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Being Prepared Before A Disaster Strikes

11/3/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO male and female workers Always be prepared before a Disaster Strikes

SERVPRO® franchises have been in business since 1967, meaning 50+ years of disaster recovery experience. In 50 years, over 2,000 franchises have been opened and run all over the United States and Canada. Each franchise is independently owned and operated, but still able to work as a team for large events. We are in your community, Here to Help!

SERVPRO can handle any size job from a small residential disaster to a large commercial facility. We have unlimited staff and resources to take care of the job quickly and efficiently. For commercial properties, we understand the need to limit business interruption after a disaster. Our staff can act quickly to ensure your business is back up and running. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies.

The restoration industry is governed by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) which identifies our standards we must on all cleaning & restoration projects. Our SERVPRO employees are certified as Water Restoration Technicians, Applied Structural Drying, Commercial Structural Drying, Fire Smoke Restoration Technicians, Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians, and several others through the IICRC. Our highly trained staff is Here to Help with any of your disaster recoveries needs to make it “Like it never even happened.” All onsite employees, as well as any subcontractors brought to a job, are all background checked prior to working with our SERVPRO Team.

SERVPRO’s Emergency Ready Profile (ERP)

SERVPRO offers an Emergency Ready Profile (ERPs) to commercial building owners. These profiles are a start-up approach that provides critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services. The program was developed to help commercial building owners be prepared before a disaster happens.  

Are you ready for whatever happens? Emergency disasters that interrupt businesses cause devastation. Did you know that about 50% of businesses close and never reopen due to a disaster? Of those businesses that did reopen, most of them had some type of response plan in place. Preparedness is key!

It is not always top of mind to plan for a disaster, but we can help you with that. Emergencies that damage your business will happen when you least expect them, so it is always better to be prepared. Having a plan in place expresses trust in your team members and employees. It provides reassurance to your customers & clients that you are prepared to minimize business interruption. Timing is everything!

Call your local SERVPRO to get an Emergency Ready Profile started. The profile can be completed at your pace with the assistance of one of our SERVPRO team members. It is completely up to you, the business owner, facilities manager, or property engineer to decide what important information you want or need on your profile. There is no cost for the profile, and it is a great value to your business. The profile is easily accessible through a mobile app (password protected) and can even be emailed over as a PDF!

Information that can be included in your ERP to make it helpful in case of a disaster strike includes, but is not limited to, building access information, employee and emergency contacts, utility contacts and shut-off locations, primary contact information, insurance contact information, property owner information, etc. You can decide how much information you would like to include within the app.  Pictures are also available to attach on tabs in the profile to have a visual of shut-off locations, PDFs of emergency action plans, or floor plans.  

Your Local Franchise

SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County has been in business for 22 years. We are locally owned and operated as a small business in the community. We want to ensure we take care of our customers with the utmost respect during the difficult times they may be facing with a disaster in their home or office.

Contact us today to learn more about our services. If you are interested in an Emergency Ready Profile for your business, contact our office, and a SERVPRO team member will call to set up a meeting to start the process.

SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County

847-516-1600

Using Containment to Reduce Mold Damage in Southern McHenry County

11/2/2023 (Permalink)

mold on wall Our SERVPRO technicians can remediate mold damage with advanced equipment and IICRC-Certified training in Southern McHenry County.

SERVPRO Mold Remediation Teams Can Cleanup Infestation

A mold is a form of fungi that grows in humid environments and indoor spaces. Sometimes, this microbial organism may develop in the rooms or structure of your home. Getting rid of infestation usually requires the assistance of professional remediators that have the know-how and expertise to strike at the source of the issue. 

SERVPRO has mold damage remediation technicians in Southern McHenry County. We have decades of experience helping residents and local business owners overcome potential microbial growth issues in their properties. Microbes rely on spores to reproduce, found in almost all environments on earth, including your home. Spores are a relatively benign feature that only becomes a problem when combined with moisture which allows them to grow and reproduce. Correcting a microbial infestation relies on discovering the source of the problem, which is usually a moisture issue. Our technicians are well-versed in the problems that cause moisture issues in a home environment. These are commonly due to structural exposure, for example, faulty roofing, insufficient insulation that leads to condensation issues, or leaking pipes. Using our training, we can rectify the source of the problem to prevent further infestation. 

Once the source of the problem is under control, our technicians can begin to reverse the damage. Depending on the scope of damages, the removal of infestation may involve chemical action, controlled demolition, or abrasive cleaning. A prime candidate for chemical action is when a microbial infestation visibly affects a surface, but the surface remains dry. A dry, moldy surface usually indicates that there was a one-time spillage or leak that allowed fungi to grow but has since dried. Technicians can apply a biocide or antimicrobial chemical directly onto the surface. After a few days, the chemical destroys the infestation, and any residual elements can be cleaned easily using detergents or other rinsing agents. 

Practices for Removing Microbial Growth

  • Chemical agents that destroy microbes include biocides like anti-microbial sprays like sanitizer. 
  • Controlled demolition involves removing an infested material such as drywall which is then replaced once an infestation is removed.
  • Abrasive action can involve corrosive chemical agents or abrasion tools such as sand and soda blasting machines. These remove the surface layers of the material itself along with the infestation. 

Our IICRC MRS-Certified remediation technicians can help identify and destroy mold damaged infested materials in your home. By carefully establishing containment protocols, we can not only remove the existing infestation but decrease the likelihood of it spreading to unaffected areas. A containment protocol is a system of checks and balances that prevents spores from spreading during remediation or removal of moldy materials. Spores are microscopic, which makes them easy to inadvertently spread on items of clothing, airways, or air conditioning systems. 

Setting up effective containment begins with the application of common-sense practices. Communicating areas of infestation and reducing foot traffic in those areas are an example of common sense containment practices. More advanced containment procedures can involve using physical barriers and sealing areas with non-porous sheeting. Furthermore, our technicians can take extra care to avoid spreading spores by removing hazmat suits when entering or exiting the affected spaces. 

Containment and Removal of Microbial Infestation

  • When demolishing mold damaged materials, it is vital to pack debris into double-sealed bags for disposal at the appropriate waste disposal facility. 
  • Negative air pressure machines can be used during demolition to capture airborne spores from the surrounding air. 
  • Replacing older filters on venting ducts and fans or temporarily sealing them can prevent the spread of spores through air conditioning systems.

Remediation can help you get rid of the infestation for good. Contact SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County for mold damage remediation at (847) 516-1600.

Tips for Staying Healthy as COVID-19 and Flu Season Converge

9/26/2023 (Permalink)

Flu season ahead The CDC continues to recommend a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged business owners and homeowners alike to find ways to live and work without exposing themselves or others to this highly contagious virus. Now, the approaching flu season is set to complicate that challenge even further. To help control the threat that the one-two punch of COVID-19 and the seasonal flu presents, SERVPRO® of Southern McHenry County urges everyone to be extra vigilant about following cleaning and disinfecting protocols this year.   

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believe both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu spread primarily by droplets made when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk. While not as frequent, it is also believed adults and children can contract COVID-19 or the flu by touching a surface or an object that has virus particles on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. The CDC continues to recommend a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses, but experts also emphasize the importance of cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily to help mitigate the potential spread from contaminated surfaces. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.  

To limit exposure and control the spread of these double threats, SERVPRO® recommends you wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol, keep your hands away from your face, and wear a mask to protect others. For effective daily, routine cleaning at home or at work, we recommend first removing surface grime and dirt with soap and water, then following up with a disinfectant. It is easier to feel comfortable about limiting exposure at home where you can control how clean your surroundings are. It is more difficult out in public; but this year especially, it is important to be aware of the space you are in. You need to learn to recognize spaces where cleaning is – or is not – a priority so you can adjust your behavior accordingly.  

For those home and business owners who have specialized cleaning requirements or who simply want the peace of mind that a professional cleaning service can offer in this stressful time, SERVPRO® of Southern McHenry County can help. While we remain a leader in disaster cleanup and remediation situations, we also provide that same ‘deeper level of clean’ for everyday residential and commercial cleaning. In addition, SERVPRO® offers their "Certified: SERVPRO® Cleaned" program, developed for businesses in response to the pandemic. The high level of confidence that a professionally cleaned space provides offers welcome reassurance to patrons as the flu season intersects with COVID-19.  

SERVPRO® specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup, and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO® of Southern McHenry County please call 847-516-1600.

Structural Drying

9/26/2023 (Permalink)

duct work There is never a convenient time for flooding or storm damage to strike your business.

Storms and inclement weather can be devastating to any business. Wind damage, heavy rain, and flooding can occur suddenly and cause substantial damage in a matter of minutes. There is never a convenient time for flooding or storm damage to strike your business. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So, when an emergency situation arises in your business, SERVPRO® of Southern McHenry County will be there fast with the help you need.  

Time is Money  

As a leader in water damage restoration, we know fast mitigation is the key to limiting business interruption. With an unmatched national footprint of over 1,800 franchises, SERVPRO®’s Disaster Recovery Team can provide trained crews faster to any size disaster and can be on-site within a few hours to help reduce the future damage that water can cause. We have the right equipment, procedures, and training to help ensure the structure is dry the first time, saving you time and money.  

Specific Tasks to Include:  

  • Containment of damaged areas to reduce in-flow of water.  
  • Shrink-wrapping of structures to control inflow of mixture.  
  • Water Extraction – to remove excess water from a structure.  
  • Moisture Mapping – to determine impacted areas of a structure.  
  • Selective Demolition – to remove wet building materials that cannot be economically dried in place.  
  • Containment – to ensure potential contaminants do not spread.  
  • Evaporation Enhancement – to remove moisture content from building materials.  
  • Dehumidification – to remove excess water vapor from the structure.  
  • Temperature Control – to assist in dehumidification and to prevent the onset of mold growth.  
  • Post-Drying Cleaning – to remove any potential contaminants from dried building materials.

Fire Damage Incidents In Your Southern McHenry County Property

11/1/2022 (Permalink)

Flames The first step to resolving fire damage is calling your local trained professionals at SERVPRO.

Various Reasons Fire Damage Incidents In Southern McHenry County Can Leave Property Uninhabitable

Fires can start anywhere in a property, causing widespread damage. In many cases, such incidents displace the occupants. Although most fires start in the kitchen, fires can start in other parts of the property. Faulty appliances or unattended candles are other likely sources of sparks that lead to fire damage.

Although the extent of a fire damage incident in  Southern McHenry County is the primary determinant of whether the continued occupation of a house is possible, other factors play a role too. Common reasons why house occupants may need to vacate the house for restoration include:

  •   Massive residue deposits on surfaces and contents
  •   Severe structural damage, including holes in the walls or roof
  •   Noxious fumes or bad odor
  •   Damaged utilities such as plumbing or electrical lines

A single factor or a combination of several factors can make a house uninhabitable immediately after a fire. Our SERVPRO technicians scope the loss site thoroughly to establish all issues that may affect you or your family if you continue occupying the house. In the case of noxious fumes and aerosols, ventilating the property with axial fans, which move large volumes of air across a wide area, helps remove the contaminated air inside the house faster.

Structural or utility damages can lead to life-threatening situations. Our SERVPRO technicians can handle some of these damages, including boarding up openings on walls and installing tarps on the roof in case the fire leaves a gaping hole. Such stopgap measures help keep a property habitable until complete repairs can be done. In case of severe damage, such as when frames and other structural supports are damaged, we involve construction specialists. The damage to utility lines like power cables and water pipes also varies. Our crews use circuit testers to identify electrical faults. In case of severe damage, we strip off the wires so they can be replaced.

Regaining access to your property after a fire incident is a top priority, although it is not always easy. Call SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County at (847) 516-1600 to help. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Where Do I Start the Cleanup After a Kitchen Fire in Southern McHenry County?

11/1/2022 (Permalink)

stove fire Dealing with a kitchen fire will certainly cause some frustration. Handle the situation with a call to SERVPRO. We are standing by 24/7 for you.

Calling Experts for Fire Restoration in Your Home Puts a Solid Plan into Action for Quality Results

With any kitchen fire, the stovetop is the usual culprit. Whether you had a grease fire or another fire loss, the soot and smoke can be tough to deal with on your own. Instead of going the DIY route, the trained professionals at SERVPRO get to work fast using all of the latest techniques and technology to restore your interior to pre-damage condition.

How Do You Address a Fire Restoration Call?

Once you call us for emergency service, our skilled technicians arrive on the scene to begin the assessment and restoration. After removing all of the fire-damaged materials and debris in your  Southern McHenry County kitchen, such as cabinets, lighting, drywall, and appliances, we then begin cleaning soot and smoke particles. 

  •   Wet smoke is generated with lower heat, often coming from burning rubber or plastics. Such smoke residue is often stubborn because it webs and becomes sticky or smears to the touch.
  •   Dry smoke develops at a higher temperature and is fast-burning, often coming from burned materials like wood and paper. This type of smoke is often easier to clean.

We know that air-quality and foul odors are an issue with any kitchen fire, so we have a range of deodorization techniques that allow us to make your interior, “Like it never even happened.”

  •   Thermal Foggers, also known as dry fogging, helps to vaporize deodorizers that react on a chemical level with odor-causing residues.
  •   Air scrubbers are excellent for removing airborne particles and odorous elements from the air.

SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County understands how important it is for you to get your home back to normal quickly after suffering from fire damage in your kitchen. Call us 24/7 at (847) 516-1600 to deploy a team that gets to work fast with specialized restoration services

Post Construction Services

8/31/2022 (Permalink)

Unfinished home SERVPRO helps ensure your finished projects always look their best.

SERVPRO helps ensure your finished projects always look their best.  

Post Construction Cleaning  

Once the floors are down and the drywall is up, it is time to remove the debris and dirt in order to lay carpet, paint and decorate. SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County can provide debris removal services to prepare the building for interior design.  

Dehumidification and Drying  

During the construction phase, a building can trap moisture. Excessive moisture could result in mold growth. If you think one of your projects may have a moisture issue, rely on our professionals to provide the help you need to eliminate moisture and prevent the potential for mold growth.  

Final Cleaning  

You want the facility to look its best when the doors open. SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County provides cleaning services to give the building that extra shine. Services include:  

  • Carpet, resilient and non-resilient floor prep, and finish  
  • Ceiling, walls, and fixture cleaning  
  • Air duct cleaning  
  • Debris removal (if necessary)  
  • Window cleaning  

The last thing you need is a fire intrusion, water intrusion, or mold growth slowing down or stopping the completion of one of your projects. SERVPRO provides 24-hour emergency mitigation, cleanup, and schedule quickly. In addition to fast response, our crews utilize industrial grade equipment, training, and electronic communication to help ensure the job is done right the first time, saving your time and money. 

Correcting Water Damage for Southern McHenry County Homeowners

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

Moisture meter SERVPRO always uses advanced equipment and technology for water damage cleanup and restoration in Newburgh properties.

SERVPRO Offers Effective Water Cleanup 

Property water damage can be disruptive to the everyday lives of homeowners. These emergencies are inconvenient, but they can also be dangerous to occupants and destructive to structures or contents. While most homeowners have insurance to deal with unexpected emergencies, restoration services are responsible for returning their home to a preloss condition as efficiently as possible.

Reducing losses relating to water damage at your home is essential to reducing stress, expense, and time scales. SERVPRO works with a restore-over-replace mentality that focuses on mitigating losses rather than wide-scale replacements. In a wet property, the most urgent task to complete is drying. The length of time a property is exposed to moisture is critical in the amount of damage caused. Part of this process is because of how materials in the building assembly respond to moisture. The other part is because the water itself begins to stagnate. The amount of materials in need of replacement is significantly influenced by the contamination levels of the water they are exposed to. For these reasons, reducing losses through mitigation and drying is a time-sensitive issue that should be enacted as soon as possible.

Professionally drying and restoring a residential property requires advanced drying equipment, experience, and expertise. A solid understanding of how indoor structures contain moisture and the science behind removing that moisture are essential components of a water damage restoration technician's skill set. When mold infests a property, it is usually because of a previous water intrusion that was not professionally restored. To prevent this from occurring at your home, our technicians use a range of measuring and monitoring equipment. These include intrusive and non-intrusive moisture meters, borescopes, and thermal hygrometers. The combination of this equipment allows our technicians to avoid missing potential problem areas such as cavity damage, vapor damage, and moisture migration. 

Work Process for Restoring Properties

  • Ensuring the safety of both technicians and occupants on-site and documenting the damages.
  • Mitigation of water damage through emergency drying systems or pumping of liquid out of the property.
  • Cleaning or repairing salvageable items and replacing non-salvageable ones.

Contamination can pose significant challenges to restoration. We measure contamination levels through a tiered system, with class one referring to clean water and class three being highly contaminated. Class one contamination is generally benign and requires little replacement of materials. Technicians can dry the property as well as most materials that were exposed to moisture. In these circumstances, light cleaning methods on carpets or walls can remove all signs of damage. Class three contamination is the highest grade and can involve liquid with biohazardous substances, which require technicians to utilize extensive person protective equipment (PPE) such as hazmat suits. In class three damages, all porous materials that come into contact with the liquid must be removed and replaced. 

How Contamination Affects Restoration

  • If there are signs of significant contamination, you may need to be relocated during the restoration of your property.
  • Technicians can pack out salvageable belongings for safe storage during the restoration of your home. 
  • Often carpets, drywall, and textiles must be replaced to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination. 

For emergencies at your property, contact SERVPRO of Southern McHenry County for water damage restoration at (847) 516-1600.

What Happens When a Pipe Bursts and Floods My Carpeted Hallway?

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

inject-dry airmover SERVPRO Always Uses Advanced Equipment and Technology for Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration in Middletown Properties

he Water Removal Experts from SERVPRO Can Restore Your Home in Southern McHenry County.

A leaky pipe in the bathroom of your Southern McHenry County home might seem like a minor problem at first as you catch the drip in a bucket. Then one morning, you walk out of your bedroom and find your feet sinking into a very wet carpet. The pipe has burst in the night, and now water has soaked into the carpet. At this point, many residents in the Southern McHenry County area know to call SERVPRO.

What Can the Water Damage Experts from SERVPRO Do to Help?

Our team of trained specialists understands the cleanup and restoration process with water damage to carpeted areas in Southern McHenry County homes. There are several steps for this process which are listed below

  • Inspect and develop a plan
  • Water Removal using advanced equipment
  • Drying and Dehumidification
  • Monitoring the process throughout the service

How Do You Determine the Tools and the Protocol?

  • We utilize moisture meters, sensors, infrared camera imagery, and even boroscopes for peering into voids to determine the wet or damp areas and then develop an action plan. Some of the devices we use are:
  • Light Wands connected to portable wet vacs – Used for initial water removal
  • Deep Extraction Tools like Riding Rovers or weighted wands – Used to remove water that has soaked into the padding beneath the carpet
  • "Float" the carpet to dry without removing it from the room

What About Water That Has Soaked into the Walls and Baseboards?

If the water has reached into the area behind the walls, then we can use the Structural Cavity Drying Equipment like injecti-dry systems utilizing positive or negative air pressure and heat. We can drill small holes to insert the tubes.

The water removal and damage experts at Southern McHenry County are available 24/7. So, whenever you need an immediate response, call (847) 516-1600.

Southern McHenry County Carpet Cleaning After Water Damage

Is Your Home Prepared for that Other Kind of Water Damage? FLOODING

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

Flooded Kitchen Don’t let flooding in your home prevent you from living in it. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 to assess and remediate the flood damage scenario in your home.

Extreme Water Level Preparation in Southern McHenry County Needs to Include a Reliable Restoration Company

Flooding in Southern McHenry County can happen when you least expect it, from advancing groundwater to a broken water main or ruptured pipe. Despite your best efforts, a rise in water levels in your home can pose a danger to you and your family. Once it is safe to re-enter your home, you should invite a professional cleanup crew to help you assess the damage. Expert advice can save you months of complications and delays in getting life back to normal.

For Southern McHenry County residents, water damage cleanup is a job for our SERVPRO team. Our technical expertise reflects the efficiency with which we survey your home and prioritize cleanup activities. A deficient cleanup job can set the stage for more problems, so we do our best to avoid further complications.

What does a water cleanup company do?

At SERVPRO, we take a multi-pronged approach to the cleanup of your home. Besides removing badly damaged items such as upholstered sofas and carpets, we also inspect your structure. If water is soaking and weakening your drywall or is collecting behind your walls, our team can detect and remove it. Some of the equipment we employ for the extraction includes-

  • Drying mats
  • Truck-mounted pumps
  • Submersible pumps
  • Mops and squeegees
  • Rags and Buckets

Let Southern McHenry County help you in your time of need. Call us at (847) 516-1600 and let us leave your Middletown or New Windsor home "Like it never even happened."