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True Professionals and Industry Standards

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

If you get sick, you go to a trained medical professional to get back to your optimal health. If something happens to your home or business, don’t leave restoration up to chance. Count on trusted, certified restoration professionals to handle any property damage, from flooding to mold to fire. Finding the right professional means finding the right help that adheres to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification standards.

What Is IICRC?

For nearly 40 decades, this nonprofit has globally become an industry leader for setting standards and certifying technicians. To achieve a mitigation certificate, technicians take specialized classes on standards and techniques and are required to pass an exam to ensure your safety. Afterward, they maintain certification through ongoing training. Areas of certification include:

Cleaning – Subspecialties include carpeting, flooring, leather cleaning, masonry, upholstery, rugs, and general cleaning. This includes the appropriate cleaners, dwelling times, and specialized methods per standards regulations.

Inspection – Technicians are trained to inspect all types of flooring, including wood, marble, laminate, tiles, carpet, and stone.

Restoration – This training focuses on techniques for microbial remediation, structural drying, fire and smoke damage, odor, water damage, commercial drying, and health and safety.

Why Training Matters

The lingering effects of water, smoke, and fire damage can cause further problems and create unpleasant environments. When a storm happens or a fire breaks out, you want to fix it and forget it. SERVPRO® prides itself on having IICRC certified professionals, as well as provides its own training to ensure every franchise has professionals to handle any disaster. Along with learning the best techniques, they are also trained on using innovative equipment to ensure that mold, smoke, water, or other damage is eradicated. Our ongoing franchise training means that no matter what you are facing, we can make it “Like it never even happened.”

While some situations may seem like they can be taken care of on their own, some damage to a property can remain hidden and untouched if not addressed properly can lead to serious conditions. Instead of hoping for the best, get the best to ensure your property is back in pristine condition without any worry.

5 Tips For After a Toilet Overflows

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

If you’ve had issues with a toilet overflow you may have issues with sewer damage in your Raytown, MO, home. This can be a especially tricky to clean up as sewer waterfalls into the black water category and can require special equipment to ensure it is properly decontaminated and not effecting your property or the individuals within. If you’re experiencing this problem here’s what you should do.

1. Call a Professional

One of the first things that should be done if you have a sewage problem in your home is to contact a local water damage restoration service to assess the damage and begin cleanup and repairs. These professionals can locate the source of the problem which may help determine if the sewage company needs to be contacted as well. As they also have the proper equipment to handle these situations. 

2. Wear Proper Safety Gear

It's important to wear proper safety gear any time you are dealing with sewage material to avoid the spread of contaminated material. This includes gloves, coveralls, boots, and masks. This is import to avoid the possibility of contracting any airborne infections or illness. 

3. Remove the Water

Once the professionals have arrived and safety gear is in place the professionals can begin the sewer damage restoration. One of the first steps you may see performed is the removal of any floodwater and sewage materials.

4. Dry the Area

Once the water is removed it’s important to thoroughly dry the area. A dehumidifier may be used during this step to begin this process.

5. Decontaminate the Area

After cleaning up a flooded toilet, it’s important to decontaminate the area to ensure that no bacteria remains. This is done to help ensure that the area is safe for use. The professionals overseeing your sewer cleanup may use special cleaners for this job.

When dealing with sewer damage it’s important to contact a professional as quickly as possible. They will have the correct equipment to perform the job safely and can remove the water without causing further contamination to your home. These professionals will also be able to dry and decontaminate the space.

It is important when dealing with a flooded toilet to have a professional examine, clean, and return your property to "Like it Never Even Happened". 

What Happens to My Belongs After a Loss?

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

Water and fire damage affect not only the structure of your house but also your belongings. SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City understands that your home is more than a structure. Your furniture, clothing, keepsakes, and other belongings are important to you. Your belongings are important to us, which is why we provide the following to help restore and protect your belongings while we are restoring your home.

Move-Outs/Pack-Outs

If your home requires extensive restoration or cleaning, SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City can conduct an organized, efficient move-out of the affected area. A move-out will provide several benefits, including the following:

  • A quicker remodeling process
  • Protecting items from potential damage
  • Protecting contents from further on-site damage

When restoration is completed, we will work with you to coordinate the move-in according to your needs. The services offered upon move-in may depend on your insurance coverage.

Also, after a fire your belongs may have soot particals and after being moved-out we may be able to restore your belongings, depending on the severity. 

On-Site Storage

We have in-house storage where we can keep your belongings safe from further damage and can provide cleaning and restoration services for your belongings. We have four warehouses dedicated to storage where we can keep your items safe and secure. Your items will be placed in clearly identified and secured containers. Each contains a special barcode and tag to ensure your belongings are all stored properly. You can rest assured that your items are being taken care of.

Contents Claim Inventory Service

When an emergency strikes, the damage can often feel overwhelming. We can help ease the worry and confusion during the recovery process by offering our Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS), which provides a detailed and accurate list of your belongings. We take a room-by-room inventory of your contents, including digital photos, and in some instances, barcoding.

Our Contents Claim Inventory Service:

  • Pre-loss list and value of contents
  • A detailed and accurate report
  • Better information to settle claims quicker
  • Assistance with the burden of proof for claims

If your home and belongings need restoration services, rest assured that SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City has you covered. We can pack out, store and restore your belongings. Give us a call today at 816-737-8776. 

Fire Extinguishers Best For You

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

Small incidental fires can begin at home for several reasons; a cigarette, a grease fire on the stovetop, a lit candle, or space heater left unattended. A small home fire can often be put out with a fire extinguisher, rather than calling the fire department. That, of course, depends on the size of the fire and the type of extinguisher you have. Ensuring you have the proper one for your property is necessary to ensure handling of a fire.

Get the Right Extinguisher

Part of fire preparedness is knowing which kind of fire extinguisher is best for certain fires. Understanding the difference is of great importance, as some can do more harm than good. The following list explains the difference.

Type A – Suitable for everyday combustibles such as paper, fabric, and wood

Type B – Works best for fuels like gasoline, butane, and cooking oils

Type C – A most appropriate choice for electrical fires

Additional Information

Not only do extinguishers have different types, but they have other variations besides. Type A and B have a number before the letter to designate their effectiveness. A 4-A works better on a paper fire than a 2-A. If the unit has a C but no number ahead of it, it means it will not conduct electricity. This is important to note for different environments and places within a property. 

Which Extinguisher is Best?

The kind you decide to keep in your home depends on where you intend to keep it. You may decide you need more than one at hand for the greatest safety. For instance, you would do well to keep a type B in the kitchen where you are most likely to experience a grease fire. You might want to keep a type C near the breaker box and a type A near a bedroom, library, or craft room.

In the event, a larger blaze breaks out and you require more than a fire extinguisher, call 911 immediately. Then get help to assess the fire damage and manage fire cleanup, call the fire and water restoration service in Raytown, MO for help. They can handle the fire damage cleanup and help get things back to normal. Preparation can help you avoid a disaster, however, so keep a couple of extinguishers at hands and ensure you have the proper one(s) for your property! 

5 Places Where Mold Might Be Hiding

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

While you can call a remediation company, SERVPRO® if you suspect a mold problem in your home, a team of professionals is not always immediately necessary. There are varying degrees of mold growth, from itemized occurrences to full-scale infestations. The best way to understand your current mold problem is to inspect your home and know the top five places where mold might be present.

  1. Behind walls
  2. Under flooring
  3. HVAC systems
  4. Beneath Sinks
  5. Mechanical Closet

Behind Walls

Mold exists in dark, damp spaces. Wall cavities provide an exceptional environment for spores to grow. While you might not expect a significant impact when you come across a small area of moldy drywall, know that when mold is present on the surface of a wall, it is likely well-developed behind the wall as well.

Under Flooring

Similar to moldy walls, mold on wood floors typically suggests a more substantial issue beneath the floorboards. However, that doesn't only go for wood floors. Some flooring types exacerbate the problem because there are limited visual clues or visibility. For example, linoleum flooring is nonporous, which means that mold cannot penetrate through to the surface.

HVAC Systems

Unfortunately, when mold growth occurs anywhere in the house, your HVAC system may have been infiltrated as well. Look for signs of discoloration of vent covers and a musty odor coming through as well. 

Beneath Sinks

Another common space for mold to develop is underneath a sink. While this area is not as hidden as some, homeowners typically store cleaners and supplies under sinks, making it difficult to discern whether there are minor leaks that could create an environment for spores to settle and multiply. Often times it is assumed it was a spill of another liquids.

Mechanical Closet

Last, similar to cabinets under sinks, a home's mechanical closet - the area where the water heater is found - is also a prime location for mold development. These spaces are often humid and dark, and because they are not checked on regularly, leaks can occur, leading to the growth and reproduction of spores.

No homeowner wants mold growth developing in their home.  Check these area periodically to ensure that there are no spores lurking. If you note any spores of mold contact a professional for a more thorough examination to ensure you and your home's safety.

Gain Restoration Peace of Mind with a Certified Team

2/9/2023 (Permalink)

Call us today for a professional, certified team.

If you get sick, you go to a trained medical professional to back to optimal health. If something happens to your home or business, don’t leave restoration up to chance. Count on trusted, certified restoration experts to handle any property damage, from flooding to mold to fire. Finding the right help means finding the right help that adheres to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification standards.

What Is IICRC?

For nearly 40 decades, this nonprofit has globally become an industry leader for setting standards and certifying technicians. To achieve a mitigation certificate, technicians take specialized classes on standards and techniques and are required to pass an exam. Afterward, they maintain certification through ongoing training. Areas of certification include:

Cleaning – Subspecialties include carpeting, flooring, leather cleaning, masonry, upholstery, rugs, and general cleaning.

Inspection – Technicians are trained to inspect all types of flooring, including wood, marble, laminate, tiles, carpet, and stone.

Restoration – This training focuses on techniques for microbial remediation, structural drying, fire and smoke damage, odor, water damage, commercial drying, and health and safety.

Why Training Matters

The lingering effects of water, smoke, and fire damage can cause further problems and create unpleasant environments. When a storm happens or a fire breaks out, you want to fix it and forget it. SERVPRO prides itself on having IICRC certified professionals, as well as provides its own training to ensure every franchise has experts to handle any disaster. Along with learning the best techniques, they are also trained on using innovative equipment to ensure that mold, smoke, water, or other damage is eradicated. Our ongoing franchise training means that no matter what you are facing, we can make it “Like it never even happened.”

While some situations may seem like they can be taken care of on their own, some damage to a property can remain hidden. Instead of hoping for the best, get the best to get your property back into pristine condition without any worry.

What Happens to Your Belongings After a Disaster

2/9/2023 (Permalink)

Your contents may be cleaned throughly with our Fireline System.

Water and fire damage affect not only the structure of your house but also your belongings. SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City understands that your home is more than a structure. Your furniture, clothing, keepsakes, and other belongings are important to you. Your belongings are important to us, which is why we provide the following to help restore and protect your belongings while we are restoring your home.

Move-Outs/Pack-Outs

If your home requires extensive restoration or cleaning, SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City can conduct an organized, efficient move-out of the affected area. A move-out will provide several benefits, including the following:

  • A quicker remodeling process
  • Protecting items from potential damage
  • Protecting contents from further on-site damage

When restoration is completed, we will work with you to coordinate the move-in according to your needs. The services offered upon move-in may depend on your insurance coverage.

On-Site Storage

We have in-house storage where we can keep your belongings safe from further damage and can provide cleaning and restoration services for your belongings. We have four warehouses dedicated to storage where we can keep your items safe and secure. Your items will be placed in clearly identified and secured containers. You can rest assured that your items are being taken care of.

Contents Claim Inventory Service

When an emergency strikes, the damage can often feel overwhelming. We can help ease the worry and confusion during the recovery process by offering our Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS), which provides a detailed and accurate list of your belongings. We take a room-by-room inventory of your contents, including digital photos, and in some instances, barcoding.

Our Contents Claim Inventory Service:

  • Pre-loss list and value of contents
  • A detailed and accurate report
  • Better information to settle claims quicker
  • Assistance with the burden of proof for claims

If your home and belongings need restoration services, rest assured that SERVPRO of Raytown/East Kansas City has you covered. We can pack out, store and restore your belongings. Give us a call today at 816-737-8776. 

5 Tips to take after a Toilet Overflow

2/9/2023 (Permalink)

Water can saturate an entire room after a toilet overflows.

If you’ve had issues with a toilet overflow you may have issues with sewer damage in your Raytown, MO, home. This can be a tricky mess to clean up as sewer waterfalls into the black water category and can require special equipment to ensure it is properly decontaminated. If you’re experiencing this problem here’s what you should do.

1. Call a Professional

One of the first things that should be done if you have a sewage problem in your home is to contact a local water damage restoration service to assess the damage and begin cleanup and repairs. These professionals can locate the source of the problem which may help determine if the sewage company needs to be contacted as well

2. Wear Proper Safety Gear

It's important to wear proper safety gear any time you are dealing with sewage material to avoid the spread of contaminated material. This includes gloves, coveralls, boots, and masks.

3. Remove the Water

Once the professionals have arrived and safety gear is in place the professionals can begin the sewer damage restoration. One of the first steps you may see performed is the removal of any floodwater and sewage materials.

4. Dry the Area

Once the water is removed it’s important to thoroughly dry the area. A dehumidifier may be used during this step.

5. Decontaminate the Area

After cleaning up a flooded toilet, it’s important to decontaminate the area to ensure that no bacteria remain. This is done to help ensure that the area is safe for use. The professionals overseeing your sewer cleanup may use special cleaners for this job.

When dealing with sewer damage it’s important to contact a professional as quickly as possible. They will have the correct equipment to perform the job safely and can remove the water without causing further contamination to your home. These professionals will also be able to dry and decontaminate the space.

Buying the Right Fire Extinguisher for Your Home

2/9/2023 (Permalink)

Protect your home today!

Buying a fire extinguisher for your home in Kansas City, MO can be confusing. There are so many options available that it’s hard to know which will work best for your family. The two main items to consider include the classification and the size of the unit.

Classification of Extinguishers

Household extinguishers are available in three classifications, or some combination of these, as identified on the label. The classification indicates which type of fire can be extinguished.

A - This class identifies ordinary combustibles like cloth, wood, or paper.

B - Flammable liquids like cooking oil, gasoline, and grease are identified in this classification.

C - Live electricity is handled most effectively with this class of extinguisher.

Many household fire extinguishers are classified with all three designations (A:B: C), which means that they can combat all three types of fires. Most units also include an identifying number directly preceding the letters. The higher the number, the more effective it will be to combat each type of home fire.

Sizes of Extinguishers

There are several sizes of extinguishers. The larger the unit, the more powerful it is. If it’s too heavy to handle, however, it won’t be of much use.

10 pound - This size is most suitable for a home workshop or garage. A rechargeable unit with a hose will make it more user-friendly.

5 pound - This unit can be stored easily under the kitchen sink or in the laundry room. The rechargeable model is the smartest option.

2 pound - This small extinguisher will fit nicely inside your car. The disposable unit comes equipped with a mount so that it will stay firmly in place inside your trunk.

Stovetop - This option can be mounted on your stove range’s hood. Just remember not to place it over a deep fryer.

No matter which unit you choose, it is important to include fire extinguisher training as part of your family’s fire preparedness.

Safe Clean Up Of Water Leaking Into Light Fixtures

12/22/2022 (Permalink)

It is not uncommon to find water in light fixtures, or even ceiling damage following a winter with a heavy snow load, or a series of rainstorms. This damage may not always be a major problem, but could definitely develop into such if allowed to continue.

Leaks of this nature may come from a leaking flange around a chimney or vent on the roof that has developed a gap, infiltration by birds or squirrels, or an aging roof. It may also come from an overhead pipe that is leaking due to settling, loosening of joints, or freezing temperatures. Finding and repairing the point where water is getting in is important and should be given priority attention.

How To Handle Cleanup

In order to prevent worsening damage from the water leaking through the roof, immediate cleanup needs to take place.

The attic space should be inspected to see if the insulation has become saturated. Not only can that put an excess load on the ceiling, but it can also develop mold if left alone. It may need to be removed and replaced.

If the leak is from a pipe running above the ceiling, shut the water off as soon as possible to stop the leaking.

If you find water in light fixtures, shut off the electricity to all affected fixtures before attempting to inspect or replace it, and do not turn the electricity back on until certain all water has stopped leaking.

Get Professional Help

Call a water damage cleanup specialist to evaluate any ceiling damage and make a plan for repair. They can determine which materials need to be replaced, ensure that any mold is cleaned and removed, and restore your home to a safe condition.

If you do find water in light fixtures in your home, take it as a severe hint that some repair and cleanup are needed. This will help prevent a worse scenario and help you get your home restored to a safer and healthier condition.