Residential Fire Clean-up - update

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage to basement and main level of the home.

This home in Ashland, VA caught on fire from the homeowner's dehumidifier she was using in her basement.  She had just gotten home from a long day at work and heard a weird noise coming from her basement.

When she went to see what was going on she found that her whole basement was full of smoke and soot.  She quickly called the fire department to come out and put the fire out.

Her next call was to her local SERVPRO!  She needed our help performing fire damage clean up on the main level of the home and heavy duty cleaning in the basement that called for soda blasting and spray sealing as well.

We were able to remove all the odor and residual fire damage using our superior SERVPRO cleaning and deodorization products.

We are very successful with our odor removal processes.

We really do Make it "Like it never even happened."

Call us today to help you with any fire clean-up needs, (804)730-6788.

Residential Fire Clean-up

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage to basement and main level of the home.

This cape cod style home caught on fire from the homeowner's dehumidifier she was using in her basement.  She had just gotten home from a long at work and heard a weird noise coming from her basement.

When see went to see what was going on she found that her whole basement was full of smoke.  She quickly called the fire department to come out and put the fire out.

Her next call was to her local SERVPRO!  She needed our help performing fire damage clean up on the main level of the home and heavy duty cleaning in the basement that called for soda blasting and spray sealing.

We were able to remove all the odor and residual fire damage using our superior SERVPRO products.

Fire Damage - Cleaning - update

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

This photo show severely soot damaged drywall and wall paper.

This home had a fire loss that had occurred several months prior to SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland and Caroline received the call to help clean up the fire damage.

We were able to successfully clean and deodorize this home for our customer.  This entire home had to be hand cleaned, the crews had to use a lot of elbow grease.

The SERVPRO cleaning products are what allowed our crew do clean this home after it sat for months.  We were able to save the Insurance Company a lot of money since the house only had to be painted and little demolition work needed to be performed.  There were only a few walls that had to be replaced.

SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland and Caroline follows the Corporate System and it shows in our successful results in the field.

Call us today at (804)730-6788 that was we can help get your home clean and able to be lived in.

Fire and Soot Cleaning Projects

7/25/2018 (Permalink)

This photo shows "soot bunnies" - which are the soot particles that join together and appear to be cobwebs, but are not.

Fire and Soot cleaning jobs can be very emotional for our customers.  The trauma from the actual fire and the overwhelming task to clean the structure and affected contents often proves to be too much for a homeowner or business owner to perform the cleaning and deodorization work themselves.

Our first course of action is to meet with the homeowner or business owner to establish their concerns and schedule the work to begin as soon as possible.  The quicker the homeowner sees progress the sooner they feel at ease. 

We want to address all aspects of the fire loss: the visual soot particles that are to be cleaned, the odor resulting from the fire and the emotional part affecting the customer. 

We want to make sure our customer's know that we will treat their items as if they were our own.  We take our time so that we can be as thorough and successful as possible.  Our goal in fire and soot cleaning jobs is to make the customer feel whole again after such a tragic life event.  We try to make a bad situation as pleasant as possible.

We take our time and do not rush to complete the job.  Our crews take pride in their work.

SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland & Caroline will make it "Like it never even happened."

Equipment - Air Scrubber information - update

7/23/2018 (Permalink)

This photo shows one type of air scrubber that can be used. Air scrubbers are used to help remove gasses, particles and or odors from affected area.

Do you ever wonder why Fire and Water Damage Restoration Professionals use Air Scrubbers or Negative Air Machines on many of their jobs including fire or water clean-up jobs? 

These devices are utilized to clean the air from the odors and toxic gases that are left over after the fire has been extinguished or the residual odors from a water loss. 

This specialty piece of machinery also creates a safe working environment for the crews that are working in the damaged environment. Air scrubbers can also can prevent damage from spreading to other structural building materials and to help limit contents from absorbing the odors. 

This is achieved by changing over the air in the damaged structure at a minimum of three to four times per hour.  We accomplish this by setting up the machines under positive air flow or negative air flow.  Which type of air flow needed is determined by the situation and or the severity of the job.  This specialty piece of equipment helps  our crews reduce or eliminate smoke or soot residue, ash particles and any other residues which are present after a fire or water damage. 

If you have questions or need help with any deodorization, please call SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland & Caroline at (804)730-6788!

Candle Burning

5/10/2018 (Permalink)

Remember to maintain a small wick and limit your candle burning to reduce soot in your home.

Did you know that burning all those candles do more than set the mood and/or scent the air with fragrance?  Burning candles can cause soot throughout a home.  Soot is a powdery black substance composed primarily of small carbon particles, and is the natural byproduct of incomplete combustion.  There have been studies that 100% soy or beeswax candles are somewhat cleaner burning, but a lot of candles are are made with Paraffin Wax and/or blend of different types of waxes.    

The soot from burning candles often accumulate and cling to walls, ceilings, furniture, contents and even carpet.  In more extreme cases, candles burning by an HVAC return can have soot distributed throughout the home via its HVAC system.

Soot cleaning a home is very labor intensive and therefore soot damage can be a costly expense.  At SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland and Caroline, we utilize Specialty Dry Cleaning Sponges to remove soot from walls, ceilings, appliances, furniture and contents.  After cleaning, we recommend the painted surfaces be primed and/or sealed and then painted.  Please note, if a thorough cleaning is not completed prior to painting, staining can appear after a period of time through the paint.  Upholstered furniture and textiles need to be cleaned and sometimes the staining from the soot does not come out.

What can you do to avoid this?  Occasional burning of candles is fine, just remember these factors:  Buy quality well-made candles; Keep the wick trimmed down to ¼ inch, if you see black smoke coming from the candle, it is often a sign that the wick is too long; Candles should really be burned in a well ventilated area, however you do want to keep the burning candle away from drafty areas (the flame should not be flickering or dancing around); Use jar toppers/cappers for large jar candles and for other candles, use a glass vase or hurricane.

If you have questions or concerns about the result of burning candles in your home, call SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland & Caroline today!

Fire Safety- Update

12/6/2017 (Permalink)

Be safe this Holiday season.

With the holidays in full swing, it is important to be aware of your surrounds and keeping an eye out on candles, gas logs, cooking elements and overloaded outlets.

Many of us get into the spirit of the Holidays and install lights on our trees, windows, lights outside or even inflatable decorations.  All of these extra decorations require an outlet.  It is important to distribute the outlet usage and not plug too many items in one.  Extension cords should not be connected to another extension cord.

We also like to burn candles, especially when we are entertaining.  Make sure you never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc. Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets. Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.

Lastly, don't forget to keep a fire extinguisher in your house and have it close by for quick a response. 

To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:

• Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland & Caroline, INC. want you to be prepared and know the importance of fire safety!  If something happens and your need our help, we are a phone call away.

Candle Safety - update

12/8/2016 (Permalink)

Blow out candles when you leave the room. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.

With cooler weather upon us, many people start using candles this time of the year within their homes.

Candles may look and smell pretty, but they can be a cause of a home fire.  Remember, a candle is an open flame, which means that it can easily ignite anything that can burn. Also, while the candle is burning their is a smoke that the candle emits. 

Facts:
* November and December are the peak months for home candle fires.

* Roughly one-third of home candle fires start in a bedroom.

* More than half of all candle fires start when things that can burn are too close to the candle.

For example: drapes/curtains.

Candles and Kids:
* Never leave a child alone in a room with a burning candle.
* Keep matches and lighters up high and out of children's reach.

Candles are pretty and smell good, but think about using flame-less candles, they look and smell just like the real thing!

Be safe!

If something should happen, please don't hesitate to call SERVPRO of Hanover, Goochland & Caroline at (804)730-6788 for assistance. We will make it "Like it never even happened."