Recent Posts
Be Fire Ready, Not Fire Scared: Protecting Your Family
11/21/2024 (Permalink)
At SERVPRO® of North Elkhart County, your family's safety is our top priority. While fires are serious, a little preparation can go a long way in keeping everyone safe.
Simple Steps, Big Impact:
- Install Smoke Detectors: Equip every level of your home, especially inside and outside bedrooms, with smoke detectors.
- Test Regularly: Make testing your smoke alarms a monthly habit. Replace batteries promptly if needed.
- Practice Makes Perfect: Create a fire escape plan with your family and practice it regularly. This includes identifying multiple escape routes and a designated meeting spot outside.
- Escape First: In the event of a fire, get out of the house quickly and safely. Never re-enter a burning building. Call 911 immediately.
The American Red Cross offers a helpful fire safety checklist to guide you further: http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340073_FireSafety.pdf
We're Here For You:
If a fire strikes your Elkhart County home, SERVPRO of North Elkhart County is here to help. Our highly trained and compassionate team is available 24/7 to assist you with fire damage restoration.
Remember, fire safety starts with you. Take action today!
Call us at 574-343-1397 for a free consultation.
Weathering the Storm: Protecting Yourself and Your Property
11/21/2024 (Permalink)
Straight-line winds, often associated with severe thunderstorms, can pack a powerful punch. These winds can reach speeds of up to 150 mph, capable of causing significant damage to homes and businesses. SERVPRO® recommends to take precautions.
Stay Safe During a Severe Thunderstorm:
- Seek Shelter Immediately: If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor. Stay away from windows and doors.
- Avoid Electrical Appliances: Unplug electronic devices to protect them from power surges.
- Be Aware of Falling Debris: Strong winds can uproot trees and cause other debris to fly. Stay away from windows and avoid walking outside during the storm.
After the Storm: Restoring Your Property
If your home or business has been damaged by a storm, SERVPRO of North Elkhart County is ready to help. Our experienced team can assess the damage and develop a comprehensive restoration plan.
Our Storm Damage Restoration Services:
- Water Damage Restoration: We can remove water from flooded areas and prevent mold growth.
- Wind and Hail Damage Repair: We can repair roof damage, broken windows, and other structural damage.
- Fire Damage Restoration: If a storm causes a fire, we can clean up soot, smoke, and water damage.
Don't let storm damage disrupt your life. Contact SERVPRO of North Elkhart County at 574-343-1397 to schedule a free inspection.
When Storms hit Elkhart County, Call SERVPRO of North Elkhart
3/30/2024 (Permalink)
SERVPRO® of North Elkhart County specializes in storm and flood damage restoration. Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.
Faster Response
Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.
Resources to Handle Floods and Storms
When storms hit Elkhart, Bristol, Middlebury, Simonton Lake, Bonneyville Mills and surrounding North Elkhart areas, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams (http://www.SERVPROnorthelkhartcounty.com/disaster-recovery) that are strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today
(574) 343-1397
Important Factors in Fire Damage Restoration
3/30/2024 (Permalink)
Most people do not realize how extensive fire damage restoration is until they gave to go through it. Putting out the fire is only the beginning. There are many other tasks that come into play. Let’s take a look at four important factors in fire damage restoration so you know what to look out for if you ever encountered this situation.
Timing Is Crucial
With anything related to fire or water damage, you need to act sooner rather than later. The water that was used to put out the fire will quickly start to grow mold in your house. The longer you let that set, the more likely you are to have major health and respiratory problems as a result of the mold. Act fast, and get the help you need right away. This is not something you want to wait on.
Smoke Is Just As Much Of A Problem As Fire
Smoke damage in the house is usually a bigger problem than fire damage because smoke has the ability to reach a much broader area. Even though the damage while maybe at the surface, it is something that needs to be cleaned out to ensure that the home is healthy and safe to be in. If you’re doing any kind of restoration work on your own, you have to think about the smoke effected area, not just the area that the fire burned in.
Damage Isn’t Always Visible
Even though you might be able to see a big hole in the floor where the fire was, you might not be able to see the mold spores growing in the support beams in your home or the smoke that is setting in the back of your drywall. These are all factors that can impact the health of your home over time. That is why it’s often best to get a professional to come out and thoroughly inspect your home after fire damage. You want to make sure that you tackle every problem, even if you can’t see it on the surface.
Prevention Is The Key To Long Term Success
If you have encountered fire damage, you want to make sure that your restoration efforts will help you avoid fire in the future. For instance, if your fire was a result of faulty electrical wiring, you need to make sure that your home is properly wired after the restoration it to protect yourself from another fire in the future.
Spring is right around the corner, is you Elkhart county family and home prepared?
3/30/2024 (Permalink)
Elkhart residents know with spring right around the corner that also means the chance of severe weather. Thunderstorms, lightening, tornadoes heavy rain and flooding are always something to be prepared for. We all need to remember to have a safety plan and emergency kits on hand. Emergency kits should contain many items including these:
- A battery operated flashlight with extra batteries
- A battery operated weather radio with extra batteries
- An emergency plan for all types of weather, including evacuation plans, shelter area plans, and safe meeting spot that all family members know.
- A list of important information phone numbers of family, friends and neighbors. Any medical information that may be useful, insurance, allergies, medications, and medical conditions that may require special care.
- A 3-5 day supply of bottled water and nonperishable food. If you have pets don't forget a 3-5 day supply of water and food for them as well.
- Blankets or sleeping bags
A first aid kit according to the American Red Cross should include:
- assortment of adhesive bandages
- sterile gauze pads in assorted sizes
- absorbent compress dressings
- aspirin packets (81 mg each)
- first aid instruction booklet
It is always a good idea to keep an emergency kit in you vehicle.
SERVPRO of North Elkhart County's highly trained and caring team is available 24 hours a day to assist you.
Call us at 574-343-1397
Smoking and Fires
11/11/2022 (Permalink)
The place where we feel safest is at home; that is also where most smoking-materials structure fires, deaths, and injuries occur. Smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths. Smoking material fires are preventable. If you smoke, use only fire-safe cigarettes. If you smoke, smoke outside. Most deaths result from fires that started in living rooms, family rooms and dens or in bedrooms. Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other smoking materials up high out of the reach of children, in a locked cabinet. Do not discard cigarettes in vegetation such as mulch, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily.
If you have a fire in your home or business then call SERVPRO of North Elkhart County for all your restoration needs! 574-343-1397
Steps to protect your home from water damage
11/11/2022 (Permalink)
- Make sure the caulking around the tub and shower is water tight. If there are cracks in the caulk, replace it. The cost of caulking is less cheap than the potential water damage that could be caused from water leaks down the road.
- Check the hoses that lead to the dishwasher, refrigerator, and washing machine annually to be sure there are no cracks or water leaks. Hoses should be replaced every 5-7 years.
Shower/tubs, toilets, sinks, water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers are the common causes of water leaks that could lead to water damage. Checking these often can prevent potential disaster.
If you have a water problem in your home or business then call SERVPRO of North Elkhart County for all your restoration needs!
574-343-1397
How to Prevent Water Damage
11/11/2022 (Permalink)
Water damage is the #1 thing that weakens your homes foundation. When water damage hits the core of your home, it eventually causes serious structural damage. By repairing water leaks such as dripping pipes, cracked caulking, loose, missing, or damaged shingles, you can prevent water damage. Nature outside of the home can also be a culprit for water damage. Certain plants, trees, shrubs, and leaves can contribute to water damage. When the water is not draining properly the dirt around the foundation can separate and pool around the home. Downspouts should be at least 5-10’ away from the house.
If you have a water problem in your home or business then call SERVPRO of North Elkhart County for all your restoration needs!
574-343-1397
Why SERVPRO when it comes to sewage cleanup!
11/11/2022 (Permalink)
The Dangers of DIY Sewage Cleanup
If you’re like most homeowners, when faced with a task or question you probably head to the internet for answers…that’s how you found this article! And if you’re dealing with backed-up sewage, it only takes a few seconds of searching to find hundreds of articles describing how to clean-up sewage.
It goes like this:
** Put on some rubber gloves
** Scoop out the waste
** Take some water and bleach solution and apply it to the affected areas
** Let it dry
Most articles will throw out a warning saying “if you’re not sure whether you can do it, or don’t have the proper equipment, it is best to call a professional”. That’s where you would call SERVPRO.
We’d like to throw out another warning!
Cleaning up raw sewage on your own is something you should never do!
Here’s why:
#1 – It can be hidden. – Any SERVPRO crew member can tell you stories about customers that decided to clean-up their own feces only to call in weeks or months later complaining about smells and disfigured walls, cabinets, and floors. Sewage will find its way into any and all porous surfaces. Even things like drywall and cabinetry aren’t safe. And it’s not as simple as just spotting the sewage with your eyes. It requires state of the art equipment, which SERVPRO has, to identify areas that have been damaged by sewage. So unless you have an infrared detection system handy and know how to use it, call SERVPRO.
#2 – It can be costly. – Times are difficult for everyone and money is tight. It’s easy to justify doing it yourself instead of paying to have SERVPRO clean and disinfect for you. But today’s shortcut is tomorrow’s nightmare! Again, you’re dealing with a toxic situation that if not handled properly can create very real health dangers for you and your family. Not only that, if not properly mitigated, you could be looking at a serious mold issue in the not so distant future on top of all of the other issues described above. And if you think sewage cleanup is costly, wait until you’re stuck with a bill for mold remediation services! At least your sewage clean-up is covered by insurance…that’s not typically the case if you’ve got mold and it’s the result of you not taking appropriate measures when dealing with the sewage issue that created the mold!
So, if you’ve stumbled upon this article due to a sewage back-up that’s spilled into your home or office, do yourself a favor and call us, SERVPRO. Our technicians are certified to perform raw sewage cleanup and can provide you with peace of mind knowing the area affected is professionally cleaned.
Locally Owned Company with Valuable Resources
As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of North Elkhart County is strategically located to respond quickly to your water damage emergency and your mold cleanup. When there is mold in a home or business, we have the resources and personnel to help get your home or business back together.
Our Highly Trained Restoration Specialists Are Here to Help!
8/17/2022 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of North Elkhart County is an IICRC firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.
IICRC Certified Firms must
• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.
The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry
The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.
Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.
About SERVPRO of North Elkhart
SERVPRO of North Elkhart 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 and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: 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 property.
Click the link below to meet our crew!
http://www.SERVPROnorthelkhartcounty.com/restoration-training-certifications
SERVPRO of North Elkhart
572-343-1397
24/7 Emergency Service