Delay Worsens Water Damage in Pottsville Homes

4/2/2023 (Permalink)

Water removal and drying after a storm in Pottsville are essential to restoring the property to preloss condition. "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Facilitates Speedy Water Removal in Pottsville

After a storm, many homeowners struggle to cope with water damage restoration. Water intrusion can compound problems resulting in damages which, if not promptly addressed, can cost thousands of dollars in remediation. The damage could impact the structural components and cause other issues that may threaten the occupants. If you are aware of an impending storm, you could take appropriate measures to protect your home from water intrusion. But if it happens quickly and water intrudes your home, SERVPRO is here to help with restoration.

Water damage in Pottsville requires significant effort and resources for a complete restoration. Also, there is a need to determine what is salvageable and what should be discarded. Removing materials include insulation, baseboards, drywall, carpeting, or flooring. Our teams use proven water removal and drying techniques to help restore your belongings and minimize structural damage to your property. We provide prompt services, ensuring we extract obvious and hidden moisture deep within your floors, walls, and other hard-to-reach areas.

Some problems water can cause when not promptly addressed

• Microbial growth
• Wood rot
• Rusting

Speeding up water restoration

A delayed response may arise for various reasons, including the disorganization and clutter that follows water intrusion. Establishing order can speed things up by eliminating task repetition and hazards like obstacles or slick surfaces. Our SERVPRO crews ensure an organized workspace by creating staging areas to hold all the equipment and items in case of a move-out and provide a convenient place for mixing cleaning products. Crucial time may also lapse even as you work on the damage if you do not have appropriate resources. SERVPRO crews use specialized equipment to speed up cleaning, drying, and other time-consuming tasks.

Handy equipment that speeds up tasks includes:

• Drying mats for removing moisture trapped beneath floorboards
• Ride-on rovers for in-place carpet drying
• LGR and desiccant dehumidifiers for improved humidity control

SERVPRO of Pottsville responds rapidly to water damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (570) 622-8991.

Hire SERVPRO for Storm Flood Damage Repair in Pottsville

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Pottsville to help with storm restoration to your property.

Storm Damage in Pottsville Calls for Expertise 

Inclement weather can include various activities like severe storms with potent winds or heavy rainfall, leading to over-the-ground flooding. Swollen rivers and storms can also cause flooding in homes. These events can lead to expensive storm damage repair. 

When storm flood damage occurs in your Pottsville residence, it is critical to contact an expert restoration firm like SERVPRO. We have the right tools, knowledge, and qualified technicians to handle the disaster. Our team can take the following steps to restore your property:

• Inspection
• Property stabilization
• Cleaning and disinfection
• Water removal and drying
• Drying and dehumidification
• Reconstruction

Inspection

We can visually inspect your home to assess the damage. Our technicians also locate areas of your home into which water has entered and has absorbed moisture beyond normal levels. We can use devices like moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to track moisture within your property. 

Property Stabilization

Storms can cause severe destruction to the structural core or the roof of your home, leaving it vulnerable to additional damage from vandalism or weather. Our technicians can secure your property by offering board-up and tarping services to stabilize it during restoration. 

Cleaning and Disinfection

Our SERVPRO team can thoroughly clean and disinfect your property. It includes cleaning furnishings, structural elements, and appliances, among other affected items. We use EPA-registered broad-spectrum disinfects to eliminate microbes. 

Water Removal and Drying

Our water damage cleanup specialists can extract floodwater from your home using gas or diesel-powered self-priming trash pumps. Floodwater often contains debris. If these pumps become clogged, they give restorers easy access to the pump body. We can dry the property using drying and dehumidification equipment. 

Reconstruction

This stage of the restoration process involves repair work to restore your property to its original state. Our SERVPRO team can reconstruct ruined structural elements, install new drywall, carpeting or flooring and paint the affected walls. 

After a storm has caused flood damage in your home, you can count on SERVPRO of Pottsville to restore it effectively. Please call us at any time at (570) 622-8991. 

The Issues Accompanying Flood Damage in Pottsville Properties

6/2/2022 (Permalink)

When flooding hits your area, you need to call the technicians at SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Helps Probe Flood Damage in Pottsville Homes

Learning that your home is flooded does not usually tell the entire story. It is only after trying to address the flood damage that you realize the significance of the problem you face. After your Pottsville home is affected, you might need expert help in evaluating and restoring the affected materials.

Flood damage cases in Pottsville are usually unique, so you might encounter different sets of problems every time your property is affected. Using the limited knowledge you have might lead to delays or mistakes that prove costly to address. SERVPRO has a wealth of knowledge accumulated over the years that helps quick identification and resolution of problems. 

Common problems that develop from storms include:

• Roof tears and leaks
• Shattered windows or doors
• Heavy contamination

While your focus is on the water accumulating on the floors, you might miss moisture problems in other areas, such as the ceiling. Storms involve different forces, including gale-force winds and hail, which pile significant pressure on the roof of your home. Some shingles may tear off or crack, leading to leaks. Our SERVPRO technicians check for early signs of water accumulation in the ceiling, such as hazy patches or bubbling paint on the surface of the panels. 

Rapid Solutions For Flooding Issues

Fixing flood damage is usually a costly affair for several reasons, including the long time it takes to resolve the problems. Cutting down the timelines saves costs incurred directly or indirectly. An example of indirect cost is paying for alternative accommodation while your place is fixed. Our SERVPRO crews expedite restoration by using sophisticated equipment and special techniques. If water is trapped in the ceiling, drilling small weep holes drains it efficiently. Venting dry, warm air into the ceiling cavity facilitates speedy drying.

Other actions that address flooding speedily

• Spraying disinfectants over flooded areas to limit contamination
• Using powerful extractors to remove standing water
• Doing partial content move-outs

SERVPRO of Pottsville understands flood damage issues clearly. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to help address the incident at your premises “Like it never even happened.”

What Should Pottsvile Homeowners Do When Floods Damage Their Homes?

5/3/2022 (Permalink)

We were able dry this water damaged basement quickly using state-of-the-art equipment and prevent secondary damage like mold. Call us today!

Steps for Flood Damage Cleanup in Pottsville 

Water damage from storms happens with little to no warning. Once the water is inside the home, it needs to be extracted as soon as possible to limit the structure and possessions' exposure to excessive moisture. 

When flood damage happens in Pottsville homes, there are some steps you can take to minimize loss before SERVPRO arrives on-site. Your safety is essential. Do not attempt any of these actions if there is any danger of injuries such as slip and fall accidents or if you are unsure about the electric or gas situation. In those cases, vacate the premises until help arrives.

• If you remain in the home, and it is safe to do so, wear an N-95 mask or N-100 respirator to prohibit the inhalation of contaminants.
• Turn off the gas and electricity to the home if you can do it safely.
• Take photos and videos of every room and possession affected by water for insurance purposes. 

Once SERVPRO arrives, we immediately extract any remaining water and test to determine the kinds of bacteria, sewage, or contaminants that reside in the floodwater. If the trim boards are natural wood and not composite in some cases, we can restore them for reuse. 

Carpet, padding, and most porous items exposed to groundwater have no potential to return to sanitary standards for reuse and are discarded according to municipal regulations. Before drying, we measure the water line on sheetrock and cut roughly a foot above that to ensure only building materials remain that were unaffected by floodwater. 

When our technicians finish mitigation of the flood damage, including treatment for mold and foul odors, the property is left clean and sanitary for the reconstruction of the home. 

SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 stands ready to assist local property owners with cleanup and restoration services from flood damage. Our technicians are available 24/7 and arrive within one hour of your call because We're Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Don't Try and Remediate Flood Damage in Your Pottsville Home Alone-Contact SERVPRO

4/12/2022 (Permalink)

Flood damage can take over your whole home quickly. Contact SERVPRO today to handle any size remediation needs.

Decontamination and Disinfection for Flooded Pottsville Homes

Not all flood incidents that could affect Pottsville properties come with contamination threats and hazardous conditions, but this can be the case in some instances. In gray areas where professionals cannot accurately determine the likelihood of this potential contamination, water must get treated as though it has encountered various levels of bacteria and contaminants along its path to flooding your home. With these protocols in place, our professionals must act quickly to protect as much of your home as possible.

There are various potential hazards that water could experience before it causes flood damage to your Pottsville home. In situations like roof damage, rainfall does not have a chance to encounter toxic elements, so our SERVPRO professionals can follow standard water loss approaches to dry and recover the property. Where grey or even black water could exist, disinfection, cleaning, and even controlled demolition must occur.

Knowing what your property needs when restoring flood damages begins with an accurate inspection and assessment of the home. Our estimator and management can walk through the house together to determine the likelihood of contamination and the best approach to prevent these effects from impacting other house areas. We can reduce the spread of contamination through physical barriers with plastic sheeting, extraction equipment, and units like hydroxyl generators and air scrubbers.

Disinfection plays a role in persevering structural elements that do not meet the removal and later replacement requirements. To prevent bacteria's continued life and spread, we have OSHA-approved cleaning agents and disinfection products that can remove contamination from your property's beams, studs, and framework as recovery and restoration continue. In situations like the saturation of construction materials, controlled demolition practices by our SERVPRO team can safely remove these contaminated elements and prepare the area for reconstruction.

Many types of flooding can occur in your home, but our SERVPRO of Pottsville team can help guide your property through the necessary steps to make the damages "Like it never even happened." You can reach our emergency response team 24/7 at (570) 622-8991.

Pottsville Flooding!! Don't Wait, Call SERVPRO for Emergency Water Removal and Cleanup

2/9/2022 (Permalink)

Raising temperatures, melting snow, and rain can cause flooding.

Winter Threats of Flash Flooding for Pottsville Homes

As many Pottsville homeowners and business owners already know, the winter months offer the area far more than just the threat of heavy snowfall to keep in our minds. With temperature fluctuations and frequent precipitation, the ground can quickly become saturated. This scenario can quickly lead to flash flooding under the right conditions, and this emergency threatens multiple properties along the path the floodwaters are most likely to take.

While you cannot always predict when flood damages can occur to your Pottsville home, having the right professionals available to restore these outcomes ensures an efficient approach that saves you time and money. Often flood-damaged homes are uninhabitable until restoration work completes, so you want to react quickly to the situation so that our trained professionals can start their work as promptly as possible.

Equipment for Flood Damage Restoration

Our SERVPRO rapid response team can roll out from our base with our Green Fleet in these circumstances. These vehicles get stocked with industry-leading equipment designed to extract, dry quickly, and clean up the mess that flooding can leave behind. Once our IICRC certified technicians arrive, we can set up our truck-mounted extraction equipment to remove pooling water from the property at 300 psi. Extraction wands and wet-vacs can take care of what remains or pooling water present in otherwise inaccessible areas. Speed is crucial to pump out as much water as possible to mitigate the degradation of building elements.

Given the mud, debris, and potential contaminants that could exist in the water rushing into your home during a flash flood, the restoration team you choose should also offer complete cleaning and disinfecting. These approaches can preserve elements like hardwood flooring and furniture that become soiled by dirty water or mud and debris left behind in the affected areas once the pooled water is extracted.

Flash flooding presents significant risks to residential properties throughout the area, and worse yet, it can strike with little warning. Whenever your home suffers the effects of flood damage, you can depend on the fast response of our SERVPRO of Pottsville water restoration technicians. You can reach our skilled professionals 24/7 by calling (570) 622-8991.

Which Techniques Help With Frozen Pipes and Ice Damming Prevention in Pottsville Homes?

12/13/2021 (Permalink)

When the weather changes to cold, prevention measures for freezing pipes need to be implemented. Contact SERVPRO to help. We are standing by 24/7.

SERVPRO Focuses on Temperature Management Preventing Freezing in Properties

Freezing poses a significant risk of water damage for Pottsville residences. Frozen pipes and ice dams are the two common issues that lead to water damage. With the appropriate information, it is possible to prevent them, thus eliminating water damage, inconveniences and hefty restoration costs.

Most aspects of frozen pipes and ice damming prevention in Pottsville homes must be handled proactively. However, even when the cold season is already underway, it is still possible to take preventive actions. Involving a professional team like SERVPRO can help you take the correct actions before or during the cold season.

Crucial actions that help prevent pipes from freezing include:

• Insulating pipes in exposed areas such as exterior walls
• Insulating exposed house sections such as attics and basements
• Maintaining constant temperatures of at least 55° F

As you might have noticed, temperature regulation is the critical step in preventing pipes from freezing. Our SERVPRO technicians use their expertise to determine whether you have sufficient insulation in the vulnerable sections of your property. We also confirm that your heating systems and accessories, such as thermostats, are fully functional.

For ice dams, the critical step in preventing them is understanding how they form. In most cases, uneven heating of the roof is the genesis of the problem. There are three phases in the process, starting with the first when parts of the exterior roof warm from escaping attic heat. The snow accumulates on the eaves, and on the roof where it is colder. Finally, the water melting on the warm roof forms a dam and can penetrate below the shingles, causing water damage.

Preventing ice dams can take different actions depending on the layout of your property:

• Sealing and insulation HVAC and exhaust ducts
• Better attic insulation to keep heat away from the roof
• Ventilating eaves and ridges

SERVPRO of Pottsville can help you take the necessary actions for frozen pipes and ice damming prevention. Call us at (570) 622-8991 for assistance in winter-proofing your home.

Does Drying Equipment Need to Run All the Time after Flooding?

11/13/2021 (Permalink)

Storm and flood damage mitigation is no DIY project. Call SERVPRO for fast and immediate service. We are here to help.

Pottsville Homes Benefit from SERVPRO's Aggressive Drying Service

After a storm causing flooding, many homes and businesses in Pottsville need the water and debris removed, homes repaired, and restored to their original condition. Our clients often ask us whether the air movers and dehumidifiers need to be running all of the time? Can they turn them off during office hours or at night when they are trying to sleep?

SERVPRO provides flood water removal services to the city of Pottsville and surrounding areas. Our team initially removes all of the debris and water that may have entered your home. We also provide board up services to cover broken windows, damaged roofs, and doors. The next stage involves cleaning everything salvageable and removing the rest. Finally, our moisture removal equipment is installed to dehumidify the air and draw out all of the excess moisture that remains in the structure.

The most efficient approach is to operate the equipment continuously until moisture levels return to normal. Turning the air movers and dehumidifiers off extends the time needed to completely dry your home and increases the risk of mold colonies becoming established and causing more damage.

Everything Was So Damp, and Now the Air in Our House Feels So Dry

The air in your home may feel dry; however, high levels of moisture may still exist in walls, carpets, and your home's contents. SERVPRO monitors the humidity levels and adjusts the equipment to target specific areas that may require further drying. All materials do have a natural moisture content level; this is the goal we strive to reach.

Moisture in these areas can migrate into your home's dry air.  Once your home reaches a standard RH Relative Humidity, all of our equipment is removed. Restoration of the floodwaters' damage can also begin, returning your home to its original condition.

Call SERVPRO of Pottsville (570) 622-8991 to assist with flood water removal and restoration of your home or business.

How Floodwaters Bring Contaminants into Your Pottsville Home

7/23/2021 (Permalink)

When a flood disrupts your home living. SERVPRO is a call away for all of the storm damage restorations your home needs.

Contamination and Hazards During Flood Damage Restoration

While flooding can often be very traumatic for Pottsville homeowners, many do not understand the full measure of hazard or risk associated with this emergency. With water pouring in through openings of your home without a full working knowledge of where this water has come from, this disaster could welcome contamination and biohazards into the property that threaten those exposed. Our SERVPRO professionals have the personal protective equipment to safely clean up these potential hazards throughout the mitigation and restoration processes necessary to return your home to preloss condition.

Without knowing the path that floodwaters take to reach your Pottsville home, it cannot get said definitively that flood damages are not potentially hazardous for even our trained professionals to overcome. Our SERVPRO flood restoration team has advanced training regarding safety and personal protective equipment that can help us clean up contaminated areas and remove hazardous debris and items from your property that have been carried in with the flood.

Assessment for Flood Damage

Assessment of the damage is a critical stage for determining the full scope of the water damage to the property and determining the levels of the potential hazard that could exist both structurally and with the flood water and residues left behind. With our mitigation tactics, our SERVPRO technicians can quickly extract floodwater from the affected areas of your home and get to work on debris removal and demolition required in light of both contamination and heavy saturation that ruins construction materials like drywall.

Disinfection After Flood Damage

Disinfection of beams, studs, and other primary structural elements is critical if these portions of your home’s construction can get preserved after a flood. We have solutions and detergents that can clean these materials. Even an antimicrobial spray can help prevent these surfaces from becoming inhabitable by mold spores, looking for a home in the moist environment to colonize.

Flooding is rarely as direct as restoring water damage. Still, our SERVPRO of Pottsville rapid response team has the training and equipment to help with whatever the condition of your property is. Give our professionals a call anytime at (570) 622-8991.

What Strategies Reduce the Damage that Flooding Does to Pottsville Homes?

7/12/2021 (Permalink)

Storms have the tendency to cause homes damage. SERVPRO is the team to call for all of your storm restoration services.

Effective mitigation and remediation strategies help Pottsville properties recover after flooding.

Flooding is a time-sensitive situation. The sooner technicians can get started on recovery and cleaning, the less of the structure that requires removal and replacement. SERVPRO employs efficient extraction and disinfection practices to overcome highly damaging flood events in area homes. 

Emergency Services Remove Standing Water Concerns

Because flood damage in Pottsville homes is not uncommon, restoration professionals like ours in the area must stay prepared to mobilize quickly. Reaching a flood situation for restoration and mitigation as soon as possible can often prevent considerable tear-out and reconstruction. Emergency services can range from debris removal to extraction.

Content Cleaning and Relocation Services

Our responding technicians always prioritize protecting your home or business's contents from irreparable harm. On-site relocation and cleaning can play a significant role in this process, though some of these items must benefit from the pack-out process we offer. This moves things to our nearby SERVPRO facility for effective and efficient restoration practices such as:

• Surface cleaning
• Deodorization
• Drying
• Safe storage

Flooding is often a devastating situation for area homeowners, namely when your most treasured possessions are in harm's way. Trusting the fast response of our SERVPRO of Pottsville team to help can ensure that even with destructive flooding conditions that the appropriate cleaning and restoration gets underway. We are available 24/7 at (570) 622-8991. 

SERVPRO Provides Professional Water Extraction During Storm Damage Recovery in Pottsville

6/12/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO offers "flood cuts," a controlled demolition to minimize cost and build backs in Pottsville storm damaged homes

Flood Recovery for Pottsville Homes After Severe Weather Damages

Storm systems can cause many external damages to your Pottsville property. To make the situation harder, these vulnerabilities caused by high winds, hail, ice, heavy snowfall, and torrential rain can open pathways for water to penetrate the upper levels of your house or also allow water into cellars and basements. Contending with this situation requires an immediate response from the homeowner to experienced restoration specialists that can help. Our team is available 24/7 to help you preserve structural elements in your home and keep the property's contents from becoming unsalvageable.

Many homeowners do not realize when external elements of their home have allowed their property to become susceptible to flooding. Often these situations occur mid-storm, making them troublesome to diagnose right away and harder still to prevent. Our rapid response team can react quickly to the flood damage in your Pottsville home and offer effective solutions designed to mitigate your damages and lessen the time and cost associated with the complete restoration of the house.

Flood Damage Mitigation and Restoration

Risk assessment is a large part of our SERVPRO professionals' work, and this comes along with a thorough inspection of the property to determine the full extent of the damage sustained by the home throughout the event. Often affected areas of your house get earmarked at this point for removal with controlled demolition tactics. With a higher volume of water penetrating your home, the saturation levels can get too excessive for materials like drywall and carpeting to get saved in many instances. SERVPRO attempts to minimize the amount of wall replacement by using "flood cuts." Why remove an entire 8-foot panel when a 2 to 4-foot cut can suffice?

Our SERVPRO technicians offer controlled demolition techniques to prepare your property for the reconstruction that it often needs when exposed to floodwaters. While we can often board up or tarp over vulnerable points on the roof or in other areas of the exterior of your home to prevent further exposure and damage, we leave reconstruction and replacement of materials to experienced residential contractors.

Flooding in your home can happen from several sources, but severe weather can often become a contributing factor. If you experience flood damages in your home, call our SERVPRO of Pottsville rapid response team as quickly as possible at (570) 622-8991.

What Can I Do When a Storm Causes Flood Damage?

4/13/2021 (Permalink)

IICRC certified trained techs from SERVPRO are ready 24/7 365 days a year for any size storm restoration service.

Local Orwigsburg Flood Damage Remediation Services Are Ready to Help! 

Many people enjoy falling asleep to the sound of rain, but it's not such a great greeting when said rain begins to drip on your face in the middle of the night. Waking up to a leaking ceiling is no one's ideal situation, but it is the way you deal with the issue that makes the difference. Getting in touch with experts quickly can make a big difference in the comfort of your sleep for the following nights. 

Here at SERVPRO, we're local Orwigsburg flood damage experts. No matter how the flood damage came to be in your home, we can help you get it back to its pre-flood state. Call us when you need help with: 

• Water Clean Up
• Ceiling Repairs From Water Damages 
• Leaking Roof from Storms
• Water Damage Repairs 

Our IICRC certified technicians use advanced technology designed to tackle water damage quickly. These devices are made to deal with: 

• ceiling leaks
• burst pipes
• flood restoration
• water damage remediation

Trust our technicians to help your home by using wet/dry vacuums to extract excess water. We can additionally set up drying equipment, such as dehumidifiers, and we can direct airflow to your ceiling with poly-sheeting to ensure your home is suitably dry. 

When you have a water damage emergency, get help! Call SERVPRO of Pottsville by dialing (570) 622-8991. We're ready to help you 24/7! 

Why Does Your Garden Matter in Preventing Flood Damage?

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of the way that your home was flooded, SERVPRO is the effective company for water removal services. Don’t wait, call right away.

Storm Proof Your Garden to Protect Your Home

It is better to prepare for flood damage before it happens. Even if the weather forecast is clear, it is better to take preventative measures sooner rather than later.

One way to help protect your Orwigsburg home from flood damage is to keep your yard well-tended. Several risk areas in your garden can put your house at greater risk of flood damage:

• Overhanging trees can damage windows or roofs and let floodwater into your home.
• Overflowing drainpipes and gutters increase the risk of flooding near your home’s walls.
• Lawns or flowerbeds that slope towards your home encourage floodwater to run to the building.
• Loose fence posts or gates can blow into your home and cause damage that allows water in.
  
  

Keep gutters clean, and call in a tree surgeon if a tree looks like it might be in a dangerous position. In the event of flood damage, call SERVPRO. We will evacuate water from your home, clean your belongings, and dry and deodorize your home to leave it “Like it never even happened.”

If you need help with flood damage, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991.

Thursday Storytime for Cressona Children

1/11/2021 (Permalink)

Storms may cause flood damage when all is said and done. Call the professionals. SERVPRO has the team you need for the water restoration service.

Cressona Kids Can Learn New Things or Fine Tune their Skills in One-Day Fun Events

Reading, storytelling, and coloring are some great activities to keep kids in Cressona occupied. Such activities are not only entertaining but also an excellent way for them to learn some new skills, including improving fine motor skills. Coloring can also help in related aspects such as improving handwriting. At a younger age, children tend to lose interest quickly, so proper scheduling is as essential as finding the right activities. Barnes & Noble Booksellers has a storytelling and coloring event for kids on Thursday 21st, 2021, starting from 10 AM. 

Some of the main highlights of the event include:

• 30-minute sessions of fun activities
• A variety of activities including coloring and storytelling
• The event is open to all kids
• The event is scheduled frequently so you can pick a date convenient to you

SERVPRO of Pottsville is an established flood damage restoration service that helps restore Cressona homes after flooding incidents. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to help take steps that minimize or reverse the damages caused by such incidents.

Torrential Rains Caused Flooding to My Home – Can SERVPRO Help?

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO professionals are trained to handle every level of water damage. Call us today, we are always available to help.

Professional Technicians Understand Storm Flooding and Can Provide Emergency Flood Mitigation to Pottsville Homes.

Pottsville is located along the beautiful Schuylkill River and is home to approximately 14,500 residents. Like much of Pennsylvania, it is prone to flash flooding and severe storms that can send water surging into homes. High winds can damage roofs allowing heavy rains to enter the property. 

My Roof is Damaged – Can You Stop the Water from Getting Inside?

When flood damage occurs in Pottsville, getting emergency water mitigation is crucial. Our professional teams arrive on the scene as soon as possible once we receive the call. Emergency procedures are then put in place to ensure the safety of the home and occupants and to prevent further deterioration from taking place. To prevent more water from entering the home via the roof, the crew can:

• Temporarily seal the exposed area of the roof with plastic sheeting
• Tarp the roof over the plastic an added layer of protection
• Help you find a professional roofer for needed repairs

 Can You Dry Out My Attic?

When a storm causes damage to a roof, it often means water damage to the attic area. The attic may simply be a small area that is barely accessible, or it may be a finished room where household items are stored. Getting the needed equipment in the attic can be a challenge, but SERVPRO’s Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified technicians encounter these types of situations every day. They have the experience and expertise to implement the precise flood damage mitigation needed. 

 Many attics contain sheetrock, which can complicate drying. Controlled demolition may be needed to remove damaged sheetrock. Once this happens, the attic’s structural components are easier to dry. Even if the sheetrock shows no signs of water damage, it may have to be removed to allow access to impacted areas. Restoring an attic often means working with insulation. Wet fiberglass insulation can be restored in particular cases, but the plaster or sheetrock underneath is not always salvageable. We use large insulation vacuums to remove it and save it for possible reuse. 

How is Water Removed from the Rest of the House?

The general process for water removal is the same, whether from flood damage or water intrusion from something like a water heater rupture. It involves:

• Use truck-mounted or portable pumps to extract the water.
• Using various types of extractors for carpet, flooring, and furniture.
• Locating hidden moisture with moisture meters and infrared cameras.
• Setting up drying equipment to complete the process.

When dealing with any water damage, there are three types of water – clean, gray, and black. Floodwater that surges into the home is considered black water. It is contaminated and should be avoided unless you have the proper PPE equipment. The contaminants found in flood water can include dead animals, dirt, debris, bacteria, chemical waste, and more. Disinfectants and sanitizing agents must be used on the water and anything the liquid has touched. 

What About My Flooring?

In a flooding situation such as this, there can be hardwood floors, linoleum, and carpeting that are soaked. Carpets that have been exposed to flood water typically need to be disposed of due to contaminants. Our technicians handle the removal of loss items as they may require special disposal. Upholstered furniture is in the same category.

Hardwood floors hold up better to water damage than softwood flooring. Its natural composite makes it more resilient. When drying hardwood floors, our technicians strive to prevent buckling, warping, and cupping from becoming permanent. Wood floors need to be dried out as quickly as possible as mold can develop fast. Sanding and refinishing may be required once the floors are completely dry.

Can the Odors be Removed?

SERVPRO technicians move on to cleaning and disinfecting once everything is dry. Exposed surfaces get treated with antimicrobials and, if needed, sealants get used. Everything gets thoroughly sanitized. Part of the process involves mitigating lingering odors. There are several things that can be used, including:

• Gel pellets – timed release for light smells
• Hydroxyl generators – Safely remove odors using UV rays
• Thermal fogging – Used for widespread odors

Giving You Back Your Home.

Our goal is to restore your home to its preloss condition. Storms and floods in Pennsylvania can strike at any time, day or night. We live in PA and understand the hazards. Because of this, we are available 24/7, including holidays. Catastrophes do not ask when it is convenient for them to take place. They simply occur. Making sure your family is safe and taken care of is what you do best. Let us handle the stress of restoration and making your home, “Like it never even happened.”

If storms have you needing professional flood damage services, contact SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8891. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How Do I Cleanup Flood Water?

8/11/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO professionals are trained to handle all types of water damage. Give us a call, we are available 24/7.

Our Pottsville SERVPRO Team Mitigates Damage Through Prompt Water Removal.

After experiencing a flood in Pottsville, a detached garage may sustain more damage than a house since they are often exposed to the outdoor elements. Imagine coming into your garage and seeing muddy water with lawn cuttings and a sheen of oil on the surface. Just by looking at it, you can tell that the water is category 3/black water. Due to this contamination, it is vital to have professionals with the appropriate PPE and knowledge assist in the cleanup.

How Do Technicians Get Rid of the Sludge?

SERVPRO Uses Trash Pumps to Remove the Contaminated Water

After the flood damage in your Pottsville garage, the SERVPRO team removes any dangerous stored chemicals like paint or gasoline before removing the water. Then, they use a trash pump to remove the contaminated sludge from the garage. A trash pump is an impeller-type pump that can remove larger visible debris while vacuuming up the contaminated water; this way, technicians do not have to come into physical contact with potentially-harming pesticides and other chemicals contained in the water. After technicians use the trash pump for extraction, they move on to scrubbing the concrete pad with squeegees and brooms, ensuring the area is clean and dried.

What Equipment Does SERVPRO Use to Dry the Walls and Ceiling of the Garage?

• Axial fans: Helps move air throughout the garage, speeding up the drying process near the garage entrance. 
• Centrifugal Air Movers: Directs air toward the walls, blowing warm air over the surface to aid in the drying process.
• LGR Dehumidifiers: Removes excess water below 55 GPP (grains per pound) from the air. 

For 24/7 restoration assistance after a flood, contact SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

More information about Pottsville.

How Can I Ensure My Home Regains Its Pre-Loss State After Flood Damage Incidents in Pottsville?

6/14/2020 (Permalink)

Quick action after flooding can ensure that your property can be restored. Contact our certified SERVPRO team for services.

Assistance from SERVPRO Can Help Ensure Proper Management of All Aspects of the Loss Guaranteeing a Positive Outcome

Storms can cause intense damage to your property in a short time. Even when the structure is left standing, general soiling, shredded paneling, and damaged finishes can lead you to question whether the property can return to normal. SERVPRO helps stricken Pottsville homeowners take a proactive restoration approach that restores normalcy.

What might I overlook that can contribute positively to the restoration of flood damage in Pottsville? 

• Taking photos 
• Retaining pieces of damaged material
• Meticulously evaluating the loss

Restoring property to its previous condition requires a precise reference point. No matter how skilled the restoration team is, creating the results you want out of thin air is not possible. Photos help provide a definite reference point after everything is torn down or moved during restoration. Another issue that can lead to disappointment after renovation is over is replacement material failing to match what was there initially.

Our SERVPRO technicians help eliminate these problems by taking several photos and videos from the time we arrive at the loss site. We also retain small pieces of material such as carpets, pad, or even drywall so that we choose identical replacements.

What must be fixed to restore flood-damaged property?

Flood damage from storms is rarely uniform even in properties affected during the same incident. However, some problems are common in most incidents, and therefore planning how to address them is necessary.

• Cleanup of soiled areas
• Deodorization 
• Decontamination 

Flooding dirties properties in many ways. The common ones include groundwater depositing silt and mud from outside while the water supplies moisture, causing deterioration of materials inside the structure. High moisture levels can also spark mold development. 

Thoroughly cleaning up the entire house helps reverse the soiling. Our SERVPRO technicians use a combination of conventional cleaning products and disinfectants to remove contaminants as well. 

When you need professional assistance to deal with flooding, SERVPRO of Pottsville can provide the resources you need. Call us at (570) 622-8991 to help. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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What Can I Do If One Of My Windows Breaks During A Rainstorm?

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

SERVPRO Can Help You Assess Any Problems That May Have Occurred In Your Pottsville House After A Storm Or Flood.

Rainstorms can bring with them excessive amounts of rainfall in a short period and swirling high-speed winds. If the wind picks up enough, it could cause a tree branch or rock to fly into your window and break it. Once a window in your house becomes broken during a rainstorm, moisture can enter your house and cause you several more issues.

What Is The First Step To Take After A Window Breaks?

Call In A Professional Company: SERVPRO can help you mitigate flood damage occurring in Pottsville and surrounding areas by implementing the industry's best techniques and equipment.

Seal The Structure: Once we arrive at your residence the first step we take is to board up and seal your broken window so that water stops entering.

Mitigate Safety Hazards: If there is any broken glass in your house, we can safely remove it as well as mitigate any other potential hazards.

Inspect And Assess The Building: Once the working area is deemed safe, we begin using moisture detection tools to figure out where the H2O traveled and how wet your contents and building materials got.

How Can You Remove Water From My Floors And Carpets?

The first step our SERVPRO technicians take when mitigating moisture-related issues is to remove as much liquid as possible before it evaporates and soaks into the items in your house. If your carpets got wet, we can use a heavy-duty extractor with weighted extraction tools to compress the carpets and squeeze out the moisture.

How Do You Dry Out The Rest Of The Wet Items In My Home?

Air Movers: We can use fans and air movers to create circulation to speed up evaporation.

Dehumidifiers: We can use these machines to remove moisture from the air.

Heaters: Drying best occurs at warmer temperatures so we can increase the temperature in your house if needed.

If your building materials ever get wet after you have a window break during a storm in Cressona or Pine Grove, call SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 immediately.

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Drying Your Pottsville Home After Flood Damage

3/19/2020 (Permalink)

Storm damage in your Pottsville home? Don’t let moisture take over, call SERVPRO right away.

Our SERVPRO Teams Are Equipped With The Tools And Equipment Specially Designed To Thoroughly Dry Your Property After Water Damage Takes Place

After a flood, the first thought after you confirm the well-being of your family is most likely the well-being of your home. Although there may be some water damage after the flood water recedes, the biggest challenge is often the cleanup and deodorizing the smell left by contaminated flood water if you do extract the water and dry the wet materials quickly enough.  

The most crucial step after flood damage hits your Pottsville home is to thoroughly dry all impacted materials, including carpeting, flooring, and items within the home, such as furniture. Once items are thoroughly dried, there is a much smaller chance of out of control microbial growth. SERVPRO technicians use state-of-the-art equipment to dry the impacted areas and contents within your home. 

The first step to thorough drying is extraction. SERVPRO technicians use both portable and truck-mounted extraction equipment to remove excess water from your home effectively. Portable extraction wands have a backpack-like tank that holds from five to twelve gallons of water. Truck-mounted extractors can hold over 100 gallons for situations where there is a lot of water. In some more rare cases, when there are more than two inches of standing water, technicians employ a submersible pump to remove water. The more moisture extracted, the easier the rest of the drying process becomes. 

Air movement through ventilation and industrial-strength air movers in conjunction with dehumidifiers work on drying the impacted area after extracting the excess moisture thoroughly. Air movers blow air at floor level since cold, moist air is often close to the surface. While the air movers aim air throughout the affected areas, dehumidifiers simultaneously pull moisture in, filters it with HEPA filters to remove any dangerous particles, and then exhaust the air, now dry and warm. The dry, warm air then circulates throughout the room with the assistance of the air movers. 

After a flood, Contact SERVPRO of Pottsville at (570) 622-8991 for 24/7 assistance. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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Give Our Experts A Call As Soon As You Need Us In Pottsville

11/25/2019 (Permalink)

We put a tarp on the roof to prevent further water incursion, and then dried out the attic and walls with our advanced equipment.

Roof Breaches That Flood Pottsville Attic Spaces

During the winter months, especially, Pottsville homes can fall victim to several extreme weather conditions, including heavy snowfall to torrential rains. It does not take long for one of these compromising weather events to damage a roof, especially when heavy snow weighs on a roof for several days before the rainfall begins. Once any breach in your roof exists, water can begin to penetrate your attic space.

Stopping the flood damage to Pottsville homes is a combination of several divisions of our SERVPRO team working together for a common goal. Regardless of the severity of the situation, several steps must get taken immediately to prevent further migration of the flooding and to get the current conditions under control. In most cases, our mitigation team can work alongside licensed residential contractors to temporarily seal off penetration points in the plywood backing of the roof while we set up drying implements.

With more than two decades helping out flood-damaged homes, we have built relationships with reputable contractors that can help us to see your job to completion quickly. We know how traumatic loss incidents can become when you have to spend weeks or more waiting for someone to help. Especially with higher water volumes like flooding scenarios present, every moment counts.

Depending on how much water damages have spread throughout the attic space, we can usually address most of this saturation and higher moisture content with a chain of air movers positioned throughout this upper level. Smaller refrigerant dehumidifiers that are easier to maneuver take the place of our larger desiccants in these tighter spaces. Some exposed material might be too compromised to protect, including insulation in the direct path between the roof breach and the attic below. Our SERVPRO team can utilize our insulation vacuum to safely remove these damaged portions of material without sending considerable debris into the environment.

It is always a good idea to inspect your attic space after substantial, lingering snowfalls and torrential rains. The sooner you can recognize roof leaks and penetration points, the faster that you can address flooding and water losses. Give our SERVPRO of Pottsville team a call to help when you need us at (570) 622-8991.

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We Have State Of The Art Equipment Necessary For Pottsville Flood Damage Restoration

10/31/2019 (Permalink)

Contact our SERVPRO team to make it "Like it never even happened." Call us right away for best results.

Gas-Powered Pumps for Fast Flood Extraction in Pottsville Homes

Flooding scenarios can be devastating for homes and businesses throughout Pottsville, especially when property owners get taken by surprise. Instead of battling the effects of this disaster on your own, you can lean on the experience and cutting-edge equipment available to our SERVPRO team. We have numerous extraction devices ranging from smaller-scale light wands to the high-capacity truck-mount pumps for supreme water removal.

Choosing the right tool for the job might not seem complicated, but it is one of the critical factors in efficient flood water extraction for Pottsville homes. Our team of professionals has extensive experience in overcoming flood loss effects, as this disaster can follow storms and weather events happening in the area year-round. From heavy snowfalls and rains in the winter to prolonged soaking rains of the summer, many properties can suffer the destruction of fast-moving floodwater.

Rushing flash floods and rising natural flooding can quickly compromise area utilities, especially when electrical substations and transformers become submerged. Without power, our SERVPRO team can still help our customers to manage the hazardous effects within their homes, by utilizing both the power we can create with our trailered generators and our fuel-powered extraction machines. Implementing the generator opens up a much more extensive range of potential tools and equipment that we can use, but it is not always practical for the speed that work needs to begin.

Our professionals can also utilize our gas-powered trash pump to begin removing higher volumes of standing water from the flood damaged regions of your home. Because this runs on fuel and not electricity, we can begin extraction quickly after arriving. The feed of these extractors is continuous, so a single unit can often remove the majority of the standing water threat in a brief period.

There is never one single way to accomplish anything in the restoration world, and when situations have taken critical utilities like your electric service, we must think on our feet to provide the same high-quality result differently. Give our SERVPRO of Pottsville team a call to help anytime at (570) 622-8991.

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Our Experts Discuss Three Tips To Help After A Flood In Your Pottsville Home

10/9/2019 (Permalink)

We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Three Tips to Help When Your Pottsville Home is Going to Flood

There are many situations in which flooding can and does occur, but not without more than a day of notice for Pottsville residents. The worst of flooding must often wait for the steady rainfall to reach bodies of water and cause them to overflow, which does not always happen instantaneously. When you have some time before flooding could occur, there are some ways that you can keep your property safer before you leave.

Knowing what to do with looming disasters can be a stressful time, as for many residents, flood damage to their Pottsville home is inevitable. Even with preventative measures, many lower-lying properties are at too considerable of a risk for damming and sandbags to have the desired effect. There are several measures that you can take to reduce your personal loss in this overwhelming situation before our SERVPRO professionals arrive to help.

Gather What Is Most Important
Keepsakes, heirlooms, and photographs might not always have monetary value, but they can be a priceless possession to homeowners. If you know a flood situation is coming, gather up these belongings and take them with you if possible when you vacate the premises. You can better protect these belongings if they remain in your possession.

Turn Off Utilities in Your House
A considerable risk for recovery specialists after flooding is the unknowns about risks that could exist in the floodwater, such as an electrical current. By severing your service in your home, you can keep professionals safe as they work to remove standing water from your property and begin the steps of recovery.

Move Your Belongings
While you cannot take everything with you when you leave the house before the flooding, you can take some steps to move all of your belongings to a higher elevation, such as the second floor. By finding a place unlikely to become affected by the flood, you prevent the loss of these items as our SERVPRO team works on extraction and drying.

We strive to provide every customer with helpful information during a crisis because your safety and wellbeing is our priority. Flooding can be a challenge, but our SERVPRO of Pottsville team can show you that We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster. Give us a call at (570) 622-8991.

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Your Pottsville Home Flooded. How Should You Begin to Clean Your Home?

6/19/2019 (Permalink)

This home suffered water damage after flooding. We removed the flooring and made flood cuts to dry the home.

Cleaning Up Your Pottsville Home after a Flood

Flooding can leave any Pottsville home damaged in multiple ways, but one of the most insurmountable tasks is cleaning up the mess this disaster can leave behind. Our team has an entire division of cleaning technicians with experience and continued training with the latest products, equipment, and practices to make sullied areas of your residence like new again. These same professionals arrive to help set up mitigation and continue their efforts through the restoration phases of recovery. 

A significant flood damage effect for your Pottsville property can be the mud, debris, and potential contaminants in all exposed areas of your house. While our SERVPRO team can work initially to remove any standing water and begin to dry up the saturation and exposure of specific construction materials and areas of the house, these machines do little for the residues and dirt film left behind on surfaces, contents, and structural elements. 

Our professionals work to wipe down all of the exposed surfaces for materials that can stay installed after light exposure to natural flooding. Many of the heavily saturated areas must get removed and replaced, which can take much of the debris, mud, and potential contaminants with them. When these materials get reinstalled shortly, our cleaning technicians also provide post-reconstruction cleanup. 

For exposed contents in the damaged areas, many of these items must get removed from the property and transported to a nearby facility of ours with our contents department. Here, these items can get focused on cleaning, drying, disinfection, and storage until it is the right time to return them to a fully restored home. The determination of which items are a loss, and which can get preserved, happens during the initial inspection and walkthrough of the property. 

While cleaning might not always be the first thing that homeowners consider when they want to restore their property after a flood, it is an essential component to making flood effects “Like it never even happened.” You can trust in the experience and equipment of our SERVPRO of Pottsville cleaning technicians to help you through every phase of recovery. Give us a call anytime at (570) 622-8991. 

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Can’t Get Lift off Tonight: How to Prepare and Plan for a Canceled Flight

9/20/2018 (Permalink)

Had a cancelled flight due to storm situations in Orwigsburg, PA.

While in most severe weather situations you can look for experts in the Orwigsburg, PA, area for storm tips and advice, you will likely not find much valuable information when conferring about flight cancellations, even though a canceled flight, depending on the time a year, can be devastating. However, the following four tips can help make the cancellation process more manageable.

1. Preplan for Inclement Weather

As with most issues, taking preventative action is usually the best measure; therefore, if possible, plan around weather and plan for direct routes as often as possible to avoid potential layovers in areas prone to severe storms.

2. Don’t Wait, Call

Preparation doesn’t always work, and in the case of a canceled flight you should never line up with the hordes of other people as instructed by the airline. Most of the time, it is more beneficial to call the airline directly and arrange another flight. You will likely find that you are helped quicker over the phone, allowing you to jump the line sooner.

3. Ask for Possible Reimbursement

While being bumped from a flight can earn you a little compensation, airlines don’t necessarily have to provide you with the same courtesy when your flight is canceled for unforeseen circumstances. However, it doesn’t hurt to ask, and some airlines will reimburse a portion of a purchase to keep the customer happy.

4. Go to Bed

In the worst case scenario, after you’ve had a frustrating day, it may be best to wave the white flag and surrender. Find yourself a nearby hotel and wait out the storm until morning, this allows you to reschedule your flight in the comfort of a hotel suite.

A canceled flight can be a nightmare for most, depending on the time of year, but with a little bit of preplanning it is possible to avoid the likelihood of cancellation; however, when it happens, the best thing is to remain patient and follow the above steps.

Protect Your Home From Water Runoff With These Creative Ideas

7/24/2018 (Permalink)

After a heavy downpour, you may have noticed a torrential river carving a path around your house carrying away fresh mulch, soil and delicate plants. Over time, your home in Pottsville, PA, can sustain damage from poor rain drainage that wreaks havoc on your landscaping. Fortunately, there is something you can do about it. The following three ideas can help you manage outside flooding.

1. Install a French drain.

Also known as a trench drain, a French drain is simply a trench that is dug into the ground and fitted with a pipe that has a grate on top to collect and reroute water. The pipe funnels water away from places you don’t want it, such as your foundation. A French drain also works well on a sloped driveway. Once installed, the drain collects the rain storm runoff and diverts it away from your house.

2. Add river rock to your mulch bed.

A great way to keep outside flooding from carrying away your mulch is to add river rock to your garden beds. When it rains heavily, gutters get overwhelmed by the amount of water hitting the roof and the overflow floods your flower beds. In those areas, replace the mulch with river rock that is large enough to not get displaced by an intense rain storm. It will help disperse the water and protect your beds from erosion.

3. Place rain barrels under downspouts.

Another great way to protect your home from excess water erosion is to place rain barrels beneath the downspouts of your house. They collect and store water from heavy rain storms and have the eco-friendly advantage of being a source of water for your lawn and garden during dry spells. Water is diverted away from the foundation of your home by collecting in the barrels and stored for future use.

Using these creative options can help alleviate outside flooding. If you have a particularly steep slope in your yard or other concerns about dealing with rain drainage, consider getting the opinion of a quality residential flooding specialist in Pottsville, PA, to see what other options you have.

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

The Ins and Outs of Storm Safety for Your Business

6/16/2018 (Permalink)

It’s thunderstorm season in Pottsville, PA, and you are prepared at home with a good plan and a well-stocked emergency kit. What about your business? Sure, you have already designated someone at the office as the unofficial meteorologist to provide regular storm updates to your team, but does your plan include more than just communicating when you are in a storm watch or a warning? Put on your inspector hat for three areas where you can keep your business safe in a rain storm.

1. Check for safety risks inside. With lightning and high winds, the most dangerous indoor areas include those near windows, skylights, external doors, and reinforced concrete (remember, concrete has metal bars running within). Remind your employees to stay clear of these areas as well as to avoid phones, computer equipment, and plumbing during a thunderstorm.

2. Get outside. Be sure your building has a lightning protection system. These may not seem as obvious as the old-school lightning rods from the early years, but these systems help provide a path of least resistance when there is lightning in the area. In addition to lightning, a rain storm can also bring high winds. Walk your property, inspecting shrubs and trees, and have dead limbs trimmed to help reduce damage from debris. Make a note of items that need to be secured or brought indoors before a storm begins.

3. Don’t forget electronics. Your printers, copiers, and computers can add up to a significant amount of money. In addition to the small surge suppressors you already use indoors, you can use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect your server or any other irreplaceable machines. You may also add a voltage arrester to the lines coming into your building to help minimize damage from voltage surges due to local lightning strikes.

A rain storm can bring on a multitude of hazards, but knowing your risks and having a plan for recovery can help protect your business and the people who work for you. A little physical preparation now can help you get back to work more quickly.

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

4 Ways To Avoid Flight Cancelations

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

If you’re a frequent flyer from Pottsville, PA, you’ve likely experienced a canceled flight. If not, there is still a good chance you may encounter this in the future. These tips should stop you from having to endure the inconveniences that delays and cancellations can cause.

1. Get Non-Stop Flights

The odds of missing a connecting flight or coming across additional cancelations grow for every pitstop on your route. Booking a non-stop flight can help increase your chances of getting where you need to be in a timely manner. More stops often mean less airfare, but non-stop is usually worth the extra cost.

2. Take the First Flight

As the day goes on, the probability there will be trouble with your flight can also go up, especially if there is inclement weather. If your flight is canceled due to maintenance, you may be more likely to find a comparable flight quickly early in the day. Providing yourself time to make alternate flights in the morning can be a better alternative than a canceled flight late at night. In this case, you will probably be flightless until morning.

3. Choose the Big Airline

Smaller airlines can often have better deals for flights, but they may also have fewer routes available should you need to select a new one. Checking into the airline’s additional flights beforehand can help you be prepared should something arise. Having awareness of alternate plans available means not relying on airlines to know what’s best for you.

4. Know the Fees

Before booking your flight, know the airline fees and policies for making changes. If you’ve been provided storm tips and know your flight is likely to be canceled because of the storm, being able to change your flight without cost is a great perk.

Having a delayed or canceled flight may be inevitable and can be frustrating, but persevering does not have to be difficult. Arming yourself with knowledge can make a difference in your experience.

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

4 Essential Storm Preparation Tips

11/28/2017 (Permalink)

4 Essential Storm Preparation Tips

Part of running a successful business involves preparing for difficult events. Severe storms and natural disasters can lead to flooding in your Pottsville, PA business, causing water damage and possibly even suspending normal operations. Although there is no way to guarantee your business’ safety from flood water, there are several ways to prepare for a storm. Here are essential tips that can reduce the risk of a flooded building affecting your business.

1. Protect the Building

There are several ways you can protect your business’ physical property:

Installing shutters or storm windows and doors
Maintaining the roof properly
Anchoring heavy furniture, such as shelves and filing cabinets, to the walls
Placing sandbags in areas prone to flooding
Securing HVAC equipment in raised areas to prevent water damage

2. Back Up Your Data

Along with protecting your company’s Pottsville building from flood water, it’s also vital to secure your data and intellectual property. Make sure to back up all your company’s documents regularly, preferably to an off-site location. Prioritize your contact list in order of importance and make sure to save essential information in multiple locations. Seal physical copies of essential documents in waterproof containers. Develop a plan to continue operations from a temporary location if necessary.

3. Create an Emergency Kit

In the event a flood occurs while you and your employees are in your building, make sure you have the supplies to keep everyone safe. Your emergency kit should include items such as these:

Battery-operated radio
Supply of clean water
Non-perishable food
Flashlights and batteries
First Aid Kits
Blankets and cots

4. Make a List of Contact Information

If you’re dealing with a flooded building, it’s helpful to have essential contact information in one place. Make a list of the local hospital’s phone number, the FEMA hotline, and your insurance agent. Complete your list with the number of a local emergency restoration company so you can get started on cleanup and repairs right away if your building is damaged by flood water. Visit http://www.SERVPROpottsville.com for more information on storm damage.

Winter is right around the corner be prepared!

9/18/2017 (Permalink)

Tips for Preparing your Home for Winter Weather:

• Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells. This allows warm air to circulate around pipes. 

• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets, especially if the pipes for faucets run through unheated or uninsulated areas of the home. 

• Consider shutting off outdoor faucets. Find the shutoff valve in the basement or crawl space and turn it to "off".

• If you follow the previous step, then open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it drains completely and the inner valve is shutoff. 

• Ensure gutters are clean and secure. Leaves and debris accumulate, causing a damming effect on gutters, which could lead to roof problems and water damage. 

• Proper maintenance of your furnace can help reduce the risk of puffbacks. 

Keeping your gutter clean to avoid roof damage

9/18/2017 (Permalink)

Dirty gutters?

Take action to keep downspouts running freely before those shade trees start shedding in earnest. One of these guards won’t totally free you of ladder duty, but it could buy you time between checkups.

How to Clean your gutters:

1. Climb a ladder and use a variety of tools to grab and remove the leaves and debris at eye-level.

2. Attach tools to a wet/dry shop vac to suck up the leaves or to blast them out of the gutters.

3. Attach tools to your water hose to spray leaves out of the gutters.

4. Use a long-reaching pole to remove leaves from the gutters while standing at ground level.

SERVPRO of Pottsville is always ready to help clean your home after storm damage. We are available 27/7.

Is your roof ruin after a storm

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

After your home is damaged by wind, hail, or other natural elements, the storm isn't necessarily over in fact, it might be just the beginning. Here's what you need to know about the storm-induced insurance process from diagnosing the damage to filing a claim and making repairs so that weathering your home's recovery is as painless as possible. 

• Know what is cover before the storm hits. Call you insurance agent. 
• Document potential damage.  
• Make Temporary repairs 
• Make sure you hire a creditable contractor.
• Check with your local SERVPRO to see if they have a contractor or teams that can help..
• Work with your insurance agents to go over claims. 

Are you ready? Be prepared!

9/5/2017 (Permalink)

Be ready!

Severe weather can happen any time, anywhere.  Each year, Americans cope with an average of  the following intense storms*:

• 10,000 severe thunderstorms
• 5,000 floods or flash floods
• 1,000 tornadoes
• 2 landfalling deadly hurricanes

Approximately 98 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather-related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and nearly $15 billion in damage.  * Knowing your risk of severe weather, taking action and being an example are just a few steps you can take to be better prepared to save your life and assist in saving the lives of others.

How to be prepared:

• A gallon of water per person per day.
• Supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and a manual can opener.
• Change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes.
• Blankets and sleeping bags.
• First aid kit and prescription medications.
• Battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries.
• Credit cards, cash and extra set of car keys.
• List of family physicians. 
• Special items for infants,elderly or disabled family members.

Call SERVPRO of Reading for to get a ERP in place for your facility can help minimize business interruption in the event of a disaster.

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Lightning

6/13/2017 (Permalink)

Staying safe during a thunder storm!

Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related fatalities. Though the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are only around 1 in 500,000, some factors can put you at greater risk for being struck. 

What cases lighting- Heavier, negatively charged particles sink to the bottom of the cloud. When the positive and negative charges grow large enough, a giant spark - lightning - occurs between the two charges within the cloud. This is like a static electricity sparks you see, but much bigger.

What to do after lighting strikes-

• Never drive through a flooded roadway. 
• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk from the effects of severe thunderstorms.
• Continue to listen to a Weather Radio or to  television stations for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or some parts of the community may be blocked.
• Help anyone who needs help, check on your neighbors.
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.
• Watch your animals closely. Keep them under your direct control.
• Make sure you have your Emergency kit near by.