September is Preparedness Month - Is Your Business Prepared for a Disaster?

9/1/2024 (Permalink)

The SERVPRO® Emergency Ready Plan Advantage

Since 2004, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has observed each September as National Preparedness Month. It was started after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.

Business owners can stay a step ahead of unexpected events by having a plan of action in place before they need it. Having a proactive plan can be the difference between recovery and closure. Businesses that emerge stronger after an emergency are often those that prepared in advance. That's where SERVPRO's Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) comes in. It offers peace of mind to you, your employees, and your customers, ensuring that any disruption to your daily operations is only temporary.

With our ERP, your business can minimize interruptions by knowing exactly what to do and what to expect when disaster strikes. This readiness is crucial for timely mitigation, helping to reduce the impact of water, fire, or other damage on your business.

Prepare your business today. Call SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County and SERVPRO of Fenton for a no-cost assessment of your facility, 810-732-3298.

Tips To Help Prevent Your Pets From Starting Fires In Your Fenton, MI Home

7/15/2024 (Permalink)

PSA from Ted Ingersoll

National Pet Fire Safety Day is celebrated annually on July 15th to raise awareness and educate pet owners on the risks of leaving their pets alone. According to The National Fire Protection Association, nearly 1,000 home fires are accidentally started by pets each year. The following are a few tips to help prevent your pets from starting a fire in your Fenton Home:

• Extinguish Open Flames - Pets can be extremely curious about cooking appliances, candles, and even fires in fireplaces. Never leave your pet unattended around an open flame and make sure to extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Remove Stove Knobs - If you have an extra curious pet, remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house. The stove/cooktop is the number one piece of equipment involved in a pet starting a fire.
• Invest In Flameless Candles - Flameless candles contain a light bulb instead of an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over a lit candle.
• Secure Young Pets - Puppies and kittens are extra curious so it's best to keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home. Think about using a crate or baby gate in a secured area.

If your pet accidentally starts a fire in your Fenton, MI home, call SERVPRO of Northwest Genesse County to start the fire damage restoration process. We're Here to help®, 810-732-3298

A Step-by-Step Explanation of How We Handle Water Damage Claims

3/11/2024 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County, we've seen firsthand the havoc that water damage can wreak on homes and businesses. From burst pipes to natural disasters, water damage doesn't discriminate, and the aftermath can be devastating. However, amidst the chaos, there's a glimmer of hope in the form of professional cleanup and restoration services. 

First and foremost, when dealing with water damage, time is of the essence. The longer water sits, the more extensive the damage becomes, leading to mold growth, structural issues, and potential health hazards. That's why our response time is crucial. We're trained to act swiftly, arriving on-site promptly to assess the situation and begin mitigation efforts immediately.

One of the first steps in water damage cleanup is extraction. Using specialized equipment such as pumps and wet/dry vacuums, we remove standing water from the affected area. This step is vital for preventing further saturation of building materials and minimizing the risk of secondary damage.

Once the excess water is removed, we focus on drying and dehumidification. Industrial-grade air movers and dehumidifiers are strategically placed to facilitate evaporation and draw moisture out of the air and surfaces. This step may take several days to complete, depending on the extent of the damage and environmental conditions.

In addition to drying, thorough cleaning and sanitation are essential components of the restoration process. We use antimicrobial treatments to disinfect affected areas and inhibit mold growth. Porous materials like carpeting and drywall may need to be removed and replaced if they cannot be adequately cleaned and dried.

Throughout the cleanup and restoration process, communication with the property owner is paramount. We provide regular updates on our progress and work closely with insurance companies to streamline the claims process. Our goal is to alleviate stress and uncertainty for our clients while restoring their property to its pre-damaged condition as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Water damage cleanup is a complex and multi-faceted endeavor that requires expertise, experience, and dedication. At SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County, we take pride in helping our customers navigate the challenges of water damage restoration, providing peace of mind during a stressful time. If you ever find yourself facing water damage, remember that SERVPRO® is here to help you every step of the way.

Call us 24/7 at 810-732-3298

4 Homeowners Insurance Terms Everyone Should know

9/5/2023 (Permalink)

Owning your own home can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be expensive. Not only do you have to constantly maintain your home, but there are risks you can't control, such as flooding and fire. For this reason, if you own a home, you need homeowners insurance, which will cover some or all costs of covered disasters. To better protect your home, check out these four insurance terms you need to know.

1) Peril
A peril is anything that could risk damage to your home, and it's one of the main reasons to have homeowners insurance because the insurance company may pay some or all repairmen/replacement costs. Not all perils are included in most homeowners insurance policies. In general, however, they cover the most common types of perils, such as theft or fire.

If you live in an area with frequent flooding, you may be able to purchase additional insurance to protect against flood damage. Most general policies exclude flood damage unless the damage was sudden and unexpected, such as a new washing machine that fails and floods your laundry room.

2) Catastrophe
Flood insurance is actually a type of catastrophe insurance. A catastrophe is a disaster (man-made or natural) that causes significant damage. It can be one major event or a handful of events that devastate your property. Catastrophes are not usually covered under your standard insurance policy, but they may be necessary if you live in an area with lots of earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes or hurricanes.

Catastrophe insurance comes in many forms. If you really want to protect everything you own from flooding or terrorist attacks, you can get a policy that will cover the property and everything inside. For a cheaper premium, however, you can also choose a policy that only covers the house and nothing inside.

3) Actual Cash Value
When your insurance carrier reimburses you, they may give you the actual cash value (sometimes referred to as market value). This will provide money to repair or replace the damage after considering depreciation. For example, if your deck is destroyed, but it was getting old anyway, the insurance carrier will take the age into account. In other words, they may not give you enough to actually cover the total replacement.

If the deck was brand new, however, there is less depreciation, so you may not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses. In this case, the insurance carrier would give you the replacement value. Regardless of what type of coverage you have, however, they will only provide money for similar materials and quality. You can't have the insurance carrier replace your damaged asphalt roof with a tile shingle roof.

4) Exclusion
Every insurance policy has exclusions. Exclusions are disasters and instances when the insurance carrier will not reimburse you. Exclusions usually include any damage that was related to maintenance issues or damage that was easy to control. Even if you take great care of your home, parts need to be replaced. Insurance will not cover these routine repairs.

In most cases, the policy will have an actual section detailing all the exclusions (all-risk policies), so you can immediacy know what is and what is not covered. A peril-specific policy, which only covers a handful of disasters, will list what is covered. Anything else is considered an exclusion.

Don't gamble with your property by neglecting to purchase or have enough homeowners insurance. It can be the difference between losing your home and repairing it after a disaster.

Top Three Causes of Fires

9/1/2023 (Permalink)

Did you know that the top three causes of residential fires include cooking, heating and electric systems/equipment. Let’s discuss each cause in more depth so you are able to determine how each can be avoided.

• Cooking: Causing nearly half of home fires, cooking-related fires are also, unfortunately, the second leading cause for residential fire deaths. These fires peak during the holidays, first Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas. Unattended cooking plays a large role in how fires begin. Other factors include grease and oil. Heating oil too quickly can cause fires. Leaving grease on the stovetop can also create fires. Leaving common kitchen items such as over mitts and food wrappers on or near the stove can also start fires.
• Heating: Spiking during the cold winter months of December, January and February, heating fires typically stem from space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves. While it may be tempting to keep your portable heater right near you on the chilliest of days, fires can easily be created if furnishing or personal belongings, such as mattresses and blankets, are within 3 feet of the space heater. Fires also start when heating sources such as space heaters or fireplaces are left unattended.
• Electric: Wiring, cords (including extension cords), lighting, and plugs all fall under the umbrella of electric distribution. Malfunction and damage, such as fraying, are a couple reasons as to why fires begin from electric distribution. Faulty electrical outlets cause fires, as do worn out sockets. Using an unqualified electrician to install or update wiring, lighting, etc. is another reason why fires may begin in your home. Additionally, the exposure of water to electricity can create fire.

Be sure to be mindful if you smoke, light candles, use a grill, or have children and/or pets, as these are a few other leading causes of residential fires. Taking caution and remaining vigilant can greatly help keep you, your family and home safe!

If you suffer fire damage to your home or business, SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County is Here to Help!  Call us 24/7 at 810-732-3298.

5 Things to Do After Basement Flooding

8/30/2023 (Permalink)

Few things are more stressful and disgusting than basement flooding. Whether it’s one inch or one foot of water, the effects can be detrimental to your home. And while damage to things like carpet, drywall, and furniture are immediately noticeable, something more serious could be lurking underneath your floors.

Five Things to Do After Basement Flooding

Whether it’s just a couple of inches of water or a few feet, you must respond quickly to basement flooding. Here are a few things you’ll need to do:

1. Kill the Power

If there’s standing water in your basement, then you shouldn’t attempt to walk or wade through until you’ve shut off the power and made sure that open circuits aren’t covered by water. This can obviously be an electrocution hazard and isn’t something you want to mess with.

If you’re unsure of whether the electricity is cut off, can’t get to the circuit board, or simply don’t feel comfortable with the situation, then don’t attempt to go anywhere near the water.

2. Get Rid of the Standing Water

The next order of business is to get rid of the water. The longer the water sits in your basement, the more damage it will cause. Make sure you put on a pair of sturdy shoes or boots and pants that cover your legs. You never know what’s lurking underneath the water and don’t want to risk hurting yourself.

If the standing water is high, your first step is to get a bucket and start manually removing the water (be sure to dump far away from the home’s foundation). Once you extract most of the water, you can use a wet vacuum to suck up the moisture from the floor.

3. Call in the Professionals - Like SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County

Once the standing water is removed, you should call in the professionals to take a look. Depending on the extent of the damage and how meticulous you want to be, this may include calls to an electrician, a flood cleanup crew, and a general contractor.  Fortunately, a single call to our office at 810-732-3298 can handle all of those repairs

Any carpeting or absorbent materials that were affected will need to be ripped up or replaced. If appliances spent any time sitting in the water, they should be looked at by a professional before being used.

4. Call Your Insurance Provider

Once all of the time-sensitive issues have been handled, take a few minutes to call your insurance provider to let them know about the problem. If the flooding happened as a result of one of your home’s plumbing systems, then your home insurance policy may cover some or all of the damage. However, if the flooding was the result of a natural disaster, then you’ll most likely need flood insurance. Regardless, place a couple of phone calls to see what can be done.

5. Protect Your Home

As soon as everything gets repaired and restored, you should begin taking proactive steps to protect your home from similar issues in the future. The ground next to your basement and foundation should slope away from the home. Gutters and downspouts should slope away too while discharging water a minimum of five feet away from the home. All windows and vents should be sealed and your basement walls should be waterproofed with an appropriate product. If flooding is common, consider installing special French drains or even a sump-pump.

One Call to SERVPRO For Complete Restoration

8/24/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's Reconstruction division can help get your home or business back the way it was before the loss!

One Call Covers All Phases of Your Restoration Project

At SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County, the backbone of our company is fire, water & smoke cleanup, and restoration. But what compliments our cleanup and restoration services is we can seamlessly facilitate every aspect of the reconstruction process of your damaged property!

Our In-House construction division specializes in reconstruction, new residential and retail construction, financial institutions, healthcare facilities, educational facilities, government properties, warehouses, and shipping facilities. SERVPRO® has experts in the field with putting your home or business back to its original condition which includes complete builds from a total loss. Our construction division can provide everything that a normal contractor can provide you after you are hit with a catastrophe. That is why SERVPRO is so unique in Mid-Michigan, we can handle the entire process so there is no need for multiple companies and services to juggle!

One call to SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County handles everything from start to finish. For work not completed in-house, we have an extensive list of qualified contractors (HVAC, Plumbers, drywall finishing, roofing, electricians, and many other specialized services) just to name a few.

We can fast track your project and offer cost-saving solutions to meet your budget goals because you are dealing with just one company!

Call at (810) 732-3298 for all your construction needs because we are not just a restoration company, we are a full-service restoration contractor!

4 Home Owners Insurance Terms You Need to Know

9/5/2022 (Permalink)

Owning your own home can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be expensive. Not only do you have to constantly maintain your home, but there are risks you can't control, such as flooding and fire. For this reason, if you own a home, you need homeowners insurance, which will cover some or all costs of covered disasters. To better protect your home, check out these four insurance terms you need to know.

1) Peril
A peril is anything that could risk damage to your home, and it's one of the main reasons to have homeowners insurance because the insurance company may pay some or all repairmen/replacement costs. Not all perils are included in most homeowners insurance policies. In general, however, they cover the most common types of perils, such as theft or fire.

If you live in an area with frequent flooding, you may be able to purchase additional insurance to protect against flood damage. Most general policies exclude flood damage unless the damage was sudden and unexpected, such as a new washing machine that fails and floods your laundry room.

2) Catastrophe
Flood insurance is actually a type of catastrophe insurance. A catastrophe is a disaster (man-made or natural) that causes significant damage. It can be one major event or a handful of events that devastate your property. Catastrophes are not usually covered under your standard insurance policy, but they may be necessary if you live in an area with lots of earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes or hurricanes.

Catastrophe insurance comes in many forms. If you really want to protect everything you own from flooding or terrorist attacks, you can get a policy that will cover the property and everything inside. For a cheaper premium, however, you can also choose a policy that only covers the house and nothing inside.

3) Actual Cash Value
When your insurance carrier reimburses you, they may give you the actual cash value (sometimes referred to as market value). This will provide money to repair or replace the damage after considering depreciation. For example, if your deck is destroyed, but it was getting old anyway, the insurance carrier will take the age into account. In other words, they may not give you enough to actually cover the total replacement.

If the deck was brand new, however, there is less depreciation, so you may not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses. In this case, the insurance carrier would give you the replacement value. Regardless of what type of coverage you have, however, they will only provide money for similar materials and quality. You can't have the insurance carrier replace your damaged asphalt roof with a tile shingle roof.

4) Exclusion
Every insurance policy has exclusions. Exclusions are disasters and instances when the insurance carrier will not reimburse you. Exclusions usually include any damage that was related to maintenance issues or damage that was easy to control. Even if you take great care of your home, parts need to be replaced. Insurance will not cover these routine repairs.

In most cases, the policy will have an actual section detailing all the exclusions (all-risk policies), so you can immediacy know what is and what is not covered. A peril-specific policy, which only covers a handful of disasters, will list what is covered. Anything else is considered an exclusion.

Don't gamble with your property by neglecting to purchase or have enough homeowners insurance. It can be the difference between losing your home and repairing it after a disaster.

Long Term Effects of Storm Damage

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

What You Need to Know About the Long-Term Effects of Storm Damage

Do you think that post-storm water damage dries without help? If you do not treat this potentially serious issue immediately, take a look at what you need to know about the long-term effects of water damage.

Flooring Failure

Water that seeps into your home and floods your flooring can sink through carpets and padding. The result is a damp rug that is slow to dry. But what happens if the rug feels dry to the touch?

In some cases, you can dry and restore storm-damaged or flooded carpeting. This does not mean you should attempt to save your carpets without help. Failure to properly dry the carpets or the padding underneath can cause additional problems for what lies underneath.

Your regular home vacuum can't pull water from under the carpet's surface. Likewise, a fan or other type of similar drier will not reach beneath into the padding. This means what may feel like a completely dry carpet can hide a wet, moldy, or dirty pad. If you have wood flooring under your carpets, a damp pad could cause serious damage over time.

The longer the moisture sits on the wood floor, the more likely the cellulose fibers in the material will soak up excess water. This can warp the wood and cause permanent damage. While other types of flooring, such as tile, may not warp, the constant presence of water can still cause problems.

To prevent warping and other related issues, contract a professional storm damage restoration company as soon as possible. If you do wait, the professional may still have ways to treat the area and restore your home's flooring.

Faulty Furniture

Your flooring is not the only part of your home that is subject to the long-term effects of storm-related water damage. If water sits on your furniture, it can also cause permanent damage. The type of damage your furniture sustains after a flood or storm depends on what it is made from.

Hard, non-porous plastic surfaces are relatively easy to clean and dry. Provided no evidence of mold growth or bacterial contamination exists, you can wipe the item with your choice of household cleaner and dry it with a towel. But if the furniture in question is made of wood or is upholstered, you will need a professional restoration expert's help.

What happens if you wait to call this professional? Like with carpeting, the water could soak through upholstered items and into the padding underneath. This can result in internal mold growth or damage wooden support frames. This destroys the integrity of the item and can cause complete failure.

Again, like with wood floors, wooden furniture can soak up water and warp. Water can also cause spotting on the surface or swelling. Even though the initial water damage may have happened days or weeks ago, a storm damage professional may still have the ability to restore these items.

Weak Walls

Water damage can extend from the floors and furniture to the walls of your home. Like with other types of water damage, the longer moisture sits on your walls, the higher the likelihood that your home will have permanent problems such as mold growth, warping, or other similar issues.

Like with flooring, a dry wall surface does not always mean everything underneath is free from moisture too. Long-term water exposure can result in seepage through drywall or plaster. The underlying wood and other building materials can warp or rot. This can cause serious or extensive structural issues. A restoration professional can evaluate the situation and create a treatment plan.

Toilet Overflow

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

Overflowing toilets are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. The mess and odors can be extremely stressful and overwhelming. That is why SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County are here to help!

A toilet overflow usually occurs when a blockage prevents water and waste from flushing down the toilet drain. This backup prevents water and waste from flowing down the drain and causes your toilet to overflow. If it's not cleaned up quickly, it may cause extensive water damage to your bathroom floor or even leak through the ceiling below. Other common causes of overflowing toilets are sewage backups, septic tank issues, low flow toilets and malfunctioning plumbing.

If your home has water damage from toilet overflow, call SERVPRO of Northwest Genesee County. We are ready 24/7 - 365