Home Emergency Tips

Here at SERVPRO we clean and restore fire and water damage, but our desire is that you never need to call us.

Harmful Waste (Sewage, Bloodborne Pathogens, Etc.)

Here are some home emergency tips:

Do:

-Stay out of affected areas

-Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life threatening.

-Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated

-Turn off the HVAC system if there is sewage damage.

Don’t:

-Attempt cleanup of any kind

-Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids.

-Eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or handle contact lenses in affected areas.

*If exposed to harmful waste, OSHA recommends a post- exposure medical evaluation. Consult your local health department or physician.

How Prepared Are You?

How prepared are you for a disaster to strike?

A well equipped disaster supply kit should include, but is not limited the following items:

-Water: 1 gallon per person daily

-Food: 3 to 7 day’s worth of non-perishable or canned food and manual can-opener.

-Bedding: Blankets and pillows

-Clothing: Although the outside temperature may be warm, you may be working and cleaning. To help protect your skin, include pants and long-sleeve shirts

-First aid kit: In the very least, include sanitizers and bandages.

-Cash: Keep some cash and small bills in your supply kit in case 

For more information, visit http://www.servprolexingtonsc.com/disaster-recovery-team

Home Maintenance Checklist

There are tons of ways that you can keep your clean and safe and your SERVPRO team is here to give you tips on how to do so!

Weekly, you can:

1. Vacuum your carpet. (Rule of thumb: vacuum once per week per human inhabitant, twice per pet).
2. Feel plugs/ outlets for warmth. Call electrician if anything appears unusual.

Monthly, you can:

1. Change air filters (if there are no pets, smoking inside the home, or inhabitants with allergies, you may change them quarterly at a MINIMUM).
2. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms by pushing ‘test’ button.
3. Check faucet and hose connections under sinks and toilets and behind laundry equipment and refrigerator.
4. Look for leaks at shut-off valves.
5. Check walls and ceilings for brown spots. Check painted surfaces for peeling, chipping or blistering. This can be indicative of water damage.
6. Clean dust from molding and baseboards to preserve value.

Quarterly, you can:

1. Check inside basement walls for dampness or water stains.
2. Check to make sure crawl space vapor barrier is in good condition and placed correctly.
3. Examine outside vents and gutters. Make sure properly sealed and clear of obstruction. Recheck vents during and after a snowstorm.
4. Check condition of caulking around sinks, bathtubs, and showers. For extra protection, replace with long-lasting material such as silicone or latex.
5. Clean dirt and dust from around furnaces, air grills and ducts.
6. Have dryer vent cleaned by professional or remove lent with leaf blower to prevent clogging or fire damage. Check vent if clothes aren’t drying properly.

Bi-Annually, you can:

1. Have carpet cleaned by professional cleaner to preserve fabric or warranty.
2. Practice fire escape plan with family. Identify off-site meeting location/shelter.
3. Pull back floor insulation in basement or crawl space to check for leaks, wood damage around supply pipes.

Annually, you can:

1. Change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Clean detectors/vacuum each grill.
2. Have property inspected and treated for termites by professional technician.
3. Check roof for damaged shingles and flashing.
4. Replace washer/dryer and refrigerator hoses (steel braided hoses are recommended).
5. Have AC unit serviced by professional technician. Condensation drain lines need to be checked for clogging to prevent water damage.
6. Have fireplace inspected and cleaned by professional chimney sweeper.
7. Drain garden hoses and store for winter.

Long Term Reminders:

1. Every 5 years, have ducts cleaned by professional technician.
2. Every 25 years, replace roof shingles.

More general safety tips include:

•  Store emergency contact information (police, fire dept., hospital, etc.) in physical and digital locations. Free apps are available as a resource (see servpro.com/ready).
• Keep rescue ladder(s) for multi-story homes.
• Keep fire extinguisher in kitchen and on every floor. Have all house dwellers practice use.
• Plug a rechargeable flashlight into socket close to bed. May also be used to signal first responders.
• Trim back branches from roof and chimney to prevent fire or structural damage.
• Regularly clean fireplace ash pit.
• Never burn green wood. Burn only dry, well-seasoned hard wood that has been split properly.
• Use dryer sheets when drying clothes to reduce spontaneous combustion. Let clothes cool off before transferring.
• If a rotten-egg type smell is detected, check pipes for possible gas leak.
• Set water heaters no higher than 120 degrees. Keep combustible and flammable material away from heater.
• Consider a sprinkler system in home to prevent fire damage.
• Never plug more than one high wattage appliance in single outlet.
• Keep carpet stretched and healthy to prevent tripping on wrinkles. If wrinkled, check for delamination by pulling carpet back from corner of room. Delaminated carpet is not repairable and must be replaced.

In case of water damage, you should know what to do and what not to do until help arrives. SERVPRO’s got your back. Here are our tips:

DO:

• Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source.
• When access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock, turn off circuit breakers in wet areas of the building.
• Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushion for even drying.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Any painting, art object, computers, document and other material that are valuable or sensitive to moisture should be relocated to a safe, dry place.
• Use wooden clothespins to keep furniture skirting off damp floors.
• Hang draperies with coated hangers to avoid contact with wet carpeting or floors.
• Hang furs and leather good to dry separately at room temperature.

DON’T:

• Enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist.
• Enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards.
• Leave books, newspapers, magazines or other colored items on wet carpet or floors to cause staining.
• Leave oriental rugs or other colored rugs on wet wall-to-wall carpets to cause staining.
• Use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner.
• Use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially not on wet concrete floors.
• Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet.
• Enter rooms where ceiling is sagging from retained water.

Let's Talk Lightning

Photo Credit: http://cosmicconvergence.org/?p=1109

Some people think lightning never strikes the same place twice. However, lightning often strikes the same place twice. Reportedly, the Empire State building is struck nearly 25 times a year. It is also believed that lightning only poses a threat when it’s cloudy or raining. The truth is lighting often strike more than three miles outside of a storm and has been known to travel as far as 10-15 miles before striking the ground. Many people are confused by the term “heat lightning” and think it occurs as the result of a very hot summer day. The term “heat lightning” is used to describe lightning from a thunderstorm too far away to be heard. 

For more information, visit http://www.servprolexingtonsc.com/

Educating Kids About Fire

Photo Credit: http://servprograndjunction.blogspot.com/

Have you educated your kids about fire safety? Do you know how to talk about fire safety with your kids? Here are a few tips.

-Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet.

-Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters.

-Develop a home fire escape plan. Practice it with your children and designate a meeting place outside.

-Supervise young children closely. Do not leave them alone even for short periods of time.

-Take the mystery out of fire by teaching children that fire is a tool, not a toy.

-Teach children the nature of fire. It is FAST, HOT, DARK and DEADLY!

-Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.

-Show children how to crawl low on the floor, below the smoke, to get out of the house and stay out in the case of fire.

-Teach children not to hide from firefighters, but to get out quickly and call for help.