Why SERVPRO Is The Best Selection for Your Restoration Needs

7/26/2023 (Permalink)

No matter what kind of damage you face, remember to call SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley for all of your restoration needs.

Every restoration effort has at least one thing in common—time. The longer damage is allowed to fester in your property, the less likely you will get away with a quick and inexpensive restoration and cleanup.

So, what makes time so important when it comes to damage? It’s the things inside your home that aren’t designed to face extended exposure to the elements. Items like flooring, carpet, and any fabric or wooden furniture will suffer immediate damage when exposed to water, with more damage happening as time goes on.

To avoid costly cleanup and an extended restoration process, you can take action before damage arrives to mitigate the potential destruction. Take steps like clearing your property of dead trees before a storm to reduce impact damage or cleaning your kitchen thoroughly to reduce any fire hazards.

In addition, you should have an emergency plan that everyone in your household knows well. Thanks to the Georgia state government, we have Ready Georgia, which compiles some great information about how you can prepare for the disasters we face here.

Unfortunately, many people will suffer home or business damage during their lives, and it’s important for everyone to know why SERVPRO is the right choice for you.

You Can Rely on Us Anytime

Our team has years of experience working with both commercial and residential damage, which gives us great insight into how stressful these events can be. No kind of damage is ever expected or planned for, so it’s important for you to have someone that you can count on day or night.

This is why our experts stay ready 24⁄7. You can call at any time of the day, and we’ll provide a quick response to help you get started on the right path to restoration.

More Than Restoration

Our professionals provide more than just constant service, however; they also become an integral part of the communities we serve. Our location is locally owned and operated, which allows us to connect with the people in our region and be more than simply a restoration provider.

Aside from all this, our team is trained to handle every kind of disaster, using industry-leading technology to get your structure back in preloss condition. With years of experience, you can feel safe trusting us with your beloved property.

No matter what kind of damage you face, remember to call SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley for all of your cleanup and restoration needs. Not only can you rely on us any time of the day, but you can also feel confident that we’ll have you back in your home before you know it.

When you suffer damage to your home or business, it’s important that you know who to call! Contact us today to get restoration started faster.

Stay Safe When Lightning Strikes

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

If your home has been damaged by a storm, contact SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, and Fort Valley 24/7 to get the recovery process started.

While lighting striking your home may seem like a rare phenomenon, it’s way more common than you’d think. Each year, one in 200 homes is struck by lightning, and there are around 20 lightning-related fatalities annually in the United States.

Knowing what to do and where to go during storms is the best way to protect yourself from this hazard that is created by severe weather. Lightning can not only be a danger to humans but to homes as well. While the path of lightning is unpredictable, knowing the facts can help you best avoid these unexpected bolts from the blue.

The Facts About Lightning

Lightning is a strong sudden burst of electricity, which can travel at about 220,000,000 mph!

Lighting is usually produced during thunderstorms and is more likely to develop during the spring and summer seasons.

While lightning can touch down near or inside your home and create flames, it doesn’t have to strike your home to damage it. When lighting strikes items near your home such as concrete or your gutters, it can surge your home’s electrical system.

A direct hit can also cause damage to electrical and non-electrical items inside your property or severely damage your home’s foundation, chimney and roof.

Here’s how to protect yourself and your home:

Safeguard your home. The simplest way to protect the inside of your home from lighting is by unplugging all electronics before a storm or as soon as you hear a clap of thunder. Lightning is capable of ruining phones, computers and even that fancy new television you just bought.

There are other effective ways to defend your property, but they may be more costly. Of course, approaches such as installing lightning rods on your roof, grounding your home and investing in surge protectors to protect electronics are still beneficial. These precautions could significantly reduce your risk of exterior property damage from lightning.

Know where to shelter. A safe shelter is essential for avoiding lightning. Seek shelter in an enclosed building or a car with a hard-topped roof. If you happen to be outside during a storm and you are unable to seek shelter indoors, avoid bodies of water and shelter near lower trees.

The best way to know when it’s safe to leave your shelter is by listening for thunder. Wait about 30 minutes after hearing a clap of thunder before returning outside.

Unplug your stuff. As stated above, it’s crucial to unplug any electric devices before a storm touches down in your area. If lightning were to strike a nearby electrical pole, it could lead to an electrical surge and completely fry any plugged-in devices.

Making sure to do this ahead of storms is crucial because unplugging equipment during storms puts you at risk of being electrocuted. Staying weather-aware can help you know when it’s time to unplug any devices and seek appropriate shelter.

If your home is impacted by any weather hazards like lightning, our professionals at SERVPRO can be on the scene fast. We have years of experience restoring storm-damaged homes to their preloss state.

Top Causes of Commercial Water Damage

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, and Fort Valley help your business take measures to reduce the time that your company is closed after a disaster.

While many cases of water damage in the United States are experienced by homeowners, commercial buildings are also at risk of succumbing to water damage. Water damage is often experienced in blocks by commercial properties. While there is usually a yard between homes, there may only be a few inches of concrete between businesses.

In a place like Thomaston, we are no stranger to powerful storms that deal serious damage to our properties. We see everything from tornadoes to floods to the effects of hurricanes that hit the coasts.

We face an additional risk for being in such a mountainous state like Georgia, where the frequent elevation change makes it easy for water to pool together and begin flash floods more easily.

It’s common knowledge how disastrous water can be to the structures we have, impacting your business both physically and financially. The best way to minimize water’s effects on your business is to deal with the problems immediately.

Knowing the causes of water damage is also crucial to finding the right solution to the issue. We’ve gathered information on the three main causes of commercial water damage for you to keep an eye out for in your building:

Major Causes of Water Damage

Oftentimes, things that seem like minor issues can actually be growing into a much larger problem for you know it.

A minor leak can waste over 22 gallons per day, and a major leak can waste up to five times that amount depending on the size and location.

Roof Leaks

The roof is designed to limit the interior of the building from external elements like heat from the sun, rain during storms and debris that gets blown around. However, a leaky roof actually does the opposite, serving as a funnel for all of the outdoors to enter your building.

As the roof gets older, it also becomes more vulnerable to heavy rain, snow and falling debris that can result in extreme damage or even an entire roof collapse. Make sure to keep an eye on your roof, especially after storms, to better prevent costly roof leaks and the following damage.

Broken Equipment or Appliances

Sometimes, your building may have appliances like a water heater, AC, dishwasher and many others that facilitate the flow of water. Apart from appliances, there are complex piping systems in every building that can suffer damage at any time and cause costly commercial damage.

Major problems happen when these appliances are broken and no one notices. Even worse, if this were to happen during off-hours, it could leak a substantial amount of water and do extreme levels of structural damage before anyone even notices.

Inspecting your piping and appliances regularly can help you stay on top of the problem before it escalates into a destructive event.

Natural Disaster

Apart from roof leaks and broken equipment, water damage happens in commercial buildings due to natural disasters like hurricanes, thunderstorms and heavy rain that causes flash floods. Clogged gutters can also lead rainwater to flow toward the foundation of your building, making it more vulnerable to damage.

Have your gutters cleaned at least twice a year, and inspect your building regularly to identify and address any damage before it gets out of hand.

Commercial water damage is a devastating problem that any business owner can experience. While there is no way to get rid of it entirely, knowing these important causes, and some preventive measures can help you minimize the risk you face.

If you have experienced damage to your business or want to learn more about our commercial damage restoration services, contact us today. We’re here to act fast, 24⁄7.

Take Steps to Prevent Plumbing Leaks

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, and Fort Valley can help at the drop of a hat when you experience any water emergency.

Plumbing leaks are no joke. They can spring up instantly and cause dramatic and costly damage before it can be brought under control.

In fact, the average household in the U.S. experiencing a leak loses 10,000 gallons of water per year—with over 1 trillion gallons nationwide combined yearly! While no one knows whether there is going to be an accident, there are still numerous methods to decrease the chance of a costly plumbing leak in the house.

By maintaining your plumbing, you can lower the risk of a plumbing leak and reduce the damage if one happens. Let’s consider what areas you can regularly inspect and maintain to prevent water damage in the home:

Appliance Water Supply Lines. Every appliance that uses water has water supply lines that are generally made up of plastic or metal tubing. As a result, it is critical to monitor these lines on a regular basis. Keep an eye out for corrosion, discoloration of the pipe itself and the flooring and walls around it, as well as calcium buildup in the supply line. One common modern preventive measure would be to consider upgrading to flexible stainless steel when replacing these lines.

Water Heater. Be sure to follow the maintenance instructions on your water heater carefully. A water heater can burst due to old age and devastatingly flood the room around it in minutes, potentially causing severe and costly damage to your home. A water heater should be inspected by a professional plumber every few years, and if it’s in a location where a leak would be truly devastating, consider installing a leak detector.

Drains. All sinks, disposals, showers, tubs and toilets should be consistently maintained and clean of debris. Make sure that you and other family members are aware of what should and should not be flushed or poured down the kitchen sink. Additionally, if you have a family member that is an over-consumer of toilet paper, consider installing a bidet to prevent build up in your pipes.

Finally, if a leak has sprung out of control, it’s important to know where the main water valve is and how to shut it off. It’s essential that everyone in the home is aware of how to shut the water main line off in the event of an emergency, considering you never know when the emergency can happen.

SERVPRO can help at the drop of a hat when you experience a water damage emergency. Call the experts at SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, and Fort Valley. We are available 24⁄7 to respond immediately and get the job done professionally.

Water Damage in Your Bathroom

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

Should you experience any water damage, call SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley, We are available 24/7.

Because bathrooms use a lot of water, it’s likely that some of that water may seep into the walls and flooring, producing water damage. And if you’re not careful, you might wind up with damage that requires considerable and costly efforts to restore.

In fact, the average cost of bathroom water damage repairs is over $3,000 in the U.S.

While there is always a potential that water can cause damage in your bathroom, if you follow these easy steps, you can avoid costly water damage. Prevent water damage to your bathroom by following the advice below.

Check for Leaks. Check for symptoms of leaks on a regular basis, such as discoloration or soft spots on walls or floors as well as musty odors. Test the walls and floors by pressing in to them to see whether certain places are softer than others. Look for leaks under vanities and around the shower or tub and verify that there isn’t any leaking. If any of these issues occur, track out the source of the leak and get it repaired.

Ensure Proper Sealing. Properly sealing areas of your bathroom that could otherwise allow water to leak out into your walls and flooring can make all the difference when it comes to preventing damage to your bathroom. Prevent water from leaking behind walls and under floors by replacing broken, damaged or missing tiles in your shower, flooring and backsplash. In the same way, ensure your sealing is fresh and working properly. Replacing cracked or failing grout and caulking around sinks, tubs and showers with a silicone-based bathroom-grade caulk can make all the difference in water-proofing your bathroom.

Continually Inspect Your Bathroom. Maintain your leak-free bathroom by regularly checking the floor and walls for water after showering or bathing, drying or removing it immediately if there happens to be any. Additionally, don’t let any water stay standing in the shower or tubs by draining it completely. This helps to prevent the harm that standing water might cause.

SERVPRO has the expertise to assist you with all forms of recovery from water damage. When you discover water damage in your bathroom, call the experts at SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley. We are available 24⁄7 and seven days a week, including all holidays because disasters don’t wait—and neither do we.

Fire Safety Tips for Every Room of the House

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

You can count on SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley to help you recover after a house fire.

The unfortunate truth about household fires is that they can start for a myriad of reasons. From cooking incidents to improperly stored flammable items, many accidents can lead to a fire, which is why it is so vital to practice fire prevention throughout the house.

Making sure that you and every member of your household are aware of common fire hazards can help you all go about your lives with safety in mind, which drastically reduces the likelihood that you will wind up with a fire on your hands. Read on to learn about fire safety tips you should know for every room.

Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

Kitchens are the room in the home where a fire is most likely to break out, so it is extra important to be vigilant. Make sure there is nothing flammable near your stove or oven (including curtains, dish towels and potholders) and that food is never left unattended on the stove. It is also important to keep a fire extinguisher handy in case of any flare-ups, and ensure everyone in the home knows how to handle a grease fire as opposed to a regular fire.

Family Room Fire Safety Tips

While family rooms do not typically contain as many fire hazards as other areas of the home, there are still risks to consider. Don’t leave candles burning unattended, and if you have a fireplace, make sure it is inspected regularly by a certified professional. For electronics, be sure to not overload electrical outlets and replace cords and cables if they become frayed or worn out.

Garage and Storage Fire Safety Tips

Storage areas such as garages or basements can often become cluttered, which can lead to an excess of fire hazards. Make sure any flammable materials, such as lighter fluid or chemicals, are stored properly and are not able to get too hot in the summer months. Also be certain that these areas have clear and accessible exits free from clutter that could block someone’s path should they need to escape quickly.

*If you have damage to your home due to a house fire, you can count on us to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how our fire restoration services work.

Commercial Fire Extinguisher Safety and Education

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

If your property takes on fire damage, rest assured that SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley is here to help.

Fire safety is a critical aspect of health & safety measures that all businesses must address, and maintaining your commercial property’s fire extinguishers is essential in protecting your employees, property and products from harm.

A fire extinguisher can’t protect anything if nobody knows how to use it. There are many rules and regulations related to fire extinguisher safety, such as the fact that fire extinguishers should be mounted on walls at distances of less than 75 feet that would not be well-known without proper education.

You and your employees must also know how to choose the right extinguisher, as well as how to operate it. This is where it might be valuable to employ some training.

Why Training Is Essential

Let’s take a look at what fire extinguisher training includes and why it’s important:

Fire extinguisher training usually consists of education and practice. You will learn all about the types of extinguishers through lectures provided by a certified instructor. Once you have passed the education portion, you will get to put your knowledge into practice. Generally conducted in an outdoor setting, certified instructors will provide hands-on training teaching you and your team how to use the various types of fire extinguishers.

What would happen if a fire sprung up in your facility today? Would you know how to extinguish it and with the proper extinguisher? Would your employees know how to do this?

This is why training is critical in ensuring your staff has the opportunity to try these devices and techniques before a disaster strikes so that in the case one ever does happen, you all will know exactly what to do.

Your workplace runs the risk of devastating and costly damage if you’re not prepared. While you can’t predict a fire, you can ensure that your employees know what to do to promptly and effectively combat it through proper training. This ultimately minimizes what could have been extensive injuries, damages and expenses.

If your commercial property takes on fire damage, SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley is here to help. We have teams on deck at all times ready to take your call and begin the restoration process immediately.

What Is Mold Remediation?

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

If you are trying to handle a mold infestation in your home, call SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley!

When you discover a mold infestation in your home, it can be a frightening and overwhelming event—and if you are like most people, your first thought will be, “How do I get this out of my home as soon as possible?”

For this reason, many people will find themselves searching for terms such as “get rid of mold” or “remove mold from home,” because this seems to be the main goal—but when we learn about mold, we will learn why these terms are a bit of a misnomer.

Below, we will look at the characteristics of mold and outline why “remediation” is the preferred term in the mold abatement industry.

The Nature of Mold Growth

Mold growth can be quite a tricky thing. In nature, mold’s function is to aid in the decay of organic material, which means it is always present and ready to do its job. Mold spores are

transmitted entirely through the air and are always present—it is helpful to think of them as agents that are always floating around and trying to do their job.

For this reason, when mold finds an area that is hospitable to growth, it will immediately invade the area and begin reproduction.

How Mold Gets Into Homes

Because mold is airborne, it can feel like a rather insidious spore. Mold can get into homes via open windows, by hitching a ride on shoes or clothing, by coming in through your HVAC system or by attaching itself to the fur of pets.

Essentially, there is no way to keep mold out…but it is possible to stop it from growing within the

home.

How Mold Remediation Addresses Mold Problems

Because mold is present nearly everywhere, it is impossible to fully remove mold from the home. However, mold remediation will address the underlying issues that are encouraging mold

growth and remove the mold-infested materials that are breeding the spores.

While simply removing the mold may take care of the issue temporarily, it is vital to address the reason that the mold has found a hospitable home within your structure so it does not return.

If you are trying to handle a mold infestation in your home, we are the team to call. We practice mold remediation to address the underlying issues—contact us today to learn more.

How to Prepare Your Home for Severe Weather

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

??If your home has been damaged by a storm, call SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley to help you recover faster.

The weather can be unpredictable. Severe storms that bring floods, heavy winds, hail and other hazards can suddenly sweep through and destroy lives. That’s why it’s advisable to take precautions around the house ahead of time to minimize damage.

Water damage and ruined infrastructure are the most costly consequences of a strong storm. And it can be costly—the national average cost of repairing your home after a storm is around $9,800. Preparing your Conyers home before storm season could save you money in the long run.

Start with these precautions you can take around your home to secure it before a storm:

Keep valuables safe. Flood water is notorious for ruining valuables within the home. Items such as family photos, clothing, heirlooms and other valuables can be protected from water damage by storing them in a watertight container. Keep them up high, preferably on a shelf or in your attic, where floodwater can not reach them.

Secure your roof. Your roof protects the interior of your home by keeping water out. When preparing for a storm, it is critical to reinforce your roof. Keep it well-maintained by nailing down or replacing any loose shingles. Once a storm has passed, have the roof inspected to ensure it’s still in good, working condition.

Clean your gutters and downspouts. July is usually the wettest month in Conyers, but storms can arrive at any time, bringing heavy rain that will rush through your gutters. When functioning optimally, the gutters and downspouts keep rainwater from running down the sides of your house and causing structural damage. Be sure to clear them of any leaves, twigs and any other debris to keep the water flowing.

Do some yard work. Cleaning up around the lawn can keep trees and debris from falling on your house during high winds. Trim any large branches that reach for your roof or are close to your house since they can break off and damage anything in their path. Clear dead plants, branches or shrubs to keep strong winds from blowing them against your windows or walls.

You can’t completely avoid storms, but you can do everything you can to protect yourself and your house. Regular weather maintenance and awareness is an effective strategy to safeguard your belongings and property from the consequences of severe storms.

If your home has been affected by water or infrastructure damage as a result of a major storm, we specialize in home restoration. Contact us right away, and we can restore your home to its preloss condition.

Do you need a sump pump?

6/8/2022 (Permalink)

Call the experts at SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley to get you back to dry. We are on call 24/7 to take care of any immediate need.

You may have heard of someone talking about their sump pump after heavy rain. Perhaps they were talking about how if it weren’t for their sump pump, their basement would have flooded, costing them big-time in damages.

Let’s take a look and see if a sump pump is right for you and your property.

WHAT IS A SUMP PUMP?

A sump pump is a device that can be installed beneath your home’s lowest point, such as the basement or crawl space. This little but extremely useful tool can help prevent flooding.

The pump is always on standby, waiting to be activated. When the soil surrounding your home gets oversaturated after a heavy rain, excess water flows toward the sump pit, which fills up with water.

The sump pump is activated, and the pump is turned on, removing water from the pit and draining it away. A sump pump prevents the groundwater from rising above the level in which it is installed, preventing flooding. In many ways, sump pumps are essentially immediate flood insurance.

SHOULD YOU INSTALL A SUMP PUMP?

There are many advantages to installing sump pumps if your property needs one. Let’s take a look at the following and determine if you should install a sump pump at your property:

• If you live in a region where there is significant rain and/or snow. Here in Georgia, flooding from storms of different kinds are very common, especially throughout the spring and summer seasons. It’s very common to see basements in this area flood after these storms.
• If your house is in a floodplain, you will want to consider a sump pump. Groundwater levels are more likely to rise after heavy rains, snowstorms and spring runoff in areas with poor drainage and lower elevation properties in valleys surrounded by higher elevation hills.
• If your basement has previously flooded, it is a good idea to install a sump pump, as it’s likely it won’t be the last time.
• If you’ve finished your basement, consider installing a sump pump to safeguard your living space and protect carpeting, furniture and other items in your underground living space from flood damage.

If your basement floods, call the experts at SERVPRO of Thomaston, Forsyth, & Fort Valley to get you back to dry quickly and professionally. We are on call 24⁄7 to take care of your emergency immediately.