Hoarding Cleanup in Jefferson City

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Jefferson City is here for hoarding cleanup solutions.

When faced with a hoarding cleanup in Jefferson City, effective communication with the hoarder is crucial for progress. Saying or doing the wrong thing may shut down communication and halt progress. Hoarding is a serious issue, and it should be handled with care and patience. It's important to understand the condition before addressing it to help with communication and the cleanup process.

The following "Do's and Don'ts" guide can serve as a general reference, but if you need further guidance, don't hesitate to reach out for more specific advice.

Do's:

1. Connect with the hoarder: Empathize with the hoarder and let them know you'll be there for them throughout the entire cleanup process.

2. Seek professional help: Therapists who specialize in hoarding can provide more specific guidance.

3. Continuously communicate with the hoarder: Follow up on the situation to keep the hoarder motivated.

4. Discuss safety first: Reorganizing can create a safer living environment, so bring this up before discussing the removal of items.

5. Acknowledge the importance of items: Items have an emotional connection to hoarders, so approach them as important.

6.Keep the situation confidential: Promise not to discuss anything related to the hoarder's situation without their permission.

7. Ask questions respectfully: Understand the hoarder's reasons for keeping items, as they may have had a traumatic experience.

8. Promote donation: Let the hoarder know that their items will be put to better use by someone who needs them.

9. Be patient: The process should be taken one step at a time.

10. Hire a professional cleaning service: This can help the relationship with the hoarder and ensure items of value are preserved.

Don'ts:

1. Don't judge the hoarder or make assumptions about their situation.

2. Don't discard any items without the owner's permission.

3. Don't force the hoarder to get rid of items they are attached to.

4. Don't ignore any health or safety hazards, such as mold, pests, or fire hazards. Call professionals immediately. 

5. Don't ignore any legal requirements, such as obtaining proper permits or disposing of hazardous materials.

6. Don't pressure the hoarder to clean up all at once, as this can be overwhelming and lead to a relapse.

7. Don't try to clean it all by yourself, especially if the clutter is overwhelming.

If you are in need of a hoarding cleanup, call the professionals at SERVPRO of Jefferson City (573) 635-5883. 

How to Prevent Your Jefferson City Home From Water Damage

1/31/2023 (Permalink)

Prevent water damage in your Jefferson City home.

There are many ways to help protect your Jefferson City home from water damages. Water losses occur when water finds its way outside of the appliances you rely on to run your household’s daily needs. When we think about the causes of severe water damage to our homes, we usually think about extreme weather like a hurricane or torrential rains. But the unfortunate reality is that extensive damage is often the result of ordinary household plumbing systems and appliances that fail – and these can be just as destructive to your home as an extreme weather event.

Preventative Measures

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to help prevent water damage from plumbing problem in your Jefferson City home. It is helpful to understand some of the common causes of water damage.

These may include:

• Heating and air-conditioning systems

• Water heaters

• Valves

• Appliances

• Pipes and plumbing fixtures

How to Detect Water Damages

Water damage can often go undetected, even if the telltale signs are there. Plumbing that is housed inside the walls of your home, in less-trafficked areas like a basement or attic, or behind a cabinet or appliance, can easily go unnoticed. That’s why it’s important to check your appliances and plumbing from time to time.

• Know where the main water supply enters your home, locate the main shut-off valve and make sure it’s functioning properly.
• If you will be away from home for an extended period, consider shutting off the water supply, but consult with a heating professional first to understand if doing so will compromise any other systems in your home. Maintain a temperature of at least 55 degrees in your home. Also, if your home is protected by a fire sprinkler system, do not turn off the water to this system, and maintain sufficient heat to prevent a freeze-up.
• Consider having your air-conditioning system inspected regularly by a professional. Check around the unit for indications of leaks. Check the drain lines annually and clean them if they are clogged. Change the air filter annually at a minimum.
• Inspect water heaters, showers, tubs, toilets, sinks, dishwashers, refrigerators and washing machines annually, and have them repaired if there are signs of leaks or corrosion. Be sure to include supply lines, hoses, connections and fittings in the inspection.
• Check caulking around showers, bathtubs, sinks and toilet bases, and make repairs as needed.
• If your refrigerator has an ice machine or water dispenser, check the hose between the wall and the refrigerator to determine if it is pinched or stressed. Also look for signs of leaking or wear and tear.
• Check exposed plumbing (pipes, valves, etc.) for signs of leaking or corrosion. Have any pipe damage fixed immediately to prevent more costly repairs in the future.

For any questions or concerns about water damage in your home, call SERVPRO of Jefferson City at (573) 635-5883

How to Know If You Have Plumbing Issues

1/31/2023 (Permalink)

Plumber works on pipe in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Water damage due to a plumbing issue in your home can be life-changing. But there are some common signs that homeowners can look for, and steps they can take, to help avoid a major water issue at home.

Consider this example:

A homeowner and his family head off for a three-week vacation. While they’re away, a minor toilet leak grows, until it reaches a pace of three gallons of water per minute. By the time the homeowners returned from their three-week vacation, the unaddressed leak had poured more than 30,000 gallons of water into their home. The water ruined furniture, fixtures and irreplaceable family valuables, and rendered the property virtually uninhabitable for an extended period of time.

But this is just a cautionary tale. The following guidance is meant to help you learn about the potential water issues from common plumbing problems and how you can take steps to help prevent disaster.

Causes For Plumbing Problems

Plumbing issues can occur anywhere in your home. Frequently, lack of maintenance is the root cause of these problems. However, other causes can include:

• Manufacturing and design defects.
• Installation errors.
• Exposure to cleaning products (for example, by storing chemicals under the sink or by cleaning surfaces of plumbing components).

If caught early, many plumbing problems can be addressed before serious damage occurs. For this reason, regular inspection of your home’s visible plumbing parts can be critical. Knowing the lifespan of parts and appliances is also important, as is properly maintaining the other parts of your home and its features and systems.

Signs to Look For

Want to help prevent plumbing complications from damaging your home and potentially resulting in expensive property damage or loss? Start by visually inspecting your plumbing on a regular basis. Look for drips and slow leaks. Be sure to check the areas surrounding your pipes as well. If you see water damage on cabinetry or other nearby materials, there may be an active leak that you’ll want to locate.

Your entire home plumbing system may not be visible, but there are certain places in your home where you can readily inspect plumbing components:

• Under sinks and washtubs.
• Inside access panels near showers, sinks or appliances.
• Attachments to toilets, water heaters and appliances.
• Basements and crawl spaces.

You will want to look at any piping, valves and fittings in the areas listed above. Leaks are most common at connection points, so pay close attention to the plumbing connections on faucets, washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, water filtration systems, shut-off valves and toilets. Your home’s piping system may also have multiple connections between various sections of pipe. Appliances and fixtures themselves can cause problems, so be sure to inspect those as well, and keep up with any regular maintenance recommended by the manufacturer.

The signs of a problem will vary by component. For example, problems in copper piping may look very different from problems in PEX, a common type of plastic piping. In general, you want to look for signs of corrosion, cracking, hazing, discoloration and mineral deposits from a water leak.

Biohazard Cleanups in Jefferson City

1/31/2023 (Permalink)

A SERVPRO of Jefferson City technician works on a biohazard job.

When people hear the term “biohazard”, they may ask themselves what this means. SERVPRO of Jefferson City can save you from doing extra work researching this term. Let's help you learn about the basics of biohazards, give you some examples, and explain the importance of a proper clean up. 

The Importance of Biohazard Cleanup

First of all, it’s important to recognize that biohazards need to be eliminated as soon as possible. If not eliminated, human feces and other biological waste can present an unsafe environment for people. Biohazards are transmissible in a number of ways, including the obvious form: touch. When you touch a dirty surface, like a sink that has not been cleaned thoroughly or often enough, you can contact biohazards. Certain biohazards can be ingested (eaten or drank in liquid form), inhaled, or shared in blood-to-blood contact (if biohazards enter an exposed wound, for example). The latter is possibly the most dangerous. 

What Is a Biohazard?

Essentially, a biohazard is a disease or pathogen spread from a living organism (i.e. animals and humans) that is dangerous when ingested. To present a scenario, imagine a bathroom in an office space. This room in an office is in use every day of the week. People expose themselves to the toilets and sinks when utilizing bathrooms. Let’s say the bathroom is never cleaned thoroughly, and an employee uses an unsanitary bathroom. In this case, an employee is at a major risk of developing a disease from a biohazard.

However, biohazards are nearly always dangerous. Here are some common examples of biohazards, including materials you may not realize fall into this category.

Bloodborne Pathogens

While blood is essential to maintain the life of a person or animal, it produces the opposite effect when it escapes the body. To present another scenario, a crime could occur inside a home, leaving unsafe bloodborne pathogens and other bodily fluids in the building. After a crime scene investigation is finished, let’s say that the building is never cleaned afterward. If this were to happen, people would not be able to use the building and it would be called biohazardous. The reason is that blood contains what is known as bloodborne pathogens.

Examples of these pathogens include HIV, HBV, and many other types of harmful diseases. In this same scenario, if a homeowner tries to remove blood and other bodily fluids themselves, they are at a high risk to develop this disease. They can ingest these pathogens from these pathogens entering their body. How could this happen? Let’s say a homeowner has a cut or broken skin still healing; their chances of exposure are very high if bloodborne pathogens are exposed to their skin.

Animal Feces

Finally, human fluids and blood are not the only type of biological hazard that could pose a risk of someone developing a disease in their body. If a person owns a pet in their home, the dog or cat may remain inside for many hours of the day. What can happen, especially when domesticated pets, is that they leave feces or other animal fluids on the floor at any time of the day. It is important to monitor your pets throughout the day to spot an occurrence like this.

This is because animal feces, as mentioned before, presents a biohazard to a home if left unattended. Over time, if not cleaned, the odor and feces begin to accumulate in the home. If left unattended, the home can be uninhabitable for a homeowner or anyone else interacting with the house. That is why a biohazard cleanup is essential to combat the chances of this occurring. 

When your home or office space is exposed to biohazards, you can rely on our professional bio-cleaning services at SERVPRO of Jefferson City. To learn more about what we do, you can send us an inquiry or call us at (573) 635-5883 

SERVPRO of Jefferson City Commercial Restoration Services

1/31/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Jefferson City helps with all your commercial restoration service needs.

SERVPRO of Jefferson City offers many different services that we offer for commercial properties. We understand that it is difficult at times to schedule services during business hours, so we can work with you to find a time that best fits you and your company's needs.

If needed we can work in one section at a time in order to keep your business open while we work, or we can attempt to schedule it before or after business hours. 

In addition to our emergency water, fire, and storm clean up services we also offer many other cleaning services. These include, but are not limited to:  

• Air Ducts and HVAC 
• Biohazard 
• Carpet and Upholstery 
• Ceilings, Floors, and Walls 
• Drapes and Blinds 
• Odor Removal 
• Sewage 
• Trauma and Crime Scene 
• Vandalism 

FIRE DAMAGE 

The faster SERVPRO of Jefferson City arrives on-site to perform fire, smoke, and soot cleanup and restoration, the better the results— including lower claim costs.

Within four hours of a loss notification (and usually much earlier), SERVPRO of Jefferson City will be on-site to help ensure a fire damage is handled properly by utilizing the following services:

Structural Cleaning

After a smoke or fire damage, ceilings, walls, woodwork, carpeting, and floors will often need a thorough cleaning. SERVPRO® will pretest to determine the extent of damage, then use the specific equipment and cleaning products required to clean and protect the different types of surfaces found within the structure.

Contents Cleaning

All the restorable contents in the affected areas will be professionally cleaned and deodorized. This includes area rugs, furniture, draperies, and upholstery. SERVPRO can provide wet or dry-cleaning services. Additionally, all other restorable contents will be cleaned and deodorized to preloss condition. This includes electronics, art, wood furniture, kitchen items, clothing, bedding, and much more. Finally, SERVPRO of Jefferson City can provide an inventory list of all “to be claimed” items.

Deodorization

SERVPRO of Jefferson City provides specialized services that rid your insured’s home or place of business of offensive odors left behind by fire or smoke damage. We do not merely cover up lingering odors with a fragrance; we seek out the sources of the odor and remove them.  

WATER DAMAGE

If you have recently become a victim of commercial water damage, you may be wondering what you can do to mitigate your damages. There is a critical period in which certain actions must be taken to preserve as much of your property as possible and to decrease any health risks when water damage has occurred in a commercial space.

Preparing a Space for Water Damage Restoration
Before you enter your commercial space or any flooded building, you will need to make sure the electrical power to the structure is shut off. You should also be aware that during a flooding event, small animals or reptiles tend to seek shelter inside of buildings. Be prepared to deal with the discovery of wild animals in your space.

Protect yourself from entering any flooded building by wearing an organic vapor respirator. You can purchase these at any local paint and building supply stores. You also want to have rubber gloves, protective clothing, and eye protection. The first thing you should do is ventilate the affected areas by opening the windows and placing fans where possible.

Unfortunately, there likely will be items that you need to throw away. Any items that are porous and have absorbed contaminated floodwater cannot be restored. If your commercial space has drywall, mattresses, pillows, box springs, particle board, carpets or carpet pads, these will need to be discarded if they have become saturated. However, there is good news: If you have clothing or household fabrics that can be machine-washed, you may be able to salvage them. Use your washing machine to clean these items with a 10-minute soak at the minimum in hot water with detergent. The soap and normal wash should remove most of the contamination and any staining that is present.

Be aware that your commercial space will need a thorough professional inspection, cleaning and possibly restructuring. Water damaged walls and installations must be removed and repaired, and pockets of saturation should be exposed for drying and sanitizing. Always remember that mold growth could take a few days to appear as it thrives in a moist environment with organic-type materials such as paper or particle board and in temperatures that range between 60 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep good airflow throughout the interior environment, and maintain moderate temperatures to decrease the risk of any mold growth. It is also important that you let your space dry out before any rebuilding occurs.

If you would like more information on any of the services listed above, please call SERVPRO of Jefferson City at 573-635-5883.

How SERVPRO Spells Help

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Jefferson City is here to help.

You forgot about the chicken dinner on the stove, filling the house with smoke. The water pipe breaks flooding the entire basement. A roof leak has caused mold in your attic space. The fire sprinkler bursts, saturating the floors of your warehouse. 

We all need help at some point in time. Help to clean the smoke off the walls and remove the odor. Help to extract the water and dry the structure. Help to safely remove the mold in your attic. Help to dry out your warehouse and get you back to work.

This is how we spell help:

S is for the Service that we provide. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are always here to help.

E is for the Expert advice that we offer. We are your expert Fire & Water Clean Up and Restoration company.

R is for the Resources that we can bring to every job. Air movers, dehumidifiers, air scrubbers, drying mats, duct cleaning machines, carpet cleaning machines. Residential and commercial. Whatever your job demands.

V is for Value. We value our customers and it is truly an honor to serve you.

P is for the Professionalism that we bring to every job. We are always prepared. Our highly trained staff is here to “Make it like it never even happened”.

R is for being Ready for any sized disaster. Our crews are on call and always ready to answer the call when needed. 

O is for the Outstanding work that we provide. Our work is certified, warrantied and performed by IICRC trained technicians.  

SERVPRO of Jefferson City is always here to help!

Winter Weather Hazards

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Keep your Jefferson City home safe this winter.

Winter weather leads to issues for thousands of people and their homes each year. Since cold weather can cause issues that don’t occur the rest of the year, it’s important to be vigilant about any problem that could arise. 

Here are some potential problems that should be on your radar this winter for your Jefferson City home.

1. Heating System Fire

While most winter fires take place in the kitchen, heating systems can also be a culprit. Thousands of residential fires occur each year due to failure of home heating systems. Fireplaces, chimneys and chimney connectors are responsible for half of the fires. That’s why it’s important to have your heating system checked regularly, especially if you have a gas or electric furnace or heat pump.

Space heaters also cause many fires in the winter, and in total cause 25,000 per year. Space heaters should never be left on unattended, especially after going to sleep. 

Being aware of the potential hazards of your heating system can keep you fire-free this winter. 

2. Frozen Pipes

Pipes freezing and bursting can be a nightmare for your home. 

Frozen pipes cause an estimated $400-$500 million in damage annually. To avoid adding to that number, it’s crucial to take preventive measures. Drain water from pipes that are likely to freeze and disconnect any outside hoses. 

If you are still worried that your pipes might freeze, you can also place a 60-watt bulb in areas you’re concerned with. Just make sure none of the materials near the bulb are combustible. 

To keep pipes from freezing, your thermostat should be kept around the same temperature at all times, and your house temperature should never fall below 55 degrees. 

3. Ice Dams

While ice dams can be pretty to look at, they can be a nuisance to deal with. Since ice dams are caused by a lack of uniform roof surface temperatures, this problem must be addressed if you are experiencing ice dams. Making your ceiling and attic air-tight, adding insulation and installing heating cables to the roof are all steps that can create uniform temperatures. 

If you are already dealing with ice dams, you can take a long-handled aluminum roof rake to scrape off snow from the roof. And if you’re experiencing leaking, you can set up a box fan in the attic and aim it at the bottom of the roof where water is leaking in. This will freeze the water and stop the leak.

4. Carbon Monoxide

Cold temperatures can often lead to problems with carbon monoxide in the home. Sadly, 430 people die annually from carbon monoxide poisoning, while approximately 50,000 are hospitalized. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs due to faulty heating systems. Whether it’s unvented space heaters, malfunctioning furnaces, clogged chimneys or other heating system issues, it’s important to make sure your system is functioning properly.

That’s why you should have your furnace and fireplace inspected before each winter. In addition, carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in your home (if you don’t already have them), and the batteries should be checked and replaced regularly. 

Also, make sure that if you’re going to use space heaters they are properly ventilated.

Should You Get Your Jefferson City Home Tested or Sampled for Mold?

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO of Jefferson City for mold mitigation

When is time to get a sample for mold? If visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary.

Surface sampling may be useful to determine if an area has been adequately cleaned or remediated. Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods and interpreting results.

Sample analysis should follow analytical methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional organizations.

Are there federal regulations or standards regarding mold testing?

Standards or Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for airborne concentrations of mold, or mold spores, have not been set. Currently, there are no EPA regulations or standards for airborne mold contaminants.

Understanding Mold

When water intrudes into your property, mold growth can start in as little as 48 hours. Consider the following mold facts:

• Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
• Mold spores are microscopic, float along in the air, and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
• Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
• Mold often produces a strong, musty odor, and that odor can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
• Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

The Mold Remediation Process

Every mold damage scenario is different and requires a unique solution, but the general mold remediation process stays the same. Learn more about our mold remediation process.

1. Emergency Contact - (573) 635-5883
2. Inspection and Mold Damage Assessment
3. Mold Containment
4. Air Filtration
5. Removing Mold and Mold-Infested Materials
6. Cleaning Contents and Belongings

Winter Home Heating Safety Tips

12/26/2022 (Permalink)

Keep your home safe this winter.

1. Be Aware of Flammable Materials 

Keep anything that burns easily at least three feet away from fireplaces, wood stoves, furnaces and space heaters. Fires often spread past its origin point because the heat source was too close to something flammable. Make sure nothing is close to your heat sources to prevent a fire from spreading.  

2. Service Your Heating System Annually

Hiring a professional to inspect and clean your heating system and chimneys can help ensure your safety. These checks should be done annually. You should also be active in checking the areas around the furnace and boiler.

3. Don’t Leave Space Heaters Unattended

25,000 house fires and more than 300 deaths are caused each year by space heaters. Never keep space heaters on when no one is around or while you are sleeping. Space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall, as extension cords or power strips can overheat and cause a fire. 

4. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Monthly 

According to a study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the first month of the year is the worst for carbon monoxide poisoning. House fires are also common after the holidays. It’s extremely important to regularly check that all your detectors have working batteries. 

5. Fireplace Safety 

Keep a screen over your fireplace to stop sparks from flying out. Let fire ashes cool before putting them into any covered, metal container. Also, ashes should never be kept in plastic containers. Keep all containers of ashes a safe distance away from your home. 

How to Handle Frozen Pipes

12/26/2022 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes can lead to a disaster in your home.

At SERVPRO of Jefferson City, we often see an increase in water losses during the winter. A major culprit of these losses are frozen pipes. 

When the water inside the pipes freeze, its molecules expand, which causes a blockage of ice that prevents unfrozen water from passing through. When the frozen pipe begins to thaw, the pressure from the water can cause the pipe to burst. 

How Can I Tell My Pipes Are Frozen? 

One of the most common signs that you are dealing with frozen pipes is when you turn on your faucet and no water comes out (similarly, if you flush your toilet and it doesn’t refill). If this happens, you should check your water source to make sure it’s still turned on and that a leak isn’t occurring. 

Another tell-tale sign of frozen pipes is when your water line is coated in frost or is bulging.

If you know that your pipes are frozen, you can either choose to address the issue yourself or call in professionals. 

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes cause an estimated $400-$500 million in damage annually. To avoid adding to that total, there are several steps you can take.

When the weather gets cold, you should drain water from pipes that are likely to freeze, such as sprinkler and swimming pool water supply lines. Outside hoses should also be disconnected and drained, and indoor valves supplying these access points must be closed.

On frigid days, let your faucets drip cold water. Having the water drip out will make it harder for the water in the pipes to freeze. Your thermostat should also be kept around the same temperature at all times, and your house temperature should never fall below 55 degrees. Garage doors should also be kept shut to protect water lines. 

If you are worried about your pipes freezing, you can also place a 60-watt bulb in the areas you’re concerned with. Just make sure none of the materials near the bulb are combustible. 

What If My Pipes Are Already Frozen? 

If you realize your pipes have frozen, the first step is to keep your faucet open. This will help with thawing and allow for moving water to flow through the pipe. 

You can also apply heat to the specific area of the pipe that is frozen. You can do this by wrapping an electronic heating pad around the pipe or heating the area with a hair dryer. Using towels soaked in hot water can help, too. 

Keep applying heat until water flow returns to normal. After the pipe has been thawed, turn on other faucets around the house to make sure you don’t have any more frozen pipes. 

If the pipe is inside an exterior wall, you should immediately call a professional contractor. It is likely that a hole will need to be cut in the wall toward the inside of the house to allow the pipes to be exposed to warmer air. 

Frozen pipes can be a catastrophic problem for your home, but taking proactive measures can help you address the problem before it even starts.