Recent Posts
Our Six Step Water Damage Restoration Process
3/21/2022 (Permalink)
When your home or commercial property has water damage from flooding or leaks, we have the expertise and equipment to properly restore your property. Our experience and scientific approach to water removal and water cleanup enable us to properly dry and restore your property.
Every water damage situation is a little different and requires a unique solution. However, the general process stays the same and we'd like to outline that below so that you can feel confident knowing that you'll be supported every step of the way.
Step 1 - Emergency Contact
The restoration process begins when you call us. We will guide you through the crisis and may ask several questions to help us better understand the equipment and resources needed.
Step 2 - Inspection and Water Damage Assessment
In this step, we determine the scope of your water damage at this stage. We inspect and test to discover the true extent of damage and how far the moisture has traveled to ensure proper and complete restoration.
Step 3 - Water Removal / Water Extraction
The water removal process begins almost immediately when we arrive and removes the majority of the water. Our team uses powerful pumps and vacuum units to quickly remove hundreds or thousands of gallons from your property, which helps prevent secondary water damage and mold growth.
Step 4 - Drying and Dehumidification
We use specialized equipment to remove the remaining water that is harder to access. Our team will use exact room measurements, temperature, and relative humidity to determine the optimal number of air movers and dehumidifiers needed to dry your home or business.
Step 5 - Cleaning and Sanitizing
Back at the warehouse, our team cleans all of the restorable items damaged by the water. We are adept at cleaning contents using a number of techniques. Our professionals are trained to provide sanitizing treatments and to remove odors and deodorize your property.
Step 6 - Restoration
Restoration is the process of restoring your home or business to its pre-water damage condition. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall and installing new carpet, or may entail major repairs, such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.
Commercial Cleaning Services for Harris County Businesses
3/21/2022 (Permalink)
You don’t have time to worry about the common wear and tear that gradually soils your office. When grime, odor, and moisture challenges go beyond the scope of your regular janitorial staff, just give us a call at SERVPRO of Harris, Meriwether & Stewart Counties for prompt service. Whether it’s removing an odor problem or deep cleaning flooring or carpets, you can rely on us to make your workspace look its very best.
Our cleaning services include the following:
Click on any of the above to be taken to a new page on our website to learn more.
Water Damage From Flooding?
3/18/2022 (Permalink)
Flooding occurs in every U.S. state and territory, and is a threat experienced anywhere in the world that receives rain. In the U.S. floods kill more people each year than tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning according to the NOAA.
What is flooding? Flooding is an overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods can happen during heavy rains, when ocean waves come on shore, when snow melts quickly, or when dams or levees break. Damaging flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. Floods can occur within minutes or over a long period, and may last days, weeks, or longer. Floods are the most common and widespread of all weather-related natural disasters.
If you find your home or business impacted by water damage caused by flooding, give us a call. Our highly-trained technicians are ready to respond immediately to get your property back to "Like it never even happened."
When Does a Thunderstorm Become Severe?
3/18/2022 (Permalink)
You hear the term thunderstorm and severe thunderstorm used often this time of year in our area, but what's the difference?
A thunderstorm is a rain shower during which you hear thunder. Since thunder comes from lightning, all thunderstorms have lightning.
A thunderstorm is classified as “severe” when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in excess of 50 knots (57.5 mph), or a tornado.
According to the NOAA, here are an estimated 16 million thunderstorms each year worldwide. This means that at any given moment, there are roughly 2,000 thunderstorms in progress on Earth. There are about 100,000 thunderstorms each year in the U.S. alone. Wow! About 10% of those reach severe levels.
We specialize in flooding and storm damage restoration. It is the cornerstone of our business! We have extensive water damage and storm restoration training that allows our team to get your home back to normal quickly.
Flood: Watch, Warning, Advisory?
3/18/2022 (Permalink)
What is the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service?
Sometimes it is nice to have a reminder of the difference, so we thought it would make a great topic to share about on our blog. There's a few different important definitions to share so let's get into it.
A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.
A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
A Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it could cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten lives and/or property.
Thank you to the National Weather Service for providing such great definitions for us to share with our readers!
What To Do During a Home Fire
3/16/2022 (Permalink)
House fires kill over 2,600 people each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
But this does not have to be the case. There are fire safety precautions to keep your family safe in the case of a house fire. Of course, prevention is the ideal approach to fire safety, but if a fire breaks out in your house, you'll need to know what to do.
Let's go through the steps.
1. Use a fire extinguisher.
If you hear a fire alarm in your house, do not ignore it; instead, grab your fire extinguisher as a one-stop preventative precaution.
This single act may assist to put out the fire quickly, but if your efforts fail after using the fire extinguisher, leave immediately.
Fire extinguishers are critical and should be put in all homes, whether residential or commercial. If the fire extinguisher does not successfully extinguish the flames, call 911 as you begin escaping to safety. If your phone is not nearby, focus on getting to safety first and then asking a neighbor to use their phone.
2. Let everyone know.
Scream out loud to alert others in the home of the fire situation; do not depend on smoke detectors and alarms to alert others, since they could potentially malfunction due to battery failures and other factors. It can also be important for others to know that this is not a drill or an accidental alarm.
3. To escape, crawl under the flames.
Fire creates smoke and harmful chemicals that, if breathed, may induce lightheadedness or loss of consciousness—both of which can be dangerous if you're attempting to escape a burning structure.
To escape a fire, crawl to the nearest exit, keeping in mind that it may be a window. Staying low to the ground can help prevent you from breathing hazardous gases and smoke.
4. Examine the doors and door knobs for heat.
If you have to walk through a door to get to an escape, check the door and door knob before opening.
If the door (or doorknob) feels warm to the touch, there may be a fire on the other side, you should not open this door and should instead find an alternative exit if possible.
5. Keep your nose covered.
During a home fire, cover your nostrils with a shirt or a moist cloth to prevent smoke from entering your lungs. This is important to keep in mind to remember to cover the faces of children as much as possible, particularly while assisting in getting them to safety.
6. Close the doors.
Close the door behind you after you've crept out of a room. Research shows that closing doors stops fire from spreading or at least slows the spreading, which simply implies that the fire will be confined to a certain location for a short period.
7. Hurry to safety.
When you go outside, run away from the flames to your pre-determined safety spot.
Run across the street to safety if a section of the home or apartment, such as the roof or siding, catches fire. There is potential for dangerous debris to fall around the perimeter of the structure.
Notify the fire department officials as soon as possible if you believe any loved ones (including pets) are still inside the home and advise them to where they could be.
Fires are terrifying, but learning what to do ahead of time can help us remain cool if it happens to us.
Can Candles Cause Home Fires?
3/16/2022 (Permalink)
From 2015-2019 U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 7,400 home structure fires that were started by candles per year. These fires caused an annual average of 90 deaths, 670 injuries and $291 million in direct property damage, according to the NFPA.
Candles can be nice to look at but they are a cause of home fires. Remember, a candle is an open flame, which means that it can easily ignite anything that can burn.
If you're not interested in using flameless candles in your home, how can you enjoy your candles safely?
Use candle holders that are sturdy, and won’t tip over easily.
Put candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface.
Light candles carefully. Keep your hair and any loose clothing away from the flame.
Don’t burn a candle all the way down — put it out before it gets too close to the
bottom of the container.
Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage to avoid using candles at that time.
SERVPRO of Harris, Meriwether & Stewart Counties is locally owned and operated, so we’re already close by and ready to respond immediately when you need us. We make disaster "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today at (706)-575-1930!
The Adventures of Dehu: Our Elf on the Shelf
12/15/2021 (Permalink)
Meet Dehu!
Are you following us on social media already? You can find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you're not, now is the best time of year! Why? Because our Elf on the Shelf, Dehu, is visiting us leading up to Christmas! He hides around our office and warehouse each night and waits patiently for one our team members to find him the next morning.
We get so excited to be able to share his hiding spot each day during the week, so we post a photo after he has been found! If you want to catch up on where he has been so far, we are only on day five! We'd love for you to be able to see what he has gotten into so far. Stay tuned for where we might find him next.
What's an Emergency READY Profile?
10/28/2021 (Permalink)
Do you know about our Emergency READY Profiles for your business? If not, keep on reading! As many as 50% of businesses close down following a disaster, according to the latest research. Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind. And knowing you are "Ready for whatever happens" speaks trust to your clients and employees that in the event your business is affected by a disaster, they don’t necessarily have to be.
By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.
- A no cost assessment of your facility.
This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
- A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time if ever needed.
- A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
- Establishes your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by.
- Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
- Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for whatever happens."
SERVPRO of Harris, Meriwether & Stewart Counties is locally owned and operated, so we’re already close by and ready to respond immediately when you need us. We make disaster "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today at (706)-575-1930!
Our Disaster Recovery Team
10/28/2021 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of Harris, Meriwether & Stewart Counties is locally owned and operated— so we’re a part of this community too. We are also part of a national network of over 1,700 Franchises, which enables us to respond quicker with more resources. For major storms and disasters, we can call upon special Disaster Recovery Teams strategically located throughout the country. They come to us right here in our community.
Want to learn more? Click here.
The SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team can provide help whether you're dealing with a tornado, hurricane, blizzard or flood. The SERVPRO System has a network of strategically positioned storm teams on standby should a disaster strike near you. Available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, we are prepared for the unpredictable.
SERVPRO of Harris, Meriwether & Stewart Counties is locally owned and operated, so we’re already close by and ready to respond immediately when you need us. We make disaster "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today at (706)-575-1930!
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