Small Fire, Big Smoke

11/4/2024 (Permalink)

A fire at your home or business is that of which nightmares are made of.  Each year thousands wake up or come home to find themselves picking up the piece from the ashes of completely burned home.  But what do you do if it is a smaller fire? Maybe a grease fire in the kitchen that you where able to get under control before to much damage was done, or a candle that got a little out of control.  In these situations smoke can be a bigger issue than the fire itself.  It can stain walls and make furniture and clothing carry and odor that always reminds you of a mishap you would like to forget.  At SERVPRO® we can help no matter how big or small our trained techs can clean items affected by smoke.  Let us help you if you find yourself trying to put this situation behind you.

Fire Damage

9/25/2024 (Permalink)

Fires can happen at any time of day and in any circumstance.  Regardless of how prepared you think you are there are steps you can take to make sure you have a plan in place when the disaster strikes.  Sometimes it's hard to focus during the disaster so having a plan is a great place to start to help the mitigation process begin quickly.

SERVPRO® of Floyd County offers a free service called an ERP (Emergency Ready Profile).  Our marketing team can walk your property with you to develop a strategic plan following a disaster.  The plan includes pictures of your water shut off valves, special rooms that need extra attention such as a server room, where you would like our crews to park in the event of an emergency, contact numbers and account numbers (entered by you if you want privacy) for all major utility services, and direct contact information with SERVPRO of Floyd County so we can arrive and get started as quickly as possible.

We are HERE TO HELP in the event of any disaster.  

Small Fire, Big Smoke

11/1/2023 (Permalink)

A fire at your home or business is that of which nightmares are made of.  Each year thousands wake up or come home to find themselves picking up the piece from the ashes of completely burned home.  But what do you do if it is a smaller fire? Maybe a grease fire in the kitchen that you where able to get under control before to much damage was done, or a candle that got a little out of control.  In these situations smoke can be a bigger issue than the fire itself.  It can stain walls and make furniture and clothing carry and odor that always reminds you of a mishap you would like to forget.  At SERVPRO® we can help no matter how big or small our trained techs can clean items affected by smoke.  Let us help you if you find yourself trying to put this situation behind you.

When Fire Strikes, SERVPRO Is Here For You!

9/1/2023 (Permalink)

It is all too often that we hear sad stories on the news of a house fire that has altered people's lives. SERVPRO of Floyd County does not want you to be a sobering statistic of house fires. That is why we are here for you. Below are a few good tips on how you can help prepare your family for the event of a fire. 

1. Practice your 2 minute drill as a family to plan your escape route!  Statistics show that if a fire starts in your house, you have 2 minutes to escape. Proper planning can save lives!

2.  Test your smoke alarms monthly!  This fast task can alert you if a fire would occur.

Always remember that SERVPRO of Floyd County wants to keep you safe!

Should you have any fire or smoke damage to your house, please contact us for any assistance! 

We are here for you!

Let SERVPRO Help You Take The Next Steps After Fire Occurs

6/26/2022 (Permalink)

If you have experienced a fire at your place of business or in your home, many decisions exist after the fire has been extinguished. At SERVPRO we are happy to assist you and attempt to make some of these decisions easier with the services that we provide.

Step 1: Emergency Contact

The restoration process begins when you call us. Our representative will ask questions regarding the fire damage event that will help us respond immediately with the appropriate equipment and resources. 

Step 2: Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment

We carefully inspect and test adjoining rooms of your property to determine the extent of the fire, smoke, and soot damage. This step is crucial to developing a plan of action. 

Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service

Fire damage can often compromise windows, walls, and roofs. To maintain security and to protect against further damage, we can board up missing windows and walls and place tarps on damaged roofs. 

Step 4: Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)

The water removal process begins almost immediately and removes the majority of the water. We then use dehumidifiers and air movers to remove the remaining water and complete the drying process. 

Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces

We use specialized equipment and techniques to remove smoke and soot from ceilings, walls, and other surfaces. 

Step 6: Cleaning and Sanitizing

We clean, sanitize, and disinfect all of the restorable items and structures that were damaged by the fire. We use a variety of cleaning techniques to restore your belongings to pre-fire condition. We’re also trained to remove odors using industrial air scrubbers and fogging equipment.

Step 7: Restoration

Restoration is the final step—getting your home or business to its pre-fire condition. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

Be Prepared When It Comes To Fire Damage

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

A fire damage in your home can be a very scary time.  The worry you have over what precious belongings can be saved following the fire and water from the fire firghters can be almost too much to bear. 

SERVPRO of Floyd County has tried our best to be on the scene of fires as quickly as possible to share our insight on the fire cleaning and restoration process.  We have kits available to homeowners to help them through the first few nights following a disaster in their home.  Our kits include a blanket, toiletries, water, and more to try to ease the burden on what to do immediately following the disaster. 

We have worked with insurance agents to help the homeowner find a hotel for the night in order to relieve that burden.

When the police and fire fighters have let us know it is safe to enter the property SERVPRO of Floyd County can help gather items that are needed immediately and have them cleaned and returned to the customer quickly.  These items could include enough clothes to last a week or so and lovies for children.

Our crews can also be available to board up any windows and doors that might have been blown out during the fire or by the fire department.

You Can Count On SERVPRO To Handle Any Situation!

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Fires can cause huge messes and SERVPRO of Floyd County knows just what to do to handle any situation.

When an electrical outlet at a cubicle shorted out at a commercial property and caused a small fire SERVPRO of Floyd County was there quickly to start remediation. As a result of the smoke and water damage, two and a half floors were affected in the facility. Approximately 60,000 square feet had some level of smoke and soot damage. SERVPRO of Floyd County is in the process of removing 58 six-person cubicles, we are removing carpet tiles with glue and cleaning under the floating floor. At this point we have been working on site for two weeks are our just finishing up with the second floor which is above the affected floor.

Once the second floor is complete our crews will begin work on the first floor where the fire actually started.  We have the ability to clean electronics that are still working but have smoke damage.  Our goal is the restore and not replace when possible.

SERVPRO of Floyd County is here to help!

Planning for the worst: Why you need a fire plan for your family!

10/12/2021 (Permalink)

Would you and your family know what to do if your home was affected by a fire.  Being prepared is the best way to ensure your safety.  Here are 7 tips that can help make sure your prepared if you are faced with this disaster.

The 7 Ways to Prepare for a Home Fire

1.Install the correct number of smoke detectors . Test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.

2.Teach children what smoke detectors sound like and what to do when they hear one.

3.Ensure that all household members know a couple ways to get out of every room of your home and know the family meeting spot outside of your home.

4.Establish a family emergency communications plan and ensure that all household members know who to contact if they cannot find one another.

5.Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year. Press the smoke alarm test button or yell “Fire“ to alert everyone that they must get out.

6.Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.

7.Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

If fire does strike your home or business, give the professionals at SERVPRO a call! We are faster to any disaster and are here to get you back to “Like it never even happened.”

Commercial and Residential Fires: The “Do & Do Nots”

10/11/2021 (Permalink)

DO:

-Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpet.

-Keep hands clean. Soot on hands can further soil upholstery, walls, and woodwork.

-Place dry colorfast towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.

-If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator completely to prop doors open to help prevent odor.

-Wipe soot from chrome on kitchen and bathroom faucets, trim, and appliances, then protect thee surfaces with a light coating of lubricant.

-If heat is off during winter, pour RV antifreeze in sinks, toilet bowls, holding tanks, and tubs to avoid freezing pipes and fixtures.

-Wash both sides of leaves on house plants.

-Change the HVAC filter, but leave the system off until a trained professional can check the system.

Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers to stop particles of soot from getting in or out of the HVAC system.

Don't:

-Attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces without first contacting your SERVPRO franchise professional.

-Attempt to shampoo carpet or upholstered furniture.

-Attempt to clean any electrical appliances (including tv's, radios etc.)

-Consume any food or beverages that may have been stored close to the fire, heat or water.

-Turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet. Wiring may be wet or damaged and cause electrical shock, and air movement could cause secondary damage.

-Send garments to the dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set in smoke odor.

If fire strikes your home or business, remember, we are faster to any disaster and are here to get you back to “Like it never even happened.”

Fire Damage

6/21/2021 (Permalink)

Fires can happen at any time of day and in any circumstance.  Regardless of how prepared you think you are there are steps you can take to make sure you have a plan in place when the disaster strikes.  Sometimes it's hard to focus during the disaster so having a plan is a great place to start to help the mitigation process begin quickly.

SERVPRO of Floyd County offers a free service called an ERP (Emergency Ready Profile).  Our marketing team can walk your property with you to develop a strategic plan following a disaster.  The plan includes pictures of your water shut off valves, special rooms that need extra attention such as a server room, where you would like our crews to park in the event of an emergency, contact numbers and account numbers (entered by you if you want privacy) for all major utility services, and direct contact information with SERVPRO of Floyd County so we can arrive and get started as quickly as possible.

We are HERE TO HELP in the event of any disaster.  

Restoring not Replacing

6/15/2021 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO of Floyd County we believe in restoring when possible instead of replacing!  Why is this important?  A lot of times items can be cleaned that you might otherwise think are lost for good.  We have the ability to clean many electronics from fire damage with special equipment that cleans without harming the electrical components.

We also have an Esporta cleaning system that can clean many clothing, upholstery, and soft materials.  After a fire or water loss, common misconceptions homeowners and carriers often have is that damaged contents cannot be restored so they should be automatically replaced, or even cashed out. As you can see in the image attached there are some items that are priceless to a child.  This special "lovie" smurf was damaged in a fire and the Esporta Wash System made it good as new.  Truly made it "Like it never even happened."

Call SERVPRO today to discuss the other services we offer following a fire loss.

Electrical Fire

6/4/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Floyd County received a call regarding an electrical fire that started early on a Monday morning affecting 3 floors of a commercial property.

Dealing with a fire of this magnitude SERVPRO started first by addressing the water that extinguished the fire from the sprinkler system. In order to dryout the facility we used dehumidifiers and air movers.

Once the water damage portion was addressed we started working on the fire, smoke and soot damage .  SERVPRO of Floyd County's fire cleaning and restoration crews utilized air scrubbers and hydroxyl machines to filter the air and eliminate the smoke smell.

SERVPRO also has disassembled hundreds of office cubicles stations and stored them onsite in Mobile Pods.

Not affected materials like flooring and deep cleaning is taking place at this point of the restoration process.

SERVPRO of Floyd County will also seal and repaint after cleaning the cleaning is finished.

It's Grill Season! Here Are Some Safety Tips Home Grill Fires

5/5/2020 (Permalink)

It’s that time of the year again, Grill season; everyone loves this time of the year when they get to spent it with friends and family outside grilling up some tasty meals. Before you start up that grill, let’s make use you are prepared to grill safely.
Here are just a few annual averages:
July (17%) was the peak month for grill fires, followed by June (14%), May (13%) and August (12%).
The grill had not been cleaned in roughly one-quarter of the fires.
More than one-quarter of grill structure fires started on an exterior balcony or open porch. Ten percent began when an outside wall caught fire; 5% began with some type of structural member or framing.
Eighty-five percent of grills involved in home fires were fueled by gas while 10% used charcoal or other solid fuel.
Gas grills were involved in an average of 8,700 home fires per year, including 3,600 structure fires and 5,100 outdoor fires annually. Leaks or breaks were primarily a problem with gas grills. Eleven percent of gas grill structure fires and 23% of outside gas grill fires were caused by leaks or breaks.
Charcoal or other solid-fueled grills were involved in 1,100 home fires per year, including 600 structure fires and 500 outside fires annually.
Five out of six (83%) grills involved in home fires were fueled by gas while 13% used charcoal or other solid fuel.
The leading causes of grill fires were a failure to clean, having the grill too close to something that could catch fire and leaving the grill unattended.
A leak or break was the leading cause for outside or unclassified grill fires. Leaks or breaks were primarily a problem with gas grills.
SERVPRO of Floyd County is locally owned and specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. Give us a call today 812-949-2294.

Fire Call in Tell City, Indiana

1/27/2020 (Permalink)

Tell City IN: At approximately 12PM EST a call went out to the local fire department concerning a warehouse fire in downtown Tell City, the SERVPRO marketer for the area was heading out of town after making calls but after seeing the smoke he headed back to the source of the fire.

First responders had all the street access around the warehouse blocked off for obvious safety reasons so the Marketer parked his vehicle in a safe location and walked to the scene. The fire had spread throughout the building and flames were leaping out of the top of the building and it was obvious at this point that this was a total loss.

Local news sources stated the building was the old Swiss Plywood building and was owned by Tell City Port Authority and the fire started accidentally, the building was being used for the community and thankfully nobody was injured.

The SERVPRO rep managed to get about 150 yards from the building outside the perimeter of the safety zone set up by the first responders and could still feel the waves of heat from the fire. After about 45 minutes parts of the building stared to collapse, the fire crew did all they could to contain the fire and according to some locals that the marketer spoke to, other Fire departments from another town had been called in to help. It wasn't until later on into the evening was the fire finally dealt with.

Our Most Recent Fire Damage 4/27/17

10/4/2018 (Permalink)

Fire damages are definitely catastrophic to your home or commercial building. Luckily with the tools, knowledge, and man power of our SERVPRO staff, we can take care of you with no issues. We like to put as little stress on the homeowner as possible during these difficult times. We know that it is a devastating time in the customers life, so we try to treat them like family, comfort, and console them by letting them know everything will be okay, and SERVPRO will have them back to new in a timely fashion. "Like it never even happened."

Living by that quote and treating the customers property like its our own is very important to making them feel comfortable with our expertise in the field, rather we move out all of the homes contents, or clean everything on site.  Working with sub-contractors for their clothes and textiles to get them cleaned and ready to bring back once the job is completed is something else we explain to the customer, but we also try to deal with the sub-contractor one on one to take even more stress off of the customer. Fires are very tedious and take longer than most jobs to complete since there is so much involved, but here at SERVPRO we do it professionally, and in a timely fashion.