The Difference Between Water Mitigation and Damage Restoration

12/8/2022 (Permalink)

Call Danielle Direct at 610-506-8919 Office or Emergency at 484-841-6669

SERVPRO OF DELAWARE COUNTY AND WEST CHESTER 610-506-8919 OR 484-841-6669

Water mitigation refers to the process of reducing or preventing the amount of water damage that occurs after a flood, leak, or similar event. This may involve steps such as drying out the affected area, repairing any damage to the structure of the building, and cleaning up any contaminated materials.

The goal of water mitigation is to minimize the amount of damage and restoration that is needed, and to prevent the growth of mold and other contaminants.

Damage restoration refers to the process of repairing or restoring a property or structure to its pre-damaged condition. This may involve a variety of tasks, including water mitigation, as well as repairing or replacing damaged building materials, cleaning and decontaminating the affected area, and taking steps to prevent future damage.

Damage restoration can be necessary after a variety of events, such as natural disasters, water damage, fire damage, or other types of property damage.

In summary, water mitigation is a specific part of the damage restoration process that focuses on reducing the amount of water damage that has occurred, while damage restoration encompasses a wider range of activities that are necessary to repair and restore a property after it has been damaged.

Including  water mitigation is a specific aspect of damage restoration that focuses on addressing and controlling water damage as soon as possible, while damage restoration is a broader term that refers to the process of repairing or restoring a damaged property.

Effective Winter Storm Restoration: Our SERVPRO team has the answers to your property damage repair concerns

12/8/2022 (Permalink)

Frigid winter weather and blizzard conditions can cause BIG problems for West Chester home and business owners; restore your property damage with our

As we settle in for what may or may not be an arctic cold and blizzard filled winter, it makes sense to review some basic steps to help shield your home and family or your business and employees from the worst that Northeast Winters can offer. Cold temperatures, snow, ice, blizzard conditions with high winds and dangerous wind chills all contribute to the possible threat of a Pennsylvania residential or commercial property disaster. Whether it is a burst plumbing pipe or your water heater, an electrical fire or your furnace or fireplace has a puff back, winter poses a serious threat to your home or business from a fire, smoke, water or sewage property damage event.

Has your West Chester home or business experience a pipe break over the last several weeks?

Our SERVPRO of West Chester/ Southern Delco team has been helping our local communities for nearly 30 years, we are prepared with expert training and quality equipment to mitigate and restore your commercial or residential property. Our technicians are available 24-7 with our Emergency Service Team to help cleanup and repair your property damage from water, sewage, smoke, or fire. Our priority is providing quick and effective service and solutions to restore your property and belongings, “Like it never even happened.”

When West Chester winter storms are coming to your property it is important to be prepared, our SERVPRO teams are ready and always prepared to handle any size property disaster. Call SERVPRO of West Chester/ Southern Delco after you experience water damage. Whether it is from ice dams, basement flooding from ice buildup, or excessive snow melt; we can make the difference from a quick cleanup and mitigation from becoming a costly restoration, construction, and mold remediation services.

UNDERSTAND WINTER WEATHER TERMINOLOGY

• Winter Weather Outlook: Meteorologists issue this typically 3-5 days prior to a winter storm when they believe wintery conditions are possible.
• Winter Weather Advisory: Issued typically 2-3 days prior to a possible hazardous winter weather storm that could cause “significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, could lead to life-threatening situations.”
• Winter Weather Watch: Watches are typically issued 12-48 hours before a winter storm is set to hit. This is to advise the public of the possibility of a winter storm, blizzard, or other hazardous wintery conditions such as freezing rain.
• Winter Weather Warning: Warnings alert the public 2-24 hours before a winter storm occurs. Issued for hazardous winter weather that can cause “significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, could lead to life-threatening situations.”

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Blizzard Warning: Sustained wind or frequent gusts greater than or equal to 35 miles per hour accompanied by falling and/or blowing snow, frequently visibilities less than 1/4 of a mile for at least 3 hours.

Winter Storm Warning: Heavy Snow (snow accumulation of 6 inches or more in 12 hours or 8 inches or more in 24 hours), Sleet (accumulation of ice pellets 1/2 of an inch and greater), Ice (accumulation of 1/4 of an inch or more) and/or heavy Snow and Blowing Snow (wind is below blizzard criteria).

SERVPRO CAN HELP WITH WATER PROPERTY EMERGENCIES FOLLOWING STORM FLOODING OR FREEZING WINTER WEATHER

Northeast Winter Storms can bring any number of potential hazards to your West Chester commercial or residential property. This is including fallen tree limbs, hail, blizzard winds and heavy rain and snow. Your home or business is at risk from a collapsed roof, or frozen pipe burst, once a significant amount of water from flooding or moisture affects your home or business, problems from water damage can start to occur.

It is critical to take quick action and call our SERVPRO of West Chester/ Southern Delco team to begin taking steps to stop the damage from becoming an even bigger disaster. Our professionals first assess the severity of the situation and determine the full extent of the storm, flooding, or additional water damage. Restoring your home or business quickly, takes specialized equipment and highly skilled IICRC professionals. Our team closely inspects the damaged areas; measuring the moisture content, humidity, and temperature to assess the full extent of the damage. They provide a step-by-step solution to restore and repair your property and contents to help minimize additional damages.

OUR LOCAL WEST CHESTER STORM & WATER MITIGATION SERVICES INCLUDE

• Water Extraction
• Drying of affected areas, including walls, carpets, and furniture
• Cleaning and Restoration of affected possessions
• Remediating mold and mildew
• Reconstruction and Repairs 

Our SERVPRO of West Chester/ Southern Delco Storm Team has the experience and resources to handle your winter weather property damage quickly and professionally. We know what comes next after the storm and we are prepared 24-7 with Emergency help when you need us! Call our Cleanup, Restoration and Repair teams @ 610-506-8919 or 484-841-6669.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLEAN, DISINFECT & SANITIZE

12/8/2022 (Permalink)

As businesses and stores begin to show rapid employee call outs due to sickness, and slowing of customer service due to flu season and the common cold circling the Pennsylvania area, it is important that your business is clean, sanitized, and disinfected regularly. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into establishments have evolved, and staying safe and healthy is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and SERVPRO has developed a program to help businesses meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Do you know the difference between Clean, Disinfect & Sanitize?

Clean:  General surface cleaning, physically removes visible dirt, organic matter, viruses, fungi, and bacteria while using water, detergent, and physical scrubbing of the surface.

Sanitizing: Reduces but does not eliminate all the bacteria on a treated surface. To be a registered sanitizer, the test results for a product must show a reduction of at least a 99.9% in the number of each type of bacteria tested.

Disinfecting: Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill, destroy, or inactivate infectious or other microbes.

If you would like to have your establishment cleaned, sanitized and/or disinfected, call the team at SERVPRO, Building Service Maintenance. We are offering a proactive clean that is Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned!

Call Danielle today at 610-506-8919!

SERVPRO Addresses All Fire Damage

9/5/2022 (Permalink)

We are here to help 24-7

SERVPRO understands the need for speed, so we’re ready to respond to your call 24/7.

We’ll have a technician on-site to perform a thorough assessment of your damage within four hours of your original call and we’ll have a customized plan of action specific to your property within eight hours when we supply a complete verbal briefing.

We’ll even provide a thorough inventory of all of your damaged surfaces and belongings to help expedite the process of filing your insurance claim.

We understand how emotional this time can be for you and we’re prepared to do everything we can to make it easier on you and ultimately help you to get the reimbursement you deserve.

Of course, our goal with any property is to make it “Like it never even happened” and we’ll always proceed with that in mind.

Our technicians will put their training and expertise to use to make sure that the restoration process is handled as safely as possible in the shortest amount of time so that you can put the pain behind you and let the healing begin.

The Professional Approach To Fire Restoration

Dealing with the aftermath of a fire can be overwhelming, which is why it is so important to have professionals that you can depend on.

At SERVPRO, we understand how difficult this time can be and we have the training and equipment to handle the job efficiently and safely, so you never have to go through the restoration process alone.

Our quick and thorough process begins by responding faster to any disaster. Once we have assessed your damage and drawn up your personalized comprehensive plan of action, we’ll provide you with a detailed explanation of every step that we’ll be taking in the restoration process so that you always understand exactly what’s happening.

We’ll then complete pre-testing of all surfaces and items so we can determine exactly what is able to be restored and what must be discarded.

Water Damage

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

We can help

There are a number of ways that water can damage your home, including burst pipes, ground seepage, sewage backups and natural disasters like hurricanes or floods.

Not all instances will be covered by most homeowner’s policies so it’s important to understand what water damage to claim on insurance and what kind of coverage you really need.

When it comes to water damage what will insurance pay for is the first question most people ask

Most homeowner’s policies cover water damage that is sudden and originates inside the home.

This includes scenarios like burst pipes and water damage caused by the fire sprinkler system or by vandalism. Damage that originates outside the home, such as water seeping in through the foundation or sewage main backups are generally not covered.

The other type of damage that is not covered by a standard homeowner’s policy is what is termed “gradual” damage.

This is water damage that results from lack of regular maintenance. For instance, if your roof was in a state of disrepair and that lead to a leak, that wouldn’t be covered because you failed to maintain the condition of your roof.

There are additions, called endorsements or riders, that you can make to your standard policy to cover specific kinds of damage not directly covered.

Endorsements address things like mold/fungus and flooding or other natural disasters.

Whether you actually need these riders will depend on the area where you live and whether it is prone to severe weather conditions.

Call us here at SERVPRO we are here 24-7-365

We can help

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

We can help

If you have any questions about how much water damage insurance do I need and what type you should get, you should talk with your insurance agent and be sure to ask about what type of policies are offered, what they cover and how much they cost.

Two specific areas that can be particularly challenging for homeowners are mold damage and flooding.

You’ll want to pay specific attention to what is and isn’t covered in your home insurance in these areas and figure out when it comes to water damage what to claim on insurance.

Mold/Fungi Damage – In general, mold damage will be included in your home insurance only if it stems directly from a covered loss. Because mold remediation can be expensive, most insurers will guard against these kinds of claims by either excluding or limiting coverage or raising premiums to cover it. (naic.org/prod_serv/HMR-ZU-17.pdf)

Flood Damage – Flood damage is not covered by standard homeowner’s policies. In order to cover damage caused by flooding you’ll need to have a separate flood policy, which can be obtained through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance can be quite costly so it makes sense to determine if you are in an area that is prone to flooding before purchasing it. (floodsmart.gov/flood-insurance/requirements)

Water damage can be a real headache for homeowners, whether it is covered by your insurance or not

Fortunately, the professionals at SERVPRO have the training, expertise and equipment to handle any problem big or small and help make your home safe again.

When it comes to water damage, the best thing you can do for your home is have the right insurance coverage and call SERVPRO so you know you’re in good hands.

SERVPRO: A History of Trusted Service

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is always ready to help

With a history of training, expertise, and community outreach, there is no better resource to handle water, fire, or mold remediation for your home or commercial property than the trusted professionals of SERVPRO.

No wonder we have so many satisfied customers who have turned to us in their time of need.

SERVPRO was founded in 1967 by Ted and Doris Isaacson as a painting business but soon transformed into cleaning and restoration specialists.

The first franchise was sold in 1969 and the company has been growing steadily ever since

Today there are more than 1,700 franchises nationwide, including SERVPRO of Southern Delaware County, which has been proudly serving the restoration needs of southern Pennsylvania for 15 years.

From a small local company, SERVPRO has become a nationally recognized name in restoration and cleaning with the training and expertise to handle any job large or small.

Over the years, SERVPRO has also built a proud tradition of service to the community. Here in Southern Delaware County, we are proud to participate in many local activities and we provide regular support to our first responders by delivering our SERVPRO brand water weekly to all of our local firehouses.

When your home or business needs the best quality restoration service with the care you’d expect from a neighbor, call SERVPRO. We’ve got a history of service you can trust and we’re ready to respond faster to any disaster so you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands.

Summer Storms & High Winds

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

Summer can bring with it torrential rain storms with high winds and flooding.  It has kept SERVPRO very busy.  One customer called us in a panic with six inches of water in his basement.  His sump pump failed as soon as the storm began. He had a finished basement that was fully furnished with very expensive gym equipment, television set and an antique jukebox that had very sentimental value. It was like a family room where he and his family spent many happy hours and had a lot of special memories.  Our crew got there and immediately started extracting the water.  They were very careful not to damage any of their prized possessions.  All the equipment was in place and immediately the owner saw such improvement.  By the time the clean up was complete, all had been salvaged with the exception of the carpets that had to be replaced.  The owner was so very happy and relieved that the carpets were the only casualty. The family was thinking of replacing them in the near future anyway.  Another job well done by our guys!

Benefits of Commercial Cleaning

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

Every business should be taking measures to keep their building clean, even if they do not employ a professional cleaning service. It can become hard to keep track of exactly what you should be cleaning regularly. Here is a checklist to make it a little easier to insure your workplace stays neat and tidy.

• Monthly Cleaning List:
• Dust all surfaces in the office
• Clean the fabric chairs
• Vacuum all fabric chairs, vents
• Deep clean all surface areas

• Weekly Cleaning Lists
• Sponge all glass windows, both on the outside and inside
• Clean the refrigerator
• Disinfect all trash bins
• Buff and polish all hardwood surfaces, including conference tables, floors, etc.

• Daily Cleaning Lists
• Empty waste bins and add new liners
• Vacuum daily debris from all floors
• Clean painted surfaces 
• Wipe baseboards, light switches and door handles
• Clean all reflective surfaces, mirrors and brass
• Put some room freshener down after cleaning

The Importance of the Emergency Ready Program

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

The Emergency Ready Program is such a vital tool to our industry and to all the Sales and Marketing Representatives.  Introducing this service to all our commercial customers is so very important.  As we all know from experience most emergencies occur late at night or in the early morning hours.  Having all the necessary details right at hand for both our customers and SERVPRO saves time and ultimately less damage whether it is water or fire restoration. We have all information in our system for immediate response and the company involved also has info on their lap top or phone so it can be accessed immediately.  Every day a company has to shut their doors due to an emergency is a day that money is lost.  Offering this free service to all our COI'S creates confidence with us.  They know we will be there no matter what type of emergency and get things resolved as soon as possible.