Recent Posts

Soot And Smoke Damage

6/2/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

  • Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

  • Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

  • Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today – SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom 916-525-1241.

If you need help with your fire emergency visit http://www.SERVPROfairoaksfolsom.com/fire-smoke-damage-restoration to find out how SERVPRO is able to help you.

Is There A Fire Plan?

6/2/2023 (Permalink)

CalFire has many great resources to help prepare you for a wildfire near you. Here is some information to get you started.  CREATE A WILDFIRE ACTION PLAN Your Wildfire Action Plan must be prepared, and familiar to all members of your household well in advance of a wildfire. Use the checklist below to help create your plan. Each family’s plan will be different, depending on a variety of issues, needs, and situations.

YOUR WILDFIRE ACTION PLAN CHECKLIST
Create an evacuation plan that includes:

  • A designated emergency meeting location outside the fire or hazard area. This is critical to determine who has safely evacuated from the affected area.
  • Several different escape routes from your home and community. Practice these often so everyone in your family is familiar in case of emergency.
  • Have an evacuation plan for pets and large animals such as horses and other livestock.
  • A Family Communication Plan that designates an out-of-area friend or relative as a point of contact to act as a single source of communication among family members in case of separation. (It is easier to call or message one person and let them contact others than to try and call everyone when phone, cell, and internet systems can be overloaded or limited during a disaster.)

Be Prepared:

  • Have fire extinguishers on hand and train your family how to use them (check expiration dates regularly).
  • Ensure that your family knows where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are located and how to safely shut them down in an emergency.
  • Assemble an Emergency Supply kit for each person, as recommended by the American Red Cross. (See next section for details.)
  • Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers posted near your phone and in your emergency supply kit.
  • Keep an extra Emergency Supply Kit in your car in case you cannot get to your home because of fire or other emergency.
  • Have a portable radio or scanner so you can stay updated on the fire.
  • Tell your neighbors about Ready, Set, Go! and your Wildfire Action Plan.

If you have suffered from a wildfire and need fire damage restoration, SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom is here to help. Call us 24 hours a day at 916-987-0400 or visit our website for more information on all our services: www.SERVPROfairoaksfolsom.

Being Swimming Pool Ready!

6/2/2023 (Permalink)

What is the best way to keep my child safe around swimming pools?

An adult should actively watch children at all times while they are in a pool. For infants and toddlers, an adult should be in the water and within arm’s reach, providing “touch supervision.”  For older children, an adult should be paying constant attention and free from distractions, like talking on the phone, socializing, tending household chores, or drinking alcohol. The supervising adult must know how to swim.

Pool Rules

If you have a pool, insist that the following rules are followed:

  • Keep toys away from the pool when the pool is not in use.
  • Empty blow-up pools after each use.
  • No tricycles or other riding toys at poolside.
  • No electrical appliances near the pool.
  • No diving in a pool that is not deep enough.
  • No running on the pool deck.

Pool Fences 

Children can climb out a window, through a doggy door, or sneak out a door to get to the back yard and the pool. To prevent small children from entering the pool area on their own, there should be a fence that completely surrounds the pool or spa. Combined with the watchful eyes of an adult, a fence is the best way to protect your child and other children who may visit or live nearby.  

Pool fences should also:

  • Be climb-resistant and should not have anything alongside it (such as lawn furniture) that can be used to climb it.
  • Be at least 4 feet high and have no footholds or handholds that could help a child climb it.
  • Have no more than 4 inches between vertical slats. Chain-link fences are very easy to climb and are not recommended as pool fences. If they must be used, the diamond shape should not be bigger than 1¾ inches.
  • Have a gate that is well maintained and is self-closing and self-latching. It should only open away from the pool. The latches should be higher than a child can reach – 54 inches from the bottom of the gate.
  • For above-ground pools always keep children away from steps or ladders. When the pool is not in use, lock or remove the ladders to prevent access by children.

Other protection products, when used with an “isolation” fence, may be of some benefit; however, these are not substitutes for adequate fencing. These may include the following:

  • Automatic pool covers (motorized covers operated by a switch). Pool covers should cover the entire pool so that a child can't slip under them. Make sure there is no standing water on top of the pool cover. Be aware that floating solar covers are not safety covers.
  • Door alarms
  • Doors to the house that are self-closing/self-latching
  • Window guards
  • Pool alarms

Swimming Lessons - Where We Stand

Children need to learn to swim. The AAP supports swimming lessons for most children 4 years and older, and for children 1 to 4 years of age who are ready to learn how to swim. Keep in mind that because children develop at different rates, each child will be ready to swim at her own time.

Some factors you may consider before starting swimming lessons for younger children include:

  • Frequency of exposure to water
  • Emotional maturity
  • Physical limitations
  • Health concerns related to swimming pools (for example, swallowing water, infections, pool chemicals)

While some swim programs claim to teach water survival skills to children less than 12 months old, evidence does not show that they are effective in preventing drowning. Swim lessons do not provide “drown-proofing” for children of any age, so supervision and other layers of protection are necessary even for children who have learned swimming skills.

Diving Safety

Serious spinal cord injuries, permanent brain damage, and death can occur to swimmers who dive into shallow water or spring upward on the diving board and hit it on the way down.

Keep safe by following these simple common-sense diving rules.

  • Check how deep the water is. Enter the water feet first, especially when going in for the first time.
  • Never dive into above-ground pools; they are usually not deep enough.
  • Never dive into the shallow end of a pool.
  • Never dive through inner tubes or other pool toys.
  • Learn how to dive properly by taking classes.

Source: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Swimming-Pool-Safety.aspx

Commercial Property Disasters Preparedness

4/18/2023 (Permalink)

Disasters can wreck havocs on our homes and businesses. Testing your business system can ensure you are ready for a disaster large or small. On Preparemybusiness.org you can find suggestions and details around business continuity planning.

Testing is a critical component of business continuity planning. If your systems went down, how long would it take to get them up and running again, and what would be required to achieve that goal? Where are the gaps in your recovery plan and how can you close those gaps before a disaster strikes?

Testing your continuity plan is the best way to ensure that your business will remain in operation no matter what, or that it can be quickly restored under any circumstances. For many companies, testing is necessary for meeting compliance requirements.

Through testing, you will reduce both recovery time and risks, ultimately protecting your business and the employees and customers who rely on you.

What to test?

You should test all critical functions, particularly those that would be most vulnerable during an attack or disaster. This includes servers, PCs/workstations, network/Internet, building security, phones/communications, supply chain, workflow/staff procedures. Some managers phase their testing procedures, for instance, running a data recovery test one month and network/Internet recovery another month.

Where to test?

Testing can be done in one of three places: at your facility, at your backup center, or at an offsite testing site. You can choose to do a table-top-meeting-style run through or a full-scale hands-on test, using canned or live data.

How often to test?

We recommend that you do a full-scale test annually for a wide range of critical functions, including electricity, water, gas, facilities/spacing, staffing, technology, telecommunications and more. A full-scale test will help ensure that your business not only survive but thrive in any unexpected situation.

Who should participate?

A testing team should include all the people on your disaster recovery team or who are in charge of critical areas within the company. These should include, but not be limited to Facilities manager, IT tech, HR manager, senior management, brand management, third-party support and a sampling of critical clients.

Recovering from a disaster, call SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom at 916-987-0400 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are here to help.

For more details about preparing your business, visit: http://www.preparemybusiness.org.

Fire Restoration Services and Facts

4/18/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

  • Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

  • Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

  • Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today – SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom 916-987-0400.

If you need help with your fire emergency visit http://www.SERVPROfairoaksfolsom.com/fire-smoke-damage-restoration to find out how SERVPRO is able to help you.

Water Damage Tips For Your Home

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

Tips to Prepare for Water Damage

  1. Look up your insurance coverage. Most renter’s or homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flooding, or even a sewer backup. Find out what coverage you have.
  2. Keep a record of all of your belongings. Take photos and keep copies of a receipt or other documents for the more valuable items. Store a copy of these records online or at another location. If you do experience water damage, it can be easy to forget about certain items.
  3. Take steps to limit the risk of water damage within your home by checking pipes frequently and paying attention to any indicators of water damage, such as dripping sounds in the walls, dark spots on the ceiling, or significant change in your water bill.
  4. Set up your home so that it is less at risk of damage from heavy rains or flooding by ensuring that your roof is sound. Make sure there are no cracks in the foundation. Check that the landscaping around your home is sloped to direct water away from your foundation, rather than toward it.
  5. Find an expert you can count on. Water damage can be overwhelming, and you don’t want to be desperately searching for a water restoration expert at 3 AM when the pipes break. SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom is here to take care of you – call 916-987-0400.

SERVPRO Stats With IICRC

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom is an IICRC firm.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

  • Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
  • Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
  • Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
  • Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
  • Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of  Fair Oaks / Folsom

SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Flood and Water Damage Preparation

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 SERVPRO Fair Oaks/ Folsom 916-987-0400

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

  • Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
  • Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
  • Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
  • Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

  • Drywall begins to swell and break down.
  • Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
  • Furniture begins to swell and crack.
  • Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
  • A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

  • Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
  • Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
  • Metal begins to rust and corrode.
  • Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
  • Paint begins to blister.
  • Wood flooring swells and warps.
  • Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

  • Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
  • Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom

SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Storm And Flood Protection

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

Do not let a storm take you off guard. Be prepared. Experiencing storm damage?  Call SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom at 916-987-0400 to help you. We are available for 24/ emergency service. 

Are you at Risk of Flooding?

  • California Flood Preparedness: This website provides information about the types of flooding and floodplains in California, suggests for ways to prepare for flooding, and ways to take action.
  • CalOES MyHazards Tool: MyHazards is a tool for the general public to discover hazards in their area (earthquake, flood, fire, and tsunami) and learn steps to reduce personal risk. Using the MyHazards tool, users may enter an address, city, zip code, or may select a location from a map.
  • gov: Actions to Take during Flood Watch or Warning: This page explains what actions to take when you receive a flood watch or warning alert from the National Weather Service for your local area and what to do before, during, and after a flood.
  • NOAA Weather-Ready Nation: This initiative focuses on support management of the nation’s water supply, understanding of climate-related risks, economic productivity, healthy communities and ecosystems.in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events.
  • California Department of Water Resources – All Flood and Safety Topics:The Department has compiled flood topics including: California dam safety, Delta Levees, flood control projects and maps, flood fighting methods, grants and loans, surface storage investigations and much more to help Californians prepare for storms.
  • California Coastal Commission El Niño Checklist: To prepare for impacts due to flooding, unusually large waves, heavy precipitation, and erosion, coastal Californians can begin to take measured steps now.
  • FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC):The FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC) is the official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
  • FEMA Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP):This page discusses the Risk MAP program and what the program can mean to communities.

Is Your Home Safe from Flooding?

  • California Department of Water Resources: Know Your Flood Risk Mailer: Resource on how to help prepare, prevent and protect yourself from flood risks.
  • California Department of Water Resources Flood Risk Notification Program: Reduce your flood risk by being aware and being prepared. Use this site to increase your flood risk awareness and learn practical, easy ways to protect you and your property from costly flood damages.
  • Flood Fighting at Home Brochure(.pdf): Tutorial on easy ways to keep water out of your house.

Visit http://storms.ca.gov/individual-preparation/ for more storm preparation ideas.

Need help after a major storm? Call SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom at 916-987-0400. We are here to help 24/7!

Preparing For Water Damage In Your Home

2/22/2023 (Permalink)

Tips to Prepare for Water Damage

  1. Look up your insurance coverage. Most renter’s or homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flooding, or even a sewer backup. Find out what coverage you have.
  2. Keep a record of all of your belongings. Take photos and keep copies of a receipt or other documents for the more valuable items. Store a copy of these records online or at another location. If you do experience water damage, it can be easy to forget about certain items.
  3. Take steps to limit the risk of water damage within your home by checking pipes frequently and paying attention to any indicators of water damage, such as dripping sounds in the walls, dark spots on the ceiling, or significant change in your water bill.
  4. Set up your home so that it is less at risk of damage from heavy rains or flooding by ensuring that your roof is sound. Make sure there are no cracks in the foundation. Check that the landscaping around your home is sloped to direct water away from your foundation, rather than toward it.
  5. Find an expert you can count on. Water damage can be overwhelming, and you don’t want to be desperately searching for a water restoration expert at 3 AM when the pipes break. SERVPRO of Fair Oaks / Folsom is here to take care of you – call 916-525-1241.