Preparing for Rain, Preventing Water Damage | SERVPRO of Evergreen Park/South Chicago City

11/17/2023 (Permalink)

Unsure of how to handle your home water damage? No worries, we will take care of it. Call SERVPRO of Evergreen Park/South Chicago City today.

When it rains, it pours in the Chicago area! We see our fair share of rainstorms throughout the year that can range from gently falling rain to heavy rainstorms accompanied by intense wind. 

No matter the weather situation, rain can infiltrate our homes and cause significant water damage. 

Preparing for the weather is one of the best ways to prevent damage, so tackle the tasks below to get ready and help your home stay drier and damage-free. 

Getting Ready Around Your Home
Each different storm system brings a different intensity to the area, and yard debris and leaves  can get blown around your property. As the seasons pass, that debris can find its way to your gutter system and cause serious clogs. 

The next time it rains, that clog will force water to back up onto your roof or pour over the edge of your home, which can leak down into your foundation easily.

In order to avoid this frustrating situation, you need to be cleaning out your gutters regularly. If you live in a single-family home or a townhome that has a gutter system, get up on a ladder and pull out that clog to help encourage water to flow down and away from your home. 

The Roof and Windows

Your roof undergoes all kinds of weather hazards throughout the year, and it absorbs a lot of the impact of storms so you can stay safe and dry inside. However, that also means that your roof is often the first place for storm damage to occur, which can easily invite water into your attic. 

Check your roof after every storm to look for missing shingles, gaps or even general sagging issues so you can address repairs right away.

If you live in an apartment or rent a house, you still need to take steps to reduce your risk of water damage. Take the time to ensure all windows and doors are securely shut and occasionally check them for signs of moisture when it is raining. If you discover a bead of water coming from a small hole in your caulking around a window, it is crucial that you address the issue right away. 

Overcoming Water Damage

Water sometimes has a mind of its own, and it can leak and seep into the most unsuspecting crack or gap in your home. If that happens to you and you discover a significant water spot on your wall or your basement floods, call us right away. 

Our SERVPRO® team will arrive quickly to start removing the excess water while also using thermal cameras to detect hidden moisture behind your walls. We will completely dry your space and then get to work on your repairs. 

Water is known to warp and swell floors, ruin carpet, and make your drywall soggy, and we can help you recover from any of these situations. We are here for you for all of your water damage scenarios!

Overcoming water damage is easier with SERVPRO of Evergreen Park/South Chicago City on your side. Call us today. 

You Need Experts Like SERVPRO for Mold Inspection in Sevierville

5/18/2023 (Permalink)

If you suspect mold, call SERVPRO of Sevierville 24/7. We'll make it “Like it never even happened.”

Protect Your Home with SERVPRO's Professional Mold Inspection Services in Sevierville 

Whether visible or not, mold growth threatens the structural integrity of building materials. It is important to have experienced restorers like SERVPRO carry out mold inspection of your Sevierville home if you suspect contamination.   

SERVPRO techs with years of experience can carry out thorough mold inspections of your Sevierville property to uncover contamination not visible to the naked eye. Identifying the problem areas can help prevent the spread of the contamination to other parts of the building and ensures an effective restoration. 

How SERVPRO Mold Specialists Inspect a Building?

One of the first things SERVPRO techs do when they arrive at your premises is a physical site inspection or a walk-through. A thorough inspection is the biggest reason why SERVPRO is so successful in remediating mold damage. 

During the building inspection, the techs gather information about the condition of the property and look for signs of potential mold damage, including:

• Water intrusion or condensation
• Water stains
• Structural damage due to mold growth
• Odors 
• Structural defects in hard-to-reach places like attics 

The mold contamination can be active or dormant, visible or hidden in the form of settled spores, fragments, or other fungal components. The goal of the SERVPRO techs is to obtain enough information during these walk-throughs to locate or predict the approximate extent of the visible or hidden contamination. 

Locating Hidden Mold

In some cases, the SERVPRO techs may need to conduct intrusive activities to locate hidden mold damage, including controlled demolition. Techs also identify the pathways of water intrusion to predict hidden mold damage. 

If controlled demolition is needed, SERVPRO techs ensure it is done following the local laws and only after the homeowner's consent. 

Call SERVPRO of Sevier, Jefferson & Cocke Counties at (865) 429-8885; we are here to help you 24/7. 

The Things Water Removal from Downtown Chicago Premises Involves

5/14/2023 (Permalink)

When excess water affects your business, time is of the essence. Contact SERVPRO for effective water removal efforts when you need them.

Call SERVPRO for Orderly Water Restoration in Chicago

Removing water from your property may seem effortless. However, when your Chicago workplace is affected, the situation can quickly degenerate into a full-blown crisis if you falter at any of the critical stages of the process. Surprisingly most of the hitches you might run into tie back to your understanding of water removal processes.

Water removal from your Downtown Chicago premises is crucial to curtailing its adverse effects on materials and the people using the facility. After water intrusion, your property develops hazards such as slick floors or unstable fixtures or ceilings. Furniture and structural areas such as walls also deteriorate from the high moisture levels. SERVPRO, an official DCLO - Downtown Chicago Licenced Operator can help you tackle the tedious work involved, restoring preloss conditions.

Things to remove after water intrusion

• Stagnating water
• Absorbed water
• Soggy materials and bubbling or flaking paint
• Soils 

Stagnant water is usually the apparent issue if there is a leak, making it the likely focal point of your restoration effort. However, remember other matters, including the hidden moisture absorbed into items or structural areas. Deteriorating materials also need to go because moisture loosens paint from surfaces, causes some insulation to matt, and causes drywall to crumble. SERVPRO IICRC-certified teams are well-prepared to perform controlled demolition to remove the declining materials as we remove the water.

Cleaning During the Water Removal

Your workplace may require a thorough general cleanup to address the soils and odors that develop after water leaks. Soils can include dust swept from structural areas, resins, and dyes from furniture items. The water might also affect stock items or any chemicals stored within your premises, creating varying amounts of soils. In addition, microbial growth is typical in a wet building, creating soiling and musty odors.

Necessary actions during cleaning

• Applying biocides 
• Sufficient agitation
• Drying and deodorization

SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City helps ensure your water removal efforts bear fruit, allowing you to continue your regular work routines. Call us at (773) 337-3900. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Save Time and Money with Pro Water Mitigation in Chicago

5/1/2023 (Permalink)

If water damage intrudes on your home or office, call SERVPRO of Chicago. We have the experience to make it "Like it never even happened."

Contact SERVPRO for Skilled Water Damage Cleanup

Property owners can run into a water emergency anytime, as they strike without warning. Whether it is a significant spill in your Chicago home or an issue with floodwater from a storm, you need water removal services fast. Rather than trying to address leaks or faulty appliances alone, SERVPRO features skilled water restoration technicians (WRT) guaranteed to get you the desired results. With our proven water mitigation strategies, we can lessen the cost, damage, and time it takes to complete the project. Before you know it, we will have your property back to pre-damage condition “Like it never even happened.”

Once you call SERVPRO, our customer care center gathers information about your project. We begin water mitigation the minute we arrive at your Chicago property to keep moisture from wreaking havoc on unaffected areas of the building. This involves containment measures and immediate water removal services to keep water from migrating behind walls and baseboards, under flooring materials, and more.

Extractions and drying go hand-in-hand right after our initial assessment to remove as much standing water as possible in the shortest timeframe. Our drying and dehumidification efforts help to lower relative humidity and keep moisture from causing further damage to building materials, structural elements, and contents.

We use various cleaning methods

Once we get called for water remediation services, we use various techniques to achieve our goals. Each method gets selected based on the impacted contents or materials we are restoring:

• Damp wipe methods
• Spray and wipe
• Hot water extractions/shampooing
• Immersion methods and more

Moisture management is crucial for water-related incidents

Moisture control is essential to all the water-related incidents SERVPRO responds to. Our technicians strategically place our industrial-grade equipment, adjusting as we work to help us best achieve our goals.

From arrival, until we do a walk-through and sign-off on the project, you have our SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City team dedicated to providing excellent water mitigation and restoration results. Call us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993, and we will send our Green Fleet as soon as possible.

Remediating Mold Damage from Homes in the Chicago Area

4/17/2023 (Permalink)

Mold can appear in plain sight, or you can smell the musty presence of mold behind cabinets and walls. In either case, contact SERVPRO to investigate

SERVPRO Provides Expert Mold Advice and Remediation for Local Residents

Mold is a microorganism. It exists in almost all environments but often in the benign form of a mold spore. Only when these spores grow and reproduce can they become a problem for homeowners. Like most living things, spores require specific growing conditions, including a food supply, adequate temperature, and water. While spores are impossible to remove from an environment entirely, remediation can help to reduce the impact of mold and return your home to a normal condition.

We offer expert mold damage remediation to Chicago residents all year round. Lab-testing microbial growth can often be a time-consuming and inconclusive venture. The noticeable symptoms of a microbial infestation, such as a distinct musty odor, are usually enough to justify professional remediation. Remediation is a staged process that begins with an inspection of damaged areas. The inspection phase can often require temporarily lifting floors or using borescopes to analyze wall and ceiling cavities to observe how far the mold has spread. Since mold requires a source of moisture to grow, an infestation often stems from a pre-existing moisture problem. Some moisture problems are consistent such as a leaking pipe. Other moisture problems can arise from insufficient insulation, causing condensation or roofing gaps that allow rainwater. Mold can also grow from a one-time issue like a spillage that goes unnoticed for several days. 

Different Types of Moisture Problems and How They Connect to Mold Remediation 

• If surfaces are still wet, the moisture problem stems from a consistent flow of water. It is vital to fix the leak before beginning the remediation process. 
• If moldy surfaces are dry, it may have been a one-time issue. A chemical cleaning solution can be very effective in these circumstances.
• A mold that appears during certain times of the year can often indicate insufficient insulation. A vapor barrier can often correct these issues and prevent recurring growth.

The first goal of a mold remediation technician is to correct the source of the issue. Dealing with the moisture problem first ensures that the fungi do not grow back during or after the remediation service. Once the source of the problem is isolated and corrected, we can begin to work on the existing damage. Remediation techniques often disturb moldy areas, releasing spores into the environment. Correctly preparing the room or property by sealing off certain areas, establishing clean rooms, and decontaminating areas are essential to stop spores from spreading. Generally speaking, the removal of microbial growth is achievable through anti-microbial chemicals, physical agitation, or by disposing of the infested material altogether. Whether materials need to be disposed of depends on the porosity of the material and the cost of replacement. Porous materials are generally more susceptible to infestation than their denser counterparts.

Equipment for Aggressive Agitation and Cleaning of Microbials

• Metal scrapers and steel wool can help scrape mold from dense surfaces.
• Like Hardwoods or lumber, Dense organic matter can often be sanded down and refinished to remove exterior mold. 
• Blasting equipment- sand, soda, or ice- helps eliminate molds without causing excessive damage to the surface beneath. Soda blasting can be ideal for valuable materials with exterior mold.

Tackling mold can be tricky without expertise. Contact SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City for mold remediation at (773) 337-3900.

How Chicago Residents Can Restore their Homes after Water Damage

4/17/2023 (Permalink)

Our entire team stands ready to provide professional cleanup and water damage restoration services day or night in Chicago.

SERVPRO Assists with Water Cleanup in the Chicago Area

Most water intrusion events occur due to appliance malfunction or problems with your home's internal drainage. Although, severe weather conditions cannot be ruled out as a potential threat to structure and contents. Reducing the impact of water intrusion relies on drying the property as quickly as possible before cleaning and restoring the existing damage.

In Chicago, restoring water damage is a highly specific task best handled by professional restoration technicians. SERVPRO technicians use a range of strategically placed equipment in affected areas to maximize drying efficiency during the drying phase. A technician may use pumping equipment or water extractors for liquid water, which are far more effective than fans, natural air circulation, and air-moving devices. Dehumidification is also an essential tool to dry a wet home. Unlike other equipment designed to shift or evaporate liquid water, dehumidifiers focus on removing water vapor from the house. Without dehumidifiers, evaporated moisture in the air can re-condense onto surfaces and promote unwanted secondary water damages like mold growth. Dehumidifiers come in two categories: a refrigerant, which removes moisture through cooling air to the dew point, and a desiccant, which uses a Silica gel to chemically separate water molecules from the air.

How Drying Equipment Fulfills Restoration Objectives

• Water extractors and pumps transport liquid water out of the property
• Air movers and fans evaporate moisture from wet surfaces
• Dehumidification removes evaporated moisture from the air to prevent recondensation

Restoring a property to its pre-incident condition includes the home structure and your belongings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also states that returning a property to a habitable condition includes fixing essential parts of the home, such as electric or water supply. SERVPRO has several methods for restoration after water intrusion. Your home restoration includes dry cleaning wet clothing or fabrics and sanitizing surfaces to protect them from potential microbes like bacteria, mold, and viruses. In some cases, repainting walls, replacing carpets, and cleaning upholstery is necessary to restore the home to its preloss condition. Our goal is to make your water damaged home appear “Like it never even happened.”

How We Restore Home and Contents After Water Intrusion

• Packing out specific clothing, textiles, or belongings for special cleaning services such as Esporta washing
• Either drying or replacing floor materials, including wood, carpet, and concrete
• Spot cleaning to remove watermarks and stains from upholstery

Water damage is an urgent issue for homeowners. If water remains in the home, it can quickly stagnate or cause secondary damages. Using a tried and tested formula for drying, cleaning, and restoring your home is the surest way to prevent unnecessary losses. Our team holds qualifications from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications (IICRC), a nationally accredited and recognized institution. By combining training with equipment and commonly accepted protocols and recommendations, we can ensure your home does not become permanently damaged by faulty appliances or water leaks. 

Homeowners can also benefit from our specialty cleaning services for sentimental or high-value belongings. Typical belongings reserved for specialty cleaning are essential documents, sculptures, paintings, and other artwork. Some of our practices for restoring these items include rapid freeze-drying that can help to prevent further damages occurring to belongings that are wet or otherwise have significant exposure to water. There is the option to have an art curator and specialist restore water damaged high-value artifacts.

Homes in Chicago can recover quickly from water intrusion with the right services and equipment. Contact SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City for quoting water damage cleanup and restoration at (773) 337-3900.

Recovery from Fire Damage for Chicago Residents

4/17/2023 (Permalink)

Our technicians use a combination of devices and machines to pluck smoke and soot particles from your home in Chicago.

SERVPRO in Chicago Has Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians for Any-Size-Disaster

Fires affect millions of homeowners each year. Common causes are unattended stoves or malfunctioning electronics. Damage can include smoke staining, odor problems, and charring. Our role is to make sure your home returns to a preloss condition while minimizing inconvenience to your everyday life.

When fire damage affects your Chicago home, it is vital to enlist a qualified restoration service for assessment. Fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) can use their training to reduce the turnaround time of restoration. One method is by understanding how smoke moves through a property which allows us to find and assess the most likely areas where soiling conglomerates. Convection, for example, is a rule of thermodynamics. It dictates that hot air rises above cool air. When this process occurs, it generates air movement as hot air replaces cold air. In an enclosed environment, this air displacement creates pressure that drives hot smoke into the upper portions of the room. Typically, the areas with the most damage in any fire scenario are the ceilings directly above the flames. The driven smoke can push into cooler surfaces, increasing the number of smoke deposits in your home. In some situations, it can even bond soot particles to surface material.

The Impact of Surface Temperature on Fire Damage

• High-temperature smoke attracts to cold surfaces.
• High concentrations of smoke residue are typically found on cooler external walls, windows, and inside furniture or cupboards.
• A professional must assess heavy soiling on interior surfaces before introducing water or other cleaning methods.

Carrying out a time-efficient initial assessment can be very helpful in reducing the stress of homeowners facing a fire damaging disaster. Our one-four-eight policy ensures that we arrange a service with you within one hour of notification of loss. We can send expert technicians to your property within four hours and produce a working estimate for you and your insurance adjuster within eight hours. Returning burnt homes to a preloss condition is most efficient following a thorough pre-test of different smoke residues and their response to cleaning efforts. We can then make informed choices about the necessary equipment, methodology, and time frames for restoring your home. SERVPRO always prioritizes essential areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms, to ensure you can get back to a semblance of normality as quickly as possible.  

Cleaning Products Versus Cleaning Equipment

• Mechanical equipment can include pressure washers for building exteriors and rotary machines to dislodge dry soots from furniture or upholstery.
• Household water-based cleaning products like detergents are less effective against some types of soot; that is why we provide specially formulated industrial-strength cleaners and solvents. 
• Dry cleaning solvents use chemicals to break down wet or stubborn soot but inadvertently damage some materials. We pre-test to ensure there is no exacerbation of the fire damage.

Pre-testing residues, materials, and equipment is essential to our approach to fire restoration. As a homeowner, you may naturally feel obliged to begin clearing away debris or cleaning walls and ceilings. Some useful techniques for homeowners can be to ventilate the property by opening windows, allowing lingering particulates, ash, and odor to disperse. Another helpful approach can be to vacuum surfaces which helps to remove any non-bonded dry smoke. One aspect to avoid when attempting to assist in smoke removal is introducing water or cleaning products. If the smoke is greasy or wet, introducing moisture can cause further damage by spreading or setting soot. We also recommend staying clear of heavily smoke-damaged areas as foot traffic can drive soot into flooring- especially in carpeted properties. 

We are here to help with your property emergency. Contact SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City for fire damage restoration at (773) 337-3900.

Mold Remediation in Chicago Is Safe and Efficient with SERVPRO

4/16/2023 (Permalink)

Dealing with mold damage does not need to be overwhelming. Contact SERVPRO for knowledgeable technicians and effective equipment needed for the job.

Chicago Homeowners Trust SERVPRO with Mold Remediation

Hiring experts like SERVPRO for mold remediation of your Chicago home is crucial to safely and effectively restore the damage. Our IICRC-certified mold specialists have the training, tools, and knowledge that ensures your home is restored to preloss conditions as quickly as possible. 

SERVPRO techs are very careful during the mold remediation of your Chicago home to avoid the spread of mold fragments and spores to unaffected parts of the property. We use unique containment systems and engineering controls that minimize the aerosolization of the mold and significantly reduce the chance of cross-contamination. 

Controlling the Airflow During Mold Removal 

SERVPRO techs establish negative air pressure within the containment regions to prevent the air from taking the aerosolized mold spores to unaffected building areas. However, techs use air exchanges to dilute airborne fungal concentration, reduce worker exposure, and facilitate the clean-up effort. SERVPRO restorers always ensure the airflow direction is clean to contaminated areas. 

Techs perform a minimum of four air exchanges per hour between the contaminated and uncontaminated areas per the IICRC S520 guidelines. Understanding the science behind airflow allows SERVPRO techs to prevent the spread of mold spores and carry out the remediation safely. 

Role of HEPA Vacuums 

HEPA vacuum systems have an essential role to play in the mold removal process. These systems are fitted in the negative air machines that maintain a lower pressure within the containment areas. The HEPA vacuum can remove airborne particles greater than 0.3 microns with an efficiency of 99.97%. Using the HEPA vacuum systems, SERVPRO techs can ensure:

• Fungal spores and fragments are retained within the containment area.
• Visible mold growth is safely and quickly removed from surfaces. 
• Improved air quality for the technicians and the occupants. 

Call SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City at (773) 337-3900; we offer quick, safe, and reliable mold remediation. 

Detection of Hidden Moisture Is Key During Water Damage Repair in Chicago

3/13/2023 (Permalink)

Trust the SERVPRO Logo for water and moisture removal in your Chicago area home. "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Does Moisture Mapping in Chicago When Restoring Water-Damaged Properties

One of the most important steps during water damage repair is determining the extent of the damage. To develop a clear picture of the level of wetness within a property, technicians might decide to perform moisture mapping. Through the process, it is possible to know where the wet areas are and where the dry regions begin.

Our SERVPRO technicians use specialized infrared cameras, moisture meters, and other tools to create visual representations during water damage remediation in Chicago. We can easily detect any hidden moisture in floors, insulation, ceiling, and walls. We then develop appropriate moisture control techniques to remove the water and perform necessary repairs.

The following are some of the benefits associated with moisture mapping:

• It helps perform a thorough assessment, which enables the water mitigation team to choose the best course of action.
• High levels of accuracy: The tools that our SERVPRO team uses are accurate and provide precise readings.
• Saves time: We quickly and efficiently identify areas that need attention and act with the urgency it deserves to lower the overall restoration costs.
• Helps prevent future challenges: The mapping helps us remove moisture and prevent possible problems such as rotting and mold growth.

A successful restoration process entails detecting and removing what you might miss with the naked eye. We recommend letting a professional water damage company do a comprehensive assessment and fix the damage. It is hard to miss hidden cracks within the building, so the water might constantly flow and cause unnoticeable damage – we advise you not to let the water sit in place for long periods.

Call SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City today at (773) 337-3900 for a stress-free restoration process. Our experienced team offers 24-hour emergency services and can guide you through the insurance paperwork. We're just a phone call away!

How to Eliminate Odors After a Fire Damage Incident in Chicago

2/6/2023 (Permalink)

Toy Trucks and large Chicago homes are no match for SERVPRO's fire damage restoration services. "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Neutralizes Odors during Fire-Damage Restoration in Chicago

Professional fire damage restoration services can help you overcome the overwhelming experience after the incident. Though the visible signs of the fire, such as smoke and flames, may no longer be there, the lingering odors may still be hard to eliminate. Our technicians have experience from previous incidents and use the proper techniques to neutralize them.

SERVPRO's fire damage restoration services in Chicago can return your property to its former state. Since we have been there before, we know where odors hide after a fire. Such areas include:

• HVAC system: Soot and smoke can move along the ductwork and remain in the system. If that happens, it is easy for the odors to spread throughout the building.
• Wall cavities: soot and smoke can penetrate the walls and cause odors.
• Porous surfaces: Porous materials such as carpets and fabrics can absorb smoke soot and cause lingering odors.
• Attics and crawl spaces can develop lingering odors after getting contaminated with soot and smoke.

Though some people decide to use fragrance to combat odors, it may fail to provide a long-lasting solution. When our SERVPRO technicians visit your property, we use various techniques to eliminate the odor. Some of the methods we use are:

• Ozone generators: They produce ozone which is effective at breaking odor-causing molecules. We use the method to target odors coming from crawl spaces and attics.
• Thermal fogging: Heat vaporizes a deodorizing agent in this technique, which consequently neutralizes odors. We use it to target odors existing on porous surfaces.
• Hydroxyl generators: Produce hydroxyl radicals that break down and neutralize odor-causing molecules, mostly in walls cavities and HVAC systems.
• Air scrubber: They have HEPA filters that trade odors and particles from the air. We use them in conjunction with other methods when eliminating odors.

Odor removal is a complex process since the resulting soot and smoke may have come from the combustion of different materials. However, our team is patient enough to work with you until we find the right solution.

SERVPRO of Evergreen Park / South Chicago City is a Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator with the knowledge, tools, and experience to handle all aspects of fire damage restoration. Call us at (773) 337-3900 and let us make it "Like it never even happened."