How Cleanup Companies Determine the Cost of Fire Damage Restoration

7/26/2024 (Permalink)

Fire damage in Leonard, OK

A commercial fire can destroy both equipment inside your property and the building itself. Thankfully, fire restoration professionals in Leonard, OK, are available to help with the cleanup.
How much you will pay for this service depends on the extent of the fire damage. When the restoration experts arrive at your property, they will probably give you an estimate for the cost of repairs.

Getting a Bid

There are several steps in the restoration process, each of which have their own related expenses. The cleanup company's bid should list the costs of these various services, including:

• Smoke, debris and odor removal
• Content cleaning and restoration
• Reconstruction
• Storage
• Roof replacement
• Window and door board-up
• Security guards
  
  

You actually may get two separate estimates from the contractor. The restoration project manager will calculate the costs of emergency services such as cleaning and packing equipment. The reconstruction project manager, meanwhile, will assess how much of the property was damaged, and how much it will cost to reconstruct those areas.

Picking the Right Bid
After a fire, you may have several restoration companies competing for your services. Don't just pick the one with the lowest estimate, especially if that bid seems too good to be true. It's likely that this company's bid is so low because it outsources the bulk of the work to other companies. Once the costs of these subcontractors are added to your bill, it could quickly skyrocket.
Instead, choose a restoration business that keeps the entire process in-house. A one-stop-shop contractor will likely provide a more accurate bid from the start. The overall cost of the claim should be lower, as well. Using a full-service company also helps the claims process go more smoothly since your insurer won't have to talk to various sub-contractors.
A restoration company will calculate the cost of various services such as roof replacement, security, and storage before providing an estimate. Ideally, you should choose the professionals who promise to do all of the work themselves, even if their bid is a bit higher.

Preventing Basement Flooding

7/19/2024 (Permalink)

Ensure gutters are regularly cleaned, especially before a storm rolls in

If your Tulsa, OK, business has a basement, chances are that you will deal with unexpected water at some point. In some cases, a basement flood may turn into an ongoing problem. Addressing the issue, finding the culprit, and getting it fixed quickly are the keys to avoiding long-term problems and extensive repairs by a flood and water restoration expert. Depending on the culprit, and if quick action isn’t taken, insurance coverage may be denied.

Sources of Water Problems

If the building is normally dry and you come across a flooded basement, nature or piping are likely culprits. The top reasons for lower-level water problems include:

Plumbing: A leaking pipe, waste line or burst pipe can unexpectedly happen. This is especially so if they are older pipes that freeze. There could also be an issue with the main sewer line.
Windows: Rainwater or ice melt can easily find its way into improperly sealed windows.
Foundation: One of the most common causes of a basement flood, this can happen from weather, improper drainage, and sewer backups.

Fixing the Issues
Once you know the culprit, there are various solutions to keeping basements dry, from simple to more complex.

Ensure gutters are regularly cleaned, especially before a storm rolls in. Check that drains are free of debris for smooth water flow.
Landscaping is an easy way to flood-proof a property. Verify that the ground level slopes away from the building. Water-loving plants and mulch can help absorb or the water or lead it way from the building.
Have your foundation and windows inspected. Depending on the issue, additional caulking, patching, or adding a sump pump could ensure a dry property.
For more serious, ongoing issues, there are various waterproofing products on the market, such as a new drainage system or exterior waterproofing.

A basement flood can cause much more than water problems. Finding and fixing the cause can help keep your business better protected.

Reasons for a Leaky Toilet and How to Fix It

7/9/2024 (Permalink)

Once you know what’s happening to your leaking toilet, you can act quickly before the leak gets bigger.

A leaking toilet can become a serious issue in your home. With constant plumbing issues such as this, you might have to deal with a lot of water damage. To help you prevent any more problems, here are a few common reasons why your toilet might be leaking.

Common Ways a Toilet Can Leak

• Supply lines direct the water from the toilet into the pipes. Both the joints of this line and the rubber lining can wear out or rupture, which can lead to water escaping and ultimately damaging the area around the toilet.

• Flappers can also become damaged and can lead to a large loss of water in the tank. Sometimes the flush handle gets stuck and allows the toilet tank to continually fill with water. This can lead to overflow and expensive water bills.

• The float is the small ball that floats in the toilet tank. If the float is damaged or cracked, this can mess up the entire flushing process.

How To Identify a Leak

If you notice a bathroom leak but you aren’t sure where the leak is coming from, there is an easy way to identify where the water is escaping. When dealing with a leaking toilet, the tank and bowl are the only two places that water can leak from. Choose one of these locations to pour in a small amount of food coloring.

Wait about an hour before inspecting the surrounding area for the colored water. If the water shows no signs of your food coloring experiment, try the other location of the toilet and test once more. From here, you can make several repairs to prevent any more leaking. You can also call a professional in Tulsa, OK, to help you out.

Once you know what’s happening to your leaking toilet, you can act quickly before the leak gets bigger. Some people choose to repair it by themselves, or they call plumbers. Either way, be sure to prevent any water damage to your home.

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Dryer

6/25/2024 (Permalink)

Clean out regularly the hose of your dryer

Ways To Prevent A Lint Fire In Your Home

Not many people enjoy doing their laundry. Between the time it takes to wash, dry, and put away your clothes, it may seem like hours before it is all done. This is especially true if it takes a long time for your clothes to dry in the dryer. If it takes more than one cycle, then it's likely time to clean out your dryer and hose. This can help prevent a lint fire in your home in Glenpool, OK.

Clean the Lint Screen

You should clean the lint screen after every load, but sometimes, the lint screen can stop trapping the lint. This can happen because of buildup from several sources:

• Dryer sheets
• Fabric softeners
• Laundry detergent
  
  

To find out if your lint screen is clogged, run some water over it. If the water collects on the screen instead of running through, then it needs to be cleaned. You should also vacuum underneath and around the lint screen.

Clean Out the Hose

The hose that connects the back of your dryer to the outside of your home can get clogged with lint too. To prevent a lint fire, clean it out regularly as well. You should be able to easily detach the hose from the back of the dryer and from the hole in the wall. You might be able to stick your arm through, or you can take a broom handle or something similar to push the lint through.

Inside of the Dryer

Every once in a while, you should have a professional come and vacuum out the inside of your dryer. The lint can build up around the drum and at the bottom. This leads to a high risk of a dryer fire. If you notice longer drying times and you have already cleaned out the hose and lint screen, then it may be time to have the dryer itself vacuumed out.
These things can help prevent a lint fire. If you do experience a dryer fire, you can count on your fire repair specialists to help repair the fire damage and get your home back to normal.

5 Steps to Eradicate Lingering Water Damage Odors

6/25/2024 (Permalink)

A strong, musty odor may indicate hidden mold behind drywall

Below Are 5 Key Components To Eliminate The Problem

For businesses in Woodland Hills, OK, even a little water damage can quickly lead to mold growth and persistent odors that can be frustrating. If flood water is the culprit, it means other contaminants, such as sewage, have made their way into the building. When a lingering odor persists, a water remediation and water restoration professional can get your business back to normal. Below are five key components to eliminate the problem.

1. Find the Source

While sometimes the problem is obvious sewage loss, such as an overflowing toilet, oftentimes, there is hidden damage. The first hint of a musty odor means mold is growing somewhere. If there hasn’t been an obvious water issue, check dark, damp locations prone to extra moisture as well as porous materials, such as drywall, wood, and carpet. Inspect pipes, appliances, roofs, and foundation for signs of damage.

2. Repair the Source

Once the culprit is known, immediate repairs should be made to prevent it from spreading, especially if it a burst pipe. After the leak, crack or other issue is fixed, monitor it to ensure the issue doesn’t reappear.

3. Dry Affected Area, Items

After the source is solved, drying out is imperative. Any items that have come in contact with the water damage should be removed. Carpeting and drywall may also need to be replaced. A professional will have the tools and expertise to ensure proper drying.

4. Eradicate the Mold

Mold spores can quickly spread to unaffected areas, causing that pesky odor to remain after the repairs are done. Mold remediation experts use specialized equipment to safely and thoroughly removed mold growth.

5. Clean and Deodorize

From documents to furniture and even equipment, lingering odors can persist if they are not properly cleaned and deodorized. Restoration specialist use various methods to eliminate odors and prevent future problems. These methods allow for many items that seem like a lost cause to be salvaged.
Mold growth after experiencing water damage doesn’t have mean long-term odors. Taking action early and getting the right help can make it “Like it never even happened.”

Rely on SERVPRO® of South Tulsa County to Mitigate Water Damages to Your Business

4/19/2024 (Permalink)

Water supply line break flooded this Tulsa commercial building. SERVPRO of South Tulsa County was called in to clean up the water

Damage to your business doesn't require hundreds of gallons of water rushing in all at once. Many problems can result from just an inch or two that soaks into carpets, walls, and furniture. Even this small amount of water can cost a huge amount loss regarding cleaning and replacing property.

Handling commercial water damage in Tulsa is more time consuming and difficult than just removing water from a private home. Commercial buildings are much larger and use a wider number of different building materials. Fortunately, SERVPRO® has the training, equipment, and experience to handle these structures as well.

Take a showroom floor in a furniture store for example. Hundreds of square feet of floor space that needs to be pumped out if there is standing water. This task would take an hour or two in most homes, but it's an all-day job in this situation.

When most of the water has been removed, technicians need to draw out excess moisture from the surrounding air. In a home, this task can be accomplished with a few exhaust fans. For a large structure, commercial air movers must be put in place throughout the area to maintain a steady airflow with fans set up to blow the moist air out of the facility. In large commercial loss jobs SERVPRO of South Tulsa County can bring in desiccant and refrigerated dehumidifiers. If the air is exceptionally humid, then they will also deploy large dehumidifiers capable of drawing out over 30 gallons of water daily to assist.

As this happens, other technicians examine the carpets and other flooring for remaining water. In a home, a single wet vacuum can draw out the water from most carpets and the pad underneath in an afternoon if they haven't been overly saturated. Large, commercial, water extractors are needed for rooms with extensive square feet. This process can take all day and require several SERVPRO team members working in tandem to complete the job.

The size of most commercial structures means that a rapid response is needed even more than with a private home. This is why SERVPRO of South Tulsa County maintains a 24-hour response team trained to help you get your doors opened and taking care of your customers as fast as we can. To get everything started, call us at (918) 437-2095.

After a storm, No Job Is Too Big or Small for SERVPRO of South Tulsa County

4/19/2024 (Permalink)

This 52 foot dry van trailer holds additional equipment for our teams to use during storm events

Whether a flood or torrential rainstorm, SERVPRO of South Tulsa County can help.  When water damage affects your home or business, you need it to be restored ASAP!  Our trained professionals have decades of experience in restoring residential and commercial properties.  SERVPRO of South Tulsa County is the trusted choice of insurance companies because of our knowledge and experience.

After any water damage situation, your primary focus should be safety first:

• Is it safe to stay in the home or business?
• Electrical and "slip and fall" hazards are some of the most prevalent concerns.
• Only do activities that are safe for you to perform.
• Wet materials can be VERY heavy. Be careful!

The first 24 hours are the most important after flooding to prevent secondary damage.  Within four hours of loss notification, a SERVPRO professional will be on-site to ensure the water damage is handled properly.

Step 1:

Our trained technician will inspect the water damage to determine the extent of damage and review the inspection with you.  This is the best time to ask questions and communicate expectations.

Step 2:

Our team of professionals will extract the excess water and prepare the affected areas for drying.  We take all the necessary steps to help protect your home or business, as well as your personal belongings and contents.

Step 3:

Our professional team members will monitor your home or business to ensure the affected areas and belongings are dried to industry standards. 

Restoration Services:

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County will repair your home or commercial property.  The repairing of structural materials, reinstall floor coverings, and clean affected areas is an important component of our full-service restoration process.

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County should be your first choice for any residential or commercial water damage.  Our team of professionals is trained to assess the damage, identify potential threats, and respond quickly to restore your property to preloss condition.  SERVPRO of South Tulsa County is available 24/7 by calling 918-437-2095.

Mold Growth in Your Commercial Storage Facility

4/19/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technician with protective equipment is cleaning and removing the mold in this commercial building

Businesses utilize self-storage facilities to secure inventory till it is ready to be sold.  This plan is a great business opportunity for the owner of the storage company until mildew or mold infiltrates one or more units. SERVPRO of South Tulsa County has the experience to respond when microbial growth gets out of control and threatens your business.
 
Problems arise when water leaks inside or moisture raises the humidity level high enough to support microbial growth in your Fayetteville self-storage business. Your tenants often put their stored property out of their mind and rarely visit to inspect their inventory. Mold needs no light to grow, so hidden pockets proliferate. Your offer to protect customers’ belongings is at risk if microbes grow unabated. When you discover mold in the storage common areas or rented rooms, your first step must include lining up a reliable remediation company.
 
SERVPRO of South Tulsa County trains its staff to follow proper protocols when molds are an issue. When an inspection of your facility reveals mold contamination, quick but sure action is the only answer. Our qualified restoration staff contain and remove mold, and then sanitize the area where mold grew. The interconnected storage units pose a challenge if a common HVAC system heats, cools, and circulates the air. Our trained technicians choose to use air scrubbers with negative air pressure to keep the mold outbreak confined.
 
Mold remediation is incomplete if the source of water is ignored. Mold spores are always present in our environment. They mature into mold colonies when moisture feeds them. The mold experts from SERVPRO of South Tulsa County take advanced classes to help find the water causing the problem. Flat roofs with clogged drains, cracked cinder block walls, high humidity, and flooding are just some of the things leading to mold growth. 

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County should be your first choice for any residential or commercial water damage.  Our team of professionals is trained to assess the damage, identify potential threats, and respond quickly to restore your property to preloss condition.  SERVPRO of South Tulsa County is available 24/7 by calling 918-437-2095.

SERVPRO® of South Tulsa County answers the Phone Ready to Help

4/17/2024 (Permalink)

A water line break caused this office in Tulsa to flood. Air movers and dehumidifers are removing moisture from the affected flooring and cabinets

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County is available 24 hours a day for commercial or residential water emergencies.  Immediate action is crucial when you are dealing with water damage. A delay of only a few hours greatly increases the severity of the water damage.

Call SERVPRO of South Tulsa County Today (918) 437-2095

We understand that when you call SERVPRO of South Tulsa County, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of South Tulsa County has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this difficult time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What You Can Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO® Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of South Tulsa County

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your commercial or residential property.

SERVPRO of South Tulsa County should be your first choice for any residential or commercial water damage.  Our team of professionals is trained to assess the damage, identify potential threats, and respond quickly to restore your property to preloss condition.  SERVPRO of South Tulsa County is available 24/7 by calling 918-437-2095.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes in Oklahoma City

Preventing Frozen Pipes

You live in Oklahoma City where the temperature drops well below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you know that your water pipes may freeze. Unfreezing them is a chore that requires patience, so it's better if they don't freeze in the first place, which requires diligence and preparation.

In Oklahoma City, temperatures can drop to the teens or low 20s just about any time between November and March. Usually, there is plenty of warning on the local Edmond news. Follow these tips to reduce the likelihood of frozen pipes and the resulting water damage.

• When you hear those warnings, make sure you open the faucets in your Edmond house, and let them drip throughout the dangerous weather. That will keep them from freezing and causing a lot of water damage. However, before you get to that point, prepare your pipes. Wrap any exposed areas in fiberglass insulation or foam rubber.
  
  
• If you have exposed piping in your crawl space or attic, insulate it to ward off the extreme cold.
  
  
• Open all your cabinet doors so that warm air can circulate around the pipes.
  
  
• You can also install powered heat tape, which requires little maintenance and provides maximum protection. It costs pennies per day to keep your Edmond pipes safe an prevent water damage.
  
  
• If you have a conglomeration of pipes in one area, put a high-wattage lamp near them to keep them warm.
  
  
• Stop all drafts from getting to the pipes by caulking the nearby windows and any openings in the foundation.
  
  
• Slow and steady wins the race. A professional plumber knows how to slowly thaw your pipes safely, so they won't suffer more water damage.

If your pipes do freeze, remain calm. Don't try to thaw them in 30 minutes. If you overheat your frozen pipes, you could cause internal steam that will burst your pipes, and then you'll have frozen pipes and a big mess of water damage to repair and clean. A hair dryer set on low will do the job quite nicely if you have the patience to let it work.

If you're unlucky enough to have your pipes burst and cause water damage, you should contact SERVPRO of South Tulsa County immediately to fix your pipes and remove any trace of the problem. We're standing by to perform emergency service if you need us. Call (918) 437-2095 if you need help 24/7/365.

An unexpected cold snap can snarl your pipes. Be prepared against any such event. Thoroughly insulate your Oklahoma City home, and pay attention to the weather reports. A measure of prevention will eliminate any need for a cure. But if your pipes do burst, we're ready to fix the water damage and make sure it does not recur.