Let The Grill be All That Gets Fired Up This Summer!

6/28/2024 (Permalink)

Keep your grill game safe this summer!

Having a Summer BBQ?

Grilling is a popular way to enjoy the summer season with family and friends, but grill fires can start easily and spread very quickly. While you may be excited to fire up the grill, it is important to remember that nearly 9,000 fires a year involve grilling. Five out of six of these reported fires involved gas-fueled grills.  

Here are 8 tips for safe grilling practices to make sure the grill is the only thing going up in flames this summer: 

• Only use your grill outside 

• Place your grill away from your home (at least 10 feet away) 

• Make sure your grill is on a flat surface 

• Check your grill for leaks 

• Always clean your grill, including grease traps 

• Do not leave your grill unattended 

• Wear appropriate clothing 
• Keep fire extinguisher near by 

Following these charcoal and gas grill safety tips and having the right protection will help you and your family enjoy a safe grilling season all summer long. 

If a fire does occur and your home is set ablaze, give SERVPRO of Augusta South / Wilkes & Burke Counties a call! Ring us at 706-750-0200 to schedule a consultation, we are Here to Help® 24/7/365.

SERVPRO®’s Steps to Fire Remediation

6/6/2023 (Permalink)

Let’s be honest, nobody steps into homeownership anticipating losing everything in a fire. Fire damage is never, ever part of a plan because it is so unpredictable. There isn’t a way to predict how a fire will start or affect your home and sentimental items. The following are the initial steps that SERVPRO® will take to get your home back to preloss condition.

1. Board-Up

Windows and doors can be destroyed in a fire, leaving a home open to the elements and pests. SERVPRO® will come out as soon as the sight is released to board up the home to prevent additional damage if it is needed.

2. Dry Out

People don’t associate water damage when a fire occurs; they often go together. Not only can fires cause pipes to burst, but firefighters can also cause damage when putting out the flames.  Our crews have the proper, specialized equipment to stabilize the environment.

3. Cleaning & Deodorization

In addition to setting equipment for the drying process, SERVPRO® will clean the and deodorize the area. During a fire, soot tends to blanket the home and it does require a specific process to properly clean.

4. Contents Pack-Out

The structure is not the only thing that is destroyed in a fire, a lot of the times belongings are also impacted. When SERVPRO® arrives onsite, the technicians will inspect contents to determine salvageability. If a pack out is needed, contents are immediately inventoried.

Have you experienced a house fire? SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Wilkes & Burke Counties is ready and available to make fire damage "Like it never even happened.®” Call our office at 706-843-1990 to schedule a consultation today.

Fire Safety Precautions

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

Fires are never an experience anyone truly wants to experience. The toll it can cause a family is insurmountable. As trained professionals, we have helped in numerous instances of fire losses, here are some tips we believe can help you!

Do the Following:

• Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as candles, stoves, and space heaters
• Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire; keep matches and lighters out of reach from them.
• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Use flashlights when the power is out, not candles.
• If you are a smoker:
  • Smoke outside
  • Choose fire-safe cigarettes
  • Use deep, sturdy ashtrays and douse cigarette and cigar butt with water before disposal.

Do NOT do the Following:

• Leave burning candles unattended, even for a minute.
• Excessively use plug ins at the same time.
• NEVER smoke in bed, when drowsy or medicated, or if anyone in the home is using oxygen.

Ways to Guard Against Kitchen Fire

• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and countertops - fur is flammable! 
• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food.
• Stay in the house while simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food.
• Keep the stove area clean and clear of things that can catch fire such as pot holders, towels, curtains, bags, and other appliances.
• If you are cooking and a fire starts in a pan, slide a lid over the burning pan and turn off the burner. Leave the lid in place until the pan is completely cool as moving the pan can cause injury or spread the fire. 
• Never pour water on grease fires! 

If you experience a fire of any type, SERVPRO® of Augusta South can help you! For more information, or to schedule a consultation, give us a call at 706-843-1990.

SERVPRO Can Help in the Aftermath of a Fire

1/31/2022 (Permalink)

Need professional, emergency restoration repairs? Call our helpful team at 706-843-1990

SERVPRO Acts Quickly Against Fire Damage

SERVPRO® of Columbia County is open 24/7 with a helpful team of experts ready to help guide you through our restorative process, answer questions, and ability to dispatch a crew to help serve you. Need immediate emergency fire damage help? Call our team at 706-843-1990.

SERVPRO Fire Restoring Process

After a fire, calling SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties should be the first step towards professionally and quickly restoring your property. Our team of experts can help you better understand the SERVPRO process and expectations. Our team is certified and capable of working with your insurance to help you begin navigating the claims process for a faster, more streamlined process.

Next, our professionals have all necessary equipment and skillset to begin restoring your property quickly starting with an assessment for damages and determining the extent of fire, soot, and smoke damage. If your property needs temporary board up and/or roof tarping services, our team offers this service as a temporary solution until the structure is clear to begin the restorative processes by SERVPRO. Board ups help with securing the property and your belongings, while roof tarping helps to prevent would-be secondary damages. Then, we begin the restoration process through a series of water removal and drying processes as the property may have been affected from water through extinguishing the flames during the initial loss date, and removal of soot and smoke can begin.

Finally, cleaning and sanitizing the space for restoration repairs can begin for returning the property to preloss condition. The extent of repairs or re-building areas of your property has the potential to be minor. Our team can simplify the mitigation and restorative process of affected areas helping to save time and money.

Restoring your property after a fire is our main goal. As the leader in the restorative industry, we specialize in fire and water damage restoration, removal of soot and smoke, and can deep clean your property to help restore to preloss condition. Need professional, emergency restoration repairs? Call our helpful team at 706-843-1990

SERVPRO can help in the Aftermath of Fire Damage

1/11/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention for the Workplace

As a small business owner, it is always beneficial to know ways to prevent fires in the workplace. Having an Emergency Plan in place will help you create a safer work environment for everyone that comes into your building. Having fire prevention methods in place can help your building combat a fire before it ever begins. 

These tips can help to save lives and should also raise awareness about fire safety and fire protection for your employees and customers. We advise you to educate your building occupants, or employees, to abide by these safety regulations to keep your business running safely.

1. Easily Accessible Equipment. Be sure to have fire protection equipment such as fire extinguishers, and control panels stored in a place that is easy to access. Don’t block fire sprinklers or alarms with anything, as this would prevent functionality of your equipment. 
2. Safe Storage. If harsh chemicals or flammable materials are present in your building, be sure to keep them stored in a safe place. Hazardous materials need to be in a dry, secure room that has good ventilation. It is also important to keep fire protection equipment near your storage area as well. 
3. Dispose of Waste Properly. Dispose of any hazardous waste in a metal container that has a lid, and make sure this container is properly labeled so there is no mistake in its contents or purpose. This will help to prevent fire hazards.
4. Maintain a Clean Environment. Be sure to keep maintenance services for all your fire equipment. Servicing your equipment keeps everything up to code, and ensures any machines are properly maintained which prevents overheating and damage. 
5. Precautionary Measures. Performing quarterly fire safety demonstrations can go a long way when it comes to building safety. Make sure to inform responsible parties how to react in case of emergency, how to use a fire extinguisher and any evacuation measures.
6. Keep a Clean Environment. When there is a ton of flammable clutter, such as paper or boxes, fires can spread at a more rapid rate. Clutter can also prevent faster evacuation practices. Keeping your building tidy, clean and clutter free will limit the danger of unnecessary fire hazards.
7. Designating Smoking Areas. Keep a designated smoker's area that is located a safe distance away from your building. Be sure to provide ashtrays, or safe alternatives for people to properly dispose of their cigarettes. This will keep your building safe from fires caused accidentally by lit cigarettes.
8. Have an Emergency Plan in Place. Emergency evacuation plans are important to prevent further damage in the state of a fire. It’s important that your employees know who to call for help, what to do, and what the next steps should be. 

In the state of an emergency, SERVPRO® is here to make it "Like it never even happened." If a fire occurs, give our team a call at 706-843-1990, we’re always Here to Help® 24/7/365.

New Year’s Traditions – How Did They Start?

12/22/2021 (Permalink)

The History ofThe BallDroppingonNew Year’s Eve

Every year as midnight approaches on December 31^st all around the world people stand around their tv to watch fireworks and the infamous ball drop-in Times Square, New York City. Butwhere did this tradition start? Answer:It started as a solution to the hazardof a large firework display. In cities all around the world, the first few seconds of the New Year are marked by fireworks, with the ball drop as an American tradition.

When Standard Time was created, time balls were invented so that sailors could adjust their timepieces while at sea. Using a telescope, sailors would watch the harbor for a time ball to drop at a specified time, usually noon or 1pm.

The first time-ball was installed in Portsmouth, England in 1829, with the U.S. Naval Observatory following suit in 1845. Shortly after, many towns and cities with a port took on the practice. One of these original time balls became an inspiration for a man named Water Palmer, who was the New York Times’ chief electrician. He decided that the timekeeping ritual would be an amazing finale to the city's end of year party.

In 1904 New Year’s Eve celebrations were held at the New York Times building. Previously, crowds would gather at Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan to hear the bells ring at midnight. The New York Times held massive fireworks display at midnight to lure more people North, but this proved to be disastrous when hot ashes rained upon the streets. In lieu of this, the New York Police Department banned fireworks, so it was up to the New York Times owner and publisher Adolph Ochs to find a new light display. He sought to combine the time ball with electricity to create an unforgettable New Year’s Eve event.

Creating The Electronic Time Ball 

Using Palmer’s unique design, Ochs hired the Artkraft Strauss sign company to create a 700-pound ball made of iron and wood. This time ball included 100 25-watt light bulbs attached to the surface. At midnight they released the time ball with a series of pulleys repurposed from the USS New Mexico battleship.

The ball was redesigned periodically as new materials and technology became available. Over decades, iron has been replaced by aluminum and LEDs have replaced incandescent light bulbs. Computer controls were later added in 1995. 

New Year’s Firework Safety Tips

However, you celebrate New Years with friends and family this year, SERVPRO® has a list of firework safety tips to help guide you through the celebration in the safest way possible. 

1. Fireworks that are packaged in brown paper are made for professional displays only. Avoid buying them.
2. Always have anadult handle fireworks, or have an adult supervisor, especially with small children operating sparklers.
3. Stay a safe distance away from fireworks once ignited.
4. Never point or throw fireworks at someone.
5. Never try to re-light fireworks that did not ignite.
6. Always keep a bucket of water or a hose handy in case offire and douse any fireworks with water after they have been set off before discarding them. 
7. Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
8. Never place your body over a firework device when lighting.
9. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before purchasing or using them.
10. Never shoot fireworks off in a metal or glass container.

SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties is open 24/7/365 in case of any emergency fire needs. Give us a callat706-843-1990 if you requireassistancetoday.

We Can Help in the Aftermath of Fire Damage

12/1/2021 (Permalink)

A house fire can be a devastating loss. Let SERVPRO help take back what was loss by calling our team of restoration experts- 706-843-1990.

What Can SERVPRO Accomplish?

At SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties, our primary goal is to restore your property to preloss condition.

What does Pre-loss Condition mean? Imagine how your home looked before the fire occurred. This assessment on how your home looked and smelled is our benchmark for how we want to restore your home. How your property looked and smelled is the benchmark and standard we will base our efforts of cleaning.

Common Indicators Your Home Has Had a Fire

Smell. When a fire burns, it creates the common smoke odor. This smoke odor is the toughest odor to rid, and lingers due to tiny, microscopic particulates that cling to every single surface in your home, including walls, furniture, clothing, and floors.

How We Get Rid of Smoke Odor. Each SERVPRO process is unique for every fire damage - Not one fire damage is the same. After a damage assessment, we can determine which fire restoration processes will need to be applied to restore the home to preloss condition.

One piece of equipment we commonly use for a fire is an “Air Scrubber.” Air Scrubbers are used in a fire to help extinguish fire particulates in the air space. Air Scrubbers use a two-stage HEPA filtration to remove the airborne particulates, in addition to a third filter to further remove odors from fires.

Additionally, crews are capable in restoring textiles such as uniforms and bedding using our Esporta Wash System. Crews are also trained in the art of restoring contents such as upholstered furniture, rugs, dishes, and much more.

Visually. After a fire affects your home, soot from the fire can travel to every inch of your home. Often, in smaller fires, surface level soot may not appear visible. However, if you sample an area such as a cabinet, table or a piece of furniture you will quickly see that the furniture has affected essentially every inch of the home.

How We Get Rid of Soot Damages. At SERVPRO, after we assess the space and indicate the amount of soot that has affected the home, a highly regimented process to rid the soot of the contents is selected. This often means that walls, floors, contents, and essentially every single item in the home will be cleaned appropriately with SERVPRO proprietary products to restore the items to preloss condition. We equip ourselves with the knowledge and tested process of “Wash, Rinse and Dry.”

“Wash” means to take SERVPRO products to wash the walls of soot. Next, we “Rinse” the walls with a SERVPRO cleaning agent, and finally hand “Dry’ the walls. All work is completed in preparation for painting. Painting with a Kilz paint after a fire helps to pus the home to the final step of restoration as well as lock in strong smoke odors that could linger.

Have You Experienced a House Fire? Our restoration experts are always ready to help. Call today for an assessment of your home and we can begin restoring your home to make your house fire “Like it never even happened.” 706-843-1990.

Real Christmas Tree Fire Safety for Your Grovetown Home

11/1/2021 (Permalink)

NFPA Statistics Shed Light on Holiday House Fires

From 2014 to 2018, US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 160 home structure fires per year that began with Christmas trees, causing death, injuries and over $10.3 billion in property damage, (NFPA Research, 2020.)

Real Christmas Tree Fire Safety – Educate Yourself!

The first step to being safe from property damages and maintaining a safe environment for your family is to educate yourself and your family on the potential causes of tree fires in the home. For example, a few rules to abide by to avoid a fire is to never burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace to dispose it. Oils from the tree can emit fumes and are highly flammable.

Additionally, decorative lights can get extremely hot to touch, which is turn affects the highly flammable trees. Cords, bulbs, and/or wiring is also a major cause for concern with dawning your tree with decorations.

Safe Alternative Decorations for Your Tree this Year

With highly flammable trees but the desire to decorate and beautify your tree, it can be discouraging to have a real tree – But there are safe alternatives.

If you desire your tree to be decorated with beautiful lights but can’t risk using unsafe bulbs that could ignite your tree, an attractive idea may be to use the new, innovative beam lights. Beam lights give the appearance of lights dawning your Christmas tree, without the safety hazard. The use of other classic Christmas tree decor such as popcorn strands, beaded garland, tinsel, and classic shiny ornaments can provide a trendy, retro aesthetic to your Christmas tree.

Holiday House Fire Affect Your Grovetown Home?

Our SERVPRO crews implore using safe alternatives to potentially faulty lighting on real Christmas trees – However, if your home has damage from a Christmas tree fire this year, we are available 24/7 – Yes, even on Christmas, to help answer your call for fire damage clean up for soot, smoke, and more extensive damages. Please call our office at 706-843-1990 to talk to an office team member for scheduling, and to reach our crews for immediate dispatching.

SERVPRO® Esporta Works for You

9/7/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® crews efficiently pack, clean, re-pack, and store all soft-contents as part of the Esporta process.

What is an Esporta?

Our Esporta Wash System is our in-house soft contents cleaning system we provide to our customers in post-loss events. The Esporta helps to remove bacteria, viruses, odor, soot, grime, mold, bio waste and mildew from over 95% of all soft contents that are found in a home. Soft contents include but are not limited to coats, purses, leather goods, shoes, pet beds, drapes, and more.

Not only can our Esporta sanitize and restore your home’s soft contents, but the Esporta system also works quickly. Should you need a set of school and/or work uniforms for yourself and your family, our crews can gather your items and perform a 24-hour turn to help restore even a small amount of normalcy to your life.

How it Works

The Esporta system uses a complex formula of detergents and cleaning agents for restorative procedures for each item that goes through the Esporta process. Esporta cleaning agents are free from phosphates and solvents and are more sustainable than box-store detergents. Additionally, the Esporta is unlike washing machines you would find a in home or laundromat. The Esporta system does not work through agitation which can lead to wear of the textiles fibers.

The Esporta wash system is smart; the Esporta automatically manages washing parameters determined by what items are identified within the wash system and selects the necessary wash recipe needed to effectively clean and sanitize.

Sentimental Items Are Restored

Often after a fire or sewage, items that are sentimental are threatened to be destroyed. With the use of the Esporta system, SERVPRO® can help take back what you thought would be lost. Items such as wedding dresses, family quilts, and stuffed teddy bears passed down from generations; over 90% of restorative items cleaned by the Esporta are covered under your insurance police as it is most cost-effective to restore. . . Not to replace.

Want to Learn More about the Esporta Wash System?

There is a lot to learn with the Esporta and Esporta capabilities. Click here for more information and to watch Esporta Resource Videos!

Need Esporta servicing? Call our office for more information and scheduling at 706-843-1990.

Fall Fire Prevention

9/1/2021 (Permalink)

With cooler weather making its way through the October months, cooler weather means time to break away from the Southern heat and to enjoy time outside. Warming up next to a bonfire, cranking up your space heaters, and grilling out for friends and family while enjoying a college football game are all ways, we celebrate cooler weather. However, with fun comes the ever-present responsibility of making sure your fun weekend plans don’t turn into a SERVPRO® disaster.

To prevent a disaster, follow a few of these Bonfire Prevention Tips:

• Do not host a bonfire on windy days. Debris from the bonfire could escape the safety barrel and spark an untended fire.
• Keep a water hose or a bucket of water close by to quickly extinguish flames.
• Always tend to the bonfire while burning.
• When extinguishing your bonfire, first drown in water. Then, ensure that all embers are covered with water so they cannot reignite.

Space Heater Fire Prevention

Space heaters are great for smaller spaces or to add extra warmth to a room. Although, in many instances space heaters can become overused or used improperly and lead to potential house fires, over a thousand house fires a year are caused by space heater malfunction. To help prevent space heater related house fires this Fall, follow a few SERVPRO® Pro-tips:

• Never leave your space heater unattended. Electrical power strips can malfunction or draw too much power can easily spark a flame.
• Keep the space heater in the center of the space, or at least a few feet away from flammable objects.
• Place your space heater on a solid surface to avoid tipping risk.

Grilling Out, Not Burning Out

Cranking up the grill for a Saturday afternoon college football game is often a Southern tradition. Friends pile in the living room to watch the big screen, drinks are cheered on the back deck, the grill is rolling with burgers and hot dogs, kids run around and play with the dog – All fun, but all distractions. This Fall, be sure to enjoy your time in the cool weather but remember grill safety.

Here are a few SERVPRO® Tips to Aid in Preventing Grill Fires:

• Keep your grill a safe distance away from your house, at more than 10 feet.
• Keep decorations that could easily become a hazard away from your grilling zone.
• Have a working, inspected fire extinguisher on-hand.
• After turning off your grill, be sure to not leave unattended and close the grill lid to help cut oxygen flow to any potential flames.

If you experience an unfortunate house fire, please call our office for help  at 706-843-1990.

Thomson Fire Safety in the Summer

6/1/2021 (Permalink)

Pictured: Soot outlines where pictures and paintings once hung in a residential dining room.

Keep You and Your Family Safe During the Holidays

With warm weather brings Summer fun. After the hot sun goes down on July 4th, traditionally, friends and families celebrate with a display of fireworks. With using fireworks, also comes responsibility. Learn what to watch for by overviewing these SERVPRO® Summer Fire Safety Tips. Tips could make the difference between a family fun holiday. . . or a disaster!

Firework Safety Tips from SERVPRO®

No matter the environment, it is SERVPRO®  smart to have the following close by:

• Keep an in-date Fire Extinguisher close!
• Assure that the ground, or material you activate fireworks from is clear and dry.
• Maintain a safe distance.
• Light each firework one at a time.
• Guarantee that each used firework is cooled by dousing in water before throwing into a trash bin.

Have You Experienced a Holiday Fire Damage Thomson?

SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties can help you discover a way to recover after a fire. We have the knowledge and processes in place to successfully restore your home after a disaster to make it "Like it never even happened."® 

Proven Success in Our Wash, Rinse and Dry Method

Our in-house structure and contents restoration team follows a highly regimented process to restore your Thomson home. SERVPRO® can manage to restore your home and your contents, including soft contents through our expert processes. Our "Wash, Rinse, and Dry" method has proven to be successful in restoring after a fire from soot and smoke damage. After washing and rinsing the structure with SERVPRO® products, we lastly dry the walls with dry cloths to prep for fresh paint.

Want to Learn More about our process? Please visit https://www.SERVPROaugustasouthburkewilkescounties.com/fire-smoke-damage-restoration 

SERVPRO Helps with Fire Damage in Historic City of Augusta

1/25/2021 (Permalink)

Our fire damage experts can have your home back to its original state, “Like it never even happened.”

Old Buildings Need Special Care After Fire Damage

Augusta (which is officially known as Augusta-Richmond County) has a long and exciting history. Noble Jones first created the colony in 1736 to provide a defense line against the Spanish and French. In 1739 townspeople began constructing a road so people could reach Augusta on foot or by horse rather than by boat, and the town began to grow more quickly.

During the Revolution, Georgia was a major producer of textiles, paper, and gunpowder. It is also the home of the Southern Baptist Convention, which is one of the most prominent protestant denominations in the United States.

Augusta's Beautiful Historic Districts

With such a rich history, it is no surprise that Augusta is filled with wonderful historic districts that you will love visiting. Be sure to check out:

• Augusta Downtown Historic District, which is filled with notable buildings dating back to the civil war. You can visit many historical churches and the oldest synagogue in Augusta (Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue, founded in 1869.) You'll also find a wealth of historic homes, a courthouse, and post offices.
• Broad Street Historic District features 158 buildings that led to its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see the Imperial Theater, which opened in 1918, and the Arte Moderne style Miller Theater and Vaudeville House. 
• Sand Hills Historic District is also known as Elizabethtown Historic District. It is a historic African-American area with community landmark buildings, historic residences and commercial buildings, and a cemetery.
• Summerville is an affluent district that used to be a separate village but is now incorporated as part of the city. Summerville was built in the 1870s and was initially famous as a summer resort for local people. However, as the village grew, it became popular for affluent people looking for a pleasant place to spend the winter. Today, visitors can see historic homes, a library, and an inn.
  
  

Historic Fire Rocked Augusta Residents

In 1916, a fire destroyed a swathe of Augusta buildings:

• The fire caused $10 million of damages.
• Three thousand residents were left homeless.
• Over 600 commercial and residential properties were destroyed.
• The 17-story Lamar building burned, and construction had to be re-started. 
• Multiple churches and schools burned down, and hundreds of hay bales were destroyed.
  
  

The fire was most likely started by an unattended iron in a tailor's shop.

SERVPRO Helps Fire Damage in Historic Homes

Because SERVPRO is a locally owned and operated franchise, we understand the Augusta community's unique needs. With so many historic buildings around, residents need a fire damage remediation team that understands the challenges of working on old buildings, such as:

•  Uneven floors or quirky walls and ceilings.
• Intricate moldings or carvings where soot can settle.
• Older plumbing or wiring that might not have caught up to modern standards.
• Old doors and window frames can be warped and damaged by fire or by swelling due to water from fire hoses.
• Older insulation, paint, or wallpaper that can be stained by smoke.
  
  

Our teams take everything into account when drawing up a fire damage remediation plan. For a fire damage service that cares, call SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties at (706) 843-1990.

SERVPRO® Cleaning Products that Mitigate Smoke

1/14/2021 (Permalink)

Fire Damaged structures often need Air Scrubbers to help filter smoke particulates in the air space.

What Cleaning Products Should be Used After a Fire Damage in Your Thomson Home?

All products used by SERVPRO® crews and technicians are made by experts at our Head Quarters in Gallatin, Tennessee. We have specially crafted these products to fit any job, of any scale. There are many different types of cleaning products to use after a fire has taken place. For example:

• General Surface Cleaners
• Heavy-Duty Cleaners
• Glass Cleaners
• Liquid Crème Cleaners

Depending on the extent of damage to your Thomson home will depend on which type of cleaning solution or solutions would be required.

Types of Cleaners

General surface cleaners are typically used for all washable surfaces. For example, wall cleaning, appliances, hard surface furniture, and countertops. Wall cleanings are done routinely for fire and soot damaged homes and businesses.

Heavy Duty Cleaners are ideal for removing grease and heavily soiled surfaces. Heavy duty cleaners should not be used on highly polished surfaces. SERVPRO® professionals are trained extensively for when and how to use these products.

Our Glass Cleaners contains a combination of salt and other cleaning agents to prevent streaking. While our Liquid Crème Cleaners can be used on most all hard surfaces. The Liquid Crème Cleaner is a very thick liquid that contains tiny bristles to tackle all the stubborn spots that may be hard to remove.

Have Questions? Need Advice?

Believe you need these services for your home or business after suffering from a fire or soot damage? We are experienced and ready to help in Thomson. We are available 24/7 to take your call, 706-843-1990.

Augusta Families – Don’t Miss Puddle Ducks: Kids & Caregivers Club

1/4/2021 (Permalink)

When a fire strikes in your Augusta home, call us right away at (706) 843-1990. We will have a team ready to assist in no time.

Explore and Grow with Your Toddler in Augusta with this Monthly Caregivers Club

It is essential for parents and caretakers to have an opportunity to grow and explore with the toddler in their life. There are lots of wonders in nature, which is what the Puddle Ducks program works to uncover. This is a regular program taking place on the second Tuesday of each month, and it is a perfect way for everyone to get engaged while learning. This program takes place at the Phinizy Center & Nature Park, a location known for helping people connect with nature through research, education, and hands-on learning. Other toddler events are regularly scheduled throughout the calendar year.

• Date: January 12th, 2021, and recurring the 2nd Sunday of each month
• Time: 10 am to 11:30 am
• Location: Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, 1858 Lock & Dam Road, Augusta, GA
• Cost: $5

SERVPRO of Augusta South/Burke & Wilkes Counties supports community education and the preservation of local wildlife. As a homeowner, if you suffer from a fire in your home, you need a team to come in to tackle your fire damage restoration needs. By calling us at (706) 843-1990, you can have a crew at your door within hours to get to work and make it, “Like it never even happened.”

Our Professionals Help You Through the Process of Cleaning After Thomson Fire

12/8/2020 (Permalink)

Crews begin cleaning this home's ceiling of soot after a kitchen stovetop fire.

After a house fire, you may find yourself needing help from a professional cleanup and restoration company like SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties. Our franchise is experienced in Fire & Water Cleanup. We specialize in assuring that the home or business and its contents are restored to preloss condition.

Seasonal Fires

The Winter months bring an increased risk to home and business owners. Fires more than likely start in the kitchen or from stoves and fireplaces. Learn More from the American Red Cross Here. Keeping yourself informed is the best way to protect yourself from devastating fires. Reacting quickly and accepting aid from your city’s American Red Cross division are helpful tools. Additionally, connecting yourself with a local restoration franchise can be helpful, SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties.

Being Aware of Soot and Fire Damage

After SERVPRO® arriving and inspecting your property affected from fire damage, our professionals can identify your needs and explain the process on cleaning. Damaged items can often be cleaned by SERVPRO® crews on-site or brought to our warehouse for cleaning and safe storage. Many property owners that have experienced a small fire may not see soot damage unless surfaces are wiped. After wiping, they can easily spot all affected areas needed to be cleaned. Through working with your insurance, SERVPRO® guarantees our process of cleaning can bring your property to preloss condition and rid it of soot and smoke debris and smell.

Wash, Rinse, Dry

SERVPRO® has many methods for cleaning property affected by fires in Thomson, one of which is the washing, rinsing, and drying method. Wash is to take SERVPRO® of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties produced products and wash the walls from top to bottom. Once “washed,” we use a secondary SERVPRO® product to “Rinse” the wall of the previous products from top to bottom, and lastly take a dry cloth to dry the wall to prepare the wall for fresh paint.

Does your Thomson home have the lingering smell of soot or smoke from a fire? Call us today to get professional help or visit our website for a consultation.

Race Other Teams in a Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Augusta

11/27/2020 (Permalink)

A Self-Guided Learning Tour That Combines Adventure and a Scavenger Hunt for Augusta Residents

Spending time outdoors can be a great way to enjoy the sights and sounds of Augusta. However, wandering randomly around might not be the most satisfactory way to do it. Moving around doing challenging yet fun activities is likely to make the experience more memorable. You can take part in the Puzzling Adventures™ on November 21st or other convenient dates since it is a self-guided tour. The event features different locations and puzzles. It is perfect for almost everyone, including old and young people. You can participate individually or in a group.

The event is exciting because:

• Participants can create teams and race each other
• It is a self-guided tour, so participants can choose when to participate and where to start the adventure. Most starting points are located in or near a parking garage for maximum convenience
• The adventures are made to be stroller or wheelchair friendly and are crafted to be both entertaining and informative

SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties helps Augusta homeowners complete fire restoration conveniently. We also provide useful information that can help limit secondary damages. Call us at (706) 843-1990.

SERVPRO Can Help You Take Control After Fire Damage

10/20/2020 (Permalink)

A large electrical fire spread through this beautiful custom-built home’s attic, causing severe fire damage.

Don’t Let a House Fire Damage Take Control of Your Life

Because a Grovetown house fire can be a traumatic experience and varies in levels of severity, it is vitally important to select the right fire restoration company to carry you through the entire delicate process. SERVPRO does just that. With certified crew chiefs and technicians, advanced equipment, and processes for restoring your home after a fire incident, SERVPRO is always ready to serve you.

The SERVPRO Difference in Fire Damage Help

We SERVPRO professionals’ hand-carry our client’s through the entire fire damage restoration process and make performing excellent customer service a priority. We exceed customer service standards through the following:

• Conducting Expert, Thorough Inspections
• Communicating Openly with Our Clients
• Minimizing the Extent of the Loss
• Using our “Restoring vs. Replacing” Mentality
• Promptly Identifying Restorable Items
• Producing Quality Restoration

For fire damage restoration, we follow a 1-4-8 process for timeliness in responding to your needs.

1-Hour to respond to your needs and assure that help is on the way; 4-Hours from the notice of loss to be on-site and start restoration services, and 8-Hours to verbally brief the appropriate party of the scope of work to be conducted to restore your Grovetown home to preloss condition. We offer pretesting of restorability from your fire damaged contents, as well as deodorizing your home after fire damage and soot have overtaken your home.

Using Local Resources for Fire Prevention

Local Grovetown Fire Departments have taken the initiative to educate the Grovetown community about fire prevention tips for Fire Prevention Week 2020. In addition, the Red Cross provides expert information about Grovetown house fire prevention that you could find useful. Click Here to Learn More about house fire prevention, and tips to lower the negative impact a fire could have on you, your family, and your home.

Need Help? Have Questions?

SERVPRO of Augusta is available 24/7 for fire damage help. Call us at (706) 843-1990 to be on your way to having your home restored quickly!

What Other Damage Should Clients Be Concerned About Besides Damage from the Fire?

10/15/2020 (Permalink)

There are many concerns when you have a fire damage, let SERVPRO ease your mind.

There are Many Items to Be Concerned About After Your Thompson Fire Damage. 

Whenever there is a fire, most clients are naturally concerned about the fire's damage in their Thomson homes. Depending on the fire's location and how quickly the fire was brought under control by the fire department, there can be secondary damage as well.

SERVPRO has over 150 years of experience providing fire restoration services to Thompson area residents and business owners. We also offer water and storm-related services to our clients. Whenever there is a fire, the damage from the fire can be extensive. However, there can also be secondary damage that must be considered in restoration plans.

Potential secondary damage, in addition to burning, scorching, and melting, can include the following:

• Water damage
• Mold growth and removal
• Smoke odor throughout the home
• General cleaning required to remove soot distribution throughout the home

Our fire restoration team can assess the damage after the fire is contained and provide an estimate regarding the restoration required to return your home to its original condition, "Like it never even happened."

What Are the High Priority Items Clients Should Remove from Their Home After a Fire?

Fleeing a fire is always the highest priority to keep everyone safe and unharmed. However, there are several items most people are going to need after the fire. The fire department can determine if it is safe to re-enter the home to retrieve important documents and other items you may need. SERVPRO can also assist our clients in recovering anything they may need. For example, the following are often on a clients list:

• Identification – driver's license, passports, health cards, credit cards
• Insurance documents, home title or deed information
• Phone numbers for contacts – personal and utility
• Records for prescriptions and account information for banks
• Unique items for children and anyone with health issues
• Pets and any items needed for your pet, including food and medicine

Call SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties (706) 843-1990 to help with the fire restoration of your home.

How Quickly Can Restoration Be Accomplished After a Fire?

8/12/2020 (Permalink)

You can count on our professionals with state of the art equipment to quickly restore your property so you can return safely after a fire incident.

SERVPRO Response Teams Can Speedily Restore Your Grovetown Residence.

Is Restoration One-Size-Fits-All, or is There a Plan Specific to my Home?

Grovetown fire damage restoration is different for each home, depending on what burned and the temperature of the fire. These two factors determine much of both the type and extent of the damage. Especially important for our response team leader is to determine which emergency services are needed for each structure. These include: 

• Board up damaged doors, windows, walls, and even the roof. This action preserves the home form trespassing, vandalism, weather, and intrusions from animals and insects.
• Remove water. Homes often have standing water left by fire-fighting efforts. Team members use extractors to draw out the water and install air movers and fans to dry property. 
• Establish electrical support. If the fire compromised residential power, team members bring in a portable generator from our equipment inventory for continuous, 24-hour power for light and heat.
• Begin deodorization. Fire odors can linger for weeks if untreated, so response teams remove all burned property from the home as quickly as possible to eliminate the source of these malodors. 

When Do Response Teams Begin Cleaning? 

Immediately. To help the homeowner in temporary quarters, our facility can wash and dry large amounts of clothing to remove one more concern off their list. Inside the home, initial efforts are to remove as much of the soot particles as possible to avoid further damage to property.

Is That Everything?

Each home has items that owners may need to send to an expert for cleaning, artwork, and electronics, for example. SERVPRO does not restore these items but can move them to an undamaged part of the home or transport them to our facility until the specialist can pick them up.

For more information on what SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties can do for your home, call us today at (706) 843-1990. We can build a plan for your home here, Augusta, or other towns in our area.  

Learn more about Grovetown.

Fire Restoration Services in Augusta that You Can Count On

6/28/2020 (Permalink)

Your fire damage is no match for our skilled team at SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties.

Calling SERVPRO to Your Augusta Home Puts Skilled Fire Damage Technicians On the Scene and Ready to Work

Fire is undoubtedly a devastating force, which leaves behind a mass of charred debris and damaged belongings. Having a fire in your home might be a significant blow, but it does not have to be a lost cause. Calling in the help of trained and IICRC-certified technicians to your Augusta home gives you the prompt, professional service that you deserve. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster, and we are ready to help you overcome the devastation with our proven methods.

What Happens After the Fire is Out?

No matter how the blaze started, once the flames get extinguished, you need the first responders to deem it safe for entry. Once called, our team will come to your property to assess your fire damage in Augusta so that we can put a detailed plan in place. Even though everything might feel overwhelming, know that our team of professionals has been through training to work fast so that we can restore your home to the way that it used to be before the fire.

Our SERVPRO team follows guidelines for the major principles of cleaning up after a fire, including:

•    Inspection of the fire-loss zone: Our crew begins where the fire originated and then moves through the interior to see how far the smoke and soot traveled.
•    Identification of residues within the home: One property can contain a variety of residues. Because of this, our restoration team selects the best products and cleaning methods to remove each residue present
•    Determination of what surfaces need attention: Each surface impacted during a fire event must be treated according to which products and techniques are safest to use. Our skilled technicians work carefully to preserve every surface. However, some materials may be unsalvageable due to the level of damage or the inability to handle the cleaning process.

There are different elements of cleaning (TACT) that go into cleaning your interior after a fire. Several areas that we look at so that we can effectively remove residue include:

•    Temperature
•    Agitation
•    Chemical Action
•    Time

There will be several challenges throughout the cleaning process due to the manner that heat from the flames, moisture, oxygen, and gases mingle to create smoke residue. The materials that burned will also play a major role in how our crew proceeds. Our methods and planning allow us to adjust so that we can approach your fire damage project in the efficient and quickest way.

What Methods are Used for Cleaning?

Some of the soiling throughout your interior after a fire may be water-soluble, yet others will require cleaning using solvent-based products. It is essential that we also consider the surface material, as some may become damaged by solvents or water.

The three steps that we use are:

•    Washing – We may apply cleaning agents to the surface with agitation to penetrate the soiled area to facilitate removal.
•    Rinsing – Residues are then rinsed away with a cleaning solution. This step is dependent on factors like airflow, pressure, agitation, and others for material penetration and extraction.
•    Drying – Any leftover moisture and leftover residue get removed while heat, airflow, and low humidity help ramp up drying times. We use equipment such as fans and air movers to create natural air movement throughout the loss zone.

Some items benefit from immersion cleaning techniques. During this process, materials get immersed in a specialized cleaning agent. A technician controls the temperature and the amount of the cleaning product, along with the length of time that the material gets fully immersed.

We also have ultrasonic cleaning, which is a process using sound waves to put out millions of tiny vapor bubbles. As the bubbles collapse, they make the residue easier to remove.

What About these Foul Odors?

Our goal with any fire damage project is to ensure that we leave your interior “Like it never even happened.” In order to do so, we use a broad range of EPA-registered cleaning and deodorizing agents. Some of the products that our Green Fleet comes stocked with includes:

•    Odor counteracting beads
•    Deodorant granules or pellets
•    Water-based odor counteractants
•    Water-based wet mist deodorizers
•    Solvent-based thermal fog deodorizers
•    Water-based thermal fog deodorizers
•    Sealers

In many fire loss events, our crew may have to use layers that include multiple deodorization techniques. Some odors within your home might call for direct spraying or fogging while others call for activated oxygen. We always take stock of the situation to adjust the equipment and products used to achieve our goals.

Your fire damage is no match for our skilled team at SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties. Give us a call at (706) 843-1990, and we have crews standing by for 24/7 emergency service.

What Happens to Belongings During Fire Restoration in My Augusta Home?

4/2/2020 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

We Have a Content Management Team for On-Site and Off-Site Cleaning of Your Possessions

After a fire, your Augusta home does not look the way that you are accustomed to seeing it, and this can often override the importance of what happens to your belongings. Our responding SERVPRO professionals understand that mitigation and fire recovery encompass more than the structure, but what makes your house a home – like your belongings, possessions, and treasures.

On-site cleaning strategies can help our SERVPRO teamwork through fire damages in Augusta homes without costlier services. For heavily soiled belongings, however, we do offer pack-out services that transport these items to our nearby warehouse facility for focused cleaning and restoration attention. We can safely protect these contents until fire restoration completes, and they can get returned.

What happens to items taken to the warehouse?
    •    Immersion soot removal cleaning
    •    Ozone chamber deodorization
    •    Drying of water-damaged items
    •    Safe storage

Whether on-site or off-site, our SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties team cares for what matters most. Give us a call at (706) 843-1990.

For more about Augusta click here.

Cleaning the Structure of your Thomson Home after Fire Damage

3/9/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damage is very serious, let SERVPRO help your Thomson home fire damage.

Following a house fire, you may be in a total state of shock, and then grateful that everyone within the home was okay and not hurt. After this initial shock, it is essential to contact professionals that can help you gather the right information for insurance companies while restoring your home, making sure everyone is safe.

It is critical to attack the fire damage to your Thomson home head-on to ensure your home is restored quickly to its preloss condition. Depending on the severity of the fire, professionals may need to provide emergency services right away to make sure there is no more damage to the property, that the worksite is safe, and to get the home ready for mitigation and restoration work. 

After the property is secured and safe, SERVPRO fire restoration specialists go about the business of cleaning the contents and structure of your home. They often remove contents to clean them in an offsite secured facility, while the structure (the actual building) undergoes restoration. Restorers inspect every surface of your home to understand how to best clean it. 

Some surfaces in your home require dry cleaning for non-washable surfaces, including non glossy surfaces. These surfaces may get damaged by using a water-based cleaning product and wet cleaning. A standard tool for dry cleaning are sponges that contain no chemical cleaning products. They work by causing friction on the soil and then absorbing into the sponge. Technicians use firm pressure to clean soot off of surfaces adequately.

Other surfaces, typically including glossy surfaces, oil-based, and greasy residues, require aggressive wet-cleaning techniques. It is essential to pretest an area, make sure that the surface is washable. Wet cleaning usually has three steps: wash, rinse, and dry. Technicians use a bucket of cleaning solution such as SERVPRO's specially formulated Wall and ALL Surface Cleaner (#351) to wash the area, and then rinse the same area with clean water before drying. 

For 24/7 assistance, contact SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties at (706) 843-1990. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

To find out more about Thomson, click here.

Some Cleaning Products that Mitigate Smoke Deposits from Fire Damage in Thomson

1/17/2020 (Permalink)

No matter when you make the call, we have technicians who can assist you.

SERVPRO's Methods For Clean Up After Fire Damage In Your Thomson Property

The sudsing action of your usual household cleaners for floors, dishes, and clothing comes from additives put into the product by the manufacturer. Many times, extra soapsuds do nothing except create a sense of assurance that the product is working adequately for the job at hand in your Thomson home. When you have a bigger, messier job, SERVPRO uses cleaning products specially formulated to address precise needs caused by different disasters or incidences.

One such job that SERVPRO helps many homeowners in Thomson with is fire damage, and cleaning up the smoke deposits that easily fill such homes. While soap and water work well for removing soot from your hands, this happens partly because of the lack of time the soot stays on your skin, the pliability of your hands, and the running water used to rinse all of the grime down the drain.

When our technicians clean up fire damage, we divide the work between different teams. Each group of reconstruction, mitigation, restoration, and cleaning team members all work with specific tools to do their work as efficiently as possible. Our cleanup crew members rely on different cleaning products when removing soot from walls, ceilings, floors, and the variety of belongings your family owns. Not all of these products produce foamy suds, but we know from experience that they produce results that consistently please our customers.

We consider more than the suds produced by a cleaning product when we choose it for any particular aspect of the work required. We also look at the pH and the abrasiveness of the product. Sometimes we need a highly acidic cleanser or one with extra abrasive power.

Textiles that absorb soot need brushed and vacuumed first, and then checked for stains. For upholstered furniture with smoke residue, we finish cleaning with our Fabric Rinse and Color Set. Having these available is especially helpful when removing soot from upholstery made from natural fibers. High-alkaline cleaning products can cause these fabrics to be yellow.

Some surfaces, like flat-finish-painted walls, respond well to dry sponge treatment. Acoustical tiles need to be sprayed down with a solution of peroxide that clears away smoke deposits. Brick and stone need a stronger cleaner on the acidic side of the pH scale. Wire bristle brushes help reach into rough surfaces, or towels and squeegees to remove soot from smooth stone.

These are only some of the cleaning products that the fire damage restoration technicians from SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties use when cleaning up residential properties in Waynesboro and Washington. Call us at (706) 843-1990 for specialized mitigation services after any disaster.

Learn more about Thomson.

Our Professionals Discuss The Steps For Effective Fire Damage Cleanup In Thompson

12/15/2019 (Permalink)

Steps for Effective Fire Damage Cleanup In Your Thompson Residence

Home fires are relatively common. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), fire departments in the U.S.A respond to about 354,400 home structure fires every year. The NFPA collected this data between the years 2013 and 2017.  After a fire, smoke, soot, and charring can affect walls, appliances, and flooring, among other structures and contents.

A fire incident can leave you confused, not sure where to begin. Performing fire damage cleanup in your Thompson residence is a daunting process. Thankfully, you can seek assistance from SERVPRO franchise professionals. We can handle any magnitude of fire damage to restore your home to its preloss condition. Our technicians have experience and are equipped with the right equipment to perform activities such as:

    •    Deodorizing smoke odor: Smoke can travels to hard-to-access areas quickly, leaving a smell behind. Our experts can use equipment like thermal foggers to remove the odors. This equipment heats deodorizing agents into a mist, which mimics the behavior of smokes. The mist travels to the areas where the smoke went to eliminate the odor, “Like it never even happened.”
    •    Cleaning and restoring contents: There are valuables that you cannot restore with home remedies. Depending on the severity of the fire loss, our crew can restore items like furniture, clothing, and drapes.
    •    Removing smoke residues: Our experts can remove smoke residues from every corner of your residence to provide a healthy living environment for your family.

Depending on the magnitude of the fire loss, there is a possibility of recovering structures. Different surfaces require different cleaning strategies. Our restorers can identify salvageable materials and clean them effectively.

    •    Wood Floors: Our team of experts can use cleaners to remove smoke residues from your hardwood floor. The cleaners can eradicate smoke residues from floor finishing.
    •    Carpets: The water used to fight the fire can stain fabric surfaces if not removed on time. During the restoration process, we can use high-tech equipment and cleaning solutions that remove all stains and spots from wool carpeting and fabrics.
    •    Glass and windows: During the fire incident, smoke and soot can settle on many surfaces, including on glass and windows. We can use glass cleaners to remove all smoke residues on both the window frames and glass.

SERVPRO’s team of experts can also complete the delicate task of removing ash from your appliances, electronics, and other affected items. Since our experts understand how difficult it is to lose your possessions, we can take the appropriate steps to restore then to their original condition where possible.

SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties is a premier fire restoration company.  Call us today at (706) 843-1990 for dedicated fire damage cleanup services in Augusta, Grovetown, and Waynesboro.

For more about Thompson click here.

We Are Prepared To Restore Your Thomson Home 24/7

10/22/2019 (Permalink)

This air scrubber recycles the interior air through HEPA and activates charcoal to cleanse the air of the smoke odor left after a fire.

SERVPRO Can Provide Fire Debris Removal Services for Your Thomson Home

A fire could leave a much larger mess than expected in your Thomson home and may leave you in need of fire debris removal services. Finding your home on fire, no matter the size of the blaze, can cause anxiety for any homeowner. The aftermath could be incredibly overwhelming because there is no time to prepare yourself for the damages in your home. For this reason, if a fire broke out in your house, it is essential to reach out for help immediately.

In this scenario, immediately calling for local Thomson fire debris removal and remediation services to your home could cut down on the overall expense of the restoration. Let's say that your kitchen suffered the most damage after a faulty electrical socket caused the fire inside your home. In particular, imagine that the cabinetry and countertops are beyond salvaging. They were reduced to little more than debris left behind by the flames. Furthermore, your kitchen would also be covered in ash and soot, which would also need to be cleaned up.

At SERVPRO, we know and understand how nerve-wracking facing home-damaged can be. We also know how time-sensitive some fire damages can be inside of your home. To ensure your satisfaction, and to do the job right, SERVPRO bases our schedule around yours. Whenever you need us, 3 am or 3 pm, our technicians can make their way to your home with a van-full of advanced equipment designed for the job.

When our technicians got to your home, we could immediately go inside and investigate the damages. Our highly certified technicians could demolish the countertops and cabinetry that are unsalvageable immediately, throwing away the debris and clearing the clutter from your home. Furthermore, because the hypothetical fire was electrical in nature, the drywall behind the counters could have also been profoundly affected. SERVPRO can demolish that as well and clear out the insulation to expose the frame of your home.

Lastly, our technicians are also certified to rebuild your home in a situation like this. We could call in a trusted electrician to fix the wiring issue and then rebuild once the job is done. Once finished, we can paint, and then return your home to you, "Like it never even happened."

When disaster strikes your home, never wait. Get in touch with SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties by phoning (706) 843-1990. No matter the time, or the place, our techs are ready to help.

See more about Thomson.

We Have Advanced Equipment To Restore Your Thomson Home After A Fire

8/28/2019 (Permalink)

The air scrubber was set up to recycle the interior air through HEPA and activate charcoal to cleanse the air after a fire struck.

How Thermal Imaging Cameras can Help Mitigation after a Fire Damages a Property in Thomson

One of the first things people want to do when they experience a fire inside their Thomson home is to throw some water on the blaze. While this is most effective at the beginning stages, especially when directing the water at the bottom of the fire instead of the top of the flames, it doesn't work for all fires.

Kitchen fires that start when cooking oil or grease ignite in your kitchen in Thomson creating fire damage to large areas partly because they do not respond as hoped when water gets dumped on the fire. The splattering of oil also helps the fire spread. This can start a massive explosion. Because of hotspots' ability to restart fires after firefighters leave the scene, they often pour massive amounts of water into a house. 

While we are not looking for hotspots themselves when we start mitigating a house, we do want to know where excess amounts of water might exist. Water left behind after fire damage can also cause damage of its own, in addition to the visible fire damage you see. It can affect places that escaped the fire, including electrical outlets and your heating and cooling system. 

When imaging of these components show cooler temperatures, our building services team knows to inspect these units. Early repairs can prevent system failure and also subsequent fires from overheating related to corrosion. Heating systems that develop cracks can also put your home at risk of carbon monoxide leaks. Running the system while checking for elevated temperatures can show us where problems exist before they can worsen.

Electrical systems might show either a cooler area right after a fire if it remains soaked, or an increase in temperature when several appliances are using a significant amount of current. Either situation can indicate damage that we should repair before your family experiences problems during normal use.

In addition to locating still-damp areas in your home after a fire, our team at SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties can help homeowners in Waynesboro, Washington, and Wrens perform post-fire mitigation, restoration of damaged areas, and additional work on your property to ensure things return to preloss condition, “Like it never even happened.” Call our 24-hour services line at (706) 843-1990, so we can start the process of getting your family back home and comfortable again.

See more about Thomson.

Who Wants to Handle Fire Damage Remediation Alone in Grovetown?

6/28/2019 (Permalink)

Getting your Contents back to Pre-loss Conditions after Fire Damage in Grovetown

Property fires can be catastrophic. However, fires are frequently contained and extinguished with minimal structural damage. The majority of issues concern removing smoke residues, dealing with odors, and ensuring possessions are restored without the need for expensive replacements. We operate a restoration service dedicated to the safe removal of soots, smokes, and odors using local technicians that understand the emotional toll that a home fire can cause. 

Our compassionate restorers are available to assist with the restoration of fire damage in Grovetown and the surrounding area. SERVPRO technicians operate with a restore rather than replace mentality that can rescue sentimental possessions and bring your home back to its preloss condition; allowing you to get on with your everyday life. 

Contents usually sustain damages in the form of soot, smoke staining, and odor contamination. Fabrics are at particular risk due to the porous nature of the material. SERVPRO ensure that contents are treated sensitively by conducting a pre-test. Pre-tests pay attention to the type of material, natural or synthetic, as well as the type of smoke that has soiled the material. 

The results of a pre-test can be valuable in terms of limiting further damages and restoring to a preloss condition. Some materials may suffer damage to the finish if subjected to corrosive chemicals. However, to restore fittings effectively, it may be necessary to remove the finish through soda blasting to remove soot deposits before professionally refinishing after the successful removal of soiling. 

Denser items like drapery rods or light fittings can benefit from immersion cleaning. When a material is deemed robust enough to be subjected to full immersion in cleaning solvent, SERVPRO can use ultrasonic cleaning methods to remove stubborn soot or discoloration from metals or synthetic materials. We can perform immersion cleaning at an offsite facility before returning it to your home as good as new. 

Professional contents restoration can help you to avoid expensive replacements. Contact SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes at (706) 843-1990. 

Click here to see more about Grovetown. 

Our Fire Damage Experts Can Remove Foul Odors From Your Augusta Home

5/6/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the advanced tools to address these effects and to make all of the fire loss effects “Like it never even happened.”

Equipment Used To Remove Fire Odors From Augusta Homes

While many effects could follow a fire in your Augusta home, many property owners have the hardest time making peace with the widespread odors that could permeate into materials and affect broad areas of the property even far from the ignition point. After first responders and firefighters have left the scene, it is imperative to get restoration professionals to your address quickly to begin mitigation work that can save you money and time on the recovery steps to follow.

Our team has the tools and the experience to handle all of the fire damage effects that your Augusta home might see, but to protect your house against all of the damage it could experience, containment strategies need to get implemented immediately. Our SERVPRO professionals have several machines that can work to begin filtering the air to reduce effects like odors and contaminants. Additionally, our professionals can install physical containment barriers to prevent effects like odors from freely moving throughout the house.

As restoration professionals that seek to go the extra mile for the customer when disaster strikes, we arrive with many deodorization options. Between our array of equipment and effective cleaning agents and sprays, we can improve the aesthetic appeal and smell of affected areas in your house.

The equipment that we use to address lingering odors in the property is among the most sophisticated and advanced in our inventory. We have UV and thermal fogging equipment that offers a portable option for our technicians to address odors in open areas of the property. Also, these units can safely address odors trapped in soft materials and fabrics. We can utilize units like hydroxyl generators and ozone machines to filter the air with its onboard HEPA filter.

Odor threats can spread throughout your home after a fire and can make comfortable living difficult, even if it does not force your family to relocate. SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties has the advanced tools to address these effects and to make all of the fire loss effects “Like it never even happened.” Give us a call anytime at (706) 843-1990.

Click here for more about Augusta.

Stress/Disruptions

1/27/2016 (Permalink)

A home or business fire can be a very stressful event for the property owner. Damage to personal belongings and the contents of the building is just one concern. Timely mitigation is the key to controlling damage, while reducing downtime and recovery cost$$$! We understand how disruptive fires can be for business owners, tenants and even customers. That is why SERVPRO offers 24 hour emergency response. Don't proscatinate on making the call to start the mitigation process. A rapid response cuts loss of time and money. SERVPRO will help limit damage and get your home or facility back in operation quickly.