How to Check for Roof Damage After a Storm

9/25/2022 (Permalink)

After a significant storm, it's a good idea to inspect your property for storm damage. Your home's main line of defense is your roof, and it takes a beating. Pay attention to things like dings in your gutters or tears in your window screens, which indicate hail damage. You may see missing tiles or other signs of roof damage from the ground, but most leaks don't represent a need for whole roof replacement. Usually, the leak is coming from something requiring minor roof repair. Find the source of the leak, stop it, and clean the water damage.

Find the Leak Source

During storms in Tampa, Southeast wind damage lets the rain into your roof. From the inside of your home, look for stains that indicate the source leak and areas needing roof repair. You may see water stains on your ceiling or coming down a wall. When you see that, get your flashlight and head to that area. Here are five familiar sources for a roof leak:

1. Vents and fans
2. Chimneys
3. Window dormers
4. Vent pipes
5. Unsecured nails and nail holes

Fix Water Damage

To complete your roof repair:

1. Start looking for materials damaged by water.
2. Check for discolorations and rotting wood and wet drywall and insulation.
3. When you find mold, remain careful and don't spread during cleanup.

A mold remediation professional can help create a containment area while working on the water and mold damage. If you haven't found mold, be sure to start drying any wet materials immediately. Mold can begin growing on wet damaged materials in as little as 48 hours. Complete drying is critical to preventing mold, and it may take longer than you realize. Specialists have monitoring equipment that they use to ensure materials are dry.

Mitigating Damage After a Storm

9/25/2022 (Permalink)

Many areas of the United States have experienced heavy winds and storms this year, and the strong, powerful winds can cause significant damage to your home. Wind damage can cause a range of destruction to your property, from broken windows and fallen tree branches to severe damage to the roof, garage, or car. Damage can be caused by strong winds or indirectly from the wind blowing debris into your house.

Wind Damage from Different Types of Storms

Thunderstorms are the most common source of wind and storm damage, but winds from hurricanes or tornadoes are stronger and can cause severe damage. It can produce many types of adverse weather such as lightning, hail, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding, etc. Thunderstorms are responsible for wind damage cases in the U.S. However, storm damage repair may be costly for hurricane or tornado wind damage. Billions of dollars are spent on wind damage repair and storm damage restoration each year; understanding the nature of wind damage can help you limit the amount of damage to your property and save on restoration and repair costs.

It's important to know when a storm is approaching your area and what type of storm it is so you know the potential and level of damage to expect. These wind damage facts will help you better understand the potential for wind damage and how to prevent it. Here are some steps you can take to minimize the risk of damage to your home when severe weather strikes.

Preventing Wind and Storm Damage

Most wind damage starts by flying debris either from plants or other structures unsecured. If a storm is approaching your area, make sure any potential debris in your homes such as patio furniture, toys, garbage cans, and other objects are either secured or brought inside. Secure your doors and windows to help minimize the potential storm damage to the home.

Roof damage reduces during the construction phase when the roof deck, shingles, or membrane is applied over the decking. A well-designed roofing system will anchor the trusses and decking to the walls and foundation to keep the entire roof from lifting off the building in a strong wind. Roofing material should latch to the deck.

Loosely connected shingles will lift from the deck. Siding damage reduces at the construction phase. Fastened siding isn't as likely to lift off a structure in strong wind. Building codes will likely direct the minimum standards for connections. You, your architect, or your contractor may decide to exceed these minimums for a stronger storm-resistant structure.

Falling trees and tree limbs are another significant type of damage to structures in a windstorm. Tree maintenance to remove dead limbs or identify and remove weakened trees will reduce the likelihood of structural damage.

Mitigating Damage After a Storm

Close any openings made in the structure by the wind. Roof openings and broken windows are the most common problem.

Keep a roll of plastic sheeting that cuts to size and nails over the opening. Your insurance policy will likely cover the cost of an emergency close-up. Contact your agent or claims center to report the damage and seek advice on how to proceed. Falling trees and tree limbs can open a structure with sudden violence. Tree on a structure is a severe personal and structural safety issue.

Trees, at times, won't shift positions. It can shift and cause serious injury to the unwary. Fallen trees may mask severe other safety issues, such as downed electrical wires. The wires may still be alive, and the tree itself energized. Contact your agent or claims center to report the damage and seek advice on how to proceed.

Suppose your home or business sustains wind damage during a storm. In that case, it is essential to contact a storm damage restoration professional as soon as the storm is over to help limit and repair the damage. SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast can respond immediately to storm and flooding conditions. Our quick response will help prevent secondary damage and help reduce restoration costs.

Spring Cleaning? Don't Forget the Carpets.

9/18/2022 (Permalink)

When's the Last Time You've Had Your Carpets Cleaned at Your Home or Business? 

Spring cleaning brings visions of dusting off shelves, organizing closets, and decluttering from winter's hibernation tendencies. Although we don't want to admit it, most of us can't remember the last time we've had our carpets cleaned!

Our carpets are the most apparent offenders when we think about what makes our home messy or unclean. Unfortunately, according to some recent microbiology research, the average carpet is 4,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat! Gross! When broken down, that means there's an average of 200,000 bacteria per square inch. Sounds like we need to clean our carpets! And while it may seem like bacterial infections are the risk here, it is allergies.

Springtime brings a fresh onset of allergies, but one way to combat those is to have your carpets cleaned (we can help you!).

When shoes from outside and brought into the house, bacteria, pollen, and dust can be tracked into the carpet fibers. These allergens can later be kicked up into the air, causing household allergy symptoms. Not to mention thousands of dead human skin cells have settled into the carpet fibers, along with pet hair. This makes for a dust mite buffet, as dead skin cells are their primary food source. Dust mites can inflame allergy symptoms.

So what can you do? Vacuuming is essential, so be sure to do this at least weekly. This will help with the dust mites and the pet fur, but you need to get your carpets deep-cleaned for the best effect.

While you can clean them yourself with an at-home system, it's not recommended. Water that can be left behind from cleaning may form mold, which will further irritate allergy symptoms. When you're ready for a thorough spring cleaning, give us a call! We'll be over in no time to clean your carpets.

SERVPRO Removes Pet Odors

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

Don’t Live a Life Full of Unpleasant Smells.

Odors from smoke, pets, decomposition, or mold can cause lingering odors in your home or business. A simple surface clean doesn’t necessarily get rid of these smells. With technicians certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration (IICRC), SERVPRO provides specialized services that can rid your home or business of offensive odors left by smoke, mold, or other sources. Our professionals do not cover up lingering odors with a fragrance; they seek out and remove the odor's sources.

Once the source is found, we use SERVPRO’s proprietary line of cleaning products to treat and prevent the odor from returning. Any restorable item in affected areas will also be professionally cleaned and deodorized, including furniture, draperies and upholstery, electronics, art, flooring, walls, ceilings, HVAC air ducts, and more. Our proprietary line of cleaning products, we, uses various techniques and equipment to treat odors.

These techniques are capable of penetrating surfaces to neutralize an unpleasant odor thoroughly.

Some of Our Tools to Neutralize Odors

Ozone Generator: The Ozone Generator is one of the quickest ways to eliminate odors from a home or office. We use the Ozone Generator to oxidize odor and eliminate odors from mold, mildew, pets, nicotine, smoke, and more without chemicals. Though the room being treated cannot be occupied while in use, the generator works quickly to clean, sanitize and remove offensive odors. 

Hydroxyl Generator: The Hydroxyl Generator has several benefits that the Ozone Generator does not. The main benefit is that the room being treated can be occupied during the deodorization process, though it does work slower. The Hydroxyl Generator can be used to treat fire and smoke and biohazard jobs, water damage, crime scene situations, and animal odors. 

Air Filtration Device: This piece of equipment, also known as an air scrubber, is used to remove airborne contaminants during water, fire, smoke, mold, and sewage restoration work. These work by pulling air through HEPA filtration to remove airborne particles from the air. This helps clean the air and remove odors.

Whether you are a building manager who needs an apartment cleaned for the next tenant or a homeowner who wants to get your home ready for sale, getting rid of offensive odors is a high priority.

Fire, water, or mold damage, or just a stubborn odor that refuses to go away, SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast is here to help make it, “Like it never even happened.” 

Rug Cleaning After a Fire

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

The highest-quality carpet and upholstery can show soiling overtime after a fire, like in this case. Protect your investment by calling us to clean and maintain your carpet and upholstery. SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast is here to help!

We offer a range of specialized cleaning methods:

• Bonnet Cleaning: A less aggressive method for short pile carpets.
• Hot Water Extraction: A deeper cleaning method for all carpet types.
• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse: Helps restore deeply soiled areas.
• Showcase Premier Cleaning: The most thorough cleaning method in the industry.
• Dry Cleaning: When color-fastness is an issue.

Call SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast today to restore your Florida property "Like it never even happened." We are available 24/7 for any restoration needs! For additional information, call (813) 694-9092.

Water Damage Emergency Tips

9/4/2022 (Permalink)

When you're dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast responds immediately and uses advanced equipment and techniques to remove the water. They monitor and document the process to verify your property dries.

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

• Is it safe to stay in the house? Electrical and "slip and fall" hazards are some of the most prevalent concerns.
• Do activities that are safe for you to perform. Wet materials can be heavy. Be careful!
• Have A Water Damage Emergency? Call (813) 694-9092.

What To Do After Flooding 

• Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
• Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
• Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Gather loose items from floors. 

What NOT To Do After Flooding

• Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
• Don't leave books, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
• Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Don't use television or other household appliances.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.

When and Where Hurricanes are Most Likely to Occur

8/28/2022 (Permalink)

Hurricane season in the Atlantic runs from June 1st to November 30th. However, storms outside of these dates aren't unheard of. Activity ramps up in August, usually peaking in September and again in October.

Two main factors cause most hurricanes during this active season:

1. Warm ocean waters (80 degrees or higher).

2. Weak vertical winds (little change in wind direction and speed with height).

This is the season with the highest frequency of west-moving weather disturbances in the tropics that develop into hurricanes.

The difference between a hurricane, cyclone, and typhoon is location! In different regions, people refer to thunderstorms as hurricanes, while people near the equator in Africa and Australia refer to them as cyclones.

If your home or business is effected by hurricane activity this season, call SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast. We'll work hard to make it "Like it never even happened."

Career Opportunities at SERVPRO

8/28/2022 (Permalink)

With 17 franchises in 6 locations throughout TN, FL, and TX, SERVPRO Team Nicholson is an exciting, diverse, innovative place to work. We foster positive company culture, offer competitive compensation packages, and prioritize community involvement. Come find out what it takes to be a part of our team! 

Our mission is to be a proud, laser-focused team holding each other accountable while creating positive opportunities for our people and becoming the most efficiently run organization in the markets we serve. We value honesty, reliability, relationships, trustworthiness, and authenticity! Our team develops and provides solutions; we are go-getters and carry a “bring it” attitude to our work environment. We listen and value each other’s thoughts and ideas and strive to bring them to life. We are built on hard work, transparency, good business, and integrity. We believe “You can’t go wrong doing the right thing.” 

Bill Repsel, our Regional Administrator, shared his testimony on what it's like working for SERVPRO. He said "Every day is a new day. It is an opportunity to serve others in our community in a time of need. We have an incredible team of people with great talent that strives to make a difference every day." 

SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast is proud of the work we do and is always looking for like-minded people interested in a rewarding career. Please submit your resume to recruiting@SERVPROclarksville.com, stop by our office at 5409 E. Henry Ave, Suite 1003, Tampa, FL . from 8:00 am-5:00 pm Monday-Friday, or click here to check out our current job openings.

When Storms Hit Tampa Southeast, SERVPRO is Ready!

8/27/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast 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 can respond quicker with the right resources. This is extremely important because a fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Storms

When storms hit Tampa we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of over 1700 franchises across the country as well as our elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Call SERVPRO of Tampa Southeast today! We are here to help.

When a Disaster Strikes Your Home, Call Our Crew!

8/21/2022 (Permalink)

Why SERVPRO is the Choice For Restoration

With decades of experience across the restoration services that we offer, we know how to help when every minute counts. We have teams, trailers, and service vehicles prepared to roll out from our SERVPRO facility 24/7 to address the harsh effects of water, fire, storm, and mold losses. We have trained professionals to handle more specific recovery niches like air duct cleaning, biohazard cleaning, abatement, and reconstruction efforts. These talents, aiding in every facet of our customers' work, improve our efficiency and effectiveness in your home or business.

Storm

Storm damage is a common situation that our SERVPRO professionals must address. Properties must remain prepared for inevitable run-ins with hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, damaging winds and other harmful conditions. Our ability to handle these situations is partly due to our commitment to the training and growth of our specialists, ensuring that each loss incidents gets technicians that can:

• Extract and dry up floodwater (WRT – Water Restoration Technician)
• Clean contaminated areas where they exist (Biohazard Cleaning)
• Deploy air movers and dehumidifiers for effective drying solutions (ASD – Applied Structural Drying)
• Clean Carpets and other flooring types (CCT – Carpet Cleaning Technician)
• Prevent microbial growth or address present colonization (AMRT – Applied Microbial Remediation Technician)

Our disaster team is committed to having the top-tier equipment that gets the job done quickly and correctly for you. We keep storm trucks stocked with inventory of recovery and mitigation tools, including submersible pumps, engine-driven trash pumps, power washers, air movers, and dehumidifiers.

We offer a full-service approach amid a crisis so that our customers do not waste time finding secondary contractors to handle other aspects of their recovery. We have skilled professionals to perform board-up and tarping services for your residence amid flood penetration. We can also oversee full-scale reconstruction once we complete mitigation.

Water

We know how easily water loss incidents can develop, and that's why training our restoration technicians in this niche is a constant and continual process. The science of restoring water damage is evolving. So our professionals have to move along with it – putting these new practices and equipment into use to help our customers with the most efficient and practical approach. Our commitment to customer satisfaction and the outcome of your loss incidents goes far beyond our IICRC training.

Our restoration team has access to equipment and machines that far exceed the limitations of conventional recovery tools. The truck-mounted water extractors that our SERVPRO team uses, for example, can handle the removal of thousands of gallons of water every day. Combined with multiple other impressive equipment pieces, this vehicle sets our professionals apart in water damage restoration.

We also have the capability of addressing the massive loss of water damage for commercial properties and houses. 33 years of industry experience and a roster that features Commercial Drying Specialists (CDS) and those with WRT and ASD endorsements, no job is too big or too complicated for our field technicians with the right approach, equipment, and attitude.

Fire

Our team is responsible for many structures in this area alone; the possibility of fire damage is a persistent threat. Knowing the best approach to handle these conditions hinges on the severity of the situation and what materials, surfaces, and contents have become affected. Our IICRC-Certified Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and those with additional training in odor control and upholstery/carpet cleaning have access to equipment that can help our team restore loss incidents quickly.

Much of our efficiency in fire recovery stems from these advanced and cutting-edge machines. Soot removal and cleaning, for example, often fall to a combination of specially-formulated cleaning agents and products with automated surface scrubbers that can eliminate residues on surfaces.

Every minute counts in fire restoration. Our technicians obtain IICRC certifications and train to understand how fire damage spreads and the best approach to overcome the damages.

Mold

Before our certified AMRTs can set up containment barriers and begin the often-intricate process of mold remediation—our professionals must locate the source of the moisture and dampness. These conditions are likely to happen again without adequately identifying how the water damage facilitated mold growth.

Sometimes the humid conditions are enough to generate microbial growth, as interior humidity above 60% can grow mold on ceilings and other organic materials. The initial approach is to establish isolation zones using our powerful negative air machines in conjunction with physical plastic sheeting. Mold damage can spread quickly without these containment barriers.

Suppose our technicians reach the situation in your residence fast enough. In that case, many of the hosting materials can be repaired using sophisticated equipment like dry ice blasting machines and soda-blasting equipment. These approaches can remove mold debris without harming the surface and substrate.

You can count the swift response of SERVPRO of Tampa SE team in a crisis. Give our professionals a call anytime that you need us at (813) 694-9092.