Needed Pottsville Fire Damage Restoration

4/3/2023 (Permalink)

When fire damages your Pottsville home, SERVPRO is Here to Help. Call us today!

Pottsville Fire Damage Cleanup Must Happen Quickly

There is a finite timeline to address pressing safety and structural concerns after a devastating fire impacts homes and businesses. As rapidly as effects can spread in the structure, it is essential to have experienced and knowledgeable restoration professionals on the other end of the line when you call about a disaster impacting your property. Our dedicated response team is ready to help 24/7 when you call.

The Importance of Job Scoping

Few instances of fire damage in Pottsville homes do not occur without the possibility of many dangerous circumstances. Emergency services conducted by our rapid response team help mitigate some of this loss, but it is the job scoping that truly defines the needs of the house after fire loss effects. Professionals inspecting the property can determine affected contents, needed areas for cleaning, controlled demolition requirements, and potential safety hazards.

Eliminating Early Safety Concerns

Safety is of critical importance to the fire restoration process. Not only are we focused on keeping our responding technicians from harm, but we must also consider the impact fire damage effects have on the house's occupants. There are multiple priorities for lessening pressing safety concerns upon our arrival. These include:

• Airborne Threats - Aerosolized solids and soot particles create a dangerous environment for those directly exposed. Responding team members often require a self-contained breathing apparatus or respirators to navigate the early stages of air filtration.
• Structural Concerns - Damaged materials are also a pressing concern that our technicians must assess and overcome. A weakened structure can collapse or fail to support the weight of bulkier contents.
• Debris and Ash - Fire debris removal is among our professionals' first steps during this mitigation stage. This effort directly impacts several related fire damage effects your property might experience. Less buildup, ash, and blistered materials mean fewer soot residues and smoke odors in later restoration stages.

Content Cleaning and Recovery

Personal belongings must also be part of the early restoration solutions SERVPRO professionals provide. Assessing the condition of these contents shows where on-site cleaning is needed and where relocation services would suffice. If substantial fire damage has occurred, we have off-site recovery solutions available at our SERVPRO facility.

Soot Removal

Removing soot is one of the more significant undertakings of a fire restoration process. We have potent cleaning products capable of dissolving, emulsifying, and lifting stubborn wet and dry smoke soils and solids deposited on hosting surfaces throughout the structure.

Are Odors Addressed During Fire Damage Restoration?

Restoration requires a permanent solution for addressing smoke malodors. Equipment like thermal foggers and hydroxyl machines overcome open-air offensive odors, and we must also neutralize trapped smells in porous building materials like drywall and carpeting.

Large Loss Cleanup

Pottsville and Schuylkill County are home to thousands of businesses, so you need a large loss capable restoration service when disasters strike these facilities. As you might expect, the needs of businesses differ from the priorities of residential restoration, and our recovery FSRT-Certified professionals can help with:

• Wares/inventory cataloging and relocation
• Content claims services
• Rapid odor and soot residue removal
• Repairs and reconstruction

Needed Repairs After Fire Damage

Many fires compromise structures, requiring controlled demolition and later reconstruction of these discarded materials. With a general contractor license and years of experience in this niche, we can carefully inspect the integrity of exposed elements and perform necessary build-back services.

Fire damage to Pottsville homes creates a volatile environment for occupants to endure. We understand the urgency of these emergencies and can respond with needed solutions and recovery strategies ranging from mitigation to post-restoration repairs. Give our SERVPRO of Pottsville team a call now at (570) 622-8991.

Pottsville Property Owners Choose Us for Fire Damage Restoration

3/7/2023 (Permalink)

For any type of fire damage in your property you can count on SERVPRO to help.

Fire Damaged Houses Require Repairs & Restoration

Because a fire can happen in any room within a house, you need a company that can perform all types of fire damage restoration and repairs. SERVPRO has the highly-qualified technicians that such disasters in Pottsville require.

Minimizing the costs of recovering after a disaster requiring fire damage restoration of your Pottsville residence can create additional stress. SERVPRO understands that keeping costs as low as possible helps families put a fire's trauma behind them, and we know how to guide you through the steps to accomplish this.

Part of controlling restoration costs involves keeping restoration and repair efforts a larger percentage than replacement efforts. While this may take longer, this is not always the case. Finding replacement materials, goods, and products might take more time than expected. Here are some items that we can usually restore or repair:

• Kitchen cookware
• Un-charred furniture
• Polished surfaces

For kitchen cookware, excluding melted and warped plastic items, we can use our ultrasonic unit to remove foreign material adhered to the surface. Bakeware and stovetop cookware often look ruined after a kitchen fire, but we can restore these items for you.

Furniture can look like a total loss when covered in soot and ashes. We use specialized agents to strip soot away from hard surfaces, then follow up with conditioning polishes that protect the wood and make the metal shine. Soot can work its way through the fibers of cushion covers and embed itself into the foam. We vacuum these and also perform focused deodorization on them.

Items with smooth surfaces (mirrors, the glass in your oven door, metal doorknobs, and ceramic memorabilia can lose their shininess from prolonged contact with the sharp edges of soot particles. We make such cleaning a priority when restoring a fire-damaged home.

When a disaster happens to your home, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991. We are always here, ready to make everything "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Performs Fire Restoration in Pottsville Efficiently

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is prepared with restoration equipment and experienced technicians.

Fire Restoration in Pottsville Homes Demands Expertise

A fire can leave you feeling devastated. Fire damage can continue for a while after firefighters extinguish the fire. Fortunately, SERVPRO can meet you where you are and provide transparent fire damage repair services.

It is vital to avoid delaying the fire restoration process in your Pottsville residence. You can trust us to act quickly to meet your fire restoration needs. We can handle your belongings carefully, listen to your concerns and restore your property safely. Our fire repair services include: 

• Fire damage assessment
• Contents cleaning and pack-outs
• Odor removal 
• Reconstruction

Fire Damage Assessment

A fire can damage the interior walls and framing of your house. It is necessary to replace warped or melted drywall. Damage may also be present underneath walls without apparent harm. Our SERVPRO team may open holes in some walls to look for destruction to the framing, mold infestation, or other hidden damage. 

Pipes can also get backed up after you shut off water to your residence. Heat conduction might have weakened connection and solder points. Heating and air ducts may be ruined or might have ash and soot that can circulate through the building. We can thoroughly assess the damage to create a proper restoration plan. 

Contents Cleaning and Pack-Outs

We can clean salvageable contents on-site or offsite. When we choose to pack out items, we inventory, clean, and deodorize them. We can then deliver them back to your home after the restoration process. 

Odor Removal

Your home’s structural elements can soak up smoke odors because a fire’s heat causes pores in drywall to open and fill with smoke. The smoke gets trapped in the drywall as the home cools. SERVPRO can use unique deodorizing products and equipment to remove smoke odors. We can use air filtration devices with charcoal and HEPA filters to remove airborne particles and smells from the air to enhance indoor air quality. We can also use hydroxyl machines to eliminate odors. 

Reconstruction

Fire can cause structural damage that restorers have to address. Our SERVPRO team can provide the necessary repairs and rebuilds. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville has well-trained technicians who can restore your fire-damaged property. Contact us for help at (570) 622-8991. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

Don’t Settle For Anything Less Than The Experts At SERVPRO for Fire Damage Remediation in Orwigsburg

8/4/2022 (Permalink)

When fire damage occurs in your home, turn to our trained technicians to remediate. We make it 'Like it never even happened.'

Fire Damage Experts In Orwigsburg Talk About The Role Of Fire And Smoke Restoration Technicians

It does not happen very frequently, but it is possible that a fire can ignite inside your Orwigsburg home. Once something burns on your property, the flames, heat, and smoke coming from the blaze can cause your house to suffer from extensive fire damage. Flames from the burn can engulf several of your contents and building materials, using them as fuel. The blaze can fully combust some items, but often there will be partially consumed particles that get released into the environment in the form of smoke. Once something burns on your property, it is wise to call a professional fire damage restoration company such as SERVPRO.

Our team of experts can arrive promptly to assess the situation. Our fire and smoke restoration technicians or FSTs at SERVPRO know the best methods to mitigate fire damage in Orwigsburg. We know that restoring items is much cheaper for you and your insurance company than having to remove and replace them. Because of this, we try to do whatever we can to bring your contents and building materials back to their pre-damaged state, "Like it never even happened." Our FST can accomplish such a task by utilizing several specialized soot removal and refinishing techniques.

The first thing our FST concentrates on when arriving at your residence is to assess the situation and determine what got damaged and what did not. All of our FSTs at SERVPRO are certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification program. And, we have experience in handling various types of situations related to fires. We use our training and experience to figure out the extent of the damage. We can do this by taking wipe tests of your building materials and contents to see if soot residues are present.

Once our FSTs know how far the smoke-related issues have spread, we test and clean the affected items. During the test cleaning stage, we utilize various chemicals and methods to know what works best for each affected surface inside your home.

If anything ever burns inside your house, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 24/7.

Removing Soot from Wooden Floors Is As Easy As 1-2-3 for SERVPRO!

7/5/2022 (Permalink)

Our team is here to clean and restore your wooden floors from fire damage "Like it never even happened."

Removing Soot Residues from Hardwood in Your Cressona Home

Many Cressona homes have original hardwood flooring dating back to the initial construction of the property. While the upkeep of this material can be straightforward, when disasters occur in your home, these are some of the elements that can fall victim to smoke and soot residues. To protect this original flooring, you need to appreciate your need for certified restoration specialists like ours. With fast response and the right equipment for every emergency, we can work to return your home and its construction materials back to preloss condition.

One of the first things that must occur once fire damage happens in your Cressona residence is to assess the full scope of these effects to determine a restoration plan. As tempting as it might be to do this on your own immediately following extinguishment, there are a few glaring concerns. The first of these concerns should be for the affected materials of your home. Without immediate action or the right penetrative approach, materials like your hardwood flooring could become more and more damaged as time progresses.

Soot can come to rest on the hardwood flooring surface, but conventional cleaning efforts are not always the best approach to reducing your risk for irreparable damage. The layer of residue coating the material can stain the hardwood irreparably if left too long untouched. Our SERVPRO team can respond fast to your emergency, bringing along the equipment needed for widespread cleanup and debris removal.

With our high-strength solvents and advanced cleaning techniques, we can quickly restore any home in the area to its original condition. Soot removal begins with our powerful vacuum systems to remove the bulk of the sediment resting atop the affected surfaces. It continues with wet and dry sponging of these damaged hardwood materials to restore their vibrancy and function.

While many homeowners want to protect the investment they have made in their homes, recovering from fire requires the fast and effective response of our SERVPRO of Pottsville professionals. Give our team a call 24/7 at (570) 622-8991.

How Homeowners Can Help the Fire Damage Restoration Process in Pottsville Homes

3/18/2022 (Permalink)

Homeowners can help sort through possessions and sweep debris after a fire.

Don't Handle Every Part of Fire Damage in Pottsville On Your Own

Taking care of fire damage can be a complicated and labor-intensive task. Smoke residues and other materials left behind from the blaze carry certain chemicals and moisture contents that can make conventional household cleaning products ineffective. Some standard cleaning techniques may even cause additional damage to your home if done improperly. Specialist companies like SERVPRO exist to handle the more challenging aspects of fire damage that may require specialized training and tools to clean up quickly and without causing further damage. 

However, there are some steps you can take on your own to clean up after a fire.

How SERVPRO Helps

We provide expert care for fire damage in the Pottsville area with multi-featured damage mitigation and reversal services. More advanced tasks, such as deodorizing treatments and the removal of wet mixtures of debris and smoke residues, should be left to our trained and certified fire restoration technicians (FRTs). We use advanced equipment such as powerful handheld HEPA vacuums and portable odor-eliminating foggers designed and refined specifically to handle the small particles and delicate materials involved in many of our fire restoration projects. Our inspectors can also help you to understand the situation better and provide on-the-spot recommendations and advice about how you can help and what the cleanup process might entail.

How You Can Help

Although our FRTs can handle the entire project on their own, you can also lend a helping hand with some tasks if you wish. Here are a few ways you might be able to help us out before and during our work:

• Sweeping up. Sweeping away dry materials can save us time and is not likely to cause further damage.
• Turn off the A/C. Turning off air conditioning systems helps keep smoke particles out of other rooms.
• Separate wet objects. If any objects became wet during or after the fire, try to separate them from
• Wash houseplants. Washing off the leaves of your house plants can increase their chances of survival after a fire.

Do not try to handle fire damage on your own when SERVPRO of Pottsville stays ready 24/7 to respond to your call for help. Call us at (570) 622-8991.

24/7 Pottsville Basement Flooring Fire Damage Restoration

2/2/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage often accompanies fire suppression. SERVPRO has the tools to restore your home.

SERVPRO Fire Damage Restoration Techs Clean Up Pottsville Homes

Basement fire damage can prove challenging compared to other types of disasters, particularly in unfinished basements. Unsealed wood and concrete are porous and absorb soot that leaves behind unsightly stains that require heavy-duty cleanup. Certified professionals can render this service and more to return a fire-damaged Pottsville home to a pre-disaster condition.

Pottsville SERVPRO fire damage restoration technicians can respond to home cleanup needs with EPA-registered antimicrobials and sophisticated technologies. Highly trained techs undergo education modules covering multiple restoration topics, including fire damage and carpet and upholstery cleaning.

Restoring Basement Concrete Floors After a Home Structure Fire

While fire damage residues tend to end up on walls and ceilings, many residues fall to the floor. SERVPRO fire cleanup techs take the following into account during basement concrete floor restoration:

• The quality of the concrete used is crucial to determining restoration strategies. A well-mixed concrete with few to no cracks or chips is easier to remediate than a heavily damaged floor with signs of damage before the fire
• Unsealed concrete, especially when improperly installed, can be prone to stains, discoloration, and damage from drastic temperature changes. Cleaning residues off of the surface may entail thorough brushing or vacuuming with a HEPA-filter vacuum
• If firefighters used water for fire suppression, then the floor may show signs of chalky efflorescence, which is a collection of salts from moisture collecting on hard, porous building materials like stone, brick, or concrete
• Sealed concrete is often salvageable without resealing via wet cleaning with EPA-registered detergent solutions

SERVPRO technicians can also address wood flooring, vinyl floors, and masonry floors when remediating fire damage. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster and continually available to respond to homeowners' calls. The SERVPRO of Pottsville crew is a phone call away at (570) 622-8991.

The Importance of a Walkthrough Before Starting Fire Restoration in Pottsville Homes

12/20/2021 (Permalink)

The soot and smoke remaining in your home after a fire can quickly cause further damage. Contact SERVPRO to assess and then remediate the fire damage.

SERVPRO Evaluates Fire Damaged Property to Establish Loss Levels and Homeowner Preferences

When you call professionals to restore your Pottsville home after fire damage, you expect them to take different actions to address the problem. One thing that you might overlook is the need for a walkthrough before the process starts. Alternatively, you might leave the team to evaluate the damage on their own since the step does not seem crucial.

Walkthroughs can significantly impact fire restoration processes in Pottsville homes since they help reveal crucial information about the loss early enough. Our SERVPRO crew chiefs perform the walkthrough immediately on arrival at your property, confirming the information provided during the briefing about the incident. 

The process also helps reveal:

• Additional issues or items overlooked in the initial briefing
• Personal preferences of the property owner
• The layout of the property for optimal planning

Involving a property owner during the walkthrough is crucial since it can help fast-track the other restoration tasks that follow. Completing the restoration in good time helps reduce costs and inconveniences for the homeowner.

The other crucial fire restoration processes include:

• Staging the loss site for better resource utilization
• Content management, including manipulation or move-outs
• Demolition to remove unsalvageable materials
• Finishing processes such as repainting and deodorization

A significant portion of fire restoration involves cleaning different materials, ranging from fabrics to hard materials. Although cleaning depends on the resources like machines and chemical agents utilized, planning also plays a crucial role in the outcome. For instance, identifying corrosive residues during the initial review allows pre-emptive steps such as pre-cleaning or applying protective oil coatings on vulnerable materials to prevent staining.

SERVPRO of Pottsville can help you take the right action immediately after a fire incident, simplifying fire restoration. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to help manage the loss at your property, “Like it never even happened.”

What Is Necessary for Safer Management of Fire Damage in Pottsville Properties?

11/5/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO techs use OSHA-approved gear for every disaster. Fire damage restoration is a job for us.

SERVPRO Uses Simple and Exceptional Resources to Guarantee Safety in Households Affected by Fires

Fire is one of the top hazards in households since it can start in an instant causing severe injury or even death. You may think of the danger as over once all the embers die down. However, restoring fire damage poses some risks too. 

One issue that exposes people to hazards after fire damage in Pottsville is the haste to repair the damaged areas. Health effects can arise from skin contact or inhalation of residues. Injuries are also common from falling objects, or sharp materials that are hidden within heaps of accumulated residues—involving a professional team like SERVPRO rather than rushing to fix things is prudent for safety reasons.

Simple actions drastically improve the safety levels during the restoration, including:

• Wearing PPE such as rubber boots and heavy-duty gloves during restoration
• Inspecting structure and fixtures for signs of weakness
• Proper collection and disposal of debris

The combustion process results in many byproducts, including gases, aerosol, soot, and other fine residues. These materials are deposited on surfaces or remain suspended in the air. While minimal exposure is inevitable on entering the property, the exposure is much worse after disturbance from moving items or cleaning attempts. 

Our SERVPRO teams prioritize inspection at the beginning of the restoration, which helps reveal the type of residues present and other hazards. Vacuuming fine debris and bagging the rest helps create order, safeguarding everyone entering the property. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville can help manage fire damage safely, making it "Like it never even happened." You can reach us at (570) 622-8991.

How Does Fire Damage Restoration Work for Orwigsburg Residents?

10/12/2021 (Permalink)

No matter the size of the fire in your home, SERVPRO has a team of experts ready at a moment's notice. Fire damage restoration is a job for us.

SERVPRO Fire Damage Restoration Technicians in Orwigsburg Ensure your Property is Cleared of Debris, Odor, and Smoke Residues

While putting out the flames of a burning property may feel like the job done, the reality is that extensive repairs, cleaning, and odor control are required to return the home to its preloss condition. Fires affect property and contents in many different ways and therefore need many different methods to restore successfully. Some damages in the property may occur through direct contact with flames and leave behind charred furnishings or other fire debris deemed to be non-salvageable. Smoke that releases with fire can stain walls, cupboards, and ceilings. Fire odors may linger in a property for several weeks or months and provide an unpleasant reminder of the event. SERVPRO is a comprehensive restoration task force that can help you with:

• Cleaning away soot and smoke
• Removing odor
• Disposal of fire debris

The main factor in fire damage restoration for Orwigsburg residents is the amount of time the fire burned and the temperatures involved. A quick high-temperature event such as when curtains catch fire generally releases lighter, dry soot in the form of smoke. These dry soot are typically easy to remove from walls or windows using vacuums and dry sponges. On the other hand, a smoldering fire that burns for an extended time generally releases greasy, oil-based smoke, which can be much more complex to clean. SERVPRO technicians have experience dealing with both types of smoke in residential properties and have the necessary technical equipment to ensure your home returns to its pre-fire condition. 

• Our crew chiefs can arrange the rental of dumpsters, the removal of fire debris, and contents stored on your behalf.
• Working closely with an adjuster and using a pre-testing toolkit, we can quickly understand how much damage a fire causes and a likely time frame for restoration. 
• Our contents cleaning services use advanced methods such as ultrasonic cleaning tanks and odor removal solvents.

However severe a property fire is, we can return it to its preloss condition. Contact SERVPRO of Pottsville for fire damage restoration at (570) 622-8991.

Pottsville Property Owners Can Rely on SERVPRO for Fire Damage Cleaning of Possessions Off-Site

9/18/2021 (Permalink)

When a fire strikes your home, SERVPRO can be there within 4 hours of the initial call. Fire damage restoration is a job for us!

Choosing the Best Way to Pack Up and Transport Fire Damaged Items for Restoration in Pottsville

Many times after a fire occurs in Pottsville, the family decides that they want the restoration of their belongings to happen at our facility. Other times, they want to look over items when they feel less stressed, so they can decide what to do with all of their possessions. SERVPRO understands that there is no one option and is ready to work with you to find the best choices that fit your needs.

After fire damage, your Pottsville residence's interior is covered in blackened soot and showing charred remains, having some control over the fire damage and how we eliminate it can help put things in a brighter perspective for you. One of those options is how your belongings end up where you want them.

Fire Damage Services 

If the destination is SERVPRO's facility, we can provide you with a pack-out service that includes inventorying of each box, as well as the organization of boxes according to not only which room they came from but the type of cleaning and restoration they need. We can use a scanning system and a tagging system for inventory control. Many families who want us to clean these items as quickly as possible often choose this option. We can do a thorough job of off-site cleaning and removing the soot, soil, and smoky residues from the belongings.

Other times, victims of fire damage want to check their belongings after they have settled their families after the disaster. This method works well for those whose belongings only come from a few rooms or when the area damaged by fire contained mainly storage boxes and other rarely used things. 

Some families want SERVPRO to handle all of the details of their property's restoration, from necessary cleaning, demolition, and reconstruction, as well as the soot-covered belongings that made their home comfortable. However, just as we use partners who specialize in electrical components, plumbing, and other aspects of a house, we also partner with trustworthy professional moving companies for massive move-outs. Our goal is to remove belongings while the cleanup work begins and to clean and secure the items at our facilities until the home is ready to receive the belongings back.

One of the benefits of using SERVPRO to provide pack-out services is a continuity of services, while on the other hand, customers benefit from having additional SERVPRO professionals working on their home's restoration.

SERVPRO of Pottsville can explain how each option can help your family recover from fire damage. We serve residents in Saint Clair, Frackville, and Schuylkill Haven. Contact us by calling (570) 622-8991, day or night, any day of the year.

Ensure Best Results in Orwigsburg with Skilled Fire Restoration

5/18/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO advices our Orwigsburg neighbors to check and replace batteries in their smoke detectors to help prevent severe fire damage

SERVPRO arrives to your Orwigsburg property fast to start on fire damage restoration efforts!

Odors, charred debris, and stains may fill your interior after you have a fire that blazes through your Orwigsburg property. Good news - the SERVPRO crew is available with IICRC-certified fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) that will get the job underway and completed right the first time. To each fire damage restoration project we get called to, we identify soot deposits to allow for the selection of the best equipment and methods for the task. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster, giving our clients peace of mind that all stress and hassle is removed from the house fire clean up process.

Some of the common steps that we take when called for fire restoration in Orwigsburg include:

• Odorous element identification – This helps determine best restoration practices or replacement, as needed. Fires leave behind smoke and soot particles that permeate your materials and interior, making it difficult to remove without utilizing technical measures.
• Detailed smoke deposit analysis – Wherever there are wet, dry, or greasy deposits, our crew has access to many cleaning agents; alkaline, acidic, and oil-based treatments help us return fire damaged homes back to their pre-fire condition even faster.
• Restoration and replacement – We always work to repair rather than replace, but do offer complete controlled demolition services as needed to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Call SERVPRO of Pottsville today at (570) 622-8991 for help with fire restoration and smoke remediation. We have crews available 24/7 for emergency service!

Local Orwigsburg Fire Damage Restoration

4/8/2021 (Permalink)

Fire and smoke restoration should be left to a professional outfit. SERVPRO has you covered from beginning to end when it comes to restoration service

SERVPRO of Pottsville Can Help You with the Fire Damage Restoration in Your Orwigsburg Home!

In 1823, Orwigsburg was named an official township and had remained a small borough in the Schuylkill County of Pennsylvania ever since. While its population was estimated at only 3,009 people in the 2010 census, the community has a big heart. Here at SERVPRO, we're proud to be a part of the community and help our neighbors! 

Some Facts About Orwigsburg: 

Orwigsburgh was named for its founder, Peter Orwig. Furthermore, it was the county seat until it was moved in 1851 to Pottsville in 1851. It has an estimated 795 families in the borough and 1,158 households. It was founded in 1796 but would wait quite some time before it was officially recognized. 

What to Do in Pottsville: 

Orwigsburg is a simple borough and does not have many attractions. So, tourists and locals must look to nearby cities to go out for activities and fun. When in Pottsville and the surrounding Schuylkill County, look out for: 

Jerry's Classic Cars and Museum: this historic fifties-themed museum is found in the middle of Pottsville and features many historic cars. Many report the museum to feel like the set of Grease! the musical. 

Hope Hill Lavender Farm: Come to this farm to learn about how lavender is farmed! They sell many lavender-scented products as well, which you can take home to your family members. 

D.G. Yuengling and Song Brewery: This brewery dated all the way back to 1829 and was created by a German immigrant. Operations continue today, and crates craft ale and beer that is a favorite of the locals! And nationally!

Fire Damage Restoration in Orwigsburg! 

Here at SERVPRO of Pottsville, we look after the residents of Orwigsburg when fire and smoke damage becomes a problem. Many people picture their house burning to the ground when they imagine fire damage, but often that is not the case. Most home fires are quite small, and the damage can be managed by experts like our technicians. We aim to restore, not replace, so we can leave your home like it was in its pre-fire condition. We can help you with: 

• Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration and Cleanup
• Smoke Damage
• House Fire Clean Up
• Fire Restoration
• Water & Fire Damage Restorations

Picture the fire in your home was caused by a cooking accident. Grease fires can quickly get out of hand, and many people automatically try to smother them with water. Unfortunately, water can make them more reactive and spread the flames faster. Here at SERVPRO, we can use advanced technology to reduce the fire damage in your home. We can provide solutions for: 

• fire damage restoration
• fire and smoke damage
• smoke remediation
• fire damaged homes

We can begin the remediation by addressing smoke and soot at the same time. Our technicians can set up air scrubbers to help purify the air while we clean up soot and remove debris. Our technology works in conjunction and helps the process go much faster, so we can get you back to your life as quickly as possible. 

When you need professional fire damage restoration services, act! Dial (570) 622-8991 to speak with SERVPRO of Pottsville. We're available 24/7!

Should You Try and Clean Items after Fire Damage?

2/18/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO after you experience a fire incident, we have training in fire & smoke restoration, odor control, upholstery & fabric cleaning.

It Is Better to Call In the Professionals

Seeing your home and belongings soot-blackened by fire damage is demoralizing and stressful. SERVPRO understands that you want to get everything clean as soon as possible.

However, it is much better to call in the experts to handle the cleanup after fire damage in your Pottsville home. Different materials react differently to heat during ablaze, and the type of material which burns can make a big difference to how we clean up afterward.

• Smooth and non-porous services may be easier to clean after a blaze.
• Porous surfaces often warp and suffer more profound soot damage, and require more specialist cleaning.
• Antique surfaces and finishes may require special care to restore.

SERVPRO teams will examine soot-damaged items and decide on the best cleaning method for restoration. For example, we might use dry brushing, HEPA vacuums, soda blasting, spot cleaning, or wet cleaning. Calling on us means you can salvage more of your belongings, thanks to our expert knowledge and our emphasis on restoring rather than replacing.

For fire damage help you can trust, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991.

Local Service Offers Sufficient Fire Restoration Resources in Pottsville

1/6/2021 (Permalink)

Fire restoration is no DIY project. Call SERVPRO and their IICRC certified technicians for the job. They have the latest equipment and knowledge.

SERVPRO Helps Pottsville Homeowners Access Equipment and Trained Personnel

Pottsville lies on Schuylkill River's western bank. The river is one of the crucial natural resources in southeastern Pennsylvania. One of the river's memorable contributions to the region's history is the role it played during the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolution when it was the main transportation artery for manufactured goods and coal. Another unique aspect of the Pottsville area is the hilly topography. It stretches over several hills, including Mount Hope, Forest Hills, Cottage Hill, Lawton's Hill, and Bunker Hill, which provide excellent views in different city sections. 

The city traces its origins to a land grant by King Charles II of England when he granted lands south and west of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers to William Penn. William was the son of Sir William Penn, an admiral and politician. He distinguished himself early on as an advocate of democracy by establishing treaties and good relations with the Lenape people, the area's native inhabitants. One of the lasting legacies of William Penn in the area is the names he chose for different places. For instance, the name Pennsylvania translates to "Penn's Woods."

Pottsville had a bit of violent history during its formative stages. For instance, in 1780, some of the early settlers were massacred. During the mid-1800s, the town was the rallying point for a secret miner's society known as the Molly Maguires in the United States. The society, which was also active in Ireland and Liverpool, agitated for better mining conditions but often used violent methods. The city was named after John Pott, who arrived in 1806, acquired and expanded the existing ironworks in the area. He also laid out the town in 1816. However, it is the coal discovery in the surrounding area that transformed it into a boomtown. 

Monuments and Other Places of Interest in Pottsville

The city has many monuments and buildings put up over the years that visitors and residents can explore for relaxation purposes or to learn about the history of the city. Some of the outstanding ones include:

• The Schuylkill County Courthouse located on North 2nd Street was constructed over three years from 1849 to 1851. The building was designed by Beebe, who drew inspiration from New York State Capitol in Albany done by H. H. Richardson. Beebe was a prolific designer of courthouses, working for several counties, including Huntington, Cambria, and Warren Counties. Some of the outstanding features of the courthouse include the round-arched windows in its upper stories and its mansard roof. 
• The Garfield Square Monuments is on North Fifth and West market streets. It honors the Spanish-American War veterans, most of whom were volunteers called to arms by the then president McKinley. The statue in the monument is called the "Hiker" since the veterans called themselves the hikers.
• D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery, located on Mahantongo Street, is the oldest brewery in the United States. When established in 1829, it was located on Center Street and moved to Mahantongo Street when a fire gutted the original plant in 1931. The site was chosen because it was at the side of a mountain allowing tunneling to create natural cooling chambers for fermenting and aging beer.

Recreation Areas and Parks

Recreation is a serious aspect of life in the city of Pottsville. The government constitutes the recreation commission to oversee, equip, operate, and maintain recreational places. The commission is constituted of nine members appointed by the mayor. Some of the established recreational areas include: 

• Barefield Outdoor Recreation Complex, a three-acre complex located on Terry Reiley Way, features horseshoe pits, a court for sand volleyball, a full basketball court, and a putting green. The park is free for public use. 
• Yuengling Park is a peaceful spot for relaxation close to the hub of the city. It is located at the site of the Old Spring House used by the Yuengling brewery. It features benches, flowers, grass, natural fountains, and a large pavilion.   
• The John F. Kennedy Memorial Recreation Complex is considered the city's central park and features several amenities, including a jogging path that connects to the nearby Railway Park. The JFK memorial pool located in the complex is a non-membership pool for the community. Other exciting aspects include benches in shady, wooded areas, two basketball courts, one volleyball court, and four tennis courts. 
• Henry Clay Park gives visitors a vantage point to explore the south side of Pottsville. The small park has no equipped recreational fields or benches, but the numerous trees surrounding it provide a cool relaxation spot.

How Does SERVPRO Handle Fire Restoration Projects In Pottsville?

Properties affected by a fire can be restored to their preloss state if the damage is not extreme and if the right processes are utilized in the restoration effort. SERVPRO provides highly trained teams of technicians to help Pottsville property owners clean up and repair the damages caused by fires restoring properties to their preloss state.

Training makes a difference in identifying which damages can be fixed and whether the costs involved are justifiable. It also helps in choosing the right processes or equipment when fixing damages. Typical restoration tasks involve:

• Cleaning up vast surfaces such as walls and ceilings
• Tearing down damaged materials to reach into cavities
• Drying moisture introduced during firefighting and cleanup
• Removing odors caused by surface residues or those embedded deep into materials

SERVPRO technicians also work to fix or prevent damages that occur after the fire is put out. Damage can develop from the effects of corrosive residues such as soot, especially on metallic or stone materials leading to deep staining or other forms of deterioration. Moisture can also lead to bad odor or mold development. Preventing steps, including pre-cleaning surfaces or applying oil over surfaces to counter the effects of corrosive residues. Setting up dehumidifiers, on the other hand, helps manage moisture levels in the air. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville provides various resources necessary to ensure smooth fire damage restoration. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to help start the necessary processes immediately after fires are put out.

Orwigsburg Holiday Gift Making Event

12/2/2020 (Permalink)

Come take part in the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity DIY gift making, you get to make your gifts as well as support local businesses.

Make Handmade Holiday Gifts for Your Orwigsburg Friends

The year 2020 has revealed the importance of spending time together with other people. One exciting way to socialize with family and friends is by partaking in pleasurable activities on December 8th. You can end the year on a high note at The Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, where you can make or collect DIY gifts for your family and friends. The event is organized with a great goal of helping local businesses. 

There are 7 different kinds of items that people can make, including fuzzy sock heating pads, evergreen infused room sprays, gnome star ornament, Vanilla Chai Lip Balm Tins, Manly Man Beard Oil, or luxurious bath soak bliss. Every participant can make as many of these items as possible.

If interested in the event, you should:

• Reserve a spot by buying a ticket which costs $15
• Prepare to pay-as-you-go for DIY items
• Indicate how many of each item you may want to make when booking to ensure the supplies provided are sufficient

SERVPRO of Pottsville helps perform thorough fire damage restoration in Orwigsburg properties.  You can reach our support staff at any time at (570) 622-8991.

Orwigsburg Enjoys Renninger’s Farmers Market Year-Round

11/18/2020 (Permalink)

Come out and enjoy the experience at Renninger’s Farmers Market. We look forward to seeing you.

Orwigsburg Residents Know it is More Than Just a Farmer’s Market – It’s Antiques & More

If you enjoy shopping at the local farmer’s market, Renninger’s Farmers Market is the place to be on the weekends. They feature an indoor market Saturday and Sunday, starting at 8 AM. On Sunday you can shop at the outdoor market, also starting at 8 AM. Shoppers will find all kinds of great deals on groceries, meats, snacks, and produce. But shopping isn’t limited to food items. Their vendors also have:

• Household items
• Collectables
• Antiques

The outdoor flea market takes place on Sunday and is a bargain hunter’s delight. If you enjoy auctions, Gilbertville Auction house hosts them Friday – Sunday. You can find them on Facebook for upcoming auctions. They also have a great café – The Auction Café.

SERVPRO of Pottsville is proud to be locally owned and operated. We are an experienced puffback cleanup company serving the Orwigsburg area. Contact us at (570) 622-8991 if you are having problems with your furnace and puffback residue. We can get that cleaned up for you in no time.

How Do I Know Where to Begin After a Fire in My Home?

7/21/2020 (Permalink)

Fires are one of the most stressful events a homeowner can face. Call SERVPRO for total restoration.

SERVPRO is Available to Assist While You Restore Your Pottsville Home After Suffering Loss from Fire Damage 

Regardless of your Pottsville structure's size, the damage from a house fire can become quite devastating. After the fire is out, it is reasonable to have a laundry list of questions as you wonder how to proceed. The most significant thing to do is take a deep breath and know that SERVPRO is available with the fire restoration technicians you need to get the job done quickly. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster and available 24/7 to handle your emergency service needs. 

There are several essential steps to help you navigate fire damage in Pottsville: 

• You should contact your insurance company as soon as possible to inform them of the fire.
• Ensure your property is deemed safe for entry by first-responders on the scene before anyone goes into the home.
• Determine if you would like to have your interior repaired or if demolition and rebuilding is the best option.
• Always work with the right team of licensed, trained professionals for your fire restoration needs. 

We have IICRC-certified technicians and a vast selection of equipment and products to ensure your fire restoration project goes off without a hitch. You can look to us for your one-stop fire cleanup needs, including: 

• Water damage/cleanup –We handle the cleanup of all water or chemicals used while extinguishing the fire, ensuring no hidden moisture is left behind.
• Soot removal and cleaning –Soot must be addressed before it has time to penetrate carpeting, walls, and other porous materials outside the fire zone.
• Restoration efforts –We salvage whenever possible, but demolition and replacement may be your only option after charred debris gets removed. We handle everything to bring your interior back to preloss condition. 

When you need a crew to help with fire damage, you can trust us at SERVPRO of Pottsville. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to learn more about our services or have a crew deployed to your property to get to work! 

More about Pottsville.

What Happens with All This Debris Left After My Housefire?

6/2/2020 (Permalink)

When fire damages your home, SERVPRO is here to help. Call us today!

We Get Your Pottsville Home Back to Normal and Remove All Debris When You Call SERVPRO to Help with Fire Damage 

The charred remnants and debris left after a fire in your Pottsville's home may make you feel overwhelmed and anxious. All unsalvageable items need disposing of, but there could be areas of your home that call for total stripping down or replacement to ensure safety. Hiring our team of professional restoration technicians gets you the prompt action you need to tackle any messy debris left within the fire loss zone. 

What Do You Do for Fire Restoration? 

When you call us to help with fire damage to your Pottsville home, our team springs into action, and a crew arrives as quickly as possible. We perform an assessment and determine the full scope of the project. What this does is help us to formulate the most efficient steps. Cleanup of your charred debris and unsalvageable materials begin, ensuring everything gets removed so that the next phase may begin. 

Is There any Cleaning I Can Start? 

Burned materials throughout the fire loss zone leave behind smoke particles and soot residue that create strong odors. Additionally, soot residue is tough to remove once it binds to various surfaces. Our skilled technicians have the experience and EPA-registered cleaning products that allow us to restore your interior. 

When called for fire restoration, our team works through the steps to:  

• Secure your property, ensuring that the structure is safe so that we can proceed with cleanup and restoration.
• During the walkthrough, we take note of any potential hazards and plan accordingly.
• Safety issues get addressed promptly, including hanging or burned sheetrock, exposed wires, hanging broken light fixtures, and other risks. 

Once the crew chief wraps up the initial assessment, we begin removing any unsalvageable, severely burnt items. In some fire loss incidents, items and materials sustain damaged to the point that they have to be disposed of and replaced. However, our team does whatever possible to clean and salvage as many items as we can while using our advanced restoration techniques. 

Are All Charred Building Materials Replaced? 

We address building material charring in several ways depending on the situation, such as: 

• Partial Removal –Should there only be ¼' worth of charring on your wooden studs, we might be able to remove some of it. In some instances, we use slight agitation or steel brushes to remove charring so that the wooden studs can be sealed and refinished.
• Specialized Techniques –When you have significant charring throughout your home, we may sand it or use soda blasting or dry ice blasting to remove the damage successfully.  

Where Does All of the Debris Go? 

SERVPRO takes debris and garbage removal seriously on each of our Pottsville fire damage projects. Following EPA guidelines, we carefully dispose of all waste products, which helps to cut back on the environmental impact and reduce worksite injuries during the restoration. Our disposal protocols allow us to safely and efficiently remove charred wood, ash, rubble, and unsalvageable materials or belongings.  

How Will You Handle the Smoke Damage? 

Smoke odors pose a challenge after any size fire, but we have the latest methods and techniques for the full removal of smoke particles and soot residue. Hot smoke permeates your interior during a fire, which flows through walls and penetrates porous materials. How we proceed with restoration efforts depend on the type of smoke that developed. 

Both wet and dry smoke need addressing after a fire, so our team tests the residue left throughout the home to determine the damage and to select the best cleaning measures. 

• Wet smoke is created at a lower temperature and comes from rubber and plastics burning. This smoke residue webs and becomes sticky, making it difficult to clean without specific measures.
• Dry smoke develops at a higher temperature and is fast burning, which comes from materials like paper and wood.  

Some of the different cleaning and deodorizing tools we use to address foul smoke odors in your home include the following: 

• Thermal foggers, or dry fogging equipment:This equipment turns solvent-based deodorizers into a vapor that chemically reacts with odor-causing residues to eradicate them.
• Wet fogging equipment:This works by atomizing liquid deodorizers into a fine mist that combines with the odor-causing particulates to facilitate easier removal.
• Air scrubbers:These units work to remove any airborne particulates from the environment.
• Injection devices:These put deodorizers into your carpeting,upholstery, or other confined spaces. 

Odor-causing elements are no match for our fire damage restoration efforts at SERVPRO of Pottsville. Call us at (570) 622-8991 for emergency service, and we deploy a crew to your location as quickly as possible. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster!  

What Tools Do I Need to Clean Up After a Fire in My Pottsville Home?

5/10/2020 (Permalink)

Fires can occur without notice. Contact SERVPRO to remediate fire damage to your property.

SERVPRO recommends you outsource the task of cleaning up fire loss in your Pottsville for both safety and the best outcome

A little or a lot of damage left behind after a fire in Pottsville needs professional help to clean up, and the reason is simple, soot can spread throughout the home, and with it, fire odors. Plus, with the proper cleaning methods, walls and ceilings may be completely restorable rather than requiring replacement of sheetrock, priming, and painting. 

What Type of Cleaner Gets Used for Smoke and Fire Damage on Walls and Furniture? 

When cleaning up fire damage in your Pottsville home, there are numerous equipment and cleaning agents needed. SERVPRO technicians test the smoke residues and the surfaces getting cleaned to determine the best fit. When homeowners attempt to DIY their fire loss with consumer-grade cleaners, in some cases, they can wind up, causing greater damage than the fire did. Some of the equipment commonly found in the arsenal of the technicians include:

• Dry cleaning sponges for lifting away dry smoke residues
• Heavy-duty sponges for working on wet smoke residues
• Professional cleaning solutions with solvents to release smoke 
• Air scrubbers to capture airborne soot particles
• Protective clothing and respirators as soot can be an irritant

Special Considerations for Hardwood Furnishings

Numerous applications assist in lessening the harm done by smoke and the heat in a Pottsville home fire to furnishings. Wood furniture may have restoration potential in many cases. A smoke-covered favorite end table may look horrific when covered in a thick, black residue. However, with the correct application of cleaning agents to release the grip the residue has on the surface of the wood, the table may have strong possibilities of a full recovery after Pottsville fire damage for reuse in the home.

Things that may make the furniture non-restorable include heavy exposure to water that caused the joints to swell and crack and too long of a time frame before the mitigation services began. Another common factor is exposure to high heat that caused the structure to become brittle and unreliable for reuse. 

Upon request, the SERVPRO techs can bring in industry professionals to inspect items such as electronics or furniture for inspection before bringing back into the home. The experts can examine items exposed to fire loss and determine if any repairs are necessary for reuse. Contents exposed to fire, particularly electronics, should never get plugged in and tested without an inspection. 

What is the Process for Removal of Soot from Hardwood Furniture?

When addressing this type of fire loss on furniture, SERVPRO technicians inspect the item to determine it has restoration potential. They then use brushes and dry cleaning sponges to lift away any loose residues. The remaining "stuck on" smoke damage needs the application of cleaning agents specifically designed for use on wood products. In this manner, the techs can remove the black coating on the furniture without marring the surface. In some cases, the furniture may require revarnishing to return it to its pre-fire status.

Resolving Fire Odors in the Home

Once the contents and structure have the evidence of the fire removed, it is time to handle the smoke odors that may remain. Before beginning mitigation, containment of the work area most likely happened, and this includes covering vents. Once soot particles invade the ductwork, odors can spread wherever they go in the home.

The technicians rely on a few critical pieces of equipment such as; 

• Hydroxyl generators that safely eliminate odors through the use of UV light
• The use of thermal fogging within the structure
• Deodorizing cleaning agents
• The use of sealants on walls to halt any further odors from embedded soot

After confirming the air quality in the loss area has no further fire odors, the technicians inspect the ductwork in the home to determine if it requires cleaning to remove any residual odors. This is particularly likely if the ductwork has dirt, dust, and debris that can trap and hold soot particles. 

Final Touches After Fire Loss Mitigation

Even in cases of small scale fires in a residential property, there are often repairs necessary for the full restoration of the home. The sealant applied on painted walls to halt the odor still needs priming and painting. While hardwood flooring may have been restorable from the exposure to water and heat, it may need a light sanding and refinishing to return to service for the home. If SERVPRO is not handling these tasks, they can assist homeowners in engaging with local professionals to ensure the job gets done quickly and correctly.

When large or small fire damage situations happen, SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 stands ready to help local property owners clean away the loss and restore their home to its preloss condition. 

What to Expect During Professional Fire Debris and Odor Cleanup in Pottsville

3/10/2020 (Permalink)

You can contact our professionals 24/7. Our fire damage experts are trained in fire & smoke restoration, odor control, upholstery and fabric cleaning.

Our SERVPRO Crews are Trained to Effectively Remove Debris and Odors After a Fire Occurs in Your Pottsville Home

The aftermath of a household fire in Pottsville is stressful and overwhelming. Few other circumstances prepare a homeowner for the toxic mix of debris, smoke and soot residues, and odors that take over every aspect of your life. You need an expert to evaluate the extent of the damage to building materials and contents, and to take the steps needed to mitigate ongoing harm and remediate current issues.

Toxic Residues and Malodors

The fire debris and odors afflicting your Pottsville home are an internal problem, brought about by chemical changes when heat and flames spread and use building materials and contents for fuel. Ordinary household goods and conventional building materials transform into hazardous substances. Cleanup requires safeguards to prevent the debris from affecting the health of you and your family and from further damaging structural components and other articles inside your home. The transformation by fire also spreads smells that make living inside your home unpleasant, reminding everyone of the terror of the flames.

Odors and Debris Are Intimately Related

Our SERVPRO team knows the stench inside your home after a fire is caused by the presence of tiny soot particles. Soot consists of the solids left after fire incompletely consumes anything in its path: wood, paper, drywall, insulation, plastics, rubber, or fibers. Particularly bad-smelling are the residues left behind after a kitchen fire. The protein-based coating is nearly transparent, composed of dehydrated food and grease. Burned rubble to greasy kitchen fire residues, all are forms of fire debris needing management and professional removal.

Professional Cleanup Plan

SERVPRO managers and workers devise a research-based plan to keep your family safe and crews protected during mitigation and remediation. Odor management improves, and drift of corrosive materials ceases when we shut down HVAC systems and contain the work area with negative pressure air scrubbers. Removal of charred items and deep cleaning of surfaces reduces the odor load as well as returning your home to a sanitary condition. Matching types of soot to appropriate cleaning products and methods increase the efficiency of our technicians’ efforts.

Innovations in Odor Elimination

When cleaning and debris removal is inadequate to rid your home of persistent odors, SERVPRO employs special equipment and products to neutralize the odor-bearing particles challenging to remove altogether. We chose from among wet and thermal deodorizing fogging systems, ozone machines, hydroxyl generators, and enzymatic cleaners to eliminate the smells.

SERVPRO of Pottsville takes the lead when you contact us at  (570) 622-8991 for fire debris and odor removal. Our crews arrive within hours of your call, 24/7.

Learn more about Pottsville.

During Fire Damage Restoration In Pottsville Your Contents Might Have To Be Moved Out

2/18/2020 (Permalink)

Pottsville, your fire damage needs SERVPRO’s tools and reliability.

SERVPRO Handles the Devastation From Fire Damage so You Don’t Have to

When flames ignite inside your Pottsville home, the problems created can vary. The flames can engulf many of your building materials, and the smoke released can add to the fire damage caused. In many situations, problems with both your building materials and contents could occur. Your contents are considered anything that would come loose if your house was tipped upside down and shook, and your building materials include everything that would stay in place.

When fire damage inside your Pottsville house exists on both your contents and building materials, our SERVPRO technicians can clean and restore them in separate locations. Separating your contents and building materials can help prevent more problems from getting caused by the restoration process. And, since your possessions and structural components both require different techniques to clean, moving out the items in the affected regions of your house can make the overall process more efficient.

However, moving contents out of your house can sometimes be expensive and time-consuming. If possible, our SERVPRO team can implement cost-saving strategies to help reduce expenses. For example, in some cases, we can clean items before they get moved out, so we do not have to pack, clean, repack, and then shelve. We can also conduct partial move-outs in some scenarios so that only a portion of the contents in your building get moved out at a time.

The first steps during a move-out involve an initial scope and estimate and a pre-move-out review. Before anything gets moved out of your home, we conduct an inventory of everything we plan to relocate. We also figure out where everything will be cleaned and where it will be stored while restoration procedures take place inside your structure.

Once everything gets inventoried and staged for removal, we begin packing up all of your affected items. We carefully pack each item in labeled boxes so that they do not get damaged in the moving process. We then pack the truck in a way that will make it more efficient to load the storage area. If your contents are getting cleaned off-location, then we will unpack and clean at the sanitized location and repack the items and stage them for getting moved back into your house.

If you ever suffer major problems after a fire burns on your property, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 24/7.

Learn about Pottsville.

Proper Response Reduces Additional Living Expenses after Fire Damage Incidents in Pottsville

1/20/2020 (Permalink)

For Fire damage in your Pottsville home, you need the best. Call SERVPRO at (570) 622-8991.

Deodorization and Clean Up After a Fire In Your Pottsville Home

Nobody looks forward to a fire incident at his or her property. However, when it happens, you should take it in stride and plan a response that minimizes the inconveniences that crop up after the incident. One set of inconvenience that a professional restorer can help reduce is the additional living expenses that you or your insurer has to cater to, in the aftermath of such a loss.

If the fire damage incident in Pottsville only affects a section of the property, it might be more convenient to stay put during the restoration eliminating the extra cost of seeking accommodation elsewhere. However, staying in a fire-damaged house may not be comfortable because of the odor and residues left on surfaces. Our SERVPRO technicians help by sealing the affected section using boards or plastic sheets. We may also perform some deodorization steps, such as using masking agents, to counter the fire odor. That way, the inconvenience of staying in the house during its restoration is minimized.

After sealing off the affected area, we also clean up the utility areas within the house immediately since they are crucial for the continued habitation of the house. Main areas that require immediate action include:

The Kitchen

A Bathroom

A Bedroom

Laundry area

Some additional costs may pile up from secondary issues such as improper handling of contents affected by the fire. Clothes and other fabric materials collect significant amounts of soot and other residues. In the haste to clean them up, it is possible to damage them permanently if you use a regular laundry or dry cleaning service. Our SERVPRO team can handle or recommend the right cleaning services to ensure that residues do not set, causing permanent stains in your items, thus eliminating the extra cost.

Dealing with a fire incident can be expensive and inconvenient. Call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 to help restore your home to preloss state. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Learn more about Pottsville.

Four Questions to Ask When Considering a Fire Damage Restoration Company in Pottsville

9/16/2019 (Permalink)

After the fire is extinguished, call SERVPRO to restore you home to its pre-fire condition.

Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring a Fire Damage Cleanup Company in Pottsville 

Fire damage requires fast action to stop the spread of soot and odors throughout the home. If there is water left behind, that compounds the issue with the need for extraction and drying the property before the water causes the weakening of building materials or contributes to the establishment of mold colonies. 

When your Pottsville home requires fire damage mitigation, there are some specific questions you should ask the restoration services company before beginning any type of cleanup of your home. In doing so, you can drill down to make the best decision to fit your needs. 

Do You Work With My Insurance?

SERVPRO works seamlessly with both insurance adjusters and homeowners to ensure everyone is up to date with everything that is happening during fire loss cleanup and each phase of the home restoration process. 

How Do I Know What Items are a Loss to Fire Damage?

The unique Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS) provided by SERVPRO catalogs each item handled with a detailed report of its condition, notations if discarded including who approved the action, and before and after photographs if restored. This service establishes a firm chain of custody for any item handled by the technicians and assists in expediting insurance claims. 

Is the Removal of Smoke Odors Possible?

A commonly held belief is after a fire, residual smoke odors are something the household just has to deal with. SERVPRO technicians utilize both cleaning techniques and specialized equipment that works to remove odor-causing particles at the molecular level - effectively neutralizing foul scents left behind by the fire loss. 

What is Cross-Contamination and Why Does it Matter?

After a fire in a home, foot traffic in the area allows the soot to travel, which is both unhealthy and spreads odor around the property resulting in the need for more odor control and cleaning. Containment encloses the work area using heavy plastic sheeting or in some cases negative air chambers and works to inhibit the potential for cross-contamination in the home. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 works to assist local property owners with the cleanup and restoration from fire damage to make the fire loss in the home "Like it never even happened." 

More about Pottsville.

Pottsville Properties, Fire Loss, and SERVPRO Safety and Caution

4/2/2019 (Permalink)

Fire Fighters and SERVPRO Techs Don Protective Gear for Fire Damaging Events in Pottsville

Staying Safe During Fire Damage Mitigation in Pottsville

Restoring your home in Pottsville to its previously safe condition, “Like it never even happened” after a disaster can put our specialists in some risky situations. While we want to make your home safe for you and your family, we also need to ensure that our working conditions do not contain any unnecessary dangers. To do this, we use special gear, including personal protective equipment (PPE), so we can safely work.
 
When we work on a home in Pottsville that requires mitigation of fire damage, we use additional pieces of equipment to help us determine where hidden dangers might exist. Some of our equipment weighs considerable amounts, requiring a solid floor wherever we place these items.
 
To ensure that the floor does not contain excessive amounts of water from firefighters, which could significantly weaken it, we use moisture sensors to tell us of the presence of water. When we detect water, we use moisture meters to give us a percentage. If the numbers are incredibly high, we know that the floor's strength could diminish significantly from normal.
 
With fire damage, water from fighting the fire is only one of the risks. Soot and smoke residue can create health effects when inhaled, so part of our PPE includes face masks and respirators. Charred and partially burnt wall trim can leave nails and screws exposed, making the use of heavy leather gloves critical in protecting our hands from deep scratches and puncture wounds. Carpeting poses similar risks when we remove it because of the use of tack strips along edges.
 
Removing materials and possessions destroyed by the fire requires the use of double bags. These protect your home's undamaged areas, as well as our technicians from the risks of handling items one-by-one. Carrying these closed bags outside for disposal becomes safer instead of using boxes that might not close entirely and permit contents to spill out. We also use boxes to contain items slated for cleaning and restoration at our facility, helping keep salvageable contents from becoming confused with destroyed items.
 
SERVPRO of Pottsville can help you restore your Pine Grove, Minersville, or Frackville home from the effects of fire damage. We work safely to ensure your house become safe and livable again in as short a period as possible. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to see how we can help you with making your house suitable for your family again.

Your local PFD here.

Salvaging Items After a Fire

10/25/2018 (Permalink)

After a house fire in Cressona,PA, fire cleanup clean up can seem like a chore. Smoke damage can occur to personal items as well as the home, meaning everything has to be sorted and cleaned. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to salvage these items.

1. Use a Wet Cleaning Option

A wet clean often involves soaking or dampening an area in order to remove soot and other fire residue. While quite effective, not every item is suitable for being cleansed this way.

2. Use a Dry Cleaning Method

A dry cleaning option is often used for items that should not be soaked, or only suffered light damage. A dry cleaning may also be used as preparation prior to another method

3. Using an Immersion Cleaning Method

For cloth or non-mechanical items it may be possible to dunk and wash away smoke damage in a special cleaning solution. A smoke damage professional may be able to offer advice on which items will be best salvaged by this method.

4. Using an Abrasive Cleanser

Some items need to be scrubbed to get rid of the smoke odor. An abrasive cleaner is the best solution for this job.

5. Use Cleaning Sprays

Finding a fire cleanup solution for solid surface items, such as wood or metal furniture, can be difficult. However, there are several spray on cleansers that are easy to apply to these items and then wipe off safely.

6. Using a Foam Cleanser

Many fabrics, like those used for upholstery, can shrink or bleed if they become too damp. Foam cleaners are designed for use with these items.

With the right options fire cleanup can go smoothly and leave your items smoke free. The exact cleaning method may vary by object type and amount of smoke damage. A professional may also be able to make recommendations for the successful salvaging of personal items.

How Water Damage Can Follow Fire

8/21/2018 (Permalink)

Water cleanup is just as important as taking care of fire and smoke damage.

Sometimes fire and water really do mix. When you consider the destruction a fire and smoke can leave behind, you might not realize water also comes into the equation. Depending on the size of the fire and how much area it covers, firefighters can use a considerable amount of water to put it out. Not only will you have to deal with fire and smoke damage, but the water cleanup can be extensive.

What Can the Water Do?

When a Pottsville, PA, firefighter battles a blaze, his or her focus is to control and eliminate the fire. The firefighter isn’t worried about water damage. However, once the fire is gone not only do you have to contend with smoke cleanup, but the leftover water poses some challenges.

• Can damage furniture, flooring and walls.
• Can damage documents and personal items.
• Can damage electronics such as televisions, DVD players, computers and copy machines.
• If not properly cleaned up, water can introduce mold growth.

How to Clean it Up

As if fire cleanup isn’t stressful enough, you also need to get rid of water as soon as possible. You should immediately contact a reputable flood cleanup company to properly remove any water from your office. The best companies not only have the experience and skill you’re looking for, but they also have the right equipment. The team will extract water from carpet and furniture. It will also use a wet vacuum to remove any water left behind.

Clean and Replace

Next, the professionals will thoroughly dry and sanitize the affected area to discourage the appearance of mold. Another important step in the water cleanup process is removing damaged areas. This usually involved ripping out carpet and drywall. The technician will then replace these areas so you can get back to your office.

Water cleanup is just as important as taking care of fire and smoke damage. As you act quickly and hire the best cleanup company, you can get your business back to normal soon. For more information, visit http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com/.

Tips for Making a Fire Claim

7/17/2018 (Permalink)

In the unfortunate event of a house fire in Pottsville, PA, feelings of not knowing where to begin the fire restoration process would be natural. Once you are certain that everyone is safe, there are steps to take to organize your response. After the fire trucks leave, it is important to seek professional help to assess the damage and secure the structure instead of trying to do this on your own.

Simplifying the Insurance Process.

Home fire expenses can mount up quickly, and that is where your insurer steps in. To achieve the maximum benefit of your fire insurance policy, there are a few important tips to keep in mind.

• Call your insurance company to ask for an advance against your claim if you find that you have immediate expenses to cover out of pocket. This will be deducted from your overall claim once it is settled.
• Obtain a copy of the police report.
• Make a detailed list of losses, and don’t discard anything until after the adjuster’s visit. Documenting damage and losses is essential to a fair settlement.
• File your insurance claim without delay.
• Track all expenses related to fire restoration, and keep all receipts.
• Collect accurate and appropriate repair estimates in writing.
• Do not feel compelled to settle unless you are satisfied with the insurance company’s response. It is likely to be a negotiation.

Recovering From a Fire.

Replacement, repair and restoration are all part of the process of rebounding from a house fire. However, feeling overwhelmed by all that needs to be done does not have to be inevitable. A methodical approach will go a long way in making the process run smoothly. Documenting all expenses and keeping the lines of communication open with your insurer will help keep things moving in the right direction. Fire restoration is not complete until you are resettled in your home with all remediation, including smoke cleaning, finished to your satisfaction.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com.

Different Types of Smoke In a Fire

5/31/2018 (Permalink)

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Pottsville will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com. We are a certified fire restoration company.

Securing A Home After Fire

5/31/2018 (Permalink)

How do I keep my home from being looted after a fire?

When a home is devastated by a fire there are many gapping holes. Fire fighters may have broken windows or broken doors. These openings to your home are easily taken advantage of by looters.

SERVPRO of Pottsville will work with your insurance to secure your home by adding boards to the openings. Securing your home will help keep costs down for the insurance company. The adjuster will not want to have to make a separate claim for theft or vandalism.

Part of the Emergency Services for a home that suffers from a fire is to keep it secure. Along with securing the home we can also put up tarps and boards on the roof to keep the elements out of the damaged home.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com.

Rites of Spring: Time To Clean Your Barbecue Grill

5/8/2018 (Permalink)

Spring is full of traditions, and everyone has their favorites. Some love spring cleaning to welcome impending summer days, and others celebrate by grilling everything from fruit to seafood. Before you throw your first shrimp on a barbie in Pottsville, PA, make grill cleaning your top priority.

Grate Cleaning

Grates take the brunt of grilling on both gas and charcoal grills. Good grill maintenance makes cooking outdoors so much easier and safer the next time around.

• Continuous grill cleaning with a wire brush during cooking helps prevent a grease fire from flaring up and avoids transferring tastes between foods.
• At the end of the grilling session, while the grate is still warm, use the wire brush to clean the entire surface of the grill to remove food debris. The heat makes the grill cleaning process easier.

Gas Grills

Many gas grill cooks believe the “Clean” setting on gas grills is all they need to avoid contamination. That setting only burns up debris and food in the bottom of the grill, so additional steps are needed.

• Besides cleaning the grate, use your wire brush to gently remove the ash and dirt from the lid and sides of the grill.
• Remove the grate and clean the shelf above the burners that holds ceramic briquettes, lava rocks and/or metal plates.
Charcoal Grills
Most charcoal grill fans dump the ashes and partially burned briquettes after each use, but that isn’t all the cleaning you need to do.
• After cleaning the grate, remove the food debris from the bottom of the grill to prevent flare-ups during the next cooking session that may infuse newly grilled items with noxious tastes and odors.
• Every few cleanings, dig deep into the bottom of the grill with a garden spade or spatula to remove residue composed of grease and sauces. This not only makes your freshly grilled food taste better, but it also improves the airflow vital to keeping the coals burning long and evenly.

Regular grill maintenance can prevent fires. If you do have a fire, however, contact a restoration specialist in Pottsville, PA, to help with renovations.

For more information, please visit us athttp://www.SERVPROpottsville.com.

The Right Steps to Take

3/30/2018 (Permalink)

In case of fire damage there are some steps you can take that will make the process easier.

1. Contact your insurance provider immediately to start off the claims process.
2. Remember to take photos of all your damaged and undamaged property.
3. Create a video walkthrough of the damaged and undimmed areas of your property.
4. Call a restoration company to secure your building.

A fire outbreak comes with other forms of losses including soot damage and compromised air quality. The soot will cover walls and ceilings which will need to be cleaned up quickly to avoid more damage.

Smoke and fire losses can have irreversible implications to any property. The insurance adjuster and SERVPRO of Pottsville will help in the decisions of what to keep and what will need to be replaced.

Your Annual Furnace Maintenance Checklist

2/8/2018 (Permalink)

Have you ever tried to turn your furnace on in the winter and felt a jolt of panic when it wouldn’t work properly? This type of situation can be both inconvenient and dangerous, depending on how cold the temperature is in Pottsville, PA, when furnace problems strike. Malfunctioning furnaces can also pose a fire risk. If your furnace does catch on fire, you’ll need to hire fire cleaning and smoke cleaning professionals to repair the damage.

Fortunately, regular maintenance can prevent most unexpected furnace problems so you have heat when you need it the most. Here are a few of the top items that should be included in your annual furnace maintenance checklist.

1. Clean All Moving Parts

The moving parts in your furnace tend to stir up air and collect dust over time. As dust collects, it can become a fire hazard and could require you to hire fire cleaning services. Keep moving parts operating efficiently by regularly cleaning the motor housing, all belts and pulleys and the blower assembly. You’ll need to remove the front panel to access some of these parts.

2. Lubricate Oil Ports

Not all furnaces have oil ports, but if yours does, it should be lubricated every year. Simply apply two to three drops of a non-detergent motor oil (10-weight) directly to each port. Be careful not to apply too much oil.

3. Inspect All Belts

If your furnace has a blower, it also has belts that can become worn out, frayed or damaged over time. If you notice any wear and tear, replace the belts with new ones as needed.

4. Hire Professionals

Anytime you are uncomfortable maintaining your own furnace, you can hire professionals to do it for you. If you’ve already experienced some damage due to fire or smoke from your furnace, fire restoration experts can take care of your fire cleaning needs. They have the specialized tools and experience necessary to get the job done right.

For more information, visit http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com.

Effectively Using Your Fire Extinguisher

11/28/2017 (Permalink)

Effectively Using Your Fire Extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is a must for every home in Pottsville, PA but you may be concerned about using yours if you’re inexperienced. Luckily, whether it’s fighting a kitchen fire or stopping fire damage in its tracks, this equipment is designed for rapid deployment regardless of the user’s experience level. To familiarize yourself ahead of time, remember these four steps for using an extinguisher effectively.

1. Determine Appropriateness

Different fires, such as grease fires, require different extinguishers, so it’s important to know what yours is – and isn’t – approved for in advance.

While your items can be salvaged with professional restoration services, the same cannot be said for loved ones, so it’s best to evacuate if there’s any doubt. Using the wrong kind of equipment can potentially exacerbate the fire or create additional dangers.

2. Gain Safe Ground

If you’re confident you have the right type of extinguisher, place at least six feet between you and the nearest flames. If there are others in the house, make sure they’re conscious and instruct them to contact emergency services once they’re outside.

3. Remove Safety Pin

Every fire extinguisher uses a small pin to prevent unintentional discharge. Hook your finger inside the pin’s opening and pull it free in one fluid motion. If you’re in a commercial property, there may also be a zip tie, but these are designed to easily break and should snap with a normal level of force.

4. Squeeze and Sweep

Locate the root of the flames, often the stove top in a kitchen fire, while aiming the nozzle. Steady the extinguisher with one hand on the lower lever and the other on the hose, squeezing the handle to disperse the contents while making slow sweeping motions with the hose until the flames are smothered.

Practice and Share

Now that you’re better equipped to use your fire extinguisher, consider practicing by deploying it outside and passing on your knowledge to other members of the household. The more people in your home who can use an extinguisher effectively, the better your chances of staunching a kitchen fire before it grows into significant fire damage. Visit http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com for more information on fire damage.

Red Cross Sponsors

6/23/2017 (Permalink)

The Red cross helps nearly 150,000 military families and veterans annually with emergency communications and access to community resources.

March 2013, SERVPRO and the American Red Cross began a partnership that would grow into a community base program. We recently renew this partnership last year in 2016 on a brand new out look on how we can help our communities. SERVPRO does (ERP) Emergency Response Plans. This helps home owners, business owners, property owners when a disaster occurs. 

This is a new way to help us prepare our community and help first responders when a disaster happens. With our support with the Disaster Responders, it will make it possible for them to assit affected families quicker. 

Moving forward SERVPRO of Pottsville works close by with the Schuylkill County Red Cross. Our marketing Manager is getting involved to help make changes by making up bags to donate to the Recross,volunteering, Donating blood at blood drives and attending monthly meetings. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville will also be working closely with local fire companies to help spread the word about the urgent need to be prepare in a disaster. SERVPRO of Pottsville also hope to continue to provide excellent service for existing services within the program, like ERPs and Community based Fundraisers are just a few examples of the work we provide. Be on the look out for us at local Fair, school  functions, city fairs, safely nights, and much more.

For other community events coming up look under our events on our website or like us on Facebook. If you have any questions call us at 570-622-8991

Dryer Fires

6/16/2017 (Permalink)

2,900 residential fires per year identify a clothes dryer issue like lint or electrical malfunction as their cause.

An estimated 2,900 residential fires per year identify in a dryer issue like lint or electrical malfunction as their cause. 

A clothes dryer work by forcing hot air through a turning drum. The wet clothes are then pass through the drum to be dried by the hot air. Most wet clothes contain one and half gallons of water. While most of the lint goes into the lint filter some of lint is carried through the vent system along moist air.Lint is a very combustible material that can accumulate both in the dryer and in the dryer vent. Accumulated lint leads to reduced airflow and can be a potential fire hazard.

Here are some tips to keep your dryer clean:

• Have your dryer clean and installed by a professional. 
• Do not use your dryer with a lint filter 
• Make sure you clean the lint filter before and after every load of wash.
• Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap willopen when the dryer is operating.
• Make sure the right plug and outlet are used and that the machine is connected properly.  
• Don't leave the house when the dryer is on. 
• If your clothes are not drying then call a professional to come look at your dryer. 

Smoke and soot facts

6/13/2017 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Reading will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – (570) 622-8991