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.

FACT.

Even a small fire can cause odors in your home for years to come. 

Any fire in your home is bad. But when you try to clean it up yourself, it can be a disaster. Especially considering that smoke and soot from even a small fire can cause odors that may resurface for years. So, before you risk doing more damage by attempting to clean it up yourself, call us, your local fire, smoke and soot cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO.

Photo Credit: http://nocleaning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/32047941.jpg

Smoke 101

Fire damages are complex due to the unique nature of different types of smoke. Some things you may not know about smoke.

-Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.

-Smoke flows around plumbing systems, using holes around pipes to go from floor to floor.

-They type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

-Once at a fire scene, a SERVPRO Professional tests the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred.

Types of Smoke:

Wet Smoke Residues: result from smoldering fires with low heat. Residues are sticky and smeary with a pungent odor. Smoke webs can be difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke Residues: result from fast burning fires at high temperatures. Residues are normally dry, powdery, small, nonsmeary smoke particles.

Protein Residues: are virtually invisible residues that discolor paints and varnishes. They have an extreme pungent odor.

Fuel Oil Soot:  occur when furnances puff back, distributing fuel oil soot.

Other Types of Residue: include tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residues, all requiring cleanup. 

For more information: http://www.servprolexingtonsc.com/fire-smoke-damage-restoration

-Denea Duran

Photo Credit: Google Image

What we can do for YOU

So you know that SERVPRO does “fire and water cleanup and restoration,” but do you know what that entails? Don’t miss out on all that we can do for you.

Restoration:

-Fire, Smoke and Soot

-Water Removal and Dehumidication

-Mold Mitigation and Remediation

-Catastrophic Storm Response

-Move out sand Contents Restoration     

-Electronics and Equipment

-Document Drying

-Contents Claim Inventory Service

Cleaning:

-Air Ducts and HVAC

-Biohazzard, Crime Scene and Vandalism

-Carpet, Upholstery, Drapes and Blinds

-Ceilings, Walls and Hard Floors

-Odor Identification

-Deodorization

We’re here to serve you and make it like it never even happened.

Give us a call: (803)755-9774

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

-Denea Duran 

Who will pick up the pieces?

The leading causes of fire in a home include

• Cooking
• Heating Units
• Electrical
• Smoking

No matter how the fire started a rush of emotions and feelings of panic seem to follow. After calling the Fire Department to put out the fire, who do you call to help you clean up the damage caused by the fire?

Servpro of Cayce/ West Columbia are trained in the cleanup and care of your home and personal belongings following a fire incident. Before attempting to clean up the fire damage yourself, contact us 803-755-9774


-Denea Duran

Photo Credit: Google Image

Limiting Fire Damage

Although kitchen fires generally begin on the stove, the damage can affect the entire kitchen, from the walls to the ceilings and the air ducts to the appliances. Once the fire is out, you may be overwhelmed or devastated by the smoke and soot damage.

First, contact your local SERVPRO (Heyo! 803-755-9774) Franchise Professional. Then, follow these steps to help prevent further damage:

• Limit movement to prevent further damage.


• Place clean towels or old linens on carpeted traffic areas to prevent additional soiling.


• It electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.


• Clean and protect chrome on kitchen and bathroom faucets and appliances with a light coating of petroleum jelly.

Here at SERVPRO, we are trained in the cleanup and care of your customers' homes and personal belongings following a fire incident. Before you attempt to clean up the fire damage yourself, give us a call.

Sandy Hayden

Photo Credit: http://blog.tvfr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Kearney-Kitchen-Fire-300x225.jpg

The Right Stuff

Yesterday we talked about mold cleanup and the overwhelming importance of calling a professional. This is mainly because professional equipment does far more extensive cleanup than is possible with household products. We understand that our equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing claims loss expense. When time matters, the right technology and equipment are vital. So not only do we answer your call with fast action and trained, uniformed personnel, but also with the right equipment for the job!

When it comes to fire damage, we train our teams thorougly. For instance, knowing the different types of smoke and their behavior patterns are vital to proper restoration.

Wet Smoke -- Plastics and Synthetics; Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary.
Dry Smoke -- Paper and Wood; Fast burning, high temperatures, dry, powdery, nonsmeary residues.
Protein -- Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.
Fuel Oil Soot -- Furnace Puff Backs
Other Types -- Tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residue.

Pretesting determines the proper cleaning method and allows us to focus on saving your precious items (what really matters).

Two amazing pieces of deodorization equipment include ultra low volume (ULV) foggers and thermal foggers. ULV foggers will atomize liquid deodorizing agents, producing a fine mist that easily penetrates sites where odor-causing residues accumulate. The device can also be used to apply fungicides and disinfectants. Thermal foggers dispense solvent-based products in large volume, dense fogs suitable for confined areas. The fog consists of tiny particles of deodorant solution that pair with and neutralize odor-causing particles.

We've got the right stuff.

Sandy Hayden

Fact:

Even a small fire can cause odors in your home for years to come. Any fire in your home is bad. But when you try to clean it up yourself, it can be a disaster. Especially considering that smoke and soot from even a small fire can cause odors that may resurface for years. So, before you risk doing more damage by attempting to clean it up yourself, call us, your local fire, smoke and soot cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO.

Photo Credit: http://nocleaning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/32047941.jpg

Talking Business: Damage Lingers Even When Smoke Clears

Let's talk business. In the corporate world, office downtime can mean bad news for a company. Especially following a devastating fire, the days and weeks that a company's doors are shut mean money lost that may not be recouped. In addition to the loss in productivity, it is not hard to imagine what could become of millions of dollars of computers and other office equipment, having been enveloped in smoke and doused in water.

Expensive electronic equipment is not the only thing damaged when exposed to water and smoke. Conference rooms, tables, chairs, carpeted floors, art, lamps and other employee possessions are among the many office components at risk for fire and water damage. In fact, a fire can and sometimes does mean an untimely end to a once successful business. These critical moments require immediate attention from specialists trained in fire and water restoration. Fast response time can be step one in the eventual recovery of a business.

When we get a call from a business owner who has experienced a fire, we know they are experiencing a whirlwind of fear, frustration and anxiety, which is why we get on site as fast as we can to assess the damage and get to work. SERVPRO is a nationally franchised professional fire and water cleanup and restoration company in Greater Columbia. We also provide professional pack-outs, relocating any damaged documents or equipment to a cleaner environment so they can be restored to preloss condition.

Restoration companies trained in this type of cleanup must also be familiar with the inner workings of the insurance industry. SERVPRO works with agents and adjusters to quickly settle claims and achieve high customer satisfaction. The work that we do to restore equipment and materials, as opposed to replacing them, saves the insurance industry a lot of money each year.

Few companies are able to efficiently get in there and clean electronics after a fire. We happen to be one of them. There are a series of steps we take to ensure that electronics and important documents are properly cleaned and restored. Of course, we can also professional clean the carpets and other saturated items. Chairs may not be expensive compared to computers, but if you have 100 chairs that are soaking wet, the cost of replacement can be quite high. When customers see our green trucks on site, they can rest assured that "green means clean."

*Photo credit: http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/POD/p/pines-fire-blair-444449-xl.jpg

Sandy Hayden

Oil Fires: From Unattended Bacon to Explosive Fireballs

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQQtswe-a7s?hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=349]

Water, being heavier than oil, sinks to the bottom of a pan of grease where it heats to dangerous temperatures instantly. The explosive force of the steam blows the burning oil out of the pan. This can result in fireballs launching even thirty feet up in the air. Sugar and flour are other dangers to oil fires, as one cup of either creates the explosive force of two sticks of dynamite.

Know Your Smoke 101

Fire damages are complex due to the unique nature of different types of smoke. Some things you may not know about smoke:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.


• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, using holes around pipes to go from floor to floor.


• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Once at a fire scene, a SERVPRO Professional tests the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred.

Types of Smoke:

• Wet Smoke Residues result from smoldering fires with low heat. Residues are sticky and smeary with a pungent odor. Smoke webs can be difficult to clean.


• Dry Smoke Residues result from fast burning fires at high temperatures. Residues are normally dry, powdery, small, nonsmeary smoke particles.


• Protein Residues are virtually invisible residues that discolor paints and varnishes. They have an extreme pungent odor.


• Fuel Oil Soot occur when furnaces puff back, distributing fuel oil soot.


• Other Types of Residue include tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residues, all requiring cleanup.