FASTER TO ANY SIZE DISASTER

2/13/2019 (Permalink)

The first 48 hours after a fire damage can make the difference between restoring versus replacing damaged property and personal belongings. Rapid response and timely mitigation can help prevent fire damage from creating longterm problems.

We understand returning to normal is your primary concern. SERVPRO® Response Teams are trained in caring for both you and your property. By responding quickly with a full line of fire cleanup and restoration services, we can help you get your home or business back up and running quickly and help protect your property and belongings. If your home or business suffers a fire damage, contact us to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Happy New Year

1/3/2019 (Permalink)

Each new year brings the opportunity
for new beginnings! Make 2019 a
year to remember and resolve to be READY!

We want to help ensure you enjoy a safe and happy new year by helping you be prepared for anything the year may have in store.

While we only hope to see good things come
about in a new year, it is always a good idea to plan ahead for the not-so-good things—fire or water damage—that are always an unexpected
and unwelcome disaster.

Make your resolution one that helps protect you
and your business. Call your lus to learn more about how we can help you be “Ready for whatever happens” in the new year!

Are You Winter Weather Ready?

12/17/2018 (Permalink)

Are you prepared for the coming
cold weather? Cold weather
can have a huge impact on
your home or business if you are not
ready for it. From heavy rain and
freezing temperatures to damaging
winds, sleet or snow, all can cause
serious and costly property damage.
While you cannot control the weather,
you can take steps to be prepared
and help take the sting out of winter
weather.

To help prevent costly damages due to
weather, consider taking the following
precautions to protect your property
before colder weather hits:

-Check your business property
for downed tree limbs and
branches. Wind, heavy rain, ice
and snow can cause branches to
fall, which could cause damage
to the property and potentially
cause personal injuries.
-Roofs, water pipes, and gutters
should all be inspected to help
ensure they are in proper order.
Gutter downspouts should be
directed away from your building.
Clear gutters of debris that may
have gathered during the fall.
Leaves and other obstructions can
cause a damming effect, which
can lead to roof damage and
interior water problems.
-Inspect property, especially
walkways and parking lots, for
proper drainage to alleviate
a potential flood hazard.
-Inspect all handrails, stairwells and
entryways to address and correct
potential slippery or hazardous
areas. Install mats or non-slip
surfaces and post caution signs
where water could be present.
-Protect water pipes from freezing
by simply allowing water to drip
when temperatures dip below
freezing. If pipes are under a
cabinet, leave the cabinet doors
open, allowing warm inside air
to circulate around the pipes. If
the building has outdoor faucets,
consider shutting water off at the
main valve in the basement or
crawl space. Once the valve is off,
open the outdoor faucet to ensure
it drains, preventing any remaining
water from freezing in the pipe.
-Ask us about
completing an Emergency READY
Profile® (ERP) for your business.
The ERP is a no-cost assessment
of your facility and provides you
with a plan to get back in business
faster following a disaster.

When winter weather strikes, call
your local SERVPRO® Franchise
Professionals to strike back. n

FASTER TO ANY SIZE DISASTER

12/4/2018 (Permalink)

As the weather outside gets frightful and your cozy homes become warm and delightful, the holiday season’s aglow, let it snow, let it snow, let is snow. According to climate.gov, on February 12, 2010, there was snow present in all 50 states, including Hawaii! Five years later in 2015, it almost happened again, when every state but Florida experienced snow. While it is generally unlikely for certain states to encounter snow, it is still important to know how to be prepared if winter weather strikes at your home, business or while traveling.

But what happens if disaster does strike during the most wonderful time of year? Easy—Call your SERVPRO of North Morris County, even if it is the night before Christmas. We are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year, ready when you need help the most.

Extreme Heat Safety Tips to Prepare Your Home

7/23/2018 (Permalink)

-Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate if necessary.

-Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.

-Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside.

-Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.

-Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. (Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.) n Keep storm windows up all year.

EXTREME HEAT

7/14/2018 (Permalink)

As summer approaches, it is time to consider safety precautions for extreme heat in the coming months. Heat affects all people, but especially the young, elderly, sick, and overweight. Urban area residents also have a greater chance of being affected than those who live in rural areas due to the heat island effect.

According to the EPA, “the sun can heat dry, exposed urban surfaces, such as roofs and pavement, to temperatures 50–90°F hotter than the air, while shaded or moist surfaces—often in more rural surroundings—remain close to air temperatures.” These surface heat islands are strongest during the day when the sun is shining, while the atmospheric heat islands are more likely after sunset “due to the slow release of heat from urban infrastructure.”

Whether you are in an urban or rural area, there are several things you can do to prepare for and prevent extreme heat from affecting you. If possible, stay indoors in air conditioning. Be sure to check on your pets who may be outdoors or bring them inside. Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and caffeine intake.

If you must go outside, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, and be sure to apply sunscreen often. Pay attention to signs of heat exhaustion, which are heavy sweating; weakness; cold, pale, and clammy skin; nausea or vomiting; and fainting, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is life-threatening. Signs of heat stroke are a high body temperature (103°+), rapid and strong pulse, and possible unconsciousness. If you think someone has heat stroke, call 911 immediately and move the person somewhere cool. Reduce body temperature with cool, wet cloths or a bath. Do not give a person with heat stroke fluids, and treat the situation as a serious medical emergency (CDC).

If you live in a humid climate, be aware of the heat index. The heat index factors in the humidity, which can make the temperature feel 15° hotter. Extreme heat is a serious danger. For more information on preparation and prevention, visit ready.gov or cdc.gov

HOARDING: A Serious Situation

5/2/2018 (Permalink)

According to The Mayo Clinic,

“Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding disorder experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs.”

Many people with hoarding disorder do not find their habits to be a problem. Hoarded items are often things others would throw away or look at as junk or garbage such as old newspapers, junk mail or packaging.

Hoarding can lead to homes filled with extreme clutter to full capacity from years of accumulation, making living conditions unsanitary and crowded. Bugs, fleas, rats and other vermin may be present, at which point an exterminator would need to be called. At times, hoarding may spread to outside the home as well, to storage facilities, or even the garage or yard.

SERVPRO of North Morris County encounters hoarding situations several different ways. Often, we are called for a fire or water loss and find the hoarding situation when we arrive on-site. Out crew chief will communicate with the insurance company regarding their contents coverage, and after approval, contents can be packed out and possibly cleaned, dried, and stored and/or relocated to a storage facility so work on the fire or water loss can begin.

Another way SERVPRO of North Morris County encounters hoarding jobs is through calls from landlords, case workers, real estate agents, or family members, often after the death of a loved one. In these situations, the crew will see if they should look for any items of importance while they clean the job. Sometimes, family members will come and try to help the hoarder sort through their contents as well.

Each case is very different, and hoarding jobs are often sensitive situations, but SERVPRO of North Morris County professionals are here to help make it “Like it never even happened.” If you encounter a hoarding situation at one of your properties, or with your insureds, call us today.

YOU CAN BE RUINED, OR YOU CAN BE READY with the Help of Technology

2/13/2018 (Permalink)

Technology can now be a vital tool in preparing for emergencies or disasters, as well as during or after to stay informed of the situation and in communication with others. From common technology you already use on a day-to-day basis to taking a few extra steps to prepare, the following will help you be ready in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Store Information Online

There are many places to store important information securely online. Services like Google Drive and Dropbox offer free way to store different types of files, from a Word document to images of important documents. Ready.gov suggests saving an electronic version of insurance policies, identification documents, medical records, and information on your pets, if necessary.

Follow the News

Stay informed by following agencies such as FEMA, local news channels, and local government on Twitter for the most up-to-date information in a disaster situation. You can also alert first responders if a rescue is needed through Twitter.

Mark Yourself Safe

The American Red Cross offers a Safe & Well check-in site to list yourself as safe or find family and friends in situations where communication is difficult to establish. Facebook also has a feature called Safety Check that is activated after natural disasters or a crisis. You will receive a notification from Facebook if you’re located in the affected area at that time.

Get in Touch

Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in your phone and e-mail for communication with family, friends, business contacts, and others whom you may need to get in contact with before, during, or after a disaster.

Charge Up

Keep a portable charger in your car and home in case of an emergency. You may need to recharge this from time to time, but you can also buy solar-powered chargers as well.

Get an Emergency READY Profile

 SERVPRO of North Morris County is proud to offer Emergency READY Profiles (ERP) for free at ready.SERVPRO.com to help prepare you, your property, or your business for an emergency. By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your property or business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your property or business. Put help in the palm of your hand with the Ready Plan App. Get in touch with SERVPRO of North Morris County today for more information on developing an ERP for your property or business, and we will be there to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Build an Emergency Kit

2/4/2018 (Permalink)

Be prepared at your home or business with an Emergency Kit. Ready.gov suggests you have enough supplies to last for at least three days. Below are some suggested items to include in your kit: 

-3-day supply of nonperishable foods n Water (one+ gallon per person per day)

-First-aid kit

-Prescription medication

-Sleeping bag or blankets 

-Fire extinguisher

-Hygiene products

-Flashlights

-Extra batteries

-Cell phone charger

-Change of clothes

-Matches in waterproof container

-Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

-Whistle to signal for help

-Pet supplies

-Infant formula and diapers

-Important documents such as insurance policies, IDs, and bank records in a plastic container You can also keep a condensed emergency kit in your vehicle as well.

For a more extensive list, check out Ready.gov.

Carbon Monoxide: A Silent Killer

9/1/2017 (Permalink)

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels, it can kill a person in minutes. Often called the Silent Killer, carbon monoxide, or CO, is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas, created when fuels, like gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas and propane burn incompletely. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning. It is estimated another 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning.

All people and animals are at risk for CO poisoning, with some groups— including unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems— being more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide. An excess of CO, leading to CO poisoning, can result from faulty furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or idling cars left running in garages. Taking some basic, precautionary steps can help eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Protect yourself by reviewing the following tips, provided by the United States Fire Administration.

1. Have fuel-burning appliances, like oil and gas furnaces, gas or kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves inspected by a trained professional every year.
2. Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace. Never use your oven or stovetop to heat your home.
3. Make sure all fuel-burning vented equipment is vented to the outside to avoid CO poisoning. Keep the venting for exhaust clear and unblocked.
4. If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.
5. Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
6. Only use barbecue grills outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Some grills can produce CO gas. Never use grills inside the home or the garage, even if the doors are open.
7. Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the home

SERVPRO of North Morris County wishes you good health and safety

IICRC Certified Firm

5/3/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of NORTH Morris County is an IICRC firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.

• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.

• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.

• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.

• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of NORTH Morris County

SERVPRO of NORTH Morris County 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 and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your home or business