Recent Why SERVPRO Posts

Mold Damage Tips

1/22/2024 (Permalink)

Mold in the corner of a wall. If you have a mold problem in your home or business, consider the following facts.

If you have a mold problem in your home or business, consider the following facts: 

  • Significant mold growth can occur in 48-72 hours. 
  • Mold may present a greater risk to children, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory problems. 
  • A strong, musty odor may indicate hidden mold behind drywall or under carpeting. 

What to Do: 

  • Stay out of affected areas. 
  • Turn off the HVAC system and fans. 
  • Contact SERVPRO® for mold remediation services. 

What Not to Do: 

  • Don’t touch or disturb the mold. 
  • Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth. 
  • Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself. 
  • Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold. 

If you suspect that your home or business has a mold problem, SERVPRO® has the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation. 

March 2024 CE Courses for Insurance Agents

1/22/2024 (Permalink)

Person's hand typing on a laptop. Calling all insurance agents!

Calling all insurance agents! SERVPRO® is hosting a complimentary CE course webinar on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. If you need continuing education credits, our team is Here to Help®!  

The following webinar will be held on March 6, 2024: 


9:30 AM - 11:30 PM: Biohazard Cleanup Webinar (2 Credits – Course Number: 85805) 

Registration for the class begins at 8:30 AM and goes on until 9:30 AM. Attendees who sign up for the webinar will be required to have their web camera and microphone on throughout the entirety of the class. The webinar link to access the class will be sent via the provided email the week of the class. 

All attendees are required to register for the courses by Friday, March 1, 2024. Class space is limited. Email marketing@rdmhc.com to learn more about registering! 

For Immediate Service

1/9/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® Team Miller response vehicles An immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO® provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster. We can respond immediately to your emergency and have the expertise to handle your restoration or cleaning needs. 

  • 24-Hour Emergency Service 
  • Faster to Any-Sized Disaster 
  • Highly Trained Restoration Technicians 
  • A Trusted Leader in the Restoration Industry 
  • Locally Owned and Operated 
  • Advanced Restoration and Cleaning Equipment  

In many cleaning and restoration situations, immediate action is needed. With over 2,000 U.S. and Canadian Franchise locations, SERVPRO® is strategically positioned to be faster to any size emergency. An immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs. SERVPRO® is available for all fire, water, and storm damage needs. 

Residential Services

12/27/2023 (Permalink)

Two SERVPRO team members laying a protective cloth over a couch. SERVPRO® provides residential services that keep your home clean, safe, and healthy.

SERVPRO® is more than a large loss restoration company. We provide residential services that keep your home clean, safe, and healthy. Our residential services include: 

  • Air Duct and HVAC Cleaning: Our franchise professionals can inspect your HVAC system and ductwork. Cleaning services can be provided to help restore peak energy efficiency, eliminate offensive odors and improve indoor air quality.  
  • Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaning and Care: SERVPRO® franchise professionals use state-of-the-art equipment to remove entrapped soils from deep within your carpet’s pile and backings. 
  • Stain Removal, Stain Resistance Applications: Our franchise professionals will show you what cleaning option would be best for your carpet’s level of soiling and explain the benefits of soil protection. 
  • Odor Identification and Deodorization: We will find the source of the odor and determine the best methods to neutralize and eliminate it.  
  • Contents Claim Inventory Service: Accurate inventory helps keep costs low and reduces job completion time. We can provide an itemized, area-by-area loss inventory.  
  • Upholstery and Drapes: Wet or Dry-Cleaning Methods: Fabrics are inspected and tested to determine the safest and most effective cleaning method. 

Consult, Clean, and Certify

11/7/2023 (Permalink)

Certified: SERVPRO® Cleaned window cling Enhanced services build upon standard services by adding cleaning and disinfectant applications to less frequently contacted touch points.

The Certified: SERVPRO® Cleaned program is centered around the three C's- Consult, Clean, and Certify.  

Consult:  

We will meet with the property owner to evaluate current cleaning processes and propose additional services that SERVPRO® of Saginaw / Bay City can offer to minimize the potential transmission of COVID-19. We will also discuss how frequently these services should occur. Higher frequency service is recommended for businesses with high traffic and an inability to implement health screening of people entering the business.  

Clean:  

Standard services focus on cleaning and disinfectant applications to limit the emergence of viral pathogens. This may include disinfectant application to frequently contacted touch points such as doorknobs, light switches, countertops, keyboards, and desks to minimize the potential transmission of COVID-19.  

Enhanced services build upon standard services by adding cleaning and disinfectant applications to less frequently contacted touch points. This would be implemented in the case of having a person that tests positive for COVID-19 or a person that may be exhibiting symptoms of the virus.  

Certify:  

A Certified: SERVPRO® Cleaned window cling with the last date serviced or a table tent would be placed at the site letting the people that enter your building know that your building has been cleaned by the professionals at SERVPRO® of Saginaw / Bay City.  

Tips for Staying Healthy as COVID-19 and Flu Season Converge

9/21/2023 (Permalink)

Flu season ahead The CDC continues to recommend a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged business owners and homeowners alike to find ways to live and work without exposing themselves or others to this highly contagious virus. Now, the approaching flu season is set to complicate that challenge even further. To help control the threat that the one-two punch of COVID-19 and the seasonal flu presents, SERVPRO® of Saginaw / Bay City urges everyone to be extra vigilant about following cleaning and disinfecting protocols this year.   

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believe both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu spread primarily by droplets made when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk. While not as frequent, it is also believed adults and children can contract COVID-19 or the flu by touching a surface or an object that has virus particles on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. The CDC continues to recommend a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses, but experts also emphasize the importance of cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily to help mitigate the potential spread from contaminated surfaces. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.  

To limit exposure and control the spread of these double threats, SERVPRO® recommends you wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol, keep your hands away from your face, and wear a mask to protect others. For effective daily, routine cleaning at home or at work, we recommend first removing surface grime and dirt with soap and water, then following up with a disinfectant. It is easier to feel comfortable about limiting exposure at home where you can control how clean your surroundings are. It is more difficult out in public; but this year especially, it is important to be aware of the space you are in. You need to learn to recognize spaces where cleaning is – or is not – a priority so you can adjust your behavior accordingly.  

For those home and business owners who have specialized cleaning requirements or who simply want the peace of mind that a professional cleaning service can offer in this stressful time, SERVPRO® of Saginaw / Bay City can help. While we remain a leader in disaster cleanup and remediation situations, we also provide that same ‘deeper level of clean’ for everyday residential and commercial cleaning. In addition, SERVPRO® offers their "Certified: SERVPRO® Cleaned" program, developed for businesses in response to the pandemic. The high level of confidence that a professionally cleaned space provides offers welcome reassurance to patrons as the flu season intersects with COVID-19.  

SERVPRO® specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup, and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO® of Saginaw / Bay City please call 989-752-8644.

Vacuum Freeze Drying

8/19/2023 (Permalink)

A vacuum freeze dryer Vacuum freeze drying is a process in which an item containing moisture is frozen and dried using various vacuums and pressures to achieve sublimation.

As a leader in the restoration industry, we know timely mitigation is the key to reducing severity and recovering damaged items. Water-damaged paper can rapidly deteriorate. Without proper handling, valuable files, and irreplaceable documents could be lost forever. Let our team help you recover your damaged paper goods before it is too late.  

About Vacuum Freeze Drying  

Vacuum freeze drying is a process in which an item containing moisture is frozen and dried using various vacuums and pressures to achieve sublimation.  

  • Sublimation is the direct conversion of a solid (ice) into gas (water vapor), without passage through a liquid stage.  
  • An example of sublimation is dry ice. Dry ice is made of carbon dioxide, not water. When dry ice is exposed to normal atmospheric conditions, it begins to sublimate, turning from its solid stage into its gaseous stage, bypassing the liquid stage.  

Tips on Battling Extreme Heat

6/16/2023 (Permalink)

Woman holding a bottle on her head to cool off. Beat the heat this summer with these helpful tips!

Summer is coming but we’ve already experienced high temperatures. As temperatures continue to rise, survive the summer heat by following the tips below. 

Stay Cool  

  • Stay cool indoors: Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as you can. If your home does not have air conditioning, go somewhere that does such as a store, restaurant, etc.  
  • Take a cool shower or bath to cool off: When you overheat in the humidity outside, relax and cool down with a cold shower to help restore your body temperature.  
  • Schedule outdoor activities with caution: Try to limit outdoor activities to when it is coolest outside, such as morning or evening. Find shady areas to rest in so your body has a chance to recover.  
  • Pace yourself: Limit exercise during extreme heat.  
  • Wear sunscreen: Protect your skin from sunburn and sun damage. Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down, leading to dehydration.  
  • Avoid hot and heavy meals: They add heat to your body.  

Stay Hydrated  

  • Drink fluids: Drink plenty of fluids, no matter how active you are. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink.  
  • Avoid sugary or alcoholic drinks: These drinks can make you lose more body fluid. Drinking cold drinks can also cause stomach cramps.  
  • Replace salt and minerals: Sweating removes salt and minerals from the body that need to be replaced. Sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade can replace salt and minerals you lose in sweat.  
  • Keep your pets hydrated: Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets to keep them cool and hydrated. Leave their water bowl in shady areas to help cool them down.  

For more information about extreme heat, visit cdc.gov