Recent Posts

Duct Cleaning

9/14/2023 (Permalink)

Dirty Air Ducts When was the last time you had your ductwork cleaned?

While most people know the SERVPRO brand for water and fire damage restoration, we also provide other crucial services to homes and businesses. One such service is duct cleaning.

 Air ducts perform the essential functions of moving the air around your building, providing hot or cold air depending on the season, and helping to maintain proper air quality and circulation. Like everything else in your home or business, it requires regular maintenance and cleaning to perform at its best. Over time, ducts can be filled with dust and dirt particles, or even mold spores and other harmful contaminants. While your HVAC’s air filters are meant to help remove these things from the air, they don’t always get all of it, and a build-up can occur in the ducts. This buildup can limit airflow and ultimately affect your HVAC system’s efficiency. Not only will this increase your energy costs, but it can also make it harder to maintain a comfortable environment for your staff and customers. Not only are you losing efficiency and air quality by neglecting your air ducts, but if left long enough this dust buildup can become a huge fire hazard.

Air duct cleaning should be done roughly every three to five years, or more depending on the building and what it’s used for. If your business needs a duct cleaning give us a call or fill out our form online and let us know how we can help!

Emergency Tips

9/13/2023 (Permalink)

Water Extractor Do you know where your water shut-offs are located?

No matter the size, water damage has the potential to cause some pretty big issues structurally to your home or business. You must work quickly to make sure that the damage does not continue to worsen because as long as the moisture is present damage can continue to occur. While we will always recommend using a professional water damage restoration company to help ensure that your property is thoroughly dry and there’s no lingering moisture hidden in the structural materials there are a few things that you can do to help mitigate any more damage from occurring before we arrive on scene:

  • Shut off the source – If the source is a leaky pipe or appliance, you’ll need to shut off the water supply to that leak, if you don’t know how to shut the water off in your home you should learn as soon as possible as you never know when you may need to.
  • Electricity – If accessible without going through the water, shut off the electricity to the affected area as soon as possible. Water conducts electricity very well and this poses a serious safety risk. Not only that but an electrical hazard is also a big fire hazard and the last thing you need is another form of damage to be added on top of the water damage. If you can’t shut off the electricity from the breaker safely you may need to leave and shut it off from the outside so that you’ll be able to move about the area without worrying about getting shocked.
    • Additionally, you should never try and turn on any lights if the ceiling is wet.
  • Excess water – Use mops, towels, etc. to soak up as much water as possible. Water damage increases by the minute. The more water you can soak up while waiting for us to arrive the less damage is likely to occur and it will allow us to start drying out your property faster.

Winter Storm Damage

9/11/2023 (Permalink)

Snow on windshield Winter will be here before you know it!

Storms of any kind can cause all sorts of damage to our homes and businesses. Winter storms however can be some of the worst. These storms carry the same high wind and water damage risks as other storms, with the addition of heavy snow and ice that can cover trees, powerlines, and roads making things slippery and even more dangerous. We wanted to highlight a few potential storm damages that you should watch out for this winter.

Fallen Trees and Branches:

When the temperatures plummet below freezing, ice and snow can accumulate on tree branches. Water is very heavy, and this added weight can cause branches or even entire trees to fall over. Besides the obvious dangers of things falling from above, these branches and trees can take out powerlines causing a loss of electricity during a time when heating your home is crucial, as well as falling on your home and damaging your roof and other parts of your house.

Frozen Pipes:

Colder temperatures outside mean that the places in your home that are not directly heated (the parts of your house that your pipes are in) can reach sub-freezing temperatures. During these periods it is especially important to take care of and inspect your water pipes as the potential for pipes to crack is much higher. When water freezes it expands as it turns into ice, if the water in your pipes does this it can cause them to crack under the added pressure of expansion and flood your home.

Roof collapse:

Roofs are meant to withstand a lot, after all, they protect your home from the elements, but that doesn’t mean that they are impervious to damage. As mentioned above, snow and ice are heavy and a large build-up of either can put enough stress on your roof to cause it to collapse. This is why it’s important to make sure that your gutters are cleaned during the winter months, in order for snow and ice melt to drain off properly and not collect in ice dams.

You can never really be too prepared for emergency scenarios and disasters, but sometimes there’s nothing you can do to prevent storm damage from occurring to your home. Should you be on the receiving end of a winter storm this year and find that you need emergency cleanup and restoration services give your local SERVPRO a call, We’re here to help 24/7, 365 days a year.

Pests and water Damage

9/5/2023 (Permalink)

Water Damage from Pest Some little critter was living in the drain!

It should come as no surprise that water is one of the biggest causes of costly damage to homes. From heavy rainfall due to storms to sewage backups, and appliance leaks there’s no shortage of potential water damage dangers. One potential way your house might get water damaged that is not often thought about is from pests.

Animals like rodents and raccoons often seek shelter in openings in people’s homes and get into areas they should not be in like your attic or in the walls. On top of the obvious damage they can cause from chewing on your home's structure and leaving waste behind, these pesky animals also love to chew on plastic pipes. These animals include:

  • Squirrels
  • Raccoons and opossums
  • Mice and rats
  • And any other animals that can fit into the small openings in your home

When these animals decide to eat away at your pipes it can cause some serious leaks in your home, and if not caught early enough, thousands of dollars in damage.

The best way to prevent this is with regular inspection and maintenance of your home. Check to make sure that there are no exposed openings to your home from the outside like holes around vents, your crawlspace, or in your roof. Typically, these are the areas where you will likely see animals trying to get in. You should also regularly inspect all of your visible pipes in your home for leaks. While they may start out small and unnoticeable, even just a small amount of water can slowly become a big problem.

If you notice water damage during your regular home inspections, call us at SERVPRO of Chesterfield. Our team is constantly working to help ensure that they are using the best techniques and equipment available to make your water loss, “Like it never even happened.”

Why SERVPRO - SERVPROXIDE

9/13/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know that when you call SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico to clean your home or business that we use our own in-house formulated surface cleaning agent? That’s right, we’ve developed a non-bleach disinfectant that can treat any surface hard and soft. SERVPROXIDE is our answer to all of your disinfecting needs.

SERVPROXIDE is 100% biodegradable and food safe. You don’t need gloves to clean with it, it can be used around kids and pets, and sanitizes non-porous surfaces in 60 seconds.

We offer 99.999% sanitation of food contact surfaces so that you can use it in your restaurant or any other place of business as well.

Our SERVPRO team prides ourselves on using high-standard disinfecting tools to ensure our customers that we mean clean.

Hurricane Prep Guide

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

Getting prepared for a hurricane in Richmond is not only about buying lots of water or filling up the gas tank.  There are steps needed to help protect you and your family if your home is threatened by a hurricane.

Stock Emergency Supplies

  1. Water & food, at least a 3-day supply for you and your pet
  2. Tools like flashlights, extra batteries, a wrench, plastic sheeting & duct tape, trash bags
  3. Medical hygiene and cleaning supplies like a first-aid kit, necessary medications, glasses, contact lenses, moist towelettes, toothpaste, and personal hygiene products
  4. Personal Items, like a sleeping bag for each person and a change of clothing
  5. Activities like books, games, playing cards, paper, pencils, and pens
  6. Radio for NOAA weather radio with tone alert and extra batteries
  7. Other Items like a whistle to signal for help

Prepare and Protect Your Property

  1. Do a Home inventory of the contents of closets, drawers, and cabinets. Store your home inventory lists, photographs, and videos in a waterproof place off the premises.  Keep receipts of high-valued items, which may separate insurance coverage.  Always update your home inventory after making large purchases.

Review Your Insurance Policies

  1. Is everything up to date? If you’ve done any major renovation or made a major purchase, make sure your insurance agent is aware to help determine if your current limits are enough to cover the value.
  2. Coverage for additional living expenses in case you can’t live in your home until it has been restored from damages.
  3. What about flood damage? Do you have coverage?
  4. Do you have comprehensive coverage on your car insurance policy? What happens if a tree falls on it, or water, wind, or flying debris damages your car?

Plan Your Evacuation

  1. Become familiar with alternate routes in case travel becomes treacherous or traffic-congested.
  2. If you don’t have a car, plan how you will leave if you need to evacuate; make plans with family, friends, or your local government or aid agencies.
  3. Plan what you will do with your pets, leave them with family, take them with you, or to a kennel.
  4. Keep a road map in your car in case you need another route on unfamiliar roads.
  5. Prepare a bag or file with important papers, like your homeowner’s insurance policy, medical documents, and id cards, and keep it with you.

If you have suffered water damage after a storm, SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico is prepared to assist you after the storm to clean up the mess and help restore your home to its pre-storm condition.

How Many Fire Detectors Do You Need?

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

When it comes to smoke alarms, many homeowners do not realize that most homes require more than just a couple of alarms in order to properly give a warning in an emergency scenario. Here are a few things to keep in mind when figuring out how many smoke alarms your home will need.

The safest smoke alarms are ones that are hardwired and interconnected. This means that when one alarm goes off, they all go off. This is important because you may not hear an alarm go off in a different area of your house if you are too far away or behind closed doors. If your home has interconnected smoke alarms, you can still add battery-powered stand-alone alarms as well for additional safety.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, your home should have at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home including the basement. Additionally, there should be one in every bedroom and outside of every sleeping area. For example, a two-story home, with two bedrooms and a basement should have a minimum of five smoke alarms. One on each floor, and one in each bedroom. Another thing to consider is their placement, for example, if your smoke alarm is in your kitchen, you should place it at least ten feet from the cooking appliances like the stove and oven to help mitigate false alarms. You can also use a photoelectric type of alarm in your kitchen to further mitigate the chance of false alarms.

Smoke alarms don’t prevent fires, but they are the first line of defense for your family in an emergency. Properly functioning fire alarms are a crucial part of your home safety. You should check them once a month to ensure proper function and replace the batteries twice a year, usually, people use switching the clocks for daylight savings time as a reminder of when to change the batteries. Additionally, smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years.

While we hope you won’t ever have to call us, if you should find yourself in need of a professional fire restoration company SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico is here to help. With over 35 years of experience in the restoration industry, our teams are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to help make your fire loss “Like it never even happened.”

Why Your Building Needs Duct Cleaning

8/24/2022 (Permalink)

While most people know the SERVPRO brand for our water and fire damage restoration services, we also provide other crucial services to homes and businesses. One of such services is duct cleaning.

Air ducts perform the essential functions of moving the air around your building, providing hot or cold air depending on the season, and helping to maintain proper air quality and circulation. Like everything else in your home or business, it requires regular maintenance and cleaning to perform at its best. Over time, ducts can be filled with dust and dirt particles, or even mold spores, and other harmful contaminants. While your HVAC’s air filters are meant to help remove these things from the air, they don’t always get all of it, and a build-up can occur in the ducts. This buildup can limit airflow and ultimately affect your HVAC system’s efficiency. Not only will this increase your energy costs, but it can also make it harder to maintain a comfortable environment for your staff and customers. Not only are you losing efficiency and air quality by neglecting your air ducts, but if left long enough this dust buildup can become a huge fire hazard.

Air duct cleaning should be done roughly every three to five years, or more depending on the building and what it’s used for. If your business needs a duct cleaning give us a call or fill out our form online and let us know how we can help!

Warehouse Disasters

8/16/2022 (Permalink)

Warehouses are a crucial part of many businesses. From holding raw materials for production, spaces for equipment, and even offices, losing the use of a warehouse can lead to business interruptions that would be detrimental to any company.

Unfortunately, warehouses are not immune to the dangers of fire and water damage. Busted pipes can cause huge amounts of damage to inventory and fires can wreak havoc on a production space. Fortunately, our team here at SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico is experienced in handling losses of all sizes. Whether it’s a small storage space or a 50,000 square foot production facility we’re here to help. With a network of over two thousand franchises across the country, we have the resources to tackle any emergencies that may happen. If possible, we can work with you to build a containment area for the loss to help prevent any business interruptions and we also are able to perform contents restoration in some instances helping you to lower your inventory loss and ultimately the overall costs of getting your business back to preloss conditions.

When your business experiences water or fire damage at your warehouse, you’ll need a professional restoration company that can work with your needs and understands what it takes to get the job done efficiently and effectively. That’s why our team is constantly training in the latest technology and techniques to help ensure that we can make your warehouse loss “Like it never even happened.”

Things to Know about Fire Spinklers

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

Selecting the best fire sprinkler system for your commercial building can be a tough decision. There are many different options, all with their own pros and cons, and each with specific applications in mind. Here are a few things that you should consider when choosing your fire sprinkler system.

  • Different Suppressors – The typical sprinkler system uses water to put out fires, but there are other kinds as well. If your building has a lot of machinery or electronics that can be damaged by water, there are also chemical suppressants, and even systems that use inert gasses to smother the fire that won’t damage electronics.
  • The Amount of Suppressant – Different systems will use different amounts of suppressant. Depending on your building's size and use, this is something else that you should consider.
  • Trigger Types – This is the part of the sprinkler that will cause it to activate and there are a few different types. Some are electronic sensors that are connected to the system and will trigger when they detect the presence of smoke, and others involve components that will break or burst at a certain temperature.
  • Location – Deciding where to place your sprinklers is another important factor in your sprinkler installation. For this, it’s best left to a professional to walk your building with you and point out the key areas where they should go.
  • Cleanup – One final thing that you should consider is the cleanup process. Because different systems use different means to smother the fire, the means by which you’ll need to clean up afterward will be different. In most cases, you’ll need the services of a professional company to properly clean up after the system is set off.

Choosing the right sprinkler system for your building is a crucial part of making sure you minimize the risks of fires for your business. While sprinklers do not stop fires from happening, a properly functioning fire suppression system could be the difference between a small business interruption, and a total loss of property. If your business has experienced a fire, our team here at SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico is available 24/7, 365 days a year for emergency services. Give us a call and let us know how we can help you get your business back to “Like it never even happened.”