Flood Damage Restoration: Causes, Prevention, and Signs

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

Flood Damage Restoration: Causes, Prevention, and Signs

Flood damage is an unfortunate reality for many homeowners and business owners in Mesa, AZ. When flood damage occurs, it can be both overwhelming and costly. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is here to help you understand the causes of flood damage, how to prevent it, and how to recognize the signs. With the right information, you can take action to minimize damage and protect your property.

What Causes Flood Damage?

There are several factors that contribute to flood damage in Mesa, AZ:

1. Heavy rainfall: Prolonged or torrential rain can overwhelm local drainage systems, causing water to accumulate and flood properties.
2. Flash floods: These are sudden floods that occur as a result of heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt, which can quickly inundate low-lying areas.
3. Dam or levee failure: The failure of a dam or levee can release a massive amount of water, leading to severe flooding in nearby areas.
4. Sewer backup: Blocked or overloaded sewer systems can result in water backing up into homes and businesses, causing damage.
5. Storm surges: Coastal regions may experience storm surges, in which powerful winds from a storm push seawater inland, flooding nearby properties.

How Can I Prevent Flood Damage?

While you can't control natural disasters, there are steps you can take to minimize flood damage to your property:

1. Install sump pumps and check valves: These devices can help remove excess water and prevent backflow in your plumbing system.
2. Elevate appliances and electrical systems: Raise appliances and electrical systems above potential flood levels to minimize the risk of damage.
3. Waterproof your basement: Seal your basement walls and floors to prevent water from seeping in during floods.
4. Maintain your drainage system: Regularly clean gutters, downspouts, and storm drains to ensure proper water flow.
5. Create barriers: Use sandbags or other temporary barriers to divert water away from your property during floods.
6. Purchase flood insurance: Having flood insurance can provide financial protection in the event of flood damage.

What Are the Signs of Flood Damage?

It's essential to recognize the signs of flood damage to address the issue quickly and minimize damage:

1. Water stains: Look for water stains on walls, ceilings, and floors, which can indicate water intrusion.
2. Warped materials: Swollen or warped wood, drywall, or flooring can be a sign of water damage.
3. Mold growth: Mold can grow in damp conditions, so be on the lookout for visible mold or a musty smell.
4. Foundation issues: Floodwaters can erode the soil around your foundation, leading to cracks or other structural problems.
5. Damaged utilities: Flood damage can affect your electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, causing them to malfunction or become unsafe.

At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we understand the importance of being prepared for flood damage. Our expert team can provide flood damage restoration services to help you recover and restore your property in Mesa, AZ. If you're experiencing flood damage or want to learn more about our services, contact us today. We're here to help you get your life back on track.

Water Extraction Services: Understanding the Process and Equipment

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

Water extraction is a crucial step in addressing water damage caused by flooding, burst pipes, or other water-related incidents. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa offers professional water extraction services in Mesa, AZ, to help property owners mitigate damage and begin the restoration process. In this blog post, we will explain what water extraction is, how it works, and the equipment used during the process.

What is Water Extraction?

Water extraction is the process of removing standing water, excess moisture, and contaminated fluids from a property after a water-related incident. The primary goal of water extraction is to prevent further damage to the property, reduce the risk of mold growth, and create a safe environment for restoration work to take place.

How Does Water Extraction Work?

The water extraction process begins with an assessment of the property to determine the extent of the damage and the most effective approach to remove water. The process typically involves the following steps:

1. Water removal: Standing water is removed using pumps or vacuums to prevent further damage to the property's structure and contents.
2. Moisture detection: Moisture meters and infrared cameras are used to identify hidden moisture in walls, floors, and ceilings.
3. Dehumidification: Industrial-grade dehumidifiers are used to remove excess moisture from the air and affected materials, helping to prevent mold growth and secondary damage.
4. Air movement: High-speed air movers are employed to expedite the drying process by increasing air circulation.
5. Monitoring: The drying process is closely monitored, and adjustments are made as needed to ensure the area is thoroughly dried.

What Equipment is Used for Water Extraction?

Several specialized tools and equipment are used during the water extraction process, including:

1. Submersible pumps: These pumps are designed to remove large amounts of standing water, even when submerged. They are especially useful in cases of deep flooding or when water levels are high.
2. Wet/dry vacuums: These vacuums can remove smaller amounts of water and help extract water from carpets, upholstery, and other porous materials.
3. Moisture meters and infrared cameras: These tools help technicians detect hidden moisture within walls, floors, and ceilings, ensuring that all water is removed during the extraction process.
4. Industrial-grade dehumidifiers: These powerful machines work to remove excess moisture from the air and affected materials, which helps prevent mold growth and additional damage.
5. High-speed air movers: These devices increase air circulation, speeding up the drying process and helping to evaporate moisture from surfaces.

Water extraction is a critical step in the water damage restoration process. At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, our experienced team is equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to perform effective water extraction services in Mesa, AZ. If you're in need of water extraction or other restoration services, don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you get your property back to its preloss condition as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Structural Drying: Process, Duration, and Benefits

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

Structural drying is a critical component of the water damage restoration process. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa offers professional structural drying services in Mesa, AZ, to help property owners recover from water damage and prevent long-term issues. In this blog post, we'll discuss what structural drying is, how long it takes, and the benefits of this important process.

What is Structural Drying?

Structural drying is the process of removing excess moisture from a building's materials, such as wood, drywall, and insulation, after a water-related incident. This is achieved through a combination of dehumidification, air movement, and temperature control. The goal of structural drying is to return the affected materials to their normal moisture content levels, preventing further damage and mold growth.

How Long Does Structural Drying Take?

The duration of the structural drying process can vary depending on several factors, including:

1. The extent of the water damage
2. The type and porosity of the affected materials
3. The efficiency and capacity of the drying equipment
4. Environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity

In most cases, structural drying takes between three to five days. However, more complex situations may require additional time to ensure that all moisture has been removed from the building materials.

What Are the Benefits of Structural Drying?

There are several advantages to implementing a thorough structural drying process:

1. Damage mitigation: Structural drying helps minimize the extent of damage caused by water intrusion. By promptly removing moisture from affected materials, you can prevent further deterioration and reduce repair costs.
2. Mold prevention: Mold thrives in damp environments, and structural drying helps create conditions that are unfavorable for mold growth. This can protect your property from mold-related issues and the associated health risks.
3. Faster restoration: A properly dried structure allows for quicker and more efficient restoration work, helping you return your property to its preloss condition sooner.
4. Preserving structural integrity: Removing excess moisture from building materials helps maintain their structural integrity, reducing the risk of warping, swelling, or rot.
5. Health and safety: A dry and properly restored property is a safer and healthier environment for occupants, reducing the risk of mold-related health issues and structural hazards.

Restoration specialists use specialized equipment for structural drying, such as:

• Air movers (fans) to increase air circulation and quickly dry the area
• Dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels
• Moisture meters and hygrometers to check humidity levels in the material
• Thermohygrometers to measure temperature and relative humidity simultaneously
• Infrared imaging cameras to detect moisture pockets
• Mold removal machines and air scrubbers to clean mold off surfaces

Structural drying is an essential step in the water damage restoration process, ensuring that your property is returned to a safe and stable condition. At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, our experienced team is dedicated to providing efficient and thorough structural drying services in Mesa, AZ. If your property has experienced water damage, don't hesitate to contact us for assistance. We're here to help you restore your property and regain peace of mind.

Sewage Cleanup: Dangers, Process, Prevention, and More

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

A sewage backup can be a nightmare for any property owner in Mesa, AZ. Not only is it unpleasant, but it also poses significant health risks and can cause extensive damage. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is here to help you understand the dangers of sewage backup, the cleanup process, and how to prevent such incidents. We will also address additional questions related to sewage cleanup to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

What Are the Dangers of Sewage Backup?

Sewage backup poses several dangers to both your property and health:

1. Contamination: Sewage water contains bacteria, viruses, and other harmful pathogens that can contaminate your property and pose a serious health risk to occupants.
2. Mold growth: The presence of moisture and organic materials in sewage can create ideal conditions for mold growth, which can lead to structural damage and health issues.
3. Structural damage: Sewage water can seep into building materials, causing them to warp, rot, or weaken over time.
4. Electrical hazards: Sewage water can damage electrical systems, creating a risk of electrocution or electrical fires.
5. Odors: The foul odors associated with sewage backup can permeate your property and be difficult to eliminate without professional help.

How Is Sewage Cleaned Up?

The sewage cleanup process involves several steps to ensure that your property is thoroughly sanitized, decontaminated, and restored:

1. Assessment: The affected area is inspected to determine the extent of the damage, the type of sewage contamination (black, gray, or clean water), and the necessary precautions and equipment.
2. Removal: All standing water and sewage are removed using professional equipment such as pumps and wet vacuums.
3. Contaminated material disposal: Porous materials that have absorbed sewage water, such as carpets, drywall, and insulation, are removed and safely disposed of.
4. Cleaning and sanitization: The affected area is cleaned and sanitized using specialized cleaning agents and techniques to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
5. Drying: Dehumidifiers and air movers are used to remove excess moisture and expedite the drying process.
6. Odor removal: Odor removal techniques, such as air scrubbers and ozone generators, are employed to eliminate lingering odors.
7. Restoration: The final step involves repairing or replacing damaged materials and restoring your property to its preloss condition.

How Can I Prevent Sewage Backup?

To reduce the risk of sewage backup in your property, follow these tips:

1. Regular maintenance: Schedule regular inspections and maintenance of your sewer lines and plumbing system to identify and address potential issues before they become serious problems.
2. Install a backwater valve: A backwater valve can prevent sewage from flowing back into your property during heavy rainfall or sewer system overload.
3. Properly dispose of waste: Avoid flushing items such as paper towels, sanitary products, or grease down your drains, as they can cause blockages in your sewer lines.
4. Tree root management: Be mindful of tree roots growing near your sewer lines, as they can infiltrate and damage the pipes. Remove or relocate problematic trees if necessary.
5. Sump pump maintenance: Ensure that your sump pump is functioning correctly to prevent basement flooding and potential sewage backup.

Additional Questions About Sewage Cleanup:

What should I do if I experience a sewage backup in my property?

If you experience a sewage backup, your first priority should be safety. Evacuate the affected area, avoid contact with contaminated water, and contact a professional sewage cleanup company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for assistance.

Can I clean up sewage on my own?

Due to the health risks and potential for further damage, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to clean up sewage on your own. Instead, contact a professional sewage cleanup and restoration company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa. They have the necessary training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation safely and effectively.

How long does it take to clean up and restore a property after a sewage backup?

The time it takes to clean up and restore a property after a sewage backup depends on the extent of the damage and the specific conditions of the affected area. In general, the cleanup and restoration process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. A professional restoration company will work as efficiently as possible to minimize disruption and return your property to its preloss condition.

Does homeowners' insurance cover sewage backup?

Coverage for sewage backup varies depending on your insurance policy. Some policies include coverage for sewage backup, while others may require an additional rider or endorsement. It's essential to review your policy and consult with your insurance agent to understand your coverage and any limitations.

How can I tell if there's a sewage backup in my property?

Signs of a sewage backup may include foul odors, gurgling sounds in your drains, or slow-draining fixtures. If you notice any of these signs, it's crucial to address the issue immediately to prevent further damage and potential health risks.

Sewage backup is a serious issue that requires prompt attention and professional intervention. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is dedicated to providing comprehensive sewage cleanup and restoration services in Mesa, AZ, to ensure the safety and well-being of property owners. If you're facing a sewage backup or have concerns about your property, don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you navigate this challenging situation and restore your property as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Basement Flooding Cleanup: Process, Prevention, and More

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

A flooded basement can be a daunting and stressful experience for any homeowner in Mesa, AZ. Knowing how to properly address basement flooding is essential for minimizing damage and preventing future occurrences. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is here to help you understand the process of removing water from a flooded basement, the steps for cleaning up, and ways to prevent basement flooding. We will also cover additional questions to provide a comprehensive guide on basement flooding cleanup.

How Is Water Removed from a Flooded Basement?

Water removal is the first step in addressing a flooded basement. Professional water restoration companies like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa utilize specialized equipment to efficiently remove water, including:

1. Submersible pumps: These pumps are designed to work underwater and can efficiently remove large amounts of standing water.
2. Wet vacuums: Wet vacuums can remove smaller amounts of water and help extract water from carpets, flooring, and other porous materials.
3. Portable extraction units: These units can be brought directly into the basement and are useful for extracting water from tight spaces or hard-to-reach areas.

What Are the Steps for Cleaning Up a Flooded Basement?

Cleaning up a flooded basement involves several steps to ensure that your property is thoroughly dried, cleaned, and restored:

1. Water removal: As mentioned earlier, standing water is removed using submersible pumps, wet vacuums, and portable extraction units.
2. Assessment: The basement is inspected to determine the extent of the damage, the type of water (clean, gray, or black), and the appropriate drying and cleaning methods.
3. Structural drying: Dehumidifiers and air movers are used to dry the affected areas, remove excess moisture, and prevent mold growth.
4. Cleaning and sanitization: The basement is cleaned and sanitized using specialized cleaning agents and techniques to remove contaminants and prevent bacterial growth.
5. Mold remediation: If mold growth is present, it is removed using mold remediation techniques, such as HEPA vacuuming, air scrubbing, and antimicrobial treatments.
6. Restoration: Damaged materials, such as drywall, insulation, and flooring, are repaired or replaced as necessary to return your basement to its preloss condition.

How Can I Prevent Basement Flooding?

Preventing basement flooding is crucial for protecting your property and avoiding costly repairs. Follow these tips to reduce the risk of basement flooding:

1. Regular maintenance: Schedule regular inspections and maintenance of your home's plumbing, gutters, and downspouts to ensure proper water drainage.
2. Install a sump pump: A sump pump can help remove water that collects in your basement, preventing flooding. Make sure to test and maintain your sump pump regularly.
3. Waterproof your basement: Seal your basement walls and floor to prevent water seepage. Consider installing a waterproofing membrane or coating for added protection.
4. Install window well covers: If your basement has window wells, installing covers can help prevent water from entering through the windows during heavy rainfall.
5. Maintain proper grading: Ensure that the soil around your home slopes away from the foundation, directing water away from the basement.
6. Install a backwater valve: This can help prevent sewer backups and flooding in your basement during heavy rains or municipal sewer overflows.

Additional Questions About Basement Flooding Cleanup:

What should I do if my basement is flooded?

If your basement is flooded, prioritize safety first. Shut off any electrical power to the area if it's safe to do so, and avoid entering the basement if the water level is high. Contact a professional water restoration company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa to assess the situation and begin the cleanup process.

How long does it take to dry a flooded basement?

The drying time for a flooded basement depends on several factors, such as the extent of the water damage, the type of materials affected, and the efficiency of the drying equipment. In general, it can take between three to seven days to dry a flooded basement completely. However, more complex situations may require additional time.

Can I clean up a flooded basement on my own?

While it may be tempting to try to clean up a flooded basement by yourself, it is generally not recommended. Floodwater can contain harmful contaminants, and improper cleanup can lead to long-term damage and mold growth. A professional water restoration company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has the necessary training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation safely and effectively.

Does homeowners' insurance cover basement flooding?

Coverage for basement flooding depends on your insurance policy and the cause of the flooding. Some policies may cover water damage due to burst pipes or appliance malfunctions, while others may require additional flood insurance for protection against natural disasters or sewer backups. It's essential to review your policy and consult with your insurance agent to understand your coverage and any limitations.

How can I tell if there's mold growth in my basement after a flood?

Signs of mold growth in your basement after a flood may include a musty odor, visible mold on surfaces or building materials, or increased allergy symptoms among occupants. If you suspect mold growth after a flood, it's important to contact a professional mold remediation company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa to address the issue promptly.

A flooded basement can be a challenging and overwhelming situation for any homeowner. Understanding the process of water removal, cleanup, and prevention can help you protect your property and minimize damage. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is dedicated to providing comprehensive basement flooding cleanup and restoration services in Mesa, AZ, ensuring the safety and well-being of homeowners. If you're facing a flooded basement or have concerns about your property, don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you navigate this challenging situation and restore your property as quickly and efficiently as possible

Should I Check a Mold Remediation Company's Certifications?

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

Why Certifications are Important text with employees in background

When considering hiring mold remediation experts to eliminate mold damage to your home in Mesa, AZ, you may come across a variety of firms advertising specialized mold certifications. But what distinguishes a company that has been certified for mold removal, and is there any significance in employing such a firm?

Who Approves Mold Remediation Companies? And what does this imply for you?

Mold removal companies and certified mold experts that have been evaluated and certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Remediation Certification (IICRC) are recognized as being competent to provide mold services effectively. The IICRC provides a framework for defining appropriate cleaning, remediation, and restoration procedures for a wide range of services. This implies that certified companies have:

• Attained in-depth expertise on mold identification
• Are trained in safe methods for mold remediation and elimination
• Technicians have been trained in the handling of microbial substances

Obtaining these certifications necessitates a substantial amount of training and study for both businesses and individual technicians, as well as inspection of cleaning, detoxification, and restoration processes.

Why Does Certification Matter?

Certification means accountability and protection for you as a consumer. Certified mold remediation companies and technicians are held to a particular standard required to maintain their certification and remain in good standing with the IICRC. As a result, you are secure in the knowledge that your home will be properly cleaned and repaired following mold removal.

Protect Yourself

It's feasible to get mold removal experts without certification, but keep in mind that certification means you'll receive greater protections than you would with non-certified professionals and firms. Mold detection, cleaning, and prevention is a difficult task requiring extensive understanding of safety procedures as well as appropriate interactions with fungal agents and microbial spores. When it comes to mold removal, the most reputable companies provide certified mold remediation services for a fair price. In some regions, certified mold remediation may cost more than untested ones. As a result, it's always a good idea to double-check the status of a mold remediator's certification.

3 Steps To Help Your Home Recover Quickly From Water Damage

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

"Steps to quickly recover from water damage

Three Steps To Help Your Home Recover From Water Damage Quickly

Water damage can strike at any time, even when you least expect it. If your house in Mesa, AZ has been damaged by broken pipes or other problems due to water, you may be wondering how to go about the seemingly difficult job of water cleanup. Fortunately, there are a few easy measures you can take to assist your property to recover from water damage.

1. Dry Out

It's critical to dry out wet or moist regions completely. Moisture may create the ideal circumstances for mold development if left alone. Mold growing in your house can be dangerous for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it may cause structural damage. Below are some other issues mold can contribute to:

• Odors:  Mold can make an area of your house smell bad.
• Health: Mold can affect your health
• Staining:  Mold that is left untreated will often cause a dark stain to form on surfaces where it grows.

By drying out wet regions thoroughly, you may avoid a lot of work by preventing mold from spreading throughout your house.

2. Replace Affected Material that is not able to be restored

If the water damage in your house is caused by black or gray water, you'll need to take additional precautions. Black (or gray) water is contaminated with unclean germs or other substances and may be found outside of buildings and homes. The majority of outside flood water or sewage leak-related water is black (or gray). After being soaked in black water, porous or absorbent items and materials must be replaced.

3. Disinfect The Affected Area

If the water didn't penetrate items that can't absorb water, such as hardwood, plastic, or metal products, they don't need to be replaced. You may disinfect and clean them before returning them to use even if the flooding was black water.

After water damage, you may restore your house to its original condition by preventing mold growth and cleaning up soiled goods. It can be advantageous to engage the help of a restoration company in some or all of the processes so that you may return to your normal routine as soon as feasible.

What Can Mesa Property Owners Do to Prevent Water Damage?

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

What can Mesa homeowners do to prevent water damage to their per

Flood damage, pipe leaks, sewer blockages, and appliance breakdowns are all examples of SERVPRO's frequent flood cleanup services. Unfortunately, floods, pipe bursts, sewage backups, and appliance failures can result in hundreds of dollars in repairs to the building in many cases.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa offers several pieces of advice for property owners in Mesa to prevent water damage in their houses. There are things that homeowners may check on both inside and outside their homes to avoid water damage.

Clogged Gutters Can Cause Issues 

When gutters are clogged with dirt, debris, and leaves, the water cannot flow as it should and instead backs up and over the top of the gutters. The liquid then leaks into cracks around the foundations, causing issues from rotting wood to hydrostatic water damage. Water damage to the attic may result from seepage into the eaves. Cleaning the gutters on a regular basis or using a gutter cover system can prevent seepage into a structure's walls and ceilings.

Checking Inside the Home for Potential Water Damage Concerns

There are numerous places within a home where water damage might occur. Because the damaged walls, ceilings, and flooring may all need to be replaced as a result of a slow leak, it will be more expensive to fix. Water damage is just one of the most common and costly causes of house fires in the United States. While environmental monitoring systems are helpful, it's a good idea for property owners to create a list of each room in their home, including closets and utility areas, and check them over monthly for signs of water damage. Common signs of a water problem include:

• Water stains on drywall
• Nails raised out of hardwood floorboards due to prolonged moisture exposure which causes warping
• Buckling of walls and/ sagging ceilings
• Corrosive build-up on pipes

Water Use Outside the Home

Rainwater should run away from your house, not pool around it. Look for standing water near the foundation after a rainstorm; these are the places that need to be elevated to divert the water away from the home. Consider downspout extensions as well. To avoid pipe fractures from occurring owing to the cold, sprinklers should be inspected once a year during the winterizing blow-out. The loss of pressure within the system might indicate leaks that need to be fixed. 

Appliances are Another Source of Potential Water Damage

Consider how many appliances in the kitchen need water, such as a fridge with an ice maker and a dishwasher. The washing machine's drain hose should be inspected monthly for cracks and leaks in the pressurized water lines. The average water heater tank holds around 55 gallons for a typical family. Many gallons may flow onto the floor if a failure occurs, resulting in significant water damage to the building and contents. Monitoring systems and routine maintenance can help avoid these problems.

At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa (480)553-7103, we use the most advanced tools and equipment to help you get back on track quickly. Our technicians are backed by cutting-edge technology and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help your property in Mesa.

How a Fast Response to Water Damage Saves Mesa Homeowners Money

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

"how a quick response to water damage can save you money"

After water damage to Mesa houses, expert professionals can quickly restore them.

Professionals who work with water damage can provide better long-term outcomes and greater value for money than DIY methods. The difference is often a matter of comprehensive, whole services delivered.

SERVPRO is Faster To Any Size Disaster

The rapid response to an emergency is one of the first ways that water restoration firms in Mesa differ from do-it-yourself possibilities. We live by the motto "We're Faster to Any Size Disaster," and we can demonstrate it with our quick response after your damaged home has burst pipes or ceiling leaks.

Mitigation and Emergency Services 

When you have a water damage problem, the faster our experts get working make all the difference in lowering repair costs and time. Getting started quickly improves the effectiveness of:

• Water Removal/Extraction – Water Damage Mitigation services often hinge on the quickness of water removal services. We have several specialized tools which allow us to extract water from your home quickly. 
• Content Cleaning/Restoration – The faster we are able to remove water that is damaging your contents, the more likely it is that affected contents can be cleaned and repaired.
• Property Restoration/Reconstruction - When less water damage occurs because of fast extraction responses, there are generally lower reconstruction costs and timeframes.

Protecting What Matters Most 

Relocating or cleaning contents is another way professional restoration is beneficial. Our technicians provide care and consideration for your valued possessions while we restore these items and the rest of the property.

After a calamity, our SERVPRO of North Central Mesa professionals' quick response and expertise may often save customers money by cleaning or drying their property. Our team at (480) 553-7103 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you.

Cleaning up your Mesa Property after a Flood or Monsoon

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

Text "Cleaning up your Mesa Property after a Flood or Monsoon"

Floodwaters can quickly flood a house, bringing water, debris, and potentially harmful chemicals or materials into your Mesa home. Many homeowners are unable to obtain flood insurance because of the cost or because it isn't available. Many people try to clean up their damaged property themselves in order to save money after a flood occurs. However, there are several disadvantages to doing things this way.

SERVPRO has been providing flood damage recovery and restoration in the Mesa area since 2011. We've seen the aftermath and destruction caused by floods. We bring a team of specialists as well as high-capacity equipment to remove water, salvage damaged materials, and disinfect all affected regions. Unsalvageable items are removed, and anything that can be restored is saved. Our equipment is designed to successfully remove moisture and dry your house, including hard-to-reach areas.

How Long Does it Take to Dry My Home?

The amount of time it takes to dry a home out can vary a great deal depending on the damage and flooding that has occurred. Some of the factors that affect the dry out times are the size of the area damaged by the water, how long the water was in place before the dry out was started, and the sort of materials used in the construction of the property. Shop vacs and room fans aren't effective at drying items or structures before mold begins to grow out.

SERVPRO uses high-volume air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the afflicted area completely. The initial incident might be dried in two or three days at a home or workplace. Homeowners who attempted to dry their dwellings before contacting our crew may, however, discover additional water damage as a result of the extended exposure. Wood is porous, which means it can absorb moisture and expand. Moisture may creep into concrete walls, making them take longer to dry. Mold colonies might have emerged as well.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call SERVPRO for help in preventing water damage from permeating walls and building materials.

Call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa (480) 553-7103 to assist with flood damage cleanup and restoration of your home or business.

There are multiple approaches to recover flood-damaged Mesa homes

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

text, "Water extraction and cleanup in Mesa, AZ homes with basements"

Basement levels are often prone to flooding, especially in low-lying floodplain zones. Natural flooding is a costly and dangerous problem, so our SERVPRO team responds promptly to assist remove any water or pollutants that are present and by safeguarding belongings and structural elements of the basement level. Most homes in the Mesa, AZ area do not have basements, but some do. If your home does have a basement, this is some information that you might want to read.

Water Removal Services 

Mesa homes are frequently damaged by floods and as a result of severe monsoon storms and hazardous weather. When water remains for an extended period of time, the longer it stands, the more devastating flooding events occur. We have powerful extraction equipment on hand to draw out huge volumes of deep water. Submersible pumps and wet vacuums are commonly used in this process.

Debris Cleanup

Flood damage might cause debris to enter your property. When the water reaches the bottom levels of the property, solids move into this damaged zone as well. After a flood, cleaning and repairing damaged areas entails removing the muck in order to safeguard the underlying materials. During the process we remove: 

• Mud
• Decaying matter
• Contaminants
• Debris

Content Protection and Relocation

Basement levels may be utilized as finished living space or storage, and standing water and flooding are not issues in either case. We move belongings and things to safer locations to minimize waste during the course of the job.

Needed Repairs and Reconstruction

Our general contractor license gives us the ability to effectively handle any problem that comes up in your home. SERVPRO's experience, training, and communication skills are supported by our general contractor license. Water penetration in this area of your house may reveal structural flaws that must be addressed or rebuilt to avoid recurring problems.

Our SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has gained a devoted client base because they know we can help them with all sorts of emergency services. We are ready 24/7 when you call (480) 553-7103.

How long will It Take my Mesa Business to Reopen After water Damage Occurs?

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

"How fast can my Mesa business reopen after water damage occurs?"

SERVPRO Professionals Come Quickly and Have the Equipment and Techniques to Restore Mesa Houses to Their Pre-loss Condition

There are a number of factors that influence the outcome for a commercial structure and contents following water damage in Mesa. The kind of water within the structure is one of the most significant. After 48-hours, the water degrades to the point it requires handling as a category 2 or 3 which requires more extensive cleaning. The speed with which mitigation efforts were begun is also significant. Due to the potential of untrained water extractors to miss areas of water, it is vital to bring in a professional restoration services company with detection equipment to locate all areas of water migration.

What is the Fastest Way to Get Commercial Water Cleanup?

Finding out that your firm has water damage can be very frustrating! SERVPRO experts understand that you want to reopen as soon as possible, but they also place a value on safety. Water mitigation hazards include:

• Slip and fall incidents
• Contaminants in the water can be harmful.
• Water outlets or electronics are potential shock sources.

SERVPRO technicians frequently use yellow safety tape and, in the situation of contaminated water, plastic barriers over the damaged area to prevent individuals from aspirating or coming into contact with the water when only a portion of the structure is damaged.

Winning Tactics for Limiting Damage to a Professional Space

There are several documents that need to be secured when a business invests in equipment. If these items are not removed before the arrival of the technicians on-site, all you have to do is inform the SERVPRO Crew Chief. That person will make certain that anything required receives top priority.

Computers, routers, switches, and servers are particularly susceptible to high humidity. These components should never be tested on-site. If there are any questions about the functioning capability of any equipment, the technicians may request an industry expert to check and test it to assure that it is safe for reusability.

Elements of an Organized Pack-Out

During water mitigation operations, it's possible to work around desks, chairs, and cubicles. The procedure may be sped up if the things are taken away and stored at a secure location utilized by SERVPRO. The Content removal process goes like this: 

• Each item is photographed and its exact location noted.
• Anything that needs cleaning or drying is moved to a cleaning station first.
• The final storage place is recorded.
• Everything from the tiniest thing to the biggest piece is returned to its original spot after mitigation procedures.

What Are Some Common Issues During Commercial Water Damage Cleanup?

The flooring takes the majority of the abuse after a pipe burst or there is a bathroom backup. The delamination process begins swiftly in offices with glue-down carpets or tile. While these materials are being examined for their potential recyclability thorough cleaning and drying, they generally need to be disposed of. Most permeable materials have no repair possibilities due to the tainted nature of wastewater in cases where sewage is involved.

Concrete is a porous material that necessitates special drying treatments to remove trapped water from it. Efflorescence, which is formed by the salts and minerals that rise to the top, may remain on top; however, it can be readily removed.

After commercial water damage, the walls and baseboards in your home require significant care. While baseboards may typically be taken out, dried, and reinstalled, sheetrock is a different story. It wicks water rapidly upwards and bends or bows quickly after being exposed to water. After the above procedure, technicians measure several inches above the highest mark and cleanly shear off the damaged area. This makes replacement of a new sheetrock panel and subsequent sealing with a joint compound and sanded smooth. There are no indications of controlled demolition after repainting.

The final problem in most water damage situations is the stench. No one wants to visit a business or work in an area that smells musty. SERVPRO's specialized technicians have odor-eliminating technologies at the molecular level available.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, at (480) 553-7103, can help you with any size commercial water cleanup on your property. To get the greatest results, contact us as soon as possible.

Fast Commercial Fire Damage Restoration in Mesa AZ

1/17/2022 (Permalink)

"SERVPRO provides fast fire damage restoration For your Mesa AZ Business"

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa provides fire damage cleanup and restoration to Mesa warehouses and other structures.

Commercial Fire Damage Cleanup in Mesa, AZ

Many partners are crucial to the success of Mesa's company enterprises. Delivery and shipping, suppliers, local utilities, and government all work together to enable efficient operations. SERVPRO is another important local Mesa partner when there is a fire!

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa collaborates with local Mesa businesses to provide emergency fire damage repair services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We recognize the importance of your company returning to normal operations following a fire. We use our established fire recovery procedure, which includes:

• Inspection and Assessment
• Fire and Smoke Damage Cleanup Plans
• Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) Set up
• Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarps provided (if needed)
• Remove moisture and dry out structures and contents
• Removing Smoke residue and soot from all surfaces
• Structural and Content Cleaning and Repair
• Fire Restoration Reconstruction

The sooner we can get smoke and soot out of surfaces, the easier and less time-consuming it is. For a quick response, contact us right away.

Mistakes Property Owners Make Dealing with Fire Damage Restoration

Fire damage can be a traumatic experience for a business. Not only is there the physical damage to contend with, but there is also the emotional toll of the fire. Many business owners make mistakes when dealing with fire damage restoration. Some of these mistakes are:

1) Waiting too long to call for help. The sooner you call for help, the sooner we can start mitigating the damages.

2) Trying to do everything themselves. This can lead to further damages and missed opportunities for restoration.

3) Not having an emergency plan in place. This can lead to chaos and further damages during the restoration process.

Call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for Fire Damage Restoration in Mesa, AZ, and surrounding East Valley areas. We are available 24/7. Call (480) 553-7103.

8 Steps to protect your Property before a fire

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2019, commercial property fires resulted in $4.3 billion worth of damage, 1,200 injuries, and 110 deaths. We have done hundreds of residential and commercial property fire inspections and have seen the necessity for water and fire restoration first-hand. During our inspections, I find areas that need immediate attention when it comes to fire safety. The Mesa, AZ community has lost 2 major restaurants (Sizzler and The Hub) over the past year due to fire damage along with several other businesses which have been temporarily closed for fire-related issues. Correcting and identifying these 8 concerns will help protect your family, employees, or tenants and property in the event of a fire. an explanation of each will be provided below.

1. Performing Regular Inspections
2. Having Visible Exit Signs
3. Testing Alarms
4. Conducting fire drills
5. Communicating your Emergency Plan to Family members or Staff
6. Creating an electronic version of your plan for easy access
7. Decluttering halls and doorways
8. Having properly working fire extinguishers and performing routine inspections on them

Performing Regular Inspections

Every year, businesses should have their fire alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, and lights inspected. Many firms submit to yearly maintenance in complete disregard of the fact that it is required by law. By failing to maintain your fire safety equipment over time, it might erode away and produce faulty equipment.

After a thorough examination, the inspection business will provide you with a report. The report will contain information such as the date of the inspection, the property's name and address, type of occupancy, any problems that must be addressed, and contact information for the building owner and those interviewed during the inspection. You must keep this document on file for at least 2 years, but it is smart to keep records for a 5-year rolling basis.

One of the most common reasons for missed inspections is due to owners being away. Schedule inspections at a time when you know you'll be able to attend and set a reminder for yourself.

Visible Exit Signs

Another thing that many people overlook is maintaining the building's exit lights. During a fire, things may become chaotic and perplexing. Smoke might cloud vision and make it difficult to find your way around your regular office area. Exit signs with light make it more likely that people will be able to see where they're meant to go and how to escape the building.

These exit signs should be kept in good condition and if they're damaged, second-hand, or counterfeit may be illegal and found out upon inspection.

When a power outage occurs, emergency exit signs are programmed to switch over to emergency power. These illuminated signs must be tested on a regular basis by the tenant to ensure they function properly. This might involve pressing the test button on the sign's side in order to verify that it activates correctly to the standby energy source.

Testing Alarms and Conducting Fire Drills

Fire alarms are frequently regarded as the most essential component of a business's safety program. When an alarm goes off, the people inside have no doubt that a danger exists and they must evacuate.

You should have your renters test the fire alarm system on a regular basis. The majority of systems may be tested through the control panel. Set your control panel to test mode, which means it will not call the fire department and press the button again to activate the alarms. For other types of security, you may need to manually set off the alarms by opening an alarm lever box with a master key and pushing the button within. Keep track of each activating gadget's response to the test and a list of all devices that were activated. If one or more alarms are not working, this data can assist a specialist in finding the

Business owners should perform regular fire drills as part of their emergency action plan. These exercises allow employees to practice getting out and any gaps in the plan that need to be addressed. Although fire drills aren't required by state or federal law, I still recommend performing them on a regular basis to ensure employee safety.

Communicating Your Emergency Action Plan

Businesses that use commercial property should have written emergency action plans in place for employees to ensure that everyone understands the exit routes and what fire emergency procedures are in place.

According to OSHA, employers and employees should have emergency action plans that cover the actions they must take to assure their safety during fire situations. These activities include determining which equipment needs to be shut down and when fire suppression efforts are required. The company owner must guarantee that all workers are knowledgeable on fire suppression procedures and escape routes for each office location.

To go through the emergency action plan with each person at particular intervals, such as when it's created, when an employee's responsibilities change, and when the plan is updated.

Having a digital version of the emergency plan easily accessible

Having a plan in place it great, but let's be honest, in an emergency, we tend to forget things. Having a digital version of the emergency plan on a mobile device is the easiest way to keep everyone on the same page. SERVPRO's free ERP (Emergency Ready Plan) is a great way to have emergency plan information at everyone's fingertips when disaster strikes. It can be downloaded for free from the Apple IOS and Google Play Stores. If you have questions or would like help setting up an ERP for your business or household contact the SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Marketing Department and we will schedule a time to assist you with that.

Decluttering of Walls and Doorways

Many commercial building owners need to keep their tenants informed about the number of wall coverings in the hallways and offices. Copy rooms with jumbled papers and cluttered workplaces are high-risk fire zones, as are extensive bulletin boards covered in paper. A tiny flame may transform these regions into an uncontrollable inferno.

I frequently come across blocked emergency exit doors during my inspections. I advise tenants to inspect their doorways for clear egress on a regular basis. Moved any boxes, equipment, or trash from the doorway in order to expedite the evacuation process.

Fire Extinguishers

In commercial buildings, multipurpose fire extinguishers rated class A, B, and C are required to put out small fires involving wood, paper, oils, and gases. According to OSHA recommendations, extinguishers should be installed 75 feet apart throughout the structure.

Check to see whether your fire extinguishers are properly labeled and within the required weight or gauge limit. The label on the side of the extinguisher will reveal this information. If your fire extinguishers aren't at the correct levels, replace them or recharge them after each use.

Some property management firms charge the tenants for fire extinguishers, while others will supply them. The tenant must be held liable if the building owner demands that they provide the fire extinguishers.

Following these fire safety instructions will guarantee that your tenants and property are safer in the event of a fire. If you have any questions regarding your fire safety system or plan, please contact your local fire department in the Mesa area.

Preparing Your Children for Local Emergencies

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Preparing Your Children for Local Emergencies

I remember when I was watching the 1989 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A's with my youth group. I was living in Bakersfield, CA at the time which is about 5 hours south of the bay area where a major earthquake in the middle of game 3 on a Wednesday night. We had a long discussion about what we would do as a group to support each other if we were in that situation. Growing up in California we had tons of drills to prepare for what to do if an earthquake hit because we were always told the next major earthquake was "just around the corner." After living in California most of my life my family moved out to Florida right after hurricane Andrew and we dealt with several hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and other crazy flooding events during my time there.

Now that I am raising my family in the Mesa, AZ area my kids don't have the earthquake drills or hurricane drills I had growing up. The other day I was thinking to myself, would they know what to do if a major natural event happened here? Would they know what to do if a massive monsoon hit our area and my wife and I weren't there to tell them what to do?

Will your youngster know what to do if the unexpected happens? Disaster may hit anywhere, and it's usually with no notice. If your kid is put in an emergency scenario and doesn't know what to do, they could be severely harmed or experience serious anxiety for years afterward. In the event of a catastrophe, your child can feel more secure, confident

Preparing Our Children

In the end, educating our youth about preparedness tactics and advice requires the assistance of everyone in the community. Children will learn the significance of a crisis and strive to become classroom and neighborhood leaders, ensuring that everyone is ready for the next catastrophe if everyone contributes their part. The United States Department of Education, the American Red Cross, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have collaborated to develop the National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education, which lays out a vision for prepared kids in the United States and how communities may realize it. This paper aims to educate young people and their parents so that communities may better

With 10 easy steps, you can prepare children for emergencies and disasters.

The National Strategy describes nine essential phases that individuals and organizations at all levels of government should follow in order to form a strong and prepared youth community. Here's how you can help your children prepare for a variety of emergencies and catastrophes:

1. Make it a priority. Making youth preparedness learning programs in schools and civic groups more important enables youngsters to comprehend that being ready is essential in all aspects of their lives.
2. Examine. If existing youth preparedness programs aren't sufficient, design instructions, tools, and up-to-date protective measures to ensure that the children in your community are given sound guidance.
3. Support. Parents should engage with communities, local organizations, and schools to prepare their children for an emergency along with other parents in the community.
4. Connect. Create a connection between local youngsters and the first responder community. As a result of this, your children will be more understanding of how first responders act in an emergency scenario, and they will be more inclined to assist them.
5. Prepare. Allow your children to become advocates in their neighborhoods and schools to prepare for emergencies before they happen.
6. Make Family preparedness key. Schools, by their nature, promote broad community participation, so promoting family-based preparedness activities that include curriculum, drills, and specific exercises for all local disasters in the home and in the community can help your children understand what to do when faced with an emergency.
7. Improve Communication. Coordinate efforts among families, churches, and community organizations to obtain up-to-date information on youth readiness best practices for your community. Local officials can also act as advocates by discussing your region's demands, particularly if it is vulnerable to natural calamities.
8. Social Media. Identify how you can incorporate youth preparedness education into youth culture. Use social media or local advertising to start a discussion about the value and efficacy of preparedness programs, for example.
9. Create. Create a long-term approach that recruits, trains, and delivers useful programs to teach kids in your area. Because certain places are known to experience recurrent natural calamities, it's critical to develop a strategy that is tailored to your community's demands.

Your children can get training to feel secure in the face of a disaster if you follow these nine priority steps. When disaster strikes, having the skills they need to understand how to prepare for, respond to, and rebound from a variety of disasters might make all the difference.

The Mesa, AZ Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program provides Mesa AZ area citizens with opportunities to learn basic emergency response skills.

Use SERVPRO's free Emergency Ready Plan App to work with children to prepare for emergencies in the home and let them share their experiences with their neighbors. SERVPRO's Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) app is available free of charge in the Google Play and Apple IOS App Store.

SERVPRO Storm Team Mobilization Program

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Storm Team Mobilization Capabilities

SERVPRO Storm Team

When a major storm event occurs, you need additional comprehensive restoration help! SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is "Ready for whatever happens." This Thanksgiving, the weather should be generally mild around the US. Arizona looks to keep havings its above-average temperatures and mild weather, but starting Sunday, things in the North-East are looking to get a little spicy with snow, ice, and dangerous winds.

When large storm events occur, SERVPRO has mobilization teams across the country able to travel as needed to support recovery after large storm events. This past February, We traveled to San Antonio with the SERVPRO Storm team to help with the relief effort there with hundreds of other franchises in various cities across Texas. When areas need a few hundred crews for a month in a specific area to help with storm recovery, only SERVPRO can make it happen!

When localized storms overwhelm local restoration companies, SERVPRO's storm response helps to manage the volume you need to be served.

Because SERVPRO has answered calls for help in storm situations over the years we have developed a specialized storm team and large loss response network to provide the resources you need - management, crews, and equipment to get service to your property when others cannot.

That's why when disaster strikes, so do we!

This summer the Mesa, AZ East Valley area came pretty close to having a SERVPRO Storm team response because of heavy and active summer monsoons storms. There were several outlying areas in Eastern Arizona and down in Tucson where smaller storm team units mobilized. Hopefully, we don't have a storm event that calls for a Storm team response, but if we do, we will be ready.

COMMERCIAL LARGE LOSS PROGRAM

• Best of our best, SERVPRO's Large Loss Response Team recruited to serve your needs
• An elite group of large loss specialists pre-qualified and strategically positioned throughout the US (approx. 110)
• Substantial resources through a network of 1,800+ locations nationwide
• Six and seven-figure projects routinely assigned to our Large Loss Response Team members
• Clients include: Insurance Companies, Manufacturing Facilities, Hospitality Industry, Restaurants, Property Managers, Universities, Health Care Facilities, Libraries, Churches, Municipalities, Local, State, and Federal Government
• Corporate oversight and communication on every large loss filed
• Business interruption minimized due to our timely response
• Unit Pricing utilized on routine losses, Time and Material recommended on losses exceeding $25,000
• 24/7/365

Thanksgiving Fire Safety

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Thanksgiving Fire Safety Tips

We hope you have a HOT Thanksgiving... but not too hot!

Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for house fires, with more than three times the typical number of such events. Christmas Day and Christmas Eve were second and third, respectively, with nearly twice the average daily occurrence. On Thanksgiving in 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to around 1,400 home cooking fires. Unattended cooking was by far the most common reason for house fires and fire deaths. Cooking was responsible for half (49%) of all reported home fires in 2015-2019, as well as more than two out of every five (42%) home fire injuries. It is the second greatest cause of home fire fatalities (20%).

Because we want you to be safe this Thanksgiving, here are our

Top 7 safety tips for Thanksgiving:

1. Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food. When you leave the kitchen and come back, take a moment to make sure that no one has turned on or off any stoves or ovens.
2. When preparing your turkey, stay in the house and check it frequently.
3. Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
4. If you have a kid, be sure that any electrical cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer, or mixer aren't within reach.
5. Maintain a safe distance from matches and other lighters for children. Keep them locked up in a high-up cabinet.
6. Never leave a youngster alone in a room with a lit candle.
7. Check to see whether your smoke alarms are in working order. Push the test button on each one to verify.
8. Never use water to put out a grease fire if a fire does start.

In the past, the National Fire Protection Association has advised against frying a turkey in the home. We suggest that if you are going to fry a turkey that you take your chances outside. Here are the steps to frying your turkey outside.

• Deep-fry your turkey on a flat surface, far away from buildings, garages, and wooden decks.
• Place the thawed turkey in the fryer basket and put it into the fryer to figure out how much oil is required for frying. Add water until the top of the turkey is just covered. Remove the turkey, allowing any water from inside to drain into the propane fryer. Calculate and mark the waterline, then use it as
• There should be at least 3 to 5 inches from the fill line to the top of the container so that oil does not boil over.
• Prepare your turkey, if desired, with any seasonings, marinades, or injected flavor while the oil is heating.
• When the oil is ready, turn off the burner and carefully lower the turkey into it. Slowly lowering the basket helps to prevent the oil from boiling over. Turn on the heat again.
• Cook the turkey for 3 to 4 minutes per pound.
• The turkey is done when the dark meat reaches an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F, and the white meat reaches an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F.
• When the turkey is ready, carefully remove it from the pot and place it on a pan or on paper towels to drain. Allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before removing it from the rack or basket.

Are your Solar Panels Safe during a Mesa Summer Monsoon?

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Are your Solar Panels Safe During a Mesa Summer Monsoon?

Do you get 2 to 3 calls a day for some solar company like I do? It is so annoying! But, we do have solar panels on our house and it is a great way to help offset summer electric bills here in the Arizona summer. This summer we had to have some of our panels repaired as a result of the summer monsoons. If you have or are thinking about getting solar panels on your home, there are some things you need to be aware of come storm season.

Solar panels appear to be delicate, yet they are designed to endure storms without harm. Solar cells are protected by aluminum and glass casings. The majority of high-quality panels are certified for Heavy rain, large hail, and Winds up to 140 miles per hour. Flying debris and roof damage are the most serious threats to their integrity.

Will Panels Stay in Place?

The stability of panels is determined by the position and method of installation. Roof-mounted panels usually rely on lag bolts fastened to roof beams to ensure that they can withstand very strong uplift forces generated by high winds, hurricanes, or tornadoes. Panels in other locations should be secured to withstand the usual monsoon winds known to cause damage to solar panels in Mesa, AZ.

Will Panels Break?

Solar installers and repair experts keep track of the reasons behind any damaged solar panels they find. Panels can endure one-inch hail impacting at 50 mph, but they might not be able to withstand substantial flying debris in the case of a hurricane or tornado. If a roof is damaged by storms, mounted panels may also be dislodged and subjected to fracture. When recommending locations and methods for keeping panels in place, solar installers take these factors into consideration.

Will Panels Keep Working if damaged or moved out of place?

If a solar panel is damaged during a storm, it should continue to function normally. Invest in high-quality panels that are certified for likely variations in weather. If you believe that your panels have been damaged as a result of a storm, you might want to contact a solar power professional.

If you notice panel damage after a storm, contact your solar power company or installation service. If your house has also been damaged by the weather, set up an appointment for a consultation with a storm damage repair business in Mesa, AZ.

How to Avoid Water Damage in your Office From Fire Sprinkler Systems

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

How to Avoid Water Damage from Fire Sprinkler Systems

Here come the holidays! While it is a great time of year to get away from work, You should make sure your offices are as prepared for the holidays as you are if they are going to be empty for days or weeks at a time

While fire sprinklers are almost certainly a required component of any company, it is critical to conduct regular sprinkler maintenance to ensure the proper functioning and minimize the risk of early discharge. When performing routine maintenance, you should pay attention to at least four areas.

1. Check the sprinklers for Surface Damage
2. Check the Sprinklers for Separation of Parts
3. Make sure temperature controls are working properly
4. Check for Vandalism of Sprinkler System

Checking Sprinklers for Surface Damage

While inspecting your sprinkler system, you may come across areas of corrosion. This can be normal damage; however, if it is not dealt with, it can lead to a burst pipe, as rusting weakens the waterline. To prevent corrosion, you should inspect your sprinkler system for any minor leaks and repair them once found.

Checking the Sprinkler System for Parts Separation

If you come across sprinkler heads that are showing signs of separation, this can be an indication of mechanical damage. In this instance, complete separation can occur from minimal impact, resulting in an open water line and causing flooding in your building. If you notice signs of separation, you should immediately call in a professional to remedy the situation.

Make Sure Temperature Controls are Working Properly

Fire sprinklers cannot differentiate between heat from a heating unit and heat from a fire. If the sprinklers sense a temperature above a certain level, they may be triggered. Additionally, heat is not the only thing you have to be concerned about when performing sprinkler maintenance checks, as frigid temperatures can cause freezing in the sprinkler lines, which can lead to separation and failure of the pipes. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a consistent temperature in areas where sprinklers are located and to avoid any drastic fluctuations.

Check Sprinkler Systems for Possible Vandalism

An unfortunate need for inspection is the possibility of vandalism. Whatever the reasoning behind the vandalism, the culprit may cause significant damage to your sprinkler system that is not immediately evident, leading to a delayed event that is meant to produce the most damage possible.

As sprinkler systems are typically a requirement in commercial buildings in Mesa, AZ. It is essential to maintain them properly to ensure their effective operation. Sprinkler maintenance does not have to be a complicated process and can be simple when you know the most common areas to check.

Emergency Prep: Home Fire Safety Zones

9/22/2021 (Permalink)

House on fire in the background with silhouette of firefighter in the middle. With the text "Property Fire zones for Emergency Preparedness" and Logo

Oh, the horrors of a house fire. If you have been unfortunate enough to experience this firsthand before, then you know how devastating it can be. In Arizona, there have been 4 firefighter fatalities and 15 home fire fatalites in 2021 alone.

But what if there was something that could help prevent your home from catching on fire in the first place? Well, there is! In this blog post we will discuss 3 ignition zones around a property and how to prepare for a potential disaster. We'll also talk about some safety tips that may help keep your family safe during a time when they're most vulnerable.

What is the Home Ignition Zone

Following some groundbreaking experimental research on how houses ignite as a result of radiant heat, retired USDA Forest Service fire scientist Jack Cohen developed the idea of the home ignition zone in the late 1990s. The HIZ is made up of three areas.

Immediate zone

The Immediate Zone is the home and the region 0-5 feet from the furthest connected exterior point of the house, which is deemed a non-combustible area. According to science, this is the most critical zone to act swiftly on since it is most susceptible to embers.

1. Gutters and roofing that have been clogged with dead leaves, debris, and pine needles may catch fire. Replace any missing or loose shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.
2. Install 1/8 inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers that may flow through vents in the eaves.
3. To prevent embers, clean out the exterior attic vents and install 1/8-inch metal mesh screening.
4. Repair or replace damaged or missing window screens, as well as any broken windows. Wire mesh should be used to screen or box in locations beneath patios and decks to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.
5. Remove any combustible material from the exterior of the wall – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles - anything that might burn. Anything stored beneath decks or porches should be removed.

Intermediate zone

The intermediate Zone is located 5-30 feet from the furthest exterior point of the home. Landscaping/hardscaping - utilizing meticulous landscaping or making gaps that might assist influence and control fire activity

1. Large stationary propane tanks should be clear of vegetation.
2. Add sections of wood chips or other fuel to the fire. You can also make a fire pit from bricks and metal sheeting on your own, which is an excellent way to entertain guests outdoors in the summer!
3. Keep lawns and native grasses trimmed to about of four inches in height.
4. Ladder fuels are vegetation under trees which allow fires to reach higher up areas of large trees. You should remove ladder fuels so a fires can't reach the tops of the trees. Trim trees up to 6 or 10 feet from the base; don't prune smaller trees over a third of the tree's overall height.
5. Plant trees with enough spacing to have at least 18 feet between crowns. The distance should increase in relation to the percentage of slope.
6. To minimize the risk of wind damage, trees should not be planted closer than ten feet from the building's edge.
7. Trees and shrubs in this zone should be planted in small groups of three or four to break up the monotony of the vegetation across the field.

Extended zone

The Extended Zone is up to 200 feet from the property's structure, but generally targeted to 30-100 feet from the home. The aim isn't to eliminate fire; rather, it is to obstruct fire's route and keep flames small and on the ground. Landscaping - eliminating afire should be avoided, since this will only hinder efforts for flame control.

1. Remove significant accumulations of ground litter/debris.
2. Get rid of any dead plant or tree debris.
3. Remove small conifers that have sprouted between mature trees.
4. Remove any vegetation growing near storage sheds or other outbuildings within this zone.
5. Trees should be placed at least 30 to 60 feet from the house, with a minimum distance of 12 feet between canopy tops.*
6. There should be at least 6 feet between canopy tops for trees within 60 to 100 feet from the property structure.*

The distances listed for crown spacing are only guidelines based on NFPA 1144. However, due to slope, the species of trees involved, and other site-specific factors, the crown spacing required to reduce or prevent crown fire hazard might be far greater than that suggested by NFPA 1144. 

If you need fire damage restoration for your property please give us a call - SERVPRO of North Central Mesa (480) 553-7103

If you are interested in information about preparing your Mesa, Arizona property for a fire, we can help as well. You can call us at the same number above and we will have someone from out community outreach team contact you to set up a free consultation for information.

Commercial Fire Damage Restoration Services in Mesa, Arizona

7/20/2021 (Permalink)

Commercial Fire Damage Restoration Services in Mesa, AZ

Our Fast, Reliable Experts Work Around the Clock

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa crews specialize in fire damage restoration of commercial properties, including condos, office buildings, Large and small storefronts, and apartment complexes. Our IICRC certified damage restoration specialists have the training and tools necessary to not only accurately assess the damage, but also perform lasting repairs that help the building return to its pre-damaged condition. We work with several property management companies in Mesa AZ and are always looking to extend our services out to other property management companies looking for new vendors. We are available 24/7 for your business emergencies. We also work with all types of insurance and self-pay situations.

Same Great Service for Commercial Properties

Clients have access to a range of commercial cleaning and restoration services, including:

• 24/7 emergency services
• Fire Damage Cleanup and Disposal
• Fire Damage Odor Elimination
• Structural Repair and Restoration
• Mold remediation and removal From Water used to extinguish the fire.
• Sewage cleanup
• Fire and smoke damage restoration
• Carpet cleaning, repairing, and replacement.
• Complete Mitigation and Restoration. From beginning to End, from small properties to large multi structured properties. We do it all!

Trust Your Commercial Property to the Experts

When it comes to commercial property damage restoration, our team is by your side. You'll never be alone when we have you covered each step of the way from initial consultation through final quality check. We can handle insurance companies and adjusters for you so that one professional takes care of another! And with fully insured technicians trained in top-quality services, there's nothing stopping us covering all aspects professionally and correctly while giving back full support where needed most - trust us when we say: "we've got your back."

Customer satisfaction is not just important but crucial here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa because we know how much goes into making sure everything runs smoothly both before and after a fire affects your commercial property. SERVPRO is the most recognized name in the restoration industry. We have the national support to handle any fire loss and the local expertise to know what you need in your market for your business to return to full steam.

Hear What our Commercial Clients Have Said:

Scott Sclossberg

5-Star Google Review

I use Kevin exclusively for alll of my Farmers Insurance clients when there is any type of water emergency. I have the utmost confidence that he will treat my clients with compassion in their time of need. Every client he has workked with has raved about the service they received at a fair price. I highly recommend SERVPRO of North Central Mesa!

Bobby Butler

5-Star Google Review

We had a fire in one of our rental units in Mesa. They came out to the property within about an hour from the time we called. Their work was done very well and quicker than the quotes we got from some other restoration companies we called. They are the best as far as I am concerned. They helped us deal with the insurance company, who was a nightmare to deal with. Very happy. I would highly recommend them.

Douglas Bost

5-Star Google Review

We have used quite a few companies for our water issues for our rental units. These guys are the best water damage companies we have used. No questions asked. Levi and Adam and the other guys who come with them are always very professional and respectful of our renters. (That gets pretty tricky sometimes because we have some awfully odd people renting from us. I hope they don’t see this…)They are fast getting to the job and they try to dry as much in place as possible so we don’t end up having huge reconstruction bills. You need to try using these guys, we use them for everything.

Burks Lawrence

5-Star Google Review

So, we had a flood in our office because of the business next door. We were out of commission for about a month and just when we were about to get back to work covid hit. OMH. I appreciated the fact that they worked so hard to get us back to work quickly. So, about a week after everything get shut down I get a call from their marketing dept. I thought that was odd. They said they wanted to help us out with our google maps listing and some other online things to keep us busy while we weren't able to actually work with customers. Brian and Kevin did a zoom call with us to show us how we were using our google listing wrong and what we could do to fix it and how to manage it in the future. They showed us some other things to help us out online and with our social media as well. But, like, they are a restoration company and they are calling to help us out with our marketing because of everything going on. Talk about going the extra mile. That meant a lot to us and it helped us out a lot. They really know what they are doing too. absolutely fantastic.

Charles Bronson

5-Star Google Review

We had a disastrous tub overflow at our home while it was being rented. Our notice was " guest say water coming out of ceiling" We are out of the country so I googled and found SERVPRO mesa I spoke with Bridget and explained the problem and that I was out of the country she went into action. They were at our home within the hour. Our representative met them at our home, they set up and began the clean up process. When that was completed and drying was to their approved rate we spoke with Paul and Adam who gave us a competitive quote. Keep in mind we received quotes from 5 different contractors. We choose SERVPRO to do the restoration work and could not have made a better choice. We just got pictures of the completed job and WOW you can not tell that work was ever done. No Patch marks, paint was a perfect match we could not be happier and all was done from 4000 miles away. Thank you so much to all the SERVPRO team in east mesa Bridget, Paul, Adam, Adam, and Ivy You guys rock! I might also mention although it is a National name they are a family owned Franchise. To put it in short If you have the need Call them it will be the best call you make. Thank you again Charles and Kessley Bronson Mesa Az

Tips for Keeping Your Mesa, AZ Commercial Property Clean

7/8/2021 (Permalink)

US Bank Building at Main Street and Macdonald in historic downtown Mesa, Arizona

Spring & Summer time is the perfect opportunity for deep cleaning, as it's often overlooked during other times of year.  Although spring-cleaning has traditionally been associated with residential homes, commercial places also need to deal with bacteria and messes that grow throughout winter months when people are cooped up inside due to cold weather outside. A good clean will help make your workplace more open; additionally a welcoming environment encourages customers who may want to visit! Below you'll find some areas in every building worth inspecting:

ON THE OUTSIDE

Window Cleaning

Windows are one of the simplest yet crucial areas to keep clean. Beyond making sure you have squeaky clean windows, check to make sure they have tight seals so that cool air doesn't seep out and warm air in winter months can stay inside as well preventing water collecting on the outside surfaces where it could trickle through small gaps into your home. Checking caulking and weather stripping remains intact ensures money is saved for future repairs or replacements!

This may sound like a drag but keeping up with window maintenance will save time (and energy) down the road because leaks from within can be prevented before disaster strikes if any issues arise when checking these components now.

Landscape Upkeep and Upgrades

Landscape planning is crucial to the success of your business.  Now that it's spring, now is a great time for you or someone else to make sure all the weeds are plucked out, mow any grass present in order to keep up with customers' expectations on how well-groomed your property should be. Additionally this could also be a good time for some landscapers if they want an update or just need something new because flowers can add more beauty than weeding alone ever will!

AC/HVAC

If you're switching your building’s air flow system from heating to cooling, now is the best time for a quality check. Test out your system by running it; make sure that everything works properly and replace any outdated parts if necessary. Clean out the ventilation systems with dust particles or other debris lying inside them- ventilators are rarely cleaned which can lead to pest infestation or mold problems when cleaning vents/ducts of all buildings owners who neglect this step while in hot weather conditions! Not only that, but unclean ventilation systems can also cause a fire hazard. Would you rather have a professional cleaning company come to clean it out for you? Give us a call, we know a guy… (480) 553-7103

Pest Control Maintenance

Pest control has been a constant battle for years. Spring brings back the plant life that sustains us, but also introduces swarms of bugs and other pests. It’s important to take preventative measures in order to avoid being forced into costly fumigations or shut downs during peak seasons which can be detrimental on your bottom line as well as customer service satisfaction levels. If you have persistent pest problems year after year then there are probably some exterior factors outside of your business attracting these invaders such as landscaping issues or defects within the building itself like an open window near ground level where they could get inside easily with no security measures put up by previous owners who might not even live nearby anymore!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR INSIDE

Dusting

Dusting is one of the most overlooked cleaning tasks. Once dust accumulates, it can lead to other problems such as mold and mildew buildup or infestation by pests like bed bugs.

Dust has a tendency to accumulate in places that are hard for us humans with our tiny arms, short height, and limited mobility (like under your couch) because we don't go there often enough! Make sure you grab all those neglected areas when getting prepared for this month's deep clean so that not only will these spots be cleaner but they'll also stay nice-and-dust free until next time around. Here are 4 tips to help you when dusting

1. 1. Be sure to dust off all surfaces, including the tops of cabinets
2. 2. Dust bookshelves and other furniture that are covered in dust
3. 3. Check high shelves for cobwebs or any other signs of dirtiness
4. 4. Clean out air vents with a vacuum cleaner or duster

Flooring and Carpet Upkeep

The rainy monsoon season is here and hopefully by now everyone’s back to work. We all know how dirty our carpets get as people come in from a rainfall with their shoes on...which means dirt buildup starts happening right away inside too. Protect against this grime build-up by buying some strong cleaners and vacuuming regularly; but don't stop there--give your floors extra attention at least once or twice per year (particularly after heavy traffic) and have a professional carpet cleaner give them a good long scrubbing as well!

Keeping the office clean and organized

Here are some tips to keeping the office clean and organized:

• Make sure you have enough storage space for everything in your office. Get rid of the stuff that doesn't belong and find ways to store what does.
• Have a designated spot for recycling, trash, and other things that need to be taken out regularly. This will keep your office looking nice and organized.
• At the end of the day, or when workers are working remotely,encourage them to make sure their workspace is tidy before they leave the room or step away from your computer screen so there's no cleaning up needed when they get back!  - Keep any food items in an area where they won't be a distraction, cause damage, or get forgotten about and go bad.
• Don't let your office get cluttered! Set aside some time each day to tidy up the space you use and organize what you need on hand.

Keep your office disinfected

Okay, by now you have heard the disinfecting suggestion enough for a lifetime because of COVID19. But really it should have been being done this whole time. It was brought to a highlight because of COVID19, but imagine how much less people would have gotten sick if it had just been a routine part of cleaning this whole time. Keeping your workforce from getting sick from anything, not just COVID19, would keep their medical costs lower and keep them working and more productive. That’s good for everyone!

Why SERVPRO? We lead the industry in keeping your property Disinfected and Clean!

4/20/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa: We'll keep you clean!

With the COVID19 restrictions being lifted in Arizona Keeping Your Properties clean is even more important than ever!

Did you know that SERVPRO of North Central Mesa offers residential and commercial cleaning services? Our team of professionals have the expertise to provide a deeper clean to leave your home or business looking its best! Even with COVID19 restrictions being lifted for the most part in the state of Arizona, one thing we learned over the past year is that you never know what is coming around the corner.

Being continually prepared for whatever unexpected thing comes around the corner is extremely important. Having an ongoing, specific, and professional cleaning plan in place is imperative for your business and should be considered for your residential property as well. 

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. We have over a decade of experience in dealing with biological contaminants. We will go beyond the scope of work that your regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

We Follow CDC Cleaning Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage cleaning of high-touch surface areas such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and tables. Other spaces mentioned in its guidance for commercial properties include:

• Kitchen/Food Areas
• Bathrooms
• Schools/Classrooms
• Playground Equipment
• Offices
• Shelving/Racks
• Retail Shopping Spaces
• Water Fountains
• Sales Counters
• Carpets
• Rugs
• Stair Handrails
• Elevators
• Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

The CDC recommends usage of a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products in the SERVPRO product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. While there are currently no products tested against the COVID19 strain of coronavirus, we do follow all of the guidelines as provided by the CDC and our local authorities.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned!

Have you heard of Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned? It is SERVPRO’s new defensive pathogen cleaning program that goes far beyond standard janitorial cleaning practices most businesses maintain. It should be a serious consideration to add to any cleaning plan for any commercial property. SERVPRO has over 50 years of experience in biochemical spill remediation and decontamination. 

To get more information about getting a consultation with a local trained technician from SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, or to learn more about all the services that we offer, please to give our office a call at (480) 553-7103.

Mesa Arizona Mold Remediation Services by SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

3/30/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Mold Remediation services

Mold remediation is no easy task. Mold is something that is widely overlooked in the Mesa area because water damage seems to dry out so quickly because of the hot dry climate. Before commencing any mold remediation work our IICRC Certified technicians will highly recommend a mold inspection test to be completed to assist in identifying the extent of the mold growth. After this mold inspection is completed, and the report is generated, an expert technician from SERVPRO of North Central Mesa will determine the best and most efficient scope of work in order to fully remediate the existing mold in your home or commercial property.

With our hospital-grade, EPA approved disinfectant solution and our highly-trained mold remediation expert team, we are able to provide a scope of work and an estimate of costs. We are able to immediately get to work as soon as the estimate is approved by our client.

One of the first things we accomplish in a mold damaged area is the installation of air filtration devices. These devices, which contain HEPA filters, are installed to create negative air and to clean & recycle the existing air with the objective of cleaning and removing the bacteria from the air.

As we complete our work, which generally includes removing or remediating any affected materials, we allow the HEPA filters to continue to run for 48 to 72 hours after the completion of the job.

Once the mold remediation work is completed by SERVPRO of North Central Mesa IICRC certified technicians, we will also recommend that a mold clearance test is performed. The next time you are searching for a mold damage Restoration Team in Mesa, Arizona consider calling SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at (480) 553-7103.

SERVPRO's Storm Team Response to Texas' 2021 Polar Vortex Storm

3/19/2021 (Permalink)

Map of United States During the 2021 Polar Vortex

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Joins the SERVPRO Storm Team in Texas for Storm Relief

In mid February the state of Texas was hit with a winter storm that caused 57 deaths and state wide power outages that ended up causing severe damage to business and residential property. At the height of the storm around 4.5 million homes and businesses were without power. Water lines also froze leaving many without clean sources of water. There were many stories of people melting snow for water to cook food, wash clothes and dishes, and even drink. When the water lines started to thaw out, thousands of properties were severely damaged by flooding because of burst pipes. According to the Perryman Group, a Texas-based economic research firm, projected damage from the winter storm damage costs ranged from $195 to $295 billion in damage. To put that into perspective, Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas in 2017 ranked as one of the most destructive storms in US history ended up causing around $125 billion in damage. 

At the beginning of March, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, as part of the SERVPRO Storm Team, after travel into the state was more stabilized, was able to travel to Texas along with over 150 other SERVPRO franchises to help repair homes and businesses that were damaged during the storm. There was so much work to do that there was not enough equipment to service the damaged properties. There were several days where we were waiting for equipment to be done at one location to service another. During the last week of February SERVPRO had over 20,000 service calls in the system waiting for work to be done. SERVPRO’s unique Storm Team Program enables franchises all over the United States to mobilize to specific areas of need to service this kind of disaster.

Below is a list of the most destructive Natural Disasters in US History:

1. Hurricane Katrina - 2005 - $170 Billion in Damage - 1833 Deaths
2. Hurricane Harvey - 2017 -  $133 Billion in Damage - 89 Deaths
3. Hurricane Maria - 2017 - $94.5 Billion in Damage - 2981 Deaths
4. Superstorm Sandy - 2012 - $74.1 Billion in Damage - No directly reported deaths
5. Hurricane Irma - 2017 - $52 Billion in Damage - 97 Deaths
6. Hurricane Andrew - 1992 - $50.5 Billion in Damage - 61 Deaths
7. Drought and Heat Wave of 1988 - 1988 - $44.8 Billion in Damage - 454 Deaths
8. Great Flood of 1993 - 1993 - $37.9 Billion in Damage - 48 Deaths
9. Hurricane Ike - 2008 - $36.9 Billion in Damage - 112 deaths
10. Drought and Heat Wave of 2012 - 2012 - $34.2 Billion in Damage 124 deaths.

You can find out more about these Natural Disasters at the following link: Most Destructive Natural Disasters 

Along with the property damage sustained from the winter storm, it’s estimated that around half of Texas’ citrus harvest was destroyed, which will have long lasting agricultural affects long after the property damage is restored.

An Emergency Ready Plan Can Help You Prepare for a Flood

12/22/2020 (Permalink)

Minimize Flood Damage with an ERP

Floods are one of the most common and widespread natural disasters in the United States.  Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes might seem like the most dangerous natural hazards you could ever face. Growing up in California and Florida I was consistently doing earthquake or hurricane drills in school. I haven’t heard much about those now that I am living in Arizona. Most people do not realize that floods and droughts cause more fatalities to Americans over time.  If you live near a coastline, along city streets, in the mountains, near a river, or even in the desert, there is always great potential for flood damage from a storm.  Natural disasters usually cause a great deal of damage and/or loss of life. The most destructive natural disaster in economic terms in the United States was a storm on August 29, 2005.  In more recent history, Hurricane Harvey unleashed an insane amount of damage in the Gulf of Mexico. While the actual winds and initial rainfall did cause a lot of damage, most of the lasting damage was caused by the flooding that remained long after the hurricane events were over. Katrina was the deadliest Hurricane on record and Harvey was the most costly. 

Flood damage can affect your home or business in a variety of ways and can go from affecting a single room to having entire floors being fully submerged.  Understanding how to prepare for and deal with potential flooding events in advance can affect how much of your property gets damaged during an event and how much of your property has to be replaced.  Remember, Faster to Any Size Disaster is not merely our slogan. It is a reality you have to deal with in a flooding situation. And It is an honest description of SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s ability to receive your call and respond quickly when you need us, regardless of property size or type.  You can learn how to be prepared BEFORE a storm affects your business and your life.

The SERVPRO READY Profile Advantage

As many as 50% of businesses close down following a disaster.  Of the businesses that survive, most of them had a plan in place ahead of time. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at giving you peace of mind during a disaster. knowing you are "Ready for whatever happens" speaks trust to your clients and employees that when your business is affected by a disaster, they don’t necessarily have to be.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can help you prepare ahead of time with the SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan, or ERP. By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Plan Profile for your business, you could minimize interruption for your business by having an immediate plan of action available at your fingertips! Knowing what to do and what to expect, before something happens, is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how storm and flood damage can affect your business. The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan is both FREE and Digital. It will cost you nothing to set up and can be available to anyone in your business via the free Android or IOS app. There really is no reason not to have one set up!

Emergency Ready Plan Benefits

• A no-cost assessment of your facility.
  Since it is free,  there is no need to allocate funds for it, giving you a great value at no cost.
   
• It is a  concise digital Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
  It will only take a little time to complete, and will save you a lot of time when you need it.
   
• It serves as a guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
  This can help decrease the amount of time your business is not active by having an immediate plan of action that is easy to access and easy to follow..
   
• Establishes SERVPRO of North Central Mesa as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
  You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by who already has all of your information as well. This means we can respond faster and begin the mitigation process with little direction. This leaves you free to handle other issues you need to deal with.
   
• It identifies the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
  Again, This saves time because it sets us up so we can begin the work of mitigating your damaged property which can save you time and money.
   
• It provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
  When helping businesses set up their emergency ready plan, one of the most common things that happen is no one knows where the shutoff valves are. They have to call someone to find out where they are located. Not having access to this information readily available will usually cause significantly more damage to a property. This is vital information for on premises staff to have available during an emergency event.

Having a quick reference for what to do, how to do it, and who to call gives you and your employees solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for whatever happens."

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has restoration experts available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to get your business back up and running. Our emergency response expertise includes restoration services for fire and water damage, and disinfectant cleaning services for confirmed COVID-19 cases and preventative measures. Most people don’t know that we are also quite prolific with our document drying services. We are also your business’s best resource for mold mitigation and removal.  We are ready to serve our community because we are "Faster to Any Size Disaster".

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa: (480) 553-7103

5 Pre-Monsoon Building Inspection Tips

12/22/2020 (Permalink)

Prepare for Monsoon Season Ahead of Time

Exterior building maintenance makes your property more likely to withstand severe weather with less damage. Here are five steps for residential or commercial property owners and managers to take that can have a huge pay off when monsoon season strikes Mesa, Arizona.

1. Take a Closer Look at the Exterior of the Building

The facade of your building will usually wear down over time. Cracks or gaps develop in the mortar of a brick facade and can expose the building to water damage. An exterior structural inspection is useful to identify vulnerable points in the facade.

2. Check Seals Around Your Doors and Windows

When doors blow open or flying debris breaks a window, the interior of a structure can be affected by storm and water damage within minutes. Window Storm shutters can protect windows from damage and should be installed prior to the next monsoon season!

3. Have Your Roof Inspected

Checking the condition of your roof before and after a monsoon is the best way to detect and prevent severe roof leaks. While your facility maintenance staff generally perform basic building inspections that include checking the condition of roofing, roofing specialists should be called in to maintain this important part of a commercial structure if you don’t have an experienced roofer on staff. 

4. Check FYour Foundation for Leak Prone Areas

Softer points in the ground around a building's foundation can accumulate moisture and cause leaks into your building. The lowest point of the building plays a critical role in reducing the likelihood of serious structural damage. You should make sure there is a drainage system in place to direct water away from the lowest point of your building to deter water buildup in that area.

5. Test the Backup Prevention System For Your Sewer

The backwater prevention valve or sump pump should be tested routinely and especially before a storm or monsoon that could cause municipal lines or a septic system to overflow. Sewer damage generally requires cleaning and disinfection and may necessitate tearing out and replacing building materials that are porous.

After a storm or monsoon passes through Mesa, Arizona, as a commercial property owner, you should arrange for a follow-up inspection and any necessary exterior maintenance. Keeping your building maintained increases the likelihood that a structure will withstand most storms during a monsoon season.

Commericial Disinfectant Cleaning in Mesa Arizona - SERVPRO is here to help!

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is Here to Help

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty and disruption both around the world and here in our community. We’re here to remind our customers that we’re cleaning experts who adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. Although the coronavirus outbreak presents a challenge, our team at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has over a decade of training and experience.

The last few months have been difficult and unprecedented for many of us. The COVID19 outbreak has slowed or halted most local businesses. This has been a strain on everyone—us included. In addition to serving local homes, we are committed to continuing to serve Mesa Arizona businesses. We have taken several precautions to keep our employees and our customers protected!

We Perform Commercial Cleaning, Fogging, and Disinfecting Services

We have always offered cleaning and disinfecting services to local businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the importance of maintaining a clean and safe business. Dozens of businesses in the Mesa East Valley have already contacted us to either schedule proactive cleanings or to prepare for the potential of a confirmed case.

Our technicians follow CDC guidelines for COVID19 Cleaning to target hotspots and high traffic/touch areas that tend to spread pathogens. Although there is no product that has been tested against this particular strain of coronavirus, the CDC has recommended the use of labeled hospital-grade disinfectants with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. We have several proprietary EPA-approved products that meet those standards.

We Have Implemented Safety Policies

Safety is top of mind at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa. We believe it is our responsibility to protect our employees and the customers we serve. We have implemented several policies designed to prevent the spread and exposure of the virus within our scope of work. Some of those policies detail the type of PPE we wear on the job and while we are in close contact with our customers. Social distancing isn’t always possible, however, we try to maintain a safe area for our technicians to work in with the safety of our customers and employees in mind.

Local Cleaning Experts

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your business in adherence to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our staff has more than 30 years of combined experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will provide disinfectant fogging and wipe-down cleaning services that go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

We also consider the health and safety of you and our employees. Our team will wear full PPE, when appropriate, to reduce the risk of contamination.

We Clean High-Risk Areas

We work carefully to follow the CDC’s recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting. They stress the constant cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and tables. Other spaces mentioned in the CDC’s guidance for commercial spaces include:

• Kitchen/Food Areas
• Bathrooms
• Schools/Classrooms
• Offices
• Retail Spaces
• Water Fountains
• Shelving/Racks
• Sales Counters
• Carpets and Rugs
• Stair Handrails
• Elevator Cars
• Playground Equipment
• Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

There is currently no product tested against this particular strain of the coronavirus, but we are following all guidelines as approved by the CDC and local authorities. The CDC recommends using a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant product with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products SERVPRO’s product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. As additional guidelines are released, we will continue to adapt our cleaning process so that we adhere to the highest standards.

Call Today for a Proactive Cleaning

If your place of business needs deep cleaning services, call our experts today—SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, (480) 553-7103!

How SERVPRO of North Cenral Mesa Can Help Your Business with Commercial Restoration

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

How SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can help your Mesa AZ Business

For a decade, we’ve helped Mesa Arizona commercial and residential property owners clean-up and restore their homes and businesses after they’ve had water, fire, or storm disasters. While many people in the community know we can clean up fire and water damage to their properties, there are many who don’t know we can do much more. If you have a business in the Mesa, Arizona area, here are some things our team can do for you.

Mold Remediation

Mold can be unsightly and potentially cause some health issues, additionally, mold can damage your building’s structure. If you have a business in the Mesa area, this is even more reason to address your mold problems as soon as possible. The health and wellbeing of your employees and structure could be at risk. The older the building your business is working out of, the higher the chance that mold could be lurking. Most people in the Mesa, AZ area assume that because of the constant heat that mold doesn’t really have a chance to get out of control. The opposite is true, mainly because it is so often overlooked. 

Our team is certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) to remediate mold growth in your business. We set up a containment zone and remove the affected materials so you have one less thing to worry about. We can come out to assess your property to see if it may be appropriate to have a hygienist come out to test the property for toxic mold.

Water Damage Restoration

Leaks, flooding, and other types of water damage are generally not welcome in your businesses. That's why SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is your local water damage cleanup and restoration company for the Mesa Arizona area. Our teams of water damage specialists are led by trained and certified technicians who have years of experience making any disaster "Like it never even happened." 

At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we use state-of-the-art technology to thoroughly and efficiently extract and dry excess water in your business. We also visit the property daily to monitor moisture levels and offer status updates so you can have peace of mind. No matter the extent of the damage, our team will respond to any size disaster!

We respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can be sure that we are ready to take care of your water damage emergency any time of the day or night!

Business and Legal Document Restoration Services

When your business has a water damage issue, the property structure sometimes is the thing you are most concerned about. If you are a business that deals with a lot of valuable or sensitive documents, their integrity may be more important to tend to than any other part of your business. In the aftermath of disaster, some of your most valued contents—documents, photographs, and books—could be lost forever. As a leader in the restoration industry, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa knows that timely action is the key to recovering damaged legal, medical, architectural, or personal documents. With years of experience and state-of-the-art technology, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s restoration professionals will help you recover your paper goods before it is too late.

Our Document Restoration Services & Technology:

• Innovative: we use the most up to date vacuum freeze-drying method, as well as gamma irradiation technology for sterilizing
• Secure: managed by HIPPA Master-certified technicians, with 24/7 surveillance
• Digital: we use a computerized inventory system for digitizing your business’ documents
• Flexible capacity - we can accommodate any size document restoration issue from large commercial losses to small residential jobs
• Full Service: we offer a range of services including drying, cleaning/disinfecting, re-jacketing, digitizing, and deodorization

Fire Damage Restoration

Fire and smoke damage to your business is often more than just destructive—it can be very stressful and emotionally draining. Making matters worse, your business will likely also endure water damage from Mesa’s local firefighters' efforts to put out the fire. For those who haven’t dealt with a fire damage issue, the entire process can seem confusing, scary, and just extremely overwhelming. Fortunately, since 2011, our team here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has been trusted Business owners in the Mesa Arizona area recover from fire, water, and smoke damage. 

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is locally owned and family oriented. Our technicians and office staff will treat you and your work family as members of our own. We'll walk you through the fire damage mitigation and restoration process and ensure you're up-to-date on the progress and understand everything along the way as we restore your business back to its pre-fire condition.

Emergency Preparation Planning and Training

The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile Advantage

Did you know that as 50% of businesses close down following a disaster, according to the latest research. Of the businesses that are able to recover, the large majority of them had a preparedness plan in place so they were able to react and recover quickly. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy that can provide you with peace of mind. And knowing you are "Ready for whatever happens" speaks trust to your clients and employees that if your business is affected by a disaster, they don’t necessarily have to be.

By creating a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you can minimize business interruption by having a direct plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business. Here are some important things to know about the SERVPRO Ready Plan and how it relates to your business:

• A no cost assessment of your facility.
  This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
   
• A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
  It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time if ever needed.
   
• It’s a guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
  This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
   
• Establishes  SERVPRO of North Central Mesa as your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
  This allows us to react quickly to your emergency to reduce the amount of damage done to your property. You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by.
   
• Identification of the line of command for remediation work authorization.
  This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
   
• Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
  Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for whatever happens."

Commercial Covid Fogging & Disinfecting

Since the COVID-19 breakout in 2020, there has been a lot of discussion about keeping businesses safe for their customers and their employees. To help provide a safe environment, we have rolled out our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned program.

Businesses that participate in this initiative can display special signs and decals that show their property has been professionally cleaned and disinfected. This keeps your employees safe and gives your customers peace of mind!

Commercial Cleaning and Restoration Experts

With dozens of employees and more than a decade of experience serving the Mesa Arizona community, our team is capable of handling any size commercial job. From biohazard cleanup to document restoration, there are a wide range of services we can offer for your business. If you need help or would like to see how else we can serve your business, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is available 24/7 to respond to your emergencies!

The Basic Fire Damage Restoration Process

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Damage Restoration involves more than a new coat of paint.

After a fire occurs, you may want to sweep, paint, and move on with your life. In reality, recovering from fire and smoke damage properly is a much more involved process. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa technicians have been trained by the IICRC and have the most cutting edge tools to clean, repair, and restore your property after a fire. We will come in as soon as the dust settles and do a thorough inspection of the damage, giving you our professional assessment of what your property needs, from ozone deodorization to structural reconstruction. This may include any and/or all of the following processes.

• Clean all traces of soot or smoke on your floor, walls and surfaces. Most of which are not generally visible to the naked eye.
• Remove the unpleasant smoke odors lingering from smoke and fire damage
• Use cutting edge technology and equipment to repair all surfaces and protect your residential or commercial from further damage by remnants of smoke, soot and ash
• Orchestrate any necessary pack outs, content claim inventory and content restoration.We will work directly with your insurance company when possible on your behalf. There are some issues you will have to deal with directly with your insurance. But we can assist you in those issues through consultation.
• Repair your property back to pre-existing loss condition, including repainting or reconstructing any damaged areas.

Choosing the Right Fire Damage Repair Company

Fire damage restoration has three integral elements: 

1. clearing out the damaged and ruined materials
2. Assessing the smoke and soot damage, and putting in place replacement
3. Reinforcing repairs. 

With over a decade of industry experience, the experts at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa have the ability to perform even the most complex fire restoration project. For this reason, homeowners and businesses in the Mesa Arizona area have put their trust in our skill and expertise.

Leaving a fire-damaged property for even an hour puts your property at risk for increased damage. You should get someone out to start working on the property as quickly as possible. Obviously, we would suggest that you call us. We may be a little biased though… But seriously, if you don’t call us for some reason, call someone you feel comfortable with quickly to reduce the amount of damage done to your residential or commercial property.  The effects of a fire weaken the building’s structural materials, and can lead to an eventual structural collapse. 

Additionally, the soot and smoke that infiltrates the walls and floors can pose a significant health risk. After a fire occurs, the resulting smoke and soot remains suspended in the air in the form of particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye. This presents an odor issue and a respiratory hazard. These soot particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) even have the potential to cause cancer with prolonged inhalation or exposure. Because of this, we deploy specialized, top-of-the-line equipment to mitigate and remove these hazards so your property is fit for living or working in again.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Water Damage Restoration Equipment

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Has an Extensive Line of Equipment to Mitigate Household Flooding in Mesa Arizona

What Inspection Devices are Used?

Before any restoration can take place, a scope gets done on the premises. This tells the technicians which areas of the structure are impacted by the water. It also helps them define to what extent structural elements and the content have absorbed the moisture. Our technicians use several inspection devices to find and track moisture and assist with water removal for your home or business in Mesa, Arizona. These include:

•   Moisture Sensors – Equipped with short probes, the moisture sensors are used to detect moisture levels in carpets and padding. They determine whether or not water has infiltrated the subflooring. It only detects the presence of moisture; it does not measure the moisture levels. 
•   Thermal Imaging Cameras – Used to inspect and monitor moisture readings in building materials. They help technicians in evaluating the extent of moisture/damage. Infrared cameras assist technicians in finding water that has traveled behind structural elements. 
•   Moisture Meters – These are used to inspect the moisture content in different types of materials. They are often used for detecting the moisture level of wood. There are two types of moisture meters:

• Penetrating – This type penetrates the material and assesses the moisture content using the principle of electrical conductivity. Multiple layers of material can be tested with the probes.
• Non-penetrating – Cause no surface damage and are used to find high levels of water in material such as drywall and some wood surfaces. 

•   Thermal Hygrometers – This measures the relative humidity and temperature of air in a general area. There are standard levels of humidity that allow technicians to determine what moisture needs to be removed from structural elements.
•   Manometer – Manometers measure gas or vapor pressure. It helps maintain proper air quality.
•   Inspection Cameras & Borescopes – They are used to help technicians look into cavities that are not easily accessible. It can help technicians determine if contamination is present in those areas. 

What Pumps Are Used to Extract Water?

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has several types of pumps used for water removal in residential and commercial properties in Mesa Arizona. The pumps we use are primarily centrifugal pumps. We have truck mounted and portable pumps. There are three main types of pumps our technicians employ. 

1. Self-priming trash pumps are used when there are solids in the liquid. They are classified as slurry, full trash, trash, or semi-trash pumps, depending on the amount and size of the debris. 
2. High-pressure pumps are utilized in areas such as basements and garages. They are quite powerful. 
3. Submersible pumps are the types of pumps we use most often. They are electric and come in smaller portable units and larger industrial units. They can operate quietly in the background.

Our technicians are trained on how to assess just what pumps need to be used in the current site they are working on. Water extraction is the first step to the restoration of a property. Standing water not only deteriorates building material but can cause secondary damage such as mold.

What Do You Use to Dry the Home?

The Drying phase begins after as much water is removed as is possible. When you hire SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, you are getting a team that knows how to use the right equipment in the right ratio for the best drying results. We focus on drying as much of the structure in place as possible to decrease reconstruction time and costs. Our drying equipment consists of:

•   Centrifugal Air Movers – These units focus on replacing the damp, moist air with fresh airflow. They should be positioned to work in conjunction with our other drying equipment. Attachments such as a carpet clamp can “float” carpets. This allows them to dry from underneath and from the top to get a better and quicker drying result.
•   Axial Air Movers – These types of air movers drive larger volumes of air and can cover more area than the centrifugal units.
•   Structural Drying Equipment – We use various tools that allow technicians to direct warm, dry air into cavities not easily reached.
•   Dehumidifiers – There are several types of dehumidifiers we use. Their basic function is to heat  

Other equipment that can be utilized includes portable electric heaters and air conditioning units. With this arsenal of tools available for water damage restoration, it is no wonder SERVPRO is top in their field. 

 Contact SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at (480) 553-7103 for quality water removal condo service. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster

Don't Ignore Water Damage in your Attic in Mesa Arizona

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

Don't Ignore Water Damage In Your Attic

Attic spaces are an area where moisture and mold can build up undetected. Attics in the Mesa Arizona area are generally not used for storage because it gets so hot up there during the summer. Because of this, most people never go up into their attic unless they have to. Unpleasant odors, discoloration, and texture changes on your ceiling are all signs of leaking or burst pipes.

Damage like this can occur from plumbing issues, a faulty HVAC, wind damage, haboob/monsoon damage or extreme weather conditions (Such as the heat wave we had this summer.). One thing that's for sure is that you should have a professional investigated to see what remediation services your property may need.

Monsoon Increases in the summer make water damage in the Mesa Arizona area a common issue. When leaks occur in your attic space insulation can act like a sponge. The insulation soaks up moisture and encourages mold growth. The difficulty in treating these areas lies in accessibility of your attic which limits the use of standard procedures and equipment.

Specialized Service for Attic Water Damage

At SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we use specialized service procedures for attics and crawl spaces. A visual inspection can be carried out onsite by our trained technicians. We are looking to locate the source of water. Be that from damage to the roofing materials, leaking appliances, plumbing or structural damage.

If there is lingering water damage, the next step in the procedure is to dry the structure. This can mean removing sheetrock as well as insulation. Sheet-rock that shows signs of saturation, such as warping, has to be replaced and can be removed by SERVPRO of North Central Mesa technicians. Fiberglass insulation can be removed, dried and returned.

The equipment we can use includes rapid air-movers and dehumidifiers. Your technician will use moisture meters to determine the relative amount of humidity of an affected area to determine if structures in that area have an abnormally higher level of moisture. Especially right after a storm, levels of moisture in an attic can be higher than usual. Getting this information helps us to determine if the surrounding structure’s moisture levels are similar to the surrounding area, or higher. Negative air pressure can be used in the affected area to limit the spreading of contaminated air or unpleasant odors into other areas of your home.

Where there is severe structural damage, it may be necessary to call in reconstruction contractors. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa also provides reconstruction services. So we are able to serve as a one stop shop for your needs in this arena.

We can also perform emergency board ups if there are apparent gaps in your roofing. These are temporary fixes designed to prevent further damage until the area is fully repaired by an external contractor. We can help you locate a local reputable roofing company that specializes in repairing your property’s roof. 

Mold and Moisture Questions?

If you suspect there may be mold or moisture building up in your attic space, do not hesitate. Call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at (480) 553-7103 or request help online at https://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/contact/contactus.

How Fast can a Fire Destroy Your Home in Mesa Arizona?

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

How Fast Can a Fire Destroy Your Home?

Have you driven past a burnt down building and thought to yourself, “I hope that never happens to me.” Fire Damage can happen in the blink of an eye. You can see how quickly a fire can consume a home in the following video titled “How Fast Does a Fire Spread”. In the video, the Department of Commerce created a scenario in which a dried out pine tree is set on fire to examine the length of time it takes for the fire to grow throughout the home. Since the holidays are one of the most likely times a fire will start in your home, the pine tree (Christmas Tree) was a good choice for this demonstration.

Statistics show that around 40 years ago you would have around 17 minutes to get out of a house once it started burning. Now, you would have around 3 to 4 minutes to escape a house fire once it starts. That is a huge difference and it is essential that you have a plan set out ahead of time to react to a house fire quickly.

In the demonstration in the video, within 20 seconds, the sofa next to the tree is set on fire. Within 35 seconds, the room becomes so full of smoke that it becomes almost impossible to see the damage being caused. When seeing the damage from this perspective, it is clear that an entire home can be destroyed within minutes. As a result, here are a few helpful hints to consider to keep your home and family safe to prevent the need for fire damage restoration.

Fire Safety Tips

• Smoke alarms should be installed in every room on every floor of your home. Bedrooms and other sleeping areas should be prioritized..
• You should test your smoke alarms on a monthly basis and new batteries should be installed yearly.
• Establish a fire escape plan and rehearse it with your family. Or consider creating an ERP for your business (more info on our blog )
• Be prepared to evacuate in the event of an emergency.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is Uniquely Prepared and Ready to Restore Your Fire Damaged Property

Our technicians have over a decade of fire damage restoration experience. We have a volunteer firefighter on staff as well who has been trained specifically to deal with all aspects of fire losses from priority response to supporting families and business owners in dealing with the aftermath of a fire.

You can check out our fire damage tips here (fire damage tips) to see more tips you can use to prepare for and deal with a house fire. Our crews work hard to perform fire restoration after a building fire, however, The Mesa Arizona Fire Department works harder to keep our community safe 24/7, 365. Thank you to our local firefighters for all that they do!

If you are dealing with a home or business property fire call us immediately so we can help you the way we have helped several other families and businesses in the Mesa Arizona area. We are here for you! Even if you just have questions, please reach out to us. You can call our 24/7 office line at (480) 553-7103. You will talk with someone on staff directly, we don’t use an answering service.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Handles All Types of Fire Damage in Mesa Arizona

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Handles All Types of Property fire Damage

Any fire loss is devastating to the family or business involved. We have been helping Families and Businesses recover from fire damage losses in Mesa Arizona for a decade. Getting your family or business back to normal as quickly as possible is the primary goal of our team when we are working with you. Different types of fire damage losses require different approaches.

What are the three levels of fire damage?

If you need fire damage restoration in Mesa Arizona, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa's fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) provide some of the quickes emergency mitigation services in the Mesa/Phoenix area.. The level of damage done dictates the type of cleaning and restoration that will be utilized in your home to leave it "Like it never even happened."

• Minor Fire Damage – Smoke residue is contained in smaller areas leaving a light to moderate residue. Walls and ceilings need to be repainted, but only minor items need to be replaced.
• Medium Fire Damage – More extensive smoke damage throughout the property. The residue is worse. furniture may need to be replaced if it is porous. Generally non-porous furniture is able to be cleaned and deodorized. Wood surfaces require refinishing or sometimes have to be non-salvaged. Odors linger and are more potent.
• Major Fire Damage- Property damage is extensive. Interior walls, support beams, and ceilings generally need to be replaced. Smoke residue is widespread through the property, and odors are overwhelming. The home will most likely need to be boarded up, and contents removed to our cleaning facilities for cleaning or non-salvage classification. 

Giving You Back Your Property

With our expertise in fire damage restoration methods, we return your home or business to you to preloss (and sometimes better than preloss) conditions. Our technicians apply the cleaning methods that will work best for your property’s specific loss. Below are some of the tools and procedures we use to restore your home or business after a fire loss.

• Wet & Dry Cleaning – all levels of fire damage and includes cleaning personal belongings, furniture, and structure. Dry cleaning gets used for porous, non-washable surfaces. It's the primary method for minor damage.
• Airborne Air Scrubbers– used to remove air particulates.
• Immersion Cleaning – cleans smoked damaged non-porous items by dipping them into a bath of cleaning product 
• Thermal Foggers – neutralizes odors and works on porous items
• Unique Item Restoration – includes documentation restoration, electronic repair, and other types of unique situations.
• Water Extraction – water damage is a problem when there is a fire, so steps to remove are implemented.

Contact SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at (213) 628-2000 for fire and smoke restoration. We're Faster To Any Size Disaste

Commercial Covid Cleaning in Mesa Arizona

12/9/2020 (Permalink)

Commercial Covid-19 Cleaning Process

With businesses being open and shut down repeatedly we have gotten a lot of calls from businesses in the Mesa AZ area asking us for our advice on best practices for maintaining an environment that is safe for their employees and customers/clients. So, we thought we would create a blog post to use as a tool for other businesses in the area who had similar questions.

The CDC recommends the following general steps to provide a safe environment for your employees and customers/clients.

1. Develop Your Plan
2. Implement You Plan
3. Maintain and Revise Your Plan

These ideas may seem a little elementary, but, it’s always a good idea to start with the basics for a good foundation. 

Developing Your COVID-19 Cleaning Plan

The first thing you need to do is to determine what areas need to be cleaned and how often they need to be cleaned. Areas that are not occupied for 7 days or more only need occasional routine cleaning. Areas of high traffic, especially high touch traffic, should be cleaned daily, often multiple times a day. You will also want to consider how often outside areas are used and how you will clean them.

Next you need to determine how you are going to clean those areas you have identified. Are you going to do a wipe down cleaning or a fog cleaning. There are advantages to both. Wipedown cleaning takes a little more time but you will get more chemical contact on those areas. Fogging takes less time and energy and also has the effect of disinfecting the air around the area being fogged. Also, will you have someone on your staff specifically tasked to make sure the cleaning is done or will you have an outside company like SERVPRO of North Central Mesa do the disinfectant cleaning for you? Ideally it should be a mix of both. For example, the staff cleaning high touch and traffic areas daily/multiple times a day, and have us come out once a week to do a thorough deep cleaning.

After identifying the areas being cleaned and how you are going to clean them, you need to determine what equipment and resources you are going to use for the cleaning. If your staff is going to be doing the cleaning you will want to make sure they have proper cleaning equipment (gloves, rags, disinfectant cleaning products.The Cleaning products you use should be EPA-Approved cleaners.) available to do the work. Rags and gloves are easy enough to source. For disinfectant cleaner, you can buy SERVPRO proprietary products on Amazon, or you can buy them directly from us and not pay shipping. If you are also going to have your employees do fogging, you will want to get an electrostatic sprayer as well. These can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand. Remember, you get what you pay for. You want to get one that will be reliable and last a good amount of time.

Your Cleaning Plan Implementation

As normal you will want to do routine cleaning of areas that get dirty in general. That part obviously hasn’t changed. You will want to consider how you will integrate your disinfectant cleaning for COVID into that schedule. You should consider whether your employees touch similar areas as other employees and how often. You will also want to consider how often your employees and clients/customers touch the same areas. That will help you determine which areas need to be cleaned most and least often. What areas of your business do you have the most traffic in? Those areas should receive the most attention and if there are not high touch surfaces in those areas, maybe you should just consider doing an occasional fogging of those areas.

You will want to make sure that there is a clear expectation as to who is responsible for making sure the cleaning is done as well as who will be doing the cleaning. Having roles specifically defined, as with any other part of your business, will help the process run more smoothly and will help to make sure that your plan is completed correctly and efficiently.

Make sure that employees are properly trained and understand the safety instructions on the cleaning labels. Also, make sure that employees are trained to use any fogging equipment properly to make sure areas are properly cleaned and to make sure that cleaning products are not being wasted. One of our technicians from SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can come by to do an initial training for your employees if requested.

Maintain and Revise

You will want to make sure you monitor cleaning efforts and evaluate them for effectiveness. Make sure to include employees in charge of overseeing the cleaning and performing the cleaning to get their feedback. You may also want to reach out to customers to ask their opinions. This has the added benefits of letting them know that you are doing the cleaning, that you value their opinion, and could help to identify areas of opportunity to improve your cleaning processes from an outside third party.

Here are some other suggestions to make sure your cleaning plan is properly maintained

1. Make sure new gloves are available for each new cleaning
2. Make sure clean rags are available to use for wipedown cleaning
3. Make sure the cleaning disinfectant product is properly stocked and available
4. Make sure that your electrostatic fogging machine is properly maintained on a regular basis
5. Post the cleaning protocols in an easily accessible place for all employees to see
6. Let clients/customers know about your cleaning protocols.

The last point may seem odd. But there are a couple of good reasons to do this. First, it lets your clients/customers know that the cleaning is happening. Your clients and customers want to know that they are going to be safe in your business. They will be more likely to work with you if they know that their health interests, and the health interests of your employees, are important to you. It could also make sure that the cleaning is being done. You know you have those clients or customers who will make a stink if they see something not being done that should be.

The question we get most often when talking to businesses about the cleaning protocols is how much it will cost the business to implement them. Well, my first question to them is, how much will it cost you not to implement them. Look, I get it. When you are running your business you are doing it to make a profit, hopefully a good profit. I have run several businesses in the past, so I totally get that. So, I would like to pose a few ideas to think of. 

1. How much would it cost the business if employees get sick because the protocols are not in place.
2. How much would it cost the business if clients and customers go elsewhere because they aren’t sure if they feel safe at your business.
3. If it costs you an extra $200 to $300 per week to implement the cleaning protocols, but as a result you either didn’t lose profit from the traffic you have from current clients and customers, or if you were to make an additional $500 per week from new clients and customers who feel safer at your business than your competitors. Would that be worth it to you?

Assessing those questions are all part of maintaining and revising your cleaning plan. I mentioned reaching out to your clients and customers. Creating an active cleaning protocol will also give you marketing material to work with on social media, in house, and don’t discount the effectiveness of snail mail marketing. Let customers know what you are doing. It gives you an opportunity to reach out to current and past customers without trying to sell them something while delivering a message that will make them more likely to want to work with you. 

Your current and prospective clients want to know information about the businesses they use taking this issue seriously. They will be happy to see marketing of this type come across their social feed on in the mailbox. Throw in a coupon to give them an opportunity to stop by and see the results of your cleaning efforts.

If you have questions or would like to know how much a one time or ongoing cleaning would cost on our side for your business, feel free to reach out to us. Call our Covid Cleaning line at (480) 568-4220 to talk with one of our experts. 

We look forward to working with you to help you keep your business clean and growing!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A WATER DAMAGE EMERGENCY

12/4/2020 (Permalink)

"What to do when a water damage emergency strikes"

We're gonna give you guys the scenario that we have to see every day. You come home from work, open up the front door and water gushes out. You take a step in the house and you see that your carpets are wet, there's standing water on your tile or wood floor, what do you do? 

• Step 1 - Stop the Water Source:

  The first thing you should do is try to find where that water is coming from. Was it from a toilet supply line, the refrigerator supply line, a sink pipe, flooding from outside, or something else. Once you locate the cause of the flooding you want to do everything you can to cut off the water source. If the water is coming from a broken pipe or supply line, shut off the main water valve.  You can shut it off at the ankle, stop or the main.

• Step 2 - Call a Water Damage Mitigation Company

  The next thing you should do is call us or another restoration company, get someone out there quickly to reduce the amount of damage done to your property. We’ll let you know what the severity of the damage is when we get there and have a chance to assess the situation.

• Step 3 - Call your Insurance Agent

  Once you get the mitigation services started, it's Time to let your insurance agent know what's going on whether it's the same day or it’s the next day. Give your agent a call to see if it makes sense to file an insurance claim. The mitigation company can sometimes let you know if it makes sense to file an insurance claim, but since they aren’t always familiar with your specific policy it’s best to get a final opinion from your insurance agent. Make sure to ask as many questions as possible. You want to make sure that any work done by the mitigation company is covered by your insurance policy. If it is not you will have to pay for the work out of your pocket. Generally the mitigation should be covered, unless the source of the damage is not covered. For example flood water coming in from the outside or a leak from a pipe that had been continually deteriorating over time and should have been fixed as normal home maintenance. 

• Step 4 - Call Mesa Utilities (480) 644-2221)

  Generally Mesa Utilities will not give a discount on a water bill because of a flood due to a burst pipe or something similar. However, I just spoke with one of their customer service agents and they let me know that there is a new option available to help with billing rates in certain situations. She told me that the affected party would need to call Mesa Utilities to see if their situation qualifies. If it does they will compare 2 consecutive bills (one from the month where the loss happened and the previous month) to see which bill was charged at the lower rate. The amount of water usage billed wouldn’t be changed, but the rate at which it would be billed might be changed. This is only if your property is serviced by Mesa Utilities for water service.

Why Call a Restoration Company First?

Now, at first, it may make sense to  contact your insurance before calling out a water damage mitigation company to work on the water damage. However, the longer it takes to get a mitigation/restoration company out to your property, the more potential there is for damage to build up. If the damage is happening late at night or if your insurance agency has a busy line when you call, it may take a while to get a hold of someone there. So, it’s best to get someone out as quickly as possible. It should reduce the repair costs and should reduce the amount of time it takes to restore your property. That means you get back to business, or back into your home more quickly.

You really want to make sure the mitigation company you are calling is reputable and is not going to overcharge you or your insurance. The quickest way to get that information is by checking out their Google my Business Listing. One of the reasons Google set up the Google my Business system was to make it easier for potential customers and clients to get the most useful information about a business as quickly as possible. In an emergency situation this is extremely important as response time is critical. You can find our Google my Business information at the following link so you can see what information is available: g.page/SERVPROofnorthcentralmesa.

These are the first 4 steps you should take in this situation. In the next few blog posts in this series we will discuss the different types of water mitigation equipment that is used for different types of dry outs and go into more detail about the dry out process from beginning to end. Links will be added to this blog post when those posts are available.

We appreciate the time you took to read this information and hope that it is helpful for you. If you have any specific questions please feel free to call us at our office line (480) 553-7103, email us at SERVPRO9975@gmail.com, send us a message through our Contact Us page, or ask a question through the chat bot in the lower right hand corner.

What to do if you get caught in a house fire

11/2/2020 (Permalink)

2 story house on fire.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET CAUGHT IN A HOUSE FIRE

In the Mesa area the holidays generally see an increase in house fires. Most people would assume that the increase in fires is due to Christmas Trees and Candles catching on fire. While that may be true in other areas, statistics here indicated that the number 1 cause of house fires during the holidays is distracted cooking gone wrong. When a fire breaks out and you are awake people are generally able to react quickly to either get out of the house or stop the fire before it becomes a problem. But what happens when a fire breaks out and you are asleep? The majority of fire deaths occur when fires start when people are sleeping.

Here's the scenario, it's the middle of the night, the fire alarm starts going off. You're startled awake and you notice a slight presence of smoke in the room. What do you do? Well, how slight is slight? If it's slight enough you might try to, get some things. Like some jeans or your comic book collection or something. No, It's imperative not to waste any time, a fire can go from small to huge in a matter of minutes. 

40 years ago you had 17 minutes from the time the fire alarm went off to safely exit the house. Today, that amount of time is down to about three or four minutes.  This is because modern furniture burns quicker because so many items are now made with synthetic materials.

FIND AN EXIT STRATEGY TO GET AWAY FROM THE FIRE

Get to the door. You feel if it's hot with the back of your hand. If it's not hot, you open it. If it’s hot, you don’t open it. Even if it is warm you could run a serious risk by opening it.

Alright, so what are you supposed to do if you can't exit? If you're unable to exit, your best option may be to stay put, stay right where you are. Smoke, in this case, is one of your biggest threats. Fire and smoke in a room diminish oxygen. Under normal conditions the percent of oxygen in the air is roughly 21%. Even when this percentage is just slightly lowered to 16% physical and mental ability become significantly impaired. When available oxygen is estimated to be at about 6 to 7%, death can occur within minutes. But fire won't burn with that low of an oxygen concentration. So at least you won't burn to death. So, just to reiterate, don’t go running through the fire like you see in the movies!

If you are stuck in a room, here are your next steps. You will want to prepare this ahead of time, so hopefully you aren’t reading this while the fire is in the next room. That could be bad.

1. First notify responders
2. Next focus on sealing out the smoke. 

You will want to have foil, duct tape, and a wet towel. If you aren’t able to use a wet towel, use a dry one. Lay the towel against the bottom crevice of the door. Use the foil and tape to cover the air vents and cracks. And you can hold a damp cloth against your face to help filter smoke. - 

WHAT TO DO IF THE FIRE ENTERS THE ROOM YOU ARE IN

Alright so now the fire is in the room, we can feel the heat, we have nowhere else to go. What are you supposed to do? - Well, in dire situations, a window may also serve as an exit. If the window is stuck and you feel compelled to break the window, please be mindful, this is incredibly dangerous. It may sound like fun, but it’s very dangerous. This type of scene may seem movie-like and exciting, but it's actually your last resort. Ideally you want to aim to take preemptive measures so a situation like this does not occur in the first place.  

So if you’re at this point you're in serious trouble. There have been situations where someone panicked, broke the window, cut his wrist, and actually bled out by the time they were found. There are a few safety measures to keep in mind. First, find a cloth and wrap your hands. Second, find a blunt object to break the window with. Break the window and safely clear the window frame of glass before exiting the room through the window.

After you have escaped the house, if you have exited through a first floor window, you will want to get away from the house to safety. If you are exiting through the second story get off of the roof as quickly and safely as possible. Again, hopefully you are reading this before an emergency happens and you can prepare ahead of time by getting a ladder that can be hooked to the window similar to the First Alert Store Steel Fire Escape Ladder. After you have gotten safely away from the house fire, call first responders at 9-1-1 as soon as possible if you haven’t already.

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE SMOKE SETTLES

After the first responders have put the fire out, the next stage begins. Dealing with your insurance, restoration companies, and the hotel stays. I remember when I was younger and our house caught on fire that the hotel stay for a month was like a vacation. I loved it. When talking with my parents about the experience, they had less than fond memories. More often than not, you will also have independent adjusters knocking on your door trying to “get you what you deserve from your insurance company.” We will be doing a separate blog post about the positives and negatives of using private adjusters in another blog post. We will add the link here when it is live. But, before you sign anything, talk with your insurance adjuster and at least 2 other restoration companies. (We would prefer that we were one of them!) 

The recovery will be a very stressful ordeal and you want to make sure you are working with someone you feel comfortable with. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s emergency line is available 24 hours a day and is answered by someone who actually works from the local office here in Mesa, AZ. Feel free to give us a call any time so we can answer any questions you have before a fire happens, or afterwards.

Arizona Volunteers Heading to Louisiana for Hurricane Delta

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

Path of Hurricane Delta

Hurricane Delta Volunteers from Arizona

Arizona volunteers are stationed in Louisiana ready to help at a moment's notice. Some have already been there for weeks, helping people there get by other storms. As hurricane delta violently lash the gulf coast last week,  Arizonans with a determination to serve have been leaving the sunny weather of our state to help thousands facing life-or-death situations.  One family in Louisiana has gone through this three times now in 15 years they lost three homes completely, and because they're on the coast, they don't have insurance. This is something I dealt with when I lived out in Florida right outside of Tampa Bay. We were unable to find any insurance that would cover flooding issues. Luckily, the neighborhood we lived in didn’t get hit with flooding as much because we lived off of a lake that usually absorbed the runoff. But I personally knew a lot of people in our area who had flooding issues that had to cover effects of the flooding out of their own pockets. 

Stories of heartbreak and pain from previous year’s storms have prompted more than 100 Arizonans to be ready at a moment’s notice to travel to other states to help out through volunteer work opportunities with the American Red Cross. Steve and Patty Larsen are among some of those volunteers who left on a 2 week volunteer trip with the American Red Cross to help. Steve and Patty are spending retirement heading into disasters for the sake of strangers was the right decision. 

One issue they are having back east is that they are not able to house everyone in large stadiums because of the COVID19 Pandemic. In the past the had been able to put thousands of people in a large area and keep them in cots. But the global pandemic has changed all of that. The Larsons are in New Orleans volunteering for the Red Cross, helping to tend to the needs of hundreds now evacuated to more than three dozen hotels across the area. A lot of the businesses are boarded up already. The city employees drove around with sandbags and equipment to help people buckle down for Hurricane Delta. 

This was just the latest disaster in a vicious storm season, homes and buildings still boarded up and covered with tarps throughout Louisiana, after Hurricane Laura tore through in late August. “There have been a sequence of gulf storms that seem to be hitting the same immediate area,” (Michael Young of Phoenix AZ who has volunteered with the red cross for seven years.) He said they have about 13,000 people in hotels in the gulf area from Hurricane Laura. 

With so much to do with too few hands on deck there's just not enough volunteers to take Care of the need down there. According to Michael Young, they are down two-thirds of the volunteers than they would normally have and hopes others will follow their lead and head to www.redcross.org to donate their time to help others in need.

SERVPRO has several franchises helping out in the area hit by Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta. SERVPRO has a large Storm Response and Disaster Recovery team ready at a moments notice to mobilize around any storm event in any location to help get residents affected by natural disasters get back into their homes and businesses as quickly as possible.

Hoverboard Causes Fire Damage in Mesa AZ Home

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

Hoverboard on Fire

Hoverboards cause Fire Damage in Mesa AZ Home

Just earlier this year, we got a call to a house in Mesa where a house fire had consumed everything in the garage but was luckily stopped before entering the home. Originally, it was thought that the fire was caused by faulty wiring in the solar panel setup. With more investigation it was found that a hoverboard in the garage actually started the fire. If the family in the house and first responders hadn’t acted quickly the whole house would have been a loss. Last year we responded to an apartment fire (also in Mesa AZ) where a similar type motorized scooter started a fire.

They certainly look like a lot of fun, but hoverboards carry a hidden danger and it's made headlines in recent years. In 2016 hoverboards were to blame for two fires in the Nashville area. One fire nearly killed two children.The family has been urging anyone who has a hoverboard to be very careful since their house fire. January 6th of 2019 was supposed to be a normal day for the Fox family. They were getting lunch when they got the text messages that flames and smoke were ripping through their home. When they got home, they kicked in the doors, and Brian Fox thought he was going to lose two of my four children today.He said, “it was just so painful.” 

Two of their older children were trapped with no option but to jump out of a second-story window into the hands of their father. Mr Fox stated, “I was just begging her, yelling at her, Please jump baby, please jump.” The family is all safe, but they urge parents of children who own the hoverboards to be careful because of the destruction it caused to their lives.

Nashville firefighters say this melted hoverboard is to blame for the blaze. The Foxes say it was a Christmas present for their son, a present that destroyed almost everything. The parents say they did their research and even talked to friends before buying the toy, but now the family is figuring out how to move on in how to rebuild. Ironically, a family friend of the Foxes also had their hoverboard catch fire. Thankfully, this one was just a small fire. The Nashville State Fire Marshal has warning families not to leave a hoverboard unattended while it's, charging

There has been enough of an issue with hoverboards starting fires that the United States Product safety commission has a page on their website dedicated to Hoverboard safety issues. You can find that information here: US CPSC Hoverboard Safety.

Here are the 4 most important safety tips they outline for hoverboard safety:

1. Check for recalls. Go to: www.CPSC.gov to see if the hoverboard has been recalled. Stop using a recalled hoverboard immediately and contact the manufacturer for the remedy.
2. Only charge a hoverboard when you are there to watch it.
3. Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside sleeping areas and inside each bedroom.
4. Report incidents involving hoverboards overheating, smoking, or starting fires to CPSC at: www.Saferproducts.gov.

2020 Holiday Fire Safety Tips for Mesa AZ Residents

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

Christmas Tree on Fire

2020 Holiday Fire Safety Information

The holiday season is coming up and it is important to remember a few things during the Holiday season to help prevent a house fire here in Mesa AZ. It’s my favorite time of the year, but unfortunately it's the time a year when fires go up. That's right. Especially accidental fires. So we're gonna talk about a few things here to help keep you and your family safe.

So let's start with candles. The candle market has exploded the past 10 years. Everyone uses them. Decoratively, to scent their houses, or as gifts. Everybody loves candles. But we have to use them safely. So here's a quick tip for candles, especially during the holiday time of year. If you don't use them a lot. You want to put something down like tin foil, something non-combustible. What does that mean? It means it's not going to burn. OK, we want to catch the wax but we also put a layer between the candle and something that's going to burn.

So if we do something simple like that, we can put our candles out in a tray or something, on top of our tin foil. Then you can dress them up. 

Here are some things you want to keep in mind when using candles during the holidays:

1. The one thing we don't want to do is we don't want to put our candles near drapery.
2. We don't want to put them near the curtains or other furnishings.
3. We want to have what's called a three foot ring of safety around our lit candles all the time. Always keep three feet between the candle and anything flammable.

During Christmas time most people in the Mesa AZ area like to put up a Christmas tree. We're all very proud of our tree. It's a great family tradition. We love to decorate it. We love to display it, but there's a few things we need to know. 

1. First of all where we put the tree. We don't want to put the tree anywhere where it's going to block our path to get out in case of an emergency.
2. The second thing is, we don't want to have our tree near anything that gets hot. So we don't want to put it in the front window for the neighbors to see, if that's where the radiator is. We don't wanna put it next to the fireplace, although that makes a great picture for our Christmas card, that's not the best place to put the tree either. We don't want to have this tree dry out.
3. A dry Christmas tree will burn in 30 seconds. It's devastating. They make turpentine out of pine trees. It's very flammable once it's dried out, think of that on fire.  
4. Keep them watered, for goodness sake. 
5. Talk to your tree. Communicate with your tree, OK? Come over every once in a while during the season. And check the tree needles. When these needles start falling off, you're getting in a dangerous situation.

Christmas lights. OK, we love our lights. Actually some of us hate our lights. Well... You hate them when they look like a mess and are all tangled up, right?! It's very important, before you put them back on the tree, or on our home, to go through them.  You want to inspect them. You want to go through to make sure there are no exposed wires, no frayed wires, and no broken bulbs. These issues can cause a shock hazard and a fire hazard. So very carefully inspect the whole string. When we put them on, don't put more than three strings together. Don't cheat. Keep it down to three strings plugged in together.

You'll be OK. Also, you want to make sure you buy the lights at a reputable store. When it comes to electrical appliances, Christmas lights, anything like that, get them from a reputable place. And make sure that it has a marking that says UL on the back. It means they've been tested for the use that they're designed for. As long as you maintain them they'll be safe forever. Buy the good Christmas lights and maintain them.

If you have questions about a potential fire safety issue, feel free to reach out to one of our fire safety experts here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at (480) 553-7103. If you are on a mobile device and want to send a message, send us a message through our Google my Business listing at g.page/SERVPROofnorthcentralmesa. Of course, if there is a fire, call 911 and then give us a call. We can be there on the tails of the first responders ready to support you. 

How to Properly Clean your Rain Gutters to Avoid Storm Water Damage

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

Dirty Rain Gutter Buildup from Tree Leaves

Potential Water Damage from Rain Gutter Buildup

We have had some relatively mild monsoon seasons here in Mesa AZ over the past 2 years. The obvious issue that comes along with that are lack of water issues for plants, trees, etc. Not to mention the increased fire risk issues. One thing that may get overlooked, though, is the water damage risk that is due to build up in rain gutters. Usually, regular rainfall will clean out the rain gutter system of tree leave, small branches, dirt and other debris. When water from rainfall doesn’t clean that system out and the rain gutters become full it causes a risk of water overflow that can cause roof damage and water damage from water overflow in parts of the rain gutter system that become dammed up. In order to avoid this situation the rain gutters should be cleaned out at least yearly.

In this blog post we're going to cover how to clean your gutters properly and safely. Being the key and the things that you'll need to clean them.

Rain Gutter Cleaning Process

1. First, you're going to need a good set of gloves. 
2. Second, you're going to need yourself a good ladder depending on the height of the gutters. That will depend on the size of your ladder
3. The third thing you're going to need one of the most important things is going to be that ladder stabilizer, the stabilizer that we have up.
4.  The last thing you're going to need is a five-gallon bucket with something like a paint hook to attach it to the ladder so both of your hands are free..

For the ladder stabilizer you will want to get something similar to a corner buddy that stabilizes the ladder to the roof. It bolts onto the ladder, so it doesn't make a difference if the feet kick out on the ladder or if the latter slides left or right. With that stabilizer being up there, it's going to eliminate the risk of the ladder slipping out or going to the left or the right it keeps it secure up there. That's going to be the most important thing.

So, what you'll do. Is you get your bucket then you can hook it onto the ladder with a paint hook to free up both of your hands.So once you get your bucket, your hook, and your gloves, you're going up your ladder. (Make sure it is a nice strong and secure ladder.) Then you will just scoop the debris out of the rain gutter with a gloved hand and put it into the bucket. After you have gotten out all of the debris you are able to remove with your hand, you can use a brush to clean it further. The rain gutter doesn’t need to be immaculately clean, just clean enough to allow water to flow through easily. When you are done with the area that you are able to reach safely, get down off the ladder, move it over and start scooping again and keep going until the whole gutter is clean.

How to Avoid Water Damage Issues While on Vacation

10/16/2020 (Permalink)

How to Avoid a Water Damage Issue While on Vacation

How to Avoid Vacation Water Damage Disasters while you're Away

So, the 2020 Holiday season is coming. With the crazy year we have had, assuming there isn’t a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, you might find yourself traveling to see family, or just to get away from civilization for a while. Either way, if you will be leaving your home or business for a while, there are a few things you will want to think about before leaving to avoid a possible water damage issue while you are gone. If a pipe leaks or bursts while you are away, water can destroy carpets, furniture, and even compromise the structural integrity of your home or building.

5 Water Damage Prevention Tips

1. So here are some tips to help. You put your mind at ease, while you are away. 
2. Check the pipes under all the sinks, as well as your water heater for cracks and rust. Inspect the hoses that connect to your washing machine dishwashers and refrigerator ice-maker.
3. Replace any old or damaged hoses.
4. Clear all debris out of your rain gutters and check for downspouts for any blockage. 
5. If you have a sump pump check that it's in good condition. Also, ask someone to check your house periodically, while you are gone. Show them where the main water shutoff is located in case a pipe leaks or bursts. We strongly suggest turning off valves to washers, sinks, and toilets.

We hope you have a safe holiday and that you return to your home exactly as you left it. Using the Free Ready App developed by SERVPRO to help prepare for an emergency is a great way to prepare ahead of time. You can check out a video we made about the app and how you can use it in your home emergency preparation plan here: SERVPRO Ready App for Emergency Preparedness

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is here to help 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Call us at (480) 553-7103 for any questions you have or if you have a water damage issue you need help with. We work will all insurance companies and direct pay customers. If you are on a mobile device you can also send us a message through our Google My Business listing at the following link: g.page/SERVPROofnorthcentralmesa

How to Replace a Toilet Supply line to Avoid a Water Damage issue in San Tan Valley and Mesa AZ

10/14/2020 (Permalink)

Replacement Toilet Supply Line Specification Tag

How to Change your Toilet Supply to Avoid a Water Damage Issue

One of the worst things that can happen in a bathroom is a water leak, especially at the toilet or at the bathroom faucets. So in today’s blog, we’re going to give you tips on how to replace the bathroom water supply lines for both the toilet and the sink and to do it without having to worry about any leaks. We are called out to water damage issues in Mesa, AZ and San Tan Valley quite frequently for losses due to supply line issues, so we wanted to make sure you had the information you need to avoid having your own water loss.

So for toilets, obviously, the water supply line is right behind the bowl and underneath the tank, and there are two points where they leak. Point number one is the connection between the water supply line and the shut-off valve. The second place where it leaks is where it connects to the fill valve of the toilet. Now, believe it or not, these water supply lines should be switched out every ten years because they do go bad. But if you live in an area where homes were put together real quickly and the construction was a little questionable, you might want to check it more often. And we highly recommend that you stick with steel braided water supply lines because of their strength and durability. 

Step 1: Turn off the Water

The first thing you need to do is to turn the water off at the water supply line. And it doesn’t hurt to get a container and put it directly underneath where the fill valve is located. Typically, toilet supply lines are only hand-tight up against the fill valve of the toilet tank. So if that’s the case, you’ll be able to turn it clockwise if you’re looking down from the toilet tank. You can also use a set of pliers or channel locks if this is not hand-tight. Then, you will want to empty any water from the water supply line down into the container. 

Step 2: Remove the Supply Line

Next, use pliers or a crescent wrench to remove the old supply line from the shut-off valve. Best thing to do is to take the old water supply line with you to the home store to make sure you get the right supply line. Again, we suggest getting a steel-braided supply line. We highly recommend this because they’re more durable than the other types. 

There are four things to look for on the supply line tag tag when you go to your home store. 

1. First, Look to make sure it has the correct connection. For example, if your current toilet setup has a click seal connection, you will want to look for a “click seal toilet” water connector.
2. Second, you will want to make sure the connection is the right size connection (?”, etc)
3. Thirst you will want to make sure it is the right length
4. Finally, you need to know the compression fitting size that connects up with your shut-off valve.

Step 3: Installing the new supply line

The connection that goes up against your fill valve works just like a gas cap. So you’re going to twist it on, you’ll hear the click, and you’ll know that it’s sealed properly. So there’s no guessing. You’re going to attach the click seal water supply line at the shut-off valve first. So just thread it on by hand, and then tighten it until it’s nice and snug, but it doesn’t have to be too tight. Then you’re going to tighten the top connection until we hear the click so you know it’s tight enough.

Then all you need to do is turn the water back on at the shut-off valve. Finally, you just want to check and see if there are any leaks at this point and down at the shut-off valve, and when you see that there are none, you are good to go.

If you’re not sure what size fitting you have between the shut-off valve and the end of the water supply line, there’s a kit that you can get. It’s called the Universal Click Seal toilet connector kit. It comes with three different fittings—one, two, three—that fit into the water supply line. The gold fitting is 3/8”. The black fitting 7/16”. And the silver fitting is ½”. The fittings are really easy to use. You just need to determine which one you need for your shut-off valve. For example, if your shut-off is ½”, you take the silver adaptor and you thread it into the metal nut of your water supply line. Now, the cool thing is you can get the same universal click seal kit for water faucet supply lines. So just keep that in mind if you’re going to be searching for those at the store. 

For water faucet supply lines, it does help to have certain tools. You will want to have a basin wrench. Basically, if you’ve never used one of these before, it can reach up underneath the sink here, and it can grab onto the existing water faucet supply line that’s connected to the faucet.

Check your Sink Supply lines as well 

Start this by turning off the water supply at the shut-off. By the way, if you have a bad shut-off valve, well post another blog post on how to replace them. So again, the water supply lines should be replaced every ten years, and where they leak most is at the connection or at the connection with the shut-off valve or up at this connection between the faucet and the supply line. We find it helpful to slide the basin wrench up along the existing supply line and put it right on top of the nut. And then you can turn it counter-clockwise to loosen the nut that’s up against the bottom of the faucet. Then remove the rest of the nut by hand. It’s really easy to do this once you get the hang of it, but sometimes it takes a while. So again, just use a crescent wrench to loosen this nut that’s connected to the shut-off valve. Any time you see rust or corrosion on these supply lines, that’s a sure sign that you should replace these. A lot of the time the sink supply lines will have a tag that shows how long the supply line is along with the fittings it has. Hopefully the print on the tag is still legible on yours when you go to replace it. You can also use a click seal supply line to replace the sink supply line as well. What’s nice with these is you don’t need any tools to attach this to either the shut-off valve or the faucet. So, no tools necessary. 

You’ll want to tighten this onto the shut-off valve by hand. This part will not make the clicking sound, so you’re just tightening this until it won’t go any further by hand, but you don’t need any tools. Next, do the faucet connection and you will hear the clicking sound once it’s tight enough. Okay, now you just need to turn the water on and check your connections. So if there are no leaks you are good to go.

As I said in the beginning, these water supply lines, when they go bad, can be a real nightmare. We deal with these issues all of the time and they are one of the most common reasons we have seen that people have a water loss in their home. So hopefully these tips will help you out. 

If you have any questions, let us know. Feel free to send us a message through our Google my business listing at g.page/SERVPROofnorthcentralmesa (Make sure to use the mobile app with the message function) or call us at (480) 553-7103 and we will be more than happy to assist you with any questions you have.

I’d be happy to answer your questions. Take care. 

Commercial Mold Removal and Remediation in Mesa, AZ

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

Mold Removal and Remediation Services in Mesa Arizona

When You Suspect Mold in Your Mesa Business, You Can Count on SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for Mold Remediation Services

Mold is never something you want to leave ignored, whether you suspect it in your home or commercial space. Once you feel that you might have a mold infestation within your business, you must have the space assessed as quickly as possible. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Professionals have the training necessary to locate areas where mold is colonizing so that we can begin moisture detection and cleanup protocols. We work fast to make sure your business suffers as little downtime as possible so you can stay on track with your business goals.

Do I Need Mold Inspection & Removal?

Contamination from the mold is a growing concern for all kinds of businesses in the Mesa AZ area. If you suspect that you have mold colonizing anywhere within your commercial space, it is vital that you contact the professionals for a mold inspection in Mesa. To have a hygienist come to actually test for mold could cost anywhere from $300 to $600. So you want to have someone who has training to deal with mold come do a basic mold inspection of the area to check to see if it is necessary to spend the money on having a hygienist come test your facility.

Mold is a fungus that flourishes in damp places and is known to grow in just about any area with moist conditions. Left unaddressed, mold can lead to potential health effects and harm your business's structural integrity. SERVPRO technicians have the necessary training to handle mold remediation. Our crew takes the time required to identify mold growth carefully to work on a plan for removal and sanitization.

What Should I Know About Mold?

Business owners need to know that some restoration entities will advertise their services as 'mold removal' in Mesa AZ. However, the idea of completely removing mold from your business is not possible and not even ideal. Every commercial building contains microscopic mold spores, so it is important that you know some of the facts:

• Mold is everywhere, both inside and outside of buildings.
• Mold thrives in moist environments and quickly colonizes when spores are exposed to water. When this happens, the mold colonies can bring on health effects and do serious damage to building structures.
• Microscopic in nature, mold spores travel through the air and often enter into commercial buildings through doors, windows, HVAC systems, or on the clothing of people who enter your business.
• When a significant amount of mold is present, you may start to notice a strong, musty odor.
• It is essential that moisture or standing water areas get cleared up before mold remediation services can begin. Without this step, mold can quickly return.
• It is best to note that higher humidity levels can create the ultimate atmosphere for mold growth. It is suggested that the indoor humidity of your building is kept lower than 45%. Luckily, in Arizona, we don’t have the same moisture issues as states like Florida or Alabama. However, that also means Arizonans are less likely to think about it and neglect it.

What are the signs of Mold I should look for?

One of the reasons that mold damage goes undetected is that it is usually hidden and hard to find. Should you have one or more of the following issues, you can contact SERVPRO of North Central Mesa to start the inspection process:

• Problems with your HVAC system
• Recent water damage or flooding
• Leaks from burst pipes or machinery
• Noticeable musty odors
• Water stains or discoloration on ceilings or walls

In some instances, there could also be damage to the structure of your Mesa AZ commercial space. Mold is known to grow on and eventually destroy materials such as:

• Drywall
• HVAC systems
• Gutters
• Foundations
• Roofing
• Furnishings, and more

What Equipment is Used for Mold Remediation?

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s IICRC-certified technicians are trained to handle a variety of moisture-related situations for both residential and commercial customers. When you call us in for mold remediation, we have a broad range of tools and equipment we use to remediate mold for your business. We are always upgrading our diagnostic and testing equipment to ensure we have the latest technology to help provide the best mold assessments possible; This includes:

• Infrared Cameras –these tools are excellent for detecting hidden pockets of moisture, leading to toxic mold.
• Digital Moisture Meters –this equipment provides us with the actual moisture percentage so that our crew can verify whether or not the surface in question supports toxic mold growth.
• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Meters –these devices help record essential air quality metrics to give us a clear picture of your indoor conditions' commercial space.

SERVPRO is the team to call when you need help with professional mold remediation services so that your business is back on track:

• We work fast to assess the potential mold damage, then create a mold remediation plan suited for your unique situation. This helps to keep recovery costs down. That is why so many insurance companies have national agreements with us.
• Our crew chief keeps you informed every step of the way, letting you know if it is best to call in an Industrial Hygienist (IH) expert to test for mold spores within your structure.
• We help by assessing, inspecting, and then remediating the mold by removing any contaminated materials. We then scrape off any thin layers of spore growth followed by the application of EPA-registered antimicrobial agents.

SERVPRO of Mesa is available when you need mold inspection and remediation at your place of business. You can reach us by calling (480) 553-7103, and we make it "Like it never even happened."

Smoke and Fire Odor Removal in Mesa Arizona

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke and Fire Odor Removal Services in Mesa Arizona

Eliminate Smoke Odors With SERVPRO’s Unique Deodorization Approach.   

Smoke and burning odors are often among the most noticeable post-fire obstacles present in Mesa AZ homes and businesses. Failure to adequately address and eliminate these odors can have homeowners dealing with recurring issues whenever temperature shifts cause drywall and other porous materials to become temporarily more permeable. Using Thermal fogging equipment is often the best solution to address these concerns.  

Fire damage in Mesa AZ to residential and commercial properties has been at a higher risk the past couple of years because the summer monsoon seasons have had record lows in terms of rainfall which usually keep temperatures down. You are probably aware that we broke a heatwave record with 50 days over 110 degrees this summer. This has caused the potential for fires to significantly increase. Now, add to that the fact that we have spent so much more time at home this year because of COVID19 and people are doing dumb things because they are bored (You should hear some of the situations we come across.). It’s been a good year for fire restoration companies, not so good for business and homeowners. (Unless you were already looking for a remodel…)  Addressing odors is often one of the final steps to restoration and recovery due to a fire damage to a residential or commercial property. While hydroxyl generators and ozone machines have their place in odor removal and neutralization, thermal foggers are often most heavily used for several reasons:  

• More Coverage – Thermal Foggers create a mist or vapor of a potent deodorization product. Because of that, we can utilize a single machine to address a large sized area. The fog created can spread out from the handheld device and neutralize harsh odor molecules on contact.  

• Highly Mobile – Even though thermal foggers are great for large areas, they are lightweight tools, are handheld, and versatile in smaller spaces as well. They can quickly sweep over the entire house.  

• Addresses Embedded Odors – By creating a vapor from our unique deodorizing compound, high permeance materials like drywall and ceiling tiles can be accessible to the gaseous product to eliminate trapped odors in structural elements.  

Are you Worried about your Odor-Damaged Contents? 

 Your personal belongings can also hold on to harsh odors from smoke and fire. It is usually more desirable to restore these items on-site. However,  we must often relocate them temporarily to our SERVPRO facility and run them through our ozone chamber to deodorize multiple contents simultaneously. 

No matter how widespread and concentrated odor concerns might be after a fire, thermal fogging can often address the majority of these concerns. Let our SERVPRO of North Central Mesa team help you make fire losses, "Like it never even happened." Call us today at (480) 553-7103. 

Prepare for an Emergency with SERVPRO's Free ERP App

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

Prepare for an Emergency with SERVPRO's Emergency Ready Plan App. (ERP)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Recognizes National Preparedness Month with a Reminder to Residential and Commercial Property Owners:

“Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.”

SERVPRO offers a no-cost tools to help property owners prepare a comprehensive emergency readiness plan

September is National Preparedness Month, an annual event sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to raise awareness about the importance of preparing—in advance—for unexpected emergencies. In support of this initiative, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, encourages Mesa AZ property owners to take the following 3 steps now to protect their families, homes, and businesses for the aftermath of a disaster.

1. Review and update your emergency preparedness plan, including business and life continuity plans. If you are unfamiliar with and/or don’t yet have a plan, use the tools provided by FEMA to get started.
2. Collect and store time-critical information, like the location of shutoff valves, fire suppression system controls, and emergency contact numbers electronically, where it is immediately available to assist first responders.
3. Store important vital paper documents in watertight/fire proof containers.

Because SERVPRO knows the time to create a disaster readiness plan is before you need it, they have developed the SERVPRO Emergency READY Program to help business owners create an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) for their facility, at no charge.

“Evacuation plans and emergency supply kits help you survive a disaster, but a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan helps you recover from a disaster,” said Williams. “The most effective response to any emergency is a fast response. That’s why having critical systems and contact information at your fingertips is so important. A quick and effective response helps minimize repairs and downtime, helping both businesses and families get back on track in less time, with less stress.”

SERVPRO offers tools for both commercial and residential property owners to help them minimize damage and recover quickly from emergencies. The SERVPRO READY app stores essential contact and property information electronically where it can be accessed with a mobile device in seconds if disaster strikes. Both home and business owners can download the free app at https://ready.SERVPRO.com/home/mobileapp. Local business owners can take an additional preparedness step by designating SERVPRO of North Central Mesa as their disaster mitigation and restoration provider. SERVPRO professionals will conduct a no-cost assessment of the facility and assist the owner in completing a comprehensive Emergency READY Profile® (ERP) and storing that profile in the READY app.

“Rapid response from a disaster cleanup and restoration specialist can help the property owner evaluate options, start the insurance process, and take the right steps from the beginning to bring their property back to normal,” said Williams. “Even in the confusion and panic that often surround a disaster, a property owner or manager using the SERVPRO READY app can reach out for expert help right from the scene, using a cell phone.”

SERVPRO® of North Central Mesa specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO® of North Central Mesa, please contact our office Staff at (480) 553-7103 or email: SERVPRO9975@gmail.com. For more information on SERVPRO® and the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Program, please contact the marketing (480) 382-7039 at marketing@SERVPRO.email

About SERVPRO®

SERVPRO was founded in 1967. The SERVPRO® Franchise System is a leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. It is the most recognized name in the restoration industry nationwide. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 1,700 individually owned and operated Franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss events. Providing coverage in the United States and Canada, the SERVPRO® System has established relationships with many of the major insurance companies as well as many nationwide and local commercial clients.

National Preparedness Month 2020

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

September 2020 is National Emergency Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month

This year for National Preparedness Month, join your community in preparing for emergencies and disasters of all types and leading efforts to encourage the community as a whole to become more prepared. “Disasters happen” and cannot only devastate individuals and neighborhoods but entire communities.

It's not always the natural events that you have to worry about. Sometimes you have something like COVID19 hit out of the blue that catches pretty much everyone by surprise. Here are some things you can do to be prepared. 

Make and practice your Emergency Plan

Do you have an evacuation and Sheltering Place plan? Do you have a plan to communicate with your family before, during, and after an incident? Do you have an emergency supply kit?

Is your plan written out? Is it somewhere easily accessible? Make sure your family or employees are informed about and have practiced with your emergency plan. Be sure to sign up for alerts and warnings for your area and download other necessary apps to stay informed, such as the FEMA app. 

If you are in areas where the weather is a constant threat you might want to consider using windy.com to track your local weather. Their website and Android/IOS Apps have a ton of information and are easy to use.

Learn life-saving skills

1. Do you or someone in your family know CPR? 
2. Could you turn off your natural gas if necessary? 
3. Do you know how to take cover in an earthquake? 

Knowing these life-saving skills could mean life or death in an emergency situation for you, your family, or your neighbors.

Check your insurance coverage

Have you reviewed your insurance coverage recently to see if you're covered in a disaster? Evaluate which hazards are relevant to your area and obtain the appropriate insurance for your home business and other property and become familiar with your coverage.

Save for an emergency

Are you prepared financially in case of a disaster? Does your family have an emergency fund for unexpected expenses after a fire? Check out email emergency Financial first aid kit for an in-depth document to help you identify and compile important documents and account information on all in one spot. Just search EFFAK on fema.gov for the free PDF.

Financial resources aren't the only thing you should think about saving for a rainy day. Having food storage is another great way to prepare for an unforeseen disaster or pandemic. We will have a followup article specifically addressing ways to prepare food storage that is really useful.

Whether it's a flood, fire, or extreme winter weather, we must work together as a team to help ensure our family, businesses, places of worship, and neighborhoods are prepared. Contact SERVPRO North Central Mesa to find out how we can help make it “Like it never even happened,” in your life.

How to stay safe during the 2020 Monsoon season in Mesa AZ

8/18/2020 (Permalink)

Mesa AZ 2020 Dust Storm from a Monsoon

Monsoon season officially started in 2020 on June 15th. This week we are finally starting to see it raise its ugly head. Twice this week Maricopa and Pinal counties have been hit by mostly nighttime monsoon winds gusts accompanied by the lightning lighting up the sky that kept my youngest son up way too late last night. There doesn’t look like there will be much of a reprieve from the heat and nighttime storms any time this week. Luckily there doesn’t seem to be much of a risk of flash flooding because the actual rainfall has not been very high and is not expected to increase either.

Usually, monsoon worries are surrounded by thoughts of property damage and flooding. In this case, the winds are definitely an issue and could very easily cause damage to residential or commercial properties. But the main concern, with the current record heatwave, is the potential of the high winds from the storms to damage properties to the point to where they are not able to be climate controlled or damaging utility lines that supply neighborhoods with power. If that happens, there could be a lot of families with spoiled refrigerator and freezer food and no way to keep themselves cool from the heat.

So, what can you do to be prepared? First of all, If you have damage to your property, call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa right away at (480) 553-7103. Next, Be informed with the following resources.

Maricopa County Heat Relief, Cooling station location maps:

1. Maricopa County Heat Relief Map
2. ASU Resilient Infrastructure Lab Heat Relief and Cooling Station Map

(ASU’s RIL Map is great because it contains address and phone number information so you can call ahead to verify their availability to assist you. 

Interactive Maps from the National Weather Service

Phoenix/Mesa AZ Monsoon Threat Index:  https://www.weather.gov/psr/

Phoenix/Mesa AZ Interactive Live Radar Map: https://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=iwa&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=no

Phoenix AZ Current Conditions and Upcoming Weather alerts:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=33.44825000000003&lon=-112.07579999999996#.Xzw6T-hKgkk

Mesa-East Valley AZ Current Conditions and Upcoming Weather Alerts:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=33.417&lon=-111.8315#.Xzw5yuhKgkk

National Weather Service Social Media

Mesa Area Local Social Profiles for the National Weather Service

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSPhoenix/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NWSPhoenix

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NWSPhoenix 

Exhaust Vents Are Household Fire Hazards

8/10/2020 (Permalink)

Dirty bathroom and laundry room ceiling vents can be a huge fire hazard.

Bathroom and Laundry Room Vents - Hidden Household Fire Hazards

There are a lot of things that new homeowners are not taught when buying a new home. Most of those issues have to deal with routine maintenance of the home. Recently, we have had a few fire restoration jobs from Mesa Arizona that came in relatively close together where the cause of the fire was the bathroom/laundry room vents. Not something you hear about every day. Personally, we bought our house around 10 years ago and we haven’t ever really thought about cleaning the vents in our bathrooms or laundry room. We did put up some wire mesh around them though to prevent scorpions from getting through. But, never thought about cleaning them out. Until I started working with SERVPRO that is. There are a lot of things we do differently now.

Most people are not aware that dirty air ducts can be a fire hazard. Also, a lot of people don’t know that an insurance claim for a fire started by maintenance neglect will generally not be covered. So, this is important! Dust, lint, and other materials could serve as an ignition if the fan gets too hot. Here in Arizona, especially during the summer, that can be a huge hazard. 

Cleaning your air vents out is not really hard to do. It does take some time and dust can get everywhere. So you will want to wear some eye protection and should wear a mask. Of course, most people are wearing masks everywhere nowadays anyway. So a mask should be easy to find laying around. Below we will discuss the steps to cleaning your air vent and some of the tools you will want to have on hand.

1. Put on protective gear such as eye protection and a mask. Dust and dirt will be stirred up during the process and you really don’t want that getting into your eyes or airways. Wearing gloves might be a good idea as well, though not really necessary.
2. Take the vent cover off of the vent. This can seem a little tricky. Sometimes, if the vent was placed prior to any painting that has been done on the ceiling, there could be a slight bond there at the edges. Usually slightly shifting the vent cover back and forth will break that. Sometimes using a flathead screwdriver to slightly move it will also work.
3. When you are pulling the vent cover down, do it gently as there are spring clamps holding the vent cover in place. If you bring the cover down a little you will see them. Squeeze the sides of the clamp together to release them and then remove the vent cover. You might want to look up a youtube video showing that done. It sounds easy, but it makes more sense when you have actually seen it done.
4. Next you will want to find the power plug and pull it out so it doesn’t accidentally turn on somehow while you are in the process of cleaning or removing the vent. Trust me, that could cause all kinds of issues.
5. Now you have a decision to make. It really depends on how clean you want to get your vent. You could clean it in place or remove it to clean it more thoroughly. If you choose to clean it in place you will want to use a vacuum cleaner hose attachment, a rag, q tips, and cleaning solution. Obviously, if you take the vent out you will have better access to clean the nooks and crannies. I would suggest cleaning your vents by removing the whole vent. But cleaning it out without removing it is better than not doing it at all, and you don’t have to worry about having fun putting the vent back up into place.

You should consider cleaning your vents around ever 6 months or at least once a year. Sometimes people are under the impression that if they have someone come out to clean their air ducts, that is covered as well. While it is a good idea to have your air ducts cleaned, they do not clean your vents at the same time. 

Doing these kinds of routine household maintenance chores may seem like a pain to deal with. However, they could really pay off in the long run if it helps you avoid a fire in your home.

Water Damage Restoration job in San Tan Valley AZ

7/30/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa water damage restoration equipment

Water Damage Restoration Job in San Tan Valley

Last week we had a water damage restoration job we were working on out in San Tan Valley. The cause of loss actually occurred around 3 months ago, right when everything started getting shut down due to the COVID19 issue. Somehow the pipe underneath their kitchen sink broke and water started shooting out from underneath the sink. Luckily they were home because everyone was home, and they caught the issue before it got too serious. Or so they thought. 

In response to the pipe break they turned off the water main outside, cleaned up the water that had flowed into the kitchen, dining room, and living room and fixed the pipe. Everything felt dry, and the fixed pipe seemed to be working well. They thought they were in the clear and avoided a potentially huge disaster. 

But Wait… There’s More!

Fast forward 3 months, they noticed some discoloration on the sink cabinet while looking for some cleaning supplies. They thought it might be mold, so they called us out there to come to take a look at it. We went to check it out and were pretty positive it was mold growth. (technically we don’t do mold testing because it presents a bit of a conflict of interest.) So we had Randy at Adaptive, our Environmental Consultant who does mold testing, come do a mold test. Sure enough, it was mold and it had spread through most of the bottom kitchen cabinet and had affected a lot of the drywall behind the cabinetry. Pretty much everything had to come out to be replaced along with the tile flooring throughout the kitchen.

They didn’t think to have someone come take a look at things because they thought they had dried everything out. Most restoration companies have advanced equipment to see issues most people aren’t able to detect with their hands and eyes. What seems to be dry could very well be saturated with water and waiting to produce mold. The job mentioned previously quickly escalated to a $15,000 plus fix and it could have been avoided by having us come out to see what you can’t. Generally, when we get called out to one of these jobs there is some saturation in the cabinetry and flooring. If we are able to catch it in time and dry everything in place it may cost $600 to $1200 to fix instead of $15,000+.

What’s worse is that their insurance company didn’t cover the loss because they considered it negligence because it wasn’t properly taken care of during the original event. That stung. 

Our Water Damage Restoration Tools

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa uses top of the line water damage restoration technology to help our customers get the best results possible. You might be curious about what all we use when we are coming out to inspect your property. I’m going to list most of that equipment here. 

Moisture Detection Technology

Moisture sensors and readers are used to detect the amount of moisture on specific surfaces and materials and in the specific area in general. We have penetrating and non-penetrating sensors that show us the amount of moisture and saturation in walls, cabinets, and other items. We are able to monitor the amount of moisture on surfaces so we know when they have been completely dried out. We use Thermo hygrometers to measure the temperature and relative humidity of the area affected. It allows us to make calculations to create the optimal drying conditions.

Fans and Dehumidifiers

These guys are the workhorses. You may have seen some of our work on Instagram. If so, you might know that a lot of our fans look like snails. That’s what we call them too. We have other fans that also look like mini spaceships. You might have guessed that they are a bit more effective than that box fan you may be used to keep your rooms from feeling like a fryer in the Arizona summer. You would be right. They can also be pretty loud depending on the surrounding environment. So be prepared for that. The dehumidifiers are one of our secret weapons. They suck the moisture out of the area surrounding the affected area being dried out to speed up the drying time. They are pretty cool machines, but before you rush out to buy one to play with, realize that they will set you back around a couple thousand bucks!

Disinfectant Fogging and Deodorization

Assuming we are able to dry everything in place and not cut out any drywall or other materials, the job is almost done. Generally, disinfection and deodorization services will also be required. The disinfection usually involves wiping down surfaces with our proprietary hospital grade cleaners. Occasionally ultra low-volume fogging machines or thermal foggers may be required to reach hard to reach areas. You may have seen us using these machines in person or on social media lately with all of the disinfectant fogging we have been doing for local businesses and some of the local law enforcement vehicles. It’s basically the same concept. We are just targeting mold instead of COVID19. 

We use commercial grade ozone machines to get rid of any lingering smells if there are any. They do some pretty serious work. When we use them the areas that we use them in have to be vacated for the duration of the treatment. That could be anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. A nice time for a vacation or camping trip!

If you have any questions about an issue that pops up in your residential or commercial property please feel free to reach out to us. We are here to help. Generally, our goal is to dry as much material in place as possible to keep and repair costs and times as low as possible. No one likes living in a construction zone and insurance companies, and those who end up not being covered, appreciate the fact that we try to keep repair bills as low as possible. 

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned - Disinfectant Cleaning for your Mesa AZ Business

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open, close, and re-open around Arizona, we’re all moving back toward a new version of what’s normal. Visitors and customers for our businesses and employees who work in our businesses in Mesa AZ have new expectations of the places they work in and frequent. A recent poll taken as communities across the nation were opening up the first time showed us that of the 89% of respondents who were hesitant about returning to brick and mortar businesses, about half were specifically worried about the cleanliness and cleanliness protocols of the businesses they would be visiting. Businesses are now expected to have a higher level of awareness about the cleanliness of their businesses than before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned initiative is a defensive cleaning program we are offering to businesses and commercial locations to assist them in addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning regimen goes well beyond conventional janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

SERVPRO is recognized as the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration* nationwide, and we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water restoration services, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination, chemical spills, crime scene cleanup, and vandalism cleanup – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the CDC and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our own proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business(es) are set up to promote consumer confidence as the mesa community continues to reopen.

Consult, Clean, and Certify - The 3 C’s of Cleanliness

The stakes are this high in the current economy when you are looking to reopen your business, not only for your future customers and clients but for your employees as well. You are going to want to work with a partner who has experience and credibility assisting you in your efforts to reopen. SERVPRO has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes using over 50 decades of industry experience. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program’s foundation is built with what we call our 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Your business is different from any other, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who will work with you to understand your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your business’ specific needs. Your program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high-frequency touchpoints, foot traffic, congestion points, and any other specific needs your business has.
• Clean – Based on your specific business’ needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using our exclusive cleaning products, performed according to protocols set forth by SERVPRO complying with the CDC guidelines. Our employees have years of experience in this industry, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff performs. We are not trying to replace them, we work in compliment with them. In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning as quickly as we are able to ensure you get back to your business operations as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - When your business has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that lets your customers and employees know that you’ve selected a higher standard of cleaning to help protect them. We will update the date on the Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned signage so your customers and employees know that your efforts are ongoing and not a one-time thing.

Call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help you – 24/7 – until your life is back to normal.

* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision-makers on the first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019

SERVPRO is a proud vendor for Farmers Insurance

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

Did you know that SERVPRO is part of the Farmers Emergency Mitigation Referral Program for water damage restoration. We are so very excited to be their preferred vendor and to have the opportunity to service Farmers Insurance’s customers in the Mesa, AZ area. SERVPRO and its franchises have service agreements with many insurance companies across the country and Farmers Insurance is one of the largest insurance groups in the United States.

So, what does this mean for Farmers Insurance agents? Benefits.

As an agent, you care deeply about your customers, and you’re always looking out for their best interests. Farmer’s Agents can benefit from referring their customers to SERVPRO of North Central Mesa in the following ways.

Customer Service

Customer service is vital in any industry, especially in the fire and water restoration business, and it’s one of the many benefits agents will reap by referring us. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s professionals will handle each job according to the highest professional standards, interacting with customers in a professional manner to provide exemplary customer satisfaction.

The science of restoration can be quite complex, but SERVPRO of North Central Mesa makes it easy. We are well-equipped, highly trained, have advanced technology and customer diplomacy to handle any size disaster.

Customer Retention

When you have satisfied customers, they can convert to a higher rate of policy retention and renewals. And, ultimately, they will become brand ambassadors for your company, which, as a result, the influx of qualified leads. It will be like the gift that keeps on giving.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa thoroughly documents and communicates each step of the restoration process. We keep you in the loop because informed customers are happy customers. In fact, that’s one of our mottos: create happy customers. We’re with you throughout the entire journey. Furthermore, we produce the correct claim documentation the required for fast, easy, and effective claim processing.

Additional Product Sales

We’ve all heard the saying, happy wife, happy life. We have that same philosophy for our customers. When customers are satisfied, they are more apt to provide new referrals and to be more receptive to allow you to offer additional insurance options.

If a large-scale disaster or storm hits, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s’ System has the resources to get to customers quickly and efficiently. When their needs are met, your relationship has added value.

Limited Warranty Two Years’ Labor/One Year Materials  

Customers enjoy knowing we will not only meet expectations but exceed expectations, or we will provide re-service at no additional cost for up to two years. That’s part of the preferred vendor program.

We warrant for two years the workmanship of the emergency mitigation service or restoration work performed. We warrant for one year that all materials, furnished by us, will be new, of good quality and free from defects.

As you can see, there are benefits and real value when Farmer’s agents refer their favorite customers to SERVPRO of North Central Mesa. We would like to take this opportune time to thank Farmers Insurance for the opportunity to be a preferred vendor for their customers. We know that customer relationships and retention are of extreme importance to them. We look forward to working with each of you. Here’s to a healthy, happy working relationship. Anytime you need us, have questions or ready to send a referral, simply give us a call at 573-339-1948, or fill out this brief form.

As a part of Farmer’s Emergency Mitigation Referral Program, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa provides’ the following service guarantees:

• 24/7 service, 365 days a year.
• One-hour contact upon receipt of the emergency referral and 4-hour on-site arrival unless requested otherwise.
• Licensed and trained professionals who adhere to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommended water mitigation guidelines, processes, and procedures for cost-effective drying of water damage.
• When feasible, the use of non-destructive drying techniques instead of tearing out interior building materials which saves customers the inconvenience of having to leave their homes.
• Determine the most effective plan for returning your property to normal as quickly as possible.

Farmers’ Emergency Mitigation Referral Program vendors are not affiliated with the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies.

Part 3 of Why SERVPRO- Our office staff

4/20/2020 (Permalink)

Today is a great day at SERVPRO, how can we help you is not how we answer every phone call. Although our receptionists are top-notch.

Here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, you’ll never get a call answering services. We strive in customer service, and one of the best ways to do that is by having a real live person answering the phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Since we are an emergency-based business, we make it a point to be prompt and courteous to every customer that calls us. We have a Fantastic office staff that will answer the phone for you. Cary, Denise, and Tauna have experience and work close to the employees to stay on top of scheduling, billing, and taking phone calls.

No one knows when an emergency will happen. So, we are always prepared for the worst. Our office manager Denise Frost is one remarkable person. She is the Mom of our SERVPRO location for more reasons than one.

Cary is apart of our office staff and is always dependable as well as Tauna with two screens. Tauna and Cary are still there to make sure all your information is collected accurately and to make sure we do our jobs correctly.

Check out their profiles on our employee directory Right Here.

If your considering who to use for your water damage issue, who to choose to clean up your home, or your business, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa will be there for you, our office team is another reason why you should choose SERVPRO.

Part 2 of Why SERVPRO - past customer reviews

3/20/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is here to help, and our Google business page reflects this. How well do we handle customers who've been in a water loss in Mesa Arizona?

We consistently exceed our Customer’s expectations 

When it comes to your personal property, it’s always essential to make sure that it’s handled the way that you want it to be. Here at SERVPRO, our mission is to have happy customers, and when you are in the business of disasters, that can be a hard situation to make someone happy.

So do we have happy customers? That’s a good question. Click here to see our Google Reviews and check out our social media reviews for yourself to see what all the fuss is about. 

In more recent news

In recent news, we were recently in a meeting with some of the other local marketing agents that are also business professionals. Just in a different industry, and one of the most common concerns that the people had was how to know if their marketing was being successful or not. 

Clients were using their business, in hopes that they would have a pleasant experience with the actual service their company provided. Similar to water damage, and as marketers, we work hard to try to acquire new customers and clients every day, and what we excel at is making our current customers happy as can be. 

Part 1 of Why SERVPRO series

1/7/2020 (Permalink)

Paul and Denise Frost SERVPRO Team. Cary Schellenburg, Adam Boynton, Brian Ford, Adam Frost, Bridget Bello, Adam Bello, Kevin Frost all in a line.

Here in the marketing department, one question asked often is, “Why should we use your SERVPRO Franchise?” The fact is that there are a ton of restoration companies you can choose from, and there are other SERVPRO franchises to choose from as well. It can be a daunting task to find a company to come into your home or business to take care of your things in your home and get your life back together! We know that.

So, we have decided to create a 6 part blog post to talk about why you should use SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for your water, fire, and mold remediation, biohazard clean-up, ozone treatments, vandalism cleanup, etc.

Part 1 of the 6 part series of “Why SERVPRO.”

We consistently exceed our Customer’s expectations

We were just in a meeting with other marketing agents for different service professional businesses, and one of the most common concerns that the marketing agents had was that once the marketing was successful. Customers and clients were using their business that they would have a pleasant experience with the actual service their company provided. Like water damage, and as marketers, we work hard to acquire new customers and clients. It's disheartening to see business not return after the first use because of a bad experience with the service provided. I have certainly been in that place with other companies, so I understand!

Our Owner and Service technicians are fantastic!

Luckily I haven’t had to worry about that at all since coming here. Paul Frost, the franchise owner, is one of the most honest people I have met, he routinely goes out of his way to help people both in the course of his business and in his personal life. Levi Frost and Adam Bello, our Lead technicians, get nothing but praise from the jobs they go on. We generally get follow-up reconstruction jobs from the mitigation jobs they are on because our clients are so impressed with their work. They are professional and meticulous, and they are both IICRC Certified! Bridget Bello, our Packout Manager, has a spitfire personality with a genuine heart and loves people. When dealing with pack-out issues, these are unique and important characteristics to have. Pack-outs often involve dealing with sensitive and personal items, and our textile director is very sensitive to that. During the pack-out, content cleaning, and content storage process, they make sure that all items are handled with care. They also personally invest themselves with our clients to make sure their needs are taken care of.

Our Office Staff

Our office staff is pretty good too! Denise Frost handles the finances with a fine-tooth comb, and Cary Schellenberg, Denise’s sister, handles all of the paper/computer work (and there’s a TON of it…) and helps manage the job loads to make sure the company is running efficiently. While running effectively, Cary's job is vital because it allows us to offer our top of the line services at very competitive prices. Denise is also the “Mother” of the business. (Quite literally, This is a family run a local franchise, and Paul & Denise started it all). Denise and Cary help keep us grounded when things get all crazy, especially around monsoon season.

Our Reconstruction Dept.

Adam Boynton is the manager over reconstruction. Our biggest joke running in the office is that he never has anything to do. The opposite is the reality. Between the reconstruction jobs, we get from Levi and Adam’s work, Paul’s background (over 30 years in the construction industry) and reputation. Referrals from all of the insurance agents and property managers who love us, and the online leads that come in from the excellent marketing department, we keep Adam busy and growing more gray hairs! He is an expert at managing all of the work, along with all of the subcontractors we use to get our job done.

The Marketing Department

Now, this may seem a little self-serving, but our marketing department is pretty good too! Kevin Frost is the Marketing Manager, and Brian Ford is his marketing partner in crime. We love to be in front of people representing our business because we love and trust the people we are representing! We also spend a lot of time doing nerdy stuff behind computer screens. Brian and Kevin (yes,... we’re going 3rd person on ya…) are both Google Trusted Street View Photographers (We’ll talk more about that in another post in the series… stay tuned). We have the task of marketing our services, which usually involves misfortune on the part of our future clients. Talk about awkward… Kevin also spends time working as a volunteer for the local American Red Cross while Brian spends a lot of his off-duty hours trying to make sure his kids don’t terrorize the neighborhood.

There are a lot of ways that we could have started this “Why SERVPRO” series. We could have started out talking about all of the technology we use to make sure jobs are done right and efficiently; we could have talked about the Parent company and other supporting franchises around us, we could have talked about the hours and hours of education we go through to stay on top of the latest trends and industry innovations instead when it comes down to it, we think that the people who work here is what makes us successful. We have a 4.7-star rating on Google, 5-Star Rating on Facebook, and a 5-Star Rating in Yelp! And it’s because of our people!

Commercial Water Loss Mesa Arizona

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

Commercial Water Loss in Mesa Arizona

We recently got a call from a furniture business in Mesa AZ when a sprinkler line in the ceiling of the building broke. We were on the scene within 30 minutes of the call and were baffled when over 2 hours later water was still coming out of the damaged line. When the fire department came out to assist with the initial response, the emergency water shutoff valve was not completely shut off. This caused several thousand more gallons of water to enter the building causing more damage and requiring a lot more extraction time.  

Water damage can strike your Mesa commercial establishments at any time and this only means lost revenue and disruption of business leading to lost customers. When water damage occurs, early detection and swift action are critical to saving your business. No business, large or small is completely immune to water damage and loss but there are measures that business administrators can take to ensure that their businesses are ready to mitigate the effects of water damage.

We are your water emergency response and restoration company in Mesa, Arizona with national strength and a local presence and knowledge. We understand that every minute is essential to saving your work and therefore respond the fastest to any size of a disaster. Disasters don’t wait for opening hours and therefore we are also open around the clock.

Your one-stop-shop for all things water damage emergency and restoration. Here are more ways we can restore normalcy to your business in case of water loss.

• 24/7/365 emergency response
• Certified fire and water restorations
• Quick response time

Often the fire department will respond to a water leak situation but in the hurry, they may not shut the sprinklers off completely. This could mean water damage from leaking sprinklers. As little as a drop per minute could cause immense damage to property. It all depends on where that one drop is landing and even so the humidity of an entire office block could change because of a small pool of water leading to poor indoor air, mold and mildew growth.

Water damage restoration experts

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to end that way. When disasters come calling, it’s time to call in professional water restoration experts, SERVPRO® of North Central Mesa. With more than half a decade of experience, our crew will make it “Like it never even happened.”

Commercial water loss protection

We offer preloss contingency protection (ERPs), emergency commercial water loss mitigation and post water damage cleaning and restoration. We are the crew with the manpower and machines that will stabilize your operations within hours and get you back to business quickly and avoid prolonged downtime and further damage.

With our help, you can safeguard your premises by putting in place preparations for water damage emergencies. We work with clients on emergency water and flooding procedures with directions on actions to take to mitigate hazardous effects. With an app like ready.SERVPRO.com, businesses in North Central Mesa can easily take back their offices and production spaces from water flooding.

Nationwide strength and local knowledge

You can now rest assured that regardless of the size of your water loss problem, SERVPRO® of North Central mesa professionals can handle it within hours. With our diligence and advanced cleaning and restoration techniques, we should easily restore your business to its preloss condition.

Call us now

When your commercial establishments face loss due to water damage, call us for a rapid response and timely water extraction and restoration. We will dry your spaces and get rid of all the dangers and contaminants faster than you would think possible.

Water Damage Restoration Mesa Arizona

11/20/2019 (Permalink)

Water Damage Restoration in Mesa Arizona

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Water and Fire Restoration Services is a full-service disaster cleanup company servicing the Mesa AZ area for around a decade. Our company is fully licensed (IICRC), certified and insured to take on any size project whether it be a small residential damage or large commercial loss. Accredited by the BBB with an A+ rating and stellar reviews from past clients, you can trust us to perform quality work with excellent customer service. Below you will find each of the services we offer in the Mesa Area.

• Water Damage Restoration
• Mold Remediation
• Fire Damage Restoration
• Storm and Monsoon Damage Cleanup
• Commercial Restoration Services
• Air Duct Cleaning
• Vandalism and Graffiti Cleanup
• Trauma & Crime Scene Cleanup
• Bio-Hazard Cleanup
• Full Demolition
• Smoke and Odor Removal

Our Water Damage Services

For a decade, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has become a trusted resource for home and business owners looking for Damage Restoration and Flood Cleanup Services in the Mesa AZ area. We understand how difficult dealing with property damage can be, especially when it is your home or business. We take pride in the fact that for the last decade, residents and businesses in Mesa have trusted us to make things “Like it never even happened.” We are the first step to getting a home or business back to its original state and having life resume as normal. All these years of service have equipped us with the knowledge and experience to handle any size water damage project.

Causes of Water Damage

• Flood Cleanup
• Pipe Burst
• Window and Roof Leaks
• Pipe Leaks
• Sewage Backup
• Toilet Overflow
• Summer Monsoons

Water Damage Restoration Process

1. Safely Stop the Flow of Water
2. Notify Insurance
3. Professionally Inspect the affected areas
4. Begin Water Extraction
5. Remove Damaged Material from the Building
6. Disinfect Affected Areas and Place Drying Equipment
7. Monitor Affected Areas Daily
8. Mold Testing Clearance
9. Reconstruction

Water Damage Restoration Pricing

One of the most common questions from people who are dealing with water damage for the first time is; How Much is this going to cost? Obviously the answer to this depends on the extent of the damage but we want to educate all of our clients on the process so there are no surprises. We are one of the most cost-effective restoration companies in Mesa Arizona and have some of the fastest dry out times in the industry.

We hope that this has helped answer a lot of the questions you have. We have customer service representatives standing by 24/7/365 if you would like to speak with someone personally. Our phone number is 480-553-7103. Give us a call and let us know the details of your water damage and we will offer some specific advice. We are looking forward to getting the chance to serve you!

Here’s what your neighbors are saying about our service!

James Mohler  (5 Star Review in Google)

These guys do a great job at fire, flood, and biohazard cleanup as well as mold and asbestos removal!!! I would give them 10 stars if the option was available!!

Alex Smith (5 Star Review in Google)

These guys are great! I had a pipe burst in our office bathroom upstairs that flooded the whole office. Levi and Adam showed up and went to work and had all of the water extracted pretty quickly so we were at least able to get back to work. Over the next couple of days, they worked around our schedule to get rid of all of the damaged flooring and drywall. 

They made sure we knew exactly what was going on the whole time. We have had issues in the past where we have used other restoration companies and we didn't know what was going on from day to day. Adam B worked on the office reconstruction and we had the same great communications. There were some hiccups along the way, but nothing that could have been expected and they took care of everything. The finished product was fantastic.

cie taylor (5 Star Review in Google)

Kevin & Paul are a delight to work with.  The service is impeccable as well as the job they do:   Very impressive work. Customer relationships are fostered and it shows in the way the team deals with people.  They LISTEN to any and all concerns. Best of the Best!

Peter Fay (5 Star Review in Google)

I was incredibly Impressed with SERVPRO and especially Mr. Paul Frost! Not only did the owner himself come out the same day I called, I truly felt like he cared about me as a customer. He was prompt, courteous and extremely knowledgeable! I would definitely recommend SERVPRO and Paul to anyone!

Allen Smith (5 Star Review in Google)

Right after a company Christmas party, the Fire sprinkler system on the 3rd floor of our building had burst. We called out SERVPRO and they were at the property within an hour or two and got everything situated.

Are you prepared in case of a home fire?

8/23/2019 (Permalink)

American Red Cross and the volunteers are here to help, along with the team that is "faster to any size disaster." SERVPRO of North Central Mesa.

In case of a fire, are you ready?

Everyone needs to be prepared, no matter how old or young you are. Being prepared can save your life.

In October of 2018, the American Red Cross hosted a Fire alarm install walk. We walked with friends and family to install Fire alarms for the community.

At the start of a fire, the American Red Cross suggests the following steps of action:

• Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number.
• Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.
• If closed doors or handles are warm or smoke blocks your primary escape route, use your second way out. Never open doors that are warm to the touch.
• If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit — close doors behind you.
• If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.
• Once you are outside, go to your meeting place and then send one person to call the fire department. If you cannot get to your meeting place, follow your family emergency communication plan.

Luckily you have local SERVPRO franchises in your area. We come to you to help whenever you find yourself in a disaster. Things can go MUCH smoother if you are prepared and act fast when a disaster strikes. 

After calling emergency response (911 & the Fire Department) have been called. Call us as soon as possible 24 hours a day/7days a week at (480) 553-7103, and we will have someone on the scene within 4 hours. With a quick reaction time, it will give the 1st responders a chance to do their job and still allows for a quick assessment of the situation to best help with your specific situation.

Preparing ahead of time is always the best bet. Using the Emergency Ready Plan App developed by SERVPRO in partnership with the American Red Cross is a great way to be prepared. It is a free app available on all mobile devices. If you have any questions about setting it up, please feel free to give us a call at (480) 553-7103.

Up until 2018, SERVPRO was a Partner with the Red Cross. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is still working with the local American Red Cross and have active volunteers on staff who volunteer over 250 hours a month. Have you ever thought of being a Volunteer for any organization? How about helping a global non-profit organization?  Check out your local American Red Cross to see how you can help!

The Red Cross has locations all over the world, but they are not in every single city. They are 100's of cities in every state, and every country has a lot of rules. So, you could imagine how much help they could use from around the world. Anything and everything could be helpful at this point for the American Red Cross. From blood, money, even just some of your time on the weekends.

There are all different kinds of disasters, depending on where you live, you’ll an increased chance of having more accidents. Just like the state like Arizona, where we don’t have an ocean boarding our state, there are still chances of the flood, and other natural disasters. In tropical areas, like how Arizona is, it’s essential to be ready for anything. Having water on hand is KEY to staying hydrated and staying alive in disaster scenarios.

If you would like to donate any bottled water, you can contact us at (480) 553-7103, and we’ll take care of it for you, your friends, and family.

Staying safe in Storm damage here in Mesa Arizona.

8/21/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is here to help even when you can see a storm in the distance, and you know it's headed your way.

Personal protective equipment or PPE is essential with our line of work. Disaster sites are naturally a breeding ground of health and safety concerns. Injuries are also prevalent; that’s why we take specific steps to protect ourselves from these dangers. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 70 percent of workers who injure their hands were not wearing work glove during an accident. Most of the complaints about wearing gloves are that they are not comfortable and or a lack of skill or mobility. It’s close to 30 percent of workers today, even in disaster workers are wearing gloves not adequate for the type of hazard or just damaged/used gloves, according to the BLS.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa number concern is Safety. And that goes across the board for SERVPRO Locations in general. Fortunately, with modern day’s technology advances, we have extra protection, durability, and comfortable gloves.

Here are three ways to effectively prevent and avoid hand injuries on a job site.

1. Evaluate injury risks at the begging of a job. Look for severe possibilities like sharp objects, slip zones, and hazards material. You can always consult with a safety specialist, safety engineer, or product manager to help evaluate the possible risk and risk factors that could very easily lead to hand and finger injuries on a job.
2. Teaching and Train your employees the proper ways to behave on a job site. You could always do role-playing or simulate a hand injury. Tape up workers dominant hand with gauze and instruct them to perform a couple of simple work tasks and personal task like texting. This type of training shows how to concern they need to be when evaluating their risks while working.
3. Finally, the best way to prevent hand injuries would be to give workers and technicians the best possible performance gloves. By outfitting our employees with the best equipment, not only do you show your customers you are taking care of your employees, but your employees know that they are being taken care of.

Here at SERVPRO, safety is a top priority for us. If you need any restoration services after a rainstorm, give SERVPRO of North Central Mesa a call and have us safely and effectively take care of your water loss in Mesa Arizona. (480) 553-7103.

2019 Slow start to the Monsoon season

8/19/2019 (Permalink)

Lightning striking all around in the Mesa, Arizona area. You can tell by the cactus that it's a local area.

Monsoons are here at the East Valley in Arizona!

 As most of you know Monsoon Season is here. Monsoon storms can be devastating, although as of late here in Mesa it has been quiet.

If you own or rent a house that is vacant right now, it would be wise to check on that property as soon as you can after a storm event or monsoon season. Within just a couple of days, if rainwater goes unchecked, it can lead to mold growth and potential mold damage. Right now, we are working on two mobile homes that were caught in the recent rain storms last month. They weren’t checked on within a couple of weeks and Mold started in the walls and baseboards.

If left unchecked, the damage in your home could go from a couple of hundred dollars to multiple thousands of damages to your property, just within a couple of days. That’s what has now happened to these Mobile homes.

What to do After Flooding?

• Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
• Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
• Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Gather loose items from floors.

What NOT to Do After Flooding

• Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
• Don't leave books, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
• Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Don't use television or other household appliances.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if a ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.
  
  If you have any questions or find any water/mold damage issues, call us (SERVPRO of North Central Mesa) immediately at (480) 553-7013. We're available 24 hours a day/7 day a week. Information is free! We're here to help!

Does my Insurance policy cover this kind of insurance Claim?

8/19/2019 (Permalink)

Toilet overflow in a school. This was indeed covered by their insurance company.

Residential Water Damage happened

What will my Insurance Cover?

We have jobs come in the past two weeks that are caused by water, and where there was a water damage issue inside the home that was caused by a problem outside of the house. One issue was a busted pipe right by the outside wall of the house. In the second case a sprinkler head busted, the water shot up like a geyser, and entered through a grated area under the roof and flooded a bedroom. In the first case, the insurance company denied the claim. In the second case, the insurance company initially said they were going to deny the claim, but we are working with the homeowner to try to dispute their argument.

A summary of the common language in homeowner’s insurance contracts reads something like this. If the water source of the damage were from inside the house (a broken pipe, toilet flooding, bathtub flooding, etc.), it would be covered as long as the issue wasn’t caused by faulty repairs, poor maintenance or neglect. If the source of the water were from the outside, it would have to come from anywhere other than the ground to be covered. Even rainwater, if it touches the ground before entering the home, would not be included. That would generally be considered flood damage and would have to be covered through flood insurance. Another issue dealing with broken pipes is that insurance typically won't cover the loss if it wasn’t “sudden and accidental.” So, if the cause of loss was from a slow leak in a pipe, chances are it won’t be covered.

In the second case, as was previously mentioned, we are working with the homeowner to dispute the coverage denial. The argument here is that the source of the water, though it was from the ground, was caused by a pressurized line in the ground and not a traditional flooding issue. This is where the fine print comes in, and I have not had a chance to review the policy directly. But you should know what the fine print of your policy says. For example, Progressive Insurance’s website lists three different levels of homeowners insurance, that different cover things (“perils”).

The “perils” are generally listed as follows. Some coverages cover all of them; some only cover a portion of them.

• Water or steam

• Steam or hot water heating systems and water heater

• Fire or lightning

• Windstorm or hail

• Explosion

• Riot or civil commotion

• Falling objects

• Aircraft

• Vehicles

• Smoke damage: sudden and accidental

• Vandalism

• Theft

• Weight of ice, snow or sleet

• Artificially generated electrical current

• Freezing of plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, fire protection systems or appliances

Make sure to ask your insurance agent, or a prospective insurance company, specific questions about what is and isn’t covered under your policy. This can help you know what to expect when you have a water damage issue ahead of time.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your insurance agent to confirm your insurance details.

Arson fire in Mesa Arizona

8/14/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO arriving on scene getting a photo of the front of the property.

In December of 2017, a homeowner here in Arizona had her shower interrupted by furious knocks on her front door. As she rushed to the door, she was greeted by her neighbor. They then informed her that her house was on fire!

 Because of an ongoing investigation, specific details of the incident won’t be reviewed here. But what can be said is that the fire was indeed arson. Had the neighbors not notified the homeowner that the house was on fire, there is a good chance that she wouldn’t have made it out of the house alive. Home fires are a severe threat, and having an escape plan is a necessity.

SERVPRO walked through the house (5 months after the fire) to try to assess what needs to be done to restore the property to preloss conditions. We were confronted with the remnants of a family room, dining room, and kids’ room where the family spent time together. Around the hall was a bedroom where children slept whose beds and toys were still in a place covered by insulation and ash.

The kitchen where families eat a meal together was recognizable, but far from usable and food sat still in the fridge which had been there since the day of the fire. These types of events put people’s lives on hold and leave lasting damaging emotional and mental damage that sometimes never go away. Acts of a selfish person thinking that this was the appropriate response to their feelings of anger.

Here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we see some of the best and worst in our society. From Crime scene clean up where we are cleaning up after blood and feces, to large arson fires like this one. We are grateful some neighbors rushed to help their neighbor. What to do when this, of that, happens. In our line of business, we deal with a lot of sadness and difficult situations: Housefires, suicide clean-ups, houses flooded, lives disrupted, and lost. Then after the first event, the pain is revisited repeatedly by dealing with insurance policies, police reports, sometimes news reporters and repeatedly explaining what happened to other family and friends. It’s a delicate issue.

If you have or family who is dealing with a similar event, please keep us in mind. You can contact us at (480) 553-7103. We are here to help, and let your loved ones have their space until they can talk about what happened and be whatever they need at that moment. If you ever have the change, be the good neighbor who cares enough for your neighbors to act.

Commercial Restoration and your documents

8/14/2019 (Permalink)

These documents that are stacked inefficiently have water damage and won't be restored anytime soon.

Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists. What do these professionals have in common? A lot of paperwork. When a business experience a fire, flood, or any damage that causes the business to shut down temporarily, it only has a 55% chance of shutting down for good.

Having an emergency plan in place helps prevent things like this from happening in general. It also helps when something does happen, you have a plan to combat it.  SERVPRO has fantastic technology that helps get business up and running faster than usual. One of the cool things that SERVPRO does that not all other restoration companies have is Document restoration techniques. Sublimation is a process that SERVPRO uses to ensure the safety of papered documents. It works by sealing it in a vacuum freezer and helps by drying out the item to help restore it to original condition.

Having documents like legal information, medical, loans, and receipts saved after a loss can be the saving grace to keep businesses running. Along with vacuum freeze-drying to dry out documents SERVPRO team uses a process called Gamma irradiation to decontaminate materials that could be affected by category three loss, or Grossly contaminated items by bio-hazards waste like feces, or urine. The gamma irradiation process does not create radioactive elements or turn anything green. Although here at SERVPRO we do bleed green.

If your home business or commercial building has sensitive documents that need to be restored quickly and efficiently, you know who to call. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa will be there for you when you’re in need. Just give us a call at (480) 553-7103. Our green team of professionals will be on their way to help save the day, along with your documents.

Midnight toilet overflow at a Flight School in Mesa

8/12/2019 (Permalink)

One late night, a stall, a bunch of water and feces. Next is here comes SERVPRO of North Central Mesa.

Commercial Water Damage in Mesa AZ

Restoring Commercial properties presents unique problems depending on the situation. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, and we rise to the challenge.

Floods, water damage, and toilet backups are some of the events that have happened to Mesa commercial properties. These losses can cause irreplaceable damage to property. We can be servicing someone’s small bathroom flood or a large-scale flood loss where more than one floor is flooded, and contents are affected. You must be flexible, practical, but most importantly, knowledgeable.

It is a business we’re working on here. So, there is more than just one owner or person to deal with. You must have handled the Insurance companies already to understand what they need and are looking for. A hotel was able to keep their doors open and their customers happy while we handled their water damage loss.

 In some instances, a business must close its doors for an extended period of time. When this happens EVERY MINUTE, they could be losing money. Once a Business closes their doors because of disaster, there is a 55% chance they might never be able to open again.

If your school, local restraint, or family business has a toilet that overflows or has a kitchen fire give SERVPRO of North Central Mesa a call.  (480) 553-7103 We are here to help, even if we can’t physically do the work for you a phone call is always free. We can and will help you get your doors back open for business.

About SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

SERVPRO has the professionals, the equipment, and the experience to manage any size disaster you could be in. We will respond quickly, respectfully, and help mitigate the damage and help maintain the restoration project through its completion.

More about us:

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/crew-photos

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/restoration-training-certifications

Prevent Flood Damage From Storms in Mesa, AZ with a Sand-bag Barrier!

8/7/2019 (Permalink)

San-bag Barrier for Storm Flood Damage Prevention in Mesa, AZ

Monsoon season in Mesa, AZ has taken a little longer this year than most to get into gear. Since there is more time to prepare, you might consider making plans to use sand-bags to create a Sand-Bag Barrier around openings of your home to keep floodwater out of your home where it belongs!

Sandbags can be useful in redirecting stormwater and debris flows away from your home. But be sure that the sandbags are properly filled and maintained. Here's how:

• Fill sandbags one-half full. Use sand if readily available, otherwise use soil.
• Fold the top of sandbag down and rest the bag on its folded top. Take care in stacking the sandbags.
• Limit placement to three layers unless a building is used as a backing or sandbags are placed in a pyramid.
• Tamp each sandbag into place, completing each layer before you begin a new layer. Clear a path between buildings for debris flow.
• Lay a plastic sheet in between the building and the bags to control the flow and prevent water from seeping into sliding glass doors. 

What to Expect

• There are limits to what sandbags can do, so remember: Sandbags will not seal out water. Sandbags deteriorate when exposed to continued wetting and drying for several months.
• If bags are placed too early, they may not be effective when needed. Sandbags are for small water flow protection -- up to two feet.
• Protection from larger flow requires a more permanent flood prevention system. Be sure to consult with your local environmental protection department before disposing of used sandbags.
• Sandbags that are exposed to contaminated floodwaters may pose an environmental hazard and require special

Water damage restoration services in San Tan Valley AZ

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

Water Damage from Improper Toilet Maintenance

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and as your foot hits the floor it feels like a wet mush. What would you do? If this has just happened to you, make sure to give us a call at (480) 553-7103 so we can help! Recently SERVPRO of North Central Mesa had a water damage restoration job in San Tan Valley AZ that was caused by a broken nut on the toilet supply line from the upstairs toilet that flooded the whole upstairs and most of the downstairs. One of the largest causes of water damage that we come into contact with are under maintenanced toilets. Toilets should be checked on a quarterly basis to make sure they are working properly and to make sure none of the pipes are rusted or corroded. 

Suggestions to avoid Water Damage Issues

1. Check the toilet supply line (the piping from the wall to the toilet that fills the tank) to make sure it is connected properly, isn’t corroded, and doesn’t have any cracks. 
2. Check the Fill valve and flapper to make sure they are working properly to let in and out the right amount of water. If one of those mechanisms are not working properly flooding can occur.
3. Make sure the wax ring around the bottom of the toilet is intact. This takes a little more work to check. You will want to make sure the water to the toilet has been turned off (this can usually be done at the toilet supply line) and the toilet has been flushed. This does not have to be done as often as the others. But should be done at least every other year or if you feel movement at the base of the toilet.

If there is damage to the toilet supply line or the fill valve or flapper that causes a water damage restoration claim, there is a chance that it would not be covered by an insurance claim. Most claims are written to only cover sudden and unforeseen losses. So, if your adjuster decides that the loss was caused by a lack of routine maintenance, there is a good chance it will not be covered.

Because there are many toilet and toilet parts manufacturers, the picture with this blog post may not match your specific toilet. If you have questions as to what is where on your toilet performing a Google search for your make and model in the Google Images section will usually find a result that will match your toilet. Fluidmaster is one of the largest toilet and toilet part manufacturers in the US and has a great resource for helping you with your toilet maintenance. You can find that here: Fluidmaster Toilet TroubleShooting.

Top 3 Fire hazards during the summer.

6/19/2019 (Permalink)

Someone missing a roof after a Home fire. Don't get too caught up in the summer fun and leave things burning.

Top 3 fire hazardous equipment in Mesa Arizona’s

No one wants to have to deal with a house fire, especially when it hot enough outside during the summer months. Personally, my family has the unfortunate experience of a kitchen fire here in Arizona. Having a burnout and dealing with several house fires SERVPRO is here to help when you suffer a total loss from fire. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has noticed a few things people should look at when trying to prevent the possibility of a house fire.

Some of the most common causes of house fires are:

1. Cooking Equipment
2. Smoking
3. Heating Equipment. 

Cooking equipment such as microwaves, cooking oil and turkey fryers (Or a slow cooker if you are a This is Us Fan) are the leading cause of house fires at 47%. They also cause 20% of home fire deaths and 45% of fire injuries. Always watch the food that is cooking and make sure that flammable items are kept away from heating elements. Also, avoid cooking while sleeping or intoxicated with alcohol or medication.

While smoking materials only account for 5% of house fires, it causes 21% of home fire deaths, which causes it to be the deadliest cause of house fires. Faulty lighters and cigar/cigarette butts that have not been extinguished are the leading culprits. Of course, the best way to avoid a fire from smoking materials is not to smoke. But if you do smoke, make sure lighters are put in areas where they are less likely to ignite (i.e.: extreme heat) and make sure all butts are extinguished after use. Also, with the rise of vaping, make sure batteries are removed from vaping devices while not in use. 

Space heaters and uncleaned chimneys are the leading causes of house fires from heating sources. To avoid this, make sure that vents are cleaned out regularly (click here to find a chimney sweep near you in Mesa, AZ) and don't leave space heaters unattended. According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2011-2015 fires from home heating sources caused about "$1.1 Billion in direct property damage."

*blog information from 2011-2015 statistics from the National Fire Prevention Association.

Water Damage, from Mesa to Fountain Hills

6/19/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage on the floor causes SERVPRO's team of professionals to remove baseboards and the flooring.

During the weekend SERVPRO of North Central Mesa got a call that a homeowners house had water coming out of the garage door and they needed some professional help. SERVPRO was able to show up to our friendly customer's house in Rio Verde. Yes, late at night, SERVPRO traveled an hour to head north of Fountain Hill within the first couple of hours of the initial call.

It was around 7 pm that night SERVPRO just started the Mitigation process of this disaster, and our technicians had to meet the Neighbors to gain access to the property because the homeowner was out of town.  Once they were given access to the home, our team assessed the damaged areas, which included the garage, the Master bedroom, Master closet, and about half of the family room.

Once assessed, the next step is extracting the carpet and pad. After extraction, they cut out all the damaged carpet and Padding to get it all out of the way. Because there was Delamination on the rug, the insurance company approved to rip out all the broken carpet as well as the pad.  After extracting, cutting, and a lot of pulling carpet and padding. The technicians set all the necessary equipment that is required to dry the home properly. Just some of the equipment they used that day were our generic high-quality Air movers, Power distribution box, and some extension cords to dry the hard to get areas. Now that was just the first night.

Since there are so many moving parts to the mitigation side of a flood or a water loss, a technician has to go back to the building every single day to check on the drying process of the building. After four days of extracting, cutting, drying, and monitoring, our team had confirmed that the equipment had effectively dried the home completely.  That concluded the mitigation part of the water damage restoration. Now the homeowner must work on the Reconstruction of the house to get it restored to preloss conditions.

Monsoon season in Arizona. Watch out for those tree!

6/19/2019 (Permalink)

Don't let those tree's get you down during the Arizona monsoon season. Call SERVPRO, the people who are there for you, even with the lights are off.

It’s 2019 and monsoon season has started in Arizona!

A massive storm hit the Phoenix and Mesa areas last year, and one of the significant issues that come with the monsoon storms are microbursts that can cause a ton of damage to homes in their paths and happen at any second. While SERVPRO performs a moving out and pack out a job for a home in East Mesa, this was a little different than most situations. This family had a massive tree from a neighboring school fall right through the roof!

What may be unnerving to their neighbors is that the school has two more trees about the same size Which is taller than a 3-story building right along the same wall. After talking with the contractor who was working for the school to remove the actual tree, he stated that while they were working to haul away the tree that fell. The wind kicked up again, and the other trees started swaying at that same moment. Afterward, he said they hightailed it out of there until the wind died down again.

The same storm sent a 70-year-old lady to the hospital after a huge tree fell on her home. 

Make sure that if you have trees in your yard that you are prepaid for monsoon season. Make sure your trees are kept up and appropriately trimmed before a storm. A lot of the calls we get during monsoons either deal with water damages or trees falling. The local roofing companies love it, insurance companies... not so much!

Tornado's in Arizona? Here's what to do?

6/3/2019 (Permalink)

Since 1950 there have been over 225 tornadoes recorded in Arizona. Nine of those happened here locally in Mesa, AZ area from 1967 to 2014. Since they rarely occur in these parts, people are generally not prepared for them and don't know what to do when they do hit. I grew up in Florida, where hurricanes and tornadoes were a common occurrence. I was happy to learn they weren't too common out here after moving here. I had my share of them.

So, here are some things to think about if you find yourself in the rare path of a tornado here in Arizona.

• Don't run outside and stay away from any window.
• Don't open any windows. It will not decrease air pressure.
• Winds increase in narrow spaces such as under bridges and underpasses. Don’t seek shelter under them.
• Don’t try to outrun a tornado in your vehicle
• Don’t stay in mobile units.
• Find the nearest shelter or low lying area
• Try to find a room with exterior walls
• Cover yourself with bedding
• Seek shelter in a permanent structure.

Here is a link to a Google map that lists all of the tornadoes that were able to be tracked in Arizona since 1950: Arizona Tornado Map

If you have damage to your property from a small little water storm or a massive tornado just blew your roof right off, give us a call. We can help you deal with your insurance and answer any questions you have! (480) 553-7103 - SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

Never fear SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is here. We are “faster to any size disaster” and “Like it never even happened” only happens here.

2019 Hydration Campaign for Mesa Arizona

6/3/2019 (Permalink)

That's a lot of water!

The 13^th Annual Hydration Campaign starts today. It runs through June 3^rd through September 27 and is all about getting supplies of water to people in need. The goal this year is close to 400,000 bottles of water to help with the heat this summer is bringing.

The reason for this campaign is for the less fortunate during the hot summer months. Jen Duff has partnered through the United Food Bank to numerous agencies in the east valley. With the hydration stations are located all over the place.

A News Conference launched the program at the United Food Bank, which distributes donated water to numerous nonprofit organizations in Mesa and Throughout the Valley. Last year, a record of 836,154 bottles were given to the campaign. That crushed the previous goal of 500,000 bottles of water.

This Campaign makes it simple to help the vulnerable amongst our community. For just a couple of bucks, you can buy a case of water and have it donated. All across the city, there are places for drop off, or you can call me, and I’ll personally drive by and pick it up from you if you can’t drop it off yourself.

Drop off locations are located all over the valley, let us know if you need help finding them.

Here are some of the Drop off locations.

Red Mountain Multigenerational Center
7550 E. Adobe Road
5:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday
480-644-4800

United Food Bank
245 S. Nina Drive (north of Broadway between Extension and Alma School)
6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
480-398-4464

*Paz de Cristo
424 W. Broadway Road
7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday – Friday
480-464-2370

*A New Leaf-East Valley Men’s Center
2345 N. Country Club Drive
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily
480-610-6722

*The Salvation Army
Mesa Citadel
241 E. 6th St.
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday 
480-962-9103

Mesa Chamber of Commerce
165 N. Centennial Way #208
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday
480-969-1307

Superstition Springs Center – Management office (upper level near the food court)
6555 E. Southern Ave.
8:30 a.m. – Noon and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday
Or call security at any time (480) 641-1052

Mesa Main Library
64 E. First St.
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Thursday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday – Saturday 
480-644-3100

Red Mountain Library
635 N. Power Road
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Thursday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday – Saturday

Dobson Ranch Library
2425 S. Dobson Road
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Thursday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday - Saturday

Rhodes Aquatic Complex
1860 S. Longmore Road
1 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday
1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Tuesday – Friday 
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday

Pool open daily through August 4, weekends through Labor Day Sept. 2
480-644-2550
SPECIAL: 2 for one admission Monday - Friday with the donation of a case of water (FlowRider excluded)

Mesa Community College – Southern & Dobson
1833 W. Southern Ave.
24-hour drop-off at MCC College Police – Building SC 14
480-461-7763

Mesa Community College – Red Mountain
7110 E. McKellips Road
24-hour drop-off at MCC College Police – Ironwood Building
480-461-7763

Dobson Ranch Homeowners Association 
La Casita Recreation Center 
2719 S. Reyes
8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday
9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday
480-831-8314 

Southern Pavilion Self Storage
7110 E. Southern Ave.
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday
480-830-1425

Keller Williams Integrity First Realty
2500 S. Power Road, Suite 121
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
480-854-2400

The Kenny Klaus Team
Keller Williams Integrity First Realty
2919 S. Ellsworth Rd #133
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
480-354-7344

Athoria Games
6134 E. Main St. C103
480-300-9957
11 am - 9 pm Monday - Saturday
11 am - 5 pm Sunday

Apartment Fire Damage in Mesa, AZ. Are You Covered?

5/31/2019 (Permalink)

Fire damage to your property can be devastating! At the beginning of March an apartment complex had in Mesa, AZ buildings light up in flames and almost burnt down the whole side of the building. 10 of the 12 apartments in that building were affected and 7 had to be totally vacated by the renters. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is the vendor the apartment complex uses for mitigating fire damage issues on their properties. This next week we will begin the demolition of those apartments which have to be torn down to studs. As costly as this will be to the Apartment complex to fix, it has been overwhelming for the renters who had to vacate their apartments. One of the main issues for the renters was having to leave property behind that in some cases are not salvageable. 3 of the apartments in question had 70 to 100% of the contents of the apartments damaged to the point of not being salvageable.

Generally apartment leases require renters to have liability insurance to cover damage to the structure of the apartments, but don’t necessarily require you to have coverage for your personal contents. However, in the leasing agreement, there is generally wording that absolves the apartment complex of liability if you don’t have coverage for your contents. 2 of the renters we are working with did not have their personal property covered in their insurance policy and are going to have to personally replace everything they lost. Now, they are still investigating the cause of the fire. If it is found to have been caused by the negligence of another renter, they can possibly go after the insurance policy of the renters at fault. But generally the apartment complex has first priority to claims per the rental agreement. The cost to restore the building will be well over $500K and will most likely exhaust the claim coverage.

So insurance policies are sometimes complicated to understand. But there are some basics PolicyGenius.com suggests for renters insurance.

• $25,000 personal property damage coverage: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing your belongings if they’re damaged or stolen.
• $300,000 personal liability coverage: Covers legal costs from damage or injury that occurs in your apartment.
• $2,000 medical payment coverage: Covers medical expenses for anyone injured in your apartment.
• $10,000 loss of use coverage: Covers the cost of lodging, food, and more if your apartment becomes unlivable due to damage.

They also suggest having a deductible of around $500. Yes, you can get your insurance cheaper with a higher deductible, but remember, if something happens you have to make sure you are able to cover that deductible.

Commercial Cleaning and Restoration Services in Mesa AZ

4/22/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa at IKEA Restoration in Chandler, AZ

Water, fire, mold, or biohazard damage to your property can halt your business? Commercial property restoration issues can be quickly addressed help from the professionals at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa. We will get you back to business as usual fast, with minimal disruption. We’ll make it, “Like it never even happened.”

Emergency Commercial Restoration

We provide 24/7 emergency response. For water & fire damage restoration and biohazard services, call (480) 553-7103 now.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Technicians know how important it is to quickly return your business to its pre-damaged state. Our technicians are certified by the industry-leading IICRC and can meet your specialized commercial restoration needs.

• Commercial Property Restoration
• Hotel & Motel Restoration Services
• Restaurant Restoration Services
• Hospital & Healthcare Restoration - Biohazard, Water, & Fire
• Education & School Restoration Services
• Industrial & Manufacturing Restoration Services
• We can help with ANY size disaster for any business!

Commercial Building Restoration Services

Trust SERVPRO of North Central Mesa with your business’s commercial reconstruction and restoration needs. We employ a variety of services from the board-up and tarp-over of buildings to content restoration. Review our full list of commercial reconstruction and building restoration services and let us help your business recover.

• Fire Damage Restoration
  If you’ve just experienced a fire or smoke event at your business, then you need professional assistance. That’s why we’re here to help you get back to making money 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Contact your local SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for more information about fire and smoke damage restoration.
• Water Damage Restoration
  As certified water damage restoration experts, local SERVPRO of North Central Mesa teams use the most advanced tools and equipment and supply systematic best practices to mitigate the extent of damage and repair your business. We pride ourselves on getting businesses back to full operation in as little time as possible.
• Rapid Structural Drying
  After a water damage event, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s rapid structural drying service saves time and money, reduces stress and creates a safer environment for customers and employees.
• Mold Removal
  SERVPRO’s proprietary mold removal protects the health of your customers and employees, preserves the structural integrity of your property and improves the musty, damp smell that comes with mold. Let SERVPRO of North Central Mesa professionals help remediate the mold in your building.
• Biohazard Cleanup
  SERVPRO of North Central Mesa provides professional biohazard cleanup services for crime scenes, nursing home incidents, bum cleanups, suicides, and the occasional accident involving biological components. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is certified by the School of Forensic Restoration to specifically handle your biohazard cleanups.

• Full-Service Reconstruction
  When your business has experienced the unthinkable, you need a full-spectrum, start-to-finish disaster reconstruction and restoration service you can trust. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has you covered with expert and efficient debris removal and cleanup, water removal, and drying, and home reconstruction services.
• Board-Up & Tarp-Over Services
  No matter if windows are broken by storms, accidents or acts of vandalism, your business needs fast, temporary protection from the elements. Board up service from SERVPRO of North Central Mesa gives you fast and complete protection from the weather, safety from broken glass and security from illegal entry.
• Content Pack-Out, Cleaning, Restoration and Return
  If your business suffers water, fire, smoke or mold damage, the cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa are the premier choice for content restoration and pack-out. Contact your local SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for more information about content pack out, cleaning, restoration and return.

Commercial Cleaning & Deodorizing Services

Keeping up with your business’s cleaning and deodorizing needs is a full-time job that requires a great deal of knowledge and attention to detail. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can quickly take care of any of the following cleaning services:

• Air Duct Cleaning Services
• Carpet Cleaning & Deodorizing
• Odor Removal
• Trauma Scene Cleanup
• Upholstery Cleaning
• Tile & Grout Cleaning
• Spot & Stain Removal
• Overhead range, Drain, Air Duct Degreasing

Smoke Alarm Safety Mesa, AZ

4/22/2019 (Permalink)

May 4th is Wildfire Community Preparedness day! Wildfires have devastating effects on the local environment, but did you know that from 2012 to 2016 11,670 were injured and 2560 civilians died from house fires! Additionally $6.5 billion in damage was caused by the same house fires.

Smoke alarms save lives. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out.

Smoke Alarm Facts and Stats

• In 2009-2013, smoke alarms sounded in over half (53%) of the house fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
• Three of every five house fire deaths resulted from fires in homes without smoke alarms (38%) or non-working smoke alarms (21%).
• The death rate for every 100 reported home fires was over twice as high in homes that didn’t have any working smoke alarms compared with the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (1.18 deaths vs. 0.53 deaths for every 100 fires).
• In fires in which the smoke alarms were there but did not operate, almost 50% of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
• Dead batteries caused just under 25% of the smoke alarm failures.

Smoke Alarm Safety Tips

• A closed door could slow the spread of smoke, heat & fire. You should install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside every separate sleeping area. Install alarms on each level of the home.
• Smoke alarms should be interconnected. So, when one sounds, they will all sound.
• Large homes might need additional smoke alarms.
• Homeowners should test smoke alarms at least once a month. Make sure the alarm is working by pressing the test button.
• There are two kinds of alarms. Ionization smoke alarms react more quickly to flaming fires. Photoelectric alarms respond more quickly to smoldering fires. A best practice is to use both types of alarms in the home.
• When your smoke alarm(s) sound, go outside and stay outside.
• Practice escape routes from your home with your family or roommates.
• Replace every smoke alarm in your home every 10 years.
• Smoke alarms are inexpensive and are worth the lives they help save.
• Smoke alarms with dead or missing batteries are the same as having no smokes alarm at all. Smoke alarms only work when they are properly installed and regularly tested. Take care of your smoke alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Create a Fire Escape Plan for Your Home!

4/22/2019 (Permalink)

House fires created over $264 Million in direct property damage from 2012 to 2016. As bad as that is, property damage can be restored or replaced. In the same amount of time, an average of 80 deaths was caused annually by those fires. A life cannot be replaced. The best way to prevent a death from a house fire is to have a plan. When a fire does take place in your home, saving a few seconds of reaction time could make a big difference in helping to get your family or friends out of danger quickly and safely.

Here are some tips you can use to create an effective fire evacuation plan!

• Plan for everyone. Account for the special needs of everyone in your household, especially young children and elderly household members who may not be as mobile. Children don’t always wake up when a smoke alarm sounds. Make sure someone is assigned as an escape buddy for small children, then choose a backup person in case the assigned person is not present at the time of the fire.
• Identify two ways out of the structure. This could include windows and doors. Make sure each escape route open easily so everyone can get outside. and install emergency release mechanisms on all security bars on doors or windows.
• Involve the children in planning. Have your children help create the fire evacuation plan. Draw a map of the home, then have the children mark two exit routes and the locations of smoke detectors.
• Choose a meeting spot outside of the structure. Decide on a meeting place outside. It can be a neighbor’s house, mailbox or stop sign. It should be in front of the house so first responders are able to see you when they arrive. Make sure everyone knows not to go back into the house after you leave.
• Check smoke alarms. Check that smoke detectors are properly placed and working. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends installing one in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping room and on each level of the home.
• Be visible. Make sure that your house number can be seen quickly from the street by first responders. You can put house numbers above the garage door, on a pillar next to the front door, or on the street curb directly in front of your house, for example.
• Respond immediately. Make sure everyone knows that if the smoke alarm sounds, they need to get out as quickly as possible.
• Always have a backup plan. If the planned exit routes are blocked by fire or fallen debris and it’s not possible to leave the house, close all doors between you and the fire. Place a towel, pillow, or something similar under the door and go to an exterior-facing window. Call the fire department to report your location.
• Share with everyone. Make sure the escape plan is readily accessible to guests as well. Go over the plan with everyone who lives in the house along with guests and overnight visitors.
• Practice your escape plan regularly. Practice and review the plan at least once per year.

With a well-thought-out plan in place, you can be one step ahead of the unexpected. You may not have the time or ability to think things through.

Who Can You Call For Commercial Water Damage in Mesa, AZ?

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

You Can Call SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for Commercial Water Damage in Mesa, AZ!

We can be to your commercial property anywhere in the Mesa/East Valley Arizona within 120 minutes to start the process of getting your property back to preloss condition.

No matter how bad the water damage issue is, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can handle it effectively and efficiently with our highly trained (IICRC) team of emergency response techs and our water hi-tech and industry-leading extraction and drying equipment.

Call us as soon as possible so we can work with you to lower the risk of additional damages and help prevent your water loss from developing into more serious health risks such as mold-related illnesses. Studies show that mold growth can become an issue in as little as 48 to 72 hours from the start of a water damage issue.

If your commercial property has moderate to severe water or flood damage, you need a reputable company available on call 24 hours a day in case of an emergency. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is IICRC Certified and has comprehensive training in restoring your commercial property to preloss conditions!

WE HANDLE COMMERCIAL WATER-RELATED JOBS OF ANY SIZE, TO INCLUDE BROKEN PIPES:

• Flooded Basements
• Sewer backups
• Heavy rain damage
• Leaky Roofs
• Hidden leaks
• Defective rain gutters
• Water heater leaks
• Air conditioner leaks
• Soft water system leaks
• RO system leaks
• Slab Leaks
• Water main breaks

Time of the essence when responding to a water emergency. The faster you respond, the better the chances you will not give mold and mildew the opportunity to grow. Call 480-553-7103 now for water damage assistance. Our emergency response techs will show up quickly and ready to work.

WATER EXTRACTION

Time is a critical factor in limiting the effects of water damage. When water damage occurs, regardless of the source, it should be kept to a minimum if responded to within 24-48 Hours. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has industry leading cutting edge equipment used to remove excess and/or standing water.

STRUCTURAL DRYING

After the excess water has been completely removed from your commercial structure the drying begins. A properly planned building dry-out and dehumidification plan ensures cost reduction, decreases the dry out time, and decreases the potential of mold growth. Our job is to get you back to your normal business routine as quickly as possible and make things "like it Never Even Happened."™

We are ready and experienced to respond quickly to any type of water loss – clean, gray or black (Category 1, 2, or 3). A timely response to a water claim can reduce costs and property damage.

• Industry Leading Response Times
• 24 Hours a Day, 365 Days a Year
• Complete Water Extraction
• Structural Drying in Place if Possible
• Fair, Professional, Competetive Pricing

Who Do I Call for Storm Damage in Mesa AZ?

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

STORM DAMAGE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND REPAIR SERVICE IN MESA ARIZONA

Arizona homes face many types of significant structural damage risks thanks to Mother Nature. Although we’re not at risk of hurricanes or even earthquakes like the midwest and back East, you just don’t know when a natural tragedy can strike or what it will consist of. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has been helping the residents and business owners of Mesa and the East Valley get their properties back to normal following a natural disaster. We respond quickly to determine the damages and begin debris removal, water extraction, cleanup, as well as reconstruction for residential and commercial properties.

Why SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

Our certified technicians provide theemergency services you need when your residential or commercial property is damaged by monsoons, floods or other natural forces. We are ready and on call to help any time of the day or night. Call us 24 hours a day 7 days a week any day of the year. We have a 1 hour contact, 4 hour on site arrival, and 8 hour full update guarantee for every call we get!

NATURAL DISASTERS INCLUDE

• Monsoon Damage (including wind and water damage)
• Flash Flooding
• Haboobs
• Mud Slides
• Microbursts
• Hailstorm damage
• Rainstorms and
• Forest Fires
• Cold fronts that results in Frozen Pipes

MESA AZ HAIL DAMAGE / ARIZONA MICROBURST DAMAGE

Mesa area storms can cause unexpected roof damage to residential and commercial properties. Hail damage to properties can be very costly to repair and can cause future water damage from leaks unless the damage is fixed quickly. It can be tricky to document hail damage, so an immediate inspection is imperative. Insurance companies require very specific information on the extent of the damage, often even looking for a minimum number of hail strikes on a roof before authorizing repairs. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is available 24/7 to make sure hail damage to your properties in Mesa and the East Valley are inspected and documented quickly and accurately.

CLEANING UP AFTER THE MONSOON

Mesa is affected every year by monsoon rains that leave residential and commercial property owners dealing with the results of flooding, high wind damage, and increased humidity. Immediate response times to emergencies with water damage is needed to reduce the exposure to secondary damages. Property owners dread the possibility of mold and mildew, and the longer these remain undetected and unattended to, the more expensive their damage becomes to correct. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa’s IICRCCertified Technicians have extensive experience with every type of storm or water-related damage and we are available 24/7 to give immediate attention to you and your property.

YOUR HEROES ARE ON THE WAY!

Our motto is to “Make it Like it Never Even Happened.” ™ We can quickly protect your home or business and reduce further damage by securing your property in a variety of ways:

• Emergency Board Up of doors and windows
• Proving Short-Term Waterproofing/Tarping
• Performing Water Removal as needed
• Demolition and Debris Removal
• Continuous Monitoring

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa WORKS WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa works closely with your insurance company to get your property safe and clean after hail or storm damage. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has a solid working relationship with most National and local insurance companies, plus an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. During an inspection, storm damage, including hail, wind, and water damage, are documented carefully with attention given to the specific information that insurance companies’ adjusters need in order to file a claim to get money into your hands quicker.

Services for SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for our Water removal services in Mesa Arizona.

Yes, We Do Water & Fire Restoration and Mold Remediation in Mesa AZ... But we do a whole lot more!

Most people know that SERVPRO handles fire and water damage clean-up and restoration as well as mold remediation. Our 1-4-8 service standard says that we commit to responding to a call from an insurance carrier or call into the Call Center within 1 hour, be on scene in 4 hours and have an update to your insurance carrier within 8 hours to report on the condition of the loss. Because of this SERVPRO is one of the fastest and most trusted restoration companies in America!  SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is a locally owned franchise, and we go even further and try to respond to your calls in North Central Mesa, AZ and surrounding areas within 30 minutes and be on scene within 1 to 2 hours!

Water Damage Clean-Up

Water damage issues are an extremely time sensitive problem. Water damage clean-up costs generally average between $1000 to $4000 depending on the area affected and the length in time it takes for a professional to get on scene to start the clean-up. Additionally, the longer an area stays wet, the higher the chance that mold will surface and become a problem. That causes a significant increase in the cost of the clean-up as well as the time it takes to restore your home or business to its original condition. We use the best equipment and most innovative approaches to dry out water damage issues quicker than anyone else.

Along with being on scene within 1 to 2 hours, this experience gives us the best chance to keep your water damage losses to a minimum! Our dry out times is generally within 2 to 3 days for a project that it would take most companies 4 to 5 days. Our goal is to have a dry out completed within 48 hours.

Fire Damage Clean-Up

Our 24-Hour Emergency service provides you with peace of mind. If your crock pot (or slow cooker) causes an electrical fire in the middle of the night, we can be there in a flash to get working on cleaning up any time of the day or night so you can get back to living your life as quickly as possible! According to the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning Restoration and Certification) “Ash and smoke, if left unhindered, will cause extensive corrosion, etching, and discoloration, not to mention lingering powerful odors.” The IICRC requires it’s registrants to take extensive coursework in fire restoration techniques before they are certified. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is IICRC certified For Fire, Water clean-up and mold remediation.

Mold Remediation

There are over 100,000 different types of mold spores! We breathe them into our lungs every day. Most people don’t know that all kinds of mold aren’t dangerous. In fact, there are only a handful of those mold spore types that are hazardous. The MBL (Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories) lists hazardous mold types in three categories. You can see these categories and their definitions here: https://www.moldbacteria.com/mold-types.html. It is essential to make sure that when you are taking care of mold in your home or business that you are using experts who have extensive training in how to identify different mold types and how to eradicate them to protect your structure and your health. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa technicians are IICRC certified for mold remediation and have been trusted to help hundreds home, and businesses owners in the Mesa, AZ and surrounding areas take care of their mold problems for over eight years!

But wait!... There’s More!

In addition to what you already know about Did, you know that SERVPRO of North Central Mesa also Provides the following Services?

• Biohazard Clean-up
• Asbestos Removal
• Trauma and Crime Scene Clean-up
• Commercial and Residential Carpet Cleaning
• Property Pack-Outs
• Reconstruction Services
• Storm Repair
• Real Estate Binsr Report Fulfillment
• Vandalism and Trauma Clean-Up

Preparing your Business, Home for a Flood & Fire with ERP

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can help with any of your properties.

How to prepare your Business or Home for a Flood or Fire

What is ERP? Why should every home and business have one?

In a best-case scenario, we never have to worry about emergencies such as water damage, fire damage, or other disastrous situations. But, they come when we least expect it and usually when we are the least prepared for it! Many businesses and homes have a plan to get out of the building if a disaster arises but don’t have a clear idea of what to do next. The reality is that the quicker water or fire damage is controlled and cleaned up, the less it costs you or your insurance, and the less time you are out of your home or business!

When you are talking about dealing with water damage, the mold should always be on your mind. Not taking care of the water damage can quickly lead to a massively expensive mold issue. If not tended to, it can double or triple the repair costs and time from the original water damage issue. Having a company on call who can respond within 1 to 2 hours can have a significant impact on keeping mold growth to a minimum or eliminate possible mold growth in the first place.

ERP stands for Emergency Ready profile. The designed for building with 100,000 square feet or less. It is intended to be a quick and easy snapshot of the building or home to provide relevant information in the case of an emergency. In the case of a business disaster, only 40% of the businesses who face a disaster ended up closing. Of the 60% who do not close, 75% of them had an emergency plan of action.

The ERP contains

• An Emergency Action Checklist
• Building shut off points for water and electricity with pictures.
• Emergency contacts
• Insurance information for the Building and contents
• Utility Service contact information with account numbers
• Property Overview
• Primary Contacts

A copy of the ERP can be printed out in a paper form or kept in an electronic form with the FREE Ready Plan App by SERVPRO that can be on an Android or IOS Device. The App is downloaded to every employee or family member’s mobile device, and your ERP is shared across devices, so everyone has the same plan of action!

You can complete the ERP yourself, or you can request to have a local SERVPRO professional come out and create your custom ERP utterly free of charge.

“The most effective way to handle a crisis is to prepare in advance by creating an Emergency Action Plan.” Osha.

Five ways to know if your home needs Air Quality Testing Company

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

One our of recent Mold Jobs. You don't want this in your home or business. Give SERVPRO of North Central Mesa a call today.

Five ways to know if your home needs 
Professional Air Quality Testing Company

Generally, as a preventative measure, we recommend that homeowners get Air Quality Testing done once per year. 

However, there are certain conditions that would indicate that you should have your home's air quality tested as soon as possible! Professional Air Quality testing can be expensive (averaging around $300), but catching an issue such as a mold problem early can save thousands of dollars! We suggest putting away $25 per month and getting a test done at the end of the year.

And now what you all have come here for!

5 ways to know if your home needs Professional Air Quality Testing

1. You find a mold spot.
   You may be tempted to use a DIY home test to test the mold, but those tests only give you information on specific surface spots. Professional testing gives you a lot more useful information that can help you stave off a major mold problem. It can also tell you if you need professional mold remediation.
2. You notice an old or stuffy smell, or you see that your house smells different than usual.
   This could signal a mold problem or it could be something else such as water damage (pre-mold water damage), old or damage carpet, etc. It's always best to know what you are dealing with in that situation.
3. There has been chimney damage or reconstruction.
   If repairs or reconstruction has been done to the chimney in your home and it wasn't done correctly smoke from your fire could have problems escaping your house. This could cause smoke damage to your home. More importantly, though, that could cause respiratory and breathing issues for your family, especially if someone in your home has breathing issues such as asthma. A complete blockage is much more noticeable than limited air flow blockage. These issues can be detected when a professional air quality test is performed.
4. You notice that your air is not circulating naturally.                    When air is not circulating properly in your home, it can have a negative impact on your energy bill. This is something that can really hit your bank account over time. Not only that, but stagnant air can become a breeding ground for germs and create an environment that increases your chance of getting sick or getting over being sick.
5. You have noticed a general change in your health.
   No one likes to be sick! Most people spend a significant amount of time in the home. If any air quality issues stem from airborne pollutants or stagnant air, you can have a hard time fighting off illnesses and recovering from the cold or the flu. Having a cold or the flu aren't the only issues that can affect your overall health if there are air quality issues in your home.  According to the CCOHS (the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety - Yes, we know they're Canadian, but they have a lot more going for them than Hockey, Ryan Gosling, and half of the world's Polar Bear population…) linked to air quality problems:

• Dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Hypersensitivity and allergies
• Sinus congestion
• Coughing and sneezing
• Dizziness
• Nausea

From <http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/iaq_intro.html>

Having your home or work's air quality tested every year may seem like a costly nuisance, but it is well worth the trouble and the cost considering what you could be dealing with if there are health or home issues that go on undetected.  If you have any questions about getting your air quality tested, please feel free to reach out to us at (480) 553-7103. We don't do testing ourselves, but we can be your unbiased 3rd party consultant.

What SERVPRO's Cleaning technician can do for you.

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

We make things look "Like it never even happened."

What can SERVPRO offer to its customers?

Carpet Cleaning is a service that helps with your home or business maintenance. Each room that has carpets should be professionally cleaned at least once a year.

A clean carpet that is treated by a dedicated division of specialized and trained professionals prepared to take care of you and your floors properly.

We also offer carpet cleaning services in Santan Valley, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Gold Canyon and beyond.

• Smoke, cooking oil, bacteria, and dust mites all collect in your carpets damaging the fibers some shampoos and detergents might cause further damage. Only a deep clean, by professional carpet cleaning with certified technicians, can preserve the life, color, and beauty of your investment.

• SERVPRO of North Central Mesa uses some of the most advanced technology such as a truck-mounted carpet cleaning system which can remove even the most ground-in dirt, odors, and of course those hard to remove stains leaving your carpet looking good as new with a fresh smell.

• Our thoroughly trained and certified technician will inspect any problem areas with heavy foot-traffic, pet stains, and odor, to decide on the most appropriate method of cleaning your carpet.

• After applying a Pre-treatment, we use our specially-engineered treatment a Chemist at SERVPRO Corporate has created. Then our truck-mounted vacuum system can extract loosened dirt and soils.

• Our technicians can also apply special treatments such as deodorizers and some protective coating that resists soil and prevents staining and extends your carpet cleaning service.                               
• When you are looking for professionals to take care of you and your flooring, give SERVPRO a call (480) 553-7103. 

Mold Found in an apartment Unit

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

The apartment was sure there was a smell coming from a building, I think it might be some Mold growth. Need a Mold removal company? Here we are.

Tennet says there is an odd moldy smell coming from the Walls in an Apartment Complex

Mold or growth as we call it here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can be very hazardous although not all mold is equal.

No two mold jobs are alike, no two Fire jobs are alike, no two water jobs are alike, neither are forensic, biohazards, or hoarding cleanup jobs none are just the same as the one before it. 

Before shows like A&E "Hoarders" or "Buried Alive," hoarding is the relatively unknown mental illness. Reality TV shows the worst-of-the-worst of these situations. TV blows things out of proportion. They want all the eye's on their show and don't want you to look away for even an instant. It's like a train wreck; they want to show the gross parts just enough to keep your interest. 

So really how accurate are all these different shows? Most will agree to watch a tv show documenting a crew attempt to clean out a disaster scenario is not an accurate depiction of what goes into jobs such as storm or water damage that was left untouched and has cause mold growth, or the most common area of mold growth, the bathroom, from lack of proper ventilation.

 Hoarders come in all shapes and sizes, involving many different types of items from trash to treasures, like rare books and other contents. 

You can find a hoarder in any place from the cheapest apartments in town to the most expensive neighborhoods. If your friends, family, and loved ones have a hoarding problem and you need someone to come trash out the place for you to start from square one, you know who to call. The water damage restoration company SERVPRO of North Central Mesa.

Mold Clean up and Asbestos removal.

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

Levi Frost, and Adam gearing up preparing to take on the mold growth.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has a team of highly qualified individuals that can help remove some of the worst smelling and hazardous material. Like mold growth or Asbestos. 

We have been educated through IICRC and from the SERVPRO corporate headquarters in Nashville Tennesse.  

With thousands of hours of experience to rely on, you can trust our team to make any situation better almost, "Like it never even happened."

This photo depicts a specific situation that required an emergency arrival on the scene after hours. 

The tenet was a pregnant mother that had found mold surrounding her dishwasher in the kitchen. The growth needed to be taken care of immediately because of the risk to the mother and child. She was only the tenet, although the apartment complex wanted it taken care of just as much as she did. 

With a little help from SERVPRO, the Apartment complex was happy to know that the ongoing mold problem is solved, and the mother was grateful for how quickly we responded.

If you're in an emergency and need a team of people to help, give SERVPRO of North Central Mesa a call. We'll take care of you. (480) 553-7103

Office staff that is here when you need them most.

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

These SERVPRO sisters are here to help!

SERVPRO has always made it a point, to be prompt, courteous, and have a human answering the phones at all times of the day.

Here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we have a fantastic office staff that will answer the phone 24/7. 

No one knows when an emergency with happen, so we are always prepared for the worst. Our office manager Denise Frost is one the kindest sweet hearted people you can talk to, and Cary the other office personnel are well versed in the restoration industry with years of experience.

Both Cary and Denise have field experience and work close to the employees to stay on top of scheduling and taking phone calls.

Cary works quickly and effectively to collect all necessary information and dispatch to the right people.

If you have any questions, that may not be an emergency, but that need to get answered Cary and Denise are there to help. 

You can reach the office staff at (480) 553-7103 during the regular work week hours. 

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Team

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

The team that is willing to go above and beyond for our happy customers. If your looking for work, give us a call. (480) 553-7103

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is growing. We've recently brought on two new employees and are still looking to hire more. 

If you or a friend need some extra work, we are always looking for qualified people to join our Families franchise. We are currently at nine employees and are looking to expand our production team. 

We do require a background check, although no experience is necessary. We have an excellent training program and staff on hand ready to train you up to our SERVPRO standards. Our hiring process can be a quick process, so if you're interested, please reach out to our office staff at (480) 553-7103.

We have been in business for over nine years, and our mission is to have happy customers. 

The main thing we care about most is the willingness to go above and beyond for our customers. We want them to have the very best experience they can have after going through the emotional rollercoaster of having a Water damage restoration company come into their home.  We do work 24/7, so you might be required to work weekends and possibly even holidays.

5 things you can do to help prevent water damage events at home!

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

No one wants to deal with water flooding issues in the home. Sometimes they are caused by events that are unavoidable and unexpected. There are, however, 5 areas in your home that you can routinely check to help avoid the majority of the water loss jobs we deal with.

1. Check your Toilet supply line and flush valve

The most common causes of water loss/damage that we see are issues with the toilet. Either the supply line has come loose or cracked or the flush and fill valves are not working properly. Faulty flush valves can also cause unusually high water bills when they go undetected. Checking upstairs bathrooms is essential because a flooding issue from an upstairs source will generally affect the upstairs and downstairs area of the home. If you need help with regular maintenance of your toilet, here is a great resource from Fluidmaster (Toilet Upkeep Guide)

2. Make sure that washing machines are installed and working properly

We recently had 2 water extraction jobs here in Mesa, AZ where the washing machine was the cause of loss. In the first case, there was something wrong with the regulator sensor on the washer and the water overfilled the washing tub and filled up the pantry and kitchen in a ton of water and soap. At least the floor was ready to mop after hundreds of gallons of water were extracted. Luckily, we were on site quick enough to extract the water before any damage was done to the house.

In the other case, the installers had nicked the water supply line when installing the washing machine. The issue was not discovered until the first load of laundry was done and the homeowner got a lot more than just a clean load of clothes.

This can also just happen over time. We had an issue where one night we kept walking into the garage and the floor in the laundry room was wet. We cleaned it up thinking the kids had just spilled something. About an hour later we had to go back through and it was wet again. We were baffled. After about an hour of looking for the issue, we found that there was a very small crack in the water supply line that was lightly spraying water out behind and then under the washer.

Luckily we caught it in time. That could have caused some major issues.

3. Make sure your water heater is working properly and doesn’t need to be replaced

Water heaters are one of the most appreciated yet under maintenance household appliance. It usually sits out in the garage, so its, “out of sight, out of mind.” Having a water heater that is not in proper repair can cause high monthly energy bills, rusty water, and can cause severe water damage. Luckily, most of the time the water damage is done to the garage area and does not filter into the home. But a lot of the time it will affect the walls that separate the garage from the home. Because the garage is not a high traffic area, water issues are not discovered right away. That means damage to drywall and usually a breeding ground for mold.

4. Make sure your dishwasher is connected properly

Water issues from dishwashers are usually caught pretty quickly because the kitchen tends to be a high traffic area in most homes. Especially in a home like ours where kids are constantly searching for cookies, juice boxes and granola bars that we try to keep well hidden. We have had a few jobs in the past where people woke-up to kitchen floors fully flooded after leaving the dishwasher to do its work right before heading to bed. Similar to the washing machine, do periodic checks of the water supply line to the dishwasher to make sure there aren’t any loose connections and that the hose is in good condition and not cracking.

5. Make sure water hoses to the fridge are not kinked and are in good condition.

So, any fridge that has an ice maker or water dispenser is obviously going to have some type of water supply line connected to it. We don’t usually see issues from those supply lines because they don’t have the amount of water running through them as other supply lines do. However, we did have one case where a property owner called us out to a house where the renter kept smelling an odd smell by the refrigerator and after completely cleaning out it out still couldn’t find the source of the odor. We recognized the smell as a potential mold issue right away. After moving the fridge out of its space, we could instantly see huge water damage and mold issue that was infecting the whole drywall and cabinet area that was around the fridge. It was caused by a crack in the water supply line.

So, there is really no way to totally eradicate the possibility of having a water loss on your property. Weird things happen every day. Hopefully, they don’t happen all that often. But checking these 5 areas on a quarterly basis can help to avoid major water issues. One of the reasons this is so important is that Homeowners Insurance policies are generally very specific about what they will and won't cover. Most of the people we deal with just assume that since they have insurance they are good to go. Insurance mostly only covers water losses where the loss was caused by a sudden and unexpected event. So, a slow leak here or there or an issue where the loss could have been avoided by general routine maintenance are generally not going to be covered by insurance and will have to come out of the property owner’s pocket.

Why SERVPRO? - We Exceed Client Expectation!

12/13/2018 (Permalink)

Here in the marketing department, one of the questions we are asked the most it, “Why SERVPRO?” The fact is that there are a ton of restoration companies you can choose from? It can be a daunting task to find a company to come into your home or business to take care of your things! We know that. So, we have decided to create a 6 part blog post to talk about why you should use SERVPRO of North Central Mesa for your water, fire, and mold remediation, biohazard clean-up, ozone treatments, vandalism cleanup, etc.

This is part 1 of the 6 part series of “Why SERVPRO”

We Exceed our Customer’s expectations

We were just in a meeting with other marketing agents for different businesses and one of the most common concerns that the marketing agents had was that once the marketing was successful and customers and clients were using their business that they would have a good experience with the actual service their company provided. As marketers, we work hard to acquire new customers and clients, so it is disheartening to see business not return after the initial use because of a bad experience with the service provided. I have certainly been in that place with other companies, so I understand!

Our Owner and Service Techs are awesome!

Luckily I haven’t had to worry about that at all since coming here. Paul Frost, the franchise owner, is one of the most honest people I have met and he routinely goes out of his way to help people both in the course of his business and in his personal life. Levi Frost and Adam Bello, our main technicians get nothing but praise from the jobs they go on. In fact, we generally get follow-up reconstruction jobs from the mitigation jobs they are on because our clients are so impressed with their work. They are professional and meticulous and they are both IICRC Certified! Bridget Bello, our Packout Manager, has a spitfire personality with a genuine heart and loves people. When dealing with pack-out issues these are unique and important characteristics to have. Pack-outs often involve dealing with sensitive and personal items and Bridget is very sensitive to that. During the pack-out, content cleaning, and content storage process she makes sure that items are handled with care. She personally invests herself with our clients to make sure their needs are taken care of.

Our Office Staff

Our office staff is pretty good too! Denise Frost handles the finances with a fine tooth comb and Cary Schellenberg, Denise’s sister, handles all of the paper/computer work (and there’s a TON of it…) and helps manage the job loads to make sure the company is running efficiently. This is important because it allows us to offer our top of the line services at very competitive prices. Denise is also the “Mother” of the business. (Quite literally, This is a family run local franchise and Paul & Denise started it all). Denise and Cary help keep us grounded when things get all crazy, especially around monsoon season.

Our Reconstruction Dept.

Adam Boynton is the manager over reconstruction. Our biggest joke running in the office is that he never has anything to do. The opposite is actually the reality. Between the reconstruction jobs we get from Levi and Adam’s work, Paul’s background (over 30 years in the construction industry) and reputation, referrals from all of the insurance agents and property managers who love us, and the online leads that come in from the awesome marketing department, we keep Adam busy and growing more gray hairs! He is an expert at managing all of the work along with all of the subcontractors we use to get our work done.

The Marketing Department

Now, this may seem a little self-serving, but our marketing department is pretty good too! Kevin Frost is the Marketing Manager and Brian Ford is his marketing partner in crime. We love to be in front of people representing our business because we really love and trust the people we are representing! We also spend a lot of time doing nerdy stuff behind computer screens. Brian and Kevin (yes,... we’re going 3rd person on ya…) are both Google Trusted Street View Photographers (We’ll talk more about that in another post in the series… stay tuned). We have the task of marketing our services, which usually involves misfortune on the part of our future clients. Talk about awkward… Kevin also spends time working as a volunteer for the local American Red Cross while Brian spends a lot of his off-duty hours trying to make sure his kids don’t terrorize the neighborhood.

There are a lot of ways that we could have started this “Why SERVPRO” series. We could have started out talking about all of the technology we use to make sure jobs are done right and efficiently, we could have talked about the Parent company and other supporting franchises around us, we could have talked about the hours and hours of education we go through to stay on top of the latest trends and industry innovations. But when it really comes down to it, we think that the people who work here make us successful. We have a 4.9-star rating in Google, 5-Star Rating on Facebook, and a 5-Star Rating in Yelp! And it’s because of our people!

Document Restoration Services in Mesa Arizona

10/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's Document Restoration Team's Vacuum Freeze Drying Chamber

Do you own a paper or x-ray document driven business in Mesa Arizona? Have you wondered what would happen if a monsoon or other flooding incident occurred and caused your important documents to become saturated with water? Lawyers, loan specialists, medical offices and a number of other businesses could have a massive problem on their hands if their paper and/or x-ray documents became compromised. SERVPRO's Document Restoration Services can restore your paper or x-ray documents. 

SERVPRO uses a document restoration technique called Sublimation, through vacuum freeze drying, to restore documents for its legal, medical, loan and other small business clients. Sublimation is the processes of a substance directly from a solid state to a gas phase skipping the liquid phase. The liquid phase of the cleaning process is the phase where the most damage is done to paper and x-ray documents. By skipping this phase, we significantly increase the probability of restoring paper and x-ray documents to usable conditions!

The MedPro Group, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, encourages businesses to contact a restoration company as quickly as possible and to have a HIPAA agreement in place. All employees of SERVPRO’s Document Restoration Team are HIPAA Master certified, and once materials arrived at the SERVPRO facility they are under 24/7 surveillance!

Along with using Vacuum freeze-drying to dry out documents and x-rays, many times documents are exposed to CAT 3 water. CAT 3 water is the designation for sewage or flood waters and they generally carry all types of bacteria that could also pose a risk to documents. The SERVPRO Document Restoration Team uses a process called gamma irradiation to decontaminate documents and other goods of harmful bacteria. Don’t worry, the gamma irradiation process does not create radioactive elements and won't turn you or your documents into a green monster…

Water damage creates a perfect breeding ground for mold growth.

8/14/2018 (Permalink)

With all of the storms we have been having lately we have been inundated with water damage jobs and a lot of Restoration companies in the Mesa, AZ area are backlogged. If you are having to wait for someone to come to take care of your water damage areas the is a good chance that mold growth can occur and create a larger, more serious issue. Mold and mildew can start forming in as little too 24 to 48 hours. Make sure to keep the area as clean and ventalated as possible. Keep in mind that just because you don't see mold, doesn't mean it's not there.

If there has been more than 24 to 48 hours that the water damage was discovered or tended to you really should consider having a hygentist come out and perform a mold inspection. 

Your help can bring HOPE

7/27/2018 (Permalink)

Local American Red Cross Chapter Flooded home, uninhabitable, a charred apartment complex, being devastated by flames.

This is a message sent out from the American Red Cross. In the Past SERVPRO was a Partner with ARC. Now Kevin Frost our Marketing manager is a Disaster Action Team Member with the Local Chapter.

Today their goal is Money how can you help.

A flooded home, uninhabitable. A charred apartment complex, devastated by flames. A frightened family, terrified by tornadoes ripping through the neighborhood. These are the heartbreaking scenes we see every day, all across the country. 

And every single day, nearly every 8 minutes, we are there. 

Whether its providing shelter, serving a hot meal or connecting families to the resources they need to start rebuilding their lives, our support depends on the generosity of donors like you. Can you help us reach our goal of $25,000 by July 31, so we can be there for families in communities when they need us most?

Disaster season is always upon us. Red Cross employees and volunteers need to be there, every moment of every day to helpthose affected. 

Thanks to supporters like you, we’re able to provide care andcomfort as soon as we are on the scene. 

Your tax-deductible donation can help at every level:

• $10 provides a hot meal and snacks to someone who may not know where their next meal will come from
• $50 provides food, shelter and a cozy blanket for someone whose home has been destroyed
• $150 covers shelter and travel costs for a mental health worker, ensuring disaster victims don’t have to face the trauma of a crisis alone

When you give to the Red Cross, you’re helping people in their darkest hour, standing with them to make sure they’re not alone.

Please don’t wait to donate – make a generous gift and help us reach our $25,000 goal today. 

Sincerely, 

Lauri Rhinehart 
VP, Humanitarian Services 
American Red Cross 

The Toilet is the Main Suspect....

5/23/2018 (Permalink)

The Toilet is the Main Cause of Residential Water Damage We Deal With

The leading cause of residential water damage issues we deal with is from toilet issues. More specifically faulty toilet shutoff valves and fill/flush kits. It is important to check them at least once a year, but preferably every quarter.

When checking the shutoff valve make sure that there isn't any leaking at the shutoff valve or any of the pipes or lines attached to the shutoff valve. One of the other issues with the shutoff valve is rust. Rust on the shutoff valve can prevent you from being able to turn the valve off. Because rust can make it hard to turn the valve off, there is also a chance that putting too much force on the valve can cause attached pipes to break. If you are having a hard time turning the valve, try to use WD-40 to loosen the valve up.

Another issue that can cause the toilet to flood are issues with the fill and flush kits. The fill and flush kits regulate the amount of the water that fills the toilet tank after a flush. When there is a break in the line between the flush and fill kits it throws off the regulator and the water will keep filling into the tank without turning off when it’s full. To keep this from happening regularly check the line between the kits when you are checking the toilet shutoff valve.

If for some reason there is a toilet flooding issue and you are not able to turn the water off at the point of the toilet, immediately turn the water off at the main water shutoff valve for the property. A good way to prepare ahead to know where the main shutoff valve is use SERVPRO’s free ERP (Emergency Ready App) to log where all of the shutoff valves are in the house. You can see more about the ERP here: www.ready.SERVPRO.com

Mold Removal vs. Mold Remdiation

5/22/2018 (Permalink)

Interesting Fact! In the Mesa AZ area, On average, there are about the same number of searches per month on Google for "mold removal" and "mold remediation." (Around 20) As marketers with SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, Kevin and I sometimes get asked what the difference is between "mold removal" and "mold remediation." The answer is quite simple. They are pretty much the same thing.

In reality, it is nearly impossible to remove all mold in a particular area. That's not a bad thing. Mold in and of itself is not bad as we generally have it thought out in our heads. For example, Some molds are used to make some delicious types of cheese. Mold generally becomes a problem when it starts to grow on surfaces inside buildings. But outdoors, we encounter mold spores almost on a continual basis.

Inside exposure to mold is most dangerous to small children, those with severe respiratory issues, and those with weakened immune systems (for example someone receiving chemotherapy to treat cancer.) It should also be noted, that in some cases exposure to mold can lead to the development of asthma. 

According to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the three main contributing factors to mold growth are humidity, temperature, and poor ventilation. 

The 5 best way to avoid the development of mold are (Better Homes and Gardens):

• Use dehumidifiers, fans, and open windows to help reduce the moisture in your home. Be especially vigilant during hot, humid months.
• Fix plumbing leaks as soon as possible.
• Do what you can to prevent rainwater from seeping into your home. Check potential problem areas regularly.
• Clean the fabrics in your home routinely and keep them dry.
• Store items in dry, well-ventilated areas.

Microburst Storm Damage Restoration in Mesa AZ: SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Trucks in front of Gold Pawn Brokers in Mesa AZ after a microburst storm damage restoration.

Storm Damage Restoration for Gold Pawn Brokers in Mesa AZ

It’s not too often that the state of Arizona has natural disasters. Every once in a while we get hit by Microburst storms. This one had actually blown off the roof to Gold Pawn Broker's commercial property. It’s a good thing that Gold pawn was prepared for the worst.   They called SERVPRO of North Central Mesa and we were there for them in a blink of an eye. If you would like to see the Owners comments here is a link to a video of the owner talking about what had happened.

Gold Pawn Broker's SERVPRO Testimonial

Stuck in a bad situation, and don’t know who to turn to. Just give a call at (480) 553-7103 we’ll be happy to take care of you, just like we did for this happy customer. We'll make things “Like it never even happened.”

4 Signs You Need to Change your Water Heater

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

Water Damage from worn out Water Heater

Two of the most common causes of water damage in residential homes are faulty toilet shut-off valves and water heaters gone bad... That sounds like a parody title from a Jerry Springer show! But it's a serious issue! Below we will list the 4 signs that you need to look for to see if you should consider getting a new water heater. Then we'll talk about a water damage job we had from a homeowner whose water heater went caput. 

4 Signs that you should consider getting a new water heater

1. Your water heater is 10 years old or older.
2. Rusty water is coming from your water heater.
3. You hear rumbling noises from your water heater.
4. There is moisture gathering on the outside or around your water heater. 

Water Damage in Mesa AZ from a bad water heater

This is just a normal Hot water heater gone bad. The water was left unattended for multiple days. Even as early as 48 hours, growth can start to form. Since this was a case where the water heater closet had absorbed most of the water, it did not get much further than two rooms from the source. This still required 4 days of Monitoring and 3 days of drying with equipment running all 3 days.

You just never know when disaster is going to strike, but a Quick response is imperative.  When disaster strikes your home from things like a water heater gone array, the sooner you respond, the limited the damage will be to that property.

To ensure quick response, make sure you have a plan in place to quickly address any emergency situation. SERVPRO's ERP (Emergency Ready Plan) is a great way to do that! It's a free app available on any device that allows you to have your emergency plan and contacts at your fingertips! You can get more information here https://ready.SERVPRO.com.

If you need help setting your plan up please give us a call at (480) 553-7103 and SERVPRO of North Central Mesa will be there for you to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Using PPE in Storm Damage Situations Can Significantly Reduce Workplace Injuries

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

PPE Example: Impact Resistant Gloves

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is extremely important to our line of work. Disaster sites are naturally a breeding ground for health and safety concerns. Injuries are also very common, that’s why we take certain steps in order to protect ourselves from these dangers. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 70 percent of workers who injure their hands were not wearing work glove during an accident. In Jan of 2018 the BLS also stated that hand injuries generally result in an average of 18 to 19 days lost of work in most industries. Most of the complaints about wearing gloves are that they are not comfortable and or a lack of dexterity or mobility. It’s close to 30 percent of workers today, even in disaster workers are wearing gloves not adequate for the type of hazard or just damaged/used gloves, according to the BLS.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa number concern is Safety. And that goes across the board for SERVPRO Locations in general. Fortunately, with modern day’s technology advances, we have extra protection, durability, and comfortable gloves.

Here are 3 ways to effectively prevent hand injuries on a job site.

1. Evaluate injury risks at the begging of a job. Look for serious possibilities like sharp objects, slip zones, and hazards material. You can always consult with a safety specialist, safety engineer, or product manager to help evaluate the possible risk and risk factors that could very easily lead to hand and finger injuries on a job.
2. Teach and Train your employees the proper ways to behave on a job site. You can do role-playing exercises, for example, simulating a hand injury. Tape up workers dominant hand with gauze and instruct them to perform a couple of simple work tasks and personal task like texting. This type of training can show how difficult work can be with injuries and will encourage them to take time to evaluate risks in the work area.
3. The best way to prevent hand injuries is to give workers and technicians the best possible performance gloves. By outfitting them with the best equipment not only do you show your customers you are taking care of your employees, but your employees know that they are being taken care of as well.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is committed to the safety of its employees and encourages other businesses in the Mesa Area to make that same commitment to their employees

Water Damage Restoration at Mesa AZ's Country Inn and Suites

5/16/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa arriving on scene at 8pm. We are available 24 hours a day 7 Days a week!

Commercial Water Damage in Mesa AZ

Restoring Commercial properties presents unique Challenges

Flooding and water damage events in Mesa commercial properties can be very complex things. Whether we’re dealing with a small scale like carpet cleaning, or on a large scale were multiple floors are flooded. You have to be flexible, effective, but most importantly knowledgeable.

It is a business we’re working on here.

Luckily Country Inn & Suites were able to keep their doors open and their customers happy while we handled their water damage. In some instances business/commercial properties have to close their door for an extended period of time. When this happens EVERY MINUTE they could losing money. Once a Business closes their doors because of disaster, there is 50% chance they might never be able to open again.

About SERVPRO of North Central Mesa

SERVPRO has the professionals, the equipment, and the experience to manage any size disaster you could possibly be in. We will respond quickly, respectfully, and help mitigate the damage and help manage the restoration project through it's completion.

More about us:

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/crew-photos

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/restoration-training-certifications

Mold Remediation in Fountain Hills AZ

5/15/2018 (Permalink)

Fountain Hills Vacation Home

A home in Fountains Hills Arizona had a small leak, and it went unnoticed until the homeowners saw it coming from out of the building's foundation. It took them a while to turn off the water going to the house. Once that had finally shut it off, thousands of gallons of water must have been in this house to cause this mold damage. It also must have been going on for at least a couple of weeks. 

If there is ever a disaster in your home, you know who to call. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is Faster to any size disaster in order to make it "Like it never even happened." Just give us a call at (480) 553-7103 and we will have our crew mobilized in seconds to help you and your family's home get back to working order. 

Do you have a Mold issue? Don't know what it is? We can handle any size disaster. Just give us a chance.

Document Restoration From a Fire in Mesa AZ

5/15/2018 (Permalink)

game cards being air-dried as a result of a water damage issue.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can preserve most documents damaged by fire and water losses.

Monsoon season is in full swing in Arizona. It might have snuck up on you with everyone’s attention being focused on a certain pandemic wreaking havoc on people’s health and the economy. Generally, the start of the monsoon season brings an end to the end of the fire season in Arizona for obvious reasons. Though, lightning does pose an occasional threat to start a fire here and there. However, if we have another dry monsoon season like we had last year, the dryness and the heat may pose an incredible risk of extending the fire season. Like we need something else to worry about this year… right?!

We have actually been unusually busy working on fire jobs this year. If that trend continues, it could mean great news for us, but not so much for our potential future clients. Though we do love working fire jobs, it’s not too fantastic for those who are displaced as a result of a fire loss. 

Water Damage From Fire Losses

One often overlooked effect of fires is the water loss that comes with it. That may sound odd, but when the fire department is working on putting a fire out tons of gallons of water is used to extinguish a fire. For large fires up to 20,000 gallons of water could be used to put out a fire. That’s a lot of water, and potentially a lot of water damage. Hopefully, you will be lucky and not have any important paperwork damaged by that water, assuming the fire didn’t get to it.

Document Restoration Services

Most people do not know that SERVPRO has one of the most advanced document drying processes and facilities in the United States. This can be useful in restoring damaged personal paperwork, or in the case of a recent job we had with an architectural firm in Mesa Arizona, years of paper documents between customer/client files and architecture blueprints. In that case we sent a refrigerated truckload of files to our corporate headquarters for restoration.

When your valuable documents, including photographs, are damaged by water or fire, we take extreme caution to help ensure those smoke or water damaged documents have the best chance of being restored. We are not always able to save everything, but more often than not, our customers, and their adjusters, are surprised at what we are able to return back to them. Although some documents may not be restored to pre-fire damage conditions, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Professionals can save a great deal and help minimize additional damage. 

Depending on the type of documents and the level of fire, smoke, or soot damage, they have five options for the restoration of documents:

1. Air Drying
2. Dehumidification
3. Freezer Drying
4. Vacuum Freeze Drying
5. Vacuum Thermal Drying

The Cards in this picture are being air-dried. They were taken from an apartment fire in Tempe, Arizona. While we weren’t able to save all of the cards, we were able to save the majority of the most valuable ones. After seeing some of the resale value of the cards they had, it makes me wish I had kept more of the Garbage Pail Kids and Star Wars trading cards I had when I was a kid.

Flood Damage Job in Mesa AZ: Model Planes

5/15/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa Responds to Emergency Water Damage issues within 2 hours

Sunday April 10th 2017. This owner will never forget that day. The noise of dripping water inside of his house woke him up around 1 A.M. That’s right, just a little after midnight this homeowner stepped off his bed only to hear the squish of the sopping wet carpet. Shortly after calling and dealing with his insurance, he called SERVPRO to come out to his house in Mesa, 85203. Within the hour, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa was on scene and started extracting 100’s of gallons of water from his home.

Before we start moving contents in people homes, one of the things we ask of people is to move any sacred or personal possessions out of the way. After we had mentioned that to the homeowner, he told us to follow him. Then we saw his plane room, WOW. There were Thousands of different kinds of parts and planes. The main focus, of course, was what was on the ground. After that our main concern is making sure nothing would be affected by the Moisture in the air as well.

Once everything gets dry, you can look forward to getting another update of these amazing birds.

Biohazard Services in North Central Mesa, AZ

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

What is a Biohazard?

This past weekend was a busy one for us. Good for us, not so much for our clients. One of the calls we got was from an apartment complex we are a vendor for who had a renter who committed suicide. Now, our industry isn’t the most glamorous industry and a lot of our work comes from emergency issues where our clients deal with present and lingering suffering of loss. The loss of a person’s life is obviously the worst case scenario and one we and our clients take very seriously. It is a very sensitive event. That is one of the reasons we work hard to develop relationships of trust with businesses and residents of the areas we work in.

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/testimonials

As far as biohazard events are concerned, a lot of them are due to suicides, but there are a lot of other events which cause the need for professional biohazard clean-up. A biohazard, as defined by The Arizona State University Biological Safety Manual, is defined as:

“Any microorganism (including, but not limited to, bacteria, viruses, fungi, rickettsia, protozoa or prions) or infectious substance, or any naturally occurring, bioengineered, or synthesized component of any such microorganism or infectious substance, capable of causing:

• Death,  disease,  or other biological  malfunction in a human,  animal, plant, or another  living organism;

• Deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or material of any kind; or

• Deleterious alteration of the environment.”

Other Biohazard Services

Some of the events, other than suicides, that we deal with that are of a biological nature include:

• Sewage backups
• Crime scene residues
• Homicide cleanups
• General Blood cleanup
• Accident cleanup
• Hoarding scenes
• Animal waste/remains
• Biological Chemical Spills
• Tear gas cleanup
• Meth lab cleanup

If you think you may have a clean-up issue that is of a biological nature, give us a call and we can help consult you on your options. We’ll let you know for certain whether your issue is bio-hazardous or not. Free information is always good, right?! If your issue is a biohazard issue, we’ll be able to give you your clean-up options for that as well.

This last part of the article is going to be a Suicide PSA. We deal with it more than we would like and anything we can to help on that end is a win for us.

If you have a friend, family member or co-worker that you think may be having suicidal thoughts, or are dealing with issues that could be suicidal, This is a great link to local resources for education and crisis situations. http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/arizona-suicide-hotlines.html Suicide.org is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. If you are not dealing with a direct issue but would like to donate to help them help others, you can do so here: http://www.suicide.org/donate.html

Ce Class on ETHICS

12/8/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is hosting a Class for you!

Insurance is an ever-changing industry that most normal people just pay for and don't have a good grasp of or simply don't fully understand it completely.  As an Insurance agent, it's your job to educate yourself and your clients on their options and how their policies can be beneficial if and when needed. Although being in a role to teach, and offer financial advice requires you to gain extensive knowledge on your part, and that knowledge must continue to grow if you are to remain successful.

If you are someone who needs Continue Education credits, then I have a treat for you. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is putting on a course about Ethics. February 8th, 2018. Registration time is 8:30 am the course time will be from 9am-12pm. Breakfast and Lunch will be provided with coffee and Beverages.

We'll be holding this CE at Country Inn & Suites by Carlson 6650 E. Superstition Springs Mesa, AZ 85206. 100% attendance is REQUIRED in order to receive the CE Credit for this course.

If you would like to RESERVE your spot email us at SERVPRO9975@hotmail.com or you can call me directly at (480) 689-7899.

What you'll learn:

The premise of this ethics course is that although we may have solid ethical foundations and usually make rational ethical decisions, ethical lapses are likely to come when we are stressed, angry, upset, worried, or otherwise disengaged.

Each and every day we are faced with decisions that could cause harm to others or ourselves. Facing ethical decisions can be very difficult, especially when we make decisions that may seem correct at first, but we later find out were not so great.

As we explore what "Ethics" is, you'll be challenged to become involved in hourly group activities. The group activities will help reinforce what has been learned, as well as the ability to better deal with ethical decision-making in our lives.

Email or call (480) 689-7899 if you have any questions.

Car Magnets

10/13/2017 (Permalink)

New car magnets the marketing team has. If you see them and snag a photo we'll give you a $50 gift card.

Just yesterday the SERVPRO Marketing team got an upgrade! Not only has our carpet cleaning been updated, but now so has the Marketing team.

New laptops, ipads, and even some car magnets. Have you seen these new magnets in your area? If not you will soon! The marketing team is hitting boots on the ground along with buffing up our online presence.

If you're in need the SERVPRO team will be there. Faster to any size disaster to make things "Like they never even happened." The SERVPRO of North Central Mesa has recently changed focus over to growing our Carpet Cleaning. Not only have we recently bumped up our tech and power, we've even hired a new technician. If you would like to see who go to our http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/employee-photos.

You'll see our newest employee Joe. He has over 25 years of carpet cleaning experience and has even trained well over 500 carpet cleaning technicians. He's had just about every certification you can think of for carpet cleaning.

Get ready for the Holidays with some Carpet/tile cleaning. Call SERVPRO at (480) 553-7103.

New and Improved carpet cleaning

10/11/2017 (Permalink)

Some of our newest cleaning in a closet.

The old style of carpet cleaning is just that old. Most Carpet cleaners today still use the old manual scrub wand method simply because it has been around for so long. Here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, we use the Rotovac and pads. The Rotovac utilizes the Rotary vacuum heads to thoroughly deep clean carpets. It uses hundreds of multi-directional cleaning passes and only weighs less than 40 pounds.  It’s easy to use as in a self-propelled side to side motion. Not only does it clean carpets get stains up was easier, it also is a lot less stress on the technician. 

We will take care of you, with the best possible tools, to ensure your safety and ours. One call and that's all it takes to get you taken care of. (480) 553-7103

We have recently hired a new Carpet cleaner contractor. Reach out to us to get you and your property taken care of.

Call SERVPRO to make those stains "Like it never even happened."

We do drapes, tile, carpets, rugs, water extraction, and even Odor issues. Help us help you by giving us a call and get this cleaning started!

National Preparedness Month

10/2/2017 (Permalink)

Whatever the disaster we are there. For your home and facility, SERVPRO can make it "like it never even happened."

The National Preparedness Month is the perfect opportunity to share your facility information. There are plenty benefits of having a readiness plan in place for you, your customers, business, and family.

The SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile (ERP) will help ensure you and your business are "Ready for whatever happens."

 In the event of an emergency, the SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile can help minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action in place for your facility. The ERP is a Comprehensive document containing critical information about your business, including emergency contact information, shut-off valve locations, and priority areas. The ERP is also accessible online using your computer or tablet: download SERVPRO free Ready Plan App to access this information at any time using your smartphone or tablet. 

The ERP really help not just you but the local fire department, and your Local SERVPRO Franchise. As your disaster mitigation and restoration provider, giving you access to 50 years experience and a system more than 1,700 Franchises strong. Knowing what to do and who to call in advance is key to quick response and timely mitigation. Having a plan in place may help minimize the amount of the time of your business is inactive and get you back in the building following a disaster.

Preparation is the key to making it through any size disaster, whether it is a small water leak, a large fire or an area flood. The best time to plan for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens. No one ever plans on a disaster, but now, YOU can plan for it.

Are your commercial carpets ready for the holiday season?

9/21/2017 (Permalink)

Yes, we even clean carpeted stairs. Look at the color, looks good as new

SERVPRO truly cares about its clients. Carpet cleaning is an excellent example of this. SERVPRO is here to help whenever you have a Fire happen in your business, a flood incident, mold growth, and even Biohazards and crime scene clean up. Carpet cleaning is now something SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is focused. We are already known as a company at the top of the industry, and we were going above and beyond with Carpet cleaning. I'll be listing the Services that carpet cleaning covers and why carpet cleaning is so necessary. 

It is important to state, no two jobs are the same. They can differ in size, soiling, home layout and extra services needed to restore the carpeting to an acceptable state. Fortunately, no matter how bad the carpet is, a professional technician from SERVPRO can most likely bring the fibers back to life once again. This way we can indeed make it "like it never even happened."

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa employs Skilled technicians to remove soils and stains with the latest, state-of-the-art technologies and procedures. The IICRC sets the standards for this, and we have the certificates to make an impressive degree in this industry. Not only is this type of training imperative for proper cleaning, but a technician has spent time working on their certification so that they can help potential customers know that they are making the right choice. 

SERVPRO'S CLEANING SERVICES:

Air Duct and HVAC Cleaning

Carpet and Hard floor cleaning and Care

Stain Removal, Stain resistance applications

Odor Identification and Deodorization

Upholstery and Drapes: Wet or Dry cleaning Methods.

Blood/Feces Cleanup

So why is cleaning so important? By the time carpet repairs needed, the flooring probably looks like an eyesore, or just unstable. As carpeting get older, it tends to separate from the subfloor called delamination. Children, pets and lots of social gatherings can be especially rough, resulting in matted carpets, stains setting in, and other issues. When you have these problems, it's a professionals duty to get rid of the stress of it all and provide a powerful cleaning solution. We are faster to any size disaster and prepared for nearly any situation. 

Floors, in general, are a significant part of a structure. The Holidays should be spent enjoying the company of family and friends, not dealing with allergies or illness. Hiring a trained professional to treat a home can ensure that dust mites don't wreck the party.

Give us a call (480) 553-7103 and see how SERVPRO of North Central Mesa can help you!

The decontanination process

8/8/2017 (Permalink)

Before and after of a Cat Biohazard scene.

" The man had passed away in his home unattended, and he had given up on his life. He had not been throwing things away, and there was just a lot of stuff in there. It wasn't collecting, it was trash," Jen from RESTORATION AND REMEDIATION.

The man's body was in the home nine days before he was found. They said it was a nice warm day well over 80 degrees outside. The body had decomposed so badly that some of the body fluids had gone through the floor and down into the basement walls. 

This meant there was a lot of Biohazard work to be done before even thinking about cleaning up the rest of the home. What you see here is cat feces. Everywhere in this house had been affected by Cats. If you have a friend that has a situation that they need to get taken care of. Give us a call SERVPRO is here to help. Just like how we helped this couple.

When Bedbugs Bite

8/8/2017 (Permalink)

The bed bug up-close and personal.

Bedbugs don't nest; they congregate in places like mattresses couches and other darker spots within it and others around it. The blotch itself is bedbugs feces, which is the digested blood of the "host" victims. This is this pictures is the up close and personal image of one Bedbug. They feed off of us and are parasites. If you have these in your home or facility you need to get them removed. If this infestation were left unchecked, the world would continue to become more and more discolored and darkened. The bedbugs will breed and feed continuously until they are eradicated or the food source has been removed.

If you're in need don't hesitate to call us. We are here to help you. 

Biohazard, Crime scene, and vandalism cleanup.

4/28/2017 (Permalink)

Bloodborne pathogens, Methamphetamine labs, crime scene residues, arson, and vandalism, whenever you're in need just give us a call.

Recognized as a leading fire and water cleanup and restoration provider by hundreds of insurance companies, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa also offers fast, reliable biohazard, crime scene cleanup and restoration services to residential and commercial property owners.

Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can pose serious health consequences for building occupants, employees, customers, and owners. A failure to properly handle and safely remove such hazardous substances can contribute to unhealthy and even dangerous environments.

Here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, my family is here to protect you and your family. We are trained professionals that can safely and effectively remove Biohazardous substances and prepare waste for proper disposal for the state and local health regulations.

We are equipped with the handy necessary safety equipment and cleaning products. We can help turn your unsafe environments into clean, safe homes, and offices.

We can help you with these issues:

• Bloodborne Pathogens
• Methamphetamine Labs
• Crime scene Residues
• Arson
• Vandalism
• Sewage Backups
• Black Water Intrusions
• Mold Mitigation and Remediation

State and local regulations do vary, so we stay on top of things with education, and learning any new laws that could pertain to our services.

Bloodborne Pathogens require removing and disposal of bodily fluids, tissue, and other potentially pathogenic substances resulting from accident, trauma, crime, or death. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa technicians thoroughly clean, disinfect and deodorize the structure.

Crime Scene Residues from fingerprint powder and evidence gathering chemicals to tear gas and pepper spray residues, here at SERVPRO we can clean and restore your property and contents.

Arson and vandalism require a quick response. SERVPRO is recognized as a leader in helping property owners recover quickly from fire and water damage. SERVPRO also provides general cleaning and deodorization services for situations resulting from vandalism including graffiti, egg, spoiled foods, and human or animal waste.

Call SERVPRO your local professional today for 24-hour emergency service. Our number is (480) 553-7103 give us a call and see how we can help.

Tonto Verde house flood

11/22/2016 (Permalink)

Water damaged tile, with baseboard, carpet, and pad removed.

Sunday, November 13 SERVPRO of North Central Mesa had gotten a call that someone’s house had water coming out of the garage door and they needed some professional help. SERVPRO was able to show up to our friendly customer's house in Rio Verde, just north of Fountain Hill, within two hours of the initial call. It was around 7pm that night SERVPRO had started the Mitigation process of this disaster.

            Levi Frost, and RJ Hartman our technicians had to meet up with the Neighbors that night in order to get access to the property because the homeowner was out of town.  Once they were giving access into the home our team assessed the damaged areas. Which included the garage, the Master bedroom, Master closet, and about half of the family room.

Once assessed, the next step is extracting the carpet and pad. After extraction, they cut out all the damaged carpet and Padding to get it all out of the way. Because there was Delamination on the carpet the insurance company approved to rip out all the damaged carpet as well as the pad.  After extracting, cutting, and a lot of pulling carpet and pad. The technician's set all the necessary equipment that is required to dry the home properly. Just some of the equipment they used that day were our generic high-quality Air movers, Power distribution box, and some extension cords to dry the hard to get areas. Now that was just the first night.

Since there are so many moving parts to the mitigation side of a flood or a water loss, a technician has to go back to the building every single day to check on the drying process of the building. After 4 days of extracting, cutting, drying, and monitoring our team had confirmed that the equipment had dried the home completely.  That’s also just the Mitigation side of this disaster. Now the homeowner has to work on the Reconstruction of the home to get it all back together again.

Water damage with a hint of mold.

10/10/2016 (Permalink)

Water heater in the Closet, you just never know when it could happen to you.

This is just a normal Hot water heater gone bad. When water is left unattended for multiple days or even as early 48 hours, growth can start to form. Since this was a case where the water heater closet had absorbed most of the water, it did not get much further than two rooms from the source. This still required 4 days of Monitoring and 3 days of drying with equipment running all 3 days.

You just never know when disaster is going to strike, but a Quick response is the key.  When disaster strikes your home from things like a water heater gone array, the sooner you respond, the limited the damage will be to that property.

To ensure quick response, make sure you have a team of professionals equipped with necessary Personal Protective equipment, and if you don’t have a team ready to go for yourself. Give us a call at (480) 553-7103 and SERVPRO of North Central Mesa will be there for you to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Commercial Carpet cleaning

8/10/2016 (Permalink)

A couch that was upholstery cleaned.

A Regular Cleaning wand just doesn't cut it anymore.  Most Carpet cleaners today still use the old manual scrub wand method simply because it has been around for so long. It requires the technician to work so much harder, and only cleans in two directions, and just isn’t the same quality as a Rotovac.  The Rotovac utilizes the Rotary vacuum heads to thoroughly deep clean carpets. It uses hundreds of multi-directional cleaning passes and only weighs less than 40 pounds.  It’s easy to use as in a self-propelled side to side motion. It a better clean with less effort. It basically makes carpet cleaning a breeze compared to what it used to be.

Features:

·         Cleans better with less effort and leaves carpet drier than a wand

·         Interchangeable heads for all type of Carpet and Tile Cleaning

·         User-friendly weighs only 39lbs

·         Telescoping handles for cleaning stairs and compact storage

·         Durable Construction with Cast Aluminum and Stainless Steel Frame

·         Unique Marketing Tool to land new accounts and generate referral business

·         Industrially Engineered for Professional Use

·         Made in the USA

We will take care of you, with the best possible tools, to ensure your safety and ours. One call is all it takes to get you taken care of. (480) 553-7103

WE have recently hired a new Carpet cleaner contractor. Reach out to us to get you and your property taken care of.

Rain storm in Fountain Hills

8/3/2016 (Permalink)

Arizona Storms can be Gorgeous.

Good morning Fountain Hills,

 As most of you know, there was a Storm Event in Fountain Hills Last night. Storms can be devastating. An immediate action might be needed to protect your property.

If you’re any sort of property manager, or own property that is vacant right now. It would be wise to check on that property when you get the chance. Within just a couple of days, if rain water goes unchecked it can lead to growth and potential mold damage.

If left unchecked, the damage in your home could go from a couple hundred dollars to multiple thousands of damage to your property, just within a couple of days.

What to do After Flooding?

What NOT To Do After Flooding

Tips on Body Cleanup

7/6/2016 (Permalink)

A square piece of carpet was removed with the help of friends of the deceased.

A Husband, a father, and a friendly neighbor had passed. The Home Owner was supposed to go on a trip, and his neighbor was going to take him to the Airport. A couple days before his trip his Neighbor had noticed that his vehicle was still in the garage. During this time he was supposed to be out and about.  Once the neighbor had noticed things were not like they should be, she immediately called 911.

The Home owner did live alone, and once his family was notified, they just didn’t know what to do. They grabbed some friends of the family, and tried to clean it up the aftermath themselves. After the cutting out a square piece of the carpet and seeing what they had gotten wrist deep into, they soon there-after called SERVPRO.

If you have a Friend or a Family member pass in your home. Call the Experts, lets us help up you out. Information is always free, and the information a SERVPRO professional can give you is priceless.

Carpet cleaning anyone?

6/8/2016 (Permalink)

Carpet cleaning these starts was a breeze with our equipment. Just look at that smile!

Some people don't know this but, SERVPRO Franchise Professionals also offer a range of specialized cleaning methods:

• Bonnet Cleaning: the less aggressive method for short piled carpets. For light stains.
• Hot Water Extraction: A deeper cleaning method for all carpet types.
• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse: Helps restore deeply soiled areas. For older carpet
• Showcase Premier Cleaning: The most thorough cleaning method in the industry.
• Dry Cleaning: When color-fastness is an issue.

·         Professional Cleaning

·         Professional cleaning can soil conditions in your carpets. How often you’ll need professional cleaning depends on soil build-up, traffic, type and color of carpeting. A good rule of thumb would be to professionally clean your carpet every 12 months. The best advice is to clean carpets before they become totally saturated with soil. If you wait until carpets look really dirty, the carpets may never be restored to their former appearance. Dirt builds up in layers, and when a carpet looks dirty you are only seeing the dirt at the tips of the fibers. More dirt is hiding below the surface down near the base of the pile, causing damage to the carpet. When a carpet is saturated with dirt, the soil has penetrated crevices and has become firmly lodged.

SERVPRO of North Centrale Mesa is now revamping our Carpet Cleaning Division. We will be putting out coupons, and hiring more Technicians. If you available for work give us a call!

If you're in need, give us a call and we will help you any way we can!

·         SERVPRO Franchise Professionals will get the job done right. For a cleaning backed by state-of-the-art equipment, over 40 years of experience and Professionals trained to the highest standards, call us today at (480) 553-7103. 

Are you Red Cross Ready?

6/8/2016 (Permalink)

Red Cross Preparedness bags, sold at participating Safeway. Are you ready?

Everyone needs to be prepared, no matter what city you’re in.

Later this year in October American Red Cross is hosting a Firealarm install walk. We will be walking with friends and family to install Fire alarms for the community.

 Luckily you have friends like SERVPRO to come and help out whenever you find yourself in a disaster. Although things can go MUCH smoother if you are prepared and act fast when a disaster strikes. 

 SERVPRO is also a Partner with the Red Cross. Have you ever thought of being a Volunteer for any organization? How about helping a global non-profit organization.  Check us out and see what you can do to help.

If you feel the need to get in contact with the American Red Cross they have a variety of places you can get in contact with.They have locations all over the world, but they are not in every single city. They are 100's of cities in every state, and every country has a lot of states. So you could imagine how much help they could use from around the world. Anything and everything could be helpful at this point for the American Redcross. From blood, money, even just some of your time on the weekends.

http://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/connect-with-us

There are all different kinds of disasters, depending on where you live you’ll an increased chance of having more disasters. Just like the state like Arizona, where we don’t have an ocean boarding our state, there are still chances of the flood, and other natural disasters. In areas that are hot, like how Arizona is, It’s important to be ready for anything. Having water on hand is KEY to staying hydrated and staying alive in disaster scenarios.

If you would like to donate any bottled water, you can contact us at (480) 553-7103 and we’ll take care of it for you.

Water removal at Mesa's Country inn and Suites

5/3/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO NCM arriving on scene Sunday night at 8 pm.

Restoring Commercial properties presents unique Challenges

Flooding and water damage events in Mesa commercial properties can be very complex things. Whether we’re dealing with a small scale like carpet cleaning, or on a large scale were multiple floors are flooded. You have to be flexible, effective, but most importantly knowledgeable.

It is a business we’re working on here.

Luckily Country Inn & Suites were able to keep their doors open and their customers happy while we handled their water damage. In some instances business/commercial properties have to close their door for an extended period of time. When this happens EVERY MINUTE they could losing money. Once a Business closes their doors because of disaster, there is 50% chance they might never be able to open again.

About SERVPRO North Central Mesa

SERVPRO has the professionals, the equipment, and the experience to manage any size disaster you could possibly be in. We will respond quickly, respectfully, and help mitigate the damage and help manage the restoration project through it's completion.

More about us:

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/crew-photos

http://www.SERVPROnorthcentralmesa.com/restoration-training-certifications

Micro Burst in Mesa

4/26/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO arriving on scene

It’s not too often that the state of Arizona has a natural disasters. Every once in a while we get hit by Micro bursts storms. This one had actually blown off the roof to Gold Pawn commercial property. Although it’s a good thing that Gold pawn was prepared for the worst.   They called SERVPRO of North Central Mesa and we were there for them in a blink of an eye. If you would like to see the Owners comments here is a link to a video of the owner talking about what had happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgwryMkPqWU

Stuck in a bad situation, and don’t know who to turn to. Just give a call at (480) 553-7103 we’ll be happy to take care of you, just like we did for this happy customer. We'll make things “Like it never even happened.”

That's not flying, it's falling with style.

4/13/2016 (Permalink)

Over a 100 airplanes, and airplane parts.

Sunday April 10th. This owner will never forget that day. The noise of dripping water inside of his house woke him up around 1 A.M. That’s right, just a little after midnight this homeowner stepped off his bed only to hear the squish of the sopping wet carpet. Shortly after calling and dealing with his insurance, he called SERVPRO to come out to his house in Mesa, 85203. Within the hour, SERVPRO of North Central Mesa was on scene and started extracting 100’s of gallons of water from his home.

Before we start moving contents in people homes, one of the things we ask of people is to move any sacred or personal possessions out of the way. After we had mentioned that to the homeowner, he told us to follow him. Then we saw his plane room, WOW. There were Thousands of different kinds of parts and planes. The main focus of course was what was on the ground. After that our main concern, is making sure nothing would be effected by the Moisture in the air as well.

Once everything gets dry, you can look forward to getting another update of these amazing birds.

Cleaning out the old grill

3/31/2016 (Permalink)

Cooking area of the Restaurant.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa, was called over the weekend to come and clean up this restaurant and get it ready to open. If you didn’t already know SERVPRO can also help with your Commercial Cleaning needs. 

The owner of this business just reopened about a couple years after being out of business. Well after a couple years of a kitchen being closed, things can get a little smelly. So they knew who to call to come and take care of it.

Our customer was so happy of all the hard work our cleaning staff had done, that he invited us back when the place opens up. This summer they’ll be bumping with catering orders for all your occasions.

 Look here in the Future to see what the front door and place looks like. Of course we'll make you jealous by posting pictures of the food as well. 

A few cards short of a deck

3/15/2016 (Permalink)

These cards are laid out to be Air Dried.

When your valuable documents, including photographs, are damaged by water or fire, extreme caution should be taken to help ensure the fire damage does not destroy the document. Although some documents may not be restored to pre-fire damage condition, SERVPRO Franchise Professionals can save a great deal and help minimize additional damage. 

Depending on the type of documents and the level of fire, smoke, or soot damage, they have five options for the restoration of documents:

1. Air Drying
2. Dehumidification
3. Freezer Drying
4. Vacuum Freeze Drying
5. Vacuum Thermal Drying

These Cards are being Air Dried in this picture. They were taken from an apartment fire in Tempe, Arizona.  Once they get done drying, the home owner is going to be taking to get appraised to see what value is still in the cards after this house fire. 

Spring cleaning

3/7/2016 (Permalink)

Textile boxes

These boxes are just some of the textiles (a type of clothing), from the fire and smoke damaged cabin in Show Low Arizona. After 6 months, the home owners are ready to do the “put back” for their summer home. They wanted us to do the mitigation, reconstruction and the put back for them. So we’ll be going in and hanging photos, decorations, and putting beds back to the way they were. So we’ll be making it “Like it never even happened.”

 What use to be a smoke covered cabin; is now a clean and move in ready cabin. It would be great to be able to stay there for a couple days while down here in the phoenix area were hitting records high for how hot it is. Show low would be a great vacation spot to get away for the weekend.

It is now summer and we are rapping up on past jobs and clearing out our facility. It makes for a great time to get some cleaning out of the way to get another great start to the third quarter of the year.

Staying Warm in the Winter

2/9/2016 (Permalink)

Wood burning stove for a Log cabin in Show Low Arizona

Candles can cause more damage than you might think. This wood burning heater was the source of a cabin fire in Show Low Arizona. Well there wasn't that much fire necessarily, although there was quite a lot of smoke damage. This stove was in the middle of a cabin, and it’s the only source of heat to the whole house.

            Well sitting on top of the heater sat 4 candles on top of some candle holders. From there the heat from the stove had melted the wax on the candles into the stove, and smoke ran amok throughout the entire cabin except one room that had the door closed.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa was called and arrived on scene the very next day. The owner of the home tried to clean the smoke by themselves and had quickly realized that this was bigger than just some normal spring cleaning. Look for updates over the next few weeks to see how the job is going.

Fountain Hills Vacation Home

12/7/2015 (Permalink)

Fountain Hills Mold. A vacation home that was not watched properly.

A home in Fountains Hills Arizona had a small leak, and it went unnoticed until the home owners saw it coming from out of the building's foundation. It took them a while to turn off the water going to the house. Once that had finally shut it off, thousands of gallons of water must have been in this house to cause this mold damage. It also must have been going on for at least a couple of weeks. 

If there is ever a disaster in your home, you know who to call. SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is Faster to any size disaster in order to make it "Like it never even happened." Just give us a call at (480) 553-7103 and we will have our crew mobilized in seconds to help you and your family's home get back to working order. 

Mold issue? Don't know what it is? We can handle any size disaster. Just give us a chance.

Newest member to the growing SERVPRO family.

11/3/2015 (Permalink)

Newest addition to the Family owned and Operated Franchise.

Wondering where all your daily SERVPRO content has been? Well this little guy was cooking in the oven for some time. Now that he's out, you can expect more of your SERVPRO content to be updated more regularly. 

Do you have a new born, or a family to take care of? Are you in some sort of a disaster? Well here at SERVPRO we understand, because we've been there ourselves. You need fast, knowledgeable, and courteous people to get things back to working order. Especially when it comes to your home and your personal belongings. 

Whatever the case may be water damage, fire, mold or you just need some carpets cleaned, we can help make it "Like it never even happened." Give us a call at (480) 553-7103. Help us, help you by giving us a call so we can start putting things back together again with you.

After: Warehouse Fire in Mesa

7/25/2014 (Permalink)

After the restoration.

Wow, what a difference!!!!!

Before: Warehouse Fire in Mesa

7/25/2014 (Permalink)

Before we started.

We just finished the cleanup of a fire loss in Mesa AZ. Lots of soot and ash!

New Truck and our van

2/10/2014 (Permalink)

New vehicles in SERVPRO action.

SERVPRO of North Central Mesa is always trying to keep up with the times and current trends while keeping true to its values mission statements. SERVPRO also stays on top of all current technology. We can't just fall behind, we have to stay ahead of the curve.

Therefor SERVPRO got a new couple of vehicles. This photo is of the newest vehicles we have. Up the front of the photo, we have our Owner's new 2017 Deisle truck, the Middle we have our 2015 Van, and furthest in the photo we have our Marketers Vehicle. This isn't even our full force of action team. We have an additional Box Truck that can help with Carpet Cleaning and water extraction. Then we have an additional Packout trailer. That way we can store plenty of contents and have space to tackle anything else coming our way.

Happy New Year

1/7/2014 (Permalink)

We here at SERVPRO of North Central Mesa want to wish everyone a HAPPY and PROSPERUS New Year.