SERVPRO of The Hill Country is Prepared for Storm Damage

9/3/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of The Hill Country keeps an eye on the weather and is always prepared for storm damage at any moment. In the event of a huge tropical storm or hurricane that affects a great deal of homes in the area, SERVPRO® storm "Extreme Teams" are called in to help us so we can restore storm damage in even more homes and businesses in the The Hill Country area. Often times with storm damage comes water damage, and if the water damage is not properly treated, mold damage occurs. The first 48 hours of storm damage are critical in preventing further water and/or mold damage to your home or business.  As always, SERVPRO of The Hill Country will work with your insurance every step of the way. 

Contaminated Water After a Storm

8/27/2024 (Permalink)

Should you experience a flood in your home after a storm, our team of technicians will inspect your home or business to determine the appropriate plan of action for the type of water encountered.

Category 3: "Black Water"

Category 3 water is grossly contaminated and could cause severe illness or death if ingested and any contact should be avoided. Examples include flooding from rivers or streams, water from beyond the toilet trap, water from the toilet bowl with feces, or standing water that has begun to support microbial growth.

• May contain untreated sewage, harsh chemicals, and microbes
• Water from flooding rivers or sewer backup

24 Hour Emergency Service

Water contaminated with sewage backup should be considered an emergency situation and dealt with as quickly as possible. Our technicians at SERVPRO of The Hill Country are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for any emergency situations that arise. We have been a trusted name in safety and properly restoring homes and businesses for almost 15 years! We are here to help!

SERVPRO of The Hill Country will Deep Clean Your Restaurant

8/27/2024 (Permalink)

How do I deep clean my restaurant?

Obviously, a restaurant's preparation areas should be kept clean. But, besides the everyday cleaning of kitchen equipment and appliances, it is necessary to perform a deep cleaning of kitchens at least once to twice a year.

Appearance

A restaurant's atmosphere, attention to detail, and well-kept facilities are important for a customer's good first impression. The appearance of a restaurant's kitchen can bring in clients as well as scare them away.

Safety

A messy and unorganized look will affect guests' appetites as well as employee productivity. Daily mopping sustains a clean floor, but will not scrub deeply enough to remove certain bacteria. Sticky floors and unwanted objects can cause personnel or guests to slip. For a truly clean floor, it is important to remove: grease, oil, gum and even mold.

For a deep cleaning of your restaurant, please call SERVPRO of The Hill Country today!

Source: Finance Yahoo Online

Learning About Smoke Alarms

8/27/2024 (Permalink)

Smoke alarms save lives. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. 

Here's what you need to know:

• A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. 
• Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound. 
• Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
• Test your smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
• Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms.
• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
• Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.

Source: National Fire Protection Agency Online

Storms in The Hill Country

8/8/2024 (Permalink)

When flooding in The Hill Country occurs from powerful storms, SERVPRO of The Hill Country is Here to Help.  SERVPRO of The Hill Country will work with your insurance and will work with you every step of the way. When a homeowner in Boerne had seepage coming in from underneath her front door, she called SERVPRO of The Hill Country to come and remove the water and completely dry out the area as well as to spray for mold prevention. Mold growth can occur if storm damage is not properly remediated, this is known as secondary damage. The first 48 hours of a storm damage are very important to preventing more damage from occurring. We were able to work with her insurance company and restore her entryway at little cost to the homeowner.  If you have encountered storm damage, please give us a call today to start the restoration process. 

Preventing Mold on Your Furniture

8/31/2023 (Permalink)

How to Prevent Mold on Your Patio Furniture

If you’re hoping to save your current furniture or you’ve bought a new patio set and want to keep it from falling victim to the same problem, you can take steps to prevent mildew and mold. When purchasing new furniture, look for water-resistant fabrics and materials and check to see if the dyes used are also weather-resistant. Acrylic and polyester are usually the most durable. You can also waterproof your patio furniture yourself by purchasing a waterproofing kit at your local supply store.

Note that sunscreen and bug spray are known to soak into cushions, so always use a towel to sit on as added protection, and never sit down directly after coming out of the pool. If you do spill water or otherwise soil the furniture, clean it immediately, and do routine cleaning every few weeks. If you do not use your patio furniture year round, consider using furniture covers, or find a shed, garage or storage unit to house it during the off season.

Now that you know how to remove mold and mildew from patio furniture, you can clean up your chairs, table and umbrella to return it to good condition. You’ll be back to lounging out in the summer heat in no time.

Source: Living Direct Online

The Hill Country Water Removal

8/31/2023 (Permalink)

Water Damage Restoration in The Rim

Have you ever come home to standing water?
Perhaps you just enjoyed a long 3 day weekend out of town only to come home to find water gushing out of your front door?

Unfortunately, these things happen, and often times can come at the most inopportune times.

Fortunately, SERVPRO of The Hill Country is here to help.  We like to assure people that even if you aren't prepared for a water event to happen SERVPRO always is!

We have the knowledge and experience to help in whatever your situation is, so, even if your kitchen is flooded don't be afraid, give us a call and we'll take care of it all!

Even if a water damage is a very stressful event for any person be assured that when we arrive you can sit back and relax, we have it covered.  Let us take care of the work and hardships so you don't have to.  We'll be happy to make it "Like it never even happened."

Securing Your Home for a Hurricane

8/31/2023 (Permalink)

How To Prepare Your Home for a Hurricane

Brace your garage door to prevent more-extensive damage.  Most garage doors are not reinforced, and when the wind gets into the garage, it creates a positive push at the same time that the wind swirling above the structure creates a negative pull. That push-pull combination can cause the roof to fly off. Find a kit that you can buy at home-improvement stores to brace your garage doors.

Secure your windows and doors. Broken windows can let in wind and rain, and they can also increase the pressure under the roof. Storm shutters provide the best protection, but boarding up windows when a storm is on the way can help, too. Make sure doors have several locking mechanisms so they don’t fly open; deadbolts are best. And it’s important to secure windows and doors at all sides of the home -- not just the one facing the body of water where hurricanes could form -- because hurricanes can swirl in any direction.

Source: kiplinger

Water Damage and Wood Flooring

8/28/2023 (Permalink)

It doesn’t require a disaster of the scope of a spring flood or hurricane to damage a wood floor. Plumbing leaks, fire hoses and the upstairs neighbor’s overflowing tub might pose problems for porous wood floors and substructures. Whatever the cause, water causes warping, and can trigger mold and mildew growth that can ruin wood. Major flooding creates problems in foundations and walls that must be addressed, but the first step in mitigating the damage done by water to a building -- including its wood floors -- is to gently but quickly ventilate and dry materials.

SERVPRO® of The Hill Country uses commercial-grade machines that extract the water from the wood flooring with a powerful force.  If we are called immediately following a water damage event, there is a good possibility we can save your wood floors from buckling using the high-powered water extractors.  Don't hesitate to call right away.

Source: Homeguides Online

Fire Prevention Week 2022

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

National Fire Protection Agency Fire Prevention Week 2022

Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15 this year. Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.

This year’s theme is “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape”. It is important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that every home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different. Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that someone will help them!

Source: National Fire Protection Agency 2022