Dynamics for Successful Commercial Water Damage Restoration in St. Petersburg

5/24/2023 (Permalink)

Disaster may strike at any time. Call SERVPRO for the water damage restoration.

SERVPRO Provides Alternative Power When Restoring Water-Damaged Businesses in St. Petersburg

Many factors contribute to a successful commercial water damage restoration project. Even though your janitorial team may play a role in mitigating the damage, there are specific equipment, supplies, and miscellaneous tools that remediation experts use to do the job correctly and efficiently. Below, we are looking at some dynamics that make our team succeed in most of the projects we handle.

Suppose the water damage incident in your St. Petersburg business resulted from a leaking roof from a severe storm. In that case, electrical power in the property might have been interrupted. When our SERVPRO team responds to such issues, we provide emergency power generation solutions. We have the skills to calculate the site's power requirements and then select the most suitable generator for the job.

The generated power usually serves the following functions:

• Ensuring your business' key operations continue running
• Provide power to run our water damage remediation equipment
• Provide sufficient lighting for the project – for both indoor and outdoor needs

Portable generators can be an option when our SERVPRO technicians offer an initial response during water damage cleanup. We use them to power air filtration, drying, extraction, and hand tools. Since they have a short run time of around 4-12 hours, they are a temporary solution.

When large power output quantities are needed longer to operate a wide range of equipment and perform various tasks, our SERVPRO technicians set up industrial generators. The units can run for up to 24 hours and have an onboard tank to store fuel. If the fuel gets depleted, we can arrange to have it refilled with a local fuel provider.

SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg is a certified water damage mitigation company providing reliable solutions to residential and commercial clients. Call (727) 522-0000 to have your questions answered and work with a team that makes it "Like it never even happened."

Offering New Haven Residents Expert Fire Damage Cleanup

4/25/2023 (Permalink)

For end-to-end fire damage restoration services, nothing beats the team at SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg.

Call SERVPRO 24/7 in New Haven for Fire Restoration

For countless reasons, a house fire could occur at your New Haven property without warning. Whether you have a gas leak, an unattended candle, or a kitchen fire, each type of incident could bring various levels of destruction. You need prompt fire damage cleanup, which is where our skilled SERVPRO team comes in. Our franchise is locally owned and operated, acting fast when our local homeowners and businesses need to make it “Like it never even happened.”

What to Expect After a Fire

Whether you had a small fire in the garage or an enormous blaze that impacted several rooms, you need prompt action from local fire damage restoration professionals in New Haven. SERVPRO would like to offer a few insights as to what you can expect when getting the remediation started:

• Reach out to our customer care team to provide pertinent details regarding your property and the event. 
• Contact your home insurance provider to report the blaze, letting them know you have SERVPRO handle all fire and smoke damage. 
• Our Green Fleet arrives within hours of initial contact to begin the inspection and planning process. The designated crew chief works to select the best methods and equipment to handle the job. 
• Once your property is deemed safe for entry, you may have the chance to go inside to retrieve any documentation or personal belongings you need.

The SERVPRO fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) also set up containment barriers and staging to limit the tracking of soils and debris while work gets performed. Any unsalvageable contents and building materials get disposed of, and we work to implement drying and moisture control. With the help of our proven controlled demolition methods, our team can pave the way for local contractors and vendors to repair your interior.

For end-to-end fire damage restoration services, nothing beats the team at SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg. Call us at (727) 522-0000 for the 24/7 emergency service you can count on. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Move-Out Help with St. Petersburg Water Damage

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO protects and restores water damaged possession in St. Petersburg area homes. We can pack out, dry, and clean at our facility.

Move-Outs Help with Preserving and Cleaning Water Damaged Items in St. Petersburg

Water damage in St. Petersburg is a severe concern for homeowners. A broken appliance, a leaking pipe, or bad weather can all cause damage to your home. Water can seep into soft furnishings, wood, and linens of all kinds. When that happens, you can rely on SERVPRO to remedy the problem and leave your house “Like it never even happened.”

A move-out or pack-out means our team can take your St. Petersburg water damaged belongings to our facility for cleaning. When they are clean, dry, and sanitized we will return them to your home. A move-out (pack-out) can help the restoration process.

What are Some Reasons for a Move-out?

There are several reasons that our water damage experts might suggest a move-out:

• A move-out can make it easier to clean and restore the structure of your home
• A move-out can speed up remodeling work
• Removing the contents can help protect them from further damage
• We can transport items to our cleaning facility

In some cases, we do not need to remove all your belongings. Depending on the extent of the water damage in your home, we can leave some contents in place. If the water did not affect every room, we might be able to store them in a secure location in your house such as in the garage or in another room.

Our team will advise you about how many items need to be taken off-site. The contents we handle include:

• Bedding and linens
• Curtains, blinds, and rugs
• Clothing and accessories
• Appliances and electronic items
• Furniture such as beds, chairs, and tables

How Does SERVPRO Make Sure the Move-out Goes Smoothly?

Our SERVPRO teams understand that water problems are disruptive. You want to get back to your daily life as soon as you can. You also want your home restored to its preloss state.

We train our staff members in remediation and move-out best practices. Good training ensures the process goes smoothly from beginning to end.

We know that you may be concerned about whether a move-out will mean more expense. That is why we only take away items when we need to. We will clean items at the loss site first if possible. Cleaning first saves the extra time needed to move the contents to a facility, then unpack and clean them, and then pack them up again.

We only pack salvageable items. We do not waste time or space on items that we know cannot be rescued. If you have concerns about specific items, we can liaise with your insurance adjuster on your behalf.

How Do We Make Sure No Items Get Lost?

It is natural to worry about items getting lost. Your SERVPRO team will list the make, model, and serial number of everything we pack out. We use industry software to keep a thorough inventory, and we take photographs and videos of all content.

We also take inventory again before we re-pack your items to move them back to your home. We always account for every item, so you can rest assured your possessions are in safe hands.

Our facilities are equipped to thoroughly clean and deodorize your items. We can advise you of what to expect, and we can conduct a walk-through with you before you sign off on the project.

If you need help cleaning and salvaging your contents after water damage, call SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg at (727) 522-0000.

St. Petersburg Fire Damage Causing Foul Smells

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO to eliminate house fire odors and soot from your St. Petersburg residence.

SERVPRO Can Eliminate Odors in Fire-Damaged St. Petersburg Homes

Residents of St. Petersburg fire-damaged homes might wonder why their house smells so awful after the fire. Everybody knows that smoke smells terrible, but the malodors can be especially strong after a house fire.

SERVPRO understands the difficulties in restoring a St. Petersburg fire damaged home. It is hard to enjoy your home if it still smells smoky. Your residence's initial inspection and scoping provide an action plan to mitigate the fire damage and eliminate pungent odors.

Why is the Smell so Strong After a Blaze?

During a fire, the heat interacts with the surfaces that the flames contact. If the material burns away completely, this is known as complete combustion. But if the material only burns away partially, that is known as incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion results in soot and smoke particles that enter the air, cling to surfaces, and cause bad smells.

Many surfaces in your home can become coated with soot and be the source of unpleasant smells:

• Wood furniture such as tables and dining chairs
• All paper products, including wallpaper
• Soft materials and fabrics like bedding or curtains
• Plastics such as electronics or children's toys
• Proteins from a kitchen fire

How can SERVPRO Help with Smoky Smells?

We follow a series of steps that can work well for removing odors.

We discard soot-damaged materials whenever we can. Sometimes a fire leaves behind debris such as building materials, wood, and drywall. Our teams safely clear up the trash. Clean-up makes the site safer and also removes a source of sooty smells.

We check for hidden sources of odors that may include:

• Ventilation systems
• Behind furniture or appliances
• Cooker hoods or fans
• Crawl spaces
• Wall cavities

Once we have removed fire-damaged materials and found other sources of odors, we can contain and deodorize the smells.

How Does SERVPRO Contain Odors?

Containing sooty smells is vital because it prevents them from spreading further throughout your home. We use portable, pump-up sprayers to apply counteractants directly to smoke damaged surfaces and prevent molecules from escaping.

Odor molecules are released into the air as soon as a surface burns. That means that by the time our team arrives, some smells are already in the air. We use deodorant products to counteract airborne odors. One of the most effective products for this is neutralizing gel beads.

We also use thermal fogging to combat smoke scents. A good rule of thumb is "like to like." That means that we use deodorizing fog to tackle the problem in the case of smoke damage. Thermal fogging means using a fogging machine to distribute odor-fighting compounds. These compounds bond to the odor-causing molecules and change their composition. This neutralizes the smell. Hydroxyl generators can be placed to neutralize airborne compounds while our SERVPRO IICRC-certified team continues with the cleanup. Air scrubbers outfitted with HEPA filters can also capture airborne particulates. Negative pressure can be set up to port the circulating air to the exterior, further relieving the ambient air of odors.

What About Cleaning Smoke Damaged Surfaces?

SERVPRO teams can also help by cleaning smoke-damaged surfaces. We thoroughly train our FRST fire and smoke restoration technicians to decide which surfaces are suitable for cleaning and which surfaces we cannot salvage. We use various cleaning techniques to dislodge smoke particles, including dry scrubbing, wet wiping, and UV cleaning.

Our combination of odor containment, cleaning, deodorizing, and ventilation means that before long, your home can smell fresh, "Like it never even happened."

If you are concerned about malodors after a house fire, we can help. Call SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg at (727) 522-0000.

SERVPRO Reduces St. Petersburg Mold Damage

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can remediate mold damage in St. Petersburg Properties following industry best standards.

Mold Remediation Requires Specific Procedures for a St. Petersburg Area Home

No one wants mold in their St. Petersburg home. Unfortunately, mold spores occur almost everywhere, making it hard to avoid them altogether. It is challenging to prevent mold growth after a water leak or spill, and many homeowners struggle with fungal growth at some point.

St. Petersburg mold damage can occur in many places in your home. The fungus could grow after an appliance leak or because the rain seeped into the basement. The mold colonies can develop if a pipe bursts and water soaks into the structure of your home or soft furnishings and materials such as drapes or carpets, and it can grow on the surface of walls.

How Does Mold Grow?

Molds are microscopic organisms that combine with interconnected hyphae to colonize around and consume a food source. Mold can grow wherever the conditions are ripe for it. The fungus needs:

• An organic food source such as cotton, paper, or wood
• Moisture
• Oxygen

Mold grows best in cool and dark conditions. The spores reproduce rapidly and can create a significant problem in as little as 24-72 hours.

How Does SERVPRO Reduce Mold Damage Risks?

You might call our team because you are concerned about visible fungi, a moldy smell, or a water leak. Mold remediation can contain the damage, demolition, and costs.

We know that looking for visible signs of mold is not enough. The fungus often grows in dark, hidden corners of your home or hard-to-reach places like inside wall cavities. We can use various equipment to assess moisture levels in your home's walls and carpets and check humidity levels.

• Moisture meters use small probes that assess the amount of water in materials such as carpets or drywall
• Non-penetrating moisture sensors help us discover dampness in hidden places such as behind furniture
• Thermo-hygrometers measure humidity in the air

Because we measure exact numbers, we can monitor the progress of mold remediation. We can continually assess the readings to ensure our techniques are working.

Why is Drying Your Home so Important?

Because fungi need water to thrive, properly drying your home reduces mold damage risks. This is especially important if your house has suffered water damage or a water leak.

Getting your home dry is a crucial part of our process. There are several ways we can do that.

• Setting up air movers to help dry the surface of wet flooring or walls
• Using dehumidifiers to reduce the amount of moisture in the air
• Using portable extractors to remove water from floors and help dry carpets

Our IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) certified teams can also help deal with the fungus already present. Trained SERVPRO AMRT applied microbial remediation technicians have the skills, experience, equipment, and products to leave your home looking "Like it never even happened."

We can set up containment to help prevent spores from spreading further throughout your home. We also used specialized air filtration equipment such as powerful HEPA filters and air scrubbers to capture airborne spores. We safely remove fungus-covered items such as wooden furniture or soft materials and either clean or dispose of them, depending on whether they are salvageable. Typically, an antimicrobial product is sprayed on treated surfaces to help inhibit future mold infestations.

Fungal growth is a genuine concern if your home has a dampness problem or suffers from water damage. These microorganisms can grow easily and spread quickly. However, SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg can help. Call us at (727) 522-0000.

St. Petersburg Mold Inspection Firm Saves Residents Time & Money

3/25/2023 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO techs discover water leaks leading to mold damage. Once found, we remediate the mold damage in your St. Petersburg home.

Mold Inspection Aids Remediation in St. Petersburg

A good understanding of mold and its life cycle greatly facilitates restoration efforts in St. Petersburg. This crucial knowledge enables top remediators like SERVPRO to locate fungal issues more easily and swiftly get to work on addressing them. Once work begins, trained company technicians then know how to deal with mold and better eliminate it using the fewest resources possible.

SERVPRO has been performing top-notch mold inspection work in St. Petersburg for several years. Our inspectors and mold specialists have successfully located all types of microbial threats, including dry rot, black mold, various kinds of fungal growths in bathrooms and basements, and hidden attic mold. Armed with this essential information, SERVPRO can start its mold remediation procedures. As for our initial damage assessment efforts, they typically include:

• Arriving at your home promptly, often within an hour of your initial call, completing our damage evaluation swiftly, and attempting to minimize the time mold has to expand
• Thoroughly examining interior areas where relative humidity reaches 60% or more and, therefore, fosters fungal development
• Looking for potential water sources that could promote microbial growth with state-of-the-art tools like infrared cameras, sensors, and moisture meters
• Closely examining household surfaces, such as wallpaper, drywall, and wooden walls, which could serve as organic food sources
• Checking the temperature of rooms and noting any areas that are 68F or hotter because those are the readings that are best for mold

Even after a good inspection, preventing or combating these microorganisms is still a daunting task. Mold spores are omnipresent in the environment and exist in masses of thousands. All they need to develop are conditions often found in water-damaged homes.

Fortunately, though, your friends at SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg are well-equipped and dedicated to doing high-quality mold inspections and effectively resolving your home’s problems. Call us at (727) 522-0000 for fast assistance.

Finding a Water Damage Repair Company in St. Petersburg Isn’t Hard

2/21/2023 (Permalink)

Our team has the training, experience, and equipment to make your water damage "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Offers Water Remediation and Restoration Services to St. Petersburg Homeowners

Water damage repairs may be necessary, thanks to many unfortunate events. Generally, we think of the most catastrophic circumstances, such as heavy rains or a burst pipe, but even smaller events can wreak havoc. For example, your HVAC system may leak or cause excessive condensation that slowly erodes the area around it, causing extensive damage. Alternatively, leaky faucets, poorly sealed windows, and malfunctioning appliances can also set the stage for cumulative damage in a home.

Water damage repairs in St. Petersburg don’t need to be overwhelming, thanks to SERVPRO and its expert team. Our staff is ready to jump into action when we receive your call, day or night. Not only are we IICRC-certified and prepared to put our expertise to work for you, but we also count on the latest industry technology in restoration. As soon as our fleet arrives at your home, you’ll know you’re in good hands.

So what exactly needs to be done to repair the damage left behind by a water event? Although every home’s needs are different, there are three basic steps to a successful restoration job:

• Water extraction- even if the volume of water doesn’t seem excessive, extraction is critical. Our team is ready with truck-mounted pumps, handheld extractors, and submersible pumps.
• Drying- once we remove standing water, we dry with dehumidifiers, drying mats, air movers, and circulators. All this equipment works to restore normal humidity levels in your home to avoid mold growth and secondary damage.
• Disinfecting and deodorizing- our crew uses foggers, deodorizers, and EPA-approved cleaning solutions to leave your home in mint condition.

When you call SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg at (727) 522-0000, you reach the answer to your water damage needs. We aim to leave your home “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO Helping with Storm Damage Water Cleanup in St. Petersburg

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Storms frequent our area. Did you know that SERVPRO offers roof tarping services?

Protecting Your Home from Further Damage and Emergency Water Cleanup in St Petersburg

A storm takes a few minutes to cause significant damage to St Petersburg homes. Roofs are punctured, windows are broken, and even doors are blown in. Water penetrates the house through multiple entry points, causing more damage to contents, flooring, furniture, and interior structures. SERVPRO emergency response teams can provide immediate assistance to homeowners with the following:

• Board up of broken windows and doors
• Tarps to cover roof punctures
• Debris removal inside and outside your home
• Emergency power to operate equipment

In addition to physical storm damage, water cleanup of St Petersburg homes is another crucial attribute of our SERVPRO service. Fast response and cleanup of excess water, debris removal, and drying reduce secondary damage. The water inside walls, inside the ceiling, and on flooring is absorbed by porous materials causing swelling of these materials and loss of structural integrity:

• Drywall absorbs moisture and swells
• Hardwood floors cup, buckle, and warp
• Cabinets and furniture are damaged
• Mold colonies can begin forming in 24 to 48 hours

SERVPRO storm response includes many services that homeowners require after a storm:

• Water cleanup and removal on flooring, inside walls, and ceilings
• Building services to make temporary repairs, repair broken windows, and roof damage.
• Moving furniture and contents to undamaged areas of the home or packing and removal of contents to one of our secure storage facilities while repair and restoration are completed
• High-capacity dehumidification and air movers rapidly remove moisture and dry your home.
• Demolition of permanently damaged materials, repair, and restoration

We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster, and we aim to return your home to you “Like it never even happened.” SERVPRO also works closely with insurance company adjusters to manage all activity, including insurance paperwork, during the claims process.

Call SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg for water cleanup services. We provide service to St Petersburg and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (727) 522-0000.

Controlled Floor Demolition for Water Damage Repair in St. Petersburg

12/28/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial water damage remediation is no easy task. SERVPRO provides fast and quality work 24/7, 365 days a year.

SERVPRO Offers St. Petersburg Properties Quality Water Restoration 

Water intrusion incidents can affect any section of your facility. However, the floor where all the water, debris, and other materials accumulate is significantly impacted. You might face two challenges when dealing with the floor – removing soiling and drying the accumulated moisture. Sometimes the only way to facilitate water damage repair is to do some demolition.

When done properly during water damage repair in St. Petersburg properties, demolition helps remove unsalvageable materials and accelerate drying. It requires the right skill sets and tools to ensure the process goes according to plan, helping facilitate restoration. SERVPRO can assist with regular or specialized demolition tasks.

Typical Activities during Floor Demolition

• Carpet and pad removal
• Baseboard removal
• Wall ventilation
• Post-demolition cleaning

Demolition usually removes contaminated porous materials such as moldy carpets. However, with the floor area, other factors might necessitate the process. Removing any floor covering is among the things you need to do. In most cases, that means removing the carpet and pad. If the water is clean, the carpet is salvageable, so extra care is essential to avoid damaging it during removal. Our SERVPRO technicians use carpet awls and knee kickers to detach it. We cut minimal carpet seams when removing the pad and avoid excessive folding, which can delaminate or stretch the carpet. Pad is rarely salvageable, but that does not mean haphazard removal. Our technicians use utility knives to cut it into 2-by-2 feet pieces for easier handling.

Addressing Wall Water Affecting the Floors

Water can accumulate within wall cavities if the breach point is elevated. No matter how well you dry the floor, such water keeps causing problems. Removing the baseboard and ventilating the wall cavities resolves the issue. First, our technicians determine whether the wall is insulated since it determines the level of ventilation needed. Then we use a pry bar to remove the vinyl baseboard. Drilling holes through the wall releases the water.

Precautions When Drilling Vent Holes

• Drill only one side of the wall
• Drill between the wall studs
• Keep the hole below the baseboard line
• Cleanup up the area after demolition

SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg handles all tasks professionally, including demolition during water damage repair. Call (727) 522-0000. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Dealing With Smoke during Fire Restoration in St. Petersburg Homes

11/21/2022 (Permalink)

A small flare-up can quickly get out of control. Our SERVPRO team is trained for complete fire damage restoration.

Elaborate Fire Remediation in St. Petersburg by SERVPRO

It only takes seconds for a tiny spark to become an inferno consuming an entire property. Therefore, putting out even a minimal stove flare-up in the kitchen is not trivial because otherwise, the outcome would be devastating. However, stopping a blaze does not eliminate the need for fire restoration. Smoke spreads fast throughout the property, causing soiling and other forms of deterioration.

The kind of fire restoration your St. Petersburg home requires after an incident varies because of the different materials and contents in the house. Some surfaces attract smoke residues leading to significant surface concentration, while others bond with the deposits leading to staining or patches. SERVPRO takes decisive actions to clean all areas restoring preloss conditions.

Smoke Residue Removal Steps

• Locating residues
• Identifying residue types
• Identifying the affected surfaces
• Capturing and removing the residues

Soot and other smoke residues have varying properties, so removal is rarely a simple process of wiping the affected areas. The first reason for the difficulty is the convection forces that drive smoke movements during combustion. Cavities like wall spaces and concealed areas like cabinets tend to be colder. Thus smoke concentrates there, leaving more residues. 

Why Smoke Residues Need Identifying

Any dark deposit left after a fire is soot to an untrained eye. Also, surfaces are either solid materials or fabrics. This simplistic view complicates restoration because you need to use the correct approaches or dedicate more effort to the process. Professionals like SERVPRO study the residues to determine their physical and chemical properties. Soot can be dry, wet, or smeary. Soot from organic material combustion differs from that of synthetic materials. Variations in materials range from porosity to age, influencing the cleaning processes.

Typical Ways to Remove Smoke Residues

• Vacuuming
• Wet cleaning
• Blast cleaning 

A method like vacuuming is very helpful, especially when dealing with cavities or cleaning porous materials. Wet cleaning, on the other hand, helps remove embedded residues from surfaces. Sometimes the challenge is the surface, especially if it is rough and unfinished. Blast-cleaning with a medium like dry ice simplifies such tasks.

SERVPRO of NE St. Petersburg handles fire restoration under any circumstance making it “Like it never even happened.” You can reach us at (727) 522-0000.