Flooded Basements

3/18/2024 (Permalink)

A basement can flood at any time, although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall.

A basement can flood at any time, although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall. Basements are inherently prone to flooding because they are at the lowest level of a building and are normally built partly or entirely below ground level. There are a number of reasons why your Michigan basement could flood, including:  

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe 
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home 
• Storm sewer backup 
• Sanitary sewer backup 
• Foundation drainage failure 
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure 
• And many more 

If flood water is not handled quickly and properly, it can jeopardize your health and safety, and cause severe damage to your home’s structure. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get. 

The bottom line: a flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. Let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals. 

Why Choose SERVPRO® 

• We are available 24 hours/7 days per week 
• We’re a preferred vendor to many national insurance companies 
• We bill the insurance directly – one less thing for you to worry about 
• Our technicians are highly trained in water restoration techniques 
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration standards 
• Advanced inspection and extraction equipment 

Fire Risk During the Winter

1/25/2024 (Permalink)

Our team is prepared to help you remediate and repair in the aftermath of a fire.

House fires are common in the United States—something millions of Americans will deal with over the next year. And that number likely includes members of the community here. SERVPRO® is here to help you and your family if your home suffers fire damage. Our team is prepared to help you remediate and repair in the aftermath of a fire. 

Why Your Risk Is Higher During the Winter 

Fires can happen at any time, but they’re more common during the colder winter months—especially where residents may need to use furnaces, space heaters and more to heat their homes. Here are some household risks during the winter. 

• Space heaters without automatic shutoff functions can topple over.  
• Candles left burning can fall over if a family member or guest knocks on the wrong table.  
• Kitchen fires happen more often, as many home chefs are creating special treats for the holidays.  
• Christmas tree accidents cause numerous fires every year.  
• Broken furnaces and issues with appliances can also happen throughout cold winter months. 

Mold Damage Tips

1/22/2024 (Permalink)

If you have a mold problem in your home or business, consider the following facts.

If you have a mold problem in your home or business, consider the following facts: 

• Significant mold growth can occur in 48-72 hours. 
• Mold may present a greater risk to children, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory problems. 
• A strong, musty odor may indicate hidden mold behind drywall or under carpeting. 

What to Do: 

• Stay out of affected areas. 
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans. 
• Contact SERVPRO® for mold remediation services. 

What Not to Do: 

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold. 
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth. 
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself. 
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold. 

If you suspect that your home or business has a mold problem, SERVPRO® has the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation. 

How to Protect Your Home from Water Damage

1/8/2024 (Permalink)

Homeowners are filing more and more water damage claims.

A growing number of homeowners are filing water damage claims every year. And even before that growth, water damage claims were the most common type homeowners filed. Did you, a family member, or friend have to file one of these claims last year? If so, that claim was one of literally millions that were filed. 

Statistics from homeowners' insurance companies note that the number of fire damage claims are dropping.. At the same time, homeowners are filing more and more water damage claims. 

Like many homeowners, you may not be clear about when you need professional help to clean up the aftermath of a leak and when you can do it yourself. Many homeowners have the tools ready to handle a minor leak (like a mop and bucket), but more serious leaks call for professionals to do remediation work to prevent property damage. 

What to Look for When Evaluating Water Damage 

You might notice these signs when you’re dealing with water damage that requires professional remediation service: 

• You can smell the beginnings of mold. Does your home have a musty odor? The smell is one of the first signs you’ll notice when water has done serious damage to your home. If you notice a peculiar odor, you’ll want to schedule a professional evaluation. 
• Your floorboards or furniture are starting to warp. Many people don’t realize that wood will become warped and misshapen within a few days of a water event. That’s why it’s important to call in restoration technicians as soon as you notice it. 
• You see changes to your windows or walls. Like your floors, your windowpanes and walls can start to warp if the water damage is severe enough. Depending on how severe your water issues are, this can be a sign of a major problem. 

Learn About Duct Cleaning

12/27/2023 (Permalink)

Dirty ducts can circulate odors, contaminants such as mold and irritating dust throughout your building or home.

Since the ventilation system is often the biggest culprit in poor indoor air quality, inspecting the ductwork should be a high priority. In most cases, the HVAC system has been operating for some time without much attention. Dirty ducts can circulate odors, contaminants such as mold and irritating dust throughout your building or home.  

A routine part of our service is inspecting the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit (HVAC). Keeping the HVAC system and ductwork clean can potentially extend the life span of the equipment by allowing it to operate at peak condition, which may save you money.  

Unlike the majority of duct cleaning services, we use a Portable Ventilation and Air Duct Cleaning System to examine ductwork and make a clean sweep, removing years of dust and grime.  

Our Process:  

• The process begins by using patented equipment including a roto-scraper, which automatically adapts to the ducts’ shape and diameter while traveling through the duct, removing debris and filth before vacuuming beings.  
• Next, a powerful push-pull air delivery and collection system transfers the debris from the ducting to a 16-gallon container.  
• Air is filtered through a HEPA filtration system, removing 99.97 percent of particles in the airstream. HEPA filters capture debris and keep the environment clean.  
• As an optional process, a sealant or coating product may be sprayed to address odor or microbial concerns.  
• Filters will either be cleaned or replaced to remove odor and dirt.  

We Can Help:  

• Remediate bacteria, fungi, and mold  
• Reduce potential for mold growth  
• Restore peak energy efficiency  
• Eliminate odors  
• Provide free written inspections and estimates 

Winter Water Damage

11/22/2023 (Permalink)

With below freezing temperatures, snow, and ice, your home or business could be in jeopardy of water damage.

Michigan winters are known to be brutally cold and large amounts of snow are always expected. With below freezing temperatures, snow, and ice, your home or business could be in jeopardy of water damage. It is crucial that you are aware of the hazards and can prepare, prevent or act quickly if faced with winter water damage.  

FROZEN PIPES  

A frozen pipe can burst at the point where the ice blockage inside the pipe is located, but typically the rupture is caused by the backflow pressure between the water source and the blockage. A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to your property if not addressed quickly.  

ICE DAMS  

Ice dams can be a major problem during the winter season. They form when heated air melts roof snow downward into water dammed behind still-frozen ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run into the gutter system, it can backflow under the roof ’s shingles and into the structure’s interior areas.  

Cold weather, snow, and ice storms can cause severe damage to your home or business. When these types of disasters strike, immediate action is necessary to prevent additional damage to your property. Our team has winter storm experience, expertise, and the resources to remediate damage caused by winter weather. If disaster strikes your home or business during the winter months, know that SERVPRO® has your back.

How Can I Keep My Family Safe from a Fire?

11/17/2023 (Permalink)

It is always wise to make sure you have the right number of smoke detectors and that they work as you start boosting your fire preparedness.

Having a house fire occur in your home is never ideal, but are you making sure you are doing everything you can to prevent one? It can take less than a minute for a fire to begin spreading through the home, so making sure you know exactly what to do can help you be certain you can keep your family safe.  

It is not difficult to implement fire safety efforts in your home and doing so will give you the assurance that you are as safe as possible. Practicing good habits surrounding fire safety is a great way to keep your home protected.  

Practicing Good Fire Safety Habits at Home  

• Check your smoke detectors. It is always wise to make sure you have the right number of smoke detectors and that they work as you start boosting your fire preparedness. You should have them on every floor and near every bedroom, and they should be checked monthly to make sure they work.  
• Create a fire escape plan. Knowing how to exit the home quickly in case the smoke detectors sound an alarm is key to getting everyone out of the house safely. It should take a max of two minutes for everyone to escape and get to a designated meeting place outside of the home. It is recommended that you have two exits for every room to make this easier.  
• Limit your fire risks. There are little things you can do every day to lessen your fire risk as well. Simple things make a big impact, such as never leaving the room when a candle is lit, keeping a safety buffer around your grill when cooking and storing chemicals correctly so they do not combust.  
• Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Just in case a flare-up does occur, having a fire extinguisher handy can make the difference between a small incident and a large emergency. Make sure you know how to operate one and always have it within arm’s reach when cooking, grilling or performing other activities that involve open flames.  

Fire Threats Around the Holidays

11/14/2023 (Permalink)

It is as important to keep safety top of mind with a small family gathering as it is with a large holiday party.

SERVPRO® fire restoration specialists say to use common sense and caution to help control risk of holiday season home fires!  

In times when large holiday gatherings may not be possible, fire damage restoration specialists at SERVPRO® of Romulus/Taylor say the focus on family decorating traditions and more intimate celebrations may take on extra significance. It is as important to keep safety top of mind with a small family gathering as it is with a large holiday party. We all enjoy bringing the glow of the holiday season to our homes with Christmas trees or menorahs and candlelight, but these statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration show how easy it is for home decorating to turn into a home disaster.  

• The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve.  
• More than half of the home decoration fires in December are started by candles.  
• A heat source too close to the Christmas tree causes one in every four winter fires.  
• On average, one of every 52 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death.  

SERVPRO® is an industry leader and provider of fire damage restoration services. For more fire prevention and fire safety tips and information about fire and water damage restoration services, call us at 734-992-3138. 

Preventing a Kitchen Fire

11/7/2023 (Permalink)

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires.

More home fires start in the kitchen than anywhere else. Every year, cooking was involved in an estimated 156,300 home fires that caused:  

• 470 deaths  
• 5,390 injuries  
• $1 billion in property damage  

These numbers could be greatly reduced if people paid more attention when they cooked and practiced simple fire safety behaviors.  

Unattended Cooking is The Leading Cause of Kitchen Fires  

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food  
• Check food regularly – use a timer to remind you the stove/oven is On  
• If you must leave – turn the oven Off 

Stay Alert to Avoid Stirring Up Trouble  

• Don’t use the oven or stovetop if you are sleepy, have consumed alcohol or are using drugs.  

Hot Tips  

• Keep pot handles turned in  
• When you microwave food, open the container slowly to let steam escape and let food cool before eating  
• Cool a burn under water for 3 to 5 minutes and cover it with a clean dry cloth  
• If the burn is bigger than your fist, seek immediate medical assistance  

If you do have a problem in the kitchen or any other room in the house give SERVPRO® of Romulus/Taylor a call.  Our team can clean up all fire, smoke, and water damage. 

How Restoration Saves You Time and Money

10/29/2023 (Permalink)

With our restoration-focused mindset, you can be certain that we will do everything we can to restore your home and your belongings.

Sustaining any type of household damage, whether it be from a fire, flood or other incident, can be a frightening experience. In addition to the damage, there are the emotional effects to consider for you and your family throughout the healing process. As you work to regain a sense of normalcy, getting help with the recovery process can make everything go much more smoothly so you can return home.  

With our restoration-focused mindset, you can be certain that we will do everything we can to restore your home and your belongings to their pre-damaged condition. We have the technology and the expertise to be able to restore many types of items, so you can focus on emotional healing instead of physical rebuilding.  

Let Us Handle the Restoration of Your Home After Damage  

• We can help you save money on your insurance. Many types of damage will be covered by the insurance policy on your home, but there are caveats to making claims. The expense of these claims can be quite high, causing your insurance to increase your rates if there is total liquidation. Fortunately, going the restoration route can save you money by reducing your insurance claim amount.  
• We can protect your sentimental items. For all emergencies, the safety of you and your loved ones is the most important thing—which is why when you have to evacuate, you must leave sentimental objects behind. We know how hard this can be, which is why we have invested in the best technology available, allowing us to restore objects like photographs, heirlooms and other precious things that could never be replaced.  
• We make sure your home feels like home again. It is emotional to go back home after a disaster has caused damage, but we can help make sure your house still feels like home. We handle all the cosmetic considerations, such as paint, flooring and more, and put your belongings where they go in your house to ensure it feels like home.  

Can You Trust Your Restoration Company?

10/23/2023 (Permalink)

Deciding on a restoration provider in advance can be helpful in case of an emergency.

Whether your home has been minimally damaged by a random act of nature or majorly damaged by a cooking mistake, life can abruptly change. When this happens, it will require you to make a quick decision as to who you will contact to help you restore your home. Deciding on a restoration provider in advance can be helpful in case of an emergency. Ask these questions about potential vendors: 

Are They Legit? 

Sometimes in life, you learn lessons the hard way! But the saying “not everyone is your friend” is fitting during a trying time in your life. When your home is damaged, not everyone who shows up has your best interest in mind. Most times, storms bring in scammers who follow storms from city to city to find people to prey on. They tend to have everything you need, promise you something that sounds amazing, then they take your money and leave! 

We are no scammers; in fact, we are proud to say we are quite different. We have been in the national landscape for over 50 years, and we have earned a reputation for being good at what we do. We not only fix your home, but we work hard to make sure you are completely satisfied before we are finished. 

Are They Readily Available? 

When your home isn’t in full working status, you are willing to do anything to get it back to normal and do it quickly! That’s why you need to be sure you have someone that you can count on. We know this, and that’s why we have someone on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Timely action can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run, since the longer damage sits, the more damage occurs. 

What If It’s a Big Emergency? 

SERVPRO® of Romulus/Taylor is locally owned and operated, which means our community is our family. We’re here to help whenever your family or business needs us. And if major storms occur and affect multiple neighborhoods, we have a nationwide network of other SERVPRO® franchises that will back us up. When we call for help, we can tap into additional resources and support. 

Commercial Cleaning Made Easy

10/13/2023 (Permalink)

That’s right, like the services we provide for homeowners, we do the same for business owners.

At SERVPRO®, we are well known for the custom solutions that we provide to homeowners. But what some people don’t realize is that we are also passionate about taking care of business owners. 

That’s right, like the services we provide for homeowners, we do the same for business owners. Along with our restoration services, we also offer specialized services specifically for the commercial setting. One of our services is helping you to keep your facility in top condition! Because we are business owners ourselves, we know that the state and presentation of your facility matters. 

Commercial Services for Businesses of Any Kind or Size 

All business owners are busy! That’s why we strive to make it our priority to keep your business clean and sanitized so that you can remain focused on the more important things. We will provide you with professional cleaning and sanitation for all types of businesses, including: 

• Retail facilities, such as supermarkets, home decor stores and malls. We work with everyone from small business owners to CEOs of multimillion dollar businesses and provide them with the same satisfactory service that they expect. 
• Educational facilities, such as schools, daycares and tutoring places. Thanks to the pandemic, teachers have made the conscious effort to regularly clean, but it only gets about half the bacteria from desks. The reality is many things don’t get cleaned on a regular basis and the numbers for those are quite scary. 
• Health facilities, including hospitals, assisted living centers and doctors’ offices. We work to ensure that your customers know your facility is thoroughly cleaned and you have made the effort to keep their well-being in mind. 
• Foodservice facilities, such as restaurants, distribution centers and wholesale markets. At these types of facilities, cleanliness is crucial, and while you work hard on your job, we will work hard on ours. We will ensure that your facility is well-cleaned. 
• Property management facilities, including apartment complexes, commercial buildings and sky-scrappers. These types of facilities are judged as soon as a customer walks through the doors, which is why we provide environmental and sanitation care. 

Hidden Water Damage in Your Home

10/9/2023 (Permalink)

In most cases, undetected water damage can cause the most damage and be quite a headache.

Water damage does not only come from burst pipes or flooding to damage your home. In most cases, undetected water damage can cause the most damage and be quite a headache.  

There are five indicators that there’s water damage going hidden in your home:  

• Stains on walls and ceilings: Nobody purposefully looks up at their ceiling. However, it is important to thoroughly check the ceilings in your home for stains. There might be a bathtub or shower leak from one floor to the next, or your attic could leak into the ceiling.  
• Musty or unpleasant smells: Do you smell something musty, or even earthy, in your home? Hidden water can cause mold to grow, and a nasty smell is a good signal that something is wrong.  
• Peeling paint: Not only can water stain your walls, but it can also cause the paint to lift. If you see your paint starting to peel, quickly find the source of the problem, or call a professional to fix it.  
• Mold Growth: Just like with ceilings, we do not exactly pay attention to the corners of our homes, but often these small hidden areas can tell us about potentially harmful leaks or spills. Check to see if there are any discolored or fuzzy looking spots in isolated corners or hidden areas.  
• Flooring: When allowed to flow, water naturally reaches the lowest level. Therefore, rivers flow downstream. Water can seep under your flooring and collect – damaging your sub-floors. Check for and warping or deformation to make sure there is no water hiding beneath the floorboards. When this happens, it is important to act as quickly as possible, so we can restore your flooring to good as new.  

Here at SERVPRO® of Romulus/Taylor, we are water damage restoration specialists and are ready to restore your home back to pre-water damage condition. Whether water damage sneaks up on you or not, we are available 24/7 to make it “Like it never even happened.” 

Don’t Let Heavy Rains Damage Your Home

4/1/2022 (Permalink)

You may be surprised to hear heavy rain can cause serious damage to a home.

Our SERVPRO team sees a lot of damaged homes so we have in-depth knowledge of some of the ways water can damage a home. When asked how the water damage happens, homeowners cite various problems like severe floods and storms or problems in the home, like a burst pipe. 

But we notice other reasons people need water damage restoration, too. You may be surprised to hear heavy rain can cause serious damage to a home. This is especially true after a long period of time. Water damage from rain compounds if a home isn’t maintained the right way. 

Preparing Your Property for Wet Weather 

Basic home maintenance can help you stay safe from water damage. These projects will help you get moving in the right direction. 

• Learn how your yard drains. A yard that drains correctly protects your home. If you notice that your yard is draining toward your home, then you might want to get in touch with a landscaping expert to look for ways to protect your yard. 
• Plant helpful landscaping. Landscaping can help protect your home from water damage. Native plants, trees and bushes can be vital in protecting your home from water damage. Talk with landscaping experts in the area or visit a native plant sale for tips and ideas. 
• Consider sealing your roof. Sealing your roof can help protect your home from wind and water damage. In fact, experts estimate that almost 95% of water damage is caused by water seeping through gaps in your roof and shingles which can be prevented with this step. 

Experienced Restoration Technicians Are Here to Help You

4/1/2022 (Permalink)

Have you put a lot of thought into what you would do if your home was impacted by a fire or flood?

Have you put a lot of thought into what you would do if your home was impacted by a fire or flood? If you haven’t, it might be a good idea to start considering it. While no homeowners like considering it, disaster claims are much more common than you probably would like to think. 

Not every incident with an associated claim will need restoration in order to get their home back to its original state. But many homeowners find themselves in need of professional services. 

Home Disaster Numbers in America 

Experts explain that homeowners' insurance claims are common. According to the Insurance Information Institute, about one in 20 homeowners will file home damage this year. The statistics include all causes of damage and doesn’t separate the claims based on whether they need restoration services. 

We also have some statistics about individual types of disasters and issues, though. About one in 50 homeowners will file a water damage claim. And about one out of every 350 American homeowners have to file a claim for fire damage. Fire damage claims can include everything from lightning strikes to appliance fires. 

When you think about the United States’ entire population, that statistic translates to millions of families. Some of these people will need to get help from a professional team. That’s when choosing a quality restoration company will make all the difference for you. 

Training and Education for Technicians Matter 

When you trust us with your home’s restoration work, you can be confident that you are going to receive exceptional service from highly trained professionals. 

Beyond the training offered by SERVPRO at a national level, our technicians earn valuable certifications through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification. This non-profit group provides various certifications to ensure restoration and cleaning technicians can use the latest proven techniques when restoring your home.