Ways to Prevent Mold Damage to Your Home

10/3/2024 (Permalink)

Mold growth CAN be prevented if you take the appropriate steps...

Mold is everywhere – indoors, outdoors, and even on the evening news! There is a lot of concern over mold in our environment, and how it can impact us and our families.  Here are the top 10 things the EPA feels everyone should know about mold:

1. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
2. If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
3. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
4. Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mold growth by:
   1. Venting bathrooms, dryers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside
   2. Using air conditioners and de-humidifiers
   3. Increasing ventilation
   4. Using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing and cleaning
5. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
6. Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
7. Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
8. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
9. Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

If you do see, or even suspect mold, in your home, do not hesitate to call your Mold Remediation Specialists at SERVPRO® today at 541-745-2097!

Faster to Disaster

10/3/2024 (Permalink)

Our 1-4-8 Response means we are Faster to any Disaster!

“How fast can you get here?!”
That is one of the most popular questions we get asked as an emergency response company. Often the customer who is calling is distraught, in a panic, and the most important thing that they want to know is how fast we can be there to help them in their time of need.  SERVPRO® has a reputation for being the fastest restoration company in the industry. We have set the bar higher than any other restoration company nationwide when it comes to responding to disasters and emergencies.

SERVPRO has a 1-4-8 Service Response Rule:

1- Within one hour from the notice of loss, a SERVPRO Professional will contact you to arrange for service.

4- Within four hours of loss notification, a SERVPRO Professional will be on-site to start mitigation services (if necessary).

8- Within eight business hours of on-site arrival a verbal briefing of the scope will be communicated to the appropriate person.

Time is of the essence when it comes to preventing further losses in an emergency situation – maybe you need an EMS Board Up to protect the contents and interior of your home/building until a proper investigation can be conducted, or we need to get the Dehumidifiers set up ASAP to prevent mold growth after a water loss. Let’s face it, when you are standing in the middle of your living room and it’s raining indoors due to an overflowed tub upstairs or a broken pipe, you aren’t worried about much else but getting your home or business stabilized as soon as possible. So if you need fast response and trained professionals in hurry, call SERVPRO Team McGinnis. We can get you back to preloss condition quickly, and make it "Like it never even happened."  Call us today at 541-745-2097.

Be prepared for the storm

6/5/2024 (Permalink)

Take precautions BEFORE a storm hits to minimize damage

Storms affect your home more than you may realize. At first glance a storm may look like high winds, just some rain, maybe some snow and sleet. When you look closer, storms and what all they bring, you begin to notice how it may greatly affect your home. 

Large trees 

Trees near your home can get weakened by storms causing branches to bend and possibly break causing damage to your home or roof. Now is a good time to get your trees trimmed and looked at. 

Heavy Rain 

Rain is pretty common in the Northwest, but if there is a leak in your roof or windows the heavy rains will find their way in through these spots and cause water damage to the interior of your home. Get these spots taken care of before heavy rains. 

Chimney Maintenance

Your chimney can become packed with debris during a storm causing a blockage, this is also a place for animals to build their nest creating a bigger problem. Get your chimney cleaned out in preparation for the stormy season.  

Flooding

High winds mixed with rainfall can bring down small branches and leaves, as well as garbage, to fill your gutters and clog the storm drains on your street. This causes the continuously falling water to back up and rise. In your gutters, this can feed water back into any access/opening into your roof to cause flooding from the ceiling, Debris with heavy rains can also cause water to pool up against your home’s foundation, and feed back into your basement or crawl space.  Debris blocking a storm drain can cause the street and sidewalk to overflow, and risk damaging your home or property.  It is important to pay attention on dryer days and clear any debris that may have gathered during previous windy or rainy days.

Paying attention to your environment/surrounding BEFORE the storm hits, can help prevent a major loss to you and your family.  But if disaster strikes, do not hesitate to call your Water Remediation Specialists at SERVPRO Team McGinnis today at 541-745-2097.

Forget to turn off the sink?

6/5/2024 (Permalink)

Forgetting to turn off a faucet can quickly lead to water damage!

Have you left the sink running in your bathroom or thought you did? Do you know what unfortunate damage water causes to your home?

In Dallas, Oregon a family of four prepared for a restful night. Once everything was said and done, lights out and quiet fell over the house, no one realized the bathroom sink was left on. Morning came and routines began, but unfortunately the family was struck by a wet surprise. Their bathroom floor had standing water, and the carpet leading down the hallway was soggy, as well. In a panic the couple grabbed towels and a mop to soak up as much water as possible. Feeling defeated and lost, the couple decided to call SERVPRO Team McGinnis.

The phone call came in at 6:44am and we sent a team out immediately to inspect the damage. After assessing the damage, our team lead informed the homeowners that the water had gone into the drywall of the first floor. Water has the ability to seep into areas where it is not noticed by the naked eye.

After explaining the damage and locations, our team brought the equipment in to start the drying process. Our teams are highly trained in various drying techniques and chose the less damaging method. Rather than removing all the carpet to dry the water between the subfloor and carpet our team used a special drying method which floats the carpet allowing air to move under. Drying equipment is set in place and a thorough drying is started.

SERVPRO Team McGinnis takes into consideration the customer’s needs and concerns. With that, we create a plan that offers a timely process and professional services.

If you find yourself with possible water damage or have questions concerning water contact SERVPRO® today at 541-745-2097. Day or night, we have teams readily available to help with your disaster emergency!

SERVPRO for Commercial Cleaning

6/5/2024 (Permalink)

Think of SERVPRO for all your ongoing Commercial Cleaning needs

Did you know SERVPRO Team McGinnis offers a cleaning service? If you are tired of having a messy office or do not have the tools to clean your commercial building, contact SERVPRO®. Here are some of our commercial services. We understand that there is wear and tear on an office that eventually makes it really dirty especially during the winter months.

Air Ducts and HVAC

Biohazard and Sewage

Trauma and Crime Scene

Carpet and Upholstery

Drapes and Blinds

Ceilings, Walls, and Hard Floors

Odor Removal and Deodorization

Vandalism

Hiring a professional service means you are getting experience, expertise and professional cleaning tools that can clean your space more efficiently. You might be surprised by the amount of different services that we offer. We are more than just damage restoration we are a cleaning company as well. We offer monthly cleaning services. Learn more by contacting SERVPRO of Benton County. 

Hire SERVPRO for a one time clean or for reoccurring cleaning service. Seeing the difference a professional service provides will not disappoint you.

Rely on the professionals at SERVPRO to make it “Like it never even happened.”

If you have any questions please call 541-745-2097

What SERVPRO® Stands For

5/14/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® Employees are here to help 24/7

SERVPRO® stands for many different things, and it makes us very happy to be able to serve our community with all their restoration needs. SERVPRO works to help people restore their damages and make the restoration process as smooth as possible. We will make your home safe for you and your whole family.
SERVPRO Team McGinnis is all about serving our community and serving people; we want to be a resource, and to be helpful to others. That is why we do business, and the WHY we do business is the most important thing, in our minds. So, obviously people know what we do, but we want to be out in our Community. We want to be involved and to be there when people need assistance. That is our number one focus, our number one mission: to serve the people of our Community in their time of need and help restore peace of mind.
If you need help restoring damage in your home or business, call SERVPRO today. We specialize in water, fire, biohazard, mold and so much more. We always want you to be happy with the job we do for you.

Rely on the professionals at SERVPRO Team McGinnis to make it ”Like it never even happened.” If you have any questions please call 541-745-2097

Cooking Oil Fire

5/10/2024 (Permalink)

While it might not look like too big of a job, even a small fire can require professional trained technicians to help!

Cleaning up soot and smoke after a grease fire in your kitchen can be a daunting task.

A grease fire in your home is an unexpected disaster and can create a significant amount of damage. Pouring water onto a fire is an initial reaction, but water mixed with oil creates a splash effect, which actually can cause the fire to spread. The most effective way to snuff out a grease fire is with a fire extinguisher, baking soda, or a fire-suppression blanket.

After extinguishing the fire in your home, it is difficult to clean and restore your kitchen to its original condition. In addition to visible soot, the smoky smells permeate every porous surface and can remain for years, if not properly cleaned. We want you to look to us, SERVPRO® Team McGinnis as your neighborhood fast and friendly team to help turn things around.

Our team here at SERVPRO® will walk you through the whole restoration process making sure you understand and are comfortable leaving your kitchen in our hands. Communication is key with every job, especially yours. You chose SERVPRO® to make your kitchen look “Like it never even happened.” You experienced a grease fire disaster in your kitchen and we will be there to fix it right the first time.

Life can throw unexpected curves your way and cause disruptions you never thought possible. You can trust the Fires Restoration Specialists to get your kitchen back up and running as quickly as possible and help restore the rhythm of your home life. You can call us at SERVPRO® anytime, day or night at 541-745-2097.

A fire in your home....

5/8/2024 (Permalink)

Even small fires need professionals to make it like it never even happened!

A fire in your home….

An Oregon homeowner recently suffered fire and smoke damage in their garage. Investigation discovered that an electrical malfunction started the dryer fire. The placement of a fire extinguisher nearby allowed the homeowner to react quickly and get the fire subdued with relative speed. However, even in that short amount of time, the area of the garage surrounding the dryer became covered in soot and smoke residue.

Fire damage leaves behind odors, smoke residue and soot which can be challenging for the homeowner to clean. The heat from the fire itself causes porous surfaces, such as drywall, to open up and trap odors. And while soot might just look like dirt, breathing in soot particles can be harmful to your health. Soot contains a mixture of fine particles, such as carbon, chemicals, and other byproducts of incomplete combustion. When inhaled, these particles can irritate the respiratory system, leading to coughing, shortness of breath, and respiratory distress. And the PH of soot is such that is slowly eats away at the materials it clings to, such as ceramics, metals, glass, etc.  By calling SERVPRO® the homeowner was at ease knowing the cleanup was being professionally managed, and the soot and odor were safely and thoroughly removed.

When you are faced with a fire disaster, remember SERVPRO® is here for you. We are have technicians that operate 24/7. Call SERVPRO® Team McGinnis today at 541-745-2097.

We can make it “Like it never even happened."

Mold is Preventable

5/8/2024 (Permalink)

Mold can grow almost anywhere - but it can also be easily prevented with proper care.

Mold is preventative

When a residential or commercial property suffers a water damage disaster, mold spores begin to appear within 48-72 hours. SERVPRO® has the training and experience to properly execute the resolution of mold growth. In the case of suspected mold growth in your residential or commercial property SERVPRO® Team McGinnis West can inspect, determine the cause and remediate your property.

According to the EPA, here are the top 9 things you should know about mold/growth.

1. Learn to control mold growth indoors. Maintain a low humidity level, especially high moisture in the bathroom and kitchen.
2. Immediately clean and eliminate the source of mold. If you are unable to or unsure, call in the professionals.
3. Repair or replace the source of water leak or problem.
4. Maintaining bathroom vents, dryers, and range hoods will lessen the possibility of mold growth. Be aware during hot weather when running your air conditioner units that there is no water spillage.
5. Immediately dry any water damaged surface or materials.
6. Use a combination of water and detergent to clean mold off of surfaces. This is less toxic than bleach and will not cause further damage to the surface.
7. Maintaining insulation properly (i.e. window sills, door jams, crawlspaces, attics) will reduce the collection of condensation.
8. Carpet should never be installed in bathrooms or kitchens due to the high moisture and humidity.
9. Inspect surfaces and object that have set in water damage, mold can grow on any surface including, but not limited to, cardboard, furniture, water fountains, and food.

If you have questions or need help with your Oregon residential or commercial property, you can call SERVPRO® Team McGinnis anytime at 541-745-2097.

Board-Ups

5/8/2024 (Permalink)

When your place of business suffers a loss, even due to Vandalism, SERVPRO® is here to help!

Did you know that SERVPRO® will perform board-ups when necessary?

SERVPRO® answered the call of a vandalism disaster to a local Oregon business before dawn early one fall morning. Upon arrival our team inspected the damage; glass and metal debris both inside and outside of the building. The team got to work right away, safely removing the glass pieces in order to have a safe work area. Some tables and chairs sustained damage as well, but thankfully no one was hurt. 

After our team was able to remove all the unsafe materials, they then went and got the needed materials to perform a board-up. This service helped the tenants to be at ease knowing their property would not endure further damage.  Board-ups help prevent further damages by preventing people from entering the property, helps keep animals, as well as rain and other external debris out.  They also help protect the homeowner from trespassers, who may vandal, steal or even injure themselves accidentally. Did you know that even if someone trespasses your damaged property, they can sue you if they get hurt in the process of their trespassing?? Board-ups are a service highly recommended by most insurance companies as a 1^st step in many disasters, to protect property owners, as well as the property itself.

After suffering damage to your home or business property SERVPRO® will be on scene to clean-up, board-up and restore the damage. It is just one of the m services we can provide for your family or business. Call us today at 541-745-2097