Cozy Up Safely for the Wintertime | SERVPRO® of East Greenville County

1/22/2023 (Permalink)

Winter is here, and you are sure to feel the chill here in Greenville. Winters here tend to be chilly but moderate, but every now and then we get a surprise visit from heavy snowfall, such as the storm that hit us earlier this year, which was one of the worst in years!

Even if we don’t receive any more snow, it’s important to stay warm, and it’s equally important to heat your home safely. Whether you use a space heater or a fireplace, without the correct measures, fires could quickly ignite.

Avoiding flames and keeping warm is simple when you know what to avoid. Here are some tips on how to warm up your home safely during the winter.

<h3basics">Furnace Basics

Most homes come with a furnace and an HVAC system that helps send warm air throughout the house. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your furnace working properly during the winter. If you haven’t already, check your furnace for any apparent issues and give it a deep-clean so it can run without problems from a buildup of dust and debris.

Go ahead and replace your air filter while you’re maintaining your HVAC system. As long as you replace your filter at the beginning of every new season, you can keep your home’s air quality fresh from allergens, dust and dirt while prolonging the lifespan of your HVAC.

<h3safety">Fireplace Safety

A fireplace is one of the best ways to heat up your entire home, but if it isn’t used with caution, a fire emergency is sure to ensue. Cleaning it and checking for any issues on the regular can keep you safe from an accidental fire.

If you use a wood-burning fireplace, clean up any excess ash, clear your chimney of blockages and clear any smoke or soot remnants from nearby areas. For an artificial fireplace, take off the glass cover and wipe it down. Give the inside a thorough clean too by dusting around and cleaning off any buildup.

<h3heaters">Portable Heaters

One gadget that makes cozying up the home simple is a space heater. While they are easy to use, they can be a fire hazard when used improperly. Plug up your space heater at least three feet away from anything flammable, and remember to shut it off before heading to bed.

Keep your space heater balanced and in an area where it won’t get tipped over. Always plug space heaters directly into the wall and avoid plugging them into an extension cord!

When using your space heaters or fireplace, be sure to supervise your children and pets while they are around them. You only need one mishap to create a large-scale catastrophe in your home this winter.

If you experience fire damage this season, give us a call at SERVPRO of East Greenville County for immediate assistance. We’re here ²⁴⁄₇ when you need us!

Faster to Any Size Disaster

9/26/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding can happen at any moment SERVPRO of East Greenville County for the fastest response..

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours, and neither do we. SERVPRO of East Greenville County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of East Greenville County arrives speedily and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 at 864-292-3495

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water absorbs 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.

About SERVPRO of East Greenville County

SERVPRO of East Greenville County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our highly trained staff specializes in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our team is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Certifications

• AMRT - Applied Microbial Remediation Technician
• ASD - Applied Structural Drying Technician
• ECTP - Employee Certification Training Program
• FSRT - Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technician
• HST - Health and Safety Technician
• IICRC Certified Firm
• OCT - Odor Control Technician
• OSHA - 10-hour General and/or Construction Industry Training Program
• RRRP - Lead-Based Paint Activities and Renovation

Ready to Help

9/26/2022 (Permalink)

Help is available 24/7

A water damage of any degree could be a disaster in anyone's home. If left unchecked, the damage will spread and become worse. Here at SERVPRO of East Greenville, we take pride in our ability to react fast to a water damage, and help our customer in both the issue from the water loss and to reassure that we are more than capable of taking care of their problems. We lead a team of qualified individuals, and every one of them are willing and able to answer questions about a loss. Water heater leaks, HV/AC leaks, broken dishwasher, washing machine overflows, we handle it all. And, should the issue come from somewhere less than sanitary, we are able to clean that up as well. No matter the size of the loss, be it multi-story to a single room, our team at SERVPRO of  East Greenville will be ready to help.

Calm Before the Storm

9/26/2022 (Permalink)

Hurricane Sandy 2012

Catastrophes happen, and always when we least expect it. When a homeowners worst fears come to life, and the entire area is overcome with grief and needs help, SERVPRO of East Greenville is here to help. Our dedicated team is always ready to go out and help. If a hurricane comes up the coast and local communities are in need of more than the SERVPRO in their counties can handle, our Storm team will be ready to get on the road and help relieve the mitigation teams already on site. Here at SERVPRO of East Greenville, we take pride in helping out community, and we would want help if our home got over taken by a natural disaster, so we are always ready to help when and wherever we are able. Storms happen, and we can never fully prepare for the aftermath. But SERVPRO of East Greenville is ready to help calm the storm. 

The 3 Major Storm Damage Types | SERVPRO® of East Greenville County

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

Storms can evolve instantaneously

Severe storms can be devastating to homeowners. While many homes these days are built to endure weather events of any severity, almost every property and house will experience some degree of destruction when severe storms strike.

Strong wind gusts and wind disasters can throw debris all over the place, as well as cause heavy rains, snowstorms, lightning and floods, depending on the time of year and the storm. All pose a serious risk to your property and your home’s structure.

Depending on the kind of storm and events taking place, your house may be exposed to varying levels of damage. The landscape around your home, the geography of the area and the condition of your home’s foundation or building materials all play a role in determining the extent of possible harm. (We admit that there is an element of chance involved.)

While it’s helpful to be familiar with every type of storm damage, in our area, Greenville is particularly vulnerable to flooding, thunderstorms and hail. Thunderstorms with strong winds are particularly common in our area.

Unless authorities authorize you to do so, you should never stay in your home after it’s been damaged by a storm. Some kinds of damage won’t be noticeable to the naked eye, so it is important to have the building checked out.

Wind

When structures are subjected to powerful gusts of wind at extraordinarily high speeds, this type of destruction follows. Tornadoes and hurricanes are the most prevalent causes of high winds, but even thunderstorms can produce gusts of up to 100 mph.

Extreme wind gusts might scoop up debris in your yard and throw it into your vehicles or home. When a storm approaches, it is critical to remain inside and away from any windows or outside walls in case glass shatters or the walls are damaged by debris.

You can also take action in advance of the storm to reduce the amount of wind-related damage. Clear out any items that the wind may be able to toss around, like limbs, big rocks, loose furniture and dead trees.

Water

Water damage is a very frequent occurrence both during and following a storm. Even a minor storm can produce heavy downpours that cause water to gather outside your home and then make its way inside through the openings on your doors and windows.

If there is enough water present, it may potentially drip into your foundation and severely damage its structural integrity.

Consider using specific landscaping designs that allow water to flow away from your home rather than accumulate next to it to reduce the amount of damage that water may do to your home. You could even install a rain garden, which is a decorative way to enhance your yard and keep all that rainwater from becoming a major issue.

For your downspouts to function as intended and keep the weight of water off your roof, you should also regularly clean them. Water can collect in clogged gutters and find its way into your house from the top, seeping down to the bottom.

Impact

Another common kind of storm damage that can have disastrous effects on your home is “impact damage.” Strong winds can cause trees to topple or debris to be thrown into your property, causing damage. In short, this type of damage is caused by anything that impacts or hits your home or other items on your property.

To avoid the disastrous impact of severe weather, trim any trees that are growing over your home and remove any that are decaying. This can prevent Mother Nature from giving you and your home any trouble when strong winds blow.

Disasters brought on by the weather cost almost $145 billion in losses in the United States alone in 2021. These suggestions could help you save a lot of money and time and improve the security of your home by preventing these calamities before they touch our area.

If your home suffers the effects of severe weather, contact the experts at SERVPRO of East Greenville County. With state-of-the-art equipment and years of experience, our restoration specialists can tackle any tragedy.

When you suffer storm-related damage to your home or business, it’s important that you know who to call! Contact us today to get your storm damage restoration started faster.

The Invisible Danger

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

1 mold spore is 1200x smaller than the tip of a ball point pen

SERVPRO of East Greenville County is constantly fielding calls from those with mold questions about how dangerous is the mold they are seeing. Honestly any visible mold can be harmful to certain demographic especially  to those with underlying health issues.

The larger danger with mold is the ones you cant see. Its an easier process to remove the visible mold that we can see.  Tracking a microscopic sized organism can be a very delicate situation. That's why here at SERVPRO of East Greenville County we are investing in the technology to trap and remove those invisible dangers that could be trapped in your air. With highly specialized equipment SERVPRO of East Greenville County is able to remove unseeable spores from the surfaces as well. 

So next visible mold is present call SERVPRO of East Greenville County to help remove the visible mold spores and the invisible mold spores as well. 

Certified SERVPRO Clean

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

feel safe in a building that we have certified.

With the ever evolving changing safety protocols in society today; going into commercial properties can be confusing at times. Some requier mask, some don't.

How can you tell if the building is truly clean and safe. At SERVPRO of East Greenville County we leave a mark on those buildings we have cleaned and left safe for re-entry.

So when you are out in the commercial and retail market  look for that emblem on the front door that SERVPRO of East Greenville was there. If your commercial or retail space doesn't have the SERVPRO of East Greenville Certified SERVPRO clean emblem contact them today for your cleaning to help ensure that your customers and employees will rest easy know that their building is safe and clean. 

Document Restoration

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

The technology to restore documents has never been greater.

SERVPRO of East Greenville County offers a variety of services from water/fire damage restoration, mold mitigation, and commercial/residential cleaning services. But did you know that we also provide Document Drying and Restoration for our commercial clients?

Damage from a water or fire event is not limited to the building and furniture. Sometimes files such as patient records, invoices, and legal documents are impacted by water, smoke, and soot contact. SERVPRO’s document drying process is designed to stabilize damaged documents and prevent further damage quickly. The treatment facility is secured, the chain of custody follows HIPAA guidelines, and our Drying Chamber personnel is Master HIPAA certified allowing them to handle protected health information (PHI).

Our Document Restoration Facility:

• Innovative: we use the latest vacuum freeze-drying method, as well as gamma irradiation technology for sterilizing
• Secure: managed by HIPPA Master-certified technicians, under 24/7 surveillance
• Digital: we use a computerized inventory system for digitizing your documents
• Flexible capacity - we can accommodate large commercial losses or small residential jobs
• Full Service: we offer a range of services including drying, cleaning/disinfecting, re-jacketing, digitizing, and deodorization

SERVPRO document services also include digitization services that reduce the need for large filing rooms and help make data access more accessible for businesses. Certified destruction services allow for sensitive information to be appropriately disposed of and provide peace of mind to businesses and their clients.

Types of content:

• paper documents
• books and magazines
• manuscripts and files
• photographs, films, negatives, and microfiche
• x-rays
• blueprints and maps
• parchment

For more information about SERVPRO of East Greenville’s Document Recovery or other commercial services visit our website or call 864-292-3495

Carpet Delamination

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage can delaminate carpets quickly.

Heavy rain, flooding, or malfunctioning appliances can cause a great deal of damage to your home and property. Ruining hardwood floors, paint, furniture, and carpet, especially carpet. We receive many calls asking what steps can be taken without having to use a professional restoration and mitigation service. The answer is “a lot.” But, the benefits of using a highly trained, experienced, and accredited service provider significantly outweigh the savings of a DIY effort. One of the most significant benefits is the proper treatment and drying of materials, including carpet. Quick and correct action can be the difference between spending a little now and paying a tremendous amount later because some of the effects of water damage are not instant, some take their time. And if not accurately handled they can accumulate a cost many times of the original incident. One such issue is Carpet Delamination.

What is it?

Carpet delamination is when the primary and secondary backings of a carpet separate.

How does it affect carpet?

After a carpet becomes delaminated, it is no longer securely attached to the floor. In fact, it is technically two sperate elements: the top layer, which is the visible portion of the carpet, and the bottom layer that contacts the pad or another flooring. Since the layers are no longer secured to each other, they can shift and move apart. This causes wrinkles or the carpet to pull away from the wall, or other non-aesthetic issues like safety hazards.

What causes it?

There are many causes of delamination including improper installation, heavy weighed traffic, and moisture. We are going to focus on the various moisture related instigators of damage to carpet.

Flooding

Whether it comes from heavy rains, plumbing, or an appliance, over saturation of water on carpet can end up being devastating. And it is not just the immediate damage of the standing water that requires concern; pollutants in the water can negatively affect the adhesive that bonds the primary and secondary backing. Cleaning solutions such as dishwasher liquid, laundry detergent, and other cleaning products can dissolve adhesive, sometimes quickly based on concentration. Microbial growth from absorbed water can feed off the adhesive, breaking it down over time.

Urine

If any of your furry family members have an accident on the carpet it paramount to take action as fast as you can. Urine starts out acidic and eats away at the carpet fiber and latex. But over time it turns alkaline and causes even more damage to the threads and glue.

Cleaning Supplies and Treatments

Cleaning solutions that come from malfunction appliances are one thing, but what about the chemicals that you often use on your carpet? You know the ones that you use to clean up pet or wine accidents. It just as important to properly utilize those items and follow the directions and recommended treatment times. If you leave a spot remover on too long, it can begin to dissolve the adhesive, even if it is only that spot. Powdered odor remover can lead to issues as well, foot traffic can push the powder to the base of the carpet, making it harder to remove and that can potentially become food for microbial growth even in the smallest amounts of water. If you clean your carpet yourself, it is a must to make sure that it is dry, there isn’t a lot of light that gets between the layers of carpet making it ideal for microbial growth if there is moisture.

Knowing some of the causes of carpet delamination can make you feel like you have to be vigilant 24/7 and not allow anyone or pet on your carpet. But it does not have to be that way. Proper care for your carpet, including the occasional cleaning by a professional, can extend the life of your carpet and prevent it from being cut short. If you there is a water event in your home or office contact an experienced mitigation specialist to ensure that carpet and other materials reach the dry standard and focuses on restoring what can be saved. Now relax, take your shoes off, clench your toes and feel the carpet between them. After all, it isn’t there just for looks.

Prepare for Storm Season

8/31/2022 (Permalink)

Be prepared now to prevent further damages.

There are several ways to limit the amount of damage a storm can do to your home at every stage. The first two tips assume that a storm is not imminent. The last two tips are for when a severe system is heading your way and has passed over. Taken together, these four storm tips can help you prevent and mitigate storm damage.

1. Trim Trees

The most important damage prevention tip is to trim trees. Precipitation adds extra weight and high winds can tear off heavy branches. Prune overhanging or dead branches on a regular basis.

2. Clear the Drainage System

Downspouts and gutters should collect water from your roof and carry it down and away from the foundation of your home. If the drainage system is blocked, water may collect and work its way under shingles to cause leaks. Water pouring straight down may lead to a flooded basement.

3. Protect Windows With Boards or Shutters

The best storm tip for when a severe storm is on the way is to cover windows with boards or shutters. If you live in a region with frequent storms, invest in storm shutters.

4. Cover Roof Leaks or Broken Windows

If a storm damages your home, take steps toward mitigation while you wait for roofers or restoration experts to arrive. Cover roof leaks with boards or tarps after the storm passes over. Make sure that water will not work its way under the covering. If you did not board up or shutter windows and they get broken, you can use the same materials to keep debris out of your home.

These four storm tips are intended to help you plan ahead for a storm and take measures to mitigate any damage that occurs. If your home in Spartanburg has sustained storm damage, schedule a consultation with a damage restoration service.