The Importance of Smoke and Soot Removal in Restoration

11/26/2024 (Permalink)

Fire damage goes beyond the flames, as smoke and soot can cause lingering odors, discoloration, and health risks. These effects can remain even after the fire, requiring thorough cleaning and restoration. In this blog, we'll highlight why smoke and soot removal is crucial in the restoration process and should be a top priority after a fire.

The Hidden Dangers of Smoke and Soot

After a fire, smoke and soot can cover nearly every surface, including walls, furniture, and personal items. These harmful particles can be absorbed into materials like upholstery and carpets, causing long-term damage and health risks. Smoke odors are also challenging to remove, making your space uncomfortable. Acidic soot can rust and stain metal, wood, and glass, leading to permanent damage if not cleaned promptly. Inhaling soot and smoke can irritate the respiratory system and worsen conditions like asthma, making thorough removal crucial for health and property preservation.

The Restoration Process for Fire Damage 

Smoke and soot removal involves a detailed, multi-step process that requires specialized equipment and expertise. First, our professional restoration team will assess the extent of the damage, taking into account the type of fire, the materials affected, and the severity of the smoke and soot infiltration.

The next step is to contain the affected areas to prevent the spread of soot and smoke particles to unaffected rooms. Our team will use air scrubbers and negative air machines to filter out harmful particles from the air and reduce the spread of contaminants.

Once the air quality has been addressed, the restoration team will begin cleaning surfaces with advanced techniques. This can include using specialized cleaning agents, steam cleaning, or abrasive methods to remove soot from walls, ceilings, furniture, and flooring. In some cases, heavily contaminated items may need to be replaced.

Odor removal is another critical step in the process. Professional cleaning companies use ozone treatments, thermal fogging, or other deodorizing methods to neutralize the lingering smell of smoke. This step is essential for restoring your property to a livable or usable condition.

The Importance of Professional Restoration

While you may be tempted to attempt cleaning smoke and soot damage yourself, it's essential to recognize the complexity of the task. Professional restoration companies have the expertise, equipment, and cleaning agents necessary to safely and effectively remove smoke and soot from all areas of your property.

Attempting DIY cleanup can result in further damage, prolonged odors, and health risks. A professional team will not only restore your home or business but also help prevent future issues related to fire damage.

Choose SERVPRO of Washington County for Fire Restoration

Prompt action and expertise are crucial to smoke and soot removal. At SERVPRO of Washington County, we specialize in fire damage restoration, utilizing advanced methods to eliminate smoke, soot, and odors, bringing your property back to its original condition. We recognize the impact of fire damage and are dedicated to providing quick, efficient, and high-quality restoration services. Contact us today to start the restoration process, and trust that your property is in good hands.

Proactive Tips to Minimize Damage From a Fire

10/23/2024 (Permalink)

Fires can be devastating and dreaded by almost everyone. Taking proactive steps to prepare your home can significantly reduce the risk and impact caused by a house fire. Here are some essential strategies to implement that can help safeguard your property and, most importantly, your loved ones. 

Create an Emergency Fire Plan

Sit down with your family, partner, or roommates and create an emergency plan even after a fire. First, map out potential routes from every room, ensuring all family members and pets can exit the house. Designate a meeting point outside where you will all gather. Next, conduct occasional drills to practice your fire escape plan and ensure no one forgets and is familiar with the process. 

Install and Maintain Smoke Alarms 

Smoke alarms can be taken for granted. Many assume that they are working correctly without actually establishing that. First, ensure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home, if applicable, inside each bathroom and near any sleeping area. Once this is done, test the alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year. The entire smoke alarm should be replaced at least every 10 years for optimal safety.

Equip Your Home with Fire Extinguishers

Alongside smoke alarms, fire extinguishers are just as important. If detected in time, they are a great way to prevent a major fire from happening. Select a multipurpose fire extinguisher for different types of fire and familiarize yourself with how to use it. Be sure to keep these extinguishers in significant areas around your home, such as the kitchen, the garage, and near any that exist. Ensure that everyone knows where these are in the event of an emergency. 

Maintain Your Property and Electrical Systems

Regularly maintaining your property is another proactive measure to minimize damage from a house fire. This includes cleaning your yard, trimming hanging branches, and anything else that could easily catch fire. Keeping trees and shrubs well-trimmed, especially near your home, can help prevent fire from spreading. In addition to this, be sure to have your electrical systems inspected for frayed wires or outdated circuits.

Educate Your Family on Fire Safety

Lastly, ensure everyone in your home understands the risks of fire and safety protocols. Discuss the different measures you’ve taken to ensure that everyone is safe and knows what to do in the event of a fire. Double-check that everyone knows who to call in case there is a fire. 

Call the 24/7 Emergency Fire Damage Restoration Pros 

If you’ve experienced fire damage, call the 24/7 fire damage restoration experts at SERVPRO in Washington County, RI. Time is essential in minimizing damage to property within a home or business immediately following a fire. Call us at (401) 315-2337 to get started restoring your home.

When Fire Strikes: SERVPRO of Washington County to the Rescue

8/10/2023 (Permalink)

From ashes to excellence: SERVPRO of Washington County revives businesses with expert fire restoration

The aftermath of a fire can be overwhelming for any business owner. Beyond the initial shock and trauma, there's the daunting task of restoring your property to its former glory. That's where SERVPRO of Washington County steps in, offering unparalleled fire restoration services.

The havoc a fire wreaks isn't just about burnt walls and charred furniture. There's smoke damage, water damage from firefighting efforts, and potential structural issues. SERVPRO's team, with its vast expertise in fire damage restoration, ensures that every nook and cranny of your commercial space is addressed. We utilize the latest equipment and methodologies, ensuring a thorough cleanup, deodorization, and restoration process.

You've built your business with dedication and hard work. When a fire threatens its foundation, trust in the prompt and professional services of SERVPRO of Washington County. We're committed to bringing your business back to life, making the aftermath "Like it never even happened."

Smoke & Soot Damage Repair

7/25/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO fire damage restoration includes clean up and removal of soot and smoke odors.

The heat waves of the summer of 2022 have broken temperature records around the globe. In Spain meteorologist have decided to start naming these events, like hurricanes, has the destruction and death brought on by prolonged heat has warranted such a designation. Forest fires in Europe and across the US have forced thousands of people to leave their homes in search of a safer locations and the summer is only at the midway point. 

Residential and commercial properties in the way of an out-of-control forest fire stand little to no chance of survival... but even properties miles away from the blaze can be subject to fire, smoke, and soot damage. SERVPRO is available to help properties recover from smoke and soot damage, as well as the clean-up and repair of buildings directly affected by fire. 

Our team is trained to manage and resolve issues resulting from smoke and soot damage including:

• Clean-up and sanitation of all surfaces
• Removal of all visible soot
• HVAC & Ductwork Cleaning
• Removal of odors
• Cleaning of textiles (clothing, rugs, curtains, etc)
• Restoration of furniture
• Restoration of electronics
• Reconstruction

SERVPRO is the #1 choice for fire damage restoration because we offer a complete start-to-finish product that saves you time and money. If your property, commercial or residential, is damaged by property call us immediately. Our team is available 24/7 and will begin work right away in order to help save and restore as much of your damaged property as possible.

Fire Damage Repair From Westerly to Wakefield

6/22/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Washington County is available when fire damages residential or commercial properties in Rhode Island. Call us 24/7!

SERVPRO of Washington County provides fire damage restoration and repair services to our home community of Westerly, RI and all of Washington County/Southern Rhode Island. We started here in Westerly close to 20 years ago and now provide these same reliable restoration services to communities in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

When a fire damages a home or a commercial property the first few hours of response are crucial. SERVPRO of Washington County is ready and waiting for the call. As soon as it is safe to enter the property our team will begin to remove undamaged property for cleaning and restoration. If the fire has occurred in a residential property we will work closely with the homeowners to determine what items are most important to them have right away. This could be anything, for example, electronics like a computer might be vital to a homeowner to have up and running very quickly. We can expedite the cleaning of those items and if they are not damaged beyond repair we will prioritize their restoration so you can have them back within the first 24-48 hours. We will also work closely with the homeowners insurance company providing daily communication throughout the entire restoration process.

If the fire has occurred on a commercial property we will work with all parties that need our restoration services. For example, we may work with the property manager, the property owner and one or more business owners in helping to restore the building and the property of the business owners inside. We have the capability of scaling up our services to manage large commercial properties and several clients simultaneously. Our team will provide complete restoration, clean-up and odor removal services. If construction and repair services are needed we can provide that too!

So if your property is damaged by fire, puff back/HVAC issues, or any other type of smoke/soot damage call us immediately. We are ready to help!

Rhode Island Fire Damage Restoration and Repair

6/17/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Washington County RI is available when fire damages your commercial or residential property.

When a fire damages your property you will most likely have to choose a disaster restoration company to help with the clean-up and repair of the building.This crucial decision can be the difference between a fast and successful recovery or a long and expensive restoration process.

That is why so many residential and commercial property owners call SERVPRO after a fire has caused property damage. Our fire damage clean up team is second to none because of years of proven training & developed techniques. We use the latest technology in clean-up and odor removal equipment and cleaning products and are trusted by insurance companies nationwide.

Upon first arrival to a residential property our team will work with the homeowners and insurance companies directly. Our team will make sure to prioritize the contents that matter to the homeowners the most. We can have items such as furniture, electronics, clothing and toys itemized and removed from the property for cleaning and returned quickly if they are required by the homeowner, for business or comfort!

 In a commercial property we will look to remove and restore items like documents, computers and other equipment to make sure that when these locations reopen for business things are ready to go! In many commercial projects we may work in multiple shifts to ensure downtime is minimized. Our team is prepared for difficult restoration projects, including large facilities with high ceilings and large pieces of equipment. 

If there is structural damage to the property we can help as well. After we complete the restoration and clean up of your property we can move right into the construction and repair phase. This keeps the process moving and avoids the delay of switching contractors and looking for sub contractors, we are on demand! 

Call our offices 24/7/365, we are your local fire damage restoration experts!

Fire Damage Restoration & Reconstruction

6/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Washington County is available 24/7 when fire damages your property.

When a property is damaged by fire the ability to live or work in the structure is immediately compromised. Aside from the obvious, structural damage, there may be other factors that make the home or commercial property unsafe. Smoke and soot damage are amongst the prime culprits. The damage done by soot and smoke after a fire is often underestimated as cleaning this type of disaster requires special techniques, products, and equipment. When this type of damage has occurred in your property it is best to call your local SERVPRO.

SERVPRO project managers are trained to assess the damage to your property after a fire and offer you transparent processes for restoration. They will work directly with you or your insurance company or both (depending upon the circumstances surrounding the loss) and will provide daily communication and information about the project progress reports so you are aware of everything that is going on in your property on a day to day basis.

If there is damage beyond soot, smoke and odor damage we can help too! Our team includes construction experts that are ready to start your project and rebuild your property immediately after completing restoration and clean up.

Hopefully your properties are never damaged by fire... but if this type of damage does occur, we will be there to help, 24/7/365.

Your Fire Evacuation Plan | SERVPRO® of Washington County

11/3/2021 (Permalink)

Having a fire evacuation plan is an important aspect of fire safety. If a fire should happen, remember the trusted name in restoration, SERVPRO.

It’s true what they say: The best things in life are free. Think of all the investment you’ve made in your home, your hobbies, your vehicles, whatever it may be, and yet these things are not the most valuable thing you have, are they?

Your family is the most precious thing in your life—irreplaceable, invaluable and light years beyond any sort of monetary valuation.

That’s why it’s of the highest importance that you and your family create and know your home fire evacuation plan. You’ve got an estimated two minutes to escape a fire, so executing the plan is crucial.

Your fire alarm can only help you so much—it can alert you to the need for evacuation, but it can’t plan your route, and it can’t evacuate for you. So let’s walk through planning and executing your evacuation plan.

Think About Everyone

Make sure your plan includes special routes for individuals with special needs, or elderly family members who may be less mobile—take into account family members’ abilities to use stairs, ladders or other escape methods, and create alternative escape plans for them as needed.

Involve children in your planning, and let them be part of creating their portion of the plan, as well as visual aids and reminders for themselves and the family. They’ll better remember things in which they’ve invested time an energy.

Think About Options

The truth is that the unpredictability of a fire necessitates extra planning—in other words, one plan isn’t enough.

You’re going to need to have two ways out of every room. Windows can be used, but you may need an escape ladder that can be easily employed in an emergency. Always make sure window latches work and are easily operated.

Create a second plan for scenarios in which your ideal exit routes become blocked. If you run out of options and all planned exits become blocked, close all the doors between yourself and the fire, put a towel at the bottom of the door and let the fire department know where in the house you are so they can rescue you.

Think About Practice

Put your plan in practice—rehearse it with the whole family to make sure it works and everyone understands; do this at least once a year. Choose a meeting place everyone can reach, where you can safely convene after escape to make sure everyone is safe and accounted for.

If fire should affect your home, we’re here to restore and recover your damaged property. Contact SERVPRO today to see how we can help.

The Danger of Smoke Inhalation and Oxygen Depravation in a Fire | SERVPRO® of Washington County

9/16/2021 (Permalink)

If a fire should happen to your home, know that SERVPRO of Washington County is here to help.

When you think about house fires, it’s no surprise that you likely picture a house engulfed in a tower of flame or a hallway or interior with burning walls. We regularly see fires depicted as clean-burning in movies and TV shows, because frankly we like to see the actors’ faces.

But in reality, there’s a much more likely chance that a house fire would leave you unable to see much at all, because the halls and interior in a full-fledged fire would be filled with smoke.

In order for a fire to grow, it requires oxygen. (This is why smothering a fire is such an effective suppression method.) As a fire grows inside the home, it consumes the oxygen present in the air, leaving less and less for occupants to breathe in.

How to Avoid Smoke Inhalation

The safest way to escape smoke is to stay low to the ground. Smoke rises, so the cleanest air is down low.

Cover your mouth with a wet cloth if you can grab one, and crawl to the nearest exit. Don’t linger inside, and don’t reenter once you’ve exited.

If a fire tragedy should strike your home, know that SERVPRO is here to help. Contact us anytime for 24-hour emergency assistance.

What to Know About the 5 Classes of Fire | SERVPRO® of Washington County

7/22/2021 (Permalink)

If a fire should break out in your home or workplace, SERVPRO of Washington County is here to help you fully restore your property.

Saturday morning cartoons may have taught us that water is always the answer for stopping a fire, but that’s dangerously inaccurate.

There are many ways fires start, but really only a few ways they get extinguished. Fire can be divided into five distinct types, each with its own solution.

The Types of Fire

Fires are classified by five types: classes A, B, C, D and you guessed it…oh wait, the last one’s K? Alright, you probably didn’t guess it.

Class A Fires are probably what you think of first—fires involving solid materials. This would be a fire fueled by wood, plastic, rubber material or fibers. Class A fires are the easiest to extinguish with water or a foam fire extinguisher.

Class B Fires are started by the ignition of combustible liquids or gases. This would include butane or propane, as well as liquids like gasoline, alcohol and tar. Water doesn’t safely put these fires out—it actually spreads the fuel source and makes the fire bigger. These fires have to be starved of oxygen with foam, powder or CO2 extinguishers.

Class C Fires are electrical in nature, and could stem from electronic devices like computers, motors or appliances. The key to these fires is that they are only Class C while connected to electricity, in which case neither water nor foam are safe to extinguish them. If they can be disconnected from the electrical source, then they can be treated as a Class A fire.

Class D Fires are fires caused by certain metals that are highly combustible, such as magnesium or lithium. These fires can become highly explosive if exposed to water, so dry powder extinguishers must be used to stop them.

Class K Fires are kitchen fires (hence the “K” designation), involving grease or cooking oils you might find in a deep fryer or commercial kitchen setting. These fires require a special chemical extinguisher, which reacts specifically with the makeup of the oils to create a molecular blanket that smothers the fire.

If you’re using a handheld extinguisher, the PASS method works for all fire types:

Pull the pin.

Aim low, at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the handle.

Sweep the nozzle side to side.

If a fire should break out in your home or workplace, SERVPRO is here to help you fully recover your property. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.

Considerations for Soot Cleaning in North Kingstown Homes

6/22/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot are difficult to remove. SERVPRO has the tools and cleaners to effectively restore your home.

Several Factors Impact the Products and Methods Chosen for Removing Soot Residues from Damaged North Kingstown Homes

Soot and smoke residues are devastating presences for area homes, so our SERVPRO professionals act quickly when these conditions exist. We have multiple cleaning techniques for soot removal.

Factors that Change the Product Selected for Residue Removal

Multiple factors can affect the needed cleaner or soot removal method for fire damage restoration in North Kingstown homes. Some of these include:

• pH Level – Many of the soils and residues that impact surfaces after fire extinguishment have a slight acidity, making alkaline cleaners and solvents a counter-acting force ideal for loosening the soil and wiping it away.
  

• Water Solubility – There are many situations where water damage might already exist, and it is hazardous to add more, making non-soluble solvents ideal solutions. Some solvents we use can be mixed with water when the soil to be cleaned can benefit from this.
  

• Underlying Material – Some of the solvents selected for cleaning and eliminating soot damages could be too harsh for the underlying substrate. Our SERVPRO professionals always intend to cause minimal harm to installed elements and preserve what is possible, making the underlying material an essential consideration for soot and smoke damage cleanup.
  

Because we have so many proprietary cleaning products and methods after fire damage, a careful evaluation of the property determines the best option. Call our SERVPRO of Washington County team for help at (401) 315-2337.

The Basics of Campfire Safety | SERVPRO® of Washington County

6/11/2021 (Permalink)

Summer season is here, please ensure you are following basic fire safety when having a campfire.

When school is out and the weather is warm, many families in the area turn to camping as a favorite weekend activity. Whether you’re headed to the Ashaway RV Resort or the Charlestown Breachway, there’s lots of fun and many great adventures to be had while we take in nature’s incredible scenery.

One of the most common camping activities is the old-fashioned campfire.

They’re great for warmth and atmosphere at night, handy for cooking anything from popcorn to fresh-caught fish, and of course you brought the s’mores. You did bring the s’mores, right?

But with the recent prevalence of wildfires, it’s more important than ever to be aware of the proper ways to build, maintain and dispose of your campfire to avoid potential disaster at the campground. After all, humans cause almost 62,000 fires in the United States each year, so let’s review some of the most important stuff.

Before the Fire

Know the rules of your campground—do they allow fires? This can change from season to season based on wildfire risk, so be sure.

Use a provided fire pit or ring, or create one yourself by digging a pit away from branches or power lines, and surrounding it with stones. Make sure it’s at least 10–15 feet away from anything flammable.

During the Fire

Build your fire safely and sturdily, using wood local to the campsite when possible.

Keep water and a shovel nearby, so you can douse or cover any runaway flames.

Mind the wind, and keep any flammable materials or items upwind and away from the fire pit area.

Never leave the fire unattended, and be mindful of kids and pets as they play. Campfires are the most common cause of camping injuries for children.

After the Fire

Extinguish all flames and ashes thoroughly. Dump water (slowly, to avoid throwing ash and billowing smoke) on the fire, then stir the ashes with a shovel.

Pour more water over the ashes, and continue until the ashes are cool to the touch. Check under stones for hidden embers, and soak large logs with extra water, because they can stay hot for a very long time.

SERVPRO is here to help with disaster cleanup of any kind, from fire to water, from storms to mold remediation. If your home or business has been damaged, call or click today to see how we can help you manage and restore the situation.

What Methods Are Used for Soot Removal in North Kingstown?

6/3/2021 (Permalink)

Fire, soot, and smoke damage can take over your property if you are not careful. Call SERVPRO of Washington County today.

Fire restoration hinges on efficient smoke damage management in North Kingstown homes.

Fire and smoke damage can present themselves in several forms after a fire gets extinguished, yet few are as hazardous or threatening as soot. These microscopic particles can spread quickly in the environment, traveling the HVAC system and through openings to impact an area much larger than the initial damage zone. 

What Methods Does SERVPRO Use to Eliminate Soot? 

Several strategies get implemented for soot removal and fire restoration in North Kingstown homes, including:

• Chemical Sponges – Often, our chem sponges are natural rubber compositions with large pores, which can remove much of this soil and debris when run across soot-damaged surfaces.

• Soda Blasting – This process is an abrasive cleaning technique with sodium bicarbonate particles forcefully propelled with pressurized air against soot-covered surfaces. 

• Controlled Demolition – When other abrasive tactics are not possible, removing the damaged materials can be the only remaining suitable solution.

With how formidable soot damage can be during fire restoration, it is important to have skilled professionals to help protect underlying materials and affected contents. Our SERVPRO of Washington County is ready 24/7 at (401) 315-2337.

Why Do South Kingstown Residents Struggle with Fire Damage Restoration?

6/3/2021 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO teams will leave your fire damaged property looking "Like it never even happened." Call us right away after a fire occurs.

SERVPRO Can Remove Stubborn Smoke and Soot Stains from South Kingstown Properties

Returning to your home after a fire can be traumatic. Fires produce excessive amounts of smoke, heat, and pressure, making properties look beyond repair. While some of these damages may be permanent, using a professional restoration service can significantly increase the likelihood of structures or contents returning to a preloss condition. 

We can work on:

• Fire damaged homes
• Smoke remediation
• Fire and smoke damage restoration and cleanup

The challenging aspect of fire damage restoration in South Kingstown is in understanding how surfaces interact. Scrubbing a surface, known as agitation in restoration, can dislodge soot or smoke residues. However, some soot bond on a molecular level to surfaces making scrubbing ineffective. Equally, a steel wool or scouring pad can damage the material surface of the item you are cleaning. 

• Abrasive cleaning uses liquid cleaners with abrasive ingredients to reduce smoke residues or deposits.
• Stain scrub is a liquid abrasive cleaner that can be effective on wet smoke or soot.
• Extra care is taken when applying abrasives to sensitive or finished surfaces. 

We can remove soot and smoke from your home. Contact SERVPRO of Washington County for fire damage restoration at (401) 315-2337.

Can Fire and Smoke Damage Get Cleaned in South Kingstown Homes?

4/1/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and odor removal from a fire damaged home is hard work. SERVPRO has IICRC certified technicians for the job.

Contents can often require off-site smoke remediation and fire damage clean-up in South Kingstown homes.

There is no denying the need to care for your personal belongings after fire and smoke damage. Fire damage restoration can involve multiple steps and stages, but few carry the weight of protecting irreplaceable items from your residence. We carefully clean on-site and off to help.

What Smoke Remediation Services Exist Off-Site for South Kingstown Homes? 

When you consider the widespread need for restoring fire damage in South Kingstown, it stands to reason that many contents and personal belongings can get caught in this destructive path. Our SERVPRO professionals have a professional approach to clean and recover affected items from your home at our nearby facility. Cleaning technicians can take great care to deodorize, surface clean, and safely store your personal belongings. We can inspect them again before returning them to your home. We use:

• ESPORTA Wash System
• Ultrasonic Cleaning Tank
• Ozone Chamber

Fire damage does not have to be permanent. Our SERVPRO of Washington County team can help. Call us today at (401) 315-2337.

Do You Know the Smoke Alarm Basics?

1/22/2021 (Permalink)

Regularly checking your smoke alarms is an important fire safety routine. Should you experience a loss, Washington County specializes in complete fire

One of the biggest basics of fire safety is the importance of smoke alarms. Checking them regularly and having them in your home are vital to safety. But many people don’t understand exactly how and why these smoke detectors will make a difference.

Experts estimate that as many as ? of all deaths from house fires occur in homes where there aren’t smoke detectors or where there aren’t enough smoke detectors.

That adds up to about 1,450 deaths per year that might be preventable with proper smoke alarms.

Do You Have Enough Alarms?

So, how can you tell if you have enough smoke alarms in your home? Here’s where experts recommend placing smoke alarms:

• Outside every bedroom
• Outside each sleeping area
• On every level of the house
• Living rooms, dens and family rooms
• Near stairwells
• Ten feet from appliances

Avoid installing them near windows, doors or ducts.

Maintaining Your Smoke Alarms

The National Fire Protection Association offers this advice for maintaining your smoke alarms:

Don’t neglect to test your smoke alarms. You should check your smoke alarms every month to make sure they’re working properly.

Change your batteries. Once or twice a year is enough. Do it when you change your clocks to make it easier to remember.

Consider a system of interconnected smoke alarms. These can make your family safer because they alert the whole home to danger and are easier for everyone in your household to hear.

Replace your alarms on schedule. Most of the time, smoke alarms need to be replaced about every 10 years. That allows you to be sure they’re in good working order and will be ready if you ever need them.

If your home is damaged due to a fire or any other cause, you can always count on us for restoration assistance. We have crews who are available ²⁴⁄₇ in the event of an emergency. Contact us at any time to learn more about our restoration services and how we can help.

SERVPRO Serves the Local South Kingstown Community Providing Fire Damage Restoration Services

11/20/2020 (Permalink)

We love South Kingstown, and we are ready and prepared to handle fire damage.

Contact SERVPRO at (401) 315-2337 for Assistance with Fire Damage Cleanup for Your South Kingstown Property or Contents 

South Kingstown is an older city in the United States and was established in 1722 when Kings Towne split into two parts, North and South Kingstown. The entire town is 79.8 square miles, and nearly 23 square miles of that number is water. Several villages make up South Kingstown, giving the area a population of 30 826, and it continues to grow. The climate gets rated as mostly comfortable with the high temperatures in the summer hitting the low 80s, and the coldest temperatures usually hit in January at around 18-degrees Fahrenheit. While most of the United States gets 38 inches of rain yearly, South Kingstown receives 52 inches of rain and a little more snow than the rest of the U.S. at 30 inches per year. Locals can expect 206 sunny days per year, great for outdoor activities.  

Change from Town Meetings to City Council

Like many other New England towns, South Kingstown conducted government proceedings through the town hall format; however, once the population passed 30,000 residents, it adopted the council-manager government to provide more order and better support to the community. The setup is as follows:  

• There are five seats on the town council that are up for election every two years.
• No term limits are established.
• After each election, the five council members elect their President and Vice President.
• The citizen also elects a seven-member school committee that serves four-year terms. 

Civil War Hero Buried Here

Isaac Peace Rodman has a grave in South Kingston. He was the co-owner of a profitable textile mill, a known community leader, and a State Senator. As the Civil War commenced in 1861, he recruited a town militia using many men from his mill and led them into battle. After just a year of fighting with the Union Army, Rodman received the title of brigadier general and participated in the Battle of Antietam in Maryland, often considered the bloodiest single day of fighting in American history. Rodman got shot in the chest and passed away on Sept. 30, 1862. 

Parks and Recreation in South Kingstown

The opportunities for outdoor activities are many in this city, with over ten miles of pristine beaches. The city added a recreation center for use by the public. Other outdoor activities are:

• Locals report that visiting East Matunuck State Beach in the evenings is best. There is plenty of lots of parking choices and no crowds. If you have a pet, they are only allowed on the beach during the offseason.
• South Kingstown Town Beach is another famous beach with few stones and excellent wave watching. The facilities on-site feature clean restrooms, showers, and a playground for kids. 
• Pelagic Expeditions is a must-experience for anyone adventurous under the water. This venue offers scuba diving and snorkeling that lets you swim up close and personal with blue and mako sharks.  

Fun Indoor Activities 

During the rainy or snowy days in South Kingstown, when the beach or outdoor fun is off the books, there are numerous indoor venues to visit and explore, such as the South County Center for the Arts. This art center, located inside an old courthouse made of stone. There are all types of events here, including music and art exhibitions—the $15 price for a ticket fund future art and educational programs. History buffs will look forward to a visit to the World War II Foundation Global Education Center that opened in January 2019 and features thousands of artifacts from WWII, including a library of over 500 books about World War II. Each visitor gets their choice of a free WWII Foundation documentary film of their choice that has a $20 value. Another historic venue in the city is the South County History Center. This history museum located inside the historic Old Washington County Jail has daily tours and research resources available. The jail has stood at its present location since 1792 and could hold five prisoners upstairs behind barred windows while the jailer and his family lived downstairs. In the early 1800s, a cellblock got added behind the structure. The building became home for the jailers and their families until the wood structure was rebuilt by granite in 1858. The building ceased functioning as a jail in 1956. 

Can SERVPRO Handle Large Fire Damage Restoration Jobs?

A small fire can turn into a need for fire damage restoration services in South Kingston properties. SERVPRO technicians undergo extensive training and certification to handle both the expected and unexpected when it comes to clean up after a fire in your property.  

When a fire spreads through multiple rooms, it can result in smoke odors throughout the home if the soot gets into the HVAC system. The technicians put up containment when they begin the mitigation on residences to ensure there is no cross-contamination during the cleanup and restoration process. The techs have various methods to remove the visible smoke damage from walls and ceilings through the use of techniques such as: 

• Dry cleaning sponges 
• Wet cleaning tactics including solvents 
• Testing kits for determining smoke types
• Cleaning agents formulated to lift away protein residues from surfaces 

Washable items with smoke odors only often have good potential for a full restoration. The technicians have access to the Esporta Washing System. This powerful machine can remove even profoundly embedded odors in a single wash cycle and eliminate all fire odor traces.  

The technicians carefully inspect articles from a house one by one to determine if they can get restored through the professional methods used by the techs or if the item can get repaired or it requires disposal. In cases of removal, it gets done with the property owner's approval or adjuster, and the thing gets documented, including photographs for use in the filing of an insurance claim.  

SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337 brings both years of experience and professional equipment to fire damage restoration jobs all over the South Kingston area. The trained, certified technicians work to save property owners the cost of replacement whenever possible.

What Services Repair Homes after a Fire?

10/9/2020 (Permalink)

Fires are devastating and smoke lingers long after the fire is put out. We have the equipment and cleaners to make it, "Like it never even happened."

Fire Damage Can be a Traumatic Event. SERVPRO Helps North Kingstown Residents Overcome the Smoke, Soil, and Odor Damage of Fire

What is fire restoration?

The kind of damage you may sustain in your North Kingstown home can vary from structure to contents. Many materials in the home combust quickly and become non-salvageable. Other materials may become charred or show no signs of burning but become coated in a thick layer of soots and smoke residues. SERVPRO fire restoration technicians help homeowners to sift through the debris left behind by the fire. We can remove and dispose of non-salvageable materials. We can identify contents or structure suitable for cleaning and perform the necessary restoration on the remaining parts of your home. In short, fire restoration is returning your property to how it was before the fire.

How do experts categorize fire damage?

• Minor damages are when smoke residues are limited to a small area with minimum need for replacing materials.
• Medium damages may show heat or charring to fittings and furniture in the home and heavy smoke residue requiring wet cleaning.
• Significant damages may have permanent damage to the structure with many non-salvageable contents. These scenarios require emergency mitigation services.

How does fire restoration tackle different types of damage?

The impact of fire damage in your North Kingstown home can be widespread and varied. SERVPRO technicians work to mitigate losses and provide structural and contents cleaning and reconstructing some or the entire house. Usually, the decision to enact any of these types of fire restoration is decided by the category of fire loss. Our crew chiefs may also offer specialty cleaning services for precious items like photographs, electronics, documents, and artwork.

How is cleaning conducted in structural fire restoration?

• Remove the smoke residues throughout the structure
• Restore or replace permanently damaged components like fittings
• Deodorize the structure using fogging equipment 

If your property suffers minor, moderate, or significant fire damage, contact SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337.

What Type of Cleaner Should I Use on Fire Damage in North Kingstown?

9/9/2020 (Permalink)

The certified techs are available 24/7 to come to your home and return it to its pre-fire condition.

SERVPRO techs know post-fire cleanup in North Kingstown homes require multiple types of equipment and cleaning agents

After a fire in your North Kingstown home, it can be tempting to fill a bucket with your favorite cleaning product and go to work. However, that is one of the worst things you can do because not all smoke residues are the same, and applying liquids to some types can cause marring of surfaces. SERVPRO techs use multiple applications and cleaning solutions to ensure the best outcome throughout the work-site.

How Do I Get Fire Damage Off Wood Furniture?
There are some considerations before diving in to clean up the remnants of fire damage on furniture in your North Kingstown home.
    •    Is the furniture made from hardwood
    •    Are the joints swelled or cracked from heat or water exposure?
    •    Is charring seen on the item?
    •    Are the residues wet or dry smoke?

If you cannot answer all those questions with a definitive answer, it is best to let SERVPRO techs inspect and clean your furnishings. While furniture with burned areas may not have the potential for reuse, the techs carefully test residues and surfaces to choose the best restoration method. Specific cleaning actions get used for lifting away dry smoke, most often found on walls, but occasionally on furnishings depending on the heat of the fire.

They can also use their moisture detection equipment to ascertain if there is any problem with water inside the furniture that needs to get dried before any restorative efforts. Best of all, they have access to many professional wood soaps, waxes, and sealants to ensure the furniture will not have any reminders of the previous smoke damage.

SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337 serves the local community cleaning up and restoring properties from any size fire damage. The certified techs are available 24/7 to come to your home and return it to its pre-fire condition.

How Do I Remove Fire Debris From My Kingstown Home?

8/9/2020 (Permalink)

Your whole home does not need to be redone after a fire, some things might just need to be restored or cleaned. Call SERVPRO for fire damage services.

SERVPRO Provides Debris Removal And Fire Damage Cleaning Services

A fire in your North Kingstown home can quickly spiral out of control resulting in extensive damages. The charred materials in your house typically cannot be saved and must be removed and replaced promptly.

Can SERVPRO Remove Debris From My Home?

Trained professionals from SERVPRO have experience with fire debris removal in North Kingstown. Our technicians can carefully inspect the damage in your home to determine what needs to be hauled. We make sure to lay down protective plastic sheets in your house to avoid further spreading fire residues and soot.

How Do You Determine What Fire Damage Is Cleanable?

In order to assess the cleanability of your home, our teams will employ a checklist of factors to consider:

• Type of Surface
• Age of Surface
• Amount of Moisture
• Type of Material
• Air Pressure
• Impingement 
• Temperature Change

This checklist allows SERVPRO technicians to gauge the difficulties of cleaning residues from the surfaces in your home. Based on these factors, we can determine which items in your home can be saved.

What Is The Cleaning Process?

When a fire has damaged many of your items, SERVPRO can perform a move-out to efficiently clean and return cleanable items. The move-out consists of six steps:

• Conducting initial scope and estimate to determine the logistics of the move-out and to give the insurance adjustor projected insurance costs. 
• Packing, tagging, and inventorying your items so they can be moved to a storage area.
• Sorting clean and claim items 
• Moving the cleanable items to the storage area
• Cleaning and deodorizing your items before repacking them. 
• Moving your items back to your property.

Our teams do their best to complete this process as smoothly as possible to help you get your life back on track. 

When you need fire debris to be removed from your home, call SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

Click here for more information about North Kingstown.

How Can Smoke Damage My Kingstown Home After a Fire?

7/9/2020 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO of Washington County handle your fire damage restoration needs.

Smoke and Fire Damage Should Be Addressed by Skilled Technicians to Restore Your Kingstown Home

Nobody wants to see their belongings destroyed in a fire, but the damage goes well beyond the flames. After a fire is extinguished, the leftover smoke and soot residue keeps on damaging all surfaces if not treated. SERVPRO has the methods and EPA-registered cleaning products that can power away stubborn soot residue and smoke particles left after a fire in your Kingstown residence.

We feature IICRC-certified technicians capable of handling smoke and fire damage in Kingstown to bring your home back to preloss condition. With our broad range of fire restoration services, we have you covered for smoke, soot, and odor removal.

After a fire, the damage goes further than just burnt or charred items:

•    Smoke and ash continue to cause corrosion and damage to various materials within the home
•    Smoke odors can linger long after the fire if not appropriately addressed with deodorization methods
•    Discoloration begins on walls and other surfaces
•    Kitchen appliance finishes start to yellow and discolor
•    Smoke can tarnish metal and cause etching on glass surfaces

A common mistake that many homeowners make is trying to deal with fire damaged materials on their own. The toxic residue left after a fire can cause health issues, so it must get handled with care. Expert restoration efforts include the removal of charred debris, the cleanup of remaining moisture from extinguishing the flames, and deodorization to remove foul odors. Some potential hazards from DIY methods include:

•    Transfer of soils onto woodwork, walls, and upholstery
•    Incorrect cleaning of walls that may compound the soot residue
•    Further damage to your carpets or upholstered furnishings
•    Injury from using an electrical appliance or electrical outlets in or near the fire-loss zone
•    Dangers from using ceiling fixtures, especially if there is moisture from extinguishing the fire

Let SERVPRO of Washington County handle your fire damage restoration needs. Call us when you need us at (401) 315-2337.

How Do I Return My Narragansett Home To Its Original Condition After A Fire?

6/24/2020 (Permalink)

To begin repairs in your home here or in South Kingstown, call SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337 today.

Bring in SERVPRO to Professionally Repair and Restore Your Narragansett Residence

Residential fires usually start in the kitchen or garage since they contain a higher amount of tinder and accelerants than elsewhere in the Narragansett home. A faulty outlet or an old, frayed extension cord in the den can also be the source of thousands of dollars in damages, however.

Is There A Difference in The Damage to My Home?

In a situation like this, fire damage in Narragansett homes can be more physical. SERVPRO restoration technicians often need to remove and replace affected property, rather than clean and restore surfaces covered in residues left by the smoke as the fire cools off and dies.

How Do Technicians get Started?

Our team members inspect the damage to determine what needs to be disposed of immediately and the quickest method of doing so. They cover the floors with plastic sheeting to prevent tracking debris and soot residues to other parts of your home and to protect carpets, linoleum, and other floorings.

Next, technicians trained in demolition pull out everything touched by the heat and flames. Our team members break down items and either bag or wrap them in plastic before removal to avoid spreading the mess. Since they are breaking through walls and sometimes floors, the team leader makes certain to turn off your utilities to avoid any electrical or plumbing problems.

Can SERVPRO put everything Back Together, and How can I Help?

In most homes, the answer is yes. Our SERVPRO technicians carefully follow your instructions to return your home to its original appearance. To assist in doing this, we gladly look at the pictures and even videos of your home before the fire before getting started on the rebuild.

To begin repairs in your home here or in South Kingstown, call SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337 today.

Can I Ever Get Rid of the Soot in My Home Since the Fire?

4/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can clean the soot off your Queens apartment walls and ceilings.

SERVPRO Addresses Fire Damage and Soot in Your Queens Home to Return it to Pre-Loss Condition

Fires happen unexpectedly, and the aftermath leaves your Queens home with an unprecedented amount of debris and sticky soot residue. SERVPRO is here to make sure that your interior is back to normal and free of any reminder that the fire took place. With a simple phone call, we deploy a team to your residence to start with emergency fire restoration services.

How Can You Make Sure All Soot and Odors are Gone?

Smoke and soot particles are some of the top elements that we address when it comes to fire damage in Queens. Soot residue is acidic, meaning that it can cause certain materials like metals to corrode. We address soot residue in several ways, including:

• Dry or wet cleaning methods to loosen soot and smoke particles from various surfaces
• Thermal fogging technology heats deodorant agents that put out a chemical cloud, which penetrates materials to pull out tough odors
• In some situations where a lot of smoke residue is present on exposed surfaces, our skilled technicians seal off the walls with a special primer followed by the final paint color

Will the Air in My Home be Safe?

We utilize a variety of filtration tools to pull particles from the air to improve upon the air quality in your home. This ensures that your interior is both safe and free from lingering smoke odors after the fire.

• Air Scrubbers are powerful tools that reduce particulates from the environment while cutting back on microorganism colonization.
• Hydroxyl Generators work to both deodorize your interior while purifying and filtering the air with the help of HEPA filters.

There is nothing like the prompt, professional fire damage service that we offer at SERVPRO of Long Island City. With a quick phone call to our team at (718) 440-6994, we can be there 24/7 to get started with emergency restoration services.

Fire Damaged Westerly Property Owners Recognize SERVPRO as a Premier Full-Service Cleanup and Restoration Company

3/8/2020 (Permalink)

House Fire Disaster in Westerly? Contact SERVPRO To Clean It Up and Build It Back!

Repairing Structural Damages to Westerly Homes After a Fire

Fire losses can be among the most destructive disasters that affect Westerly homes, especially those that go beyond smoke and soot effects and present physical destruction to structural elements. Restoring your home becomes as essential and prioritized as repairing the damages to the structure. With a team of well-trained restoration professionals accredited in Fire & Smoke Restoration (FSRT) and a division of licensed residential contractors in-house, our SERVPRO team can help in both of these needed areas.

In many ways, the recovery of fire damage and build back of Westerly properties must go hand in hand. Our restoration team can respond quickly to this emergency, working first to uncover any physical red flags on the property during the initial phase of removing fire debris and inspecting the final results of extinguishments. During this scoping of the job, we can identify three instances where controlled demolition and/or reconstruction might be necessary.

Fire Destruction

Likely the bulk of the work that needs to happen with our in-house contractors following a fire loss happens because of the destruction the disaster caused directly. Structural collapse and failures pose substantial threats to homeowners and must get repaired and rebuilt throughout the restoration process.

Controlled Demolition

During the inspection and scoping of the work to get done, our SERVPRO project manager can make a note of surfaces and materials that appear too damaged to restore with our recovery efforts. In some situations, removing these areas of your home’s construction can be safer and more efficient to restore than working to clean and recover them.

Man-Made Breaches

During firefighting efforts, it is not uncommon for first responders to need more direct access to areas where the blaze is burning the worst. Pathways to reach these damage points often come from holes cut into the roof or siding of the house. These structural breaches must get repaired along with other areas reconstruction is necessary.

 Restoring and repairing your home after a fire loss is two areas where you can count on our SERVPRO of Washington County team. We have experienced restoration technicians and a talented division of in-house residential contractors to make fire losses “Like it never even happened.” Give us a call today at (401) 315-2337.

Mitigating Clothes Dryer Fire Damage in a Westerly Home

2/26/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO when things heat up in your Westerly home.

SERVPRO Turns up the Heat on Fire Restoration in Westerly

There are as many as 2,900 clothes dryer fires reported each year, and they can cause a whopping $35 million in property damages. A lack of cleaning causes 34% of these fires. All that a fire needs to spread is organic material to consume and sufficient oxygen. When is the last time you had the dryer vent checked or cleaned of lint and debris? However, there is a team that can restore your home after disaster strikes. 

If your Westerly residence has suffered fire damage, IICRC-certified SERVPRO technicians are ready to assist you. These professionals are dedicated to helping the community by restoring homes to their preloss condition. SERVPRO not only thoroughly trains its staff, franchise owners, and technicians, but it also offers educational opportunities for real estate and insurance professionals so that this knowledge can further help homeowners recover from a disaster. 

SERVPRO's Cutting-Edge Tools

SERVPRO tools are both heavy-duty and build to address modern-day concerns after disaster strikes. For fires, technicians have access to a variety of tools, including:

• Water extraction and drying tools for removing moisture from sprinklers or firefighting efforts
• Wet and dry cleaning methods, including alkaline cleaners, blast media, and dry cleaning sponges, for removing soils
• Thermal foggers that penetrate and eliminate fire-affected surfaces
• EPA-registered broad-spectrum antimicrobials designed to disinfect your home thoroughly
• HEPA-filter air scrubbers that remove impurities as small as 0.3 microns in size

SERVPRO's Fire Cleanup Methods

Technicians start by removing loose, dry soils, working from top to bottom in the affected area to maximize efficiency, and minimize the spread of soot to other rooms in your home. These soils and deposits are then vacuumed and removed. Once dry cleaning methods, including dry cleaning sponges and Crumbly Cleaner, have eliminated all they can, wet cleaners are used to address tougher stains. 

If your laundry room has tiles in it, technicians can utilize specially-made tile and grout cleaners to remove soot from grout and hairline cracks. Chlorine bleach may also be used to get a deeper clean on grout. Strong acids, including phosphoric acid or stabilized acids, can be highly effective for addressing more substantial grout staining.

SERVPRO of Washington County is always prepared to be Faster to Any Size Disaster. Call (401) 315-2337 for rapid disaster cleanup services today.

Want to learn more about Westerly?

Fire Damage in Westerly Bedroom from Forgotten Candle

1/31/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damage in your Westerly home from a candle can be hard to wrap your head around, let us be there.

Let SERVPRO help with your Westerly fire damage.

Candles provide both a pleasing look and aroma to rooms. They are also a source of fire damage in homes when left unattended.

A homeowner in Westerly needed help with fire damage to his daughter's bedroom after she left a candle burning, and a fan blew a piece of paper into the flame. Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly, but smoke damage covered much of the room. 

Removal of Charred Items

The burned contents of the room around where the candle sat were too damaged for restoration through cleaning and required removal. the techs do not dispose of any items without approval of the homeowner or adjuster; this ensures that property owners know what is going on with their restoration, and no actions taken by SERVPRO are out of the scope of coverage by insurance.

Testing Before Cleaning

In the case of removing smoke residues, it is vital to test them before applying any solutions, so the appropriate agents and methods get used. Depending on the heat of the fire and the objects consumed by flames, the residue can vary, and both dry and wet smoke may be in the same room. 

The techs rely on dry cleaning sponges to gently pick up the dry smoke found frequently on walls and other painted surfaces as a fine, dark particulate. Wet smoke often needs solvents to release its grip on surfaces.

Odor Control for the Bedroom

Removal of charred items goes a long way to reducing the fire odors in the room. However, because hot air expands during a fire, it literally pushes odorous smoke into porous objects. In many cases, the scents have the potential for removal by using odor control methods that work in the same manner, such as thermal fogging. 

Duct Inspection

Even though the fire loss occurred only in the daughter's room, the family used the HVAC, and the potential for soot spreading throughout the home via the ductwork was high. SERVPRO technicians cleaned the ducts, so no residual odors remained.

SERVPRO of Washington County at (401) 315-2337 restores properties with fire damage to their preloss condition, "Like it never even happened."

To find out more about Westerly, click here.

Back To School, Fire Safety 101

9/3/2019 (Permalink)

This time of year children around the country start college. For many of them, it will be their first time living away from home, for others they will be returning to complete their studies and spend time with college friends. In recent years it has become quite common for colleges to build apartment-style dorm suites that allow a small group of students (normally 4-6) to share an apartment like space with common living spaces and, in some, even a kitchen. While this may be fun for the students it does present the potential for fire. Kitchen fires are the most common cause of residential fires and when so many young people have access to their own kitchen (some for the first time!) their is much more potential something could go wrong affecting everyone in the building! If your child is off to school be sure to remind them of the dangers of fire in the kitchen and that they have a working fire extinguisher nearby. 

Be Caution When Lighting Fireworks

7/9/2019 (Permalink)

The summertime allows us all to have a little more fun. Kids are out of school, days become longer and the warm weather gets us out and about in our communities. Throughout the summer nights, most of us will hear the crash and pop of fireworks off in the distance in neighboring backyards. This display of pyrotechnics is no longer reserved for the 4th of July and is a rather common sight and sound on just about any summer night. This commonality of fireworks is unfortunate because they are still very dangerous and the potential for injury or damage from fireworks is very high. Disregarding precautions when lighting fireworks is the most common cause for an accident, especially when individuals act in haste to light illegal fireworks quickly so they are not to be caught by local authorities. Many times this is when property damage or injury can happen. Remember that if you wish to enjoy fireworks in your yard to take all recommended precautions and to never light fireworks that are illegal in your community. 

Christmas Tree Fires Account for Millions of Dollars in Property Damage Annually

12/12/2018 (Permalink)

Christmas trees and holiday decorations account for millions of dollars in property damage every year. Please share these basic safety tips to ensure your family's well being this holiday season.

• Look for a fresh tree, these are less likely to catch fire. Vibrant green needles that do not fall off easily. The Frazier Fir is a great choice and has a softer needle that does not dry out as quickly.
• Remember to water your tree immediately after getting it home and in the stand. Continue to water the tree until it stops taking water.
• Keep your tree away from heat sources, candles and other electronics.
• All your Christmas lights should be UL or ETL/ITSNA tested for safety, and you should throw away damaged lights.
• Be sure to plug outdoor lights into a ground-fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle.
• Keep all your candles away from your Christmas tree, surrounding furniture and décor. If possible avoid candles all together especially this time of year when there tend to be more flammable items around the home.
• Don’t forget to turn your Christmas tree lights off each night.
• When your tree's needles begin to fall, it is time to take it down.

Follow these guidelines and avoid being another statistic in the National Fire Protection Association or United States Fire Administration report this holiday season. Of course, if you do have an emergency contact us immediately along with the local emergency response departments needed. We will be there to help you get things back, "Like it never even happened".

Commercial Fire Damage

8/27/2018 (Permalink)

Recently we needed to pull resources from our multiple franchise locations to a fire & water restoration at a food distribution center. The partially damaged building needed to be restored quickly to prevent contamination and mold growth in areas of the warehouse that were not directly affected by the fire. In disaster restoration time is always crucial and we train our techs to work quickly and efficiently to ensure the environment is returned to normal ASAP! In this particular case, we knew there were hundreds of thousands of dollars in perishable products that were at risk to be damaged so we arrived on scene within hours and had equipment and techs on site shortly thereafter. We were able to clean and restore the facilities within 48 hours in time to re-open only 3 days after the fire damage occurred.

Fire Restoration

11/8/2017 (Permalink)

Restoring a home or place of business after a small fire is always a difficult task. Even a small cooking fire can cause damage and immerse the surrounding areas with soot and a smell that will linger permanently if not treated correctly. SERVPRO® of Washington County is the area's most experienced disaster recovery team. We have decades of combined experience amongst our ranks and we extensively train each and every new crew member to utilize proven techniques and to optimally manage all drying equipment. Since we are a SERVPRO® Franchise we have access to new technology, equipment, and methods that are backed and tested by the nation's most reliable disaster relief franchise. Hopefully, you will never need our services, but if your home or commercial properties ever experience a fire we will be there when you call. 

Residential Fires

11/7/2017 (Permalink)

Residential fires are some of the most difficult situations we encounter. Not because our crew is unprepared for the event, but because the personal loss of a home and possessions is extremely painful for the owners and can lead to a highly scrutinized job site. Our crew is prepared for this and sympathizes with the anguish each and every homeowner feels after a disaster has impeded their life. We are trained to move quickly understanding that every moment saved at the onset of disaster recovery increases the chance of a successful mitigation exponentially. We carefully attempt to salvage any items that can be restored and store them in our warehouse to be cleaned and dried. After the structure has been reviewed we then begin the cleaning process, being careful to protect any undamaged areas of the home before we start. Once clean we can begin drying and assessing the damage totality, our trained crew includes carpenters and other subcontractors that can help to expedite the recovery process and get you back in your home faster.

Fire Pit Safety Tips

5/2/2017 (Permalink)

Fire pits are a great way to accessorize your yard and they are perfect for gatherings! When you use your fire pit, make sure you are keeping you and your property safe by following these safety tips!

Location

Make sure you keep your fire pit AT LEAST 10 feet away from any structures. This may help prevent sparks from hitting your home and excessive smoke from entering your or your neighbor’s home.

Do NOT put your fire pit under tree branches or on a covered deck. Make sure your fire pit is in a location where the flames and sparks will not hit any objects.

Under the Pit

If your fire pit is not built into the ground, make sure you have stone, brick, gravel, or concrete under the pit. This will help prevent the area below the pit from burning. You should NEVER place your pit over dry grass or over a wooden deck. This is because the heat from the base of it pit may spark a fire to the ground below it.

Weather

Do not use your fire pit if it is windy. The wind may push sparks from the fire to an area that is flammable.

When you are using your fire pit, you should notice the direction the breeze is blowing. You should move any object out of the way of where the breeze is blowing to help prevent a fire from occurring.

Lighting the Pit

When lighting your fire pit, use a commercial fire starter pack. Do NOT use lighter fluid or gasoline to light the pit or to relight fires. You should always keep water nearby just in case the fire inside of the pit spreads.

Before you use your fire pit, you should check your town’s laws on fire pits. Some towns require a permit and an inspection. If the unfortunate happens, call the experts at SERVPRO. We will restore your property and make it look “Like it never even happened.”

Types of Fire Damage

3/24/2017 (Permalink)

According to the NFPA, the number of fires your household can expect in an average lifetime is five. Any fire regardless of size will cause damage to your property. Fire damage is classified into six different classes and the type of fire damage can be classified in two ways.

Six Types of Fire Damage

Fires are classified into six different classes. These classes are Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E, and Class F.

• Class A: Involves flammable solids, plastics, paper, rubber, cloth, and wood
• Class B: Damage is caused by flammable solids that became liquids and by liquids. Examples of these types of substance are gasoline, petrol, oil, plastics and, paints. Cooking oils and fats are excluded from this class
• Class C: Involves flammable gasses such as hydrogen, natural gas, butane, and propane
• Class D: Damage is caused by combustible gasses such as potassium, sodium, and magnesium
• Class E: This class is a combination of Class A and Class B but, it involves electrical elements
• Class F: Damage is caused by cooking oils and fats. Cooking oils and fats are in their own class because the fire is usually hotter and more damage is caused.

Fire extinguishers are not a one size fits all. Make sure you read the label on your fire extinguisher to see what types of fires it can put out. Some fire extinguishers are water based which would not be safe to use on a Class E fire. Also, check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher to make sure it is still good to use in case of an emergency.

Types of Fire Damage

Most insurance companies use two classifications for fire damage. These categories are primary damage and secondary damage.

• Primary Damage: Damage is caused by direct flames to the structure or to objects inside of the structure
• Secondary Damage: Damage is caused by corrosive substances, smoke, and water from putting the fire out

Secondary damage typically causes the most damage to the structure. This is because soot and smoke can work its way throughout the structure.

If you experience a fire in your home, the first step you should take is to call the fire department. Your second step should be to reach out to your insurance agent. Your final step should be calling SERVPRO. All SERVPRO franchises are available 24/7 with highly trained restoration technicians. SERVPRO specializes in fire and water damage and will get your property looking “Like it never even happened”.

Shelton CT, Fire

7/7/2014 (Permalink)

Servpro is on the scene.

SHELTON, CT (WFSB) -

Firefighters quickly knocked down a fire at a latex factory in Shelton, which is the second time that the building caught on fire in less than a week.

• Investigators look into latex factory fire in Shelton

   

  Thirteen years after a massive fire burned down a latex factory, it went up in flames again on Thursday.

  It started at the Latex Foam factory on River Road in Shelton just before 1 a.m. The fire was reported in the basement of the building where the large industrial dryers were kept. 

The fire was reported at the Latex Foam factory on River Road around 10:45 a.m. 

No injuries were reported. 

The same building caught on fire Thursday. That fire took hours to get under control and caused massive damage to the building.

All Latex Foam employees were able to evacuate safely, four firefighters sought treatment. Three were treated for heat exhaustion and the fourth suffered a broken arm. 

Investigators are still looking into the cause of that fire.

The company, which is owned by Latex International, has been part of the Naugatuck Valley for almost 40 years. It makes latex mattresses and pillows. 

About 180 workers are employed by the factory, according to Fisher. The business operates 24 hours a day.

For Monday's fire, fire officials said there was a city-wide response with a few calls for mutual aid.

The cause of the Monday's fire has determined, according to investigators.

This was not the first time the Latex Foam company has been in trouble.

Just last month, Latex International filed for bankruptcy. Two years ago, a former CEO and vice president were sentenced to federal prison for embezzling $3.5 million from the company.

For more information about Latex International, click here.

Copyright 2014 WFSB (Meredith Corporation).  All rights reserved.