Storm Readiness 101

7/22/2024 (Permalink)

As leaders in the restoration industry, we know firsthand the amount of damage that a storm can do to your home. Addressing the damage as quickly as possible is key to preventing further damage from occurring. We wanted to share some of the most important areas of your home that can be affected by storm damage, so you know where to check afterward.

1. Basement – Areas of your home that are underground are some of the spots that are the most prone to water damage following a storm. Check around the edges of your basement floor and walls for signs of moisture. Make sure that drain spouts are properly angled away from your home and that there are no areas where water can pool next to your house.
2. Foundation – Similarly to basements, your home’s foundation is particularly threatened by water damage after storms. Water from the outside can seep into cracks in your foundation and weaken it over time. Double-check check there is no standing water or signs of moisture in your concrete, and make sure that your sump pump is functioning properly.
3. Crawlspaces – Water can pool in areas underneath your home and cause significant damage to the structural components, like mold and rotting wood.
4. Windows – Over time the seals on your windows can degrade and strong storms can crack windows and window frames, allowing water to get into your home.
5. Roof – Probably the most prone to storm damage, wind can damage shingles and throw broken tree branches all over your home. As one of the main sources of protection from the outside elements. It is crucial to inspect your roof after a storm. Ensure there are no leaks and remove any debris that could further damage your home. Check for any signs of moisture in your attic as well as this could be a sign that there is a hole somewhere you might’ve missed.
6. Gutters – Strong winds and falling branches can damage your gutters or even completely rip them off the side of your house. Your gutters are essential in preventing water from getting into your home and directing it away from your home’s foundation. Make sure that your gutters are in good condition and free from any debris that may clog them.

While storm damage may not always be 100% preventable, hopefully, these tips can help you prevent any further damage from happening, and if you do happen to find any signs of damage to your home after a storm. Our technicians are here to help. We’re available 24/7, 365 days a year, so don’t wait, give us a call and let us know what we can do for you.

Water Damage in your home

7/22/2024 (Permalink)

When your home experiences water damage, besides the structural concerns, one of the biggest can definitely be your hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are expensive and add both cosmetic and monetary value to your home so, if possible, you obviously want to try and avoid ripping them out and replacing them. There are multiple factors that can play a part in our ability to restore your floors to preloss conditions:

• Moisture Levels – Hardwood floors have a very low moisture content. When water pools on them for long periods of time the moisture gets soaked into the wood and can take weeks to dry out on its own. This can cause the wood to buckle, have raised edges or have the panels separate from each other.

• Time – The type of wood in question plays a role in how quickly water is absorbed and then dried out. Wood rot happens when microbial growth in water is left without treatment in wood and begins to breakdown the wood.

As you can see, there are quite a few factors that decide whether or not you will have to replace your expensive hardwood floors or not, and that it’s best left to the professionals to handle to help increase your odds of restoration. So, if you find yourself in need of water damage restoration, don’t delay and give us a call asap. Our team is waiting to see how we can help you today.

With the correct equipment and training it is possible to save your floors from having to be removed, so it is imperative that you call a professional restoration company like us here at SERVPRO of Newport News.

Removing Water In Your Home

7/22/2024 (Permalink)

When water invades your home, quick action needs to be taken in order to get matters under control and your life back to normal. When water is left to soak into and remain, the greater the water damage and the repair.

SERVPRO of Newport News handles water damage with an inventory of equipment with large and powerful pumps that we can submerge enabling a quicker extraction of the floodwater.  Our machinery will raise the interior temperature so that evaporation happens at a precise rate.

Our trained technicians and supervisors determine the best drying method to utilize to maintain the quality of the water-damaged area and product. For instance, if a wooden floor is dried out too quickly or with extreme temperatures, the floor can be ruined. Our motto is to restore, not replace. So, we work diligently to help ensure that we can save as much of the structure and belongings of the home as possible. This is beneficial to not only the homeowner but to your insurance company too as it helps to save money.  

After the extractor has removed the water, smaller hand-held equipment is used to remove the remaining water found in crevices and baseboards. Once the water has been removed, the drying process begins for the remaining surface dampness and porous household items with the use of our desiccant machines and air movers. An Air Scrubber, our portable filtration system can be used to help clean the air of any contaminants such as dust, gasses, or chemicals in any area.

If you need help with water damage in your home, SERVPRO is here to help

Fire Safety Violations

7/17/2024 (Permalink)

Commercial Fire Damage

Fires can be absolutely devastating on commercial properties. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, non-residential structure fires accounted for almost $3.5 BILLION in property loss in 2020.

Are you prepared for a fire on your business’s property? Here’s a few common fire safety violations that can help keep your business, and more importantly your employees and customers safe.

Blocked Passageways and Exits – Hallways, doors, stairs, and any other paths to the outside of the building should never be obstructed. Even things like small packages left outside an office door in the hallway can become a life-threatening hazard should a fire evacuation take place.

Untested Smoke Detectors and Fire Alarms – These systems must be tested annually by a licensed professional. Be sure that all pull stations for the fire alarms are unobstructed and that smoke detectors have fresh batteries. When it comes to fires every second counts, and if your fire alert systems are malfunctioning it can be the cause of even more severe damage to your property or harm to your employees.

Damaged or Too Few Fire Extinguishers – Inspection and maintenance on fire extinguishers is easily overlooked when large commercial buildings can have so many to keep track of. ALL fire extinguishers should be FULL, classified for each area they are in, and inspected regularly to ensure they will function properly if needed. Without a functional fire extinguisher, a small containable fire can easily turn into a catastrophic large loss fire because no one was able to put it out before it spread.

These are just a few of the common violations that can happen in your business, so be on the lookout and make sure that you keep fire safety at the front of your mind for your business to help prevent dangers and costly repairs.

As always, if your business does suffer from a fire, SERVPRO of Newport News 

has a team of highly trained technicians with the knowledge needed to help you recover your business. We’re equipped to handle losses of all sizes and can take care of all aspects of the project, from clean up to reconstruction. Give us a call so we can help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Frozen Pipes can lead pipes to burst

10/6/2023 (Permalink)

Water causing damage to a property

Busted pipes are an enormous inconvenience and hazard. There are a number of potential reasons why pipes inside a home can experience too much stress and burst. This time of year, the main reason why is due to extreme cold temperatures.  

But Why? Cold water can cause serious issues when is affects the water supply pipes. Ice has more volume than water so when water freezes inside a pipe, it expands and increases pressure in the pipe. The building pressure needs to escape so it literally bursts right out of the pipe.  

How can I prevent frozen pipes? 

Keep garage doors closed, especially if they are water supply lines in the garage.  

Open kitchen and cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. 

Let the cold-water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe even a trickle helps prevent pipes from freezing. 

Keep the thermostat at the same temperature during day and night.  

If you plan to be away during the cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F. 

For the long term, add insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in those areas.  

But, if those pipes due decide to burst and cause water damage, you can always call SERVPRO of Newport News at 757-244-8467. We will gladly help, and make it seem "Like it never even happened." 

Soot Removal For Newport News Home

9/27/2023 (Permalink)

Soot Removal

Do you know what soot is? 

Soot is a black powdery or flaky substance consisting largely of amorphous carbon, produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter. 

Soot is so small, soot is typically 2.5 micrometers or even SMALLER. Because its so tiny it gets almost everywhere and inside everything so it's important to get professionals out there to remove the soot.  

You want to make sure you have the right people getting that nastiness out. Here at SERVPRO we have cleaned so many homes and have a lot of experience.  

Here at SERVPRO of Newport News we have a dedicated team to clean off everything in your home after a fire. We have so much experience when it comes to fires so you can always trust in us to get rid of all that soot. 

You can give us a call 24/7 at 757-244-8467! Were always ready to help

How To Be Safe During A Campfire

9/27/2023 (Permalink)

Campfire Safety

As we are still lucky enough to enjoy hot, warm weather some of us are still doing outdoor activities which can include campfires while camping!  

Camping requires building your own fire and cooking up your own food in the wild. If you don't know how to do it correctly you could get yourself in trouble with a fire. 

Here are some safety tips when dealing with fire while camping.  

You want be 15 inches away from existing structures, trees, greenery, and tents.  

Pull out your fire before leaving the fire pit 

Be sure the match is out cold by breaking it before discarding 

Always keep a pail of water and a shovel nearby in case the fire gets out of control 

Lastly, the suggested length of a roasting stick to minimize getting too close to the campfire is 30 feet. 

Never leave children near an unattended campfire!  

As always give us a call at 757-244-8467 if you need any help with your restoration needs.

Why Call SERVPRO?

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Give us a call at 757-244-8467

Not too long ago during Hurricane Idas' landfall places that don't usually experience storm damage got a ton of damage. Subways being filled with water, houses flooded, and so much more. So many SERVPROs were working around the clock to clean up the damage. Especially in Louisiana, Louisiana was hit with a stage 4 storm. Lives were taken, houses were damaged, people were left with nothing. Thankfully SERVPRO was there to help many people get their lives some what back to normal. We know its stressful seeing so much damage in tour home or business. Were always here to help. The more time is taken to get back to normal the more money it cost you. We want to help you save money and get that stress off your shoulders. SERVPRO of Newport News is always here to help with any storm. Were watching the weather nonstop to make sure we have our crew here to help!  

Water Damage After A Dishwasher Leak

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Give us a call at 757-244-8467

If you find your home flooded from a failed dishwasher, call SERVPRO of Newport News to properly remove the water and repair the damage. 

The Importance of Humidity Levels in a Water Damaged Home 

When you purchase a new dishwasher, you trust that the company who comes to deliver and install it knows what they are doing. However, sometimes you may run into a problem with it not being installed correctly, and you soon have a mess of water flooding your kitchen. You need to act fast to get the water cleaned up before it creates more damage than it already has. 

A leaking dishwasher can put many gallons of water out into your home very quickly. Once you get the water turned off and not flowing anymore, you need help in cleaning up the water damage, so it gets dried properly. SERVPRO of Newport News can come to your rescue anytime you need, so be sure to give us a call. 

As water damage technicians we always make a drying goal for any water damage situation. We also monitor the drying process each day to see whether the goal is being accomplished. A drying goal is a condition that we want to bring about in the affected area of your home. Our goal is to get your home completely dry again and to correct any damage which has happened due to the standing water. 

Our process includes moisture content readings from dry, unaffected contents and the structure. We take readings in percentage for wood materials and in points for materials which are not made of wood. 

Our technicians use drier air to increase the rate of evaporation. Drier air means air with low humidity. A relative humidity of less than forty percent is essential for an efficient drying process. Relative humidity of under forty percent lets us know that the air is dry and thirsty, and pulls more water out of materials. 

Measurements for relative humidity are however not as accurate as specific humidity readings. Reaching low relative humidity readings does not mean the structure is dry 100%, so we use specific humidity readings to make sure the humidity in the affected area is going down. When it is thoroughly dry, the specific humidity in the area should be the same or lower than the specific humidity in an area which was not affected. 

SERVPRO of Newport News ensures your home is dry again before we say the job is complete. Doing this avoids any additional damage in your home in the Hampton Roads area such as mold growth, give us a call (757) 244-8467 when you have a water damage problem

Air Movers After Water Damage

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Give us a call at 757-244-8467

Have you ever had a leak and think "Hey I think I can clean this up myself?" I know I have. 

Here at SERVPRO we use professional equipment like air movers. 

Air movers help circulate air to dry every bit of water we can and FAST.

Air movers help move large amounts of air over surfaces to dry them. Air movers also help the dehumidifiers work to their optimum performance.

We have quite a few different air movers depending on the job type. 

We have velo air movers, shara air movers, ace air movers, axial air movers.

The most common air mover we use is the ace movers. The ace mover are awesome at directed large amounts of air in any direction with hardly any power. We love them!

If you have any water damage you can always call SERVPRO of Newport News at 757-244-8467 as were open 24/7