Why SERVPRO? 24/7/265 Restoration Company

9/24/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage can occur at any given moment. It typically happens at the most inconvenient time, when you least expect it. If that’s the case, you need a 24/7 fire damage restoration company that’s Here to Help.® We come to your family’s rescue. That’s what we exist for. The heroes at SERVPRO are available 24 hours a day (including holidays), 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. We are here to make the fire damage at your residential or commercial property “Like it never even happened.” 

When you’re on vacation, enjoying the sun, playing in the sand, spending quality family time together on the beach, or, perhaps, when you’re at work giving a presentation, that’s typically when fire damage may strike. And once your neighbor makes that phone call informing you there’s a fire at your home, that’s when everything changes everything. That’s when everything comes to a halt. Again, it tends to occur at the most inconvenient times. No time is ever a good time.

If your home or business is hit with a fire, here are some fire damage emergency tips for you: 

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so you don’t further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator, and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

The experienced and qualified team at SERVPRO is faster to any size disaster. We will get your property back to pre loss condition. We’re committed to responding immediately -- no matter the time of day or night. Did you know a faster response helps prevent secondary damage, and it helps reduce costs? It’s true. That’s why we are big on quick response time. 

Smoke and Fire From a Home After Damage is Tough--Not For SERVPRO Though

9/24/2022 (Permalink)

While many effects linger throughout your home after a fire occurs, homeowners do not have the resources and advanced equipment to handle removing and restoring them on their own. Our professionals offer effective and fast service following a fire, and that includes restoring and combatting threats to the indoor air quality including smoke damage, contaminants, and a persistent harsh odor.

When it comes to removing the effects of smoke and fire odor from your Valparaiso property, time is of the essence to get the right trained professionals to your home to get the processes started. Recovering from a fire gets more difficult the longer that you wait to secure restoration services, so it is important to reach out to our SERVPRO professionals as promptly as possible once the first responders and firefighters have extinguished the blaze and secured the property.

Smoke damages can affect your home in many ways from a residue or powdery film on contents and surfaces throughout the affected areas to the lingering odor that can become embedded into surfaces and materials as pores open more in the excessive heat of a fire. In many ways, these pungent odors can get concealed in the materials themselves and not re-emerge until specific atmospheric or temperature conditions release them. That is why professional cleanup is vital, as we can identify these problems and address them during our restoration.

We have many advanced tools and equipment that can help us to eliminate odors from the recent fire in your home permanently. For fire recovery, we often rely on our hydroxyl generators and our thermal foggers for deodorization. They can both work in different ways to neutralize odor molecules and leave no discernable scent behind. Unfortunately, a situation known as phantosmia has no solution from our SERVPRO crew.

While there might be many concerns that come with restoring your home after a fire, many find that the lingering odor can make comfortable living a challenge. Let our SERVPRO of Porter County emergency response team help you through all facets of fire restoration by calling (219) 476-1883.

Here is the VFD.

SERVPRO Tips: 5 Reasons to Choose SERVPRO For All of your Fire Restoration Needs

8/29/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage can occur in a home at any time in many ways, and the end result, even from a small scale fire loss is charred belongings, damaged structure, and smoke odors.

When choosing a restoration services company to mitigate fire damage in your Valparaiso property, there are a few points to consider.

Qualifications for Cleaning and Restoring Fire Loss

SERVPRO technicians undergo extensive education for cleaning up fire damage. They know cleanup is not a one-size-fits-all undertaking and fibers and surfaces require testing before cleaning, so they use the proper methods. Their training is through the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) standards in fire and water cleanup and restoration.

Locally Based SERVPRO is available 24/7 and arrives within an hour of your call for fire loss cleanup. Being members of the local community, they know the rules and regulations for the disposal of charred items. As residents, they know the unique things about this part of the state of Indiana.

Advanced Technology

The technicians have access to a diverse array of equipment for cleaning up fire damage. Air quality is a considerable concern, and the removal of odor-causing soot is a priority. They use techniques such as negative air chambers to inhibit the possibility of cross-contamination as well as machinery such as air scrubbers with HEPA filtration for the capture and removal of airborne particles.

Assistance Expediting Insurance Claims

SERVPRO technicians provide an itemized loss inventory to maximize the accuracy and expedite insurance claims for faster reimbursement. The report includes detailed descriptions and photographs of items, including before and after photos.

Odor Control in the Home

There are numerous types of scents left behind after a fire. Soot winds up driven into porous materials, carpet, furniture and even paint on the walls. The technicians know how to prep the property for rebuilding with controlled demolition for the removal of charred items, sealing walls when necessary for the application of fresh paint and neutralization of smoke odors in the home.

SERVPRO of Porter County at (219) 476-1883 is ready to assist the local community with the cleanup and restoration from fire damage and make it, "Like it never even happened".

See more about Valparaiso.

Did You Know? The Longer You Wait After A Fire To Get "Like it never even happened," The More Costly It Might Be!

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage is costly to fix the longer it goes unattended. Smoke odors can invade belongings and porous building materials, and soot can ruin walls that flames have not burned. We understand that going through a fire can be devastating and that your cherished memories and possessions are at stake.  

After a fire has damaged your Valparaiso home, the fire restoration specialists at SERVPRO can assist you to prevent further destruction that can occur because of the buildup of soot. Our crews understand the science behind soot cleaning to restore your home to its preloss condition.  

Soot can build up on the walls, furniture, carpet, and other areas of your home. Inappropriate soot removal methods can increase the damage already done to your home. Soot becomes acidic after combining with moisture, and it can etch, discolor, pit or corrode non-porous surfaces if not removed promptly and thoroughly.  

Fire residues differ, and they include dry smoke, protein smoke, fuel oil smoke, and wet smoke residues. Fires progress through different stages, generating both wet and dry smoke. Some fires produce a large proportion of one kind of smoke to specify the total exposure as mostly dry or mostly wet smoke.  

Wet smoke residues are challenging to clean compared to dry smoke residues. Wet smoke usually contains high amounts of aerosols like solvents, varnishes, and other liquid solvents. If a fire is slow burning, air currents don’t drive the smoke from the fire’s heat. The smoke drifts and works its way into enclosed areas and crevices that a faster burning fire would not contaminate. It may be necessary to replace items damaged by wet smoke. Our technicians can restore many materials damaged by dry smoke. Dry smoke residues carry few deposits and aerosols, and they stain surfaces less intensely.  

Our SERVPRO technicians use the appropriate cleaning equipment, solvents, and techniques that come from training and years of experience. We follow a soot removal process that starts with dry soot cleaning using specialized HEPA vacuums and dry surface cleaning techniques. Afterward, we progress with wet cleaning as necessary.  

When your home has fire damage, SERVPRO of Porter County can assist you. Our experienced team works quickly and thoroughly to get a home back to normal. Contact us today at (219) 476-1883 for fire damage cleanup services.

Acting Faster After A Fire Is Of Key Importance!

4/20/2022 (Permalink)

With one of the Great Lakes and a couple of major cities close by, Valparaiso is a centrally located community great for raising families, enjoying water recreation, and more. Like any town its size, there are still issues to deal with like the house fires that plague residences everywhere.

Most Valparaiso fire damage is considered minor to medium thanks to good fire department response times, residential sprinklers, and having a fire extinguisher nearby. Because of this, much of what SERVPRO technicians do after a fire is cleaning off residues left by the smoke as it moved through the home. Unless the property is physically damaged, our teams can restore affected items using one of these methods.

Dry wiping takes care of most surfaces. Technicians use sponges, cloths, and even feather dusters to remove powdery residues left by a hot, quick-burning fire. It is very effective on light-to-moderate, non-greasy residues like from burned paper or wood.

Wet wiping then usually removes the thicker layers dry wiping cannot. SERVPRO technicians apply water or a mild cleaner to sponges and cloths to remove these moderate-to-heavy residues.

Spray and Wipe is needed to prevent color bleeding or fading fade in drapes and covered furniture after fire damage. Team members utilize spray bottles to use as little cleaning agent as possible.

Foam Cleaning uses even less detergent and water. Technicians use a pump-up or powered sprayer to create a foam and then work it into the affected item with a sponge or brush. The method is very effective on sofas and other upholstered items to prevent shrinking the fabric.

Abrasive Cleaning is our method for rough surfaces. Since surfaces such as rock and marble are not affected by most cleaners, technicians can use stronger chemicals with a thick-bristle or wire brush to remove every bit of the residues left by the fire.

Immersion Cleaning is the last effort possible for many items and is only appropriate for those not affected by soaking them completely. Technicians remove the item to our offices and place it in a holding tank filled with a cleaning agent. They next generate sound waves that force bubbles through or across the surface. The method is effective but costly and time-consuming.

Remediating fire damage and returning every home to its owners in its original or better condition is our goal here at SERVPRO of Porter County. To learn more about what our response teams can do for your home here or in Portage, Chesterton, and Kouts, call us today at (219) 476-1883. We are here for you.

SERVPRO Can & Will Remove Unpleasant Aromas In Your Portage Home

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Smoke Cleanup Technicians In Portage Talk About Deodorizing Agents

Any time something burns inside your building in Portage, smoke damage can become a significant issue. Soot removal is often a large part of any fire smoke cleanup project. Soots and soils can get left behind on the surfaces of your building materials and contents when smoke comes into contact with these cooler substances. Some soot damage can be easily wiped off with a wet rag or a dry sponge, while other types of soils must be removed with specialized techniques and chemicals. Even the smallest burns can cause damage that will make it vital that you call in a professional fire smoke cleanup company such as SERVPRO.

Whenever partially combusted particles circulate throughout your home, burnt smells can develop. During any fire damage cleanup project in Portage, our SERVPRO team knows that removing all of the soot can eliminate many of these unpleasant aromas. However, in some cases, the smoke deeply penetrates porous materials and causes foul odors to linger. If the bad smells still exist after all soot and soils are removed, then we often conduct other deodorization techniques. Any deodorization methods though will only work for a limited time if the source of the aromas is not found and removed.

For general deodorization purposes after fire damage, we can use masking or time release gels, solid blocks with perfumes, and oil saturated with chemicals. Using these items we can generate strong pleasant odors that can cover up malodor particles. We often use masking agents in the re-odorization of the airspace and HVAC systems.

Pairing agents are chemicals that are designed to combine with a malodor to form a new odorless compound. This method is an example of odor modification where the deodorant changes the chemical structure of the malodor substance. Pairing agents can be added to general cleaning products, put into a thermal fogger, or sprayed onto primary sources of foul odors. If you ever need help eliminating burnt aromas that linger in your home after something burns, call SERVPRO of Porter County at (219) 476-1883 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Do You Know What Makes Soot Damage Challenging For Your Home?

9/30/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage is not for a homeowner to contend with on their own.

No disaster that impacts your Portage home only leaves one effect to contend with, no matter how straightforward the damage might seem. With situations like fires, multiple effects spread all throughout your home, even stretching well beyond the source of the blaze and its affected areas. Overcoming these effects can be challenging for even trained technicians, and understanding why can help illustrate the importance of choosing the right restoration company for the job.

Of all of the fire damages that could affect your Portage home following a blaze, one of the most wide-spreading and challenging of these is soot damage. This effect is a result of incomplete combustion that takes place as organic materials throughout your home burn in a fire. These particles spread throughout the environment and cling to surfaces that they come into contact with throughout their travel.

 One of the most troublesome things about soot damage in your home is how far spread from the source of the fire that these effects can get. The particles themselves are light and can travel far just by floating and through the movement of those working on restoring your home. Since many people still have their air circulation appliances on when they escape from their damaged home, these particles can find their way into the ventilation systems and ductwork of your home, providing an even greater challenge for our SERVPRO technicians to overcome.

The removal of soot can often be as simple as our SERVPRO professionals wiping the residue away with dry sponges, or sponges with a wet cleaning solution. Stubborn particles clinging to the walls and ceilings require high-powered vacuums, and this is a similar approach taken when addressing soot present throughout the ductwork in a residence.

 Fire damage is not for a homeowner to contend with on their own. With the widespread nature of many of the effects that a fire can leave behind, seeking professional assistance like our certified team can help you return your home to pre-fire conditions quickly. Give our SERVPRO of Porter County emergency response team a call whenever you need us at (219) 476-1883.

Click here for more about Portage.

SERVPRO Is Prepared To Restore Your Home After A Fire

9/30/2021 (Permalink)

Our certified crews are prepared with the right equipment to remove soot and smoke from your home so you can safely return.

Restoration Options When Your Burns Harbor Home Suffers Fire Damage

The aftermath of a fire in your Burns Harbor house can present a broad range of cleaning, sorting, and remediation challenges. Ordinary cleaning methods and conventional assumptions about safety can fail you as you pick up the pieces. Finding a fire mitigation company you can trust with the training, equipment, and experience to guide you through the process is crucial. We would be honored to help. 

The vision of the fire damage in your Burns Harbor home immediately after the firefighters take their leave is almost always overwhelming. Unlike regular dirt, the soiling left by fire residues is highly toxic and must be removed by our trained technicians following proper protocols. Frequently we can devise containment strategies that allow your family to live in the house while we work. Sealing off the damaged space with heavy-duty plastic sheeting and employing advanced technologies like negative pressure air scrubbers to filter and vent contaminants are services we offer.

Our crew lead might advise a pack out alternative to bring tarnished and soot-encrusted household goods and personal possessions to our climate-controlled, secure production facility for specialized cleaning methods. SERVPRO uses a comprehensive  Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS)to inventory and track items. Digital pictures and bar-coding assures we return or account for items, providing clear documentation for your insurer and peace of mind for you and your loved ones.  

Rarely considered until the fire damage is done are concerns about food and product safety after the heat and smoke of a fire. SERVPRO technicians help homeowners make decisions about food, cleaning, and personal care items exposed to potential contamination during the blaze and the fire extinguishing. High temperatures and the infiltration of soot even past the seals of jars, refrigerators, and freezers can expose your family and pets to spoiled and tainted food. Lotions, soaps, and medications used after fire damage similarly risk injuring people and animals.

SERVPRO crews are familiar with these and many other complications of fire damage. We help assess the risk and come up with solutions that make it “Like it never even happened,” as quickly as possible. 

SERVPRO of Porter County comes to your fire scene with the people and resources necessary to put the disaster in the past fast. Contact us at (219) 476-1883 for assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Check out the trails in Burns Harbor click here for more information.

You Need Our Team At SERVPRO If A Fire Has Damaged Your Chesterton Home

8/9/2021 (Permalink)

When we arrive, our crew chief evaluates the fire damage to your Chesterton home and creates a restoration plan.

What To Expect From Our Fire Damage Restoration In Chesterton

Although every fire scenario is a bit different when a highly-qualified restoration company takes on the damage done to your Chesterton home a pattern emerges. Our company takes training and preparation for our work crews very seriously. The crew members qualify as fire restoration experts both through their mastery of Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) courses and hands-on job experience.

When we arrive, our crew chief evaluates the fire damage to your Chesterton home and creates a restoration plan. The first step is typically removal of water and chemicals left by the firefighting efforts, a safety and efficiency measure. If needed, tarping and boarding up of severely damaged areas also occurs to protect the interior from the elements.

SERVPRO then works with you and your insurance company to decide if furnishings and personal possessions need a pack out to an undamaged space on your property or to our production facility. Moving items out of the way have two clear benefits. It permits members of our production team to use specialized cleaning and recovery techniques on a wide range of items. It also clears out the fire damaged areas inside your home for more efficient cleanup and restoration.

Crews go to work cleaning soot damage, matching the types of residues to appropriate tools and products. Research-based methods include vacuuming, dry and wet sponging, foam cleaning, abrasive cleaners and tools, and solvents, among others, depending on the source and consistency of the soiling. SERVPRO crew members move systematically through your home, taking care not to recontaminate cleaned areas.

We might make use of air scrubbers during the cleaning phases, dividing the home into sections and filtering and venting the air outside to improve indoor air quality and to remove airborne residues. SERVPRO invests in state of the art equipment that speeds the restoration process and keeps you and your family safer during the project. During the final period of the job we often use advanced deodorization machines like thermal foggers and hydroxyl generators to eradicate or neutralize the chemical composition of the tiny particles of soot that carry malodors.

Rely on SERVPRO of Porter County to bring to your fire restoration needs the most highly-qualified technicians, advanced equipment, and effective products. Call us at (219) 476-1883 immediately after the firefights leave so we can get started.

Click here for more about Chesterton.

Fire Smell Go Away, Do Not Come Back Another Day!

4/20/2021 (Permalink)

Fire incidents can cause several uncertainties including whether the property can regain its preloss state. Perhaps the most daunting task is removing the noxious odor left after the fire. In many cases, it requires a combination of approaches to achieve the desired results. We have IICRC certified Odor Control Technicians that can inspect your property and apply the right strategies to restore your home to its preloss state.
 
Partially burnt contents and other residues contribute most of the odor after an incident of fire damage in Valparaiso. Removing burnt remains and cleaning up surfaces, helps reduce the smell. Since it is possible to restore some items ruined by the fire, our SERVPRO technicians move salvageable and questionable items to offsite facilities for thorough restorative cleaning. Such removal allows us to establish whether there are other odor sources, necessitating further deodorization.
 
Odor-causing substances penetrate materials in different forms. In cases of fires, they are in aerosol or gaseous form. Deodorization is more effective when the removal process replicates the method of deposit so that the deodorizing agent can penetrate as far as the malodor. Our SERVPRO technicians use fogging equipment such as the ULV, Ultra Low Volume fogger that produces a fine mist with particles 8-15 microns in size. The deodorizing agent combines with the odor particles neutralizing them. IICRC training ensures that we take all the necessary precautions including removing pets, plants, and people from the areas we plan to fog.
 
After fires, some particles remain airborne for a time, so it is essential to remove them to rid the property of all bad smells. Blowing the air from the property can help remove the particles by increasing the fresh air flowing in. Our SERVPRO technicians use box fans, which generate airflow of up to 5000 cubic feet of air per minute. We also use air scrubbers with HEPA filters that can remove particles as small as .3 micron.
 
To deal efficiently with fire-related odors, call SERVPRO of Porter County to help. You can reach us at (219) 476-1883 any time. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Click here for more about Valparaiso.