Preventing Water Damage Every Day | SERVPRO of Racine County

6/11/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Racine County is the fastest response to your call when you find water damage on your property.

Did you know that water damage is one of the top insurance claims homeowners make across the nation? When you consider all the different ways your home can be damaged by water, that makes sense—but it is still a pretty scary statistic to think about. 

Water damage moves fast, and a little bit of water can result in a whole lot of damage. The longer water sits, the more damage it does, and water damage often leads to mold growth and structural issues, too. 

With so much water moving in and out of the house on a regular basis, and so many ways it can end up in the wrong place, preventing damage is key. The good news is that preventing water damage is pretty simple when you add it into your regular routines. 

Fix Leaks Fast

When you hear a little drip or see a small spot of water, it can be easy to put checking on the cause down on a list to do later. A single leak can cause a pretty massive loss of water, though, and leaks under sinks can seep into the wall, floors and cabinets. 

Never ignore what appears to be an active leak. Check under your sinks weekly for signs of an issue. Run your hands along the pipes to feel for excess moisture and make sure everything is connected tightly. 

Along with checking under sinks weekly, you should also pay close attention to the fixtures in your bathroom. When you clean, take note of soft spots in the floor or worn-down caulk. Keep things tightly sealed. Even splashes from the shower or bathtub can cause damage over time, so make sure you have a long-enough shower curtain or that shower doors close tightly even when the shower is in use. 

Keep a close eye on water lines outside as well. With our extremely cold winters, this is especially crucial when the temperatures are low. Make sure there isn’t anything dripping and no visible signs of cracking. 

If you can shut the water off to your outside faucets in the winter, make sure you do so ahead of the first freeze. Cover your faucets as well to help prevent freezing. 

Maintain Large Appliances

Dishwashers, washing machines, water heaters and refrigerators are all susceptible to potential water leaks. Leaks in these appliances can be particularly dangerous because they often start underneath or behind the appliance and can go undetected long-term. 

Pull your appliances away from any walls they are near every few months to give the space around them a thorough cleaning. Check for mold spots, water puddles or musty odors. Make sure that water lines and hoses are all in good shape, and replace anything that is showing signs of wear and tear. You might consider having your water heater professionally inspected every year to ensure it is in good shape and avoid a potential failure later. 

Make sure you know where the main water shut-off valve is in your home. If water does start dripping—or worse, overflowing—turn the water off at this valve in order to prevent large amounts of water from taking over. 

By staying aware of potential hazards and keeping your home well-maintained on a regular basis, you can prevent water damage in your home. Get to know your risks, and learn how to respond quickly when something does happen. 

Do you have water damage in your home? Contact us to get things dried out quickly!

Fire Safety Basics | SERVPRO® of Racine County

1/9/2024 (Permalink)

Rooftop blaze

Sometimes in the midst of our busy lives, going back to the basics is the best way to ensure we are doing something to the best of our ability. Whether it's simplifying our meals to get healthy food on the table with 

less fuss, or saying no to some of the extra activities after school in order to keep our schedule more manageable—getting back to the basics can help us be the best versions of ourselves. 

This should include getting back to the basics of ensuring your home is fire-safe. You might know that you are supposed to check your smoke detectors monthly, but when was the last time you actually did it? Do you have enough smoke detectors? What is your fire safety plan, and does your entire family know what to do in the event of an emergency? 

Let’s get back to basics and make our homes as safe as possible. 

Fire Safety Equipment

The best place to start when it comes to making sure our homes are safe from fires is with our equipment. Putting the right equipment in the right place—and knowing how to use it or respond to it—can save your life. 

You should have a smoke detector on every level of your home and outside of every sleeping space. These should be tested once a month. It is ideal to check them while your family members are home so that everyone knows exactly what they sound like. If you have a fireplace in your home, make sure there is a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide close by. 

Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen to quickly extinguish fires if they should spark. Teach several members of your family how to use it, and check it periodically to ensure it isn’t expired. 

Get to know how to handle other potential risks in your kitchen—it is one of the top spots where house fires start. Keep pot lids close at hand when you cook to smother grease fires, and never open the oven door when a fire has started inside. Turn the oven off and let the fire go out on its own. 

Make a Plan

While having plenty of safety equipment in your home can make a huge difference in keeping your family safe, without a plan, you can still end up dealing with a disaster if a fire does strike. 

Your whole family needs to know how to respond if an event does occur. Spend some time talking through escape routes and individual responsibilities. 

Draw a chart of your home and lay out the fastest route out of your home from each area. Make it a game to keep things light with your children and time them to see who can get to a pre chosen spot outside the fastest. 

Assign older family members the task of ensuring younger children or pets can safely get out of the house. Teach your kids how to call 911, and make sure they know basic information like first and last names and address descriptions. 

Practice your safety plan regularly. Put it on your calendar so you never miss a month, and combine it with checking your smoke detectors so that they always have fresh batteries. Let neighbors or extended family members know where your meeting spot is and other emergency plans so that they can check in on you if you can’t otherwise communicate. 

Take your fire safety back to the basics to keep your home protected. With the right equipment in the right places and a well-rehearsed plan, you can rest assured that you have done everything you could to prevent a disaster. 

Ready to learn more about fire safety and how to keep your home safe? Contact us for other safety tips and fast recovery when disaster strikes.

What's Next When you have a Fire?

11/22/2023 (Permalink)

Fire can pose a danger to even the most sturdy of structures. High temperatures from an in home blaze can warp almost all building materials, leaving only rubble and ash in its wake. It is important to keep your most valuable items in your home or business in a fire safe location. Birth Certificates, Social Security cards and any other important documentation should be kept in a fire resistant safe if being stored on your property, or consider having these items placed in a bank's safety deposit box. Fire can erupt and spread within minutes, destroying an entire structure and all its contents. Never return to your home if a fire is present, no physical items that remain in the flames are worth risking your life to rescue. When facing fire damages, give SERVPRO a call. We can help you restore the damage and get you back on your feet faster.

Does Your Home Have A Mold Problem?

11/22/2023 (Permalink)

Mold can spread through a home in as little as 48 hours.

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

· Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.

· Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.

· Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce health effects.

· Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.

· Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.

· Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 262-248-7588

What to do if your Commercial Building has a Fire

10/21/2022 (Permalink)

Are you prepared?

When your business suffers from a fire damage, there are several things that you need to get your business back in working order.

1. Did I File an Insurance Claim?

Make sure to know your insurance agent, so that you can quickly get in contact with them. Before you try to claim damage that occurred from flooding or other types of weather-related events, it is important to ask yourself if you filed an insurance claim and whether you received any compensation. If you have business insurance, check with your agent concerning your options before you file. 

2. How Much Can I Claim?

The total amount you can claim will likely depend on past insurance claims and the type of damage your property endured. Schedule a meeting with your insurance agent before an emergency occurs, so that you are up to date on what and how much you can claim for your business. 

3. How Long Do I Have To File?

You want to make sure you can file before secondary damages occur. A lot can deter your agent from being able to accept insurance claims, so having your ducks in a row, and efficiently, can be helpful. 

Dryer Fire

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

Clogged vents, ducts, and filters are the primary causes of dryer fires. Usually, this is a result of a buildup of lint, but can certainly be caused by an accumulation of dirt, grass, or anything else that remains after the washing process. 

In addition to the lint filter, the outside vent can also become clogged, which prevents airflow and potentially leads to hazardous conditions. Again, this could be a result of lint making its way through the duct and collecting on the screen. However, it can also become obstructed by pesky birds, insect nests, or rodent nests. 

How to prevent dryer fires:

1. Make sure it's properly installed

2. Clean lint screen after each use

3. Clean the vent and duct

4. Replace ducts

5. Have your dryer routinely inspected

6. Make sure you are using your dryer correctly

Choosing SERVPRO

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

Choosing a restoration company to come into your home can be a difficult decision to make. You may not be familiarized with what work needs to be completed and how much man power it will require to complete. SERVPRO of Racine County gives you peace of mind by finishing any project we are assigned from beginning to end. Rather than having to hire multiple companies to repair multiple types of damages, we do the work for you. Having more than 30 years of experience we are one of the most highly respected and sought after companies for restoration, a reputation we hold dear to us. With a full staff of over 30 employees, we are able to be on call and ready to assist our customer base any time of day or night on any day of the year. Disasters can come in many forms. From fire, water, mold and trauma we have the capabilities you help in every scenario. With top of the line equipment and a crew of highly trained individuals which have been meticulously selected through a vigorous application process, we only offer the very best in commercial and residential repair. Our staff will explain which steps we are taking to assess the damages and what is needed for repairs. You will never feel left out of the construction process, as we keep in constant contact for any questions you may have. When disaster strikes, you can count on us to be there for you.

When all the Power Goes Out

8/18/2022 (Permalink)

Power outages can cause an extensive list of issues that can carry a heavy price tag. When strong winds or heavy rains damage an nearby transformer, it could mean lights out and power off. Its important to take into consideration how many items in your home will no longer function without a power source. 

1) No air conditioning: Without a power source, your air conditioning will no longer function, in the summer months this raises the risk of heat related illness.

2) No heating either: Furnace blowers and electric heating units will no longer work during a power outage. In the winter months this could carry the possibility of your pipes freezing. Have your faucet set to a slow drip to avoid the danger.

3) Water: If your home runs on a well, you can find yourself without access to a water source. Keeping a supply of fresh water bottles available is one way to provide your family with water until electricity s restored.

Fridge/Freezer Woes: Perishable food in your refrigerator or freezer should remain cool enough for the following 24 hours after power loss. After that point it is important to inspect any food items and discard all that has spoiled.

Having emergency ready kits located in your home is a huge benefit in times like these. Be sure to add medical and medicinal items to have on hand as well.

When Storms or Floods hit, SERVPRO of Racine County is ready!

8/13/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Racine County specializes in storm and flood damage restoration. Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

We can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 2,000 Franchises across North America and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the Country.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today 262-633-8888.

A Timeto be Prepared

8/13/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial losses on a large scale can come quickly and carry a heavy price tag. Something as simple as a leaky roof or a drippy pipe can cause thousands in reconstructive damages and repairs. As some disasters are natural there is little that can be done to prevent injury to your building or to have an exact plan in place for preventative measures. On the other hand, there are many steps that can be implemented ahead of time that can greatly reduce the amount of time needed to recover.

• Most importantly is to have an emergency plan on hand and constructed ahead of time to refer to in case disaster strikes. This should include the contact information for your nearest SERVPRO facility, as we can help assess and repair commercial damages on large and small scales on any type of disaster you may be facing.
• Know where all vital power sources and water sources are located in your facility. This includes your main water shut off valve and circuit breakers as cutting these off can be major contributors to salvaging your property.
• Have all vital insurance and business information prepared in an emergency folder for easy and swift access to prevent the delay of repairs and to expedite the time it takes to start the repairs.

These are just a few steps that can be taken to lessen the difficulties you may experience after Commercial building loss. SERVPRO of Racine County is just a call away and are here for you should you need us. 262-633-8888