Fire Damage Restoration in Greenville, NC: How to Choose the Right Service Provider

3/20/2023 (Permalink)

Fire damage in Greenville, NC can be devastating. Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Greenville to help!

If your property has been damaged by fire, you need to act fast to prevent further damage and restore your property to its preloss condition. However, choosing the right fire damage restoration service provider can be challenging, especially if you're not familiar with the process. In this blog post, we'll share some tips on how to choose the right fire damage restoration service provider in Greenville, NC.

1. Look for local providers: When searching for fire damage restoration services in Greenville, make sure to prioritize local providers. Local providers are more familiar with the local area, local building codes and regulations, and can respond to emergencies more quickly than providers from other areas.

2. Check for certification: Make sure that the fire damage restoration service provider you choose is certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Certification ensures that the provider has the necessary training, equipment, and expertise to handle fire damage restoration.

3. Check for insurance: Make sure that the fire damage restoration service provider you choose has liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance. This protects you from liability in case of accidents or injuries that occur during the restoration process.

4. Look for experience: Choose a fire damage restoration service provider with a proven track record of successfully restoring properties damaged by fire. 

5. Check for 24/7 availability: Fire damage can occur at any time, and you need a service provider who is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies quickly. Make sure that the fire damage restoration service provider you choose can respond when you need them. 

If you're searching for fire damage restoration services in Greenville, NC, SERVPRO® of Greenville is Here to help. ® We specialize in fire damage restoration and have decades worth of experience helping property owners restore their properties to preloss condition. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Water Damage Restoration: Tips for Commercial Property Owners in Greenville, NC

3/20/2023 (Permalink)

Water Damage Alert! Wet ceiling tiles are often a sign of a bigger problem. Contact SERVPRO of Greenville for fast, reliable water damage restoration!

Water damage can occur at any time and can be devastating to commercial properties. From flooding to burst pipes, water damage can cause structural damage, damage to equipment, and lost productivity. In this blog post, SERVPRO® of Greenville, a leading provider of fire and water damage restoration services in Greenville, NC, will share some tips for commercial property owners to prevent and address water damage and ensure that their properties remain safe and operational.

1. Regularly inspect your property: Regular inspections can help you identify potential water damage risks and address them before they become a problem. Inspect your roof, plumbing system, and foundation regularly to identify leaks, cracks, and other issues that could lead to water damage.

2. Develop an emergency plan: An Emergency Readiness Profile (ERP) outlines the steps to take in case of water damage. This typically includes vital information such as water shut-off locations, and contact information for water damage restoration and cleanup services like SERVPRO of Greenville and make sure that all employees know what to do in case of an emergency.

3. Invest in preventive measures: Invest in preventive measures such as installing water alarms and automatic shut-off valves that can help you detect and prevent water damage before it becomes a major issue.

4. Hire a professional water damage restoration service provider: Water damage restoration is a complex and time-consuming process that requires specialized equipment and expertise. If your property experiences water damage, act fast to prevent further damage and address the issue. Hire a professional water damage restoration service provider such as SERVPRO of Greenville® to ensure that the damage is properly addressed and your property is restored to its preloss condition.

At SERVPRO® of Greenville, we specialize in water damage restoration, flood damage cleanup, and mold removal for residential and commercial properties. Our team of professionals has the equipment and expertise to handle any water damage emergency, and we're available 24/7 to respond to emergencies quickly. Give us a call to help make your commercial water or fire damage, "Like it never even happened." ®

Greenville Commercial Fire Considerations

2/23/2023 (Permalink)

Regardless of what caused fire damage to your commercial property, SERVPRO of Greenville is nearby and ready to help!

Commercial Fire Damage: What to Know and How to Handle It

When a commercial property suffers from fire damage, the impact can be significant and long-lasting. It can disrupt business operations, cause financial losses, and pose safety risks to employees and customers. That's why it's crucial to know what to do in case of a fire and how to handle the aftermath.

In this article, we'll discuss the basics of commercial fire damage, its effects, and the steps you should take to minimize the damage and ensure a swift recovery.

Types of Commercial Fire Damage

Commercial fire damage can vary depending on the cause, severity, and location of the fire. Some of the most common types of commercial fire damage include:

1. Structural damage: Fire can weaken or destroy the building's structure, including walls, floors, and roofs. It can also damage electrical systems, plumbing, and HVAC systems.
2. Smoke damage: Smoke can penetrate and stain walls, ceilings, and furniture, causing discoloration, odor, and respiratory issues. It can also damage electronic equipment and documents.
3. Water damage: Water from sprinklers or firefighting efforts can cause water damage, including mold growth and structural damage.
4. Content damage: Fire can damage or destroy equipment, inventory, and other contents of the building, resulting in financial losses.

Effects of Commercial Fire Damage

The effects of commercial fire damage can be significant and far-reaching. Some of the most common effects include:

1. Business interruption: Fire damage can disrupt business operations, resulting in lost productivity and revenue.
2. Safety risks: Fire damage can pose safety risks to employees, customers, and the general public, such as tripping hazards, electrical hazards, and toxic smoke.
3. Property damage: Fire damage can cause physical damage to the building and its contents, resulting in expensive repairs or replacement costs.

How to Handle Commercial Fire Damage

Handling commercial fire damage requires a careful and coordinated approach to minimize the damage and ensure a prompt recovery. Here are some steps you should take:

1. Call 911: The first step is to call 911 and report the fire. Evacuate the building and wait for the firefighters to arrive.
2. Contact your insurance company: Contact your insurance company and inform them about the fire. They will send an adjuster to assess the damage and guide you through the claims process.
3. Hire a professional restoration company: Professional restoration companies with experience in commercial fire damage restoration, such as SERVPRO® of Greenville, can assess the damage, create a restoration plan, and start the restoration process promptly.
4. Notify stakeholders: Notify employees, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders about the fire and its impact. Communicate regularly with them to keep them informed about the recovery process.

Commercial fire damage can be devastating, but with prompt and effective action, you can minimize the damage and ensure a swift recovery. Remember to prioritize safety, document the damage, and hire a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO of Greenville. By following these steps, you can get your business back on track and minimize the impact of the fire on your operations and finances.

SERVPRO of Greenville proudly services all of Pitt and Greene counties in eastern NC. Our restoration team is available 24/7 for commercial fire damage emergencies.

How Restoration Experts at SERVPRO® of Greenville Handle Water Damage

9/19/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage can be devastating, but restoring your home afterward shouldn't be. Call SERVPRO® of Greenville to take care of your home or business.

Water damage is different from other disasters because it is unpredictable. With natural disasters, you only have to deal with the unpredictability of outside forces. But with water damage, you never know when a flood could occur, when a pipe might burst inside your wall, or when a supply line running to your refrigerator could fail.  Two sets of variables can double the frustration. 

If you are one of the 14,000 unfortunate homeowners who will deal with water damage today, take a deep breath and click the help link at the bottom. Here's how SERVPRO can handle your water emergency:

Emergency Contact: Rest easy; you’ve already got an expert on the line. Just answer a few questions to help us understand what’s going on, and we’ll set a time to get on site.

Inspection and Water Damage Assessment: The next step is getting boots on your property and eyes on the damage. We’ll get a feel and put a plan together, and we’ll make you aware of any potential perils stemming from the damage.

Water Removal: Your SERVPRO team brings knowledge to the table and pumps to the scene, and we’ll use them both to get rid of the offensive water that’s got your life upside down. You’ll lose count of how many gallons we’re able to extract.

Damaged Material Removal: Restoration is our priority, but some things may not be able to be saved. We’ll carry those things off and leave the rest of the space in a better situation to get dry.

Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Deodorization: Water that invades your home can stain, sour and flat-out stink. We’ve got customized cleaners and techniques to get rid of all of it.

Drying: Our next big priority is getting the place dried out before mold decides on becoming an unwanted roommate. We’ll use specialized HEPA vacuums and other equipment to strip every surface of excess dampness.

Monitoring: What we start, we’ll manage. Every day you’ll be seeing and hearing from us on the status of the restoration, and if adjustments need to be made, we’ll be right there on top of things.

Repairs and Construction: Now for our last trick, we’ll make your home look Like It Never Even Happened®. We’ll go to whatever lengths are necessary to repair, restore or reconstruct your damaged areas so that you’ll barely even remember we came when we're finished.

Give us a call for all of your restoration and remediation needs at 252-329-7205.

Excess Moisture in The Air Can Damage Your Greenville, NC Home.

9/9/2022 (Permalink)

Toilets, dishwashers, and refrigerators are all fairly common sources of water damage. Be sure to inspect them regularly!

Even if your home has never been flooded, excess moisture may still be wearing down its materials and creating ever-costlier damage to your property. A significant proportion of SERVPRO's water removal requests are for more moderate, subtle examples of water and moisture wreaking havoc in a home. Cases like these are some of the most common water removal projects we take on:

Excess Humidity

When a home's atmosphere is too humid because of excess water intrusion, airborne water droplets can start to cause damage to metals, wood, certain finishes, fabrics, and other materials common in American homes. Long periods of exposure to humid conditions can encourage mold growth in fabrics and building materials. During standard water remediation techniques, we remove standing water first by pumping and extracting, then reduce the relative humidity in the air and the moisture content of materials by deploying air movers and dehumidifiers. This dehumidification process also improves overall indoor air quality (IAQ). SERVPRO offers various types of equipment such as low grain refrigerant (LGR) and silica gel-based (desiccant) dehumidifiers. 

Appliance Malfunctions

Even the most stalwart appliances can malfunction on occasion, and objects that use large volumes of water in their normal operation are susceptible to flooding or dampening the area around them. Even if no standing water is created, small mishaps can still saturate porous materials and cause long-term damage if the cause of dampness is not addressed, and a proper water restoration procedure is conducted.

Leaks

Leaks and drips in other areas in your home can also develop into problems significant enough to warrant a full water removal effort. Even small leaks that are left unrepaired for an extended period can allow the water to seep deep into materials to create a soaked, mold-vulnerable area, often hidden behind walls or beneath flooring materials.

SERVPRO of Greenville provides water removal solutions for almost any water or flood problem you may have. For fast, 24/7 service, give us a call at 252-329-7205.

Protect Your Family: Five Steps For Fire Safety

8/19/2022 (Permalink)

Keeping your family safe is a top priority. Let preventative steps like these assist you.

While you likely take steps to prevent fires in your Greenville home, sometimes things happen that are out of our control. In those instances, you need to already have a plan in place. Here are five things you can do to be ready should there be a fire in your home:

1. Maintain your smoke alarms properly. This includes making sure your smoke alarms are in the proper places, have fresh batteries, and are tested at least once a month to make sure they are ready to alert you in case of danger.

2. Ensure you have an exit plan. Develop an exit strategy with your family. Keep in mind that you should have at least two exit options so that if a fire is blocking one, there is another option for everyone to use. Make sure everyone in your household knows these exits like the backs of their hands.

3. Have emergency contacts. Picking an emergency contact is vital to ensure the safety of your entire family, especially if a family member were to get separated. Make sure that your kids especially memorize the phone number of a neighbor, or a family member who lives close to ensure that they have a safe place to go.

4. Practice. Practice makes perfect when it comes to fire safety. During a real fire, emotions or panic can make it difficult to think. You should run drills every four to six months, so that, in the event of a fire, everyone knows what to do like second nature, despite the emotions and panic.

5. Calling 911. Make sure everyone in the family knows to call 911 and can recite their address so the first responders can get there as soon as possible.

Of course, if there is a need for assistance after a fire occurs, leading experts such as those at SERVPRO of Greenville can help get your life back in order.

Stay Safe During Storms!

8/19/2022 (Permalink)

Storms are unavoidable, but taking a few steps of precaution can avoid most of the risks!

We've had quite a rainy and stormy summer, and with these storms comes the risk of personal and property damage. Keeping yourself and your loved ones safe during a storm is the top priority, so here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Get inside! Be it inside your home or the home of a trusted neighbor, staying outside during a storm exposes you to many risk factors. If you’re away, seek shelter at a local business, or a public restroom. Public restrooms in parks are typically built to be stormproof. Should there be no other options, shelter in your car to reduce risk and stay dry as you wait out the storm.

Stay away from windows. The safest place to be during a storm is a basement. Unfortunately, many houses in the south don’t have basements. As such, centralized bathrooms are a great alternative.

Try to stay away from appliances. Showering or talking on a wired phone is especially dangerous during a storm. Lightning can travel through plumbing fixtures or home wiring; to that end, try to avoid using your washer and dryer during a storm. Lightning strikes can cause those appliances to short and catch fire.

Once the storm has passed, be cautious when walking around, especially outside. Be alert for down powerlines and tree branches. If you smell gas, be sure to contact authorities immediately. Storms can be scary to witness but following these steps can help to put your mind at ease during the next one. If you find that a storm has caused damage, call SERVPRO of Greenville today and let the experts take care of it!

How Water Remediation Professionals Test For Moisture

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the expertise and equipment and specialized sensors to mitigate water damage of any size.

A leaking refrigerator/freezer in your home can happen for several reasons. If the defrost drain freezes, the water overflows the drain trough and drips down to the bottom compartment, eventually leaking onto the floor. The water tank assembly can also begin leaking. These leaks can be challenging to find, but a leaking tank requires replacement. Also, if you have a water dispenser and ice maker, the inlet valve can become loose or cracked, allowing water to leak.

SERVPRO can restore water-damaged Greenville homes. We have all the right tools for this, and our staff has been specially trained and certified.

When your home has suffered water damage, our goal is to return all the affected materials to their normal moisture content levels. We use moisture meters to find the actual moisture content of different materials to help us determine if your structure is dry. Penetrating moisture meters have probes to test inside wall cavities and underneath the flooring. Penetrating meters also test separate layers. Non-penetrating meters have sensors that do readings when placed on the surface of materials.

SERVPRO technicians must use the moisture meters properly. We ensure that the meter we are using is set to the surface we are testing. A moisture meter set for drywall, for example, does not accurately read moisture content in wood materials. The relative scale is used to determine readings for non-wood materials and the wood scale to determine readings for wood. If possible, we can establish a baseline of moisture content from material from an unaffected area of the structure.

We also use thermo-hygrometers to measure both the relative humidity and temperature. We let the meter adapt to air conditions in the room before taking the reading, then in conjunction with a psychrometric calculator or chart to figure out the specific humidity. Readings of air for four areas are used, including the areas unaffected, the areas affected by moisture outside the home, and the exhaust being processed through the dehumidifier into the affected area.

SERVPRO of Greenville has the tools to ensure that your home is thoroughly dry again after cleaning up the water damage. Contact us at (252)-329-7205.

SERVPRO Technicians Are Certified And Ready To Help

6/16/2022 (Permalink)

Our technicians study hard to master the training fundamentals set by the IICRC.

SERVPRO of Bath is IICRC certified in a variety of categories. One of the most important is water restoration.

IICRC stands for the “Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification.” They are the institution that sets the standards for the entire cleaning and restoration industry.

Our technicians study IICRC standards and practices in a variety of crucial fields: water restoration, mold remediation, carpet cleaning, and fire restoration, just to name a few. 

What is a WRT?

WRT stands for water damage restoration technician. 

The IICRC states "the Water Damage Restoration Technician course is designed to teach restoration personnel that performs remediation work to give them a better concept for water damage, its effects, and techniques for drying of structures." 

In other words, those proficient enough to pass IICRC standards have been given the knowledge and tactics necessary to handle commercial and residential properties. 

Once this certification is met, many aim for the ASD certification. ASD stands for applied structural drying. Before you can take the ASD course, you must be WRT certified. It can function as a sort of “next level” to the WRT certification and ensures health and safety measures will be taken for all exposed to the work environment.

Being WRT certified means our technician, project manager, or crew chief is certified to take care of your water damage, no matter if it's in your living room or your retail store!

If you suffer a commercial or residential disaster and need to clean up call us and we will clean with care and can be your single source for all your clean-up needs.

SERVPRO of Bath is a proud provider of service to our community. We're “Here to Help” 24/7 at (252) 923-0213.

Choose The Right Tools For The Job

6/13/2022 (Permalink)

Having the right tools means nothing without knowing which is correct for the job. That's where training and expertise can make all the difference!

Equipped to Handle Your Commercial Needs

SERVPRO of Greenville understands that using the proper equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing claims loss expenses and long-term frustrations. When time is of the essence, technology and equipment must be counted on to perform reliably and effectively. Our professionals will answer your call with fast action, exceptional equipment, and expert training. Having the right tools for the job is vital to timely and effective mitigation. Our water damage professionals’ thorough understanding of how to dry a structure and personal property could be the difference between a temporary inconvenience and a long-term hassle.

Psychrometrics

Psychrometry is the study of air and its properties. The properties of temperature, humidity, vapor pressure, and dew point are measured to evaluate air conditions within a structure. This enables a SERVPRO Professional to create the proper conditions for more efficient and effective drying.

Analyzing air conditions may seem somewhat less important after having a leak run across multiple rooms. However, water can damage materials in two ways: first, by absorption through direct contact with water; and second, by absorption of moisture from the air. Measuring the moisture content of the air is critical to the drying process.

Restoration professionals must establish an environment favorable for drying. The restoration professional must also understand how to manipulate temperature and humidity levels to produce optimum drying conditions, without causing secondary damages through improper drying processes. Call SERVPRO of Greenville to get trained experts to handle your commercial business mitigation and restoration needs.