Always Be Looking For Water Damage At Your Home or Business

12/7/2022 (Permalink)

Water rings and stains on your ceilings and walls are signs of water damage!

Water damage can be very detrimental to your home or business! Most people don’t know that the longer you wait after having water damage the more damage you are actually causing to your home or business. When you have water damage the best thing to do is shut off the water source that is causing the damage. If the damage is coming from something you are unable to cut off, you may need to contact a plumber in your area. Once this is completed then you want to call the professional experts here at SERVPRO® of The North Coast to come out immediately and assess the problem. It doesn’t matter the size of the damage we will be able to help get it under control. Water damage can be difficult to spot but here are some signs you can look for in your home and business:

• Water rings on your ceiling or walls
• Soft or sagging on your ceiling or walls
• Wet or soggy carpets
• Warping in your wood flooring

The best thing to do is call an expert right away before the problem gets worse. Our highly trained technicians are waiting for your call. We have our specialized equipment ready to use to get your disaster mitigated as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the problem gets worse, call our highly trained team at SERVPRO® of The North Coast today!

The Aftermath Of A Commercial Fire

8/18/2022 (Permalink)

Once the fire department has doused all of the flames, be sure to call SERVPRO, the fire remediation experts.

When a fire strikes on your commercial property, it's quite likely that you feel yourself start to panic. This immediate reaction makes sense given all of the economic turmoil and property destruction that a fire can cause. However, knowing which steps to take in the face of a Cleveland commercial fire can help prevent you from becoming anxious, losing money, and undergoing extensive property damages. To handle a commercial fire successfully, follow the tips below:

1. Contact A Fire Remediation Expert.
Once the fire department has put out all of the flames, be sure to call a fire remediation expert. This individual will be able to equip you with a thorough assessment indicating the extent of the damages. Don't ever attempt to handle any of the cleanups, drying, or restoration processes on your own. Doing so could put you in peril of injury and illness.

2. Assemble Your Records.
In addition to contacting a fire remediation expert, make sure that you assemble your business' essential records. You'll want to have this information with you when you start working with your insurance company. To guarantee that you can have all of your files ready in a safe place, make a point to buy a fireproof safe where they can be stored.

3. Call The Insurance Company Immediately.
Be sure that you call your insurance company once the fire is put out. This step is important because your insurance agent will work with you to file a claim and determine how much coverage you'll attain for the commercial damages.

4. Get Permission To Re-enter The Building.
Always ask the fire department or another local authority whether you can re-enter your building. In some cases, a fire can weaken the structural integrity of the commercial property and make it subject to collapse. This is why you need to assure that re-entry is safe for you and your tenants.

If you experience a fire at your commercial property, call our experts at SERVPRO of The North Coast today at (216) 221-3333!

The Water You Don't See

7/15/2022 (Permalink)

If you find water hiding in your home, call our SERVPRO Team today! Don't wait!

Even the smallest  water damaged areas have the potential to cause serious structural and indoor air quality issues over time. The key to avoiding costly restoration in the future  is to handle every water problem as a real threat to your residential home or commercial property. SERVPRO of The North Coast has the professional equipment, highly-trained staff and proven experience to detect and dry hidden water before secondary damages occur. The proper equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing the damage expense during a fire or water loss. When time matters, technology and equipment must be counted on to perform. Our SERVPRO Team will answer your call with fast action and a full arsenal of drying equipment. Here are a few of the tools used by SERVPRO to detect and find hidden moisture:

• Moisture Sensors are used to detect moisture in carpets, baseboards and walls.
• Moisture Meters are used to determine the actual moisture content of various materials. The moisture tester provides accurate readings, allowing us to monitor the drying process.
• Thermohygrometers measure temperature and relative humidity. When presented with this information, our technicians can calculate and create an environment most conducive to drying. When facing a contaminated water loss, it is not only important to dry the structure, but the structure must also be disinfected and deodorized.
• Ultra Low-Volume (ULV) Foggers will atomize liquid deodorizing agents, producing a fine mist that can easily penetrate the site where odor-causing residues may accumulate. This device can also be used to inject fungicides and disinfectants into wall cavities and other hard-to-reach areas.
• Thermal Foggers dispense solvent based products by creating a dense fog. The fog consists of tiny particles of deodorant solution that attach to and neutralize odor causing particles to deodorize structures, garments, automobiles and other places where cleaning cannot reach.

The bottom line? SERVPRO of The North Coast has the training and equipment to make it “Like it never even happened.” Call us today!

Eliminating Smoke And Odors In Your Home After A Fire

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

We can examine the extent of the destruction and take the right steps to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Fires can happen at any time, and the most common culprits are cooking and heating equipment. Residual damage such as fire odor, smoke, soot, and ash always happens after a fire. Some water damage also commonly occurs while extinguishing fires. All homes contain different materials that burn and create unique cleaning and restoration challenges.

To restore your Cleveland home after fire damage, you need to take care of smoke, fire, and water damage. Our SERVPRO Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians (FSRTs) have experience in addressing these issues. Smoke and odors can emanate from burned wood or paper and melted plastics. Smoke damage typically falls into 4 categories:

    •    Dry smoke – Usually results from fast-burning and high-temperature fires.
    •    Wet smoke – Results from smoldering or low heat fires. The smoke from a wet fire has a smeary, sticky texture, and a pungent odor.
    •    Fuel oil soot smoke – It results from furnace smoke returns, which cause oily soot.
    •    Protein smoke – Fires that burn plants, food, or other organic matter emit this smoke. It discolors varnishes and paints and has a pungent scent.

Smoke can penetrate walls and other surfaces quickly and drift through air ducts. Smoke odor can remain in furniture and clothing if it not deodorized properly. Smoke also penetrates cabinets and drawers, meaning that if you do not clean up your house properly, the odor can continue to re-occur for long periods.

Smoke can also ruin delicate works of art such as sculptures and paintings. The same acid that damages wood and metals can discolor the paint on canvas and the stone that makes up sculptures. When this occurs, the beauty of an art piece diminishes, and its monetary value reduces. We can work with a curator to restore ruined artwork.

Our fire damage restoration process is proven and thorough. It includes finding the source of the fire to determine the type of smoke and odors present in a home. Our technicians also determine if any areas of a house are wet because of firefighting efforts. We extract the water using shop vacs and dry the affected areas using air moving and dehumidifying equipment. We also remove any charred contents that could seal in smoke and smells like burned wood and insulation.

We can clean affected surfaces to eradicate the soils or soot particles. We perform several cleaning actions based on the affected surface and type of smoke particles present. Our technicians often perform mechanical action before other cleaning actions. Mechanical action is useful for pre-cleaning excess, non-greasy residues from surfaces before applying solvent-based or water-based cleaning products. Our SERVPRO technicians also treat affected surfaces for smoke scents using dry solvent deodorizers and thermal fogging equipment.

To deal with the aftermath of a fire in your home, call SERVPRO of The North Coast at (216) 221-3333 to assist you. We can examine the extent of the destruction and take the right steps to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Reducing The Level Of Flood Damage In Your Home

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

The furniture had to be removed from the affected area to be cleaned separately.

For many residents, any storm-related flooding can be a traumatic event. While there are methods to prepare for flooding like reinforcing your roof or removing expensive furniture, there is little help in an emergency's immediate aftermath. Our SERVPRO technicians can help you overcome flooding by performing vital mitigation acts quickly after a storm event.

Flood mitigation in Cleveland may include actions like removing standing water from the home, drying inner rooms, or temporarily storing possessions at our warehouse. Contacting a highly qualified restoration company immediately after discussing your coverages with your insurance carrier can go a long way to reducing the losses caused by a flood after the fact.

What preventative measures are useful for storm areas?
- Taking out a flood insurance policy
- Maintaining water disposal in the home such as basement sump pumps, gutters, and drainage
- Turning off water mains access ahead of time to avoid backups

Do floodwaters permanently damage furnishings?
Furnishings are frequently victims of flood damage for residents. We understand how many items may be difficult to replace in a home, so our dedicated SERVPRO technicians are expertly trained in contents restoration. Larger items like sofas may benefit from temporary removal to a dry area where they can be thoroughly dehumidified to remove any excess moisture. Our technicians can also apply an extensive range of cleaning products and techniques to return upholstery to its preloss condition. By pre-testing on discrete areas of the fabric, we can avoid lasting damages of color fade or spot.

What restoration is available for furnishings?
- Thorough drying of the affected furniture
- Special services for leather, satin, or other unique upholstery
- Buffering and mechanical cleaning of furniture fibers

An unexpected summer storm can lead to extensive damage to both your home and its contents. Contact our SERVPRO of The North Coast Team at (216) 221-3333 for assistance.

What You Should Know About Water Damage Restoration Planning

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

Call the trusted leaders in the restoration industry!

When homeowners find themselves faced with water from a flood or bursting pipes, they often want to know how long the restoration efforts will take. The answer depends on the extent of the damage, the type of water to invade the home and materials used throughout the affected area. Homeowners can expect the process to take anywhere from two to three days, but to not be surprised if it takes as many as seven. Some factors that affect the time it takes to dry out a home include:

• The type of water to flood the home
• The size of the area affected
• The building materials affected

Type of Water

Clean water is easier to clean up than black water, as the former doesn’t require special Hazmat materials or equipment. If your problems stem from bursting pipes, the solution may be as simple as fixing the pipes and drying out the area. If you do so within 24 to 48 hours, you can prevent mold and bacteria growth as well.

Size of Affected Area

The type of water isn’t the only factor to affect restoration times. The size of area plays a huge part as well. If the size of the affected area is relatively small, less than ten square feet, restoration efforts can take as little as two days, and you may even be able to perform them yourself. However, if your entire ground floor is flooded, it could take several days of professional efforts.

Materials Impacted

If it is just your carpet that is affected, restoration efforts shouldn’t require much of your time at all. However, if your drywall, insulation and/or framing are impacted, you may need to do more than fix a broken pipe. Restoration efforts in the latter instance could take as long as 10 days or more.

Every situation is different, and the water damage caused by bursting pipes could be far more severe than damage from, say, a leaking pipe. Talk to your local SERVPRO of The North Coast water damage restoration team to learn more about what to expect.

Drying Goals During Water Removal

6/6/2022 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO of The North Coast Team uses state of the art equipment during the water restoration process.

Water damage technicians create a drying goal during your home’s initial assessment. The drying goal should indicate the condition of materials and contents once restored to their natural preloss dryness. Qualified technicians should always monitor the drying process to determine if current procedures remain in-line with any established goals.

A drying goal for water removal at your Cleveland property is the intended result in affected areas after completing restoration services. Our dedicated technicians use years of experience, training, and advanced equipment to provide moisture content readings from dry, unaffected contents, and structure — readings in percentage for wood materials, and readings in points for non-wood materials.

Our SERVPRO technicians use drier air to increase the rate of evaporation while performing water removal services on your property – drier air means air with low humidity. A relative humidity (RH) of less than 40% is within the normal range for performing an effective drying solution. RH under 40% typically tells us that the air is dry and thirsty, allowing it to pull more water from wet materials within the affected area.

While measurements for RH does not guarantee that your structure is dry, reaching a low RH ensures that humidity within the affected area is decreasing. To determine whether the area is dry, SERVPRO technicians take specific humidity readings of the affected areas; these readings should match those taken in unaffected areas. We use moisture meters to measure the moisture content of wet materials found in your home.

SERVPRO water removal technicians set moisture content goals on a per-item basis – after establishing a drying standard and recording typical equilibrium moisture content (EMC). The dry standard is a moisture content reading taken from dry materials of the same type found in unaffected areas. We establish a dry standard or use a typical EMC of a material as a goal.  Once the readings match, the drying process is complete.

Call our SERVPRO of The North Coast Team for water removal, cleanup, and restoration services, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

Why Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

4/6/2022 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO Team always wears PPE to protect ourselves!

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.

It is important at SERVPRO of The North Coast that our technicians are as safe as possible while working for our wonderful customers so we can get the job done right and efficiently.  

Although it isn't the most fashionable outfit of the season, it is absolutely necessary in some situations!

Our SERVPRO Team protects ourselves so we can better serve you!

Why Our SERVPRO Team is "Faster To Any Size Disaster"

2/22/2022 (Permalink)

When disaster strikes, you need help....fast!

When disaster strikes, time is of the essence.

In many cleaning and restoration situations, immediate action is needed. With over 1,700 U.S. and Canadian Franchise locations, SERVPRO is strategically positioned to be faster to any size emergency. An immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

SERVPRO of The North Coast provides 24-hour emergency services throughout Cleveland and the surrounding areas. We are dedicated to providing excellent service no matter how large or small the damage may be. Our highly trained and IICRC certified technicians can respond immediately to your disaster. No matter the hour of the day.

If a disaster strikes your home or commercial property, call our SERVPRO of The North Coast Team today. We are always Here To Help!

Preventing Fires At Your Commercial Property

2/22/2022 (Permalink)

Call the trusted experts at SERVPRO of The North Coast for all of your fire restoration needs.

Fire damage to your business is a serious concern. Even moderate damage can result in your facility being closed for repairs for weeks on end, and this can be financially devastating.

The unfortunate reality is that no business is immune to the risk of fire. Some facilities may be more likely to endure damage from a fire, such as a restaurant that uses open flames throughout the day. However, there are many fire hazards that are present in most workplaces on a daily basis regardless of the type of activities that take place in the building. When you know what these hazards are, you can take proper steps to address and mitigate those risks and prevent possible fire damage and smoke damage.

Electrical Concerns
Damage to electrical wiring can result in sparks that quickly lead to damaging fires. Electrical wiring damage may include frayed cords, such as those connecting desktop computers to the wall power outlets. It may also include damage to internal wiring inside the walls, and these may be damaged by pests and other forces. Electrical fires may also start when power sockets are overloaded or when equipment gets too hot. Periodically review your company's wiring to identify areas of concern that need to be addressed.

Poor Equipment Maintenance
Other hazards in workplaces are related to poor equipment maintenance. For example, failing to service your furnace regularly may result in the accumulation of dust and other flammable debris. A gas leak in the furnace could result in a fire or an explosion. Fire hazards related to poor maintenance may also include dusty, dirty or greasy components, such as air ducts and vents, kitchen exhaust vents and many other features that are used throughout your facility. Scheduling necessary maintenance can decrease fire risk in these areas.

Flammable or Combustible Materials
Flammable and combustible materials are most commonly associated with industrial and warehouse environments, but even restaurants, hotels, dry cleaners and many other types of business may store combustible materials on-site. These materials should remain properly sealed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations at all times.

As you can see, there are numerous fire hazards that could result in serious damage to your business. If your business has already experienced fire damage, it is essential that repair work is completed as soon as possible. SERVPRO of The North Coast is your trusted leader in the restoration industry. We can quickly restore your building to its previous condition so that operations can resume in your place of business. Call us today!