Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

The Silent Killer

You can't see or smell carbon monoxide, but, at high levels, it can kill a person in minutes. Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide, or CO, is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (like gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, and propane) burn incompletely.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning. It is estimated another 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. All people and animals are at risk for CO poisoning, with some groups— including unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems— being more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide.

An excess of CO, leading to CO poisoning, can result from faulty furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or idling cars left running in garages.

Taking some basic, precautionary steps can help eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Protect yourself by reviewing the following tips, provided by the United States Fire Administration:

• Have fuel burning appliances, like oil and gas furnaces, gas or kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves inspected by a trained professional every year.
• Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace. Never use your oven or stovetop to heat your home.
• Make sure all fuel-burning vented equipment is vented to the outside to avoid CO poisoning. Keep the venting for exhaust clear and unblocked.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.
• Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
• Only use barbecue grills outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Some grills can produce CO gas. Never use grills inside the home or the garage, even if the doors are open.
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the home or business.

Do You Think You Have Mold?

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

MOLD: It’s unpleasant by itself, but this kind of smelly odor takes on a very musty scent. Anyone who notices a smelly odor like this at home or at work should go ahead with deodorization to make the smell more pleasant, but the smelly odor can’t be ignored with the constant use of deodorization. It’s a sign professional help is needed. Deodorization isn’t something that can be used for purposes other than to cover up the smell. It’s not going to get rid of the problem. Homeowners often forget that deodorization doesn’t get rid of mold or other mildew. It only covers it up and allows people to live a bit more comfortably while they ignore the real problem.

Smelly odor, mildew, fungus, and any high levels of humidity combined with a leak anywhere is a sign it’s time to get a remediation company into the home or office to handle what’s going on with everything. It’s never a good idea to ignore these signs.

One way to ensure mold is handled properly at home or work is to ensure it’s taken care of the right way from start to finish. People might not like the idea of handling mold at home with professionals, but it’s the best way to guarantee it’s handled accordingly and without issue. No one wants to find it’s coming back and spreading rapidly when it’s not handled correctly the first time.

Call us at (618) 533-5400 if you think you suspect Mold. We will eliminate it “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties Are Ready For The Storms

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost. TEAM WOLFE can deploy at a moments notice with all the resources required to stabilize, mitigate and remedy your disaster.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties is the only certified Disaster Recovery Team in the Southern Illinois Region!  When storms hit Southern Illinois, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. 

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today (618) 533-5400

2018 SERVPRO Business Appreciation Golf Scramble

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

SAVE THIS DATE: June 15th, 2018!

SERVPRO Annual Business Appreciation Golf Scramble

Save The Date! June 15, 2018 is SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties' Annual Golf Scramble and we anticipate an awesome event. We will be holding it at Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Carbondale, Illinois. Be sure and plan to come to this event so get your 4 member team together! There will be a flyer going out to all of our valued clients 30 days prior to the event. We will provide refreshments and will be serving a wonderful lunch prior to a shotgun start at 12:00pm noon.

There will be a Invitation Flyer going out 30 days prior to event.

Our Marketing team will be hand delivering an invitation for the SERVPRO Golf Scramble to all our wonderful clients 30 days prior to the event.  It will contain all of the day's events and a place to fill in your team's names.

Fire & Water Damaged Insulation Removal

4/19/2018 (Permalink)

We Know How To Remove Smoke Damaged Insulation

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties thinks outside the box when it comes to creative ways to get the job done. Here, we engineered a way to continually extract all the insulation out of the attic with minimal manipulation and manpower of an assisted living center. 

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 Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties 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. 

Call us at (618) 533-5400 for all your cleanup needs.

SERVPRO Annual Business Appreciation Golf Scramble

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

2018 SERVPRO Golf Scramble

SAVE THIS DATE: JUNE 15TH, 2018

Save The Date! Friday, June 15th is our SERVPRO Annual Golf Scramble and we anticipate an awesome time. We will be holding it at Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Carbondale, Illinois. Be sure and plan to come to this event so get your 4 member team together! There will be a flyer going out to all of our valued clients 30 days prior to the event. We will provide refreshments and will be serving a wonderful lunch prior to a shotgun start at 12:00pm noon.

There will be a Invitation Flyer going out 30 days prior to event.

Our Marketing team will be hand delivering an invitation for the SERVPRO Golf Scramble to all our wonderful clients 30 days prior to the event.  It will contain all of the day's events and a place to fill in your team's names. We anticipate this will fill up quickly so when you receive your Invitation Flyer, R.S.V.P. by faxing it in promptly.

Residential Smoke and Soot Damage in Southern Illinois Region

4/18/2018 (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 Marion, Bond, Fayette and Clinton Counties 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 the cleanup team at SERVPRO of MArion, Bond, Fayette and Clinton Counties.

Call Us Today – (618) 533-5400

Faster "IS" Better when dealing with Water Damage

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties 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 Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties 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 @ (618) 533-5400

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 Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties:

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties 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.

With Tornado Season here, S. Illinois residence Should Be Prepared

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

Are you ready for severe weather in Southern Illinois? We are entering into the Tornado and Severe Storm season in Illinois. Siren testing occurs on the first Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. of each month for statewide tornado drill. Outdoor tornado sirens are tested at this time.

In addition to making sure the sirens work properly, Tuesday's drill is a great time to review your severe weather plan: Where would you take shelter at home, work, school or while driving? The NWS encourages families to talk about their severe weather plan together.

Along with the outdoor sirens, a tornado warning will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio Tuesday morning, and many commercial TV and radio stations will broadcast a test alert.

According to the State of Illinois Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois ranks fifth in the U.S. for the number of tornadoes per square mile. The majority of Illinois tornadoes have occurred between April 1 and June 30 between the hours of 3 and 10 p.m. However, tornadoes have happened nearly every month of the year and at nearly all hours of the day. In February 2017, a tornado killed three people in LaSalle County. An average of 50 tornadoes occur each year in Illinois.

The IEMA also reminds residents to be sure to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning:

Subscribe

• Tornado Watch: This means tornadoes are possible near your area. Stay alert for the latest weather information. Be prepared to take shelter. If you live in a mobile home, this is the time to move to a more substantial structure. If you see any rotating funnel-shaped clouds, report them immediately by telephone to your local emergency management or law enforcement agency.
• Tornado Warning: This means a tornado has been sighted by someone or indicated by weather radar. The storms may also produce damaging winds in excess of 60 mph and/or hail one inch or larger. Take shelter immediately. Turn on a battery-operated radio or television and wait for updated information for your area. Many smartphones automatically receive tornado warnings to alert you about a tornado nearby, even if you're traveling.

If the forecast indicates tornadoes are possible, families should monitor the radio, TV or Internet for the latest information. If the sirens go off:

• Go immediately to your predetermined shelter, such as a storm cellar, basement or the lowest level of the building. In a basement, go under the stairs, under a heavy piece of furniture or a work bench. Stay there until the danger has passed.
• If in a mobile home, get out and seek shelter elsewhere, well before the storm arrives. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. If there is not a substantial shelter nearby, go to a low-lying area and shield your head with your hands.
• If there is no basement, go to an interior hallway or a small interior room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet. Stay away from outside windows and walls as they may be penetrated by high speed, wind-borne debris.
• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture, such as a workbench or heavy table, and hold onto it. If sturdy furniture is not available, make yourself the smallest target possible. Squat low to the ground. Put your head down and cover your head and neck with your hands.
• Use pillows, mattresses or cushions to protect your head and neck

Find more tornado preparedness information on the IEMA website.

Avoiding Candle Fires - 5 Tips

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

Many homeowners light candles to freshen up a room or to have lighting during a power outage. However, candles still have the potential to create a fire that spreads throughout the building. Avoid a candle fire at all costs, and follow these helpful tips to stay safe. 

1. Do Not Leave Candles Unattended

If you are leaving a room with a candle in it, first extinguish the flame. After all, you can always relight a candle if you desire. 

2. Keep the Area Around Candles Clean

The shelf or stand where you place the candle should not have anything flammable on it. Additionally, you should avoid placing a candle on a nightstand near your bed. The bedding may catch fire if you are not careful. 

3. Toss It Once It Is Less Than Two Inches Tall

You do not want to risk a candle fire by allowing the flame to get too close to the base of the candle. It is better to simply throw away a candle once it is less than two inches high. They are relatively inexpensive to replace.

4. Keep Candles Away From Pets and Children

Candles should be placed high enough that kids and animals cannot get them. It is dangerous for children to play with anything lit. If the candle is left on a coffee table, then a dog’s tail may accidentally hit it and cause it to fall onto the floor. 

5. Do Not Put Out a Candle With Water

It is preferable to put out a flame by blowing on it rather than pouring water. The reason is that water can cause the wax to spill all over the place. The hot wax may still catch fire, causing flames to spread throughout a home in Brooklyn NY. Candles are meant to be enjoyed, so always follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions to avoid a nasty candle fire and the impending smoke cleanup. 

CANDLE ACCIDENT?

Call SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties at (618) 533-5400

Regularly Inspect Your Fire Sprinkler System

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

Water-based fire protection systems, or fire sprinklers, should always be kept in working condition and tested periodically to ensure maximum fire suppression capacity. Your sprinklers are your home or business’s first line of defense in the event of a fire, and it may be mandatory in Southern Illinois to conduct routine tests and inspections.

1. Check the age of your sprinkler system. Modern standards require that sprinkler systems adhere to NFPA 25 requirements, but systems in buildings older than 60 years may be outdated and in need of a full replacement.

2. Check your sprinkler installation. Faulty or defective installation equipment and procedures can lead to sprinkler malfunctions in the event of a fire.

3. Always keep your fire sprinklers clean. Dirty fire sprinklers can lead to obstructions that block the water flow and prevent sprinklers from working correctly, or even from detecting and activating in the event of a fire. Many organizations and inspectors recommend an obstruction inspection every five years.

4. Periodically test your sprinkler functions. Sprinklers can be tested in a variety of ways, including simply testing that they work through routine checks. However, more complex testing such as corrosion testing and hydrostatic testing can uncover additional issues that may not be readily apparent on a simple functional test.

5. Immediately replace defective parts. Because sprinklers are so deeply interconnected, replacing a defective part may require replacing larger sections of the sprinkler system. However, this is highly advisable as a matter of safety to prevent any issues should the sprinklers fail to activate in the event of smoke or fire.

One benefit of fire sprinklers is that fire sprinkler cleanup is usually much less messy than cleanup after fire suppression using stronger means. Sprinklers can make a serious difference in prevention of property losses and safety issues, and should be maintained at all times.

Southern Illinois' Large Loss Specialists - 24/7

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for immediate help with your large loss disaster.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - (618) 533-5400

A large loss disaster can happen in the South Central and Southern Illinois regions to both residential and commercial properties at any given moment regardless of what time it is.  Damage from water, smoke and fire to a property can add up fast.  Large Loss can be a result of a flood, water, soot and smoke damage from a fire, a busted sewer pipe, or even storm damage from a natural disaster.  

SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties is one of just a few certified Disaster Recovery Teams in all the Midwest region.  Our Extreme "Team Wolfe" crew has the expertise and experience with large loss projects to restore your home or commercial property back to its original condition.

Our Team is Available 24/7/365! 

Call us at (618) 533-5400

Flooded Finished Basements Need a Rapid Response

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

A finished basement can flood at any time, although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall. Basements are inherently prone to flooding because they are the lowest level of a building and are normally built partly or entirely below ground level. There are a number of reasons why your South Central Illinois basement could flood, including: 

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home
• Storm sewer backup
• Sanitary sewer backup
• Foundation drainage failure
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure
• And many more

Have Questions about Basement Flooding?

Call Today at (618) 533-5400

If flood water is not handled quickly and properly, it can jeopardize your health and safety, and cause severe damage to your home’s structure. Remember, the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get.

The bottom line: a flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Marion, Bond, Fayette, Clinton Counties and let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are Flooded Basement Specialists:

• We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a Preferred Vendor to many National Insurance Companies
• We Bill The Insurance Directly – One Less Thing For You To Worry About
• Our Technicians are Highly-Trained  in Water Restoration Techniques
• We use S500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment