We Have the Solutions!

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry has the unique ability to help property owners in a variety of ways. Disasters come in many shapes and sizes. With over three decades of experience we have seen most everything. We cannot say everything because even in the decades of helping our neighbors in the Orlando, FL Area, we still see new things. But here are a few disasters we commonly take care of.

Water Damage – We see water damages from all kinds of sources. Busted pipes, malfunctioning appliances, human accidents or neglect, and ground flooding to name a few common sources. No matter the cause, or the epic story that explains it, we have a solution to return you to normal “Like it never even happened.”

Fire and Smoke Restoration – A fire can be very a huge inconvenience but it is not the end of the world. Many times, you would be surprised at how much of your personal property can be restored. We specialize in cleaning and deodorizing anything from family heirlooms, documents, to the very walls in your home or business.

Mold Remediation – With naturally high levels of humidity in the area of the country we live in mold can be an issue if a water intrusion is not properly taken care of. 

Bio Hazard Clean Up – This area of our work is not enjoyable to talk about but many times it is necessary. We have the training and experience to properly clean up any area they may have the threat of blood born pathogens being present. These cases include trauma and crime scene clean up.

These are by no means the only services we offer. Frankly, whatever mankind or mother nature can throw at a structure, we can more than likely assist in the restoration.

Is it Important to Properly Clean Up After Flood Damage?

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding may occur after a storm, heavy rain or hurricane, and after the floodwaters receded, your home could be inhabitable. Flood Water often passes through streets and yards where it can pick up mud, bacteria, and chemical toxins among other contaminants. It can also disrupt sewer systems. 

Flood-damaged homes pose a health threat to the residents because microbes pollute the environment, contaminating the water or air. After your home has suffered flood damage, SERVPRO remediation specialists can help you clean up and disinfect your property to kill microbes and prevent their development. We can arrive at your property quickly after receiving your call to assess the ruined areas and start the cleanup and remediation process. 

When dealing with flood damage, our goal is to first extract the water and dry the home. Once this is complete, we take steps to decontaminate and sanitize your home and possessions using EPA-approved products. We can use antibacterial, disinfectant, or antibacterial treatments depending on the scenario. Antimicrobial treatments destroy and inhibit the growth of fungi and bacteria while disinfectants kill disease-causing microorganisms. We take precautions when applying these treatments and use them according to the directions for the most effective and safest results. 

If sewage has contaminated a home, we apply biocides twice. We apply the first treatment before the remediation work begins to protect our crews during the cleanup process. The first treatment decontaminates surfaces and materials, but it does not disinfect the environment completely. Our SERVPRO remediation specialists apply the second treatment after cleaning to lessen exposure that could present health problems. 

Microbes can get worse if you allow a water damage intrusion to dwell. If porous materials like mattresses, rugs, vinyl flooring and upholstered furniture remain submerged in water for over 24 hours, replacing them is the ideal solution. Some factors that determine how fast a situation deteriorates include the amount of water that has intruded a structure and the humidity and temperature within the environment. Responding quickly to water damage helps prevent further destruction and mold growth. 

When your home has sustained flood damage, call SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry at 407-388-0404 to properly clean and treat all affected areas. We have the credentials and expertise to handle your cleanup needs. 

What To Look For After The Storm Is Long Gone

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

We are all familiar with storm damage and the affects it can have on our homes and community. Once a storm passes we all assess the damage and then get to work on fixing what we can see.  Maybe there are Some missing shingles, some slight water intrusion from windows, or a couple of new cracks in the stucco.  You thought that you had it all cleaned up but now you are starting to smell something funny. Here are a few things to look for that will help you decided if you have an area that needs to be investigated further by a professional.

• Musty smell-many people report this after there has been a water intrusion in their home or business. If it goes away in a couple days, then it probably isn’t a big issue. If you notice that the smell lingers, and is even a bit stronger in a specific area, this would be a cause for further investigation.
• Water marks that seem to have come out of nowhere. This could be a sign that the area you thought was dry, is actually still wet. Modern building materials can hold water in them for longer periods of time, making it harder to find right away.
• Bulging floors, buckling floors, “squishy” floors, these are all signs of a water intrusion issue. Many times, when your floor is showing those signs, there will be other areas affected also.
• Drywall that is crumbling or bulging. This can be a sign that the drywall was wet at one point, or still is, and that it needs to be checked further.

These are three simple things, but added together they can be a sign that there might be mold growth or even some areas that need proper drying. If you’ve noticed that your home or business is being affected by these or similar things, feel free to give us a call to discuss them. Our team is available to answer questions for you or schedule an inspection. You can reach us at 407-388-0404. 

What is all this equipment for?

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

You just called SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry. A disaster has struck you and your home or office. The crews from SERVPRO are on their way to mitigate the disaster. They show up in the big green trucks and in moments are assessing the damage to your property. Popping open the back of the truck they start to unload equipment, but what are they unloading? Why is it important? Here’s a list of the usual things you’ll see brought into a property once the team starts to work.

• Air Mover and/or Axial Fan: Professional grade air movers and axial fans produce more air movement than a standard household fan. The higher volume of air being moved increases the rate of evaporation, helping to dry the structure as quickly as possible.
• Dehumidifier: A dehumidifier removes water vapor from the air by condensing it out against refrigerated fins. The water is stored and then periodically purged from the machine by use of plastic tubing. The tubing will generally be run so that it dumps water down a drain, such as a bath tub or sink, or sometimes out a window or door. Professional dehumidifiers pull much more vapor from the air than a household dehumidifier. In this way they are generally more efficient.
• Air Scrubber: An air scrubber might be used if your loss is a result of water classified as grey or black, which means that it came from a contaminated source or through building materials. These machines remove airborne particulates by trapping them in HEPA filters. Air Scrubbers are also used in cases where a customer has a health condition that requires the air quality be monitored.
• Specialty Drying Equipment: There are a variety of different tools available to our technicians for use in specialty circumstances. For instance, a floor drying mat system allows the technician to create a vacuum system for removing moisture from hardwood floors, in order to try to dry them in place. This helps the floor dry faster, and generally gives us a better chance of saving the hardwood flooring.

There are of course many other tools you may well see if the situation requires them. The onsite SERVPRO technicians can and will explain any of the tools they use for the job. So when in doubt ask them!

Certified SERVPRO Clean-What it Means for Your Business

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

It has been a long 2 years. 2020 brought fear and uncertainty. 2021 hasn’t been much better. Many have lost people they loved to the COVID-19 virus. Restrictions were put into place for the protection of the public. This meant business closures at first. Then working from home and grocery pick up became the norm for many of us, followed by mask mandates when in public in many states. Our lives changed collectively.

Some companies are still allowing employees to work from home while others need to have their staff back in the office. What can you do to give your employees and yourself peace of mind? What about your customers? If your business is open to the public, how can you ensure that it stays clean?

SERVPRO offers a service called Certified SERVPRO Clean. Each franchise, including SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry, offers this service. This type of service is a proactive viral pathogen cleaning. We will utilize multiple methods of cleaning to ensure every surface, nook, and cranny are clean, sanitized, and disinfected. When the service is complete you will receive a window decal that will show the date the building was last sanitized and disinfected. We are proud to offer this service to our communities. Together we will stay strong!

Commercial Fire-Be Prepared!

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

Commercial buildings have come a long way in fire safety in recent years. Thankfully many are equipped with sprinkler systems or other fire suppressant systems. Most also have multiple fire extinguishers on hand as well as fire exit plans posted. But do your employees know how these systems work? Here are a few tips to help ensure that your equipment is working correctly and that your staff knows what to do in case of fire emergency.

1. Fire Alarms. Fire Alarms should be checked regularly to confirm they are functioning properly. This is the first line of defense in an emergency. This alerts your staff and customers that they need to quickly exit the building.
2. Fire Extinguishers. Do you have enough fire extinguishers on hand? No employee should have to travel more than 75 feet to reach one. Do you your employees know where they are or how to use one? These are important safety measures to go over.
3. Emergency Exit Lights. Confirm that all of your emergency exit lights are correctly placed and are functioning. They should illuminate when main power is off. This helps people to find the exit quickly in the case of emergency when tensions are high and visibility may be lost. Exit signs should have a test button that you can use to regularly ensure that they are functioning correctly.
4. Fire Suppression Systems. Many commercial buildings have fire suppression systems in place. It is important that these be inspected regularly by a licensed inspector. Be sure that your staff understands how they work.

It is important to have a plan in place to prevent commercial fires, but it is equally important to have a plan in place in case something does happen. Here at SERVPRO we offer an Emergency Ready Plan, or ERP to all local businesses. This plan puts information you and your staff might need into one document that can be accessed by an app that you can load onto any device. This plan will note where all of your emergency shut-offs are as well as key personnel that needs to be notified. It also gives you quick access to our office so we can immediately begin to mitigate your loss and get your business back on track.

Fire Restoration: Expectation vs. Reality

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

A fire in your home or business is one of the most detrimental things that can happen. Safety is of course the top concern, followed by the realization that there is a big mess to clean up and belongings to catalog for your insurance company. This just adds to the stress and trauma of the event you’ve just lived through. Here at SERVPRO we are Here to Help.

When most people think of a fire damaged home we think of what is shown on the news, what the industry generally refers to as a total loss. The truth is that there are many smaller fires that happen daily. These fires are caught soon enough that the home or business isn’t a total loss, but there is a large amount of cleaning that needs to be done. The expectation is that with a little patience and elbow grease you can handle this yourself. In reality, most cleaning agents on the market are only going to make the mess bigger, smearing soot you didn’t even see at first.

SERVPRO fire restoration professionals are trained to handle these situations. Our team uses a step by step process to mitigate the damage caused by even the smallest fire along with special cleaning techniques that remove soot instead of smearing it. So, instead of adding more stress to your plate after a fire loss, give us a call.

Top 5 Causes of House Fires

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

When you were young your mom or dad probably told you not to touch the stove because it was hot. Maybe you ended up touching it at some point on accident, but for the most part you remembered that it was hot and would hurt you. You can probably think of many things like this that your parents taught you.

A big concern for most households is fire safety. This is something that many parents start to teach their children at an early age. As our children get older though, we may become less vigilant with some of these safety tips. Lets just review the top 5 causes of household fires as listed by the NFPA-National Fire Protection Agency.

1. Cooking. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, by an estimated 48% according to one source. Never leave cooking unattended.
2. Heating. Heating is the second leading cause of home fires and injuries and the third leading cause of fire related deaths. Fires caused by heating account for $1.1 BILLION in property damage per year.
3. Electrical. Electricity is such a part of our daily life that it is easy to forget its power. The NFPA recommends that all electrical work be completed by a licensed repair company to help reduce the risk of damage or fire.
4. Smoking. According to the NFPA smoking-cigarettes, pipes, and cigars-account for 17, 200 house fires in 2014.
5. Candles. Between 2014-2018 US Fire Departments reported that candle fires caused an estimated $278 Million in property damage.

Hopefully these reminders can help you all stay safe! If fire happens to strike your home SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry will be here to help you! Feel free to call our office at 407-388-0404 anytime.

Top Reasons for Using Your Local SERVPRO

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

Natural disasters can damage your home. It can lead a lot of stress. Hiring a home restoration service can handle problems. There are so many different types of natural disasters that affect this area and you need to hire for a restoration service such as SERVPRO of Apopka / Wekiva. 

1. FASTER WATER EXTRACTION

Professional Restoration Service Company extracts water fast because they handle professional equipment. With small team of water restoration experts, the water will be removed from your home on the same day. You won’t need a lot of time, effort and manpower.

2. REMOVING HEALTH EFFECTS

A Restoration Service Company will not just repairing the damage to your house. Service restoration expert will take care of preventing mold and moisture that compromise your health. Hiring a professional company is going to be your best bet when dealing with mold. This is because they have the tools and knowledge to handle this problem. They are licensed to use chemical products which will extract the existing mold and moisture from your walls and floors.

3. DRYING TIME CUT IN HALF

A major issue with water damage removal is a drying time. You might take several days or even weeks to properly dry your house if you choose to remove the water by yourself. A professional restoration service company will do this in a much less time because they have equipment and heaters that access even to the areas which cannot be easily reached.

4. LOW TOTAL COST

Hiring a professional service company will lower total damage costs because their teams are highly responsive to emergency calls. They will be able to come even before a major damage occurs. They will react fast and solve the damage from spreading around your house.

5. REDUCED RESTORATION COST

Aside from physical damage, water and fire can cause additional damage. If you do not have insurance, you will have to pay for the new furniture and structural repairing by yourself. Restoration services encompass removal, repair, restoration and remediation of damage; you won’t have to hire several different companies to repair the damage.

6. SAVING TIME

A professional restoration service company should be highly responsive to calls; in order to prevent the further damage, they will act instantly. This won’t just save you time, but it will minimize the potential damage and reduce costs.

If you are searching for a professional service company that is reliable you can trust and can guarantee you highest quality work, contact SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry, a trusted leader in restoration industry, it provides services to ensure that your home is fully restored. Trusting SERVPRO of Maitland-Casselberry to do the job is having your family safe at home again.

If you have water damage anywhere in your home you can count on us to help. You can contact us at any hour of the day to learn more about our services or to report damages.

How Water Damage Claims Work

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

Lets set a scenario and say that you're in your home in Maitland, FL and you've had a significant water damage. Multiple rooms are flooded, there is water coming out of your light fixtures downstairs, and then only thing you've been able to do it turn the water to stop the leak. What do you do next? Who do you call? 

The good news is that you've turned off the water, so you have started the process of mitigating your loss. The following are some steps you can take to prevent secondary damage from occurring to your belongings while you wait for SERVPRO to arrive.

• Call SERVPRO so that we can send a technician to your site immediately.
• Contact your insurance company (if you haven't already) to report the loss and notify them that you have contacted SERVPRO and that we are in-route.
• Begin removing excess water by mopping and blotting. You can use a wet vac to suction as much water as possible as well.
• Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks under furniture legs
• Hang furs and leather goods separately at room temperature
• Remove Oriental or other colored rugs from wet carpeting
• Do not use a household vacuum to remove water
• Do not turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet, and keep out of areas where ceilings are sagging from retained water
• Do not leave books, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpeting 

We our technicians arrive on site they will access the damages and being extracting water from porous surfaces. They will also place equipment and explain the drying process. If you have questions at any time during the process of drying your home or business, please call us at 407-388-0404.