Dos and Don’ts of Disaster Cleanup

9/5/2018 (Permalink)

Fires and Floods: Dos and Don’ts of Disaster Cleanup

There’s a lot of things you plan to do in the event of a flood, fire, or other disaster. Hopefully you’ll never have to do them.

But what do you do once the unthinkable happens? You probably already have an emergency plan in place for when a disaster is approaching, or even happening at that moment. But what about when it’s over? How on earth are you supposed to get back on your feet after a fire or flood has damaged or destroyed your home? Well, the good news is we can help you rebuild your world. Here are some tips on disaster cleanup from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, The American Red Cross, and Aer Industries, a company that deals with professional disaster restoration.

First, be safe.

If you must evacuate your home, don’t reenter it until a fire or other local official has given the OK. If your home was severely damaged, wait for a contractor to evaluate it and, if necessary, shore up damaged areas before you return.

“Water or fire damage in a building can cause more than surface-deep damage,” said the Aer Industries team, in an e-mail.

After a fire, the fire department should ensure utilities are safe to use or disconnected. Don’t reconnect utilities, FEMA recommended. Standing water and electricity is a bad combination, so make sure the power’s off before you enter a flooded area.

https://beprepared.com/blog/21572/fires-floods-dos-donts-disaster-cleanup/

SERVPRO of South Arlington is here 24/7 365,  for all of your restoration needs.

What to know about Cleaning Commercial Buildings

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

Cleaning Flooded Buildings:

This Fact Sheet was developed to help building owners, operators, contractors, and volunteer assistance groups deal with the challenges of working in structures that were not fully cleaned and dried shortly after the flooding. Remember that when first returning to a flood-damaged building, responders should follow the initial precautions and restoration steps detailed in the FEMA Recovery Advisory, The ABC’s of Returning to Flooded Buildings (Appendix E of FEMA 549, 2005). When a flooded home has not been cleaned and dried within a few weeks of the flood event, mold contamination should be expected, and specific steps are needed to clean and restore the home. Basic cleaning and drying information is presented in the FEMA Recovery Advisory Initial Restoration for Flooded Buildings (FEMA 549, 2005), which specifies five steps for post-flood building restoration, including (1) air out, (2) move out, (3) tear out, (4) clean out, and (5) dry out. This Fact Sheet builds on the last two of these steps and assumes that the majority of the muck-out and gutting process has been completed and the home is ready for cleaning and drying. Key Issues • Floodwaters carry a variety of contaminants such as bacteria, oil, heavy metals, and pesticides. While first responders’ initial evaluations of Hurricane Sandy floodwaters indicated that exposure to such items are below current limits for safe occupancy, proper cleaning and preparation for rebuilding is critical to protect workers and occupants from both short-term hazards and long-term risk. • Other hazards are present in addition to the substances brought in with the floodwaters, especially in homes that were not dried out within a week of the flooding. Safety issues related to wet mechanical and electrical systems, exposure to lead and asbestos released from building materials, and mold growth need to be addressed. • Mold is a serious health hazard if the home is reoccupied without proper cleaning. Although a variety of products and techniques can reduce and control mold, the cleaning and drying process described in this Fact Sheet also helps to remove other floodwater contaminants. Personal Safety Flooded buildings can pose a number of health and safety risks, for both individuals who wish to maintain occupancy and those who work to repair them. Eliminating hazards is the best way to protect occupants and workers; however, until conditions can be returned to normal, anyone working in a flooded building should use appropriate personal safety equipment and take appropriate safety precautions.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1381405548275-ec9f9b9de186f1874b92ecda6c33182b/SandyFactsheet1CleaningFloodedBldgs_508_FINAL2.pdf

SERVPRO of South Arlington is here 24/7 365, for all of your restoration needs!

Flood Cleanup to Protect Indoor Air Quality

8/16/2018 (Permalink)

Flood Cleanup to Protect Indoor Air Quality

During a flood cleanup, the indoor air quality in your home or office may appear to be the least of your problems. However, failure to remove contaminated materials and to reduce moisture and humidity can present serious long-term health risks. Standing water and wet materials are a breeding ground for microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria and mold. They can cause disease, trigger allergic reactions and continue to damage materials long after the flood.

Replacing Your Flooring after a Flood

If you are repairing your home or building after a flood or hurricane, to prevent mold growth you should be sure your foundation is dry before you replace the flooring. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) issued a standard which describes an easy way to check if your concrete slab is dry enough to replace the flooring. The basic approach is to fasten the edges of a clear piece of plastic sheeting to a concrete slab, and wait for approximately 16 hours. If moisture is visible on the plastic sheeting, it is still too wet to replace the flooring.

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/flood-cleanup-protect-indoor-air-quality

SERVPRO of South Arlington is here 24/7 365, for all of your restoration needs.

When is hoarding a problem? We can help!

6/21/2017 (Permalink)

Each hoarding situation is different:

The way they started hoarding, the items they collect, the reasoning behind it, the conditions it is in.

Because each situation is different we handle each case on a case by case scenario. A hoarder home is one of the most difficult types of jobs to handle. Not only do we need to make sure that the contents are packed and boxed in order for us to do our job (handle the water damage/fire) but we also have to be mindful that these contents more than likely holds significant value to our customer.

How does one get into the situation where their home is completely full of contents and they are to the extreme buried alive?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Hoarding is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. The behavior usually has deleterious effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for a hoarder and family members.

For those who hoard, the quantity of their collected items sets them apart from other people. Commonly hoarded items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing.

 Hoarding can be related to compulsive buying (such as never passing up a bargain), the compulsive acquisition of free items (such as collecting flyers), or the compulsive search for perfect or unique items (which may not appear to others as unique, such as an old container).

SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIOR

Someone who hoards may exhibit the following:

• Inability to throw away possessions
• Severe anxiety when attempting to discard items
• Great difficulty categorizing or organizing possessions
• Indecision about what to keep or where to put things
• Distress, such as feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed by possessions
• Suspicion of other people touching items
• Obsessive thoughts and actions: fear of running out of an item or of needing it in the future; checking the trash for accidentally discarded objects
• Functional impairments, including loss of living space, social isolation, family or marital discord, financial difficulties, health hazards

I know that embarrassment can keep people from seeking help but REGARDLESS OF THE REASONING WE ARE HERE TO HELP.

If you know of someone in this situation this website is a very informative website and can help :

https://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/hoarding-basics 

SERVPRO of North Arlington, SERVPRO of South Arlington, SERVPRO of Grand Prairie is trained in assisting you in getting your life/home back on track.

972-602-1112~ 817-557-1447~ 817-557-1505