Things to Consider About Disaster Recovery at Your Business | SERVPRO® Tri-County

11/9/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Tri-County is near you when any disaster occurs. Get in touch with us to learn more.

There are a lot of decisions that business owners have to make throughout their daily operations, but it is important think about the future, too—especially when it comes to devastating events that are out of your control. Many businesses that face disasters do not recover from their impact, but those who plan ahead tend to fair better in the aftermath.

The safety of your staff is of the utmost importance in the event of a disaster, so you should always first consider your evacuation and emergency procedures in your planning. Once you are confident this is complete, it is time to begin thinking through recovery measures that can help you get your doors reopened quickly.

Planning Out Your Disaster Recovery as a Business Owner

File an insurance claim and begin restoration. There is plenty of variety in commercial insurance coverage, so contacting your insurance company is the only way to know for certain what you will be eligible to claim. After you do this, making sure you contact your restoration company quickly so they can begin getting a response crew together to handle your damage.

Give customers the chance to show their support. It is impossible to know what type of operation you will be able to maintain after a disaster, but regardless of what you choose to do, letting customers know what your plan is will be key for getting their support. You may be doing takeout only, closed temporarily or operating on shortened hours—using social media to announce these changes will ensure that customers can support you when they are able.

Make use of the financial assistance that is offered. Even if you can claim your damages with your insurance provider, there can be many costs that are not covered such as loss of income and excess damages. The disaster loan program through the Small Business Administration is designed to help with this, so see if you qualify for funding options through them to help cover some of these extra expenses.

If your business has been damaged due to a disaster, we’re here to help. Contact us at any hour to report your damage or to learn more about our commercial restoration services.

A little soot goes a long way

8/28/2020 (Permalink)

Call your friendly neighborhood SERVPRO professional for a quick, FREE and thorough fire damage consultation.

Modern smoke and fire alarms are great life saving devices that alert us to this threat. Homes and businesses should all be equipped with fire alerts, extinguishing and escape equipment.

Our local volunteer firefighters are the last line of defense. These amazing neighbors of ours respond at any time day or night to quickly extinguish the flames.

Because of these valuable tools and people, the incidents of total fire loss have declined over the years in proportion to the number of structure fires.

However, a small fire can still be a huge problem.  

As the fire burns, it discharges soot in the smoke and vapor column that it produces. Soot is the residue of the ignited material that wasn’t converted into heat or vapor.

That sooty residue amplifies the qualities of the material burned.

Natural materials that God made like wood tend to burn more completely.  It produces grey ash that is  “cleaner”.   The soot residue is more powdery and generally is more easily removed.

Man-made materials such as plastic, rubber and artificial fibers generally include varying amounts of petroleum bases. Those materials will burn more slowly and are less consumed.

The resulting soot is oily, greasy and smears when touched. This type of soot is much harder to remove.

Special products, tools, and supplies are required to properly clean and remove this soot.

Should you experience the trauma of a fire at your home, try to refrain from cleaning. Improper methods can actually “set” the soot and staining in surfaces.

Call your friendly neighborhood SERVPRO professional for a quick, FREE and thorough fire damage consultation. We can assist with determining what can be cleaned, what methods to use and what results to expect.

Call today!

Dirt is no respecter of churches

8/28/2020 (Permalink)

Your Hometown Professionals at SERVPRO of Tri-County are ready to help wash away those sins!

Every commercial facility needs to be in top condition to welcome the public. Churches are no exception to that rule.

Churches are a focal point of our lives here in Northeast Georgia. So many of us attend and participate in the life our local fellowship.

And with life, comes some messes! Our church carpets are the first to feel those messes.

Who does love dinner on the grounds? We all do! But some of that dinner always ends up on the ground! The delicious food and drinks are a delight, but every event seems to leave its mark on our floors.

Of course, the kids must be released into the wild or they will explode.  And they are going to bring that soil and dirt from the outside to the inside.

The men will eventually schedule a workday or a barbeque. That is going to punish the floors and carpet more than anything else. Talk about the unwashed masses….

But our favorite place of Worship doesn’t have to suffer in silence.

Your Hometown Professionals at SERVPRO of Tri-County are ready to help wash away those sins!

Our trained and certified technicians can evaluate and consult with your facility director to provide the best solution of our 5 top grade cleaning methods to restore your carpets and floors to a heavenly state.

Call today for a free on-site evaluation!

Why a grease fire can be a real stinker

8/26/2020 (Permalink)

Anyone familiar with the kitchen knows the potential for grease fires and the odors left behind. SERVPRO is "Here to Help"

It was just a small grease fire that never got off the kitchen stove. But the odor was overpowering thru ought the entire home.

Even if the fire itself did little or no damage, its the smoke and vapors that could create a lasting problem.

When food items are cooked long enough, the proteins can be released into the escaping smoke and vapor. This creates a sticky film that can get on all surfaces.

This situation is referred to as a “Protein Damage”

The laws of physics can increase the challenge of a small fire. Science teaches that hot air rises and that temperatures will equalize in a confined space.  

As any fire burns, it will put off smoke, vapor and gases. All of which will be driven upwards and outwards from the fire itself. That hot air can also carry an amazing amount of protein film with it.

The damaging smoke can travel and will eventually fill the structure completely until finally escaping thru leaks around doors, windows or the attic.

That hot air will continue to move away from the fire source seeking to equalize with the cooler air. Of course, it will carry the smoke, gases and soot with it.     

As the hot air cools and loses it’s energy, it will begin to drop those vapors and soot on surfaces

Protein soot can be nearly invisible but very sticky. It can be very difficult to remove and all surfaces must be addressed including the underside and insides of furnishings and other contents.

Professionally restoring a home requires source removal of all soot, grease and other films on all surfaces as a first step. Deodorization of the air space including unseen cracks and crevices must be done as well. Finally, all fabrics including carpets, upholstery and drapery must be thoroughly cleaned.

The professionals at your hometown SERVPRO of Tri-County can assist with restoring your home or business with total cleaning and restoration.    Call today for a free consultation and quote. throughout the structure.  

Why a small fire is still a big problem

8/26/2020 (Permalink)

Even small fires can cause BIG problems, SERVPRO is "Here to Help"

It was just a small grease fire that never got off the kitchen stove. Or maybe the space heater was too close to the trashcan and set some papers on fire but quickly went out.

Even if the fire itself did little or no damage, its the smoke and vapors that could create a lasting problem.

We all know from grade school science that hot air rises and that temperatures will equalize in a confined space. Both of those laws of physics can increase the challenge of a small fire.

As any fire burns, it will put off smoke, vapor and gases. All of which will be driven upwards and outwards from the fire itself. That hot air can also carry an amazing amount of soot with it.

The damaging smoke can travel and will eventually fill the structure completely until finally escaping thru leaks around doors, windows or the attic.

As the areas closest the fire heat up, smoke and vapor can be driven into cracks and crevices. It the temperature of the ceilings and wall increase to a certain point, the pores of those surfaces can expand allowing the smoke to penetrate directly.

That hot air will continue to move away from the fire source seeking to equalize with the cooler air. Of course, it will carry the smoke, gases and soot with it.     

As the air loses it’s energy, it will begin to drop those vapors and soot on surfaces throughout the structure.

Now the soot, odor and vapor residue has been spread throughout the building including places that can’t be accessed by hand.

Professionally restoring a home or business after damage can be quite involved even when the fire itself was small.

A source removal of all soot, grease and other films on all surfaces must be completed as a first step. Deodorization of the air space including unseen cracks and crevices must be done as well. Finally, all fabrics including carpets, upholstery and drapery must be thoroughly cleaned.

The professionals at your hometown SERVPRO of Tri-County can assist with restoring your home or business with total cleaning and restoration.    Call today for a free consultation and quote.

Historic Hart County Church Fire

8/26/2020 (Permalink)

Sardis Baptist Church has a beautiful campus just north of Hartwell near the dam.

SERVPRO of Tri-County recently completed a fire and smoke damage cleanup for Sardis Baptist Church in Hart County just north of Hartwell, Georgia. The campus overlooks beautiful Lake Hartwell near the Big Oaks State Park.

This church family has been serving the local community since the late 1800s. Members and visitors hail from neighboring Elbert, Franklin, and Anderson counties as well. The historic church is in its fifth sanctuary building.

Just a few days before Christmas, a candle reignited after evening service. Thankfully, a family camping nearby at Watsadler State Park had stopped in the church parking lot.They noticed the flickering fire through the stained-glass window and called 911.

Volunteer firefighters from Hart County Station 1 and the Bio Volunteer Fire station responded quickly and saved the sanctuary from total loss.

While structural damage was contained to the one window and adjoining wall, smoke and odor had heavily impacted the entire sanctuary. SERVPRO of Tri-County was chosen to remove the soot and odor.  

Church sanctuaries present unique challenges when cleaning and restoring. 25 foot high ceilings, recessed light, speakers, projectors and chandeliers were difficult to access. Additionally, over 100 pews had to be detached, cleaned, deodorized, and reset. Every wall and surface had to be cleaned and deodorized by hand.

The entire project took several weeks but in February, the congregation was able to return to its normal schedule of worship and its mission to serve the community.

Northeast Georgia Smoke and Soot Cleanup

5/13/2016 (Permalink)

Smoke and Soot Damage Can Cause a Pervasive Odor in Your Northeast Georgia Home.

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Tri-County will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – 706-245-7109