24/7 Emergency Service
Slidell Property Owners Know Whom to Call for Cleanup and Restoration---SERVPRO
7/7/2019 (Permalink)
SERVPRO Technicians On the Water to Another Restoration Service for a Slidell Homeowner
Floods, Fires, Mold, Odors in Slidell? If You Wish for, "Like it never even happened." SERVPRO Has the Solutions
The need for restoration services in Slidell homes happens in numerous ways. Storm damage from the intense storms and hurricanes that roar through the area. Fire damage and water damage often occur with no warning and require fast cleanup to avoid secondary issues such as mold, foul odors or weakening of building materials.
The statistics for the potential for fire damage in Slidell homes is concerning. Did you know an average of five fires can occur in a residential property during its service life?
SERVPRO team members have certifications as Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and know time is the enemy for fire and smoke damage mitigation. The more time that passes between the event and the fire debris cleanup, the more chance of soot spreading, odors, and mold to develop.
Although the order of cleaning up and restoration tends to run in the same order for the best outcome on each job, our fire damage restoration methods are never a one-size-fits-all project. We test smoke residue to determine what type of damage we are mitigating so we can choose the best cleaning method.
Depending on the level of fire loss, we perform controlled demolition when needed on charred building materials as they contribute nothing but odor. We examine each item for the restoration potential and remove nothing without the approval of the property owner or adjuster. We assist homeowners whenever possible by providing detailed reports called Contents Claim Inventory System (CCIS) that include before and after photos of the property and content that have undergone fire restoration to speed the insurance claims process along.
There are cases where the best outcome for fire damage is to prepare the property for reconstruction. That entails removal of all charred and unrestorable items as well as full-scale odor control to give the contractors a clean slate for rebuilding.
SERVPRO handles water damage in Slidell homes. Broken pipes and appliance failures are among the most frequent reasons for needing water extraction from a residential or commercial property. Water has different ratings as it "ages" in a water spill event. For example, a simple supply line break might age like this:
Clean Water-rates as a category one biohazard, meaning it has little to no contaminants and requires no special cleanup safety gear.
Gray Water-rates as a category two biohazard and can contain bacteria or chemicals such as laundry or dishwasher soap. Common sources include toilet tanks, dishwashers and standing clean water older than 24-hours.
Black Water-rates as a category three biohazard and because it may contain bacteria, chemicals, or sewage, avoiding direct contact is a priority. Our technicians wear full-body protective gear when handling this type of water. Clean water that remains unmitigated for over 48-hours carries this designation.
Unless it is a category-three event in the home, in many cases, our certified Carpet Cleaning Technicians can save the carpet using techniques such as drying it in place with our air movers and "floating." This method is where the air blows above and below, drying it thoroughly. We can also remove, dry and disinfect the carpet and rugs in-plant when drying in place is not possible.
After the completion of water removal and drying efforts, our technicians thoroughly disinfect all water affected surfaces to return the home to sanitary living standards for the residents.
The need for mold remediation happens in many ways in Slidell homes. SERVPRO team members possess extensive training and certification as Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians (AMRT.) The cleanup of mold damage requires more than removing the visible colonies. It is vital to eliminate the conditions that make it favorable for mold growth in the home.
When our AMRT's scope the premises for mold, we determine the reasons why. The reasons why infestations occur drills down to three elements mold needs to exist. Excessive moisture or high humidity, temperatures over 70-degrees, and something organic to consume, wood and paper are favorite foods for mold colonies, like the cardboard that sandwiches sheetrock panels.
One by one, our technicians eliminate the favorable conditions and assist the homeowner in identifying the issue such as an inefficient exhaust fan trapping moisture in the attic or a slow leak within the wall cavity. Since airborne mold spores occur naturally both indoors and outdoors, the key to avoiding infestations is in ensuring conditions are not right for activation of the spores.
We put up containment where we find colonies in preparation for mold remediation; this halts the spread of spores to other areas of the home. After drying and lowering indoor humidity below 45%, careful elimination using mold abatement methods such as soda blasting and removing mold colony debris with hand vacuums with HEPA filters. In some cases, we apply an antimicrobial sealer over the areas where colony abatement took place to ensure the mold does not return.
In Slidell, storm damage often comes on fast and strong. Hurricanes, tropical storms and heavy rains fed by the Gulf of Mexico all contribute to the need for restoration services in this area of Louisiana.
It is crucial that flood water removal and drying occur as quickly as possible. Because water tends to migrate rapidly, it can wind up wicked into sheetrock and in subflooring in a short time. SERVPRO technicians use state-of-the-art technical equipment for finding deeply embedded moisture, and we have specialized equipment for extracting moisture to make the drying phase of water cleanup go even faster.
SERVPRO technicians undergo training in the restoration sciences through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification that teaches the best practices for all levels of a home and commercial cleanup. One of the most important certifications is the Applied Structural Drying Technician (ASD). Using the basics from both physics and psychrometry, our technicians know airflow is used for more than merely drying surfaces. High-velocity blowers called air movers force air at such high speeds; it lifts embedded moisture out of porous objects allowing for thorough drying.
When possible, we try to disrupt the home as little as possible during flood water cleanup and dry furnishing in place. If not, we can do a coordinated pack-out and remove contents to secure storage in our facility or an on-site secure pod storage unit.
Why SERVPRO? Our technicians serve the local Slidell area for needed restoration services using the most advanced technology in the restoration industry. As new best practices and equipment advances are made, we stay on top of them to deliver the highest quality job to each client, every time.
Call SERVPRO of Slidell at (985) 649-1516 when you need assistance with water or storm damage, fire damage, or mold remediation. Our technicians are available 24/7 to come to your residence, and because we are local, We're Faster to Any Size Disaster.