Duct Cleaning to Prevent Fires

5/16/2024 (Permalink)

One of the most common causes of fires is also perhaps the most preventable. Can you guess what that is?

Something you may never actually think about, the build up of lint in your clothes dryer vents. DRYER VENTS... Wouldn't expect that one.

After every use of your clothes dryer, your vents build up lint. You may not see or notice the buildup. But if not cleaned out properly, the air cannot flow properly, and a fire can easily start in the heating element without your knowledge until it is too late. This type of fire happens most frequently in homes, posing dangers to adults and children.

SERVPRO of Salem County is always "Here to Help."

Contact us today and schedule for our team to clean those vents for you to prevent the risk of a fire. (856)339-0500 or email at Office@SERVPROsalemcounty.com

Visit our website to see what else we can help you with. www.SERVPROsalemcounty.com

Fires Content Cleaning

9/26/2022 (Permalink)

When it comes to content cleaning with Fire damage, the sooner soft goods get cleaned the better. Upholstery cleaning is more effective when jumped on quickly. As for soft goods like clothing and sports bags we partner with a Restoration Dry Cleaner to ensure any smoke odor is properly removed and the garment is thoroughly cleaned and returned in its pre loss conditions. 

Upholstery cleaning can however be tricky. Smoke odor like most deep set odors can dissipate a bit the first time but may need to be cleaned multiple times to ensure the odor truly is gone. 

Fire cleaning is a process and can take time to remediate. Your patience is key. We are here to help and ensure your contents are back to pre loss conditions! 

Fall Fires Continued

9/25/2022 (Permalink)

Previously we spoke about fall fires. Bonfire safety and things to look out for!

Now lets talk about barbequing. While the weather cools down its still nice enough to be outside enjoying the weather so proper grill safety is just as important! 

Ensure you are a good distance away from your home's structure to prevent mishaps! Check all your equipment prior to starting! Check for gas leaks, ensure if you're using coal there is a proper amount in the grill. Make sure your surface is clean from previous use! 

Grill safety is extremely important because it can be quite easy for something unattended to get out of control. Keep a sharp eye on what you are doing and do not leave the grill unattended. Accidents happen but hopefully with these tips you can successfully avoid any grill fires! 

Fall Fires

9/23/2022 (Permalink)

With the weather cooling down here in the next few weeks lets talk about some fire safety. 

Bonfires are coming people! Remember to keep your fires under control and far enough away from your home so you do not accidentally catch your house on fire. That would be quite unfortunate. 

Assess the area around you. Do you have enough space for a fire? Are there low hanging trees near where you are intending on having your fire? Do you have access to a water source to put the fire out either when you are finished with it or incase it gets out of control? 

While bonfires are a staple fall activity ensuring the safety of those around you can be widely over looked. Make sure you pay attention and have a clear area to have your fire! 

Fire Overview

3/29/2022 (Permalink)

You just had a fire in your home. Depending on the severity you put it out with a fire extinguisher or the fire company came. Either way the next step would be to call your insurance and report the fire and start the claims process. After that you may need SERVPRO to come out and board up any broken windows or doors for safety and security reasons. After this the Fire Marshall will need to clear your home as safe to enter. You'll want to start getting quotes on cleaning and repairs. During this everything in your home or business will be determined salvageable or unsalvageable. Unsalvageable items should be reported to your insurance. The cleaning and repairs process after a fire can take quite some time so prepare yourself. Granted I would definitely prefer things to take a little longer and be done thoroughly than rushed through especially with a situation such as a fire. Fire odor can linger. 

Head on over to our next blog post for more information on the cleaning process! 

Fire Overview Continued

3/29/2022 (Permalink)

The cleaning process after a fire varies by size. If you had a small fire that you put out with a fire extinguisher the damage will be significantly less than a fire that the fire company came to take care of. 

Lets do a quick overview of fire extinguisher cleanup. Fire extinguisher dust goes a lot further than you think and can be tracked around with shoes and socks. If your HVAC system is on and the room affected has a vent there's a chance that the dust from the fire extinguisher could be circulating through your whole home. Typically fire extinguisher clean up is a lot of vacuuming and wiping of horizontal surfaces. 

If the fire company comes in you not only have the fire damage to worry about but also the water damage from putting the fire out. So there is more work and more thorough cleaning involved with larger fires. Taking walls to studs, cleaning, sealing for odor, and prepping for reconstruction. Fires of bigger severity can take much longer to clean up due to the extent of damage and ensuring the odor of the fire is taken care of as well as any water damage and preventing microbial growth from the water. 

Fire!

2/7/2022 (Permalink)

Fires can be really scary. It happens very fast and can be unpredictable. The damage fires can do can be large projects or on the smaller end depending on how quickly the fire is contained. One thing most people don't think about with fires are the water damage afterwards. Overall they can be a lot emotionally, physically, and financially. For this reason we recommend checking with your home owners annually and making sure you have coverage on everything important to you incase you're faced with this unexpected tragedy. Cleaning of fires and water damage together is a process. It takes time. Soot and smoke damage odors like to cling to contents and structures. Cleaning all of the walls and horizontal surfaces can be necessary to combat long lasting odors. There's much more about the fire cleaning process coming up in our next few blog posts. 

Realistic Expectations

9/30/2021 (Permalink)

Fires happen all the time. If you have been keeping up with our blog you will know there can be a lot of demolition as well as extensive cleaning to return a structure to pre loss conditions. Along with this comes realistic expectations. 

Our teams spend hours removing affected materials and cleaning salvageable materials. This process can take weeks and sometimes even a month or more depending on the size of the project. 

Clear communication and realistic expectations are key here. We want everything to be "Like it never even happened," for everyone involved. With how thorough we are each room gets looked over with a white glove at least 4/5 times to ensure client overall happiness and cleanliness. 

We are here to help! If you suffer from a fire in your home or business, when the fire trucks leave give us a call.  

Fires, diving into the demolition part two

9/22/2021 (Permalink)

Welcome back!

Last time we talked about general wall and ceiling demolition for odor. This time we are going to talk about smaller fires and how mitigation is performed if there is not major structural damage. 

For smaller fires that get under control quickly the process shifts more to cleaning and odor control. 

For every fire all salvageable content is thoroughly cleaned and returned to the homeowner. This process can take days even weeks depending on the size of the project. If there is no major burned structure, walls ceilings and floors can be cleaned. This is a three step process: sponge, wet wipe, and seal. Sponging removes as much soot as possible that is just sitting on the surface. Next, wet wiping gets more of that hard to get off soot from the surface. Finally we seal for odor to ensure that fire smell dissipates and it doubles and a prep for repainting afterwards.  

After this we go back through all the content and do a thorough walk through of the property to double check we didn't miss anything. 

Fires, diving into the demolition

9/13/2021 (Permalink)

After a fire there are many things to get done. What most people do not think about is the water mitigation after the fire fighters leave. After removing all salvageable items from the home removing wet materials is our next priority. Removing wet materials decreases chances for microbial growth.

Depending on the size of the fire will determine the length of mitigation and demolition needed before things can even think to begin rebuilding. If there is significant damage it is not uncommon to remove all of the drywall and insulation in the home. This is done because they are porous surfaces and they absorbed the smoke from the fire leaving a very specific odor. After drywall and insulation are removed we take sponges and wipe down all wood studs and framing. This removes an extra layer of the soot from the wood so it can be sealed to help eliminate that odor. This process can take quite some time. 

Stay tuned for more of this process. 

Tips for Fires!

2/27/2021 (Permalink)

Obviously we would prefer to avoid fires all together! No one wants to have a fire in their home or work space! There are a few things you can do to avoid this such as unplugging appliances you are not using, making sure wires are not tangled and in tight spaces, and ensuring that candles are blown out when no one is around them! Now some fires happen with no rhyme or reason that you can prepare for or avoid! We are prepared for anything and ready to go all the time! No matter what the situation make sure that you know who to call when the fire trucks leave! We are here to make it "Like it never even happened." Give us a call! 

Fire!

2/24/2021 (Permalink)

The last thing anyone wants is to have a fire in their home! The damage between melted items, smoke and soot damage could have you scratching your head asking why me? We are here to help! We handle all sorts of fire damages from whole house to one room. No job is too big or small for us to complete for you! If you left a candle burning and it fell over or if you burnt a turkey on a holiday and it got out of control we are here and ready to make it "Like it never even happened." We are the best in the industry and are ready to help with one simple phone call! So when the fire trucks leave give us a call! 

Caution!! HOT!

2/4/2021 (Permalink)

Fires happen at the least expected times. They are emotionally overwhelming and many people just are not sure what to do afterwards. It is a process that is for sure. But that is why were here to help. We have fire cleanings down to a science. Quite literally we have our own chemicals specifically for soot and smoke odor. We can make it "Like it never even happened." There is a lot of work that goes into fire cleanup. We have a lot of great resources that we work along side for the more specific technical cleaning like dry cleaners and appliances. We all work together to get your life back to normal, well this new normal. You can trust the #1 company in the restoration world to get you to where you need to be. So when the fire trucks leave, know who to call. 

After the Fire Trucks Leave Call Us!

9/16/2020 (Permalink)

Fires can be scary and emotionally draining. Depending on the severity you may have to completely restart. Understand that we are here to help and restore as much as possible for you before we move onto disposing of content that is beyond repair. We understand this can be very hard and it is a long process so we hope to make our part of it as easy and flexible as possible for you. Our various products and mitigation processes give us many different options to take care of what is left behind from the fire. When the fire trucks leave give us a call. We treat our customers property like our own! Safety and security after a fire is put out is best done in a timely manner. Time matters in these situations. Have a plan for what to do and who to call when disaster strikes. You never know what will happen so save our number! 856-339-0500.

Soot and Ways We Get Rid Of It

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

Soot, that powdery blackish greyish stuff left behind on contents and walls after a fire. While it may seem impossible to get rid of we have our ways. You may not realize but smoke penetrates through drywall and insulation to the studs of the property. After exposing the studs we come in with a special type of sponge. This sponge when used on the studs soaks up the soot left behind. This process takes some time to complete but it drastically helps reduce the odor left behind from the soot! Now sponging won't always completely get rid of the odor. For that we use a sealant, spraying or rolling the sealant over all of the surfaces affected leaving a fresh smell! 

Give us a call once the fire trucks leave to start the process of putting your property back together! 856-339-0500.

Fire Extinguishers

8/4/2020 (Permalink)

Sometimes it isn’t the water from the fire company, but fire extinguisher dust! Over here at SERVPRO of Salem County we recently received a job for a small fire in the home that was put out by a fire extinguisher, leaving yellow dust all over the main floor. This also got into the homeowners HVAC system so we were quick to begin the cleaning process and not leaving until everything was taken care of. We cleaned from ceiling to floor and everything in-between to ensure that none of this dust was left behind. Cleaning the HVAC system twice, once before everything was wiped down and once after to ensure everything was left fresh for our homeowners to come back to. Now this was over a few weeks due to the size of the home and our expectations of leaving a job site in better condition than when we arrived. 856-339-0500 to make it “Like it never even happened.”

What's that smell?

6/24/2020 (Permalink)

Cleaning damage left from a fire to remove odor

After a fire there is an odor left from the smoke and soot. This odor can at times be hard to get rid of! It seeps deep into porous surfaces like drywall and wood. You may be wondering how does this odor get taken care of? We have many methods to ensure that fire smell disappears as you begin to rebuild your home or business. We have seen all kinds of fires and have developed a protocol to get as deep as possible to make it seem like your fire never even happened! Starting with determining what can be cleaned and what cannot, we keep property owners very close so they know what can and cannot be saved. We will always try and save as much as we can however sometimes things are beyond repair. After that is determined we move it all out of the property and start examining the structure. When fires occur, smoke fills the home leading every porous surface to absorb the odor where the smoke reaches. Everywhere smoke reaches get remediated to ensure that fire odor is eliminated. More times than not we go down to the studs of your property so you can be entirely sure that there is no residue left over. After we have done the most thorough cleaning we move on and paint and seal everything around. This leaves a fresher smell and kills the odor. If that does not work and we need to go further, we have the ability to use an Ozone machine. Ozone is known to eradicate smoke odors and leave areas with a clean smell. We will make sure that the pesky fire odor is completely gone before you begin rebuilding. And after you have finished feel free to give us a call to make sure there is no fire odor left over.

Fire safety - Tip Tuesday

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

Fire safety is one of the most important ways we can protect our family and home. When disaster strikes, SERVPRO of Salem County is here for you. We also know how important it is for you to be as prepared as possible to limit injury and damage to you, your loved ones, and your property. We sincerely hope you find these tips helpful in your home.

1. Smoke alarms are key to helping you and your family escape a potentially deadly situation, unscathed. Place a smoke alarm on each floor and in all sleeping areas.
2. Carbon Monoxide alarms should also be placed on every floor of your home as well as sleeping areas. 
3. Fire Extinguishers should be placed on each floor of the home as well as the kitchen and garage.
4. Test your smoke alarms on the same day each week. Be sure to clean your smoke alarm weekly with a vacuum cleaner only, it is never recommended to wipe it down or use water.
5. Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms twice a year. You could do this when you move your clocks forward in the spring and when you move them back in the fall.
6. Replace your smoke alarm every ten years and replace your carbon monoxide alarm every five years.

As always, if disaster strikes, SERVPRO of Salem County. We’re always here for you. We can be reached 24/7 at 856-339-0500.

Little items causing big fires

2/17/2020 (Permalink)

Space heater to house fire quicker than you think.

It is important to remember safety steps in your day to day operations. When cold days start, heating is a must. How you heat your home or business may vary. Sometimes it is convenient for those little space heaters that quickly heat up the area you're in. But they can also quickly change that comfortable heat to a blazing fire. In a matter of minutes if you're not careful. Always make sure that your space heaters are away from flammable material and in a secure/flat location. 

In case something does happen, give SERVPRO of Salem County a call. 856-339-0500

We are always here to help. We will help you throughout the whole process so you won't have to worry about a thing. 

Fire Damage - Biggest part of the damage isn't the actual fire.. What is it?

2/17/2020 (Permalink)

When a fire occurs, it is not the actual fire that does the most damage to a home. The smoke from the fire and the water from the firefighter's efforts are the two things that cause the most damage to a house after a fire. 

Some house fires are small and extinguished quickly either by the homeowner or the fire department resulting in minimal damage from the flames. These fires that are put out very quickly still cause significant damage to the home as the smoke will migrate throughout the structure. 

Even the smallest of home fires can cause extensive damage to a home. While the flames of a small fire may not cause much damage, the resulting smoke can quickly spread throughout the house, reaping significant damage to everything inside the home. This process is called secondary damage. 

What's Secondary Damage after a Fire?

2/17/2020 (Permalink)

What happens next?

Secondary Damage

This is the damage created by the corrosive nature of substances released by the heat and fire. Often the secondary damages can account for most of the damage to a home or business. To help protect the home and your belongings, we would usually need to empty the home or business of its contents. The term we use for this is a pack-out. 

Pack Out

We carefully inventory all contents and safely pack-out for a move to our secured warehouse or pod. The contents of your home or business are thoroughly cleaned and restored, then returned after the structure restoration is completed. This allows for better access to clean and restore the house and eliminates the possibility of secondary damage during the restoration process. 

The Final Step after you experience a fire in your home or business

2/17/2020 (Permalink)

This is the last and final step after a fire occurs.

Call the Pros

For Fire remediation, contents cleaning and fire restoration, you can always trust SERVPRO of Salem County to get the job done right. If you should suffer from a house fire or fire in your business, it's crucial to call the fire and smoke damage restoration experts of SERVPRO of Salem County immediately. 

We will work right away to identify the steps to clean and restore your home while taking measures to prevent any unnecessary further damage from occurring. That is what we are here for, don't waste anymore time. Give us a call (856)339-0500.

Our team will take your stress away and do what we are all trained to do.

Don't play with matches

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

Colder days are coming, holiday decorations and appropriate candles are being lit. Many are getting their stockpile of wood set aside for their fireplaces. Fire safety is HUGE this time of year. Make sure to have a safety screen available to put on the fireplace to help contain any sparks and help prevent a possible bigger issue of a fire.

Oh, the joys of Fall and Winter!

As these colder days approach, keep in mind that safety should always come first. When it comes to your home or business, you must prepare for anything that could possible happen.

Check those ducts. Clean those gutters. Keep candles and fireplaces contained. Freshen up your home with a deep carpet cleaning.

SERVPRO of Salem County can help with all of those. Check out the rest of our website and see how we may be able to help you!

Small Fire - Big Damage

8/1/2019 (Permalink)

Fires are never something you can predict. They are truly the most unexpected and most damaging event that can happen to your home or business.

SERVPRO of Salem County was called first thing to help restore this home after a small stove fire that turned something so small into a much more drastic situation.

In the first picture you can see the amount of soot that formed on the ceiling of this kitchen, it traveled all throughout the kitchen to the hallway just beyond.

In the second picture you can see the demolition and elbow grease that our team put into this to prepare for the final restoration and painting of the kitchen.

Check out the fire video posted on our YouTube page. It shows what SERVPRO of Salem County walked into see after this stove fire. The full video shows the before, during and after of the process to prepare this home for reconstruction of the ceiling and for paint to have it back to looking like it never even happened.

SERVPRO of Salem County YouTube page!!

Let our experts do all of the work for you

6/24/2019 (Permalink)

If a fire ever breaks out in your Salem County home or business, not only do the flames cause damage to contents and building materials but the smoke causes damage as well. During a fire, smoke spreads to all rooms of the house. Many times, smoke causes soot to build upon contents and surfaces inside the structure.

In any fire damage situation restoring contents is always cheaper than replacing. Anytime there is a fire on your property, calling SERVPRO's experienced fire damage team in Salem County is a wise idea. Our crew is IICRC certified and has experience in restoring contents that experience soot damage from the smoke.

When cleaning there are four actions that are used to remove soot from the surface of something. Those four actions are used by professionals are Mechanical action, Lubrication, Chemical action, then comes Suspension and dispersion. Let us explain what those actually mean.

Mechanical action is when friction agitates the soot or soil off the surface. Sometimes when cleaning soot off a surface, scrubbing the area before applying any chemicals is helpful. Many times, our professionals at SERVPRO agitate the dry smoke particles to remove them from the surface before applying any chemicals.

The purpose of lubrication is to make the surface of the object slippery. When the surface of something is slick, the soot adhering to the object is released and becomes easier to clean. Some detergents lubricate soot off a surface while emulsifying the soil at the same time.

Many chemicals used for fire damage restoration change the chemical composition of the soil stuck to a surface. Once the composition changes, the soil quickly comes off.

One of the best cleaning methods is to loosen the soot from the surface then soak the item in a chemical solution. During the suspension action, the chemical dissolves the soil removing it from the object. Sometimes the chemical emulsifies and pulls the soot off the item.

Anytime a fire takes place; cleaning is a must. When cleaning smoke-damaged items call the professionals at SERVPRO of Salem County at (856) 339-0500 for assistance 24/7.

Puff Backs are a Pain

6/21/2019 (Permalink)

Buying a new house? Cleaning up your home after the long winter?

Are you noticing black soot buildup above your heaters, on your walls, ceiling, area above your stove?

Your home could have endured a puff back and maybe you didn’t notice it or the smell until you started moving things around, or maybe you did, and you didn’t know what to do.

What is a puff back?

Puff Backs happen when your ignition misfires and oil fumes accumulate in the chamber of your furnace. When the pilot light ignites again it causes a small “explosion" shooting the dust and soot in your ducts or baseboard all over the room and up the walls. The soot gets into everything including drapes, blinds, furniture, bedding, clothing, floors, carpets, dishes, appliances, you name it, causing major headaches for homeowners. The damage could be smaller than that and can still affect your home. If you notice black soot accumulating on carpet around heating vents or baseboard, or on surfaces inside your home, chances are you are experiencing a small-scale puff back.

Soot is very difficult to clean. It can’t be wiped off with a regular sponge, towel, paper towel, etc. in fact that just makes the problem worse! The cleaning of soot requires special sponges and cleaning products that are used by professionals. The smell is almost worse than the mess, it seems to permeate into everything. This odor is difficult to remove and requires the services of a professional to remove as well.

A professional certified home restoration company such as SERVPRO of Salem County is experienced with handling puff back situations.

Hiring a professional like SERVPRO of Salem County right after a puff back can save you time and money.

      Call SERVPRO of Salem County at (856) 339-0500

Hot summer days, Warm summer nights

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

Hot summer days, warm summer nights! It’s time to go sit back by the pool or at the beach. Evening bonfire or BBQs with friends and family.

Fire Safety comes to mind. Be careful while lighting up that fire or starting up that grill. Protect your home. Fires are sneaky and cause more than just fire damage to your home or business. It causes an array of emotions and quite a headache for those involved.

Let SERVPRO of Salem County take some of that burden away for you. We can ensure that the restoration process goes as painless as possible for you, so you don’t have to worry as much.

Call (856)339-0500

Let us show you how we can help. No matter how big or small the damage is, SERVPRO of Salem County if here to help!

https://www.SERVPROsalemcounty.com/

One of the Most Common Fire Starters? Dryer Vents

5/21/2019 (Permalink)

One of the most common causes of fires is also perhaps the most preventable. Can you guess what that is?

Something you may never actually think about, the build up of lint in your clothes dryer vents. DRYER VENTS... Wouldn't expect that one.

After every use of your clothes dryer, your vents build up lint. You may not see or notice the buildup. But if not cleaned out properly, the air cannot flow properly, and a fire can easily start in the heating element without your knowledge until it is too late. This type of fire happens most frequently in homes, posing dangers to adults and children.

According to a January 2017 study by the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 17,000 home clothes dryer fires are reported every year. Causing an estimated 51 deaths, 380 injuries, and $236 million in property loss. The National Fire Protection Association also reports that the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean dryer vents (34 percent).

SERVPRO of Salem County is always "Here to Help."

Contact us today and schedule for our team to clean those vents for you to prevent the risk of a fire. (856)339-0500 or email at Office@SERVPROsalemcounty.com

Visit our website to see what else we can help you with. www.SERVPROsalemcounty.com

Clean Your Dryer Vents to Prevent Fire in Salem County

2/27/2018 (Permalink)

Clothes dryer vents can build up lint over time, restricting air flow and posing a threat of fire. This type of fire is totally preventable.

One of the most common causes of fires is also perhaps the most preventable.

Dryer vents connect from your clothes dryer, and can build up lint. If not cleaned out properly, the air cannot flow properly, and a fire can result. This type of fire happens most frequently in homes, posing dangers to adults and children.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year. These fires cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. The U.S. Fire Administration also reports that the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them (34 percent).

Apart from cleaning your dryer vent, the U.S. Fire Administration has suggestions to enhance safety when using your clothes dryer:

• Don’t use a clothes dryer without a lint filter or with a lint filter that is loose, damaged or clogged.
• Don’t overload the dryer.
• Don’t use a wire screen or cloth to cover the wall damper. They can collect lint and clog the dryer vent.
• Don’t dry anything containing foam, rubber or plastic. An example of an item not to place in a dryer is a bathroom rug with a rubber backing.
• Don’t dry any item for which manufacturers' instructions state “dry away from heat.”
• Don’t dry glass fiber materials (unless manufacturers' instructions allow).
• Don’t dry items that have come into contact with anything flammable like alcohol, cooking oils or gasoline. Dry them outdoors or in a well-ventilated room, away from heat.
• Don’t leave a clothes dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed.

Why Board and Tarp for Fire Damage in Salem County?

2/22/2018 (Permalink)

What Fire Damage Restoration in Salem County Can Look Like with a Board-up Service

SERVPRO Can Help Provide Other Services to Protect Our Customers' Properties

For some cases of fire damage in Salem County, we may recommend employing a boarding and tarping service to protect your home from further damage. While these services are not required for all mitigation and restoration projects in the aftermath of a fire, in some instances, they can be an essential step to keep your home in shape and prevent thousands of dollars of additional damages from happening. 

Why Use Board and Tarp? 
SERVPRO technicians can put up a sheet or two of plywood and some plastic to quickly protect your structure from absorbing more damage from external sources like wind and rain. However, we do partner with companies that have full resources to do large-scale buttoning up. This can help prevent water issues on top of the fire damage already in your Salem County home. Without these services, many homes are left vulnerable to the effects of rain, wind, and debris from the outside. While setting up these countermeasures are being set up we can go about our business of cleanup and restoration. By working in tandem, we can mitigate damages and look out for you, our client, and your best interests.

When Does SERVPRO Help Set Up These Services? 
Typically, a small board up and tarp over holes in the home's exterior immediately after assessing the situation when our mitigation team arrives on the scene can also add to the safety and security of the structure. We also want to establish cleaning proceedures following IICRC guidelines for fire and smoke restoration as soon as possible. 

What Can Happen Without Boarding and Tarping When Necessary? 
Without anything to fill gaps opened up in your home's exterior by fire, rain, wind, and other weather effects can work their way into your home and cause additional damage to any and all exposed surfaces. These effects can cause thousands of dollars in additional damage and significantly complicate our work in the home, so we at SERVPRO make it a priority never to let that happen. There is plenty to do with extracting any water from the firefighting efforts along with eventually controlling odor problems that accompany fires.

SERVPRO of Salem County is a locally-owned franchise with national resources to help take care of your home in a time of crisis. Call us at the first sign of fire damage at (856) 339-0500.

Fall Hazards and How to Prepare for them

10/27/2017 (Permalink)

Beautiful House in Woodstown decorated for fall

As the leaves change color and the temperatures fall the need for many household items that have been turned off since the spring come back into play.

Heaters and Oil Tanks come to mind first. 

Here at SERVPRO of Salem County we have already encountered our first Home Heating Oil Spill of the season and thought lets shed some light on this subject.

PUFF BACKS

Before your heater turns on for the season make sure you have it serviced by a licensed HVAC Contractor. If you think your heater is good the worst thing that could happen is a Puff Back. A Puff Back is when a build up in a oil burner creates a small explosion and puffs back soot throughout your heating ducts and heater. 

This is a costly claim that is usually covered by your homeowners insurance. Think about it, everything in your house that is exposed to the regular air could possibly come in contact with the soot. Your walls, ceilings, and floors to start. Then think about what is in each of your rooms. Bedding, clothing, electronics, furniture, family heirlooms are all things that can come in contact with the soot. 

SERVPRO of Salem County handles countless Puff Backs every falll/winter. Utilizing the latest in SERVPRO Cleaning Products we restore what is able to be restored to its preloss condition. Its not an easy quick job either. Detailed cleaning as well and documentation must be performed to provide the highest level of clean to make sure its "Like it never even happened." 

There is no simple right away cost associated with these claims. Every household is different and every claim is unique. But if you experience a Puff Back do not wait, call SERVPRO of Salem County right away.

HVAC Duct Cleaning

SERVPRO of Salem County isn't just a restoration contractor. We do offer a variety of cleaning services for both residential and commercial customers. HVAC Duct Cleaning is one that we have seen a large increase in over the past 3 years. 

Whether you have never had it done or are just looking to maintain clean ducts a duct cleaning can help with the efficiency of your heating unit. It does by removing dust, contaminants, pet hair, and even toys that fall into those hvac ducts that no one thinks about. After the duct cleaning is completed we utilize an antimicrobial product to sanitize the duct which produces a fresh clean smell throughout the house.

Now is the time to get these checked off of your todo list. 

For more information please contact the SERVPRO of Salem County office at 856-339-0500.

www.SERVPROsalemcounty.com 

Fire Damage Needs a Meticulous Clean

2/20/2017 (Permalink)

The dangers of fire damage can last much longer than the initial fire blaze. Two of the most toxic types of damage are the fire itself and the resulting smoke damage. Smoke and soot can damage a home by permeating through the walls, upholstery, ceiling, insulation, air conditioning vents, and other hard to clean places.
 
This is why it is important to understand that fire damage in Salem County homes can present itself in many ways. Depending on the type of fire that attacks your home, not only are the apparent soot, ash, and fire damage unsightly, but possible structure damage and future contamination are possible.
 
Never Have Your Fire Damage Overlooked Again
For example, depending on where a fire burns in a structure, it can affect support beams, load-bearing walls, and it can wreak havoc on wiring and insulation. Even if your fire emergency seemed localized to a particular area in the house, remember, the attic must be checked for damage as well.
 
SERVPRO uses our advanced cleanup methods and detection tools to check from closet to closet, room to room, and floor to ceiling, to detect all fire and post-fire damages. We know where to check to make sure your HVAC system will not spread smoke and toxins after a fire. We will make sure that your insulation is intact and that the structure of your home is safe. If we detect any need for replacement and restoration, we provide a range of services, including building services, that can take care of any fire and water damage and debris.
 
Because secondary fire damage, such as water use from firefighting efforts can also be an issue, our specialists pay much attention to a full, detailed analysis of your home’s damage before making a plan of action and beginning cleanup and restoration.
 
Contamination is not always seen by the untrained eye. It can be hidden in places such as your HVAC (air conditioning and heating) systems. SERVPRO inspects the home from attic to basement, to ensure that all vents and air circulating systems are completely clean. If you were to neglect this part of fire damage cleanup, there is always the possibility of blowing toxic dust, ash, and soot, even on the microscopic level, into your cleaned home, effectively re-contaminating it and exposing residents to its dangers.

Our 24/7 Emergency Service line is at your disposal. Contact SERVPRO of Salem County anytime at (856) 339-0500 for quick response to your fire emergency, or to ask questions.