When Flooding Causes Damage to Your Leominster Home

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

Did the recent storms cause water to invade your home? SERVPRO to the rescue! We can handle all of your water damage restoration needs!

Let SERVPRO Handle Your Flood Damage Needs in Leominster 

Water loss brings about significant issues with various elements inside your home, including everything from wood furniture to upholstered items. The interior of your home requires professional attention to get it back to normal promptly, which is why calling in our team at SERVPRO is the best first course of action. We can come in and make sure that we address everything so that you can get your household back to preloss condition sooner. 

Dealing with flood damage in Leominster should never feel overwhelming or stressful when you have the right team on the job. Our skilled technicians handle your restoration project to help lessen the replacement costs for items throughout the home. It is essential to follow our tried and true steps so that we can limit the loss and keep secondary damages from taking hold. 

Water Removal  

SERVPRO technicians employ a range of water removal equipment along with rapid drying methods to help cut back on cracking and swelling of building materials. Quick response helps prevent the onset of stains and rust and keep glue from breaking down. When it comes to discoloration prevention, we use specialized spot removal procedures. We can also implement pack out procedures or furniture blocking to minimize loss further. After removing the water, we use infrared imaging tools to check moisture levels to prevent foul odors and mold from developing. 

Upholstered Furniture Cleaning 

Your must address upholstered furnishings impacted by flooding promptly to save them from adverse effects. We have skilled technicians here at SERVPRO to come in and check for:

• Weakened furniture frames due to glue breakdown, leading to additional damage
• Cracking and swelling of furniture frames
• Color bleeding from materials that are wet and sagging, causing stains on flooring and rugs
• Dry-clean only fabrics that can spot and discolor
• Metal, plastic, or wooden legs that might stain your rugs or carpets
• Buttons with metal backings that could stain materials due to rust
• Growth of mildew when moisture remains in the materials 

Flood damage is not something that has to be a total loss. SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster is available to tackle all of your restoration needs, and we can be there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give us a call today at (978) 537-1500. We are always ready to send out a team. 

More about Leominster.

We Get You Back In Business In Fitchburg After A Fire

1/27/2020 (Permalink)

Our experts used our specialized cleaning techniques to restore these cabinets after a fire. We are available 24/7 to restore your property.

Commercial Water Damage Fitchburg – Malfunctioning Fire Sprinkler

Although it is infrequent for commercial fire sprinklers to malfunction, however when sprinklers do fail, water can damage the contents of your building. Malfunctioning water sprinklers are generally caused by overheating, freezing, corrosion, mechanical damage, and human sabotage or errors. Older systems tend to have more corrosion and are also subject to damage from employees hanging things on the pipes or accidentally knocking the sprinkler heads.

SERVPRO can respond to commercial water damage situations quickly in Fitchburg and surrounding areas. We understand how important it is to avoid downtime for your business to avoid production losses, sales, and revenue declines. We respond in less than four hours from the time of your call on a 24 / 7 basis.

Water Damage from Sprinkler Systems

Fire suppression sprinkler systems do not malfunction very often; however, when a sprinkler head does begin spraying water in a specific area, it can quickly soak an area. Water can spread across floors, into walls, under equipment that may be very difficult to move.

SERVPRO has a variety of wall cavity ventilating systems that include air movers and blowers with attached hoses to utilize for every drying challenge. We can direct air under cabinets and equipment too heavy or awkward to move. Many commercial buildings contain structural cavities that need to be dried to avoid high moisture conditions that can lead to mold infestations after water damage. Hoses can be directed into these areas pushing dry air into the cavity and absorbing the moisture.

On occasion, we may have to drill small holes to gain access to these cavities or under cabinets. SERVPRO can attach the appropriate drying equipment in these situations to return humidity levels to normal levels. We also use heavy-duty venting fans that move vast volumes of air to clear large areas of moisture and odors.

Call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at (978) 537-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Pratt Junction, Still River, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

See more about Fitchburg.

We Have The State Of The Art Equipment Necessary In Leominster To Restore Your Home After A Fire

1/15/2020 (Permalink)

When soot, smoke, and fire damage your home our team is ready 24/7, and we have the experience and expertise to handle your fire damage.

Removing Smoke Residues from High Vaulted Leominster Ceilings

High vaulted ceilings are an increasingly popular aesthetic feature in Leominster homes. After some disasters like fire losses take place, cleaning up after these destructive events requires experience from trained restoration professionals like our SERVPRO team. With the right equipment and techniques, we can clean exposed surfaces contending with residues and other lingering effects after the fire.

Clearing residues and soot deposits from high vaulted ceilings and the upper portions of walls requires a wide range of equipment for fire damage recovery in Leominster. Not only do our technicians need to remain careful about the choice in cleaning practices to ensure that soot and other residues do not stain the underlying material, but there is the added challenge of reaching these compromised areas of the house. The necessary machines and tools to adequately reach these damaged surfaces get determined during the initial walkthrough and scoping of the job by our project manager.

Reaching the appropriate heights often comes down to our SERVPRO technicians running equipment like scissor lifts, elevating platforms, or scaffolding. All of these options offer a stable workspace for our experienced professionals, even when abrasive cleaning techniques are necessary to protect the substrate beneath the layer of soot residue. Certain wall materials can benefit from various cleaning practices, including foam cleaning, dry cleaning, and wet cleaning with potent cleansing agents.

With popcorn ceiling often found between exposed beams, peroxide active cleaning approaches can help to dissolve and loosen thicker layers of soiling. In instances where we know that our professionals must repaint damaged surfaces after mitigation steps complete, more agitative techniques like scrubbing with steel wool can help to remove thick deposits of soot and smoke residues.

High vaulted ceilings and tall wall surfaces can present cleaning challenges for our SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster team restoring your property after a fire damage incident. No matter what your home needs from deodorization and debris removal to soot and stain removal, we have the experienced professionals to help. Give us a call anytime that you need us at (978) 537-1500.

See more about Leominster.

Water Damage Sterling – Effective Control of Microbes

1/4/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let moisture take over your home or business. Call the experts at SERVPRO.

Fast response to water damage can lessen your chances of water loss

When water gets into a home from a leak in a pipe or one in the roof, it can quickly turn to a mold infestation if steps are not taken to dry the structure and contents. Delays in arranging for help to dry your home or business may increase the amount of damage and expose the occupants to health issues. Folks that have compromised immune systems, asthmatics, young and older people are especially vulnerable to microbial growth.

SERVPRO provides water damage control and restoration services in Sterling as well as surrounding areas. There are several reasons we respond quickly to water damage events, usually in less than four hours on a 24/7 basis. The client is anxious about containing the damage and restoring their home as quickly as possible. We aim to help our clients deal with the chaos that a water damage event can cause as soon as possible.

Preventing Mold Growth

Responding quickly to these situations has another significant advantage. Drying the home and structure and removing contaminated materials is the only long term method of controlling and preventing the growth of mold. Applying professional disinfectant products in a humid environment can only provide a reprieve from the growth of mold and mildew.

SERVPRO training and experience with these situations demonstrate that removing moisture and drying is the best approach to containing infestations. Some materials that are contaminated and cannot be dried must be removed. Fast-drying the structure, flooring, and contents prevent further contamination. Maintaining humidity at below-average levels draws moisture out of carpets and underpads to assist in drying more quickly.

Professional products may still be needed to control microbial growth. SERVPRO ensures that these products are correctly applied, allowed to dwell long enough to be effective, and correct temperatures and PH levels are maintained to be effective. We also ensure that our clients and staff are adequately protected.

Call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at (978) 537-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Harvard, Lancaster, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Want to learn more about Fitchburg?

SERVPRO Says Have Your Ductwork Inspected to Ensure Your Fitchburg Family Breathes Wholesome Air

12/22/2019 (Permalink)

Clean Air Ducts Improve Circulation and Indoor Air Quality for Fitchburg Families--SERVPRO Inspects and Cleans When Necessary

Improving Indoor Air Quality with Fitchburg Duct Cleaning

Many of the Fitchburg homes and businesses were initially built with a duct network that exists today. While some of the elements to your home’s construction can withstand the tests of time, your ductwork might not be one of these areas. Even over a few years, dust, dander, debris, bacteria, and other threats can steadily build along the walls of this network to make the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home compromised.

You might not immediately connect specific physical signs to a compromised furnace system, or a need for heater duct cleaning in Fitchburg homes. Indoor air pollution is within the top five health risks for property owners, according to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meaning that more homeowners should take a closer look at their systems to evaluate these risks. Our SERVPRO professionals can help with both a thorough and honest inspection, as well as the steps necessary to restore and clean ducts and furnaces as necessary. Preventing furnace puff back can keep your home clean from soot tags and more money in your pocket.

Forced air systems can be a welcomed feature of the house, but these networks also recirculate contaminants, debris, dust, dander, and bacterial/viral threats. Using sophisticated inspection tools like borescope cameras, our cleaning technicians can map out the entirety of the duct network and inspect each portion of this system individually. We can show our customers the status of their HVAC system and the benefits of choosing duct cleaning when needed.

Contaminant buildup in the ducts is most noticeable in the winter months because less fresh air circulates throughout the property. With windows and doors closed to outside air, the majority of available breathing air is a recycled version of what has already gone through your ducts full of dust, debris, and other buildups. We can stop the circulation of this air and begin filtration with air scrubbers and negative air machines to improve IAQ.

Our SERVPRO technicians have several advanced tools and techniques for removing buildup and sediment. From whips and drill-powered brushes to our high-powered, HEPA-filtration dry vacuums, we can manage these damaging situations efficiently.

You might not always consider the possibility that your IAQ might become compromised from buildup and debris in your air system. Our SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster team can help with a fast response to provide an honest and thorough inspection of your ducts. Give us a call anytime at (978) 537-1500.

When Storm Water Brings Contaminants into Your Leominster Home

12/17/2019 (Permalink)

Did you know that the storm water invading your home can be contaminated? Let SERVPRO safely remove the water.

Storm Flood Damage Leominster – Protection from Disease

Storms can account for a great deal of damage, sometimes in a matter of minutes. Damage from water penetrating a home or commercial space can be significant. Everything is wet, and sometimes debris has been washed into the building bringing with it contaminants of various types. Even rainwater pouring in through a hole in the roof may be contaminated by the time it makes its way into other areas of the building

SERVPRO provides storm flood damage assistance to Leominster homeowners and commercial offices. Able to respond quickly to your call, our teams are well trained. Water and humidity need quick removal to prevent further damage from mold and microbe contamination.

Classifying Water Contamination

Clean water resulting from burst pipes, overflowing sinks, or tubs present few health risks.

Gray water carries waste products, but not human waste or fecal matter. In some cases, gray water can cause sickness in humans. An example of gray water is an overflowing washing machine. Water that initially comes through a hole in the roof may also be contaminated by rodent fecal matter as it passes through an insulated attic.

Blackwater can be dangerous to human health and may carry various types of diseases. Examples of black water include toilet overflow with fecal matter, sewage backups, and water that has flowed over soil. The soil may contain a variety of both disease-causing organisms as well as chemical contaminants.

SERVPRO assesses the conditions of every site. The source of the water needs considering. This decision determines the cleaning and drying techniques to be used. The color of the water is generally not an indicator of the type of water. Clients who attempt to do some emergency cleanup must understand the source of the stormwater and the appropriate protection required.

We are available to help and can deploy team members and equipment to deal with every type of stormwater damage.

Call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at (978) 537-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Sterling, Lancaster, Still River, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

More about Leominster.

Find a Company With PROVEN Success in Dealing With Flood Damage Remediation in Fitchburg

12/8/2019 (Permalink)

Flooding can happen anywhere. Don’t fret! Call SERVPRO for water removal and decontamination.

Flood Damage Mitigators In Fitchburg Spell Out Decontamination Methods

Severe weather can occur in the Fitchburg area throughout the fall and winter seasons. Even when it snows, flood damage can occur after the snow melts once the weather warms back up. Any time water enters your structure after severe weather takes place, it is wise to call in a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO. We know that moisture coming into your home from the outside can pose many risks.

Any time the source of your flood damage problem in Fitchburg is one that originates outside your house, it is possible that the water could be contaminated with harmful bacteria and parasites. Rainwater itself could contain harmful particles as it falls from the sky and accumulates on the ground. Problems with rainwater usually get classified as class two water damage similar to a leaking sink drain pipe because it could contain contaminants. If muddy water gets into your home after a snowstorm, then the problems are considered to be category three issues that get treated the same way as sewage backups. Category three or black water has the greatest chance of being contaminated by harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungi.

One reason to choose SERVPRO for your restoration project is that we have advanced technology at our disposal, and we can use some of the industry's best decontamination products to make sure harmful bacteria do not survive inside your home. One such chemical we can utilize during mitigation procedures is a product called Vanquish #175. Vanquish is a detergent and disinfectant that is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. It has the capabilities of killing several different types of microorganisms with its virucidal, fungicidal, and bactericidal properties.

Our highly trained SERVPRO team can use Vanquish #175 to clean and disinfectant affected materials as well as helping deodorize them at the same time. This chemical has a pH of 12.4, which makes it a strong, alkaline solution. The product gets diluted by water and can be very effective against pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Our technicians apply the solution using a pump sprayer or by wiping it with a bucket and towel. Once the chemical is applied to the affected surfaces, we then let it sit for a minimum of ten minutes to allow it to effectively disinfect the contaminated materials.

Decontamination can be a strenuous process, but if you call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at  (978) 537-1500, we can provide fast 24/7 service. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Click here for more about the city of Fitchburg.

Did Your Sterling Laundry Room Catch Fire?

12/6/2019 (Permalink)

Clothes dryers cause around 3,000 fires each year. We have effective cleaning methods to remove the smoke and soot damage.

Fire Damage in Sterling Laundry Room 

Nearly 3,000 residential clothes dryer fires causing an average of $35-million in property losses occurs yearly. Regular maintenance of the dryer works to prevent some of the causes of this type of fire. 

After fire damage in a Sterling laundry room caused by a dryer, SERVPRO technicians work to restore the loss area and contents within as much as possible to save the homeowners from the cost of replacing appliances and possessions.  

Inhibiting Cross-Contamination is Crucial

SERVPRO technicians limit the ability for soot to travel outside of the fire loss area in the home through the use of containment measures, placing plastic barriers over doors and vents, or in some cases, negative air chambers are set up. 

Careful Cleaning of Appliances

A dryer that caught on fire requires removal. However, the washing machine in the room may have only exterior smoke damage that needs cleaning. SERVPRO technicians make a note of the overall condition of appliances before cleaning, including photographs to ensure existing dents or scratches go on record. For dry smoke residue, the techs often use dry cleaning sponges to pick up the dry, dusty powder. Wet smoke residue usually requires cleaning agents mixed with a solvent to release the residue from the surface. Care is taken to use only cleaners that are safe for use on painted surfaces.  

Odor Control Measures

After the removal of charred items and cleaning the laundry room, technicians determine the level of odor control necessary. In some cases, the removal of smoke damage and clearing out fire loss materials is enough. Sometimes stubborn smoke odors linger and require more robust applications such as hydroxyl generators, which are safe for people and animals to be around when the machine is running and capturing odor-causing soot and neutralizing it. 

Another commonly used odor neutralizing method is thermal fogging, which sends a heated solvent throughout the fire loss area, and it behaves like smoke, penetrating porous objects, and eradicating odors.  

SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at (978) 537-1500 when any room in your home has fire damage. The certified technicians have the training and equipment to make the loss in your home, "Like it never even happened." 

More about Sterling.

We Discuss Safety While Performing Water Cleanup In Sterling

11/15/2019 (Permalink)

You want to keep people out until you are sure that the structure in your water damaged Sterling motel is safe.

Safety with Structure While Performing Water Cleanup In Your Sterling Area Motel

Structural hazards are not limited to storm-damage or floods. Any long-term water exposure in your Sterling area motel can weaken materials, such as flooring and drywall. A professional can help you look for structural hazards and provide you with the services you need to get back on track.

You want to keep people out until you are sure that the structure in your water damaged Sterling motel is safe. Water cleanup, damage mitigation, and restoration services performed by a qualified professional can help you get the structure of your building back to the way it was before the event occurred, “Like it never even happened.”

A company, like SERVPRO, has the personnel, equipment, and resources necessary to respond to your call 24-hours a day. We can help prevent further damage from happening, locate the source of the water, remove excess water, and place drying equipment in the affected area to help protect your guests, employees, and company assets.

Gas leaks after a flood are not unusual. If you smell gas, leave immediately and contact the gas company or the fire department. You should wait for someone qualified to enter your property with you after an event. SERVPRO technicians help you avoid numerous hazards often present and ensure everyone's safety.

If water entered your building from above, SERVPRO technicians check for water trapped in ceiling cavities. Drywall softens when wet, and ceilings may fall onto employees or guests. Technicians punch weep-holes into drywall to free water trapped in ceiling cavities.

Particleboard floors, exposed to water in your hotel, may not support the weight of luggage movers, food carts, ice machines, or people after an event. Professionals can examine the subfloor to determine the extent of damage and stability of structural components.

Broken glass, exposed nails, splinters, and other sharp objects may be present in water-damaged buildings. You want to watch where you step and what you have employees pick up, other hazards may exist that only a certified professional can recognize.

Never hesitate to call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster, for access to quality water cleanup and restoration services throughout the Harvard, Lancaster, and Clinton areas. Call (978) 537-1500.

For more about Sterling click here.

Discover Secrets to Flood Damage Remediation in Fitchburg

11/10/2019 (Permalink)

Flooding can happen quite quickly and be completely overwhelming. Make that call to our IICRC certified team for great results!

What It Takes for Timely Resolution of Flood Damage Incidents in Fitchburg

Flooding incidents can happen any time, including late at night, or even in the middle of a cold winter. Although flooding is naturally destructive, an incident happening at less opportune times worsens the situation by delaying the response time. Choosing a professional restoration company like SERVPRO that is reachable 24 hours a day helps minimize delays. Apart from responding to calls faster, we also take other steps to ensure timely resolution of flood damage incidents.

Understanding the Situation

Sometimes, seeking to fix flood damage incidents in Fitchburg fast inadvertently leads to delays by prioritizing the wrong actions. With so many steps involved in the restoration process, including moving items, tearing down walls, and extracting water, it might be tricky to determine what should get top priority. From the vast experience, our SERVPRO crews have, handling such situations, it is easier to make the right plans. For example, when floodwater is yet to recede outside the structure, we can start with other steps instead of focusing on water extraction inside the house.

Ready Storm Trucks

The instantaneous nature of flooding means there might be limited time to make proper response plans after the incident, which can limit the effectiveness of actions taken. Preparing before flooding occurs, therefore, helps. Our SERVPRO teams have access to storm trucks fully packed with water removal equipment and other resources to handle any flooding situation.

Variety of Equipment

Having the right tool can move things along faster, whether dealing with mundane tasks such as cleaning the floors or complicated ones such as removing and refitting paneling. The unique thing about tools is that none is sophisticated enough to handle all jobs. Our SERVPRO crews are well-equipped with everything from water removal equipment, deodorizing equipment, and tools for building tasks.

Flooding incidents cause a wide range of problems, but a fast-tracked restoration process can reduce the long-term impact. Call SERVPRO of Fitchburg-Leominster at (978) 537-1500 to help resolve the effects of flooding, "Like it never even happened."

Click here for more information about Fitchburg.