The Most Vulnerable Areas of Your Home

12/19/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of West Mecklenburg if you need storm damage restoration in your home!

The Most Vulnerable Areas of Your Home

During a storm, your Brookhill, NC home is not only at risk of damage to the outside structure but also to the inside. The most common areas that can be damaged from high winds or flooding are around doors and windows, roofs, decks and patios. These are all things you can fortify with some quick fixes before the next big storm hits!

Roofs

Roofs are the most vulnerable part of your home, being exposed to all the elements. Roofing materials like asphalt shingles also offer protection, but you may need to take additional measures to make sure your home is safe during a storm. Guttering can act as an extra barrier against high winds that could blow debris onto your roof and tear off shingles or laminate sheets.

Windows

Windows are often the first part of a house to be hit by a storm. Because of this, they can be reinforced with storm shutters or other reinforcements to help protect them from damage. However, even with these measures taken, windows remain one of the weakest points in a structure's overall structure.

If you're worried about your windows and don't want to do any work on them yourself, there are companies that specialize in window fortification who will come out and do it for you quickly and efficiently. 

Doors

If you’re like most people, you probably aren’t thinking about your doors as the most vulnerable part of your home as a storm approaches. However, they are; doors are easily damaged and offer little protection in the case of a strong storm. The best way to avoid serious damage is to reinforce or replace existing doors with steel frames and deadbolts or add a storm door to protect against winds.

While reinforcing existing door frames with steel rod or other material is relatively inexpensive, replacing them entirely can be expensive depending on which type of door is used. Storm doors cost between $100-$200 depending on size but may be worth considering if they offer enough protection from wind damage that could otherwise cause significant damage inside the house.

Deck and Patio

If you're looking to protect your home during a storm, one of the most important things to consider is the deck and patio. These areas are often overlooked by homeowners because they're not as obvious or visible as a garage door or roofline. 

However, decks can be very vulnerable in strong winds and even minor storms.

Check for build quality. If your deck was built with cheap materials or poorly assembled, it may not withstand strong winds at all. You should also check for loose or missing boards on the deck itself; if these have been stripped off by high winds in past storms then there's a good chance that future storms could cause damage as well. 

Be sure to check screws and bolts for rusting or cracking; if these are worn out then it could mean trouble for your deck in an upcoming storm season!

Preventing Damage

There are a few ways you can fortify these vulnerable areas to prevent post-storm damage. Some of these steps may seem like common sense, but they can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your home:

• Install storm windows and doors. If you have older windows or doors that aren't as strong as they used to be, now is the time to replace them with ones that are more resistant to wind gusts and high winds. Not only will this help keep your home safer from the elements, but it will also save you money down the road on air conditioning bills during hot summer months!
• Get an awning for your front porch. An awning is just what it sounds like—a canopy overhanging from a building's facade that gives shade from both direct sunlight and rainwater (and sometimes even snow!). By installing one, not only do you get extra protection against bad weather conditions; but also it adds curb appeal too!
• Install shutters on any windows where sunlight would come through normally without being blocked by something else first (such as curtains) so nothing gets trapped inside when moving objects around happens outside due to heavy winds blowing through town right after sunset tonight."

The most important thing to do is prepare before the storm arrives. If a storm is heading towards your Charlotte home, prepare as much as possible ahead of time, and call SERVPRO of West Mecklenburg if you need storm damage restoration in your home! 

4 Ways To Protect Your Commercial Property from Hidden Water Damage and Mold Growth

8/22/2022 (Permalink)

Keeping an eye out for unhealthy amounts of moisture can go a long way in preventing mold growth

4 Ways To Protect Your Commercial Property from Hidden Water Damage and Mold Growth

Water: It's the most powerful force on earth and the foundation of every living thing. That force can wreak havoc in myriad ways, including mold growth, although not all water damage is immediately obvious. If you are a business owner or have a commercial property in Charlotte, NC, there are four ways you can protect yourself, your employees, and your building from hidden water and mold damage.

1. Immediately Address Unwanted Water

This goes without saying, but if your space floods, make sure to dry everything out thoroughly and properly ventilate the space with fans and open windows. Consult with a water and mold remediation specialist that can help you identify potential issues and problem areas.

2. Inspect Your Property for Signs of Moisture

Check for condensation on your walls, pipes and windows; notice whether any areas smell damp or musty. These are all potential signs of water damage. Make sure there are no leaks in your roof or the flashing surrounding your A/C units, and rule out water seepage around the foundation. The EPA recommends checking corner rooms with walls that get exterior exposure. Depending on your climate, insulating either the inside or outside walls will help.

3. Purchase a Moisture Meter

Keeping an eye out for unhealthy amounts of moisture can go a long way in preventing mold growth. A dehumidifier, properly sized for your space, can help keep those levels in check.

4. Have Your Property Assessed Professionally

Water and mold remediation specialists are experts at spotting the signs of hidden mold, knowing how to address it, and fixing it safely. If you have any doubts or concerns that unhealthy levels of mold might be present, call in the professionals to address your mold prevention concerns.

Taking precautionary measures to prevent mold from known or hidden water damage will pay off in the long run by getting you back to business as usual as quickly as possible after unwanted water. It will also give you peace of mind, which is priceless in and of itself.

3 Ways To Restore Damaged Documents

6/22/2022 (Permalink)

3 Methods for Restoring Damaged Documents

When your business faces water damage either due to a natural disaster, plumbing mishap or another unfortunate event, many valuable papers can be destroyed. However, they don't have to be doomed from the damage. Here are three ways document restoration can be achieved should your Brookhill, NC, business be consumed by water damage. 

1. Vacuum-freeze Document Drying

It's imperative that as quickly as you notice drenched documents place them upright in a freezer. This ensures that the paper won't deteriorate rapidly and also prevents the growth of mold. Once you have the affected items in a freezer, let your local SERVPRO cleaning and restoration professionals transport them to a state-of-the-art facility for vacuum freeze-drying. This trusted document restoration technique that is used in top museums is the ideal way to draw out moisture from a wet document.

2. Gamma Irradiation to Disinfect

Any contact with water or even high humidity and moisture in the air can damage paper documents. Items may have traces of mold or bacteria with the potential to grow, so it's crucial to fully disinfect the paper. This is achieved with a technique known as gamma irradiation. Restoration specialists use radiation to kill any harmful properties like viruses or pesticides and sterilize the paper. 

3. Digitize Documents for Future Access

A key way for your business to retain important documents is to have digital copies of them on hand. After completing the drying and sterilizing process, restoration professionals will then produce digital copies of the documents. This gives business owners the peace of mind that they can access any documents they need without the fear of further damage in the event of another disaster. 

When water ruins the condition of important paper items, rely on professional freeze-drying, gamma irradiation, and digitizing techniques to complete the document restoration process. 

3 Ways Insurance Agents Can Benefit From Working With a Storm Damage Restoration Service

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

The storm may be moving in your direction, but you have SERVPRO. We are available 24 hours a day to help protect and restore your property.

Working With A Storm Damage Restoration Service Can Benefit Insurance Agents In Three Ways.

If you are an insurance agent working in Berryhill, NC, you likely have a list of repeat clients who contact you for new services or when they need to file a claim. While this work can be rewarding, you might also find yourself overwhelmed with storm restoration claims when bad weather hits, and it can be time consuming to find services that suit both your needs and those of your clients. Connecting with an expert restoration company before bad weather hits has several benefits, no matter how many clients you serve.

1. You Can Offer a Faster Response

Being able to offer a quick storm response to your clients once their claims are approved can reduce the amount of time it takes to get any damage fixed. From draining away flood waters to performing drywall and carpeting tear out services, having a restoration company on standby for your clients can streamline the process and help you serve them with greater efficiency.

2. You Can Help Multiple Clients Almost Instantly

When multiple customers need storm restoration services, having a contract with a local restoration company allows you to send help right away. For example, if you have several clients who live on the same street and all of their homes were damaged during a flood, you can send your contracted technicians out right away to begin the cleanup process so you can focus on filing claims.

3. You Can Access Damage Information Quickly

When a client’s home suffers from storm or flood damage, it might be difficult for them to tell you specific information about what will need to be repaired. Your contracted storm damage and restoration service may be able to offer you more details about an individual incident once remediation techs inspect the home, which can help you file a claim that same day.

As an insurance agent, you may feel overwhelmed by multiple claims from clients when storm damage occurs in Berryhill, NC. Working with a contracted storm restoration service can allow you to assist customers more efficiently and get help to them when they need it most.