Getting Ready for Fall

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

As Fall seems to be approaching quickly, there are a few things that homeowners can do to be ready for the Winter season that will be creeping up on us before we know it.

(1).  Keep those rain gutters and spouts clear of dirt & debris.  Be sure to clean out the old leaves, sticks and dirt before the first storm.  This can help to cut back on ice dams forming on your property leading to water damage to the interior of your home.

(2).  Be sure to have your heater serviced by a professional.  It's recommended that once a year you have your heater checked by a professional to ensure that the filter is clean, gaskets aren't worn and that all water lines are secure.

(3).  Make sure that any piping that may become exposed to severely cold temperatures is wrapped in insulation and ready for winter.

(4).  Be sure to replace weather stripping, and seal any windows and/or doors that may need done.

Although we can take every step necessary, there are still times when damages can occur.  Be sure to call your local SERVPRO should any situation arise.  We are available 24/7.

Community Preparedness

9/23/2019 (Permalink)

As National Preparedness Month comes to an end, this should just be a time to review and ensure that you and your family are ready in case an emergency should occur.  

In addition to your family, there are many local and community organizations that work closely on a daily basis to ensure that proper planning is in place.

CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) train volunteers to prepare for many types of disasters that may occur in your local or surrounding areas.  These individuals are trained in CPR/AED, first aid & emergency response.

Remember too, if you have a disability, there are several organizations throughout communities that keep lists so that these individuals can be helped quickly in a sudden emergency.  Reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging or Emergency Management Services offices.

If you have questions about what services and/or organizations are available in your community or on how to become involved, contact your local Emergency Management Services office for more information.

Youth Preparedness

9/16/2019 (Permalink)

National Preparedness Month is in week three, and it's important that we've reached our youth and have them prepared in the case of an emergency occurring whether they are home or away from home.

With social media today, it allows us to keep in better communication with our children when they are at school or away from home. Be sure that your children has a family group text set up on his/her phone to include all family and friends in order to keep in touch with them should they be separated from you during such an emergency.

Have your child pack up his/her own emergency kit as a practice run to ensure that they will have all the items that they need.  Be sure that they have included their favorite stuffed animal, board game, books, music or sentimental items.  

Most schools have emergency plans in place and practice those drills throughout the school year.  Be sure to have your children talk to you about how the school is handling such situations to ensure that they are fully aware of the steps they will need to take.

Most importantly as a parent, is to be sure that your children and your family are ready if an emergency should occur.

Making A Plan

9/9/2019 (Permalink)

As part of our continued relationship with FEMA and National Preparedness Month, we'd like to talk about how important it is to have plan in place for your family if such a disaster were to occur.

It is important to include children within your plan and your discussion.  This can begin as a simple conversation over dinner in which you simply ask "what would they do, if.....".  Children are a very crucial part of the planning, particularly so that they know what to do just in case there are no adults at home at the time of a disaster.

Be sure to practice your fire drill and emergency plan at least twice a year when everyone is at home. Another helpful tool is to have a family group text that includes your family and friends, in order to keep in touch throughout the emergency.

Also, don't forget to include your pets as part of your evacuation and pack up plan.  Even practice the evacuation with them so that you and the children are more familiar with the evacuation process should it occur.

Another useful tip is to learn how to turn off utilities within your home, particularly natural gas during an emergency situation.  

Be sure to have enough food, water & medications to last at least 72 hours should an emergency occur.

Save and Prepare

9/2/2019 (Permalink)

As part of our ongoing relationship with FEMA and National Preparedness Month, this week we'd like to talk about how to save and prepare early for a disaster.

One important step is to know if your homeowner's or renter's policy includes flood damage.  Most don't these days, unless you request or your property is in a 'flood zone' upon purchasing.  Pick up the phone and give your agent a call just to be sure that you are covered.  Most flood insurance policies can take up to 30 days to go into effect!

Be sure to take pictures of your important documents and upload them to another server or cloud in case they would happen to get lost or destroyed during the disaster.  These can include birth certificates, driver's licenses, social security cards, insurances policies, etc.

You'll want to be sure to have some cash on hand too.  During most storms, power may go out and be out for days which can cause problems with ATM's and cad readers not being available.  It's also best to have cash set aside for things such as lodging, food & gas if needed.

Most importantly, stay in touch with family, friends and neighbors and much as you can throughout the storm and after.  Be sure to follow local weather reports & public service announcements for the latest updates supplied by your local Emergency Management Services.

National Preparedness Month

8/20/2019 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Somerset County & Westmont, we have joined FEMA and countless other organizations in preparing for emergencies throughout the month of September.

If you've seen any news coverage lately, you know that emergencies happen unexpectedly in communities just like ours, to people just like us.  

By developing an emergency plan with our families, emergencies, congregations, neighbors and co-workers, we can ensure that everyone knows what resources are available in an emergency and where to go if the need arises to evacuate.  We can work as a team here at SERVPRO of Somerset County & Westmont to make our communities, our neighborhoods and our own families safer.

The theme for NPM this year is "Prepared, Not Scared.  Be Ready for Disasters".  This goes beyond make a kit and building a plan, it asks citizens to learn CPR and first aid, check their insurance policies and educate and involve youth in the preparedness.  

As we here at SERVPRO of Somerset County & Westmont continue to be prepared for emergencies, we encourage everyone in the local community to do the same.  You never know where you'll be when an emergency strikes, so prepare for it now.

More Than Just Remediation

8/10/2019 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Somerset County & Westmont, we are more than just your fire & water restoration company to call to get the job done.  We also offer the following services:

CLEANING-Ceiling and walls cleaning should be part of the maintenance of your home or business.  Ceilings and walls are exposed to dirt, dust, pet dander, cooking oils, grease & other contaminants.  Whether preparing for painting, or just keeping it looking professional, we can help!

DOCUMENT DRYING-When documents or photographs get wet extreme caution needs to be taken to ensure that the water doesn't damage or destroy the document.  We offer five different types of drying techniques to help restore and minimize the damage done.

DRYWALL REPAIR-Repairs are often required after accidents, remodeling, water or fire restoration.  Did you know that your local SERVPRO offers not only the mitigation of damages to your home, but we can also repair the affected space and return it to it's original state?  We offer several specialists on hand to tend to your carpentry, electrical & repair needs.

Mold Remediation

8/6/2019 (Permalink)

Any home or business can quickly become infested with mold with the introduction of a water source (i.e., rain water, broken pipe, sewerage backup, etc.)

Mold can spread in as little as 48-72 hours and can produce allergens and irritants.  If you suspect that your home or business may be infected, our trained technicians here at SERVPRO can come out and inspect your property and inform you of the requirements and steps to take to properly handle your situation.  It is very important to repair/fix the source of the water since mold spores thrive on moisture and can quickly grow into colonies.

With the amount of rainfall we've had locally within the Somerset County & Westmont areas, it's important for our customers to know that we are equipped with the training, equipment and expertise to handle the situation.  

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

7/24/2019 (Permalink)

Professional cleaning can address moderate & heavy soil conditions in your carpets.  How often you schedule a cleaning depends on the soil build up, traffic, type & color of carpeting.  A good rule of thumb would be to call SERVPRO to schedule your professional cleaning every 12 months.

Even the highest-quality items can soil over time.  Today's carpet & upholstery materials vary drastically.  Your local SERVPRO offers several options to match any type of upholstery.  There are a large range of cleaning methods available to suite your particular needs.

Equipment Update

7/23/2019 (Permalink)

After 11 years and helping with projects up and down the East coast, it's time to say good-bye to a chapter or our history.  We've decided to sell our Tractor and Command Trailer, as well as three other trailers to an Extreme Team in Alabama.

These valuable resources were pivotal in our growth and we enjoyed donation their use to several organizations to utilizes for events throughout the years.

Don't worry, we only sold the truck and the trailers!  We still have our large inventory of drying equipment, air scrubbers, small trailers & the capacity to move everything quickly!  AND, we're still available 24/7!