Recent Posts

Do you know about flood cuts?

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

Flood Cut of water damaged drywall Flood cut

Has your home or business been affected by flooding?  The process of restoration can leave you feeling overwhelmed. As part of the restoration process, it's important to know a flood cut is sometimes needed after a home has been damaged by water. 

What Exactly Is a Flood Cut and How Is It Done?

The term ‘flood cut’ is a simplified term for a common practice that is sometimes required after a home has sustained water damage. A flood cut:

  • Process of making a cut in a wall 12 inches above the flood lines on walls, specifically drywall. 
  • Should be done once the home is free of hazards
  • Requires specified equipment and tools to allow for a safe removal of drywall

Why Are Flood Cuts Used?

Flood cuts are generally used to:

  • Remove damaged drywall and decrease the risk of contamination in the home
  • Allow for an accurate analysis of structural damage that has occurred
  • Allow for the restoration of structural damage

How Do I Know if My Home Needs a Flood Cut?

After flooding occurs, flood cuts are not always necessary. However, indicators that your home might need a flood cut can include:

  • Having water in your home that is contaminated with potentially hazardous bacteria
  • Having standing water in your home, even if it appears clean
  • The interior of your home remained wet or damp for an extended period

Understanding what a flood cut is, why it is sometimes necessary and when it should be used after flooding occurs can help you better understand what is going on during your home’s restoration process. If your home has sustained water damage due to a flood, contact the flood damage restoration experts who can help you safely and effectively restore your home. 

New Construction Leaving a Big Mess? We Can Help!

2/21/2023 (Permalink)

Post Construction Cleaning:

Your long awaited new construction project is almost completed. Floors are installed, walls are placed. But who knew there would be such a mess to clean up afterwards! SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade and Hancock Counties can provide the debris removal services to prepare the building for interior design.

Dehumidification and Drying:

During the construction phase, a building can trap moisture. Excessive moisture could result in mold growth. If you think one of your projects may have a moisture issue, rely on our professionals to provide the help you need eliminating moisture and preventing the potential for mold growth.

Final Cleaning:

You want the facility to look its best when the doors open. We can provide:

  • Carpet, resilient and non-resilient floor prep, and finish.
  • Ceiling, walls, and fixture cleaning.
  • Air Duct Cleaning.
  • Debris Removal (if necessary).
  • Window Cleaning.

The last thing you need is a fire, water intrusion or mold growth slowing down or stopping the completion of one of your projects. We provide 24-hour emergency mitigation, cleanup, and schedule quickly. In addition to fast response, our crews utilize industrial grade equipment, training, and electronic communication to help ensure the job is done right the first time, saving your time and money.

Got the Ceiling Drips?

2/15/2023 (Permalink)

Water dripping from the ceiling is a serious, yet, common problem. Drips in the ceiling turns into water in a light fixture scenario, the situation can quickly become hazardous.  Electricity plus water equals a dangerous combination. To ensure your family’s safety, call in a water mitigation team. While you wait for the team to arrive, there are four steps you can take to help get the job done quickly.

1. Utilities

Make sure the electricity, gas and water are turned off to the area affected by the leak. Water can conduct electricity from an active electrical line, and that can become a very dangerous situation as the current flows through the metal parts of the light fixture.

2. Make Everyone Aware

Announce to everyone in your home that there is water in a light fixture. You should probably also let them know the gas, water, and electricity will be turned off for an unknown number of hours. 

3. Draining

Ceiling damage from water can sometimes pool and cause a protrusion in your ceiling. If that is true in your case, you may consider draining the area. With a bucket in hand, softly pierce the center of the sagging ceiling bulge with an item like a small wooden dowel. Be prepared for a flood of water from the tiny hole.

4. Cleaning

Not only is it important to remove the water from the floor, but you may find it necessary to keep additional water from hitting your newly cleaned surface. Use a bucket to catch the leaking water if it is still dripping, and place towels around as necessary.

If the leaking water in a light fixture fell onto the carpet, you can make a request that your water mitigation team handle the water removal and disinfecting of the flooring area. 

Not Pleasant, But We Can Do It

2/15/2023 (Permalink)

biohazard proceed with caution biohazard proceed with caution we know how to clean it

SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade and Hancock Counties is trained and equipped to respond to any type of biohazard situation. We can clean up crime scenes, hoarding, animal and human waste, and unattended death. This is not the most charming part of our job, but it is critical that it is handled properly. Here are a few types of biohazards, with an explanation of what they entail.

Unattended Death:

When some one passes away, and is discovered after the fact, cleanup is necessary. This situation can be very stressful for friends and family of the deceased. Our team of technicians will respond to the job with compassion, and efficiently perform the necessary services. It is our goal to provide our cleanup services to try to alleviate some of the stress, you are facing. 

Hoarding:

Hoarding can often develop into a biohazard situation. Excessive household garbage and spoiled food are common in a hoarder house. This can attract insects and rodents, and dangerous bacteria can be present throughout the home.

Other Types of Biohazards:

Sewage backups, certain medical emergencies, and crime scenes are examples of other biohazards that require special attention. Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens may be present. Special cleanup procedures and products are critical to ensure the health and safety of the occupants of the property.

If you have a biohazard problem that requires attention, call SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade and Hancock Counties anytime. We can respond quickly, while handling the situation with dignity and respect.

Process of Cleaning Fire Damage

2/10/2023 (Permalink)

What would you do if you came home after a long work day, and your house is on fire? Or you were about lock up for the night and you smell something burning and the business is in flames in the back room? A call to the fire department is the first step, butwhat aboutall the damage and soot inside? SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade, and Hancock Counties will take care of all your worries. We’re trained with all proper licenses to be able to handle fire.

For the best results, we should start as soon as we have approval from an adjuster. We have a “pack away” option for customers to have items packed up and cleaned to then returned to them at the end. We have non-salvageable sheets to make a listof what we think is not savable and with your permission, we can discard approved items. After everything has been removed from the house, we clean the ceiling with a fire sponge and that removes soot off ceilings. Then, the crew will over the affected walls and work together as a team. One willapply the first chemical treatment and then the second person will wipe the wall down with another chemical. The HVAC units in your home is cleaned to make sure all the soot, smoke, and any other debris in the system gets cleaned out. All the furniture that was in the home is cleaned, free of soot. Once, the inside is finished we mop all floors, if they didn’t get removed from damage. We will also provide one more specialized service at the end of cleaning process to get rid of any other smell that didn’t get completely out. If you have a fire in your home or business, let the professionals help you!

List of our Services

2/10/2023 (Permalink)

Restoration and cleaning services for commercial or residential property.  When the unexpected happens, you can count on us to make it "Like it never even happened."  

Restoration
• Fire, Smoke and Soot
• Water Removal & Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation & Remediation
• Catastrophic Storm Response
• Move Outs & Contents Restoration
• Electronics & Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
• Lead Abatement (RRP)

Cleaning:
• Air Ducts & HVAC
• Biohazard & Crime Scene
• Vandalism
• Carpet & Upholstery
• Drapes & Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls & Hard Floors
• Deodorization
• Dumpster & Debris Removal
• Dry-Cleaning
• Data Center Cleaning
• Vandalism & Graffiti
• Trauma & Crime Scene
• Sewage & Toilet Overflow

Whatever the restoration or cleaning needs are, you can count on SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties to get things back into working order.  Give us a call today! 270-580-2200

Providing Customers The Best Technicians With Certified Training

10/24/2022 (Permalink)

IICRC Certified at Servpro of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties IICRC Certified

SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties is an IICRC firm. IICRC stands for the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification.

This organization sets the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. Our technicians can receive certifications in specific cleaning, restoration, and inspection categories such as upholstery, wood flooring, stone and tile flooring, carpet cleaning, odor removal, mold remediation, water damage, fire damage restoration and more. 

Not only does our staff obtain IICRC certifications but our staff also has access to web-based training. This is a voluntary program and can be a helpful tool of knowledge towards restoration. Video presentations and support materials are followed by a knowledge test at the end of each module. This keeps not only our technicians but our office staff up to speed on industry standards and the professional quality you expect.

SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO's Corporate Training Facility to regular IICRC industry certifications, rest assure our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Our Water Loss Process

10/24/2022 (Permalink)

When problems with plumbing causes excessive pooling it requires removal equipment that most homeowners do not own. Whether it's a slow leak or a full-scale burst pipe, the after-effects of crawlspaces, sub floors and carpet pads become saturated by water can cause lasting harm.

The Process of removing water:

First, we use pumps, before moving in with more precise wet/dry vacuums and extraction wands. Our technicians must pass an in depth training program before working in our franchises. Their training allows them to use advanced techniques to make sure moisture is removed and prevent secondary damage from happening. 

Floorboards can be difficult to dry, which is why we use flat lay drying techniques. A process by which a sheet is laid on the affected surface and air-circulation is applied. As the sheet inflates, water is drawn out and into the air. We have found this technique to be extremely useful in the removal of moisture from in between floorboards or gaps within your property's structure.

Sometimes carpets are pulled up, pads replaced, and sub floors inspected to ensure proper removal of moisture. Next, we can place rapid air-movers into the affected area. These circulate hot air, evaporating moisture. It is part of a two-step process that guards against the risk of mold or mildew buildup after a leak. The second step is to place humidifiers into the affected area and remove the evaporated moisture from the air.

At the conclusion of service, our technician can remove all equipment as well as any materials that need to be discarded. We then encourage a final walk through in the affected area to show you where work has been carried out, where items have been restored and what needs replacing. At SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties we know replacing items can get expensive, so we work toward restoration rather than a replacement to keep costs as low as possible for our customers.

If you need urgent water removal, do not hesitate to call SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties today! 270-580-2200

Space Heater Awareness

10/21/2022 (Permalink)

Winter related fires are extremely common, especially when you are trying to keep warm. 

Placing space heaters too close to other objects or using the wrong type of heater in a particular area can cause severe problems.

Oil Heaters - Should be used in areas where there is the possibility of moisture. This eliminates any electrical hazards that may be present due to water conductivity. Always keep a safe distance to avoid contact burns. 

Electric Heaters - These heaters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be useful for many areas in your home. However, they should never be left unattended. Thinking of electric heaters as giant toasters can help you understand how important it is to keep a constant eye on them. Make sure you have sufficient wattage to run the device and never use extension cords.

Our SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade, and Hancock Counties staff receives an incredible amount of space heater-related calls every winter. Stay warm using a space heater, just use common sense, and always follow the directions of the manufacturer.

Guidelines when operating your space heaters: 

1) Always place space heaters on a flat, solid surface for proper stabilization. 

2) Purchase heaters with an automatic shut-off feature to prevent dangers from tipping. 

3) Maintain proper spacing between heaters and other objects in your home. 

4) Never leave children or pets unsupervised around operating heaters. 

5) Shut your heaters off properly before leaving your home or going to sleep. 

These simple steps will help lessen the likelihood for a fire. If this sort of incident still strikes your home this winter season, make the call to our office. We will respond quickly and provide you with the services you need to get back to normal fast. 

Call SERVPRO of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade, and Hancock Counties today at (270) 580-2200

We are Here to Help you Through Fire Damages

10/21/2022 (Permalink)

Fires do not take holidays off. SERVPRO® of Breckinridge, Grayson, Meade & Hancock Counties is here for you when fire damage strikes. Whether it be from a smoke in the breakroom at work from popcorn left to long in the microwave, or a space heater left to close to a blanket at home, we are Here to Help. We know that just because we deal with emergencies every day, you do not. So, we are here to share experience with you, as we guide you through the process of making it “Like it never even happened.” Our crews work with you and your insurance to take care of the details to insure you can come out after the disaster as if the fire never occurred. We walk with you through the process, guiding you with answers, advice, and experience. We are always open to help you, call us at 270-580-2200