PLUMBING MAINTENTANCE TIPS

4/7/2023 (Permalink)

Don't let this happen to you! Pipe break in ceiling of a business in our area.

Maintenance Tips for Plumbing Issues

1. Find a Good Plumber Before Issues Arise
   Do you wait to call a plumber until you face an issue such as a broken pipe or a clogged water main pipe that leads to a problem? In an emergency, time is of the essence. Waiting to call professionals until an emergency needs immediate attention doesn't give you time to find a plumber who you know will do a good job.
   Before problems arise, do some research by reading online reviews and asking other people for referrals. Hiring plumbers and seeing how they work can give you an idea of whether they're someone you can rely on. Taking the time to do your due diligence ensures that you'll find a reliable plumber you can trust when problems arise.
2. Avoid Plumbing Problems by Scheduling Maintenance Appointments
   Just like getting regular checkups with your doctor is good for your physical health, scheduling routine maintenance appointments with your plumber can detect plumbing issues before they grow into even more significant problems that are costly to resolve.
   How often you should maintain your plumbing system depends on the number of people visiting your business or home daily. A building with hundreds of visitors per day will require more frequent upkeep than a small office or a residential home. Consult with your plumber to determine how often you should schedule maintenance appointments.
3. Pay Attention to Small Plumbing Issues
   Doing your own checks for plumbing problems can go a long way toward preventing issues from escalating. A leaky faucet can indicate damaged or eroded fixtures or issues with water pressure. Slow drains can signify clogs and fluctuating hot water temperatures (too hot or not hot enough) can indicate problems with your water heater.
   By following these preventative measures, you can avoid plumbing issues and keep your home safe from these problems.

Call SERVPRO of Bowling Green/West Lucas County if a plumbing problem arises in your home or business at 419-876-8678. We are here to Help!

What should I do if I have an electrical fire in my home?

4/7/2023 (Permalink)

This electrical fire started in a wall and engulfed the entire house in a matter of minutes.

Electricity is an essential part of life. From lights to heating systems to TV’s, it provides the energy for most powered objects in a house. Electricity is important to have in every home, but it can also be extremely dangerous. According to the National Fire Protection Association, electrical failures or malfunctions are the second leading cause of home fire in the United States. Electrical failures and malfunctions also account for the highest share of civilian deaths and direct property damage. 

If an electrical fire were to break out in your home, here are actions that you should do immediately: 

• Cut off the Electricity – If the device that is causing the fire is found and you can safely reach the cord, unplug it. 
• Add Sodium Bicarbonate – If the fire is small, you may put it out by pouring baking soda on it. 
• Don’t Use Water – Using water to put out an electrical fire can put you at risk of being shocked or electrocuted because water is a natural conductor of electricity. Water also may cause the fire to spread by conducting electricity throughout the room and potentially igniting flammable materials. 
• Remove the Oxygen Source – An electrical fire may also be put out by removing the oxygen source with a heavy blanket or clothing if the fire is small. 
• Check Your Fire Extinguisher – Electrical fires are considered a Class C Fire, which means that you will need to have an extinguisher that is appropriate for this type of fire. Residential fire extinguishers are often multi-purpose and labeled as ABC, but it is very important to make sure that it is before using it on an electrical fire. 

ALWAYS call 911 in the case of any fire (big or small) in your home to have the fire department inspect the damage to make sure the fire does not reignite and cause more damage to your home.

Call SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County to help with the clean up services and get your home back to normal again! We are always here to help you in your time of need. 

There are 3 things that come with a fire

11/15/2022 (Permalink)

Kitchen house fire caused by pot of water getting over cooked and igniting grease sitting on counter nearby.

First, there is the Fire Damage

 It can cause structural damage to your home or business. It can be small or large. It can melt materials causing toxins to be released into the air. It can also ignite other items and cause it to spread faster or even cause it to explode. Fires can cause lots of damage.

Second, comes the Water Damage

When you have a fire, you could have water damage with it because it must be extinguished somehow. This can either be done by the fire department or a sprinkler system. The water damage can sometimes be more significant than the fire itself.

Third, Smoke Damage always comes along with a Fire

This is called soot. Soot must be properly cleaned, or it can destroy your items if the item is even salvageable. Smoke damage can happen to all items such as clothing in drawers; books; furniture; paintings; and more in every room, even those not destroyed by the fire. A lot of the times people feel embarrassed by what looks to be cobwebs after a fire. However, this is actually something caused by the fire itself. We call these smoke or soot webs. The reason it is important to get a fire professionally cleaned up is because what you are breathing in contains carcinogens. We here at SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County have professional cleaning products and equipment that can clean your structure and take the smell out of the air. 

Unseen Leaks in Your Home or Business

11/15/2022 (Permalink)

Structural damage to a home from a gushing leak into a crawlspace from improper installation of an appliance.

Where Water Damage Can Come From

Water damage can happen over time. Sometimes it may be a slow leak from an appliance, plumbing, or pipe behind the wall. It can also be a gushing leak going into a crawl space from an appliance or plumbing. This is why it is always important to check hidden areas for any possible water signs.

How to Prevent Major Water Damage

If a water leak is left untreated it can cause major structural damage to your home or business. So, if you buy a new appliance and have it hooked up even by a professional you should always double check to make sure it was installed properly. As time goes by connections may come loose. Make sure to check all your connections periodically.

What to do if You Have a Water Damage

Call us here at SERVPRO of Blowing Green/W. Lucas County at 419-867-8678. We have trained crews to help you in your time of need. We have the equipment and knowledge needed to get your home or business back to the way it was before the damage. We are Here to Help®

Mold: What Types Are There And Which One Is Hazardous

3/30/2022 (Permalink)

When we hear the word mold it can make us squeamish. However, most of us have dealt with it at some point in our lives. Whether it be on our loaf of bread, surface of our wall, or penetrated into our walls. There is no shame if you are dealing with this type of situation. It can be very helpful in understanding household molds and how to prevent or treat them to ensure a clean and safe environment for you and your family.

Let’s start with the most common mold that almost every one of us have dealt with. The bread mold, one day when you open your bread you see green and/or black blotches on it. This is known as the food mold. This type of mold is natural and more than likely does not mean there is any cause for concern in your home.

The second type of mold we are going to talk about is called the surface mold. This type is strictly on the surfaces of items or walls. It can be easily cleaned using certain over-the-counter cleaners. It also does not cause any harm. However, you want to make sure that it truly is only limited to the surface. If you see surface mold you can reach out to us here at SERVPRO Of Bowling Green/West Lucas County where we specialize in detecting what type of mold you may have.

Lastly, we now want to talk about the most hazardous one called mold infestation. This type will typically show up in areas where significant water damage has occurred, or where there is high humidity. A mold infestation requires deep cleaning of the structure to ensure complete clearing of the infestation and restoration of the structure affected. This mold can be very invasive and dangerous. Please do not try to clean this yourself! The cleaning of a mold infestation needs to be done by a specialist in this area that knows how to remove it correctly. We here at SERVPRO Of Bowling Green /West Lucas County are trained and certified to make sure this is done safely for you and your family. So if you only suspect a problem or have had a water damage where you know for sure that there is a problem, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We are here for you 24/7.  

Storm Season Is Upon Us

3/24/2022 (Permalink)

Lightening storm

In the water, fire, and clean up restoration industry we know that storm events can be a big ordeal, and cause fear amongst our community. A lot of times when the storm topic is brought up many think of tornadoes, heavy rainstorms and huge snow storms. Most of the time these events can be forecasted ahead of time allowing for us to prepare trucks, stage equipment and map deployment routes so that we can be there for you in an instant.

What about the unpredictable events? Living in the Northwest Ohio this can be an all too common occurrence. Spring showers can lead to astronomical rain totals causing basement and lower-level living quarters to flood. Those hot summer days can pop up a storm out of nowhere with severe lighting, blowing rain along with damaging tree limbs crashing down, tornadoes, trees toppling straight out of the ground, and roofs being blown off instantly wreaking havoc on homes and businesses in our area. Before you know it, winter is creeping upon us. Warm temperatures begin to exit, and the cold air starts coming in. Heavy snow falls and cold temperatures can lead to many in our region dealing with freezing pipes that can have a devastating effect on your structure.

Here at SERVPRO Of Bowling Green/West Lucas County we are always prepared to help you twenty-four hours a day seven days a week in case an emergency arises. We also keep lines of communication open with our neighboring franchises in case of mass amounts of damage to our community to help those in need of assistance. 

To our amazing community, thank you for trusting SERVPRO Of Bowling Green/West Lucas County in your time of need!

When should I test my Home for Mold?

11/17/2021 (Permalink)

MOLD GROWING ON A CEILING

Mold or Mildew?

If you find green spores or notice a musty smell in your home, then you may have a mold problem. A mold assessment can help you find out for sure whether this fungus is in your house.

1. You Find Evidence of Mold
   Not every fungus in your home is dangerous. What you think is mold could be relatively harmless mildew. A test can determine whether mold is present.
2. You Want to Identify the Mold
   Mold testing can also identify the exact type of fungus in your home. This can help you determine what to do next. If the test identifies black mold, you need to have the spores removed immediately.
3. You Want to Make Sure the Mold Is Gone
   After hiring certified mold remediation professionals to eliminate the fungus from your home, you should confirm that they have done their job. A mold assessment can determine whether your house is truly clean.

Ways To Test for Mold
There are several different types of mold tests available. Surface tests check household surfaces for mold, and air tests collect samples from the air. There are also bulk tests that collect various items from the house and send them to a lab for further examination. Ideally, you should utilize these tests.

Some test kits are available in stores. However, to determine the exact extent of your mold damage, you should have an environmental hygienist or certified mold specialist perform the tests.
A mold assessment can determine whether your home has a potentially harmful fungus or the less dangerous mildew. The test can also reassure you that remediation professionals have removed all of the mold from your property. While store bought tests are available, you are better off calling a professional to have it tested properly.

Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County at 419-867-8678. We are Here to Help!

How to stay SAFE this Holiday Season

11/16/2021 (Permalink)

Happy Holidays from ALL of us at SERVPRO!

If your home, like millions of other households in the United States, includes a Christmas tree and festive holiday decorations, you should be aware that the breathtaking beauty of the decorations also comes with a fire risk. That is why we are offering helpful tips to people as we come closer to one of the biggest holidays of the year! 

The following are a few tips for individuals to consider when putting up and maintaining their holiday decorations this December:

• Do not overload power outlets with holiday lights. Pay close attention to the 
manufacturer's instructions on the number of lights you can string together. 
• Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. 
• Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing a candle. 
• Use flashlights instead of candles for emergency lighting. 
• Do not purchase a Christmas tree that is dry or dropping needles excessively. 
Be sure to water your Christmas tree regularly. 
• Do not use strings of lights that are worn, frayed, manually spliced, or broken. 
• If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled fire-retardant. 
• Do not link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. 
Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Be sure to periodically check the wires; they should not be warm to the touch. 

If a fire disaster does strike your home, SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County offers services to help people quickly recover and restore any damaged property. We are here to help @ 419-867-8678!

Why is SERVPRO the Best in Mold Remediation?

11/15/2021 (Permalink)

BLACK MOLD GROWING ON CORNER OF WALL

Why is SERVPRO the one to trust when it comes to Safe and Effective Mold Remediation?

Effective mold remediation of your home involves a protocol that trained professionals develop. SERVPRO's team of mold specialists may include indoor environmental professionals (IEPs) and indoor air quality professionals (IAPs) during the restoration process

SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County follow the proper safety protocols during the restoration process. Our goal is to ensure that the mold damage is mitigated as fast as possible without spreading it to unaffected areas during mold inspections, remediation and removal.

SERVPRO technicians develop a strategy based on industry mold remediation guidelines and standards.

EPA mold remediation guidelines- These guidelines provide a flowchart of critical steps in mold remediation. Initially developed for schools and commercial buildings, some of the suggestions in these guidelines are often applicable in residential mold damage as well:

• Clean and dry moldy materials
• Discard non-cleanable moldy items 
• Dry the non-moldy items within 48 hours

IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard- Professionals from the indoor air quality industry and the restoration industry developed this standard. It guides practical procedures for both small and large mold remediation. SERVPRO uses the five principles of mold mitigation outlined in this standard:

• Provide health and safety
• Document the conditions and processes
• Control mold at its source
• Remove contamination
• Correct moisture problem

Call SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County for all your needs! We are here to help!

Why is SERVPRO the Best Choice in Restoration?

11/11/2021 (Permalink)

We are ALWAYS Here to Help!

Serving the Community for over 50 years!

Since 1967 SERVPRO corporate has been a leader in the restoration industry. With over 1,800 franchises nationwide, SERVPRO has created a system that allows for personal touch while giving access to resources on a much larger scale. As a part of that system, We believe that part of the importance is in the name itself, to “serve” and to be a “pro”, as in a professional. 

Nothing matters more to us than the people we serve. With every job from our initial call to the last interaction, our customers will know that their wellbeing and peace of mind matter to us. We consider ourselves a company of helpful problem solvers, that value people first, and happen to be excellent with the work of restoration. Much of our heart for people can be seen in our community involvement, and programs we have developed to help our local community outside of our work with restoration. If you are looking for a company that will treat you with professionalism as well as compassion, you have come to the right place.

Call SERVPRO of Bowling Green/W. Lucas County for your restoration needs @ 419-867-8678. We are "Here to Help!"