Surviving A Natural Disaster

7/21/2023 (Permalink)

If you get a hurricane warning, seek shelter immediately.

Planning and preparation are key to best handle a blizzard, flood, hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster. From the Connecticut Guide to Emergency Prepardeness, here are some quick tips to help keep you safe.

Blizzards
Weather forecasters are usually good about letting you know ahead of time if a blizzard is coming. You should avoid driving and make sure to have enough food and supplies with you to last a few days. Plan on not having electricity or phone service. If there is snow, make sure inlets and outlets for your furnace and other appliances are not blocked. You want to avoid ventilation problems and carbon monoxide build-up. Also be sure your car’s tail pipe (exhaust) is clear of snow or ice before starting the car.

To Restore Your Property After A Natural Disaster Call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield at (860) 216-2785

Flash Flooding
Move quickly to higher ground. Water rushing at you in a flood can easily knock you off your feet. It does not have to be very deep to do so if the current is strong. If you’re in a car and water comes around you, get out and move to higher ground right away. Cars can be swept away in just two feet of moving water.   

Hurricanes
Strong winds with thunder and lightning usually indicate a hurricane. The winds may be 75 miles per hour or more. Hurricane season in Connecticut is June 1 through November 30. If you receive a hurricane-warning take shelter right away or evacuate if you’re told to do so. You can learn more about what to do before and after a hurricane at ct.gov/hurricane.  

Tornadoes
A tornado warning means you need to take shelter immediately. If you are in your car, stop. Do not try to outrun the tornado. Get out and lie flat, face down in a low area. Cover your head and wait for the tornado to pass by. If you are home, go to your basement, storm shelter, or a room near the middle of the home. If you are in a tall building go to the middle of the building to a stairwell or hallway. 

After any storm, we’re here to help. We help people recover from natural disasters and other catastrophic events. Call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield (860.216.2785) anytime, 24/7. We are here to help®!!!

Where There's Fire There's Smoke...Odor

5/10/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke damage can be insidious and difficult to treat alone.

Removing Smoke Odor From Clothing, Furniture, and Carpets

After a fire you’re eager to clean your home, but be careful! You may waste effort or even make things worse if you don’t use proper methods. Begin by contacting your insurance agent immediately after a fire. Then consult with a fire restoration expert like SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield. For dealing with the smell of smoke in clothing, upholstered furniture, carpets, and drapes, here are some tips.

Need Smoke Or Soot Removal Services?

Call (860) 216-2785
After a home fire, several factors can influence the severity of the odor:
• Size of the fire: The larger the fire, the more materials have been burned, and the more smoke you’ll have.
• Length of exposure: The longer an area is exposed to smoke, the more deeply embedded the smoke odor can be in all porous materials.
• Size of the room affected: The smaller the room, the more intense and concentrated the smoke odor can become.
• The material burned: Different materials leave behind different odors. A wood fire smells differently than a fire that burns mostly plastic materials, for example. The type of materials affected may influence the type of products you need to remove the smoke odor.

Deodorize Before You Clean
Before you have anything cleaned, properly deodorize the affected items. We recommend you use professionals. A dry cleaner or professional fire restorer will tell you about counteractants. Counteractants are chemicals or additives that break up smoke molecules and eliminate the smoke odor. You need different counteractants depending on the material burned in the fire. Counteractants may be professionally applied to furniture, carpets, and drapes. Fire restorers also may provide them for laundering clothes.

Some professional fire restorers and dry cleaners use an ozone treatment to remove smoke odors. If they do the work in your home, they’ll put your smoke odor affected items under a tent while an ozone generator runs.

Household Remedies Only Provide Temporary Relief
Yes, you may think about using a household deodorizing spray or disinfectant but they provide only temporary relief from smoke odor. And, deodorizing sprays may interact with smoke odor and create an additional odor.

If it’s impossible for you to have your smoke odor infested items restored by a professional fire restorer, you might try one of these methods:

1. Dissolve one cup of dishwashing detergent—the type used in an
automatic dishwasher—in one gallon of warm water. Completely submerge the items and let them soak all night in your washing machine or bathtub. Drain and launder as usual the next day.

2. For items that can be bleached, mix 4 to 6 tablespoons trisodium phosphate (available from your hardware store) with 1 cup Lysol or household chlorine bleach and 1 gallon of water. Add clothes, rinse with clear water, and dry.

We’re here to help. The team at SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield has specialized fire restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. We can remove virtually any pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet.

We use a thorough fire damage restoration process:
Step1: Emergency Contact
Step 2: Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment
Step 3: Immediate Board-Up and Roof Tarp Service (if needed)
Step 4: Water Removal and Drying (if water damage is present)
Step 5: Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces
Step 6: Cleaning and Repair
Step 7: Restoration

So call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield (860.216.2785) anytime, 24/7.

We've served clients in Ellington, West Hartford, Avon, Springfield, Manchester, Hartford, Newington, Bloomfield, East Hartford, Enfield, Simsbury, Coventry, South Windsor, Agawam, and beyond!

Connecticut Hurricanes 2024 - Are You Ready?

5/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield is ready for any disaster

It’s easy to become complacent when storms and hurricanes haven’t been a recent threat. We tend to focus our weather prep on ice storms, blizzards, bomb cyclones. Still, it’s important that residents of Connecticut remember storms like Irene and Sandy and keep in mind that we are definitely not immune from catastrophic storms or hurricanes. At SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield we want to keep you safe and your home protected. If there is a catastrophic event and your home or commercial property in Connecticut sustains storm damage, we are here to help. Remember, we mitigate damage after the storm has passed.

Here are some tips to help mitigate damage of your residential property before the clouds roll in:

• Do a full inventory of homes and contents – Go room by room with a video camera and taking photos with a digital camera or your cell phone to provide a quick inventory of collectibles, works of art, antiques and other irreplaceable items. Upload your photos to the cloud or email them to yourself so you maintain a virtual copy.
• Collect insurance policies pertaining to the home. Familiarize yourself with what they do and do not cover. Call your insurance agent for a quick review of your policy.
• Prepare supplies in case of a power outage or evacuation – stock up on essentials like batteries, bottled water, canned goods, flashlights, etc. Buy a wireless battery pack for your mobile
• Clear all drains around the house and identify low-lying areas vulnerable to water and ensure that they drain away from basements and foundations.
• Prepare to move all boats, RVs, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or anything else that may be parked outside or in a non protected area.
• Make sure that gutters and downspouts are clear of debris and drain away from the structure.
• Landscaping should not allow water to collect next to the foundation of the building. Remove any damaged or low-hanging branches.
• Inspect the seals of windows and doors along the frames to check for cracks and ensure they are not compromised in any way.
• Look for items that can become projectiles during heavy winds and move them to a protected area or secure them in some manner. Disassemble playscapes or move outdoor toys to a place where they will not be susceptible to being picked up and hurled through the air by the wind.

Commercial properties can also take steps to mitigate the damage before the rain even starts.

• Back-up all records and store the back-ups off site. Move hard drives to a higher ground where they will not be as susceptible to water damage. If possible, send vital documents to the cloud or another virtual storage service.
• Have mops, buckets, tarps and a wet/dry vacuum on hand in case of leaks or flooding. Placing tarps over computers and other electronics can minimize damage later.
• Move paper records into filing cabinets and leave the bottom drawers empty so that if water does flood the office, hopefully paper will be high enough to be protected.
• Walk through the basement or any offices on a lower level to see what furniture, records or electronics could be compromised or damaged during any flooding, and move them to a higher location or place them in protective containers.
• Take a video inventory of each office and its contents for insurance purposes.

At SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield, we are ready to help you recover your normal after storm damage. Weather events are getting more hazardous by the season and storm damage has become more of a “when” than an “if”
Our phones are open 24/7 to talk to a live agent. Call us at 860-216-2785 and one of our priority responders will be to your home to get a scope of the damage.

Surviving A Natural Disaster

5/8/2023 (Permalink)

If you receive a hurricane warning take shelter right away.

Planning and preparation are key if you are to best handle a blizzard, flood, hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster. From the Connecticut Guide to Emergency Prepardeness, here are some quick tips to help keep you safe.

Blizzards
Weather forecasters are usually good about letting you know ahead of time if a blizzard is coming. You should avoid driving and make sure to have enough food and supplies with you to last a few days. Plan on not having electricity or phone service. If there is snow, make sure inlets and outlets for your furnace and other appliances are not blocked. You want to avoid ventilation problems and carbon monoxide build-up. Also be sure your car’s tail pipe (exhaust) is clear of snow or ice before starting the car.

To Restore Your Property After A Natural Disaster Call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield at (860) 216-2785.

Flash Flooding
Move quickly to higher ground. Water rushing at you in a flood can easily knock you off your feet. It does not have to be very deep to do so if the current is strong. If you’re in a car and water comes around you, get out and move to higher ground right away. Cars can be swept away in just two feet of moving water.   

Hurricanes
Strong winds with thunder and lightning usually indicate a hurricane. The winds may be 75 miles per hour or more. Hurricane season in Connecticut is June 1 through November 30. If you receive a hurricane-warning take shelter right away or evacuate if you’re told to do so. You can learn more about what to do before and after a hurricane at ct.gov/hurricane.  

Tornadoes
A tornado warning means you need to take shelter immediately. If you are in your car, stop. Do not try to outrun the tornado. Get out and lie flat, face down in a low area. Cover your head and wait for the tornado to pass by. If you are home, go to your basement, storm shelter, or a room near the middle of the home. If you are in a tall building go to the middle of the building to a stairwell or hallway. 

After any storm, we’re here to help. We help people recover from natural disasters and other catastrophic events. Call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield (860.216.2785) anytime, 24/7.

SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia, Ron DeFeo 
Certified SERVPRO technicians
Call 860.216.2785 for 24 hour emergency service!

Fire Damage? Lower Your Fire Clean Up Costs!

5/8/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield has the specialized fire and water damage cleanup and restoration training and experience to quickly restore your home.

Fire damage is terrible as it is. Let’s not make things worse by spending more money than necessary to restore your fire damaged home. Many times you can save money and keep property damage to a minimum through what’s called emergency mitigation services.

Saving Fire Damaged Possessions 
Fire damaged property that may look like it needs to be replaced may actually be recoverable. A fire restoration company can save many a heirloom. But act quickly. Prompt fire cleanup and restoration is important because the items found in your home—furniture, carpet, walls, drapes, and even ceilings—can absorb smoke. If too much time elapses between when the fire damage occurs and when fire cleanup occurs, the effects of smoke damage can last for months. 

Time Can Cost You Many Possessions

The more time between the fire and restoration the more costs you incur and the fewer items you can restore. Depending on the extent of the fire damage, you may be able to save clothing, leather, books, photographs, kitchen items, furniture, and more.

Restored To Pre-Loss Condition
SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield cleans and deodorizes restorable items, sometimes to preloss condition. So don’t throw anything out until you’re certain it must be replaced. Save your property and save money. Now that’s a win/win!

Call SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield to discuss. We’re the fire restoration and clean up company that has saved property and saved money for the owners of fire damaged homes. Whether you're in East Hartford or Tolland; Bloomfield or Manchester; or anywhere in between, we can help.

SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Certified SERVPRO technicians
Call 860.216.2785 
24 hour emergency service
Toll Free at 844.254.1480 

Flooding at Hartford Public Library

1/3/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO at Hartford Public Library

Hartford Public Library experienced some flooding last week and needed a team to assist in restoring the library back to top shape! They called in the team at SERVPRO! When water damage strikes your business or property you can trust our locally trained technicians to handle it immediately and effectively!

Efficient Solutions for Enfield Water Damage Restoration

9/3/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians utilize advanced equipment like drying mats to mitigate water damage in Enfield homes, "Like it never even happened."

Water Damage Cleanup Involves Many Steps

Enfield continues to grow as one of the larger communities in Hartford County, with more than 42,000 residents from its humble start in 1679. Even more than in the past, homes are susceptible to damages and emergencies related to water in their properties. As a leading restoration outfit serving the county, SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield can work quickly to help with needed restoration solutions like:

• Structural drying
• Content restoration
• Repairs
• Water removal services
• Surface cleaning

With Enfield water damage, our professionals need to respond quickly to help. We recognize the urgency of these disasters and have trained technicians available 24/7 to respond. Our Green Fleet of service vehicles stays stocked with needed equipment to help with mitigation and emergency services, such as extractors, demolition tools, and packing materials.

How Does Water Damage Happen?

The modern home has many ways that water and moisture damage occur, and property owners should be aware of these potential issues. Understanding the scope of the damage water can cause is a focus of the inspection SERVPRO professionals conduct to focus on restoration efforts yet to begin. Common causes of water emergencies in the home are:

• Plumbing Issues – From breaks in the lines to damaged fixtures that steadily leak through wall systems and cabinets, plumbing is a common culprit for needed water restoration services.
• Appliances – Water-fed appliances are more common than ever in homes, ranging from washing machines to dishwashers and refrigerators. Leaks from these units can spread fast and cover a wide area, making a fast response vital.
• Flooding – Flood damage is common in Connecticut homes, especially those knowingly living at lower elevations. Flash floods or rising creeks and streams could infiltrate basements and cellars to affect the house.
• Spills/Accidents – Human error accounts for a substantial volume of water damage restoration callout requests SERVPRO manages, from overflowing sinks and tubs to dozens of other possible scenarios.

Clearing Pooling Water from Flooring

When standing water is a concern for your residence, many exposed materials can be at risk. Our restoration team's most glaring mitigation obstacle is removing pooling from floors, which requires multiple extractors. We rely on trash pumps and submersibles for deep water removal to reach a shallow depth where wet vacuums are more suitable choices.

Removing Water Trapped in Materials

However, surface pooling is only part of the water damage obstacles for SERVPRO professionals. Specialty extractors and drying equipment is needed to pull moisture caught in flooring materials and structural cavities. Weighted extractors and carpet wands are essential for certain flooring types, while drying mats are effective with semi-porous installations like planks.

How Do You Achieve Thorough Drying?

Every restoration project involving water requires drying measures. The more widespread and involved the disaster, the more drying required. Centrifugal and axial air movers are at the heart of this mission, evaporating surface water into humidity for collection by placed dehumidifiers. We also account for the successes of drying measures by tracking moisture with tools like:

• Detection devices
• Thermal imagery
• Moisture sensors

Are Damage Repairs Necessary?

Our general contractor license (0646584) allows many of the build-back services and repairs your home might need after water exposure. Often, homeowners are at a loss for securing additional contractors while restoration work is underway, and with SERVPRO, you do not have to. We seamlessly transition from cleanup to reconstruction to make water disasters in your residence "Like it never even happened."

Enfield water damage threats can rapidly impact homes and businesses in the area, making the quick response of SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield critical. We introduce containment measures and mitigation solutions to protect what matters most. Call us now at (860) 216-2785.

Cleaning Up and Repairing Enfield Fire Damage

9/3/2022 (Permalink)

Surprised by fire damage in your Enfield property? Call SERVPRO, We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

We Seek Pre-Loss Condition After Fire Damage

With dozens of historical landmarks on the national registry and larger commercial properties in the area like Asnuntuck Community College, when disasters like fires occur, SERVPRO must act fast. A structure fire can leave your property contending with several layers of needed cleanup and recovery, with the largest hazard contributors being:

• Ruined Materials
• Debris
• Smoke
• Water Damage
• Odors

The city’s emergency responders first address Enfield fire damage. When extinguishing is completed, we can be ready to enter the building and work on the required mitigation and restoration services. Preparedness during the earliest stages and mobilization after the first notice of loss ensure that this cleanup starts as it should when the property is deemed safe to enter.

Working with Your Insurance Provider

Fire damage can be widespread and destructive, whether your home or business. In most cases, restoring these disasters is a process moved through your insurance provider to secure needed funding for the project. As a preferred local vendor for insurance work with national and regional brands, we understand the required documentation and evidence to secure a damage claim approval and work fast to get the process green-lit so mitigation and restoration can start.

Reaching Homes Fast for Fire Mitigation

Extinguishing a fire does not stop the damage it can do to your home. Experienced restoration professionals must move fast from our warehouse with products, tools, and equipment to mitigate loss and protect what matters most to our customers. Some of the focal points of mitigative effort include:

• Extraction – While you can appreciate the high volumes of water used to put out the fire in your home, this becomes another threat during the restoration process with standing water and pooling in several areas of the property. We have multiple extractors to manage these surface water threats to get other cleaning processes underway.
• Removing Fire Debris – Shoveling out ash, soot, and building remnants can benefit the property in several ways. Not only does this expose structural defects from the fire damage covered by the debris, but it can noticeably reduce soot and smoke odor concentrations.
• Managing Contents – Contents in your home can be the biggest priority for protection and preservation, as you cannot replace some items with a monetary value. We relocate some items, clean some on-site, and have technicians ready to transport harmed contents to our SERVPRO facility for more advanced cleaning.

How Damaging is Soot?

Soot is one of the more problematic byproducts of fire damage, and with the way it can spread to many exposed surfaces in the house, it creates a sizable concern for responding technicians. We must evaluate several factors to determine the needed cleaning products to help, including solvents and detergents. Dry smoke requires special products like chemical sponges to remove.

The Lingering Smoke Odors

Odors are another product of combustion that can overwhelm areas of your house. While surface cleaning and efforts like debris removal can help to reduce the severity of smells and malodors, the full deodorization and neutralization of these threats come with equipment from our inventory like HEPA products, hydroxyl machines, and oxidation units.

Who Does Post-Fire Repair?

Repairs and reconstruction are common after structure fires. Unlike other restoration companies, because we have a general contractor license (#0646584), we can complete the needed build-back services like demolition, patches, temporary construction, and full rebuilding of damaged areas in your house.

Enfield fire damage requires a fast and focused response from trained, certified professionals like our SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield team. We can help when disaster strikes at (860) 216-2785.

Why Enfield Mold Damage Should Be Resolved Quickly

9/3/2022 (Permalink)

Mold damage remediation by SERVPRO can ensure positive results. We restore your Enfield property "Like it never even happened."

We Help Customers Through Mold Damage Threats

Mold is misunderstood and often not taken as seriously as it should be. Usually, homeowners see these microbial growths as more of a nuisance than a pressing concern for the property. As surfaces and building materials become hosts for colonies, the cost and time to remediate these conditions increases.

What Is the Truth about Mold?

To begin overcoming Enfield mold damage, homeowners must understand common misconceptions about microbial growth and how to handle these situations. Some of these include:

• Is Complete Mold Removal Possible?

Mold spores occur naturally in almost every environment. Remediation is designed to remove any active colonization threatening the household but does not attempt complete spore removal. The operation cost would be high, and the success would be limited.

• Can Mold Get Better without Intervention?

Part of remediation is eliminating the causes of mold damage. The situation will likely worsen if these are not addressed along with the removal of active colonies.

• Can You Clean Up Mold Yourself?

DIY approaches might make sense for smaller projects, but when removing mold from residences, much can be missed or inadequately performed, which makes remediation better suited for professionals.

Quickly Overcoming Mold Damage Threats

With the fast response of SERVPRO professionals, mold concerns can be rapidly addressed. Often, it is pressing to overcome the spread of these threatening situations and their acute effects that could make comfortable living impossible. We work in many capacities, including

• Preventing Spread – Early mitigation helps prevent spores from spreading to other areas of the property. Containment often involves physical barriers.
• Protecting Contents – Removing mold can be challenging when working around a house full of contents, even when these items are not at risk of mold exposure. We can relocate or clean personal belongings from your home as needed.
• Structural Assessment – Mold can destroy hosting materials, so the earliest stages of mitigation must serve to inspect these affected surfaces for permanent structural damages.
• Overcoming Water Threats – Mold development is possible with water intrusion into your home's living space. SERVPRO professionals assess this infiltration and how to repair it.

How Does SERVPRO Remove Mold?

Removing mold is the primary function of the IICRC-certified remediation team arriving at the house to help. Without removing the surface mold found throughout the house, the situation worsens, and microbial colonization spreads to sensitive hosting materials of the property. There are multiple remediation options based on factors like the severity of the infestation and the location of damaged construction materials. Approaches include:

• Surface Treatment
• Abrasive Cleaning
• Sanding
• Controlled Demolition

Musty Smells Are Expected During Cleanup

Both signs that mold damage might exist, and one of the more challenging obstacles of remediation is the harsh, musty smell generated by active colonization. Spore activity can create a discernible odor that is strongest closer to the infestation. For this reason, homeowners can often use this sign to indicate hidden mold growth. Remediation professionals utilize deodorizing equipment, oxidation, and masking products to help.

Repairs Needed After Mold Threats

Microbial growth overwhelms and destroys organic matter used as a host. Over time, these structural elements degrade and deteriorate, requiring replacement to restore integrity. Moreover, controlled demolition is often a more direct and proven method for removing set-in mold colonies from porous materials. Our general contractor license can help with these needed repairs and build-back services.

Enfield mold damage can be a threatening and stressful situation for homeowners. We work fast to provide the most comprehensive remediation solutions, including containment and mitigation. Give our SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield specialists a call today at (860) 216-2785.

SERVPRO Provides Water Restoration Services in Enfield

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

From small spills to large flood causing water damage--Enfield homeowners rely on SERVPRO for extraction and drying.

Why Should Water Restoration be Completed Quickly by SERVPRO in Enfield?

Many consumers assume that they can open the windows and let the wet carpet or hardwood floor dry on its own after a plumbing water leak in Enfield. Small water leaks may dry completely after a few days. Larger amounts of water may be absorbed by porous materials causing swelling, warping, buckling, and loss of structural integrity if not dried properly.

SERVPRO provides water restoration and drying services to Enfield consumers and homeowners. We recommend contacting us immediately. SERVPRO can be onsite within four hours of your call, assess the situation, and provide appropriate guidance regarding how to proceed based on your specific situation.

Porous materials such as carpets and fabrics absorb water quickly and can also be dried promptly. The carpet under padding may take longer to dry. This is due to being covered by the carpet. It may need to be exposed for the under pad to completely dry.

Various Flooring Compositions

Semi-porous materials such as plywood subfloors, hardwood floors, and cabinets take longer to absorb moisture and also take longer to dry. Removing all traces of water before these surfaces have an opportunity to absorb moisture and begin swelling can avoid significant secondary damage. Subfloors can lose structural integrity. Hardwood floors swell and buckle, often requiring replacement. The same applies to cupboards, especially those made from compressed wood products.

Immediate action by SERVPRO utilizing a combination of weighted water extractors, suction pads, air movers, and dehumidifiers can prevent this type of secondary damage. Our clients appreciate the quick service, especially when they know the importance of preventing secondary water damage.

SERVPRO provides water restoration services, including:

• Water clean-up in basements, ceilings, and main floor areas
• Water removal services
• Water damage repairs and restoration

Call SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield for water restoration services. We provide service to Enfield and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (860) 216-2785.