The American Red Cross has this to say about Kitchen Fires:

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

The never-ending winter weather is keeping a lot of people stuck inside and that means more of us spending time in the kitchen cooking.

Did you know the kitchen is where more home fires occur than anywhere else in the house and that cooking is the number one cause of home fires? The American Red Cross has steps everyone can follow to avoid a cooking fire:

1. Never leave cooking food unattended – stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a second, turn off the stove.

2. Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.

3. Use a timer so you’ll remember that the stove or oven is on.

4. Don’t wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

5. Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.

6. Keep anything that can catch fire - pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

7. Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

8. Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.]

9. Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.

10. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

To learn how to prevent a fire in your home and how to keep members of your household safe, you can take our cooking safety quiz and download the Red Cross Fire Prevention and Safety Checklist. Downloadable fact sheets are also available on how to avoid home heating fires, candle safety, proper use of smoke alarms and teaching your children what to do in the event of a fire

Lynchburg, Bedford and Campbell County Smoke/Soot cleanup:

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Lynchburg / Bedford and Campbell Counties will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – 434-525-9559

Water damage from the eyes of the Technician:

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

Ever wonder what a water damage is like in the eyes of the technician?  Well know you can know!  Here is what Mike Dodson, one of our lead water technicians here as SERVPRO of Lynchburg / Bedford & Campbell Counties, has to say about it.

"There are a million things that run through my mind as a technician when I receive the call for a water damage. Where did the water come from? What kind of floorings are we working with? How many levels of the property are affected? Although these questions are typically answered by the customer on the initial call, we still wonder about the unknown things to prepare for.

These questions are turned to assumptions of the worst as we prepare the trucks to respond, and then we arrive only to ask more questions. What is wet, how wet, how far has the damage spread, and what are the best methods to dry it quickly to prevent further damage? While most technicians can diagnose with a simple tool, we have to diagnose using tools and by looking in places that property owners never even imagine water could have went.

During the course of drying a structure we still ask constant questions like; is it drying, how dry is it, when might it be completely dry. We answer these by frequently checking the amount of moisture content in the air and structure. Water is so good at hiding and most times a property owner is thinking; why are they looking there? Some will say it, while others will just look at you with the eyes of disbelief, but just as we gauge our equipment’s readings, we read the customer and give the response to their possibly unasked concern.

Above all else in the mitigation of a property, I have some other questions that I ask myself. These are the questions that, I feel, distinguish SERVPRO in our industry. How can I make this customer's nightmare turn into a mere uncomfortable dream, and what can my team do to keep our customer confident in us throughout this process? These answers are only available by communication and assurance that the home or business they've worked so hard for are being cared for as if it were ours."

- Mike Dodson-Lead Technician at SERVPRO of Lynchburg / Bedford & Campbell Counties 

Fire, Smoke & Soot Cleanup

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage. 

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?  Call Us Today – 434-525-9559

Do you know where your water shut off valve is?

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

Do you and your family know where the main water shutoff valve is located in your house?  It is always harder to find something when in a panic.  That is why we highly recommend that you be aware of its location before a disaster strikes.  

”Where It Is Not:  It is likely not under a sink.  The shut-off to the water heater may look promising, but that only affects the outflow of hot water from that point.  Do not confuse the gas shut-off to the furnace or water heater with water lines.”

“Check Your Inspection Report:  If you still have your property inspection report from when you purchased the house, it should indicate the location of the shut-off valve.  Inspection reports often follow a standardized format, so you may find this information located in Section 6.1.”

Follow the link for more helpful tips to help you locate the shutoff valve in your home.

Once you have located your main water shutoff, give us a call or stop by our office and we will give you one of these brightly colored shutoff tags at no cost to you to help you quickly find the valve should an unexpected water damage occur.

Water damage from Frozen Pipes: Call SERVPRO

3/8/2023 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties to clean up water damage from burst pipes.

Why Pipe Freezing is a Problem

Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are:

• Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
• Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets.
• Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation.

How to Protect Pipes From Freezing

Before the onset of cold weather, protect your pipes from freezing by following these recommendations:

• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.
• Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.
• Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
• Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.
• Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Does your home have a mold problem?

2/22/2023 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

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

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

We specialize in Flooded basement cleanup and Restoration

2/22/2023 (Permalink)

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

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

Have Questions about Basement Flooding?

Call Today - 434-525-9559

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

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

We are Flooded Basement Specialists:

• We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a Preferred Vendor to many National Insurance Companies
• We Bill The Insurance Directly – One Less Thing For You To Worry About
• Our Technicians are Highly-Trained  in Water Restoration Techniques
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment

Follow this link for a basement cleanup done by SERVPRO of Lynchburg / Bedford & Campbell Counties following a heavy rain.  The article was taken by WSET news crew.

http://wset.com/archive/storm-leaves-cleanup-crews-to-deal-with-flooded-basements

Basement Flooded? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help 434-525-9559

SERVPRO Available 24/7

2/22/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - 434-525-9559

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties

SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Why SERVPRO of Lynchburg

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

Mission

To develop a team of Quality People, who Focus on Excellent Service, Fairness and Mutual Respect.

Vision 

To be the Premier Fire, Water, Mold Restoration Company in the Communities we Serve.

Values 

Integrity: To act with integrity and honesty in the work that we do, the people we interact with, and the decisions we make. We will not compromise what is right, for what is easiest. 

Customer Service: To provide premier services through continual reviewing of our goals, expectations, and training. 

Leadership:  To lead others by our example. 

Responsibility:  To maintain our team’s strong foundation, and to be a positive agent of change. 

Respect:  To show respect to others with our words, our actions and our attitudes.

Goals 

SERVPRO of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell Counties seeks to honor the Lord in all that we do, and to have a positive impact on the lives of our employees, customers, and community.