The Fire Restoration Process

4/4/2023 (Permalink)

Fire damage in San Francisco, Ca

4 Steps in Getting Your Home Back to Normal

After a fire in your Burlingame, Millbrae CA, home, you may feel overwhelmed by the fire restoration process. Knowing what to expect beforehand can make the situation less stressful for you and your family. Every fire and home is different, and the restoration process varies accordingly. Here are four general steps that occupants take in getting their homes back to normal after a fire:

1. Inspection

Surveying the damage after a fire is critical to know the next steps that you need to take. However, this can be dangerous if you are not careful. Do not re-enter your home until the fire department has said it is safe to do so. Do not turn on any appliances or lights that were near the fire.

2. Preventing Further Damage

Preventing further damage is key to the fire restoration process. This includes boarding up or tarping over any openings in the structure to prevent wildlife, criminals, etc. from getting inside. Additionally, it is important to remove any water left over from the fire extinguishing efforts because mold growth begins quickly. After the water has been removed, smoke damage should be addressed. Smoke and soot are corrosive. The longer they are allowed to sit, the more damage they cause.

3. Cleaning

After taking precautions to prevent further damage, clean-up efforts can begin. Damage cleaning takes many forms and may occur on-site or at another location. In addition to cleaning the surfaces of your home and the items within it, it may be necessary to address any lingering smoke odor. From air scrubbers to ozone machines, there are a variety of methods to remove smoke particles from the air in your home.

4. Repair and Restoration

After the smoke (and soot and water) clears, it is time to repair the damage caused by the fire. You may have to repair drywall, replace carpeting and windows, or even fully reconstruct parts of your home to get it back to normal.
Regardless of the extent of damage done, an experienced restoration service can help you with every step of the fire restoration process.

Why Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

4/4/2023 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO Team always wears PPE to protect ourselves!

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, coveralls, vests, and full-body suits.

It is important at SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae that our technicians are as safe as possible while working for our wonderful customers so we can get the job done right and efficiently.  

Although it isn't the most fashionable outfit of the season, it is absolutely necessary for some situations!

Our SERVPRO Team protects ourselves so we can better serve you!

Why a 24 Hour Response Matters

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

Why a 24-Hour Response Matters

As an insurance adjuster in the Bay Area, you are part of the front line for residential disasters. Some events, like those involving water, require an immediate response to slow or stop the course of damage. SERVPRO has a 24-hour response because they understand that every hour of exposure has a crucial impact on the extent of damage, and cost, since the chance of restoration goes down as the clock ticks away. Here is the typical progression of water damage to a home:
First 24 Hours

• Porous items such as drywall, upholstery, carpets, and floors begin to absorb the water immediately.
• Stains from finishes and pigments may occur from contact between items.
• Documents and photos absorb water and warp.
• Materials become saturated with water and begin to break down or crack from swelling.
• Metal begins to tarnish.
• Molds begin to grow.
  
  

After 24 Hours

• Wood studs, flooring, windows, and doors warp.
• Paint bubbles and peels.
• Metal corrodes.
• Mold and mildew multiply.
• Sitting water becomes “black water” due to exposure.
  
  

To minimize costs and damage, a 24-hour response is critical. As an insurance adjuster, you know that damage increases dramatically in a matter of hours and the costs increase exponentially during that time.

How a 24-Hour Response Is Possible

With the power of a national company, SERVPRO is always open. The national call center operates every day of the year, 24 hours a day. With this first contact being crucial, your customer will talk to a professional on the phone within the first hour and, thanks to the power of local reach, on-site work will be able to begin within four hours of that initial call. As an adjuster, you will receive your first verbal briefing within eight hours.

Selecting a national vendor with more than 2000 locations ensures a 24-hour response for your customers. You also know you can count on consistent standards and procedures, and big company quality. That fast response is why they are the preferred vendor for many national insurance companies.

Laundry Safety

6/15/2022 (Permalink)

Laundry can easily pile up, but it is essential to practice basic safety techniques to protect your home.

Not clearing your laundry filter after each use can be dangerous. It is reported that there are over 17,000 fires related to home dryers each year.
Here are a few simple tips to follow to help prevent a clothes dryer fire:
-Clean the filter screen after each load to prevent lint buildup.
-An adult should be at home whenever the dryer is in use and the home should have working smoke alarms.
-Clean the vents outside twice a year to clean out any accumulated dust and lint.
-Commercial dryers should be cleaned out regularly because of their frequent use and shared venting system.
-Don't dry mop heads in the dryer. The dryer's heat can ignite the chemical residue on mop heads.
-Keep the surrounding area clean. The dryer's heat may ignite anything left too close to the dryer.
-The safety of your family is important to us and we hope that you don't encounter such a fire. Be sure you follow these steps to avoid a fire in your home.

My water heater leaked and the pan overflowed. Now what?

5/24/2022 (Permalink)

Call the experts at SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae.

By code, most residential water heaters are required to be set into a "drip pan" designed to catch the water that may leak. Sometimes these drip pans are not connected to a drain, and instead, simply delay an inevitable water overflow. A water heater leak and overflow can cause damage to surrounding walls and flooring, and can rapidly create a hazardous mold situation. As water heaters generally leak hot water, the high temperature creates a perfect environment for microbial growth including potentially black mold.

By having the experts at SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae addresses the situation right away, you can prevent extensive damage that will continue to spread. Our team has decades of experience dealing with water heater leaks in the least destructive method possible. By utilizing methods such as dry-in-place and selective demolition we can keep costs down and get your water back on asap.

IICRC Certified Firm

5/11/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae 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 Burlingame, Millbrae

SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae 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.

What To Expect After Contacting SERVPRO

4/17/2022 (Permalink)

Our green truck is available 24hrs 7 days a week.

What To Expect After Contacting SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae

If you suffered damage to your Burlingame, Millbrae home, it is important to act quickly. SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae's 24-hour availability makes it a top choice for many insurance agencies. Here is what you can expect during the first several hours after contacting the restoration company.

1. A Quick Response
When a building has been damaged, the response time is an important factor in how time-consuming and how costly restoration will be. SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae is always open, so you can expect to hear back within an hour after you have contacted us about the emergency. Once you have provided us with the necessary information, we will begin preparing to address the needs of your loss.

2. Arrival at the Damaged Site
 SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae can arrive quickly in an emergency. We can be on-site to begin the restoration process within the hour. This fast response can make a huge difference if your home or business has suffered a great deal of damage. Beginning the process more quickly will result in less damage overall which can end up costing the insurance agency less money.

3. Inspection and a Verbal Briefing
Once the damage restoration specialists have arrived, they can inspect the home to determine the extent of the damage and decide on the best course of action moving forward. This should all happen within the first hour of your initial call. They will provide a verbal briefing so that you are aware of what will happen next. Our quick 24-hour response will allow us to begin mitigation as soon as possible to prevent any further damage before we begin work on necessary repairs.
Because it can spread and worsen quickly, the 24-hour period after the damage has occurred is crucial. SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae's fast response will save the agency money and allow your to have your home back sooner.

What Should You Do in a Property Damage Crisis? You Hire SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae.

4/5/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damaged home and car in the garage.

What to do when a property damage emergency happens 

Most importantly, be sure everyone including your family and pets is safe. If the building is compromised, tell everyone to get out of the building immediately and call 911. Call our SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae team immediately at 650-651-7290. Our IICRC approved technicians will arrive at your home or business within 2 hours for an immediate response, day or night! The sooner we arrive on-site the faster we can begin mitigating the damage.

Next, be sure to call your insurance company to explain the situation. This is the best way to get started with any potential claims process. Because of our deep restoration industry knowledge and experience, our technicians will be sure to document everything according to your insurance company's specifications.

How SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae can help you through a property crisis 

If you find yourself in the midst of a building damage crisis, don't hesitate to give us a call. The sooner we respond and begin our mitigation tasks, the less expensive and more effective our service will be for you. Because our focus is property restoration, our teams are trained to assess any kind of property damage to quickly plan and execute an efficient and effective restoration strategy to protect and restore as much of your home, business, and personal belongings as possible. We employ IICRC certified technicians who understand your predicament and know how to quickly help get you back on your feet.

The benefits of working with our SERVPRO team 

Working with our SERVPRO team means that you'll get the help you need to get your property back in proper working order faster. For example, here are several things that we do when you choose to work with our team:

Rapid, Advanced Structural Drying - We have the proper restoration equipment for ANY size of property loss. From a single affected bathroom to a flooded or burnt 100,000+ sf industrial facility, our teams know exactly how to set up the right equipment at the right time.

Fire & Smoke Restoration - We eliminate smoke damage odors using industrial air scrubbers, fogging equipment, & several specialized cleaning compounds. Just ask us about our Ozone treatment! Whether it's smoke or fire damage in an apartment building or smaller scale of residential, workplace, or vehicle restoration needs, SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae is here to help and capable of it.

Mold Cleaning & Remediation - All molds are not created equal. SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae technicians know how to quickly and safely remove any mold species from your property. In many cases the affected area must be isolated, a containment system put in place, and special equipment brought out to assure that all mold spores are destroyed. Our team has the knowledge and experience to quickly stabilize any dangerous mold infestations.

Employee IICRC Training - SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae employees are trained and certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). This is an international certification organization that ensures our technicians are qualified to serve you in your time of need the way you need it.

The Most Advanced Technology - Our cleaning and restoration equipment & supplies are top of the line. We utilize state-of-the-art technology to properly restore your home, office, or other commercial property back to preloss condition.

Emergency Board Up Services - In many cases it's necessary to board up a building that has been damaged by either a storm event, fire, or water. Our teams know exactly what needs to be done to protect your home or business from further damage.

Commercial Damage Restoration - If you're looking for an experienced commercial damage restoration company in the Bay area look no further! we are one of the top 5 franchises in the number 1 brand in restoration. And we work hard to grow and maintain that reputation of excellence.

How we can help you get your life back on track after a property damage emergency

The fire, the flood, or the storm can leave you feeling overwhelmed and out of control. You need help now to get your life back on track as quickly as possible without having to worry about all the details. SERVPRO offers a range of services designed to help your property return to its preloss condition faster than ever before. And, our service is backed by decades of industry experience and advanced training in how best to restore business value after even the toughest property loss. No matter what kind of damage you're faced with (big or small) we are here for you!

If you hire SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae, you can trust that your property damage crisis is in good hands with our knowledgeable, highly trained technicians on the job. We'll work fast to assess the situation, establish what needs to be done (and how best to do it) and get your home or business back to its former glory.

Call us today to see exactly why SERVPRO of Burlingame, Millbrae is the number 1 trusted property restoration team.