded. We will thoroughly inspect not just the damaged site but your entire home to make sure nothing remains left or unattended.
Safe remedying of molds. Post floods and other issues that cause water damage, mold growth is one of the biggest concerns that affect every house owner. Not only are molds unsightly, but they are also unhealthy for the residents who live there. These may be found between adjoining walls, ceilings, or other similar areas in your home. Considering that molds can cause health effects, the job of dealing with them is best left to professionals. The experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County know their way around safely getting rid of molds and also prevent your homes from facing similar issues in the future.
Minimized costs and losses. As mentioned above, you must SERVPRO of Kendall County as soon as you spot the first signs of water damage. Since we respond quickly, we will ensure that the damage is minimized. This means that not only do we protect those assets which come into contact with the water, we also prevent any damage from taking place which can be caused if water escapes to other parts of your home. This way you do not need to shell out a lot of money to buy new furniture, appliances, and other products.
Superior equipment and tools. The best part about hiring SERVPRO of Kendall County is that we come equipped with all the necessary tools and equipment which are needed for restoring your home post water damage. Buying such tools and equipment on your own can be very expensive and they will become useless to your post-restoration. So, it is best that you hire the services of professional experts who can effectively tackle the situation in the best manner because they are well-equipped and know the proper use of each piece of equipment.
Basements are no longer ignored spaces where people store things they don’t need.
Basement Flood Prevention: Basements are no longer ignored spaces where people store things they don’t need. Some build an extra room or a guest-bedroom in it; some design a media room or a game room in their basement. Regardless of what they chose to do with it, basements are seeing regular use these days.
Needless to say, flooding is a major concern to people who’re actively using their basements. If you’re storing expensive media equipment, nice furniture and spending so much money in designing the rooms, you want to ensure they don’t get damaged.
The causes of a basement flood
Basements can be flooded due to several problems. There might be a massive leak in some pipeline in your home or someone left the tap open in one bathroom. However, the most common causes of basement floods are listed here:
Basements can flood when surface water during rainfall or storms runs down the foundation walls and into the basement
Sometimes, the ground water comes in contact with soil that’s already soggy. Hydrostatic pressure would demand that water find an outlet and that would be the basement
There are times when the municipal storm drains are overwhelmed and excess water is pushed into residential outline foundation drains, causing some water to leak into the basement
An obstruction in your home’s sewer line or the municipal sewer line can cause sewer water to rise through the sink or floor drains. This would flood the lower levels of your house, like the basement
Ways to prevent a basement flood
There are ways to prevent your basement from flooding to begin with:
Gutters need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. They can get clogged or even damaged without you even noticing. If the gutters are kept clean and in good repair, there would be proper drainage of water during rains
After rainfall or storms, ensure that the gutters aren’t overflowing
Check the downspout for any sort of clogging or damage regularly. If you find a damaged downspout, repair or replace it as soon as possible
Ensure that your pavement is sloped in such a manner that water flows away from the house and not towards it
These and some other precautions can lessen the likelihood of flooding in the basement. There are times when flooding can’t be helped. In such cases, you need to hire a professional like us, SERVPRO of Kendall County to help you out.
Specific steps must be taken to reduce property destruction, depending on the type of water damage.
How many of you remember as a kid playing in or around storm water drains or roadside ditches? It was fun, right? While you may have enjoyed splashing around in the waters, you might not realize that storm water like this may actually be contaminated with raw sewage, dangerous chemicals, or harmful bacteria and viruses capable of transmitting dangerous diseases to you.
In this same way, the harmful water that invades your home following a broken pipe, clogged toilet overflow, leaking dishwasher, overflowing washing machines, leaky roofs, or even foundation crack can be harmful.
Restoration Depends on Water Type
Specific steps must be taken to reduce property destruction, depending on the type of water damage. According to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), who sets the standards for the cleaning industry and water damage restoration training, there are three levels or types of water involved in damages. They include:
Category 1: Clean water
This water damage is from sanitary sources, such as an overflowing sink or tub, burst water pipes, failed supply lines to appliances, drinking fountains, or vertical falling rainwater.
Category 2: Grey water
This water is from sources that could make you uncomfortable or ill if ingested. Washing machine, dishwasher, or urine-tainted toilet overflows belong in this category.
Category 3: Black water
This is the worst classification of water and could cause severe illness if ingested. Sewer backups, flooded rivers, feces-tainted toilet overflows, or stagnant liquid that has bacterial growth are all examples of black water.
Let the Experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County Save Your Home and Belongings
Seeping water damage is progressive, pervasive and can mean valuable objects or keepsakes may become permanently damaged. The professionals you find at SERVPRO of Kendall County are trained on how to handle the various types of water damage. Once they arrive on the scene at a home or business, they quickly assess the situation and start the restoration process in these three areas:
Aggressive cleaning: Wall cavities and other surfaces are pressure washed with a detergent solution. Salvageable materials are flushed and thoroughly disinfected.
Moisture detection: Not all water damage is visible to the naked eye. Water trapped in structural cavities may require sophisticated detection equipment to mitigate odors, prevent mold growth and minimize structural damage.
Rapid Structural Drying: Mold begins growing on soggy surfaces within only 24 to 48 hours. Rapid drying, all the way down to the building’s substructure, is necessary to restore pre-flood conditions.
After your home floods, you may think your home and its contents are beyond hope, but many of your furnishings and belongings can be restored. With SERVPRO of Kendall County helping, your flooded home can be cleaned up, dried out, rebuilt, and reoccupied sooner than you think.
There may be no more convenient way to heat food than using a microwave oven. Even the most novice of chefs can feel like Wolfgang Puck just by hitting a few buttons. However, using a microwave oven can pose a fire hazard if you are not careful. So, take precautions to mitigate the risk.
Follow These Tips When Using a Microwave Oven
Always follow the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions as well as their safety precautions before using a new microwave oven.
Never use an extension cord, plug your microwave oven directly into a wall socket.
Always supervise children when they are using a microwave oven.
To minimize the risk of fire, use only microwave-safe food containers or dishes. Never use aluminum foil or metal in a microwave oven. The metal can spark a fire.
Never attempt to dry or sterilize baby bottles, clothes or blankets in microwave ovens, as these may result in a fire once removed from oven.
Reduce fire potential by cleaning the microwave oven regularly. Always unplug the oven when cleaning and be sure to clean the inside and outer edge of the microwave.
Never use recycled paper in microwave ovens, unless it is specifically approved for microwave use. Recycled products, including paper towels, have minute metal flecks; these can cause sparks and even flames.
When cooking popcorn, heat according to the instructions, begin with the minimum time specified, as some microwaves can scorch popcorn in as little as two minutes.
Contact SERVPRO of Kendall County For Fire & Smoke Restoration Services
If your oven does catch fire, turn it off immediately and unplug the power cord if it is safe to do so. Do not open the door of the microwave. Wait until the fire dies out. Following these safety tips can help you avoid a potentially dangerous disaster. And, if your home requires fire and smoke damage restoration service, contact SERVPRO of Kendall County.
YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY HAS WATER DAMAGE: NOW WHAT?
Whether it’s flood water damage or some other form of moisture intrusion, what should you do when the commercial property you’re inspecting has water
There are numerous situations where a commercial property might suffer extensive water damage. For example, a flood from a storm or overflowing river bank might deposit massive amounts of dirty water all over the first floor of a structure. Or, a burst/leaky pipe might cause water to collect in the spaces between the walls or floors in the structure, leading to mold growth and other issues in these hidden areas.
Whether it’s flood water damage or some other form of moisture intrusion, what should you do when the commercial property you’re inspecting has water damage?
Confirming the Extent of the Damage
One of the first things you’ll want to do when you discover signs of water damage is verified the extent of the damage. However, a simple visual check probably won’t be enough to reliably establish the full scope of the problem.
Water can soak into many building materials far from the source of the moisture intrusion without creating obvious signs of damage for a long time. So, to accurately establish how far the water has spread, you need a specialized tool for measuring moisture in building materials—such as a moisture meter for building inspection.
Using a moisture meter, you can measure the moisture content (%MC) of the materials near where you noticed the water damage. By continuing to make checks progressively farther from the site of the damage, you can establish how widespread the damage is as well as the severity of the moisture intrusion.
With this information, you’ll be able to determine whether you need to focus on drying out the affected materials, or simply tear them out so they can be replaced with undamaged materials.
Contacting a Water Damage Restoration Expert
If you’re inspecting your own property and do not have experience in water cleanup/restoration work, it may be a good idea to contact a water damage restoration expert, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County to handle the task of dry-out/tear-out for you. This is because water damage remediation work can be too delicate or dangerous for someone without specialized experience or training to risk.
For example, a professional in water damage restoration is likely to have the right tools and experience to minimize their risks from hazards such as mold spores, exposure to fiberglass insulation, and weakened floors that may collapse—all of which are common hazards in water cleanup and restoration work. Additionally, an expert is more likely to be able to successfully complete dry-out tasks in a way that minimizes the overall damage and risk of future problems.
Drying Out the Affected Area
If the structure has a climate control system, then turning up the temperature slightly can help to keep water from condensing—allowing dry-out work to proceed just a bit faster.
When drying out a room in a building with flood damage, it’s important to keep the building as sealed against exposure to the outside air as possible. Otherwise, mold spores and other contaminants can make their way inside and, with the help of the excess moisture in the structure, begin to proliferate. Any air movers attached to an opening should be sealed in place in such a way that they constantly force air out and prevent outside air from getting inside.
Any moisture-compromised furniture should be removed and assessed. If it is too water-damaged, it will need to be thrown out and replaced. The same goes for any building materials in the affected area.
Document Everything!
While you’re busy inspecting and trying to repair the damage to your commercial property, be sure to document as much as possible about the damage, its cause, and the steps needed to fix it. It’s good to do this because you may need to file an insurance claim for the cost of the repairs, and doing so without documentation could result in the claim being denied.
Additionally, taking photographs of the damage can help to further establish proof of the water damage.
If materials or furniture pieces have to be thrown out, keep track of what is being disposed of as well. This may prove useful for determining the extent of your losses for the insurance claim. A water damage restoration expert will likely recommend that you collect thorough documentation as well since it helps them get paid by the insurance company.
This, of course, assumes that you have an insurance policy on the commercial property that covers the costs of water damage. If your property doesn’t have such insurance, then the costs will have to come out of your pocket.
These are just some of the basic actions to take if your commercial property suffers water damage. While contacting a water damage restoration specialist is probably the best thing to do, following these simple steps should help you mitigate the damage somewhat. As a basic rule of thumb, if the damage is severe enough to warrant filing an insurance claim, then you should probably hire an expert in water damage cleanup.
4 Key Steps for Homeowners Dealing with Fire Damage
Fire is scary and cleanup can be stressful, but the best thing you can do now is to keep a level head and take on the next steps calmly and deliberate
Contact your insurance company right away.
If you have insurance on your property, you’ll want to call them as soon as the fire is safely extinguished. Familiarize yourself with your insurance policy so that you know what is covered, and you can ensure you receive full and fair payment.
The best thing you can do is read through your insurance coverage and familiarize yourself with what it entails.
Each policy is different, so this will greatly affect how you decide to move forward.
In the case of home insurance, a majority of policies cover the value of the home as it was before the fire.
In the event of a total loss, the insurance company may settle by paying you the policy amount for the home in addition to whatever contents were in the home at the time of the fire.
Other expenses, like the demolition of the home, may also be covered.
Take pictures or videos to document everything that was damaged or destroyed so that you have proof to show the insurance company.
Don’t throw anything away, and make a list of all the damaged or lost items, too.
The more you have to back up your claim, the better.
If your adjuster can physically see the items, it makes the claims process much more seamless.
If you experienced a total loss and were unable to save any necessities, let your insurance company know. You may be entitled to a partial payout to recover items you need immediately.
2. Have the damage inspected by a third-party, licensed professional.
Generally speaking, having an insurance-assigned adjuster inspect a total loss after fire damage isn’t sufficient.
Because these adjusters work for the insurance company, they are inclined to make decisions based on the insurance company’s best interest rather than yours.
This is why it can be in your best interest to hire a licensed contractor or structural engineer to accurately evaluate the extent of the destruction, determine the integrity of the structure, and provide an honest estimate of the overall cost of repairs.
An adequate inspection should include:
structure
roof
siding
concrete and/or stucco
plumbing
heating systems
framing
interior walls
3. Decide if you should repair or demolish and rebuild
If you have insurance on the property, your policy may limit how you proceed. For example, what you consider a total loss may not be a total loss to the insurance company.
Determine the cost to demolish.
The average cost to repair fire damage is roughly $9,800, while the average cost to demolish a fire-damaged structure is $8,800.
However, your specific circumstance will determine which solution would be the smarter option.
4. Hire the right contractor for the job.
Whether you decide to repair or demolish your property, be strategic and thorough when choosing a contractor.
They should be experienced in the work being done as well as be familiar with working alongside insurance companies.
Services to Expect from Flood Damage Restoration Companies like SERVPRO of Kendall County
A flood can cause incredible damage to your home, but your property damage can become even worse if not adequately addressed.
If your home becomes flooded, there are a few things you’ll want to take into consideration when working with a flood damage restoration company, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County. A flood can cause incredible damage to your home, but your property damage can become even worse if not adequately addressed. Below are a few services you should expect from flood damage restoration companies, starting with the initial inspection.
What to Do During a Flood
Believe it or not, there’s a lot you can do to prevent severe damage to your home from a flood. Ensure you have a functional sump pump in your basement and seal any cracks or holes in the walls of your house. Doing so can limit the amount of damage a flood can do to your property which means you’ll have to invest in less inexpensive repair services.
Hire a Local Flood Restoration Company
After a massive storm, if your home has been flooded, you should contact SERVPRO of Kendall County. This way, you can address any damage that your home has sustained. They can properly inspect your home and notify you of any repairs that need to be taken care of. However, the first step towards your home’s recovery will be the inspection of your affected property.
Have Your Home Inspected
Having your home inspected can help you determine what repairs need to be made on your property. SERVPRO of Kendall County can assess the damages to your home and create a shortlist of renovations that need to be made immediately. Fortunately, we can take care of these repairs themselves, so you don’t need to worry about finding additional contractors to work with or taking care of any renovations on your own.
Take Care of Necessary Repairs
Once you know which repairs need to be taken care of, you can start tackling each one, starting with your highest priority.SERVPRO of Kendall County can complete these repairs on your property and restore your home to the state it was before. However, your work doesn’t stop here! You should then begin working on refurbishing your home, starting with your basement.
Refurnish Your Home
After completely renovating your home, you can begin working towards refurnishing it. Consider what furniture you want to fill the areas of your home that were most affected by the flood. You should also focus on buying furniture that will affect your budget the least. After all, buying new décor for your home can cost a lot of money and takes time. Once your property is fully refurnished, you should begin working on recommendations from SERVPRO of Kendall County to prevent this kind of damage from affecting your property again.
The Benefits of Hiring a Smoke Damage Restoration Company
The last thing you need to deal with this spring is a house fire that can leave devastating damage and raise insecurities about being a homeowner. Although you want to extinguish a fire as soon as it ignites in your home, you should also be in contact with SERVPRO of Kendall County as quickly as possible. To learn about the many advantages you can enjoy when hiring professionals from SERVPRO of Kendall County, read below.
Prevent Lasting Damage
A house fire can cause lasting damage to your entire property, even after the flames are extinguished. Even after firefighters put out the fire in your home, there will still be smoke, ash, and heat that can continue damaging your home. Fortunately, you can hire SERVPRO of Kendall County to prevent lasting damage to your house by removing affected parts of your property that can contribute to repeat repairs in the future. Plus, treating smoke damage in your home is incredibly important to continue living there.
Have the Right Hands on Deck
You don’t want unqualified or inexperienced help getting rid of smoke and fire damage from your home. Fortunately, SERVPRO of Kendall County will be the perfect help in recovering your home from a severe fire. Their experience and skill set will be instrumental in getting your home life back on track. However, you’ll still have to do plenty of work finding the right company for the job.
Quick, Efficient Work
You should avoid cleaning up smoke and ash on your own, as it can be deadly to your health. Instead, you should hire a qualified worker to take care of this work, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County. However, smoke damage only gets worse the longer it’s left undisturbed, so it’s important you hire a professional as soon as you can to clear the smoke from your home following a house fire. Fortunately, if you enlist the best help, you’ll be able to clear your home from smoke and debris and quickly restore your home to what it once was.
Thorough Home Inspection
A significant advantage of hiring SERVPRO of Kendall County is its service to thoroughly inspecting your home. Your hired professional will search your home for potential ash and smoke damage and find problems that may cause severe issues in the future. They will either be able to take care of these repairs themselves or hire a third party to clean up the smoke and fire damage. Soon enough, you’ll be able to move back into your home following a severe fire.
Elimination of Burning Smell
No one really enjoys smelling burning ash and smoke while living in their home. In fact, such smells can make any homeowner want to place their property on the real estate market. SERVPRO of Kendall County will be equipped with the necessary tools and training to remove smoky and burning smells in your home, which may be off-putting and, in some cases, dangerous. Although removing a burning smell in your house can be expensive, it’s well worth the time and money, in case it’s actually something much worse than a simple bad smell.
A simpler way of classifying storms: thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, and extra-tropical cyclones.
Research meteorologists and climatologists have a simpler way of classifying storms: thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, and extra-tropical cyclones. All are atmospheric disturbances that redistribute heat and produce some combination of clouds, precipitation, and wind.
All three require moisture, energy, and certain wind conditions to develop, but the combination of ingredients varies depending on the type of storm and the local meteorological conditions. For example, thunderstorms form when a trigger—a cold front, converging near-surface winds, or rugged topography—destabilizes a mass of warm, humid air and causes it to rise. The air expands and cools as it ascends, increasing the humidity until the water vapor condenses into liquid droplets or ice crystals in precipitation-making clouds.
Tropical cyclones—more commonly known as hurricanes and typhoons—occur when many thunderstorms organize into a larger system and begin flowing in a circular pattern around a low-pressure center. These storms thrive on warm ocean temperatures for energy; sea surface temperatures need to be above 80°F for a tropical cyclone to form. However, they cannot thrive when the wind shear is strong. Wind shear occurs when surface-level and higher-level winds are blowing at different speeds or in different directions.
Extra-tropical (or mid-latitude) cyclones, which can produce weather ranging from mild rainstorms to violent blizzards, are even broader storms that typically begin in the middle or high latitudes. While tropical cyclones draw their energy from warm air masses heated by equatorial oceans, extra-tropical cyclones draw their fuel from the interactions of fronts—large horizontal air masses with different temperatures or humidity.
The Importance of Smoke Damage Restoration After a Fire
Fire wreaks havoc on your home not only while the flame is active, but also in the days and weeks that follow.
When a fire breaks out, it’s devastating not only for your family but for your home as well. Fire wreaks havoc on your home not only while the flame is active, but also in the days and weeks that follow. Whether caused by faulty wiring or a kitchen accident, it’s important to understand exactly how to restore your house during the aftermath of a fire. As long as you act quickly, SERVPRO of Kendall County can help you to repair what’s been lost. Here are a few things to keep in mind in regard to smoke damage following a fire.
Acting Quickly
The longer that you wait to call, the longer the repairs will take. Not only will the repairs take longer, but the damage will be more extensive as well. In the minutes after a fire, the acid from the soot begins to stain and discolor the surfaces of your home. Fabric materials are especially susceptible to this residue. As time ticks on, the damage only worsens. You’ll begin to see that the walls in your home are yellow in the hours following the fire. Metal fixtures may also start to rust. If you wait weeks to call SERVPRO of Kendall County, the surfaces in your home may be permanently damaged. Not only will the walls begin to weaken, but you’ll also find that they’re completely discolored. While a large portion of these items can be repaired, some may need to be replaced entirely.
Clearing the Odor
The smell of smoke is difficult to remove from a home. Even months after a house fire, the odor could linger if measures haven’t been taken to eliminate it. Soft surfaces are especially susceptible to the smell of smoke. Furniture, curtains, and carpet tend to soak up the smell and retain it. For this reason, calling in the help of SERVPRO of Kendall County can help. Experts understand how difficult it can be to deodorize your home following a fire. By acting quickly to remove the smoke residue from your home, it reduces the risk that the scent will linger.
Repairing Your Wiring
A portion of house fires are caused by faulty electrical equipment or wires. When this is the case, there’s a good chance that the wiring needs to be completely replaced. Not only will your electrical system need to be repaired, but it should be thoroughly inspected too. This ensures that there isn’t any additional corrosion to the outlets, wires, or cords. With the right help, you can repair the existing damage and prevent future flames from occurring.
Staining
The quicker that you act, the less likely your home is to experience permanent damage. Without proper attention, you may see that the wood and plastic surfaces in your home begin to warp. They may also become discolored. The metals, granite, and marble in your home could become tarnished, too. Don’t allow the fire to completely destroy the finishes in your house. Instead, act quickly to enlist the help of restoration specialists.
The cleanup following a house fire should be handled professionally. With SERVPRO of Kendall County handling your clean-up, you’ll have your home back in no time.
There are many points that make commercial disinfection services different from a traditional cleaning process.
A commercial cleaning service can be useful, but it won’t get your property all the way clean like what you’d get from a commercial disinfection service. There are many points that make commercial disinfection services different from a traditional cleaning process. You’ll see that disinfection provides a more protected environment secure from various threatening bacteria and viruses.
Our work at SERVPRO of Kendall County will ensure your property receives the disinfection support it needs. We provide a more thorough approach to cleaning than what you would get elsewhere.
Unique Cleaning Items
Disinfectants have taken center stage for how they target viruses and other compounds. Disinfectants can be certified by the CDC and other organizations to ensure dangerous viruses can die off during the cleaning effort.
Traditional cleaners can break up visible stains and other items and clear them off a spot. They can produce a comfortable space, but they may not be as effective as a disinfectant.
Working a Little Longer
The disinfection process takes extra bits of time to complete. It can utilize an antimicrobial solution that sticks in an area for a predetermined dwell time. The goal is to achieve the ideal kill rate against bacteria and viruses. The disinfection effort works with more support than a traditional cleaning effort that entails applying a cleaner and then washing it off not long afterward.
Disinfectants work differently from traditional cleaners that only break apart surface stains. You can use a cleaner if you need to produce a spotless environment in less time, but it won’t go all the way in protecting your space as a disinfectant can.
Focusing on Small Spaces
Traditional cleaning work involves cleaning large spaces, including carpets, walls, counters, and various high-touch items. Disinfection involves going into some of the smallest spots in a property, including the doorknobs, handles, buttons, switches, and other things people contact each day. Disinfection is about targeting the items that people will touch throughout the day, as they are the spots with the highest viral loads.
Avoiding Zone Cleaning
Many cleaning projects entail zone cleaning processes. Zone cleaning entails a building is divided into zones. One cleaner is assigned to each zone. There might be one cleaner for a specific room or another for a different floor.
While zone cleaning sounds convenient, it can result in duplicated efforts. The results may be inconsistent, as one place may be cleaned better than others. Commercial disinfection services focus on the same process throughout an entire building, including using the proper cleaning items through each space in the building.
Be sure to note how well our commercial disinfection services at SERVPRO of Kendall County can work, and note that these are different from regular cleaning efforts. You might not visibly notice the effects of a disinfection process, but you’ll feel comfortable knowing that the bacteria and viruses you don’t notice each day are being cleared out of your building before they can cause anyone to become ill.
Common Mistakes Homeowners Make Following Fire Damage
After the flames of a house fire have dwindled, you would think all the damage has been done. However, the damage can actually get worse if the right actions are not taken in the right order. Here are the 3 most common mistakes homeowners in Kendall County make following a fire that can actually lead to more damage:
Fire Damage In Kendall County
Getting Overwhelmed
Now, this is much easier said than done, but you cannot let yourself become overwhelmed. Most of the time, homeowners will assume the damages done to their home are at 100 percent, when, in actuality, it is only at 25 percent. We know it looks bad (really bad) once the flames are out. Charred materials, soot, and ash all leave behind a pretty devastating scene to the untrained eye, especially when it is your own home and belongings that you are seeing the remains of. With the right professional help, nearly anything and everything can be repaired and restored to preloss condition – which just so happens leads to the next most common (and costly) mistake.
Failing To Call A Certified Fire Damage Restoration Company, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County
Trying to save a little money by handling fire damage repair on your own, or having a friend try to help you when neither of you has the proper expertise or experience, will actually end up costing you more in the long run (both with time and money). You need to call a company that is licensed and certified in proper fire damage repair and restoration (the bonus is they are also a licensed general contractor) as soon as the fire is put out. With emergency response services, SERVPRO of Kendall County not only handles all the cleanup, but they can also rebuild your home and are available as soon as the disaster happens. Calling SERVPRO of Kendall County ensures that your home will be restored to its preloss condition as quickly as possible, all while mitigating any further damage. Consequently, you will be able to let go of any overwhelming feelings when you call SERVPRO of Kendall County because they will handle everything, and we mean everything, so this will also help you avoid mistake number one.
Not Keeping A Record of Damage
Your homeowner’s insurance will reimburse you for your losses in the fire as long as you have a detailed record of the damage. Photos and lists can help you keep an accurate inventory of your belongings, including what can be saved and what is a total loss. Once the fire department has deemed the premises safe to enter, you need to remove as many valuable belongings as possible to increase the odds of salvaging them. This is a good time to assess damages, gather personal belongings, and begin the task of recording damages for your insurance. Everything that was lost should be recorded, even down to food that was discarded.
THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT STORM DAMAGE INSURANCE CLAIMS
After the storm hits, be proactive about damage to your property
The weather can be very hard to predict, so you’ll never know exactly when a storm will hit your area. Unfortunately, a storm can seriously damage your roof. Damaged roofs cause costly water leaks, so you should act quickly to repair your roof.
Look for Damage as Soon as You Can – Even if your roof looks intact from the outside, there could be significant damage to your roofing system. You should act quickly and call a reputable professional like SERVPRO of Kendall County to inspect your roof if you suspect that it is damaged. As soon as it is safe to do so, get your roof inspected.
Document All the Details – You will need to take pictures and notes of all the damaged areas of your roof. In some cases, your roofing contractor will be able to assist with this task. This documentation will help you with your insurance claim and help you figure out if you need a roof replacement or a roof repair. Your insurance company needs as much information as possible.
Contact Your Insurance Company – You should contact your insurance company as quickly as possible once you have documented the damage to your roof. Some insurance companies have a time limit on how long you can file a claim. Make sure to read your insurance policy carefully so you can understand your rights and responsibilities.
Choose a Contractor You Can Trust – If your roof insurance claim is approved, then you need to choose a contractor you can trust with your roof repair or replacement. We suggest choosing a company that’s experienced with storm damage restoration and insurance claims. Fortunately, SERVPRO of Kendall County can assist you.
The smallest water problem can become an expensive one if it’s not discovered.
Water damage can occur in a number of scenarios, and even the smallest problem can become an expensive one if it’s not discovered in a timely manner. A leaking refrigerator, for instance, could be seeping water into your flooring—and below into your basement—for months before you find the issue.
Plumbing leaks and problems could also go undetected for longer than they should. By the time you find the problem, you could have serious water damage on your hands, including buckled flooring, warped walls, and mold damage.
The average homeowner spends an average of $2,300 to fix or restore water damage in their home. That includes not only bringing in professionals to try and dry up any water or wet materials, but also any carpentry, masonry, or other contracting necessary to repair or rebuild.
That might not seem like a lot of money, but homeowners insurance doesn't always cover water damage —which means you might be stuck with the bill.
What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
One of the more critical things to understand about homeowners insurance is what types of water damage a policy will cover. The phrase most often used is “sudden and accidental.” That means if you have a water heater pipe suddenly burst and spray water everywhere, soaking into the wall and flooring, your policy may cover the repairs under what’s called “dwelling coverage.”
Your policy may also have personal property coverage, which means if that water heater pipe bursting also damages your favorite recliner or a stack of books, replacing those items may also be covered.
Before your policy covers anything, you’ll probably need to pay a deductible. It’s smart to know what your deductible is now before anything happens. Some homeowners like to keep an amount of money equal to the deductible amount tucked away in a savings account. Depending on how much the deductible is, you might still end up paying a lot of money out of pocket even if your water damage is covered.
Water damage covered by snow, ice, or sleet is usually covered as well. Too much snow on certain types of roofs can cause caving or leaking; that means you could have damage to your walls too—and that can be a costly repair.
The advantages of hiring SERVPRO of Kendall County
True professionals at SERVPRO of Kendall County perform a thorough inspection and identify those materials and items that can be salvaged and restored. This allows us to complete the job more cost-efficiently by avoiding replacement costs. So, instead of removal and replacement, restoration helps contain costs and may eliminate the need to file an insurance claim. However, when the only means of mitigation is a replacement, we don’t waste time or effort trying to save unsavable items.
Distinguishing between multiple affected surfaces
With many different types of surfaces to clean, it takes a qualified restoration professional to know the cleaning process that each of these surfaces requires and to achieve appropriate restoration. Thus, we understand how to deal with all types of losses, regardless of how the damage occurred.
For example, saving a hardwood floor is greatly preferable to tearing it out and replacing it, and is substantially more cost-effective. We also have the experience to clean and restore a section of the drywall, saving the mess, time, and cost of replacing it.
Coordinating with insurance companies
The insurance industry seeks timely, quality work performed at a reasonable price by professionals. SERVPRO of Kendall County specializes in water, smoke, fire, mold, vandalism, and more.
Moreover, we can empathize with the insured and service the claim from the initial call through the completion of mitigation. This attitude demands non-stop commitment, a ready, trained, and caring certified staff, and the proper equipment and modern methods to service any emergency loss.
Providing correct estimates
SERVPRO of Kendall County will provide correct estimates using industry-standard software. This enables us to process claims quickly and efficiently. We are aware of the most current technologies and methods available to reduce property claims costs. All these factors help keep the claim fair.
State-of-the-art equipment
A professional restoration firm, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County, has the state-of-the-science meters and instruments to help determine the full extent of hidden damage. And we have the advanced equipment to perform the work most efficiently. We also monitor the restoration process and only keep equipment onsite if necessary.
Ongoing training and certifications
SERVPRO of Kendall County completes ongoing training and development offered through professional training organizations. In addition, we maintain current industry certifications and subscribe to educational restoration magazines and journals.
WE are members of regional and national organizations and attend conventions, seminars, and tradeshows, which increase their knowledge and skill in the restoration process. These efforts illustrate our commitment to being prepared when a loss occurs. The knowledge that we possess and continue to acquire will keep us on the cutting edge of the disaster restoration business.
Additionally, we have the business licenses and insurance coverage required for such a business.
Floodwaters can be mixed with sewage and other contaminants.
It certainly can be, especially if it mixes with sewage and other contaminants. It’s another reason why you should always leave mitigation to the professionals. As we noted earlier in this piece, the IICRC defines flood water in three categories: 1, 2, and 3. Category 1 water is clean water as if it was right out of a faucet. Category 2 water is mostly clean, but likely contains some contaminants. And Category 3 water is highly contaminated water, often containing raw sewage. If you don’t have the necessary PPE to handle hazardous water, you risk becoming very ill. The professionals at SERVPRO of Kendall County know how to properly assess water conditions and proceed accordingly. The contaminant level of the water will also likely influence restoration efforts.
Are all fire extinguishers created equal? The answer is no. Fire extinguishers are similar to cars. There are many different makes and models that differ in design, quality, durability, serviceability, and function. However, they all have one common purpose: to quickly and effectively stop a fire from spreading.
The different types of fire extinguishers have specific requirements for cleaning the extinguishing agent after discharge. Below we’ve identified a few types of fire extinguishers and how to properly dispose of any residue left behind.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTINGUISHERS INCLUDE:
Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher – Compact and portable designs make these extinguishers best qualified for the protection of minor hazards in industrial and commercial settings.
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher – By incorporating a flexible design and effective liquid agent, this extinguishing system quickly reduces flames and cools hot surfaces specifically in foodservice kitchens.
Clean Agent Fire Extinguisher – This extinguisher is commonly used in areas with sensitive computer equipment (e.g. server rooms) because the discharge dissipates into the atmosphere.
Class K Fire Extinguisher – With the ability to hold in vapor and steam from a fire, this extinguisher is used in commercial kitchens for grease fires.
CLEAN-UP RECOMMENDATIONS
While fire extinguisher discharge does not usually present health hazards, the experts at State Systems want you to be prepared. That being said, do you know how to properly clean up the leftover residue after your fire extinguisher is put to use?
DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Sweep or vacuum any residue that has settled on the affected area.
To break down the silicone in the dry chemical, spray the affected area with a solution of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% warm water. Allow the solution to penetrate the residue for a few minutes, then rinse with warm water.
To neutralize sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate-based dry chemicals, wash the affected area with a solution of 98% hot water and 2% vinegar. Allow the solution to sit for a few minutes; then rinse with warm water.
To neutralize mono ammonium phosphate-based dry chemical, wash the affected area with a solution of hot water and baking soda. Allow the solution to treat the excess agent for a few minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Wash the area with a mild soap and water solution; then rinse.
Blow the area dry to remove excess water.
WET CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Confirm all fuel sources to the equipment have been shut off.
Make sure to wear rubber gloves. If the liquid or fire extinguishing agent comes into contact with your skin or eyes, flush thoroughly with water.
Use hot, soapy water and a cloth or sponge to wipe away the foamy residue. Scrub all surfaces that have come into contact with the excess agent.
Once all surfaces impacted with the residue are cleaned, rinse and allow time to dry before returning power back to the equipment.
CLEAN AGENT FIRE EXTINGUISHER
No special precautions need to be taken after the fire extinguisher is used.
CLASS K FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Rinse the affected area with a solution of soap and water.
ADDITIONAL CLEANING TIPS
Items such as artwork, tapestries, and electrical equipment need to be professionally cleaned to avoid further damage.
Be extra cautious when treating cooking equipment and food storage during the cleanup process.
Immediately recharge or replace your fire extinguisher
Floods are often unpracticable and unlike a hurricane, leave little to no time to prepare. This list outlines how to safely get your property clean, safe, and dry directly following a flood.
1. Personal Health and Safety - Avoid exposure to harmful toxins that could be in the floodwaters with both respiratory AND contact precautions with the following Personal Protective Equipment:
Contact Precautions- Latex gloves, Rubber Boots, Coveralls, and Eye Protection to avoid any flood waters from getting into your eyes.
Respiratory precautions - N95 is ok in most circumstances but you may want to consider heavier duty respirator during flood clean up.
2. Gross removal - Remove everything that is unsalvageable in the home or property.
Unsalvageable Items - Remove porous contents and building materials like drywall, particleboard, most types of flooring BEFORE you start cleaning.
-Any sort of furniture - Sofas, Mattresses - that's been impacted by floodwaters should be tossed out as it's not worth the effort in cleaning.
Salvageable Items - Non-porous building materials like concrete or steel can be cleaned in place so no need to remove them.
3. Pressure clean - Use a pressure washing gun to clean the areas where the floodwaters touched. For walls and ceilings that were not touched by floodwaters, you'll want to still thoroughly clean by wiping down with disinfectant.
4. Disinfecting- Apply a broad application of antimicrobial disinfectant once everything is clean in order to remove all microbes and toxins that were in the floodwaters.
5. Dry Everything - Before a professional water damage restoration company can access your home to begin the restorative drying process, you'll want to do your best to dry everything to the best of your ability. SERVPRO of Kendall County has the specialized equipment to dry materials efficiently and properly.
6. Mold - Because mold can start to grow in 72 hours following a flood, Continue to clean, clean, clean! Mold is readily aerosolized so it's important to clean everything from top to bottom, left to right to avoid mold growth.
7. Testing - An environmental mold assessment following the cleaning and drying process will ensure that you've eliminated any concerns regarding harmful microbials left in your home. Especially if there are children or immune-compromised living in your home, we recommend professionally testing your home.
Please reach out to the team at SERVPRO of Kendall County to answer any questions you may have and to provide emergency response when and if needed.
Being prepared is the first line of defense against storm damage.
1. Stay informed. Being prepared means first and foremost to know what kind of weather is on the way. The National Weather Service provides a map of the U.S. with the latest warnings; simply click on your location to get more detailed information. Of course, you can also listen to your local weather forecast or use a weather app. In addition, keep your phone charged and on, as that will allow you to receive local weather alerts such as flood warnings.
2. Don’t leave vehicles and other expensive items outdoors. Cars, motorcycles, outdoor furniture, and even children’s playground toys, can easily get damaged due to high winds. They can also blow away and cause damage to your home. Place your vehicles in your garage or carport and put the outdoor furniture and toys inside your home or in a shed.
3. Prepare your yard. Trees, plants, and shrubs take quite a beating during storms. Most will recover by themselves, but you’re best advised to take certain precautions. If you have any plants in pots, bring them indoors to prevent them from being blown over. You should also prune back any tree branches that are close to your home and cut down dead or dying trees.
4. Install storm shutters. During high winds, your windows are vulnerable to branches and other debris blowing around. You can protect them by installing storm shutters. Make sure the shutters are properly secured before the storm starts. If you don’t have enough time to install storm shutters, you can also protect your windows by affixing sheets of plywood in front of them.
5. Clean out the gutters and storm drains. Storms can bring a lot of precipitation. Your gutters are intended to lead that water safely away from your home so it doesn’t collect and cause water damage. Check them thoroughly paying particular attention to the joints and downspouts where buildup can occur. You should also make sure your storm drains are free of leaves and other debris so water doesn't pool there.
6. Check your generator. If you rely on a generator during power outages, then you need to make sure it’s in good working order before the storm starts. Do a manual test to make sure it runs properly. In addition, make sure you have sufficient fuel to last for a few days.
7. Create an emergency kit. Your emergency kit should include at the minimum items such as bottled water, a flashlight, a first aid kit, non-perishable food, blankets, and warm clothing, phone chargers and batteries, and a radio. You should also consider placing copies of important documents such as passports, insurance policies, and medical records in your kit.
Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Service Promotes Productivity
As people continue to receive Covid-19 vaccines, reentering the corporate office space will begin to happen for many companies. The shift from slow-paced work-at-home life to the traditional fast-paced office environment may be a struggle for many company employees.
Company owners and office managers everywhere must do their due diligence to set their staff up for success. One of the best ways they can do this is by creating a work environment that motivates their staff and boosts productivity. A clean space is crucial for these reasons.
If you’re curious as to how commercial cleaning services can help promote office productivity, then continue reading.
A Clean Space is a Clean Mind
Have you ever been trying to focus on a task and no matter how hard you try, you simply can’t do it? During that task, were you constantly distracted by the things surrounding you, even if they were small? Does a speck of dust on the floor and old smudges on the windows keep catching your eye?
An unclean space can lead to a cluttered and clouded mind.
By enlisting the help of commercial cleaning services, like SERVPRO of Kendall County, you’re setting your office staff up for success. They’ll be able to focus on their task without worrying about distracting messes.
Time Saved Equals Time Focused
Have you ever been stressed at work because on top of all of your meetings and project deadlines, sometimes that day you have to perform office cleaning chores? This feeling can become distracting and pull time away from more important things.
When you’re trying to focus on daily projects and meetings, the last thing you or your staff need to be concerned with is office chores.
Knowing you have a SERVPRO of Kendall County coming in to take care of these tasks for you is a weight lifted from you and your staff’s shoulders. By saving time on cleaning, you can focus on your daily tasks.
It’s a Fresh Start
And last but certainly not least, a clean space gives the feeling of a fresh start for everyone in the office.
It’s no secret that a bright and airy environment can help people feel more awake, refreshed, and happier. The workplace should always strive for this feeling.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by cleaning every evening before closing. It allows your staff to walk into a fresh and clean environment to start their workday. That can be a major motivator.
But let’s be honest, who wants to stay after their workday to clean cubicles, windows, and carpets? No one. That’s where a commercial cleaning company can come in and save the day. Daily and weekly office cleanings are no longer of your concern – it’s their duty to ensure you have a clean workspace.
When cleaning mold you need a trusted source, like SERVPRO of Kendall County.
What causes mold? Mold spores are all around us all the time. Mold spores can lay dormant for long periods, just waiting for the conditions to be right before they can grow. So, what do they need?
Something to grow on and to provide food for their growth. These are your family heirlooms, such as drawings, wedding dresses, christening gowns, leather, letters, tape cassettes or vinyl records, films, photographs, and many other items which are precious to you.
Mold needs the air to be damp; to have a high moisture content. Conservators call this Relative Humidity or RH for short. An RH of over 70% is generally agreed to be the point at which mould will grow on your heirlooms. However, mold can grow at an RH of 60% or lower, especially if the item has been affected by mold in the past. There are many different causes of a high RH in the home, this could be from the bathroom, cooking, poor ventilation which allows pockets of damp air to build up, a disaster like a burst pipe or flood and even your own breath.
Mold growth is can also be encouraged by dark conditions and lack of air movements, such as behind wardrobes and cabinets, or even inside them! You can easily monitor the RH of your storage area using a thermohygrometer which will highlight peaks in humidity.
Mold is very damaging Mold growth can lead to the complete destruction and loss of your treasured possessions and collections due to discoloration, staining and weakening, spoiling your treasured wedding dress, rare book, or vinyl record forevermore. It can cause photographs and papers to stick together. It can be very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get such damaged objects apart.
Water damage is one of the most stressful things that a business owner in Kendall County can face. The bad part of water damage is that it can continue to cause damage as long as it remains untreated for quite some time. For instance, the development of mold, wood rotting, rusting of metallic materials, as well as the development of other toxins, can subject the business owner or persons working or living in such premises to a serious health threat.
When in such a situation, it is important to seek professional water damage cleanup services from a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO of Kendall County. As a business owner, you have to make an immediate decision and find the right contractor to help you out. Although the cleanup can be a DIY exercise, it is very important to consider seeking cleanup services from an experienced and reputable water damage cleanup and restoration company. Every job requires expertise and skills for it to be done quickly and smoothly.
So why do you need professional water damage cleanup company help?
Prompt Response
The cleanup and restoration after a water damage emergency is much easier and faster whenever a professional contractor does it. A majority of professional contractors have the necessary tools to help them do the cleanup and restoration work quickly without difficulties or hassles. In addition to modern equipment, they employ a lot of manpower to speed up the cleanup process. You can rest assured that your business will be ready for normal operations within the shortest time possible.
Prevent Secondary Destruction
Although a business owner can manage to get rid of water and do some bit of cleaning, it is much more difficult to prevent the development of mold and mildew growth on the walls, cabinets, doors, basements, windows, and other places that were in contact with water. Professionals have the necessary tools and safe disinfectants to protect your property.
Eliminate Health Threats
Depending on the source of the flood or the water damage, the chances of a disease outbreak are high. There could be potentially harmful bacteria, among other microorganisms, that can cause adverse health effects. For instance, floodwaters and sewage need to be addressed by professional water damage from SERVPRO of Kendall County. A professional has knowledge of what more actions and precautions to take to protect your business from potential health hazards.
BE informed. Know what to do and not to do when presented with water damage.
Water and Flood Damage Restoration: Things to Do
Secure the area
First, ensure that it’s safe to be where the water is. Depending on the extent of the damage, you could be faced with a situation that’s dangerous to be in. Turn off the water supply and power supply, and disconnect appliances or mechanical tools that could conduct electricity or cause additional water to fill the area. Cover any holes in the roof or walls with a tarp so that the elements are kept out. Look for rodents and other pests that may have decided to come in or have been brought with the water. Secure heavy furniture or equipment that could collapse, or – better yet – take it out of the building completely. Immediately decide if it’s a place you can continue to be in until help arrives, being mindful of staff or customers that could get into harm’s way while you wait.
Call your insurance
The next thing you should do is reach out to your insurance company. Even if your damage was caused by flooding, and you don’t have a flood policy, it’s worth investigating. Depending on the cause of the water, there may be a way for a policy to cover it, especially if it’s the fault of someone else who has insurance coverage.
Remove valuables
Some things may have already been damaged beyond repair, but if you can move expensive items from the building, do so. Special equipment, computers and, and financial documents should be relocated off-site, if possible. Even if they can be put up above the waterline, natural disasters and building damage can attract criminals. You don’t want people taking advantage of the weakened structure of your office to steal from you.
Put up the things you can
Equipment and furniture that hasn’t already been damaged should be moved to the highest level in your building or set on top of other furniture. Remember that the entire room will be humid and damp, even if items are above the waterline. Just being in a flooded building can cause them to grow mold or become musty, so do this only if you can’t take them out of the structure completely.
Water and Flood Damage Restoration: Things to Avoid
Don’t remediate on your own
The biggest thing to remember when dealing with water damage, whether it came from a storm or an exploded toilet, is that you can’t handle much of the process by yourself. Even if you weren’t so already overwhelmed with losing your home or office to water, you don’t likely have the tools and industry-accepted resources to put the area back to a healthy, stable condition. In addition to water pumps, fans, and dehumidifiers, there may be materials that need to be demoed and reinstalled. The entire process of water damage remediation is a long one, and every step must be handled with care to ensure it doesn’t come back as a new problem. Home and office owners frequently try to handle water problems on their own, but the truth is that it can be difficult to know the extent of the damage just by looking at it.
Also, if it’s your personal business, you’re likely to be emotional and feel sentimental about the items damaged. You may not be able to reasonably assess if things need to be replaced. Everything from the carpet to the paint has a history; having a third-party expert team come in and give it to you straight is the best possible outcome. They can let you know just what can remain, and what has to go. In the end, removing everything that is beyond repair is best to avoid further health effects from mold or a collapsing structure.
Delay getting help
As you’ve read above, the consequences of trying to handle too much of the restoration process can have expensive outcomes. Doing things wrong is costly! Another way to add to the total bill for fixing the water problem is by waiting too long. If you try a “wait and see” approach, your building may be silently crumbling underneath the moisture, or mold may be starting to take hold. If you’re convinced it’s a job for the professionals, don’t wait a minute. As soon as you see that it’s going to be a problem, make the call.
Be proactive with these simple tips to avoid fires
A home is often referred to as a safe haven. Make sure your home is protected from (and your family is prepared for) a fire. Here are 10 simple tips to help you avoid fires and reduce the risk of injury should one occur:
Smoke Alarms – These are still a very important addition to your home. Smoke alarms are widely available and inexpensive. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home and test it monthly.
Prevent Electrical Fires – Don’t overload circuits or extension cords. Cords and wires should never be placed under rugs or in high-traffic areas. Avoid loose electrical connections by checking the fit of the plugin in the wall outlet. If the plug loosely fits, inspect the outlet right away. A poor connection between the plug and the outlet can cause overheating and can start a fire in minutes.
Keep Plugs Safe – Unplug all appliances when not in use. Follow the manufacturer’s safety precautions and use your senses to spot any potential disasters. If a plug is overheating, smells strange, shorts out or sparks – the appliance should be shut off immediately, then replaced or repaired.
Alternate Heaters – Make sure there is ample space around any portable heating unit. Anything that could catch fire should be at least three feet away. Inspect your chimney annually and use fire screens to help keep any fires in the fireplace.
Fire Safety Sprinklers – When combined with working smoke alarms, home fire sprinklers greatly increase your chance of surviving a fire. Sprinklers are affordable and they can increase property value and lower insurance rates.
Create An Escape Route – Create and practice your escape plan with your family from every room in the house. Practice staying low to the floor and checking for hot doors using the back of your hand. It’s just like a routine school fire drill – but in your home.
Position Appliances Carefully – Try to keep TV sets, kitchen, and other appliances away from windows with curtains. If there is a wiring problem, curtains can spread a fire quickly. Additionally, keeping your appliances away from water sources (like rain coming in from windows) can help prevent wiring damage which can lead to a fire.
Clean Dryer Vents – Clothes dryers often start fires in residential areas. Clean the lint filter every time you start a load of clothes to dry or after the drying cycle is complete. Make sure your exhaust duct is made of metal tubing and not plastic or foil. Clean the exhaust duct with a good quality dryer vent brush to prevent blockage & check for lint build-up behind the dryer at least twice a year.
Be Careful Around the Holidays – If you fill your home with lights during the holiday season, keep them away from anything that can easily catch fire. Check all of your lights prior to stringing them up and dispose of anything with frayed or exposed wires.
Conduct Regular Inspections – Check all of your electronic equipment and wiring at least once a month. Taking a little time to do this each month can really pay off.
Once your home has been contaminated, raw sewage clean-up is a specialized process that doesn’t belong in the DIY category.
Raw sewage cleanup imposes all the complications of indoor water damage but adds substantial serious health hazards, as well. Sewage backflow into your house from a number of causes including a blockage in your own sewage line or a widespread problem in the municipal sewer system such as inundation due to flood water. Once your home has been contaminated, raw sewage clean-up is a specialized process that doesn’t belong in the DIY category. Here are some reasons why it’s a job for professionals with the knowledge, training, and specialized equipment to do the job competently and completely.
Sewage is a toxic biohazard. Raw sewage contains harmful bacteria including fecal coliform and E.coli, viruses, and any and all other toxic substances including chemicals and poisons that may have gone into the municipal sewer system. Crews that specialize in raw sewage clean-up often look like any other toxic clean-up professional, fully clothed in resistant protective garb including eye shields and high-quality breathing protection designed specifically for the purpose. A pair of overalls and a dust mask from the hardware store are not sufficient equipment to ensure personal safety.
Contamination is on the move. During clean-up, a major concern is limiting the spread of contamination. Specific precautions are required to prevent toxins present in sewage from migrating to other areas of the house, including sealing off the contaminated area and fully ventilating to the outdoors.
Deep decontamination techniques are required. Just as water penetrates to the deepest recesses in a house, sewage does, too, along with the pathogens it contains. Simply mopping up or disinfecting surface evidence of raw sewage is not effective cleanup.
DIY disinfectants may not be sufficient. The do-it-yourself disinfectant of choice—household bleach—may not always be the most effective option against infectious microorganisms found in sewage and/or may not provide lasting disinfection potency.
Odor matters, too. The pungent, penetrating odor of raw sewage is difficult to clear from any enclosed structure. Special odor absorbents and high-volume ventilation equipment are usually required.
Protect Your Home or Business When it Comes to Biohazard Clean Up
Protect Your Home or Business When it Comes to Biohazard Clean Up
Protect your business’s reputation
Every business owner knows it takes extraordinarily little to damage a good reputation after working hard for years to build it up. With the possibility of rumors running rampant and passerby asking intrusive questions, we do our best to protect you, your staff, and customers from anything people might say after seeing a biohazard cleaning truck at your place of business here in Kendall County. With nothing around to advertise our presence, we work hard to keep a low profile while cleaning and removing biohazardous waste from your place of business.
At times, it can be beneficial for people to know the property has been fully cleaned by licensed biohazard cleaners after an event took place that was publicized in the news such as a shooting outside your store or an infectious disease outbreak. In many other cases, however, discretion and privacy is key to maintaining your reputation as a safe and clean business. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we strive to help you in this however we can by not attracting unwanted attention so you can get back to regular business as quickly as possible.
Any quality biohazard cleaning business will always put your needs first. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we work hard to take care of any biohazard problem you may be having. Whether it is in your private home, rental property, or business, we know how to help protect your reputation and your privacy so you can live in peace and safety for years to come.
SERVPRO of Kendall County has the experience and know how in your time of need
We know your situation is unique. That’s why we give every type of damage and every building the individual attention of certified experts who have the real-world experience to come up with the best solution.
And we won’t leave you in the dark — communication is essential to a successful restoration, so we’ll guide you through the process every step of the way.
OUR PROVEN PRACTICES ARE BUILD ON:
1. Assessing the cause and extent of the damage.
2. Walking through the property with you to explain our restoration solution. 3. Using the latest technology to extract contamination (standing water, soot, mold, etc.) 4. Drying the structure and contents. 5. Repairing structural damage. Our goal is to restore your property to its original condition as quickly and efficiently as possible. And we’ll keep working until you’re satisfied with the results.
All of our experts are certified by the IICRC and have extensive experience in a range of services. From removing debris and contamination, to cleaning and restoring the structure and contents, we’re equipped to remove the damage caused by fire, water or mold.
When SERVPRO of Kendall County professionals are dedicated to your property, you can be sure you’re getting the best the industry has to offer, built on decades of expertise. No type of damage is too big or too small for us to handle — we’re standing by to help 24/7.
Uncertainties can happen let SERVPRO of Kendall County help with your disaster
Uncertainties can happen anytime and anywhere. What matters is the way you deal with them!
Here we will be talking about the water damage because of floods. Floods do not come with an alarm. No doubt, with the advancement of technology, it can be determined that flood is going to occur in the future. It can save your life, but your house or office will have to face it.
One cannot get rid of property damage caused by a natural disaster completely. But, its after-effects can be controlled. In this case, hiring SERVPRO of Kendall County, a professional water damage restoration company, can prove to be beneficial. They have experience and thus know how to handle the situation. Moreover, they have trained staff that can help you in bringing back your home to a sound condition again.
Want to know what benefits hiring the water damage restoration company bring? Read on!
1. Quick water removal and reduced drying time – Water damage restoration company has all the essential tools and adequate training that can help you get rid of standing water in your home quickly. They also extract the excess amount of water from carpets and immediately start the drying process. Time is very crucial when it comes to water damage. The sooner the water will be removed, the lesser, the damage to your property will be. It will also prevent mold growth. Otherwise, the mold will begin to grow again if the water is not removed within 48 hours.
2. Health effects are eliminated – Flood waters generally comprise sewage water and thus contain hazardous micro-organisms and bacteria that can cause serious health effects. Trained water damage professionals have knowledge about the potential hazards of water damage and have the necessary equipment to protect themselves too during the clean-up. Moreover, they have essential disinfectants and chemicals to make your house or office free from harmful bacteria.
3. Total loss is reduced – Just give yourself a thought, what will happen if the water is removed quickly? Obviously, there will be less damage, and hence less money will be spent on repairing and replacing the damaged items of home. So, your overall loss is reduced to a great extent, if you hire a professional water damage restoration company sooner.
Remember, flooding can cause damage to the structure of your place and exposure to water for a long time can worsen the condition by damaging walls and the flooring. Water can seep into the walls, and increase the chances of mold growth.
4. You get experts’ advice regarding insurance – Water damage restoration companies have enough knowledge to help you get a good amount from the insurance firm. They can help you in gathering valid proofs that you can provide to the insurance company at the time of any dispute.
Proactive Tips for Preventing Water Damage to Your Business
1. Insulate exposed pipes
When temperatures drop during the winter, especially at night, exposed pipes are vulnerable to freezing. Plummeting temperatures or cold drafts can freeze water inside a poorly insulated pipe, creating pressure and ultimately causing the pipe to burst. A broken pipe can lead to costly flooding or even structural damage.
The best way to prevent frozen pipes is to ensure they’re insulated. Most hardware stores carry pipe insulation. The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
2. Keep heat at sufficient levels
To prevent pipes from freezing, you’ll want to keep an eye on your business’s thermostat. Make sure the thermostat is never set lower than 50 degrees – even on weekends or when the building is vacant. Avoid significant changes between nighttime and daytime temperatures, which increases the risk of your pipes freezing. In addition, be sure to regularly replace batteries in thermostats to ensure they’re operating correctly.
3. Inspect gutters and drainage
Fallen leaves and other debris in gutters and downspouts can lead to water damage to the exterior and interior walls of a building. Regularly inspect your business’s gutters, downspouts, and drainage system, and remove any debris or buildup. Have gutters professionally cleaned on a regular basis to ensure water is draining properly and away from the building.
4. Clear your roof
Snow and ice accumulation on your business’s roof can result in weakened roofing materials and create “ice dams,” which prevent melted ice and snow from properly draining. Regularly remove snow and ice from your business’s roof to prevent structural damage. Know your roof’s load-bearing capacity, and periodically check to ensure that snow and ice aren’t accumulating beyond its weight limits.
5. Locate your shut-off valve
If a pipe breaks, you’ll need to act quickly. That means you should know the location of the main shut-off valve for your building’s water supply. Shutting off the main valve will temporarily cut the flow of water to the building, preventing flooding until you are able to fix the problem.
6. Seal cracks and gaps
Seal any cracks, holes, or other gaps in your building’s exterior and foundation to ensure that cold air doesn’t penetrate your building and warm air doesn’t escape. Caulk, weather stripping, and other sealants can be used to make your building more energy-efficient and reduce the risk of frozen pipes.
Four common causes of water damage in commercial properties
Know-How to Protect Your Business Before Diaster Strikes
In this article, we’ll share the four common causes of water damage in commercial properties so that you know what to avoid and how to prevent these problems:
1. ROOF LEAKS
The roof sitting on top of your Kendall County business establishment is meant to protect the building and its occupants inside. But as it is constantly exposed to the harsh outdoor elements, it is subject to wear and tear over the years. When a heavy storm, snowstorm, or hail storm occurs, it can cause damages to the shingles and other roofing components. As a result, your occupants will encounter water leaks coming from the roof that will disrupt business workflow.
2. BROKEN HVAC SYSTEM
It’s common for a commercial building to have Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems installed on its property. While the AC unit cools the space and keeps the occupants comfortable during summer, the boiler serves to warm the area during winter instead. However, the problem starts when one heating component of the HVAC system gets broken and starts to leak water. If your unit isn’t regularly maintained and repaired, keep in mind that it can lead to significant water damages.
3. DAMAGED PLUMBING SYSTEM
Apart from the HVAC system, your plumbing system can also have some minor or major issues. As you may be aware, this complex system consists of pipes, valves, fixtures, and fittings, and provides water supply to the entire building. Similarly, this system properly disposes of wastewater used by the occupants. Over the years of usage, it’s inevitable for some parts or components to get damaged. If left unattended and fixed for long periods, they can easily and quickly escalate to water damage that will require costly repairs and replacements.
4. NATURAL CALAMITY
One of the biggest culprits of commercial water damage in Kendall County is a natural calamity. Expect to have some major damages in your business establishment soon after a hail storm, thunderstorm, and heavy rain. Not only do they cause rainwater leaks from the roof and gutter, but they can also lead to floodwater in the basement, crawl spaces, and other parts of the building. This is why preparing for any natural disaster is a must to protect your commercial property!
SHOULD YOU HAVE A COMMERCIAL FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM INSTALLED
Provide Peace of Mind with a Commercial Sprinkler System
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are more than 100,000 non-residential fires every year with many taking place in office buildings, retail stores, restaurants, and other commercial establishments. Don’t have a commercial fire sprinkler system at your business? Now is the time to have one installed. Not only does it protect you, your employees, and your customers but also your business assets in the event of a fire.
A business owner who wouldn’t think twice about the need for insurance may sometimes doubt the need for a commercial fire sprinkler system but both operate on the same principle: you only realize their value when you need them. What are the benefits of fire sprinkler systems? Here are just a few:
HELPS YOUR COMPANY STAY WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE LAW
If your commercial property is on the smaller side, you may be able to get away without installing a commercial fire sprinkler system. You also may be able to get away with it depending on the location of your business. But generally speaking, most cities and towns throughout the country require business owners to install some kind of fire sprinkler system inside their commercial properties.
ALLOWS YOU TO AVOID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DURING A FIRE
It’s never a good thing when a fire starts inside a commercial property. Even a small fire can do a lot of damage to an office building, a retail store, or a restaurant. But if a fire does start inside your commercial property, you want it to stay as small as possible. Unrestrained, a fire can spread through a building in a matter of minutes. A commercial fire sprinkler system will stop a fire dead in its tracks. Once the system detects the fire, it immediately goes to work containing the blaze. A commercial sprinkler system stops the fire in its tracks, limiting damage and allowing the fire department to get it under control.
PREVENTS A FIRE FROM CAUSING INJURIES AND DEATHS
A fire inside a commercial property can do more than just cause a lot of property damage. It can also cause injuries and even claim lives if it’s able to spread quicker than people can get out of a building. And it’s smoke inhalation, not the fire, that kills most people. A fire may be on the first floor but the smoke can quickly spread to upper floors causing injury and death.
There’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to prevent all injuries and deaths during a fire in your commercial building but the chances of injuries and deaths are much lower with a commercial fire sprinkler system.
YOU SAVE MONEY ON INSURANCE
Some business owners shy away from installing commercial fire sprinkler systems because they’re under the impression that they’re going to break the bank. They don’t realize that a sprinkler system could save them money in the long run. Once you have a sprinkler system installed in your business, your insurance company will likely lower your rates. As long as you keep your sprinkler system up to date and maintain it, they’ll keep your rates low, too. A sprinkler system means less risk for the insurance company which translates into lower premiums.
SHOWCASES YOUR COMPANY’S COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
You want your employees and your customers to feel like you care about them. You also want them to feel safe when they’re working in or visiting your commercial property. You can accomplish both of these things with a commercial fire sprinkler system. Your sprinkler system will show others that you’re doing everything in your power to ensure the safety of your building.
PROVIDES YOU WITH PEACE OF MIND
As a business owner, you probably have more than enough on your plate right now. You have to juggle everything from payroll to inventory on a regular basis. With a commercial fire sprinkler system, you’ll enjoy peace of mind that you wouldn’t get otherwise. You won’t have to stress out over what might happen to your business when you’re not around. Your sprinkler system will be there looking over it for you.
Fires are devastating on so many levels, from the damage caused by the flames to the properties that get reduced to ashes, to the injuries resulting from smoke exposure, heat, and escaping the devastation. But there are hidden dangers created by the fire and smoke that can linger long after the flames have died and the air clears up.
A Lingering Damage
During a home fire, the smoke and heat permeate throughout the house and can embed themselves deep into your furniture, wood, insulation, and other things. This strong odor often lingers and can be so overpowering that it causes nausea and coughing even days after the fire has been put out.
When a fire burns through toxic materials including plastic, the airborne pollutants can settle into your insulation and ductwork. Without proper fire restoration, these waste products can linger and make you sick.
It Stinks
Fire and smoke damage leaves an unpleasant odor in your furniture, carpets, drapes, and clothes that are difficult to remove. Unfortunately, though, a simple washing or scrubbing with laundry detergent won’t be enough to get rid of the smell. If you have smoke damage in your home, you’ll need special equipment such as an ozone generator to get rid of the odor—and that’s something only professionals like us have access to.
Also, the longer you wait, the worse it gets. If you leave it sitting long enough, you may never be able to get rid of the smell or even salvage anything.
Smoked and Weakened
Smoke can cause major damages to your home long after the flames have been put out. If you don’t clean it immediately, the smoke can weaken your walls and other wooden structures. Even if the wood wasn’t damaged by the fire, the smolder can seep into it and compromise the structure.
Moreover, it’s not just wood that’s at risk, as the smoke and heat damage can also weaken your home’s foundation and structure.
Fire damage restoration is serious work—one that should only be entrusted to certified professionals. Get in touch with us now and we’ll do our best to help deal with all your fire and smoke damage, as well as contents cleaning needs.
Pipe breaks can be a messy situation. Some prevention can be done to avoid such a mess.
Busted pipes are a problem that can turn living in your home into a nightmare. The water damages it can potentially cause range from weakened walls or foundations to thriving mold and mildew. Furthermore, the accumulation of water can become a breeding ground for bacteria and other unsafe organisms.
It’s important to move quickly and determine the extent of damage upon discovery of the problem. It would also help significantly if you were to report it immediately to us. We understand that this problem isn’t minor, so we provide a line of services that will alleviate the damage and restore the affected area. As part of the help we provide, here’s a rundown on the origins of the issue.
Using Low-Quality Pipes
Water pipes should have the capacity to endure whatever environment they’re put in and withstand the pressure of water that will pass through, but there are poorly designed ones, which homeowners sometimes choose out of “practicality”. More practical homeowners shouldn’t just go for simple PVC and stainless steel pipes, as they spell expensive problems, especially if you’re not the kind of homeowner who checks things out on a regular basis.
Pressure Caused by Clogging
When an object gets trapped in one section of the piping system, it will obstruct the flow of water and put an enormous amount of pressure on the pipe. When the buildup of pressure persists, the pipes will start expanding and will eventually burst. Bursts can happen at any moment, especially if you don’t check your sewer line or your home’s entire water system regularly.
Drop-in Temperature
Burst pipes are a common problem when temperatures drop. When the water reaches its freezing point, it expands until it breaks out of the pipe. Moreover, the ice can cause a blockage, and the continued conversion of water into ice and the arriving flow of water can increase pressure, which will eventually lead to bursting.
Busted pipes are a problem that you need to address as soon as you discover them.
There are many causes for water damage to your home.
Water damage is the most fierce type of interior damage to your home. This statistic comes from many insurance companies and is the most frequent cause for water damage claims to be filed. Without immediate attention, water damage caused by flooding, and other conditions, can cause all kinds of problems to the structure of your home and your health. It seeps into the carpets, the walls, the flooring, and the frame of your home, infecting your home with mold and other symptoms that make your home nearly unliveable. Your home can be restored after a water damage event, but only if you hire the right water damage restoration company right away.
There are many causes for water damage to your home. Here are a few examples:
Freezing temperatures cause pipes to freeze, when they thaw, the pipes burst
Outdoor pools that leak and flood your yard, the water then moves to the underside of your home
Heavy rains can flood your basement and the main level of your home
Severe winds can damage your roof, which keeps the roof from keeping water out
Water heaters can leak, which will overflow into other parts of your home
Washing machines break and spew water all over
Dishwashers break down
Toilets overflow, which is a whole other issue in itself
Water from putting out a fire; this will send water everywhere in your home
All of these causes, and more, will cause damage to the contents of your home, including the flooring, the walls, your furniture, clothing, and personal belongings. It can cause problems with the wiring in your home. Flash floods cause rivers and lakes to overflow and if your home is near the banks, you could face a giant pool of water in your home.
Frozen pipes can be messy--Know How To Handle Them
There are lots of things you can do to reduce the winter-related losses such as frozen pipes. However, if temperatures are extremely cold and you turn on your tap to find a trickle or nothing instead of a steady flow, you probably have frozen pipes somewhere in your home. Water expands when frozen, but pipes do not, which can cause a pipe to burst. If you discover you have frozen pipes, act quickly...don't wait for them to burst.
Frozen pipes
Turn off the water supply. If pipes are frozen and in danger of bursting, you want to stop the flow of additional water into the pipes to reduce the potential for additional damage.
Protect your possessions. Move any possessions near the frozen pipe to a safe area to prevent damage if it bursts.
Locate the frozen pipe. Check water flow at faucets to determine if the frozen pipe is isolated in one area, more extensive, or close to where water comes into the home. Feeling along pipes can help to locate the frozen area. Look for bulging.
Take action to thaw pipes immediately. Be attentive as you thaw pipes because sometimes pinholes or cracks can occur from freezing and then upon thawing leaks become evident. There are lots of do-it-yourself tips on the internet on how to thaw pipes...search "thawing frozen pipes". You may want to do some advance reading just in case. Be sure to open faucets near the frozen pipe to let steam escape and water flow out. We recommend calling a licensed plumber for assistance.
Burst pipes
Turn off the water supply to stop the flow of water. Immediate action can be key to reducing additional damage. If it's an emergency and you don't know what to do, call the fire department. After the water is off, you can clean up the spill and work to reduce further damage. If a burst pipe is near any electrical switches or fuses, turn the power off at the panel. Never touch anything electrical if it's wet.
Clean up, make temporary repairs and take steps to prevent further damage. An insurance adjuster doesn’t need to see the actual water spill before you start cleaning up. However, the adjuster will want to inspect any damaged items. Documenting damage with pictures and/or video can be helpful to the process. If the leak involves ceilings being saturated with water, be extra careful of weakened construction that could collapse and cause injury.
Get professional help. Most of us aren't skilled enough to make proper repairs especially if the damage is major and/or within walls. A licensed plumber (and perhaps an electrician if electrical is involved) can help you make repairs.SERVPRO of Kendall County will remove water from your home and ensure that walls are dry to prevent a mold problem. Remember, mold cannot survive without moisture. You want to be sure repairs are done properly to prevent additional damage in the future.
Be Pro-Active When it Comes to Preventing Storm Damage to Your Home This Spring
There are steps you can take to prevent damage to your home before storms strike. Consider the following:
Put Away Patio Furniture. You may have been spending more time at home this year and invested in patio furniture to enjoy your outdoor living space. A storm with gusty winds is likely to upend any objects that are not anchored down or stored. If you store items in your garage, don’t forget to secure the door. High winds can blow through the door and damage the contents inside.
Trim Trees and Clean Gutters. A simple exterior assessment can help you determine if you need to clean your gutters or remove loose tree branches vulnerable to wind gusts that could damage your home. Heavy rains can weigh down gutters, so firmly secure any loose gutters.
Create Home Safety Kit. To keep your home healthy and safe, you’ll want to make sure you have basic household items to last for a few days in case of an emergency. A disaster supplies kit should include water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, and a flashlight. In the wake of COVID-19, FEMA suggests adding face coverings, soap/hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes to help prevent the spread of coronavirus or other viruses and the flu.
Repair Loose Roof Shingles. Roof damage makes your home susceptible to rain/water leaks if strong winds blow shingles off the top of your home. Make sure all shingles are secured properly. An experienced roofer will be able to make recommendations to remove and replace any loose shingles.
Winter is upon us know how to prepare for a winter storm
How To Prepare For A Winter Storm
If you are prudent enough, you can prevent most of the eventual winter storm damage. Here are several common-sense tricks on how to prepare your home to effectively withstand snowstorms, freezing rain, and chilly winds:
Shoveling snow is good for your physical development and for your property.
Provide quality insulation for your home – make sure that the roof and the walls are in good condition. You may install storm windows or even weather-strip doors and provide additional layers of insulation wherever possible. Your fortress should be properly insulated before winter arrives;
Provide alternative heating methods – electricity or gas supply could be cut off during a blizzard, so be sure to have an alternative heat source – a fireplace or coal stoves, etc. Store sufficient fuel and keep it safe and dry;
Install smoke alarms and ensure proper ventilation – take precautions, because fire hazards increase drastically with the flames burning in the fireplaces and the power systems overloaded by all the heaters turned on;
Keep pipes from freezing – wrap pipes in newspapers or rags to provide some protection and let faucets drip a little. Hairdryers are very useful and can provide a solution if the pipes are frozen;
Ensure proper drainage – keep downspouts and catch basins clear of debris and maintain the plumbing system in perfect condition so that the water from the melting ice and snow can easily find its way out and away of your property;
Trim bushes and trees – if you have a yard, make sure no branches spread dangerously near the house. You may also want to consider snow fences to prevent snow from drifting too much and blocking access to your house;
Clear snow away – use any chance to remove snow and ice from the roof and eavesdrops to prevent collapsing and clear accumulated snow away from the foundations of the house to lower the risk of flooding;
Plan for a storm – supply whatever you need to survive at least a week without deliveries: medicines, non-perishable food and bottled water, warm clothes and extra blankets, batteries and candles, etc.
Effective Methods of Dealing with Residential Water Damage
Water damage can cause angst to homeowners as they have to spend a lot of money to repair the problems and also deal with safety and health issues. Many people panic when they see a burst pipe or a leaking drain gate. The best action to take at these times is to call SERVPRO of Kendall County to take care of the problem right from the source.
Here are a few ways to ensure that your home is safe and not excessively damaged when such situations occur:
Shut off the water line from the mains when you notice a water heater not working or if a pool of water suddenly collects in the kitchen or bathroom.
If there is a flood, make sure to cut off the gas and electricity power
Do not keep electrical appliances and gadgets in the basement
Do not stand in water without shutting off the main electricity
Call SERVPRO of Kendall County and let them know your immediate problems
Regular inspection is necessary when you have to take care of your home. Water can seep in through the floor, from the attic, and generally comes in from the flashing where the roof and wall meet. If you notice any curled shingles or cracked ones, make sure to take prompt remedial action.
When you are out in the garden, check the gutters and remove all leaves and residue to ensure that it does not overflow. You can prevent leaves from clogging your gutters by installing a screen to trap the leaves.
Check the drains in your bathrooms to see if they are clogged. Grease and dirt generally collect, and the best way to wash it away is to pour hot water down the drain. Another good tip is to mix half a cup of vinegar with an equal amount of baking soda and pour it down the drain. Use boiling hot water to rinse the drain after a few minutes.
SERVPRO of Kendall County will be able to provide complete service that includes not only floors and carpets but also upholstery air vent and drywall cleaning. They should take care of restoring the air quality and restore the wood floors, hardwood floors and guide you through the process to get your insurance claims honored.
SERVPRO of Kendall County uses advanced technology for water restoration and cleanup. They offer reasonable rates to homeowners when they sign a contract with them for inspection and restoration.
SERVPRO of Kendall County is specialized in water damage and remediation especially when mold is detected.
You’ve suffered a fire, and finances aren’t looking so great… Your idea: Save a few bucks on fire restoration by handling some of the cleanings yourself. Good plan, right? Maybe not. Smoke and soot are more than a dirty little reminder of the disastrous fire that took its toll on your home.
Smoke and soot can be dangerous.
Leftover smoke and soot following a fire are more than just smelly and unsightly. Exposure during fire restoration efforts can adversely affect your health.
What makes smoke and soot so dangerous?
When combustion occurs during a fire, not all materials burn cleanly, resulting in smoke and soot. These waste products - solids, liquids, and gases - may be composed of various chemicals that are harmful to your health. Today’s modern structures hold an array of chemicals not found in early homes, including plastics, foams, fabrics, carpets, wood products, synthetic fabrics, wool, and asbestos-containing materials, which could result in health hazards that make fire restoration a dangerous and difficult task.
How can I be exposed?
Exposure to smoke and soot during fire restoration may occur via the skin and eyes, inhalation, and ingestion. Because airborne soot particulate is invisible, you may unknowingly be affected.
Smoke and soot must be professionally addressed to ensure safe, successful fire restoration results.
Unfortunately, safety risks from the fire do not end once the flames are extinguished. Fire damage can linger for years unless properly addressed. Adequate safety equipment (respiratory, skin, and eye protection) are essential in reducing possible exposure to dangerous smoke and soot, and quite possibly water and mold-related health issues resulting from firefighting efforts. Proper ventilation practices are also necessary to protect and restore indoor air quality following a fire, including HEPA filtration and adsorption (activated carbon) to preserve air quality. A bottle of degreaser and a dust mask is not enough! Professional tools, knowledge, and expertise are at the heart of thorough and safe fire restoration.
If a shingle is damaged, it’s more likely to break free. If it’s missing, well then you’ve got a gap for the wind to get under and do even more damage.
Note that when you’re installing or replacing shingles, they must be nailed properly — NOT above the nail line.
In terms of how roofing materials – shingles vs. metal – hold up to hail, it doesn’t really matter. After a hailstorm, our crews will end up replacing just as many shingle roofs as metal ones.
2. REPAIR LOOSE SIDING
The same rules as roofing apply to siding: it’s important to ensure your siding isn’t damaged.
3. KEEP YOUR GUTTERS CLEAR
Make sure your gutters are free-flowing and your downspouts flow away from your foundation.
Water damage or flooding is one of the quickest ways to devalue your home. So ensuring your gutters are clear is the first line of defense in helping water to flow away from your home. This leads to another important preventative measure …
4. ENSURE WATER CAN FLOW AWAY FROM YOUR HOME
The grade of your lot should keep water flowing away from your home and into a ditch, drain, or some other proper retention area.
5. KEEP YOUR SUMP PUMP IN WORKING ORDER
Before Spring rains startup, we suggest checking whether your sump pump is in working order. If you want to feel extra-secure, having a backup sump pump is a sure-fire way to prevent basement flooding.
6. ENSURE PROPER SEALING OF DOORS AND WINDOWS
Wind only needs a small opening to get underneath something like shingle or siding and rip it off. And in the event of tornadic winds, a small opening in your windows or doors could enlarge (read: break) and allow enough wind inside to compromise your home’s roof.
7. CHECK FOR LOOSE FENCE POSTS
Wind will surprise you. Anything that’s not nailed down is a liability, and that includes fence posts, which are often forgotten or ignored in homeowner’s storm-prep.
Checking your fence’s footing is as easy as giving each post a strong shake to check for loose ones.
8. REGULARLY TRIM YOUR TREES
Problem tree limbs can damage your home, a vehicle, or even your neighbor’s property. Regularly trimming the trees on your property is an excellent way to protect your roof and windows.
9. WALK AROUND YOUR PROPERTY
A lot of people don’t have the time or skills to check and/or repair everything on their property before storm season kicks up. But, if you know a storm is coming, there are some very basic steps you can take to minimize its impact.
Like identifying the items around your property that could become projectiles. That means lawn furniture, tools, flower pots, or other yard debris. Do yourself a favor and move those items to a garage, a shed, or indoors.
10. KEEP A GENERATOR ON HAND
A bad storm could potentially knock out power to your home for a couple of hours — or days. Having a generator on standby could go a long way towards ensuring you don’t lose your food, or the livability of your home until power is restored.
Protect Your Business From Scary Commercial Water Damage
Protect your business from potental water disasters
Your family depends on your business. So do your employees, as well as your customers and community. So the thought of commercial water damage caused by extreme weather or plumbing failure is scary. But you don’t have to be scared. A little planning and a few precautions will help you breathe a little easier, knowing you’re ready for any commercial water damage contingency,
Commercial Water Damage Tip: Think it Through
Start by asking yourself, “What if?”
That’s a powerful question when it comes to reducing commercial water damage risk. For instance, what if a water main bursts and floods your office? This always leads to more questions, such as how will you ensure the safety of your employees and customers? Or how will you prevent or eliminate business disruptions that might result in cash flow problems? How will you communicate with employees during emergencies or periods of disruption (say, when a pipe bursts and requires the main power to be shut off during repairs)? Make notes of your answers to all your questions, because organizing this information is the basis for the next key step in preventing and minimizing commercial water damage: making a plan.
Commercial Water Damage Tip: Make a Plan
While thinking through possible commercial water damage scenarios for your business, you made notes of the solutions you came up with for your “what if?” questions. Now put your thinking into action to craft an emergency plan for your business. A good emergency plan should provide for the safety of all people who could enter your business, as well as set forth processes and procedures for carrying on with business during a variety of challenges.
It should include, at the very least:
an emergency contact list (accessible from off-site)
emergency procedures
emergency staffing instructions
vendor lists and contact info
data backup plans and other resources to support business operations in case you have to temporarily or permanently relocate your business operations.
You should note that this plan is never finished. You should always be updating and improving it with lessons you learn during any business disruption.
Commercial Water Damage Tip: Inspect, Repair, Repeat
Stuff gets old. It breaks. It fails. When plumbing or water-management equipment in your commercial facility fails, the resulting water damage restoration costs can stack up fast. So the operative word for commercial water damage prevention is maintenance.
Routinely inspect all visible plumbing, test basement sump pumps, check exterior gutters and downspouts, muck out drainage ditches and storm drains, and ensure roof structures are in good repair. Commercial property managers generally agree that a water leak on a commercial property is the most costly problem you can have, often costing thousands of dollars to mitigate, once the problem develops. Good property maintenance can lop off a big chunk of commercial water damage risk, so don’t cut corners on repairs.
Smoke Alone Can Do a lot of Damage To Your Business
Smoke damage can happen throughout your business when there's a fire.
Fire, smoke, and soot can affect anything in your business or home, from the structure to personal belongings. After a fire, contacting a cleaning professional may be the best decision you can make.
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.
Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber
Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs can be 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 foul odor.
Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution. We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.
Storm damage can occur at any time and can cause an immense amount of harm to your home. Heavy rains can cause flooding and powerful winds can cause roof damage and downed trees on your property. Some post-storm damage can create safety and health hazards as well, so having a strategy to deal with damage will help you to be ready to take steps immediately after the storm.
Take Safety Precautions
Heavy winds and rain can create physical hazards such as collapsed roofing materials, window damage, collapsed walls, or standing water in the basement or home interior. In addition, moisture can soak into furniture, carpeting, and building materials making the perfect environment for mold growth that can cause health effects. Shut off the main gas line if you smell gas. Beware of broken glass, exposed nails, and other sharp objects on the property. Contact SERVPRO of Kendall County tohelp do basic tasks to secure your property and make it safe to use. If necessary, arrange for an alternative place for you and your family to live while your property is being restored to safe living conditions.
Photograph the Damage
If it is safe to move around your property, use your cellphone or a camera to photograph the damage so that you will have a record for your insurance company. This action will ensure that you are fully compensated.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance agent to notify them about the damage to your home immediately. The company will send out an adjuster to determine the extent of the damage so that payment for repairs can be made.
Protect your home from storms that produce high winds
Storms can cause heavy rain and power breakouts, which causes many more problems for homeowners. Hence, residents of Kendall County must know the necessary tips to prevent storm damage to their homes.
If proper precautions are not taken when necessary, the damage done by these natural disasters can be devastating. So, instead of ignoring the signs, it’s better to take the right preventive measures beforehand. Here are a few tips you can follow to protect your property from a storm surge.
• Trim Your Trees Storm damage prevention doesn’t just mean that you need to secure your house. You also need to make sure that others don’t get hurt because of the trees on your property. Those tall, beautiful trees might add to the aesthetics of your house but stormy winds can make them a danger for everyone. So, make sure you trim them so that they don’t hurt anyone.
• Keep a Standby Power Source High winds can disrupt the power lines of your area, and a heavy storm can even blow up the transformers. This is why you need to have a standby power system in your home as a backup. You can either buy a home generator or a power inverter device to keep the power on in the event of power outages.
• Pack Up All Your Outdoor Decorations and Furniture Your chairs, tables, and couches might look great on your porch but during a storm, all these things can be hazardous for your property. Your outdoor furniture items can wreak havoc if they get picked up by high winds. Therefore, it is essential to pack away all your outdoor decorations to prevent your property from damage.
• Install Storm Shutters You need to protect your house windows as soon as possible. This is because the turbulent winds of a storm can damage your windows quickly. Therefore, you need to install storm shutters on your windows to prevent them from shattering. We hope these tips will help you prevent your house from storm damage.
Safety tips whether you use a gas or charchol grill
Gas Grill Safety
A leak or break is the leading factor contributing to gas grill-related fires.
Check the gas cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year.
Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose, which will quickly reveal escaping gas by releasing bubbles.
If you smell or otherwise suspect a gas leak, and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get a professional to service it before using it again. Call the fire department if the leak does not stop.
If you smell gas while cooking, get away from the grill immediately, and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill.
Never turn on the gas when the lid is closed. The gas may build up inside, and when ignited, the lid could blow off and cause injuries or burns.
After cooking, make sure you completely close the valve on your gas grill.
Always store gas grills – and propane tanks – outside and away from your house.
Charcoal Grill Safety
The leading cause of structure fires from the use of charcoal grills was leaving or placing an object that could burn too close to the grill.
Charcoal grills can continue to remain hot for many hours after the flames extinguish. Avoid placing any burnable objects near the grill or moving the grill while the coals are hot. Keep combustible items that may be blown by the wind away from the grill.
Check for rust damage in metal grills, which may make it possible for charcoal to fall through onto surfaces below and cause a fire.
Purchase the proper starter fluid. Store out of reach from children and away from heat sources.
Do not add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited. Never use any other flammable or combustible liquid to get the fire started.
If the fire is too low, rekindle with dry kindling and more charcoal if needed. Avoid adding liquid fuel because it can cause a flash fire.
Do not leave the grill unattended.
Here are some other important tips to help you keep danger away when you are enjoying food and fun.
Choose a safe location for your grill. Keep grills on a level surface more than ten feet away from the house, garage, or other structures. Keep children and pets away, as well as overhanging branches. Grills should not be used on a balcony or under an overhang. Avoid placing grills too close to combustible deck rails.
Grill outside only. Never use a grill in a garage, vehicle, tent, or other enclosed space, even if ventilated, due to the risk of harmful carbon monoxide buildup.
Keep the grill going on a cold day. During cool weather days, avoid wearing a scarf or other loose clothing that may catch on fire. Consumer Reports recommends shielding the grill from wind, placing it about ten feet from combustible surfaces and materials, and keeping the lid closed to retain as much heat as possible. Allow extra time for pre-heating the grill in colder weather and check temperatures of meat and fish with a meat thermometer to ensure that food is safe to eat.
Teach kids to stay safe. Make a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the grill and areas where hot food is prepared or carried. Children under five are especially vulnerable to burns from contact with a hot grill surface. Grill contact accounted for 37% of burns seen at emergency rooms in 2014 involving children under five.²
Remember post-grilling safety. Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill. If you grill with charcoal and need to dispose of the coals, soak them in water to extinguish them before disposing in a metal container. Otherwise, cover the grill tightly and close the vents, this should extinguish the coals and whatever is left will be ready for next time.
SERVPRO of Kendall County is equipped to handle it all
SERVPRO of Kendall County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after damaging events. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility for regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. SERVPRO of Kendall County wants our team to be part of your team!
First, we are here for you 24/7! Whether you need us at 2 AM or during the holidays, we will have our team out on your property and start work. Second, we keep you updated on the entire process from start to finish. Communication is our priority and we work with insurance along the way! Lastly, we can finish off the restoration with reconstruction, and be your one-stop-shop for all your home or business needs.
SERVPRO of Kendall County is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.
We Answer the Phone Ready to Help Call Today - 630-554-2280
We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Kendall County has specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.
What to Expect
When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.
Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:
Your name and contact information
Your insurance information (if applicable)
The street address of the water-damaged home or business
When did the flooding or water damage occur?
What caused the water damage (if known)?
Is there electricity available (on-site)?
About SERVPRO of Kendall County
SERVPRO of Kendall County 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. 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.
Roof Damage? Roof tarps are a quick way to stop water damage before it gets worse.
Emergency roof tarps help homeowners and property owners minimize the spread of damage after a bit of damage to your roof. To give you an idea, many roof leaks are negligible at first. There may be a small hole in the roof, but many homeowners don’t regularly check the area to notice, and if water damage is small and kept to an obscure area, like the attic, it may go unnoticed.
However, no leak stays small. In time, the damage will grow, and you will have a larger leak. This can mean major water damage, higher utility costs to counteract the air loss in the leak, as well as potential structural risk. The main purpose of an emergency roof tarp is to keep a roof leak in that initial stage until someone can come out to properly fix it.
This is accomplished through a few different phases that take place throughout the emergency roof tarp prep/installation process.
Preparing for the tarp includes clearing out any debris and appraising the scale of the damage.
Plywood is applied to the damaged area before the tarp goes on, serving as a second line of defense in case the tarp fails.
Finally, the tarp is placed on top of the plywood, then secured with lumber.
Remember, the goal of an emergency roof tarp is not to “fix” a roof leak. It’s not a substitute for repair. Your home is still going to have some losses in terms of water resistance and energy efficiency until the roof is fixed. What the tarp does is slow down the spread of any potential leaks or damage until a professional can come and fix the roof properly.
The general life of a roof tarp is a few months. However, some longer-lasting tarps can go as long as a year or two. Make sure to ask what type you are getting when having your tarp installed.
3 Things You Need To Know About Cleaning Up Water Damage In Oswego, IL
When it comes to water damage clean up in your home in Oswego, Il, there are three main things you need to know:
Water damage needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible
If water is allowed to sit, the damage will compound and result in more damage. The only way to mitigate damage is to get the water cleaned up as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence when it comes to water damage for a few reasons. Water damage can quickly facilitate mold growth. In fact, mold will begin growing in as little as 24 hours after the water has become available. Once mold spores begin to spread, mold growth can quickly become a huge problem. As long as the water is present, mold will continue to grow. Along with mold growth, damage to materials only worsens the longer they are exposed to water. Furniture, carpets, padding, insulation, drywall, baseboards, woodwork, and other belongings will absorb what water they can and, once fully saturated, will begin to break down and deteriorate. Wood floors will warp, walls will begin to peel and bow, ceilings will crack and sag, metal furnishings will rust, carpet padding will be soiled, and not only will cleanup be harder but so will structural repair and rebuild. Structural damage becomes more and more severe the longer water damage is present, leading to extensive cleanup and more likely than not structural replacement to repair the damage. The best way to protect your home from any further water damage is to begin cleanup right away.
Adequate drying requires the aid of commercial-grade equipment
Without the use of professional equipment, water will not be adequately or thoroughly dried. Water seeps and soaks into most of the materials in our home (i.e. wood, drywall, textiles, and fabrics), where it can remain trapped without our even knowing it is still there. When water is not dried thoroughly with the aide of commercial-grade air movers and dehumidifiers, it will remain hidden inside these materials, under floorboards and behind walls, where it can facilitate mold growth and lead to further damage. Even if it appears that all the water has been dried, without the proper equipment hidden moisture will remain trapped inside your home. As long as moisture is present, mold will be an issue. To ensure that all the water, especially what you cannot see, is completely dried, you need the right equipment.
The best water damage cleanup results cannot be achieved on your own
The only way to ensure that you and your home are given the best care possible, with the right equipment and in a timely manner, is to call the professionals. You should not try to clean up water damage on your own. First, it will take way too much of your time and second, it will yield sub-optimal results that will probably end up costing you more in the long haul. Instead, call SERVPRO of Kendall County at the first sign of water damage. We are available to respond 24/7 to ensure a timely cleanup and mitigate further damage. Our team is trained and certified and utilizes top of the line equipment to provide thorough water damage clean up.
Avoid the dangers of clothes dryer fires with these five tips and call an expert fire damage repair company to restore your home if your dryer does catch on fire.
Clean Lint Filters After Each Load
It cannot be stressed enough that you should always clean the lint filter before tossing in a new load of laundry. If a lint filter isn’t cleaned after each load, it can cause a build-up of lint that could potentially become a fire hazard. Even if there’s only a small amount of fluff on the filter, you should clean it anyway to keep up with the habit.
Not only does cleaning your dryer’s lint filter help prevent a fire, but it can also optimize your dryer’s performance and help your laundry dry faster.
Clean Dryer Ducts Once a Year
At least once a year, it’s a smart move to take a look at your clothes dryer’s ducts. You can often find blockages of lint in or around your dryer’s ducts. Take the time once a year to disconnect the power from your dryer, and if you have a gas dryer, also shut the valve, then inspect and clean the back of your machine.
Use a cloth rag and a broom to sweep up the lint resting inside and out of the ducts. Lint will find any nook and cranny to build up in.
Use Care When Handling Chemical Stains
It’s easy to throw a stained garment into the dryer without considering how the stain could react to intense heat, but you can never be too safe when it comes to preventing a clothes dryer fire in your home. Clothes get all kinds of stains on them – including gas, cooking oil, cleaning agents, or other flammable chemicals.
Keep the Area Around Your Dryer Clean
The last thing you want to do is feed a dryer fire with flammable items. Wherever you keep your dryer in your home, be sure to keep the area around it clutter-free. Your laundry space may seem like an excellent place to use as storage, but it’s not when you consider the risks. Avoid storing cleaning products, boxes, and other highly flammable items near your dryer.
Don’t Overload Your Dryer
It’s easy to let dirty laundry pile up and then overload your clothes dryer in an attempt to catch up on it. Even if it feels like a good idea, you could be putting yourself and your home at a higher risk. Split your loads up, so your dryer doesn’t go into overdrive. The more clothes that are in the dryer, the longer it takes to dry and the hotter it gets. Overheating could potentially lead to a fire sparking inside your home.
Storm damage can occur at any time and can cause a lot of harm to your home. Heavy rains can cause flooding and powerful winds can cause roof damage and downed trees on your property. Some post-storm damage can create safety and health hazards as well, so having a strategy to deal with damage will help you to be ready to take steps immediately after the storm.
Take Safety Precautions
Heavy winds and rain can create physical hazards such as collapsed roofing materials, window damage, collapsed walls, or standing water in the basement or home interior. In addition, moisture can soak into furniture, carpeting, and building materials making the perfect environment for mold growth that can cause health effects. Shut off the main gas line if you smell gas. Beware of broken glass, exposed nails, and other sharp objects on the property. Contact SERVPRO of Kendall County to help do basic tasks to secure your property and make it safe to use. If necessary, arrange for an alternative place for you and your family to live while your property is being restored to safe living conditions.
Photograph the Damage
If it is safe to move around your property, use your cellphone or a camera to photograph the damage so that you will have a record for your insurance company. This action will ensure that you are fully compensated.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance agent to notify them about the damage to your home immediately. The company will send out an adjuster to determine the extent of the damage so that payment for repairs can be made.
Look Into Federal Disaster Assistance
The federal government may have declared the area affected by the storm as a disaster area that is eligible for low-cost loans to help restore your property to normal. You will be required to file documents to receive these loans.
When a storm-related disaster strikes, it may seem overwhelming, but these steps can help you to begin the process of restoring your home, and your life, to normal. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we provide 24-hour emergency disaster service. We specialize in the stabilization and restoration of homes and businesses that have suffered a small or large loss from water, flood, wind, storm, fire damage, and smoke disaster.
It’s hard to imagine the damage and destruction a fire can leave in its wake. Even small ones can require extensive repair and restoration.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to deal with picking up the pieces after a damaging fire. But unfortunately, we won’t all be so lucky. As recent as 2018, there were more than 1.3 million fires in America, resulting in $25 billion in losses. On average, a residential fire occurs every 87 seconds in the United States.
It’s important to be prepared. Here are three steps you can take toward fire damage repair and restoration after a fire:
Beware of health hazards
Consider smoke damage
Call a fire damage restoration company
1. Beware of Health Hazards
Some people mistakenly believe that once a fire is put out, the danger is gone. However, homes that have suffered from fire damage can contain many hidden health hazards.
House fires typically release harmful toxins into the air. These are harmful to breathe in; some may even cause cancer. You shouldn’t re-enter your home after a fire until the fire department declares that it’s safe to do so.
If you have to re-enter your home for whatever reason, make sure you’re wearing appropriate protective gear. Keep in mind that if you have to board up your home after a fire, it will take even longer for those toxins to exit the house.
You’ll also need to make safe decisions about which items in your home you can keep and which ones you need to let go of. Think first about the essentials:
Food: Throw away any open containers of food in your cupboards and cabinets. If any food has been exposed to heat, water, or smoke, then throw it away, regardless of if it’s open or not. If your refrigerator lost power during or after the fire, then throw away all of the food in your fridge.
Medicine: Carefully inspect any medicine you’re hoping to keep. If there are any signs of smoke damage or fire extinguisher residue, it’s best to throw it away.
Clothing: Throw away any clothing that has been burned or has soot on it. Remember, some toxins can enter the body through the skin.
2. Consider Smoke Damage
Your first priority after a fire is making sure everyone you love is safe. But after everyone is accounted for, what will you focus on next?
Your thoughts may turn to your possessions, especially any valuables or keepsakes you’re hoping to salvage. As you learn more about the extent of the damage, you may consider what essentials you’ll need until your home is restored.
It may take a while before you start thinking about your home itself. Don’t delay for too long. Smoke damage sets in quickly and needs to be handled in a timely manner.
Smoke particles can seep into your walls, floors, curtains, furniture, bedding, and more, allowing the smell of smoke to linger for months after the fire. The sooner you address smoke damage, the more likely you won’t have to deal with long-lasting or permanent smoke damage issues.
3. Call a Fire Damage Restoration Company
Most people grow up practicing fire drills so they know what to do during a fire, but no one practices what to do after a fire. SERVPRO ofKendall County has the skills, experience, and training to help you restore your home.
If you have experienced a fire here are some tips to help clean up.
REPAIRING SMOKE DAMAGE TO WALLS
With fires, there will always be a degree of smoke damage to your walls, wallpaper, and paint. If the smoke damage is not too serious, you should be able to scrub it clean with detergents and bleach. Note: soot from smoke damage is greasy stuff so you should always try to dust as much of it off from a surface before trying to scrub it clean. Often, you’ll want to repaint, but make sure all surfaces are clean and dry before painting.
GETTING RID OF MOLD & MILDEW
Another huge issue in fire damage restoration is actually introduced by the water used to extinguish a fire. This problem is mold and mildew and requires special attention. We highly recommend SERVPRO of Kendall County to deal with mold and mildew, because it can cause serious health effects, and can contaminate furniture, carpets, clothing, mattresses, walls, and vents. The best thing you can do immediately is air out every room and clean out all vents and filters.
REPAIRING FLOORING & CARPET
With all the water that is involved in putting out a fire, your floors and carpets will end up absorbing the worst of it. In almost every case, it’s recommended that you pull up any carpets that have water damage and replace them. Water can also seep underneath vinyl flooring and into cracks of hardwood, and will need to be addressed. If you have experience with flooring, you can lift it up and clean under them, but you may want to call a SERVPRO of Kendall County to assist you.
CLEANING CLOTHING
Cleaning smoke damage from clothing is one of the biggest jobs you’ll find after a fire. Our biggest tip is to make sure you don’t smear the greasy soot into the clothing or just throw the smoky clothes into the wash. Often times dry cleaning is the best bet, and you should ask around local dry cleaners to see if any have experience with post-fire laundry.
CLEANING DISHES
Dishes are also important items to clean thoroughly after a fire because they will be in contact with your food and can cause health problems. Scrub all dishes well, let them soak in a solution of bleach and water (2 tablespoons of bleach per gallon) for at least 20 minutes, and scrub some more for safety. When in doubt, if a dish, pot, or pan won’t come clean, cut your losses and throw it out – (especially rubber or wooden dishes that absorb smoke).
How To Clean The Gutters on Your House to prevent potential water damage
Cleaning your gutters twice a year will help prevent water damage.
Gutters — they're your house's primary precipitation protection, as long as they're clear and working properly. If they're not, your house could suffer from mold growth, damp basements, a leaky roof, even interior and foundation damage over time. The longer you let your gutters go unchecked, the more expensive repairs you'll be looking at down the line.
In order to stave off this damage, it's a good rule of thumb to clean your gutters twice a year in the spring and fall. However, if you live near pine trees, you'll probably want to up that amount to four, because pine needles are infamous gutter cloggers.
It's relatively easy to do the cleaning yourself as long as you have the right tools and safety in mind.
Before you set out to clean your gutters, make sure you have all the tools you'll need to do it safely and properly.
A good extendable ladder. Make sure it has standoff stabilizers or ladder horns, as they'll help keep your ladder from damaging your gutters by leaning on them.
Heavy-duty gloves, preferably ones with gripping on the fingers and palms. It's also a good idea to wear latex gloves under your work gloves to keep your hands from getting wet.
A large tarp for your lawn. It's a great place to throw the gunk you find in your gutters. There's often much more than a garbage bag can hold, so this will allow you to get the job done in one fell swoop rather than having to empty the garbage bag every few feet.
One of many utility poles down that caused extensive damage in the Cedar Rapids, IA area.
It struck with the force of a Category 2 hurricane but without the usual days of warning and time to prepare. Monday’s derecho, the violent thunderstorm complex that unleashed winds over 100 mph in parts of Iowa, has devastated scores of communities in the Hawkeye State. Cedar Rapids, a city of more than 130,000 people, was among the hardest-hit areas.
Dispatches from Cedar Rapids reveal a disaster zone, with damage to most homes and businesses, some severe; trees and wires down everywhere; roads blocked and hospital overruns.
“This is a greater impact than we’ve ever seen in this community,” said Jeff Pomeranz, the Cedar Rapids city manager.
SERVPRO of Kendall County along with many other SERVPRO's throughout the country were able to converge on the Cedar Rapids area and help many businesses and residential customers with there storm damages.
SERVPRO with its many franchisees throughout the country has the ability to work together and help many folks when a disaster unexpectedly hits.
How to protect your business from wind and hail damage
Strong winds and hailstorms can cause heavy damage in very little time to a business’s property, resulting in costly repairs and potentially a lengthy business disruption. Beyond the typical structural damage from a storm, gale-force winds can push trees or projectiles onto buildings, and hail can shatter windows and damage your exterior.
Ensuring you have adequate insurance in place will help your business recover in the aftermath of a storm. But it’s also essential that you take steps to protect your property before a severe weather event. From regularly inspecting your roof to securing equipment and valuables, the following actions will help you reduce the risk of damage to your business in the event of a storm.
1. Inspect your roof
Examine your building’s roof for damage after storms, or annually in regions that are less prone to storms. Replace any worn materials or other weak areas to ensure that leaks don’t occur during future storms. Check flashing (a type of sheet metal used for waterproofing) and gutters, and clean out any debris that may be blocking drainage. Remove branches or leaves that may have accumulated during prior storms.
2. Install impact-resistant windows
Impact-resistant glass has been specially treated to help prevent shattering and to provide an extra barrier to safeguard your building from severe weather. While it’s still possible for it to break, it’s less likely to shatter completely, offering better protection from flying glass and debris during a hurricane or hailstorm.
3. Secure equipment and valuables
If you live in an area prone to strong winds or hail, keep an eye on the weather forecast so that you can protect your valuables before a storm hits. Ensure any high-value items are in a safe and secure area, stored up high and away from windows. Any outdoor equipment should be securely fastened so it’s not lost or turned into a projectile during a storm.
4. Keep your employees safe
In the event of a storm, safety is of the utmost concern. Stay away from windows, and take shelter in the safest part of your property. If your building doesn’t have a designated storm shelter, have employees take shelter in an area devoid of windows, such as a bathroom or break room.
Prepare an emergency plan ahead of time and communicate it with employees, so they’ll know what to expect. Practice an emergency drill if possible, so that everyone will be prepared if weather conditions are threatening your safety.
Getting the Correct Business Insurance is Essential
How do I determine the proper cover and limits for my business insurance?
Figuring out what coverage to have in place and what limits are needed is a real balancing act. On one hand, proper insurance is necessary to reduce the risk of owning and operating a business. On the other hand, unaffordable and unrealistic premiums are also not in your best interest as a business owner.
If your business is like most small businesses, you probably don’t have a full-time risk manager to answer your business liability insurance or workers’ compensation insurance questions. So where to start?
It may make sense to focus your research on three common types of small business insurance coverage: general liability, property and workers’ compensation insurance. Once you know what questions to ask, it’s much easier to select optimal small-business insurance coverage and business liability insurance rates. It’s also important to understand that business liability insurance rates will vary depending on your business’s needs.
Property and Casualty insurance covers building and property against damage, theft, and other causes such as fire. The contents and furnishing as well as most inventories are covered. It’s important to determine rebuilding costs, restocking costs, and relocation costs if the incident could require it.
Comprehensive general liability insurance coverage protects you in the event of claims of bodily injury or physical injury or damage to property. This includes legal defense and settlements up to the limits of the policy. Check with your industry association and state department of insurance to determine types of claims and what settlements are awarded. In addition, professional liability insurance may be needed.
Again, both industry and the state department of insurance can help in determining the proper limits.
Workman’s compensation limits and minimum coverage are generally determined by your industry and state.
The key is to work with a licensed insurance professional you trust to develop a comprehensive insurance package for your business. Eligible businesses can purchase property insurance packaged together with general business liability insurance coverage in a single policy called a Business Owner’s Policy, or BOP.
Such combined policies are generally available at reasonable small-business rates. Your licensed insurance professional may make this recommendation to you.
HAVE SEVERE STORMS AND WINDS DAMAGED YOUR PROPERTY?
SERVPRO of Kendall County is your Storm Damage Team. Call Today!
Has a heavy wind storm left you with an unexpected tree or other large debris in your property? Thankfully, SERVPRO of Kendall County has the equipment needed to remove it all promptly, and handle any rebuilding you may need as well. We guide you through the entire process of storm damage restoration, working one-on-one with your insurer from the very beginning to get your property back to it’s original standing. From temporary storage, to tarp and boarding up services, we aim to help get your life back to normal, as soon as possible, with as little hassle as possible
We offer 24 hour, 7 day a week assistance to consult, assess fire damage, and help you find temporary shelter– even in the middle of the night. We also do everything necessary to preserve the contents of your home or business and to keep you operational with temporary board-up, emergency water removal/pump -out, and temporary power and heating.
Experienced in roof repairs and stabilizing structures after disaster strikes, we ensure your business or home is completely protected from the elements and any further damage by tarping and boarding up exposed areas.
We provide temporary storage to protect belongings after a fire so they remain dry and safe while a residence or business is being rebuilt.
Be prepared. Know what to do before a major storm hits.
All thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous. If you hear the sound of thunder, then you are in danger from lightning. Lightning kills between 75 to 100 people each year and being outdoors in the most dangerous place to be. Always listen to the radio and television for the latest information and instructions for your area.
A THUNDERSTORM WATCH means a thunderstorm is possible for your area.
A THUNDERSTORM WARNING means a thunderstorm is taking place in your area.
IF YOU’RE OUTDOORS:
Keep an eye at the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, or increasing winds. Lightning often proceeds rain, so don’t wait for the rain to begin. If you hear the sound of thunder, go to a safe place immediately.
The best place to go is a sturdy building or a car, but make sure the windows in the car are shut. Avoid sheds, picnic areas, baseball dugouts and bleachers.
If there is no shelter around you, stay away from trees. Crouch down in the open area, keeping twice as far away from a tree as far as it is tall. Put your feet together and place your hands over your ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder.
If you’re with a group of people stay about 15 feet from each other.
Stay out of water. It’s a great conductor of electricity. Swimming, wading, snorkeling and scuba diving are not safe. Also, don’t stand in puddles.
Avoid metal. Stay away from clotheslines, fences, and drop your backpacks because they often have metal on them.
If you’re playing an outdoor activity, wait at least 30 minutes after the last observed lightning strike or thunder.
IF YOU’RE INDOORS:
Avoid water. It’s a great conductor of electricity, so do not take a shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry.
Do not use a corded telephone. Lightning may strike exterior phone lines.
Do not use electric equipment like computers and appliances during a storm.
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING:
Call for help. Call 9-1-1 or send for help immediately.
The injured person does not carry an electrical charge, so it is okay to touch them.
When you Need an Expert Cleaning Service, We Can Help!
Our job isn’t done until it’s done right. When you work with SERVPRO of Kendall County, you’ll have a dedicated supervisor for 24/7 communication to address your needs. And to ensure we always deliver on what we say, we use a certificate of satisfaction form to survey our customers after every job. The results are used to improve our service, provide ongoing training for our employees and ensure that customers are fully satisfied with the work we performed.
As an expert cleaning service provider, we consider ourselves to be an extension of your business operation. That’s why we are committed to ensuring customer satisfaction every step of the way. Along with regularly monitoring our progress and communicating with our customers to align on cleaning goals, we deliver a higher level of cleaning services by using superior standards that go above and beyond our customers’ expectations. Some standards we use to ensure the best cleaning results include:
Using documented inspection system for quality control
Using best practices set forth by leading governmental organizations to clean and disinfect
Using proven processes and techniques to deliver the highest standard of clean
Providing ongoing training to ensure our staff always follows the latest cleaning best practices
Businesses often protect themselves against smoke and fire damage by installing and maintaining smoke detectors and fire suppression systems. What many businesses don’t protect against is water damage. In fact, properties are 10 times more likely to suffer from water damage than they are from fire damage.
Water damage can come from a variety of sources, and while not all of them may be applicable in every situation, businesses should nonetheless have some sort of water detection as part of their business continuity plan.
Flood monitoring
Floods are the number one natural disaster here in the United States, and statistics show that floods and extreme weather events heavily affect the US.
Many businesses that aren’t located near large bodies of water tend to forget about flood damage, however, it’s important to remember that water damage from flooding isn’t restricted to just those in coastal areas. Overflowing rivers, extreme precipitation, water main breaks, internal plumbing failures and even melting snow can all cause water damage from flooding.
Unfortunately, sewer backup can cause flood damage as well. Sometimes this can be due to extreme weather situations where water damage can be anticipated, and sometimes it can be caused by local construction, decaying public infrastructure, or even tree roots. Having flood/water sensors in basements and below-ground areas can help warn and protect businesses against water damage from sewer backup as well as naturally occurring flood conditions.
Leak detection
Undetected leaks can cause just as much damage as a storm or flood. Leaks can come from a wide variety of sources, including:
Leaky pipes
Frozen pipes
Leaky roofs
Damaged windows
Building foundation
Malfunctioning sump pumps
HVAC problems
Leaks aren’t always visible immediately, and can cause severe damage the longer they’re not detected. Even a small amount of water can promote unhealthy mold and mildew growth in the right conditions.
Leak detection can come in many forms, including spot sensors as well as cable-style sensors that can be placed on the boundaries of a room or facility. Leak detection can even come in the form of humidity monitoring; the more humid a facility becomes over a short period of time, the more likely it is due to undetected water.
Easily avoid water damage
Setting up proactive water and leak detection can help notify you immediately if the water is detected anywhere in your building or facility. While you can’t stop a storm from occurring or a pipe in your building from leaking, you can stop that damage from becoming too expensive by monitoring for water.
If your business is monitoring for smoke and fire as part of your business continuity plan, be sure to add water and leak detection as well. Helping to keep your facility and assets protected will help you avoid costly repairs and downtime over the long run.
Furniture restoration following a fire, smoke, and water damage begins with a damage assessment. SERVPRO of Kendall County will determine the extent of your furniture damage and determine the cost to repair versus the cost to replace furniture, so you can have reasonable expectations about the restoration of your furniture and our contents restoration services. We will start with the inspection and provide you with an estimate before we begin the contents restoration process.
We are an experienced furniture and upholstery contents restoration company and offer inspections, contents estimates, direct insurance billing, and prompt and professional cleanup and restoration.
SERVPRO of Kendall County restores upholstered, wood, leather furniture, and fabrics, including draperies, rugs and carpeting from water damage, fire damage, and smoke damage. Our highly-trained technicians use specialized cleaning and contents restoration methods to restore your contents.
Water Removal, Cleanup and Restoration: The Process
Let SERVPRO of Kendall County walk you through your water damage situation.
After the inspection, estimate and water cleanup solution is determined, our highly trained technicians begin the process of water removal, followed by water damage mitigation and water damage restoration to return your property to preloss condition.
Water Removal: The water damage restoration process starts with water removal: flood water removal • sewage water removal • appliance water removal. Our state-of-the-art truck mounted equipment removes large amounts of flood water quickly by hundreds of thousands of gallons.
Water Damage Mitigation: After water removal, the water damage mitigation method needed will be determined, depending on the extent of water damage and the class of water damage. We then use industrial dehumidifiers, high-powered fans and thermal imaging to quickly dry and restore your structure.
Water Damage Restoration: In the final step to restore your home or business to its pre-water damaged condition,
SERVPRO of Kendall County uses IICRC S500 standards to repair, rebuild, and restore your property.
SERVPRO of Kendall County will bill yourinsurance provider directly for water damage restoration services we provide. Most homeowner insurance policies will cover the cost of water damage removal services and water damage restoration.
Fire or Water Damage in Kendall County? Call SERVPRO and Here's Why:
When deciding to hire a restoration company, SERVPRO of Kendall County can help that decision be less stressful.
Although every situation is different, it’s usually a wise idea to hire SERVPRO of Kendall County. In addition to getting the job done quickly and efficiently and allowing you to concentrate on your business or family instead of working on your home or office, SERVPRO of Kendall County offers a number of benefits. Among these are:
We will make your home or office safe. SERVPRO of Kendall County knows where to look to spot potential health hazards, such as black mold, and not only get rid of current problems, but help to prevent future issues. Although cosmetic work, such as re-painting and re-plastering will make your building look fresh and new, there could still be underlying smoke and mold problems that could cause or aggravate health issues for years to come.
We work quickly. At SERVPRO of Kendall County we attack your clean-up job with a full crew immediately, while you’ll have to work the clean-up around your already busy schedule. Cleaning up the damage quickly will help to prevent the damage from spreading and mold and mildew from forming.
We will help with your insurance claim.SERVPRO of Kendall County have years of experience dealing with insurance companies after a fire or flood. We can help you fill out and submit the necessary paperwork to get your money quickly. Plus, the services of SERVPRO of Kendall County are covered under most homeowners’ insurance policies.
We will help you decide what’s salvageable. SERVPRO of Kendall County can be invaluable in helping you determine what items you should keep and what is damaged beyond redemption. In the aftermath of a fire or flood, it can be difficult for you to make such decisions without being emotional.
Stroms Can Hit at Any Time, SERVPRO od Kendall County is Ready Are You?
Every area of the country experiences severe weather from time to time and the more severe the storm is, the more likely it is to cause property damage. Thunderstorms, floods, strong winds, and snowstorms have all been known to cause significant property damage and if your home or building is damaged due to severe weather, it is crucial to react as soon as possible and secure the building.
Sometimes storms can form very quickly, leaving homeowners little time to prepare. It is wise for homeowners to always be prepared for the possibility of a storm to limit the damages if one does occur unexpectedly.
Severe storms can cause all types of property damage including water damage, mold growth, structural damage, and exterior damage to the windows, siding, and roof. The technicians of SERVPRO of Kendall County have the training and equipment to repair structural damage to your home and remove debris including tree branches, broken glass, and other building materials.
Are You Covered? Understanding your Homeowners Policy when it comes to Water Damage
Do You know your insurance policy when it comes to water damage?
Homeowners Insurance
A traditional homeowner's policy specifically excludes water damage, however, there are instances in which water damage may be covered with added endorsements.
Example 1: Damage caused by water or sewage that backs up through sewers or drains. With a specific endorsement, coverage can be applied, though it is limited.
Example 2: Damage caused by water that overflows from a sump pump system. If you have a sump pump and drain tile around the foundation of your home, you may have coverage if you have this added endorsement.
Example 3: Damage caused by water seeping through my foundation, windows, walls, etc. There is no available coverage for water seepage from outside surface water caused by rain, snowmelt, flood, etc.
In most cases, you will find that water damage is only covered if the damage is sudden and accidental. For Instance: If a water pipe breaks in your home, there may be coverage from the resulting damage caused by water because it is a sudden & accidental loss. However, gradual damage is usually not covered.
Gradual damage water damage is not usually covered, so although your policy might have water damage coverages, if the reason for the damage is not sudden and accidental, then you may be denied in a claim.
In addition, you need to consult your policy deductible. Most water damage claims are small dollar amount claims, that may not be covered anyway. For instance, your deductible maybe $1,500, but even if you hire a water damage restoration company, such as SERVPRO of Kendall County you may only have $1,100 in damage.
THE CAUSES OF COMMERCIAL WATER DAMAGE AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM IN KENDALL COUNTY
Water damage in the workplace may not only prevent you from doing business. It can also put the health and safety of your employees at risk. The moment you spot signs of commercial water damage, it’s important to take action immediately. SERVPRO of Kendall County can help with any signs of water damage.
Commercial water damage is often more complex than residential water damage restoration and usually requires a more intensive approach. The size and structure of commercial buildings, the extent of damage, the varying uses of space, and the number of occupants all affect the restoration process. Aside from these, there’s usually always a time constraint for the job because business has to continue as soon as possible.
While some water damage issues are inevitable, most problems can be prevented when the cause of water damage is found earlier.
In this post, we’ll talk about the most common causes of water damage in commercial properties and how to deal with them.
CAUSES OF COMMERCIAL WATER DAMAGE
Here are the common causes of commercial water damage:
DAMAGED WINDOWS
In commercial buildings, water damage is often caused by windows that are not properly sealed. Damaged windows can cause moisture to seep in, which triggers a lot of problems including mold build-up and warped wood and drywall. Resealingwindows regularly is important as caulk can break down over time.
DAMAGED PIPES
Broken pipes can stem from a variety of reasons, such as changes in pressure, deteriorated water supply lines and sewer drains, and cold weather (freezing temperature can cause pipes to burst). Bulging walls, water stains on walls or floors, cracked or loose tiles, and musty smell – these are all signs of damaged pipes. Detecting leaky pipes is challenging and it usually requires some specialized water leak detection equipment.
BUILDING FOUNDATION
If gutters are not cleaned regularly, they can get clogged, causing water to leak into the property through the roof or the foundation. One of the most common signs of leaks in building foundations are puddles nearby or framing that has become wet. Poor drainage systems can also lead to water damage in your foundation.
ROOF LEAKS
A leaky roof can cause ceiling damage, mold or mildew issues, fire hazards from shortened wires, and compromised structural integrity. Exposure to heavy rains and snow make roofs vulnerable to damage. Also, incorrect snow/ice removal can also trigger water damage in roofs.
HVAC PROBLEMS
HVAC systems work by heating or cooling the air through a series of ducts. Over time, these ducts wear out and get damaged, resulting in leaks. The HVAC needs to be cleaned regularly and the excess water from the condensation reservoirs has to be removed to prevent water damage. SERVPRO of Kendall County can help with the cleaning of air ducts on a regular basis.
SEWER CLOGS
Sewer water contains bacteria and other pathogens that cause illnesses and infections. If you see signs of sewage damage, such as gurgling sounds or water backing up out of the drain or toilet, you should call SERVPRO of Kendall County right away.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM LEAKS
Other causes of water damage in commercial buildings are leaks in sprinkler systems. Signs of sprinkler leaks include wet surfaces like drywall and carpets, presence of mold and mildew, and standing water. Regularly inspect your sprinkler systems for leaks and moisture.
All of these are helpful tips to keep your commercial property form encountering water damage. If you see any signs of water damage don't hesitate to call SERVPRO of Kendall County.
Storm Damage in Oswego Illinois? SERVPRO Can Help!
When Storm Damage Hits SERVPRO of Kendall County is here for you.
Weather damage from natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and winter storms, can have overwhelming effects on your home and your family. Many times, water causes the most damage by entering your home through damaged rooftops or broken windows. Once inside, water can ruin everything from furniture, electronics and appliances to essential documents and keepsakes, saturating the structural elements of your home and putting it at risk for even greater danger.
At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we are committed to getting you back on track after severe weather damage. Open dialog is central to our customer-care approach. We keep you informed at every step of our process, to ensure that you’re always aware of the progress we’re making and to provide helpful guidance in your time of need. Whenever you need us, we’re there for you.
As a national company with local experts in your community, we’re more than highly qualified restoration professionals. We’re your neighbors dedicated to helping you and your family.
We move quickly to minimize impact.
We care for your most immediate needs of food, clothing and shelter.
We develop a customized plan to bring your home back to its full preloss condition.
Our mobilization capabilities mean we can get the services you need to your home, fast.
We will be by your side every step of the way to ensure your home and belongings are restored as quickly and safely as possible after any major weather disaster.
In the event of a fire, remember that every second counts. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly. Twice each year, practice your home fire escape plan. Some helpful tips to consider when preparing this plan include:
Find two ways to get out of each room in the event the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke.
A secondary route might be a window onto a neighboring roof or a collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows.
Make sure that windows are not stuck, screens can be taken out quickly and that security bars can be properly opened.
Practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed.
Teach children not to hide from firefighters.
Smoke Alarms
A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.
Install both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
Test batteries monthly.
Replace batteries in battery-powered and hard-wired smoke alarms at least once a year.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, both inside and outside of sleeping areas.
Replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 8-10 years or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking – it can be a deadly mistake.
More Fire Safety Tips
Make digital copies of valuable documents and records like birth certificates.
Sleep with your door closed.
Contact your local fire department for information on training on the proper use and maintenance of fire extinguishers.
Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your residence.
After a Fire
The following checklist serves as a quick reference and guides for you to follow after a fire strikes.
Contact your local disaster relief service, such as The Red Cross, if you need temporary housing, food, and medicines.
If you are insured, contact your insurance company for detailed instructions on protecting your property, conducting inventory, and contacting SERVPRO of Kendall County.
Check with the fire department to make sure your residence is safe to enter. Watch out for any structural damage caused by the fire.
The fire department should make sure that utilities are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. DO NOT attempt to reconnect utilities yourself.
Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made.
Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and for verifying losses claimed on your income tax.
Notify your mortgage company of the fire.
Fires in your home can be an overwhelming experience SERVPRO of Kendall County can help you and your family navigate through this difficult time.
Mold removal can be a hazardous and messy procedure
When finding mold on your property, it’s important to call SERVPRO of Kendall County as soon as possible. Our technicians will respond immediately, containing the mold growth to one area, and providing a full evaluation of the damage and remediation plan. After the remediation service, our trained professionals will remove all soiled building materials and work to prevent future mold growth.
Our mold removal services include each of the following:
A detailed assessment of the mold growth
Your insurance company is notified of the evaluation and project scope
Isolation chambers are set up to prevent the mold from spreading
Development of a mold remediation plan according to our assessment
Mold removal and complete restoration of all affected areas
As soon as you notice mold growth on your property, it’s extremely important to take action right away to prevent it from spreading. Doing so will also prevent any health effects. Our professionals ensure to handle all parts of the remediation process as well as address older infestations of all sizes, fully removing it from your property.
Although SERVPRO specializes in fire and water restoration, we also have carpet cleaning services. At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we will provide you with top-of-the-line carpet cleaning services. Discover what makes SERVPRO of Kendall County services better than the rest.
Our cutting-edge carpet cleaning technology, solutions, and methods provide a deeper clean with a difference you can see.
Many carpet cleaning companies focus on the surface with a quick clean that won't remove stubborn dirt and soil. But that's not what you will get with your SERVPRO of Kendall County highly-trained professionals. We strive to bring your carpet back "Like it never even happened."
When you're in need of bio-hazard clean up SERVPRO of Kendall County is your team.
Bio-hazard Cleanup Services
Blood and Bodily Fluid Remediation
Virus Decontamination and Protection
Sewage Cleanup and Sanitation
Crime Scene Cleanup
Hoarding Cleanup
Deodorization and Odor Control
Bio-hazard cleanup involves cleaning, sanitizing, and deodorizing areas where a traumatic event such as an accident, injury or death has occurred. Thus, dealing with bio-hazards often means dealing with blood, human or animal remains, chemical spills, and more. Keep in mind that the state is not responsible for cleaning up a crime scene. After police investigators collect evidence from the scene, it is up to the property owner to seek bio-hazard cleaning services. A professional cleanup team can arrive onsite only after the police have gathered enough evidence related to the crime.
When a bio-hazard occurs, call SERVPRO of Kendall County professionals to clean and disinfect the contaminated site. Our trained technicians use latest equipment and techniques to effectively remediate the damage.
The quality of our remediation services, the speed in which we deliver them, and the compassion we demonstrate throughout the process make SERVPRO of Kendall County your ideal damage restoration company. We strive to do whatever it takes to restore and rescue properties in all the communities we serve in Kendall county.
When you need help with fire restoration, call SERVPRO of Kendall County (630) 554-2280
A fire can be an extremely harrowing experience and major inconvenience. Even the smallest issue can cause extensive damage, as flames, smoke, heat, and the water used to put out flames later become odors, stains, and mold threats.
Saving your home is our area of expertise. We are the Fire and Water Restoration Professionals you can count on when disaster big or small strikes in your home. We put our expertise and experience to work coupled with the latest technology and processes to ensure customer satisfaction you can trust.
At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we have the knowledge and experience to deal with all aspects of fire damage. As soon as we are on the scene, we act quickly and efficiently to secure the fire scene through our expert structural securement, board-up, and tarping to prevent further damage. We then work to clear out the debris, soot, and water damage. Afterwards, we initiate the construction and reconstruction work necessary to bring your home back to order. "Like it never even happened."
In each phase of our restoration process we take deliberate steps to restore your home to it’s original comfortable state.
Water damaged basement caused by sump pump failure.
Facing water damage? Let the professionals at SERVPRO of Kendall County take care of it. We will inspect your home or business, our trained technicians will examine each area to ensure we find every last drop of water. Prompt removal of all standing water with a water pump is critical to reduce or eliminate structural damage, as well as to prevent further damage and mold.
After we remove all standing water, we begin the drying process of the exterior and interiors walls in your home and all its valuables to thoroughly complete your water repair. We also prevent secondary moisture that can build up to damage your belongings. It’s crucial to make sure no mold or mildew can grow due to this water damage.
We ensure any water damage repair job big or small is done right by using only top quality industry-standard equipment and employing the most highly trained certified technicians. Water removal and immediate drying are critical to the preservation and safety of your home.
Experienced in water repair projects of any size, we provide expert water restoration services for single-family homes, apartment complexes, and townhomes, as well as retail and commercial properties. From water damaged ceiling repairs to fixing drywall that has been water damaged, we got it covered. "Like it never even happened."
So, your home floods, or have had a recent fire. What happens to all your property that isn't ruined, but need the items to be taken out of the home for cleaning or to be stored? At SERVPRO of Kendall County we have a roughly 10,000 square foot temperature-controlled warehouse with vaults to keep your furniture, valuables, etc. We have content employees that will have all your items cleaned and properly stored. We clean items on site, smoke and soot removal are all services we provide. Our employees enter every single item into a program, so that you will know where your property is at all times and you will have access to your property when necessary. Along with restoration, we are a full-service Content cleaning and management company.
Gutters can play a key role in preventing water damage to your home. That is why it is essential that you keep your gutters clean and free of debris. Their many purposes are to channel rainwater to the downspouts and away from the home, protecting roofs, walls, and foundations of homes. To keep gutters working properly, it is important to make sure that gutters are cleaned regularly so that water can flow freely to the downspouts and away from your home.
So how often should you clean your gutters? It is recommended that you clean your gutters minimum of twice a year!
Clogged gutters can cause many issues for a homeowner. If water finds its way into the walls and ceilings of the home, it will cause interior damage. In winter months, pooling water around the foundation of the home can cause foundation cracks if it freezes and expands. The paint and siding of a home can also be damaged as water overflows from the gutters.
Failing to clean gutters regularly can be a very costly mistake! It is one of the most important tasks of a homeowner and, if done on a regular basis, can prevent many homeowner headaches!
If water damage impacts your home or commercial facility, please call SERVPRO of Kendall County at 630-554-2280.
Do you have the coverage necessary to get yourself back "Like it never even happened"? If it is a sump pump/ sewage backup the limited coverage you have may only be enough to get the house dry, but you may not have enough to put flooring and drywall back. Flooding remains the costliest natural hazard disaster in the United States. But did you know that flood losses are not typically covered under renter and homeowner insurance policies? Additionally, backup coverage in homes is typically limited. Also, how the water entered the house plays a big role in whether you have coverage and whether you have limited coverage or full coverage. Contact your agent and discuss your coverage BEFORE the event occurs, decide on whether the coverage you have is enough in case the worst does happen. Believe us, you WILL be very happy you did!
Unfortunately this situation happens more often than it should. A small water leak is found. The plumber is called, and the water leak is fixed water is wiped up with some towels. But the wet material is totally ignored! Everyone thinks they "got lucky", but did they? Mold will not start that day or even the next, but every day building materials are left wet, the possibility for mold to grow increases. Maybe you will smell a small musty smell that slowly goes away. However, chances are if this area gets wet in the future, even years in the future, mold will start growing again, and you will not know why.
Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path. Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings. Drywall begins to swell and break down. Metal surfaces begin to tarnish. A musty odor appears. Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
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 Kendall County 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. 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.
Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.
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.
Before building a fire, you should make sure that it is safe and permissible to build the fire. Though there are a number of factors to consider, a general rule is that campfires should not be built when wind speeds are above 15 mph. Campfires are at lower risk of spreading when it is raining, the ground is wet or the temperature is low. In severely dry conditions, governmental authorities may ban all burning. A quick call to a park ranger, fire department or the police should help you to determine if there is a burning ban. It is important that you make certain that the campfire is fully extinguished before leaving the fire or going to sleep. Large chunks of wood will burn for a long period of time and should not be added to the fire late at night. When putting the fire out, you should knock the wood down flat on the ground. Water should be poured over the fire and the coals and wood turned on the wet ground to extinguish both sides. Only after the fire is cool to the touch is it safe to be left alone.
Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more. SERVPRO of Kendall County arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.
Flooding and water emergencies don't wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Kendall County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week-including all holidays.
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 pose serious risks to occupants.
Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 – (630) 554-2280
SERVPRO of Kendall County is Ready for When Storms Hit
SERVPRO of Kendall County has experience restoring homes affected by storms and flooding. We can respond immediately with highly trained technicians who employ specialized equipment and techniques to restore your home or business back to pre-storm condition as quickly as possible.
Faster Response
Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.
Resources to Handle Floods and Storms
When storms hit Oswego area, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite disaster recovery teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today (630) 554-2280.
Dryer vent cleaning prevents fires. If you live in Oswego or any other area within Kendall County, you will want to make sure that your home is completely safe. Whether by flooding, fire or some other mishap, there are plenty of ways that your property can be threatened. One of the best ways to ensure that you are prepared for a catastrophic emergency is always to have a local residential and commercial property cleanup and restoration service.
Dryer Vent Cleaning Prevents Fires
Keep your property from sustaining irreversible fire damage. Making sure your dryer vents are clean and free from obstruction will help keep your property safe from the possibility of a fire. It's also an excellent precaution to take to keep the air in the building from getting choked up with dust, lint and other health hazards that can accumulate in a dryer vent.
Get Help from a Local Cleanup and Restoration Service
It's up to you to contact an expert local cleaning and fire restoration service to ensure that your vents get cleaned in a correct and timely fashion. When you are in doubt as to whether the vents or other areas in your home are functioning correctly, a good, thorough cleaning is never a bad idea.
Even if it turns out that your property is not quite yet due for a full cleaning, a reputable local cleanup service can help such as removing any excess pollen or debris that has accumulated in the vents. This way, you can save a great deal of time, money and worry by taking timely preventative measures. Keeping the proper level of air quality in your home or commercial building will go a long way toward keeping the structure safe for your family or employees to inhabit. An expert local service will ultimately save you a great deal of time and stress.
Expert Help for Dryer Vent Cleaning Is Available
At SERVPRO of Kendall County, we know that dryer vent cleaning in Oswego prevents fires. This is only one of the many services that we can provide for you to make sure that your home or commercial property will be safe against the event of an unforeseen mishap or emergency. If an emergency should befall your property, you'll want to call a service that can get to you in a prompt and timely manner.
What Can I Do to Prevent Mold From Growing in My Home?
Since mold needs a food source and moisture to grow, the best thing you can do is to prevent moisture problems that allow mold to grow.
Maintain lower levels of humidity in your home (preferably between 30-50%) by: venting bathrooms and dryers to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation by adding crawlspace and attic vents; using exhaust fans when cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning, etc.
Add insulation to reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces such as windows, pipes, exterior walls, roofs, or floors.
Inspect your home regularly for indications and sources of indoor moisture such as leaking pipes, appliance hoses, showers, tubs, sinks and toilets. Replace plastic hoses with steel-reinforced hoses. Check windows, doors, attics and ceilings for leaks or evidence of water stains or odors, particularly after rains. Fix plumbing, flashing, and roof leaks right away.
Don't carpet bathrooms, basements, kitchens or other areas prone to moisture. Clean bathrooms often and keep surfaces dry.
Cover dirt in crawlspaces with a moisture barrier plastic sheeting.
Prevent water from entering basements and crawlspaces by repairing holes and cracks in walls and foundation. Use landscaping to direct water away from your foundation.
Clean and maintain your gutters and make sure drainpipes carry water several feet away from your home.
Watch your utility bills. An abnormally high water bill could signal a water leak.
Before you travel, turn off the water at the main valve. Have a trusted friend or neighbor check the inside and outside of your home periodically while you're away.
If you think you may have a mold issue or signs of mold growth in your home call SERVPRO of Kendall County at 630-554-2280
The weather has been very unpredictable the past few weeks in our area. We have experience heavy rains in a short period of time causing the sewer systems to back up and streets to flood.
If you see there is a flash flood watch, this means that a flash flood is possible. A flash flood warning means that a flood is about to happen or already taking place. If a flash flood occurs, you should make sure everyone gets to higher ground as quickly as possible.
Your business can prepare for any potential disaster, including flash floods. Keep all essential equipment and documents elevated from the floor. Ideally, they should be stored on the second floor of the building or higher. Back-up electronic data daily to cloud storage or to an external drive so the files can still be accessed in the event of a disaster.
It is a good idea to have a battery-powered radio available on-site or even some sand bags to help with water absorption. In case of a power outage, you and your staff can keep updated on the current conditions. (FEMA) The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a list of recommended sites in the event of a disaster, such as a flashlight and first aid kit.
You can also check with the National Weather Service to get more tips on safety during flooding.
SERVPRO of Kendall County can help your business get back on track after flooding or other disasters. Call us today for more information or a free inspection 630-554-2280
Sewer Damageand Drain Back Upcan cause serious damage to Oswego area homes. They also present health risks and should only be cleaned by certified water damage professionals. SERVPRO of Kendall County technicians are trained to deal with sewer damage issues.
Some examples include, but are not limited to: sewage, toilet backflows that originate from beyond the toilet trap regardless of visible content or color.
Below are some basic procedures for clean up
Identify ALL safety issues
Determine source or Sewer back up and get problem fixed as quickly as possible
Extract materials and/or remove all standing water
Apply EPA registered disinfectant
Remove and discard all contaminated porous and semi-porous structural materials included carpet and pad
Measure and document all moisture levels in affected areas.
Install barriers to contain damaged areas
Install drying equipment
Monitor job daily.
Once completely dry. Clean all areas prior to rebuild.
When your Oswego home or business has a sewer back up, rely on the professionals at SERVPRO of Kendall County. For a free estimate call 630-554-2280
Commercial Property owners and Property Managers are entrusted with keeping their businesses operational. When Disaster Strikes, SERVPRO of Kendall County is here to help make it “Like it never even happened.” Facilities Managers rely on us to be ready for Whatever Happens.
General Adjusters and Consulting firms from around the Chicago land area trust SERVPRO of Kendall County with their most complex claims. Some of our specialties include
Small Office Buildings
Large Office/High-Rise Office Buildings
Apartment Buildings
Restaurants
Hotel/Motels
Commercial Reconstruction
Small Retail Stores
Large Retail/Big-Box Stores
High-Rise Residential
Manufacturing & Industrial
Government/Military
Universities
Schools
Restaurants
Commercial Disaster Recovery Services
We are available around the clock to get your business back up and running. Our expertise includes restoration services for fire and water damage, including electronics restoration and document drying. We are also your business’s best resource for mold remediation. Learn more about our commercial restoration services by calling SERVPRO of Kendall County at 630-554-2280.
We are available 24 hours per day. Before your appointment, be sure to:
Inventory damaged and missing goods for your insurance claim.
Throw away all sealed and unsealed food and beverage contacted by storm flood waters.
Open windows and doors.
Refrain from using electrical devices until it is safe.
Remove standing water when possible.
Use dehumidifiers and fans to ventilate your home; SERVPRO of Kendall County can perform this task upon arrival.
Our mold remediation technicians will also determine if any contents in your home are salvageable. Porous items that are wet for over 48 hours and cannot be completely dried and cleaned must be disposed of.
This list includes
Carpet, carpet padding, ceiling tiles, clothing, drywall, floor tiles, insulation, leather goods, paper, upholstery, wallpaper and wood items. When our mold remediation expert arrives, he will:
Apply biocides.
Decide whether or not you can stay in your house during the mold remediation process.
Determine if additional ventilation and containment is needed.
Look for mold in the HVAC system and biological hazards in the home.
Test for any additional mold after the mold remediation process.
The fire services recommend this checklist to assist your small business in preventing damage that could be caused by fire:
Avoid storing or stockpiling flammable materials such as packaging materials or waste where they could be accessed by the public, including areas immediately outside your business premises.
Make sure all machinery is serviced as recommended by manufacturers and is kept clean. If possible, switch machinery off when the business is unattended.
Secure all doors, windows or other access points when the business is unattended, and make sure your business has adequate lighting to deter trespassers.
Ensure your business has an adequately serviced and functional fire alarm system that is suitable to your small business example: Remote serviced alarm systems, sprinkler systems, thermal or smoke alarms etc.
If your business stores dangerous goods, ensure their storage and use adheres to legislative requirements.
Make sure your business has a written and practiced fire escape plan that includes full staff lists and designated meeting points.
Chicago is called the "windy city" but sometimes it feels like it should be called the "city of flooded basements." Over the past few years, there has been an increase of flooding in the Chicago area and that's worth paying attention to.
When it comes to water damage, it can cost you more if you ignore it. Most homeowners and business owners only think of the costs of replacing products, equipment and personal property. But what about those other costs? You also have to consider costs that you might pay such as rent, loans, wages, etc. Not to mention your business would lose operating profit from not being open and the inconvenience of having to relocate.
SERVPRO of Kendall County specializes in water mitigation and restoration services. We have completed numerous restoration projects in the Oswego area. Our technicians are thoroughly trained both on-site as well as classroom instruction on restoration best practices.
It is not uncommon to discover mold in homes in the Kendall County area. Mold tends to grow in damp or humid spots with poor air circulation such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, or attics and basements.
Often times a small area of surface mold is a problem the homeowner can safely handle themselves with a diluted bleach solution of no more than 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. The Center for Disease Control has outlined a fairly comprehensive strategy for in-home mold remediation. However, their article recommends that homeowners should not attempt a mold remediation of more than 10 square feet by themselves. Anything over that limit requires professional attention by IICRC Certified mold remediation technicians, like SERVPRO of Kendall County. If you want to know what you’re looking at, you can collect samples yourselves and send them to mold laboratories that can test air samples or pieces of material and tell you whether you have mold or not.
Our highly trained technicians consider what the source of the moisture is - making sure to dry the affected area completely to prevent further mold growth in the future. We take appropriate measures, such as plastic containment, negative air pressure, and High-Efficiency Particulate Air filtering to prevent further contamination of the home by mold spores that may become airborne during the remediation.
Summer is filled with barbecues, parades and fireworks displays; but along with all the festivities are plenty of visits to emergency room- especially during July.
There is nothing like firing up the grill during the summer months! Did you know, July is the peak month for grill fires? A backyard barbeque can become dangerous quickly if proper safety precautions aren’t considered. Your local SERVPRO of Kendall County Professionals want you to have an enjoyable and safe summer. Consider the following tips to help ensure your summer celebrations are fun and disaster-free!
· Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors
· The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
· Keep children and pets away from grill area.
· Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
· Never leave your grill unattended.
· When using a charcoal grill, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.
· Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.
Each year fireworks are responsible for thousands of house fires with millions of dollars in property damage.
· Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire. Children should never pick up fireworks that may be left over as they may still be active.
Straight-line wind is a term used to define any thunderstorm wind that is not associated with rotation, and is used mainly to differentiate from tornado winds.
Downdraft is a small-scale column of air that rapidly sinks toward the ground.
Down burst is a result of a strong downdraft. A down burst is a strong downdraft with horizontal dimensions larger than 4 km (2.5 mi) resulting in an outward burst of damaging winds on or near the ground. (Imagine the way water comes out of a faucet and hits the bottom of the sink.) Down burst winds may begin as a micro burst and spread out over a wider area, sometimes producing damage similar to a strong tornado. Although usually associated with thunderstorms, down bursts can occur with showers too weak to produce thunder.
Microburst is a small concentrated down burst that produces an outward burst of damaging winds at the surface. Micro bursts are generally small (less than 4 km across) and short-lived, lasting only 5-10 minutes, with maximum wind speeds up to 168 mph. There are two kinds of micro bursts: wet and dry. A wet micro burst is accompanied by heavy precipitation at the surface. Dry micro bursts, common in places like the high plains and the inter-mountain west, occur with little or no precipitation reaching the ground.
Gust front is the leading edge of rain-cooled air that clashes with warmer thunderstorm inflow. Gust fronts are characterized by a wind shift, temperature drop, and gusty winds out ahead of a thunderstorm. Sometimes the winds push up air above them, forming a shelf cloud or detached roll cloud.
Derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. A typical derecho consists of numerous micro bursts, down bursts, and down burst clusters. By definition, if the wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles (about 400 kilometers) and includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho.
Mold Fact #1: Mold is everywhere, no matter what you do.
Bits of mold are part of the air you breathe everywhere you go. Molds grow on plants and in soil, float off into the air, and float in through your doors and windows. You’ve been dealing with it all your life and there is usually no way (except in very special circumstances) to create a space with no mold in the air.
Mold Fact #2: Large areas of mold should really be dealt with by a professional.
When mold areas get larger than about 10 square feet (about a square meter) or you don’t know the extent of the problem (for instance: mold can grow behind the walls) it is important to bring in a professional, like SERVPRO of Kendall County, who is familiar with how to deal with mold properly. This sized area usually requires extra precautions when removing mold. Much larger areas of mold can require very complicated procedures and precautions.
Mold Fact #3: Stains and mysterious spots are not always mold.
Sometimes a black, brown, grey, or white spot isn’t actually mold. Efflorescence, for instance, is a whitish deposit, especially on concrete or rocks. That happens when water permeates the material and leaves behind a deposit of salts. Note, however, that in this case there is water permeation, which may mean there is mold growing where you don’t see it. Other spots can be caused by soot or soil deposits, giving a darker color. If you want to know what you’re looking at, you can collect samples yourselves and send them to mold laboratories that can test air samples or pieces of material and tell you whether you have mold or not.
While you should never pour water on a grease fire, nor on an electrical one, many times that is a person's first reaction anywhere. This can cause even more damage. Cooking fires and electrical shorts are common causes. It can also create physical risks to people standing nearby. With grease fires, baking soda should be poured into the skillet and any grease or oil that has caught fire outside of the cooking pan or skillet instead of water.
With electrical fires, the appliance should be unplugged if it can be safely done, but not by pulling on the cord. This can cause the cord to snap, leaving the plug, without the cord, still in the outlet. The power to the area where this is happening should be shut off at the fuse box as quickly as possible to eliminate the hazard.
After the Fire is Out, It's Time to Repair the Damage
When there's been a localized fire, you should have someone assess the damages for you. This can often help with insurance documentation. Landlords, if you are renting, will also appreciate if you inform them of the fire, and they can see the damage for themselves. It is every landlord's worst nightmare to have a fire or flood damage their properties. If they can see the amount of damage, they can rest easier knowing the extent of the repairs required.
Damage can range from blackened walls and countertops to heavily burned surfaces, electrical wires being damaged and requiring replacement, to floors suffering damage so severe they must be replaced to be safe again. Having experts conduct the repairs needed can greatly facilitate insurance claims being resolved, as well.
Have Questions about Fire, Smoke or Soot Damage? Call Us Today – SERVPRO of Kendall County 630-554-2280
They may occur individually, in clusters or in lines.
Some of the most severe occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time.
Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development.
About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe – one that produces hail at least an inch or larger in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher or produces a tornado
Facts about Lightning
Lightning’s unpredictability increases the risk to individuals and property.
Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
“Heat lightning” is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away from thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction.
Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening.
Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000 but could be reduced even further by following safety precautions.
Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately.
Know the Terms
Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a thunderstorm hazard:
Severe Thunderstorm Warning- Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch- Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.
Fire, smoke, and soot will affect everything in your business or home, from the structure to personal belongings. After a fire, contacting a cleaning professional may be the best decision you can make.
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.
Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber
Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs can be 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 foul odor.
Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution. We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.
At times, mold is hard to detect. What usually happens is that mold grows in a place that never dried out. A combination of moisture, a warm temperature and an organic food source create the perfect environment for mold to grow quickly, so Oswego area is a perfect spot for mold growth with the high humidity and warm spring and summer days. Mold spores are everywhere and can easily get into homes and businesses. Here are some tips to avoid mold growth in your home:
-Do not allow standing water in or around your home
-Leave the AC Unit running when you are not at home
-Use exhaust fans in your home, especially in the bathroom
-If you notice any strange smells, investigate immediately
-Don't forget to call your local remediation, SERVPRO of Kendall County, at 630-554-2280 if you think mold may be an issue you are facing in your home
Home fires can begin out of the blue, however taking preventative measures can incredibly lower the danger of a fire in your home. Although some home firse are very self-evident, it's essential to know about them and be proactive in preventing them. Here are some of the top home fire starters with tips on the best way to prevent them:
Cooking
Cooking is the main cause of home fires. Unattended cooking, and grease build-up, are the most frequent reasons for fires in the kitchen. Continuously supervise the range or stove when cooking and keep the kitchen surfaces free from grease to prevent fires.
Candles
Fires caused from candles are more frequent during holidays, such as Christmas and Halloween. Always keep candles far from draperies, embellishments and other combustibles, and ensure candle holders are steady. Utilizing battery-operated candles rather than real candles is a much safer option.
Children Playing with Fire
Some children play with fire just wondering, not understanding that it can be extremely dangerous. Keep lighters, matches and other flammables out of youngsters' sight and reach. Likewise, avoid as much as possible from using lighters and matches in front of them, as many children mimic what they see the adults do.
Heating Equipment
Amid the colder months, heating equipment, for example electric radiators or fireplaces, are major fire hazards in the home. Place radiators at a safe distance from combustible materials and always supervise them when they are operating. Check your smokestacks for creosote build-up on a regular basis and never utilize combustible fluids to begin a fire in the fireplace.
Electrical Causes
Obsolete wiring and breaker boxes, as well as old appliances, present a fire risk. Additionally, connecting excessively numerous machines to an extension cord can cause the cord or appliance to overheat and a fire to start. Watch for worn cords with exposed wires.
Smoking
Fires brought about by lit cigarettes can begin when a person nods off with a cigarette in hand or when the embers from a butt fall on ignitable materials. Smoke outside to avoid these dangers. On the off chance that you smoke inside, abstain from doing as such when tired, and use deep and large ashtrays.
Flammable Liquids
Liquids that can catch fire include gasoline, paints, cleaning agents, thinners, and much more. Keep these chemicals in approved compartments and far from electrical and heat sources. Store them outside, in a well-ventilated area. Always read the labels for temperature ranges.
Christmas Trees
Amid the Christmas season, many home fires can begin because of the careless utilization of Christmas tree adornments. Electrical failures and candles are the fundamental offenders of Christmas tree fires. Use only lights that have the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Furthermore, replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. NEVER decorate your tree with lit candles. Water the tree on a daily basis to prevent the tree from drying out.
When business owners visualize water damage, they often picture a massive storm wiping out power lines, flooding offices, and shutting down businesses for days at a time. It is true that commercial water damage is often the result of floods and water that stems from weather events and storms.
However, many business owners forget that storms and severe weather aren't the only causes of floods and water damage. Here are some of the common causes of water damage to commercial buildings.
1. Malfunctioning sprinkler systems.. Some older office and retail buildings still have outdated sprinkler systems that work in conjunction with fire protection systems. While such sprinklers can come in handy during a fire emergency, they can also cause commercial flood damage if they are faulty or in need of replacement. This could easily damage inventory and business assets.
2. Damaged appliances and equipment. This cause of commercial flood damage is more common in restaurants and catering facilities, as well as any business that have appliances and equipment that make use of water. If the appliance fails and sends water across your building, especially during late hours when no one is around, you may come back to work and face a water emergency.
3. Broken pipes and plumbing. Just like in a residence, if the plumbing system in your workplace fails water damage could be the result.
4. Backed up sewer lines. This is another cause of commercial water damage that often catches business owners by surprise. Should the sewer line to your building back up or become damaged, the potential dangers of contaminated Black Water which can cause health effects and ruin products and office furnishings.
Whether your Oswego home needs emergency flood damage or roof tarping , you can depend on us. Our technicians have extensive cleaning and restoration training and can make your property look its best. Learn more about our residential services:
Water Damage Restoration
Fire Damage Restoration
Mold Remediation
Storm Damage Restoration
Cleaning Services
Building/Reconstruction Services
Commercial Services
There's never a good time for fire or Water damage to strike your Oswego commercial property. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration services SERVPRO of Kendall County has the training and expertise to respond promptly with highly trained technicians to get your property back to business. Learn more about our commercial services.
SERVPRO of Kendall County believes in Safety First
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) survey data shows that the public has many misconceptions about smoke alarms, which may put them at increased risk in the event of a home fire. For example, only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, how many they should actually have in their homes or how often they need to be replaced. NFPA focuses on these key messages:
Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years, regardless of battery changing.
Make sure you know how old all the smoke alarms are in your home.
To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm; the alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date.
Here’s how to check:
Remove the smoke alarm from the wall/ceiling.
Look at the back of the alarm for the date of manufacture
Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture
Put the alarm back on the ceiling/wall if it is less than 10 years old.
Other tips:
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms. For the best protection, make sure all smoke alarms are interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button
If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside/ go to your outside meeting place. ( Preplan with children so they are aware of what to do.)
A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat & fire
Call the fire department from a cell phone or neighbor’s phone. Stay outside until the fire department says it’s safe to go back inside.
Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice different ways out.
Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can't help.
Make sure the number on your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find. Some people prefer to paint numbers on curbs- ask your local City Council for more information.
Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.
Firefighters are also encouraging smokers to make sure they throw out butts and ashes correctly because it only takes something small to spark a fire if the conditions are dry.
Benefits of Checking an Outdoor Faucet for Water Leaks in Spring.
Besides fires and tornadoes, water leaks cause the worst damage to the home. With any kind of water leak or damage, it’s essential to have it checked and dealt with immediately by your local plumber.
The longer that water is allowed to leak and damage the home the more a Oswego area homeowner can expect to pay in costs of repairing and replacing items. Fixing a leak immediately drastically reduces the amount it will cost to fix it down the road.
Pipe Bursts
Detecting a leak in the springtime is a blessing. Discovering a leak in the wintertime or at any other time of the year when pipes freeze is disastrous. Water expands when it is frozen. If it freezes in a pipe and does not have room to expand, it will make its own room. This results in massive pipe bursts.
Once water thaws and begins to move again, it can flood the yard, or it can flood a part of the home, possibly causing foundation issues or even mold formation. Flooded basements are a common phenomenon. Flooded basements happen, in part, because sump pumps go out, but they also occur from water seeping in from outdoors. It’s essential to stop a water leak before it gets worse.
The Cost of Water
Water has a price, and it’s not cheap paying for a leak. It’s essential to stop a leak before it gets worse. A small leak can end up turning into hundreds or thousands of gallons of wasted water. If a water bill doesn’t seem to be adding up, a small leak may be present somewhere in the home.
Beyond the cost of water, it’s a resource that cannot be replenished quickly. It’s important to save water for future use.
Water Damage
Water damage needs to be avoided at all costs. Most people don’t take water damage seriously enough because they don’t realize the detrimental effects water damage can have on the home and the occupants of the home.
Besides having to replace electronic and other items, such as furniture, water can and will damage walls, flooring, sub-flooring and anything else it comes into contact with.
It’s not enough to dry areas that have water damage because these items become structurally compromised to the extent that they’re no longer safe to have in the home. SERVPRO of Kendall County offers special water mitigation and techniques to prevent those measures from happening.
Mold Growth
One of the worst things that can occur to a home from water damage is mold growth. Mold is extremely difficult to get rid of when it is inside porous surfaces. Water damage causes structural damage, which leads to mold growth.
Leaks invariably lead to mold growth because mold spores are found readily around the home and in the home. Mold growth cannot be cleared up with at-home methods of removal. Professional assistance is needed with mold removal.
Already have a leaky pipe that caused damaged walls or flooring? Call SERVPRO of Kendall County 630-554-2280
SERVPRO of Kendall County is the answer to your Ice Dam problems
During the winter heating systems circulate warm air throughout your home. Water entry in your home occurs when heated air meets the ice and snow along the part of a roof that meets or overhangs the walls of a building or skylight windows. Inadequate insulation and the lack of a complete seal between the edges of the framing and the roof decking allow air to rise and leak out of the house. Then the ice and snow collecting in the gutter melts and may leak into the house. Our professionals are familiar with this phenomenon and have the skills and equipment to solve the water damage issues it causes.
The SERVPRO of Kendall County crew views the exterior of your home but knows that water does not always appear where expected. We inspect the attic or upper floor living areas for signs of water damage. This inspection can include visual review, looking for bubbling pain, bulging ceiling tiles, and staining on walls. We also use state-of-the-art moisture meters, and infrared scanners as water can collect between studs, soak insulation, and pool on ceilings and subflooring. Temperature differential often gives away lurking water.
Because water does tend to run down, we also travel to other levels of the home to look for more damage. It is not uncommon for water to move a story or more down and soak into woodwork around windows, drywall, baseboards, or hardwood flooring. The SERVPRO crew assigned to your job has been trained in strategies to resolve all of these water damage scenarios. This team has the equipment available to remove the water and dry out the building structure and fixtures.
SERVPRO of Kendall County extracts any standing water and then determines how to reach water behind baseboards or in walls. Special equipment comes into play to reduce the moisture. We use innovations like the inject dry system, where warm dry air is introduced via a series of tubes inserted in holes drilled into the base of a wall preventing a wall cavity of lingering water. Floor mats pull water from hardwood, and dehumidifiers and air movers create a balance to reduce both humidity and residual moisture in building materials.
SERVPRO of Kendall County
630-554-2280
SERVPRO Can Quickly Dry Out Your Water Damaged Home to Prevent Further Damage from happening.
SERVPRO of Kendall County draws out moisture under carpets and replaces carpet pads to reduce the risk of delamination and mold from forming.
The current storm season in Oswego area has hit our area with massive amounts of rainwater. Despite the millions of gallons of water that have fallen out of the sky, it is the hundreds of gallons from failed appliances leaky pipes and failed sump pumps that cause the majority of damage to homes.
Water damage to Oswego homes primarily affects the carpets and floors. SERVPRO technicians train to remove any standing water, draw it out of surfaces, and take quick drying action to prevent secondary damage.
We start with removing water. Depending on the depth, we begin with commercial grade pumps to draw out the majority of it and then switch to water extraction wands. These two devices help us to not only get the water out but to draw moisture out of carpets and floorboards carefully.
Drawing out moisture helps lower the risk of delamination in carpets. It happens when the water softens the adhesive in the carpet which causes the layers to separate. That allows bubbles to form between the layers and carpet fibers to loosen and pull away when vacuumed. The risk of delamination is why we remove the pad from underneath every carpet. It is a source of water that soaks every inch of a carpet it touches.
Floorboards absorb standing water, and even pressure treated wood can start to twist and buckle after a single day under just an inch of it. The extraction wands allow SERVPRO restoration specialists to pull water from between the individual floorboards, reducing that risk of damage. Quickly removing the water also helps reduce the chance of mold infestation in floors, carpets and drywall.
To speed along the drying process, we use air movers to force warm, dry air over and under the carpets and floors. Our specialists can adjust both the temperature and speed of the airflow to dry out both types of flooring without splintering the wood or heating carpet adhesive too quickly and forming air pockets. Mold spores cannot expand and grow without a source of moisture, so this technique will help prevent any further damage.
If you have a leaking refrigerator, out dated sump pump, or a split water line leading to your clothes washer, SERVPRO of Kendall County is here to help you restore your home to its original, dry condition.
Call us at 630-554-2280 today to schedule a visit.
The process begins by using patented equipment including a roto-scraper, which automatically adapts to the duct's shape in diameter while traveling through the duct, removing debris and filth before vacuuming begins.
Next, a powerful push-pull air delivery and collection system transfers the debris from the ducting to a 16-gallon container.
Air is filtered through a HEPA filtration system, removing 99.97 percent of particles in the airstream. HEPA filters capture debris and keep the environment clean.
As an optional process, a sealant or coating product may be sprayed to address odor to microbial concerns.
Filters will either be cleaned or replaced to remove odor and dirt.
Duct cleaning may not always be necessary. SERVPRO of Kendall County will inspect your HVAC system and duct work and make recommendations about the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns. This inspection can save you money and provide peace of mind on the health of your HVAC system and duct work.
Smoke damaged contents from a Kitchen fire in Oswego
When it comes to cleaning smoked-damaged contents after a residential or commercial fire here in Kendall County, the variety of contents in a typical job requires restorers to utilize a variety of cleaning methods.
Here is a quick description of each method of content cleaning:
Dry Cleaning - Removes light to medium nongrease-based soils.
Wet Cleaning - Removes moderate to heavy residues. The process involves cleaning using water, with or without a cleaning agent.
Spray and Wipe - Apply a cleaning product using a spray bottle. After spraying, wipe the surface with a clean white towel. This method is effective for materials possibly damaged if saturated with cleaning product.
Foam Cleaning - Effective for light residues or delicate materials. Clean with the foam of a cleaning agent rather than the liquid
Abrasive Cleaning - Agitates the surface being cleaned. Apply a cleaning product containing abrasive ingredients
Immersion Cleaning - Dipping contents items into a bath of cleaning product. This bath is an ultrasonic tank filled with water and cleaning solution. High-frequency sound waves then create high temperatures and microscopic jet streams of fluid to agitate and scrub contents.
SERVPRO recommends that you DO NOT attempt to clean smoke-damaged surfaces or contents yourself, and call the professionals here at SERVPRO of Kendall County. Our office number is (630)554-2280.
Mold has been around forever because mold is a naturally occurring microscopic fungi that can be found almost anywhere. However, you don't want it in your home or business. SERVPRO of Kendall County is your local certified Mold Remediation company.
Here are a few key years regarding the history of mold awareness.
2001 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidelines for Schools and Commercial Buildings (www.epa.gov)
2003 OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin
2003 IICRC Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation (S520) (www.IICRC.org/s520info.shtml )
2006 National Indoor Mold Society is formed (http://afamerica.com/nims/)
2008 IICRC Standard and Reference Guide (S520) 2nd Edition is released
2009 EPA Designates September as National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month
Litigation Prior to 1993 Was Limited:
Initial cases were:
Landlord-tenant
Faulty construction
Lawsuits are in state and federal court
Regulatory Organizations such as State Health Agencies, State Attorney Generals and the outcome of litigation are defining the future of how we conduct mold mitigation and remediation and how mold liability is handled.
SERVPRO of Kendall requires that our technicians become certified through the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). The IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation.
Call SERVPRO of Kendall County today for any and all mold questions or concerns. 630-554-2280
Emergency Ready Profile for your business here in Kendall County
Large Loss Response Team and Disaster Recovery Teams are SERVPRO's elite franchises placed throughout the country to respond Faster to Any Sized Disaster.
The best way to reduce business interruption following a disaster is to plan for it NOW.
As many as 50% of businesses may never recover following a disaster, according to the latest industry research. Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind.
By developing a SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.
Are You Ready?
Preparation is a key component for making it through any size disaster, whether it’s a small water leak, a large fire or an area flood. The best time for planning for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens. No one ever plans on a disaster, but you can plan for it. Now is the time to ask yourself, “Are you ready for whatever could happen?”
The SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile is a start up approach that provides the critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services. It is designed to serve as a quick reference of important building and contact information. By working with SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Profile, your business will receive the benefit of over 40 years of experience in reducing the impact of any natural or man-made disaster.
SERVPRO® is a leader in water and fire damage response and can help you quickly get your property back in working order.
The SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile is a no cost assessment of your facility. It provides:
A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency - a guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin. This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
Facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information. Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are “Ready for whatever happens.”
At SERVPRO of Kendall County - we are committed to partnering with our commercial clients to reduce business interruption in the event of any type of disaster. To this end - we also work very closely with the Red Cross - leveraging their resources and capabilities to supplement our own when disaster strikes.
Call us at 630-554-2280 to get started - it costs you nothing. Not making the call may be VERY costly. You can also visit our Website for more details.
With all the rain and snow, it’s very important to notice the signs of water damage and know what precautions to take to prevent it. Properties today are well built and insulated, however, they also have the unfortunate ability to trap excess moisture and condensation inside. Here are some tips for identifying problems before there is damage:
Signs to Recognize
Rust stains on the ceiling that appear around light fixtures.
Mildew along ceilings, walls and baseboard edges.
Condensation buildup along Windows and cold surfaces.
Musty odors.
Growth of mold and mildew in areas around your home.
Preventive Precautions
Keep proper circulation and ventilation throughout your home to avoid the buildup of condensation. Maintaining fixtures such as faucets and toilets is a great way to prevent leakage and dripping. To control humidity in your home, invest in a portable dehumidifier and keep it in areas such as the basement where it may be very damp. Storm windows are a great investment, as well, to keep condensation from building up on windows.
Other Signs
Listen up for any hissing sounds because this could possibly mean a leak in the water line. Check periodically around the water heater, under sinks, and behind clothes washers for signs of leaking. These places are usually hard-to-reach and are often forgotten about. The filter and ice maker lines to your refrigerator should also be monitored.
Discolored floor coverings usually indicate a sign of a leak. Loose or damaged plumbing fixtures are usually the causes of water stains and wetness. The wax ring at the base of the toilet may deteriorate because of moisture, but this can be easily replaced.
If you find any of these signs in your home, don’t hesitate to call SERVPRO of Kendall County. We will eliminate any water damage within your home and make it look, "Like it never even happened.” For more information about cleaning up water damage in your Yorkville home, please reach out to our office 630-554-2280
Whether your business is a small retail store or a multi-building campus of buildings, SERVPRO of Kendall County has the expertise and the equipment to handle any fire, water, or mold emergency in Oswego land area.
Commercial Water Damage
Water damage can happen in many ways. In apartment complexes, there could be an overflowing bathtub or toilet that causes damage in the complex. A frozen pipe in a warehouse could burst and cause extensive damage. A burst pipe or a leaking roof in a manufacturing plant can shut down the production line causing huge losses. When any of these events happens, it’s important to call water damage professionals immediately in order to alleviate the damage. When hiring a water damage cleanup company, it’s important to make sure they have the expertise and equipment to such a large job.
Commercial Fire Damage
Even the smallest of fires can result in extensive damage to a building. While the fire itself can be isolated and extinguished quickly, the culprit of most damage after a fire is the smoke. Smoke can get into the duct work and quickly spread throughout the building. With fire and smoke damage, it’s important to hire fire restoration professionals that can quickly restore your business, your warehouse, your facility, or your residential complex.
Commercial Mold Remediation
Mold is the result of a moisture problem that has usually been neglected. This can be the result of a leaky pipe that is hidden behind a wall or in a ceiling. Mold can also grow quickly when there has been water damage from the contaminated water like a broken sewer pipe or flooding from a nearby river or stream. Contaminated water, also known as gray water or black water, can quickly promote mold growth in less than 24 hours. If not treated, it can quickly grow and cause not only property damage but potential health risks among inhabitants.
Commercial Storm Damage Cleanup
Storms can cause all types of damage to a building. They can cause flooding from rising rivers. They cause water leaks from damaged roofs. They can cause fires from lightning strikes. Tornadoes and high winds can break windows, tear down walls, rip off roofs, and in the worst cases they can level the entire building. A professional fire and water restoration company has the equipment, experience, and knowledge to handle any type of storm damage.
Damage to a business can come in many forms. From fire to flooding to water damage to storm damage and everything in between, SERVPRO of Kendall County has the experience, equipment, and expertise to make it like it never happened. Whether you have a small store or a multi-building complex, call the commercial restoration, remediation, and cleaning experts at SERVPRO of Kendall County at 630-554-2280.
When Storms or Floods hit Kendall County & Streamwood, Bartlett and West Chicago , SERVPRO is ready!
Our highly trained crews are ready to respond 24/7 to storm or flood damage in Kendall County & Streamwood, Bartlett and West Chicago .
SERVPRO of Kendall County & Streamwood, Bartlett and West Chicago specializes in storm and flood damage restoration. Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.
Faster Response
Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.
Resources to Handle Floods and Storms
When storms hit Kendall County & Streamwood, Bartlett and West Chicago, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today
Kendall County 630-554-2280
Streamwood, Bartlett and West Chicago 630-562-9212
SERVPRO of Kendall County is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.
We Answer the Phone Ready to Help Call Today - 630-554-2280
We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Kendall County has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.
What to Expect
When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.
Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:
Your name and contact information
Your insurance information (if applicable)
The street address of the water-damaged home or business
When did the flooding or water damage occur?
What caused the water damage (if known)?
Is there electricity available (on-site)?
About SERVPRO of Kendall County
SERVPRO of Kendall County 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. 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.
SERVPRO of Kendall County - 5 Star Rating - Fire Victim
Its been a little over 2 weeks since our fire. I dont know what we would do without Steve and his entire team!! From day 1, we havent been alone. They have been here every step of the way! They are a company with so much integrity. Everyone that we have met thus far have touched our hearts in so many ways!! Its not just a job for these people, they All truly care!! Its never what we cant do, its what we can do!!! There is not a day that goes by without a story I tell friends or family about our SERVPRO Team!! They dont miss a beat!!
24/7 Emergency Service
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