Summertime Business Upkeep

6/3/2024 (Permalink)

Keep your business clean! Yes we've all done our spring cleaning, but what about summer time upkeep? Keeping your work environment pleasant and healthy during the summer is a big job. The heat and dust, insects, and workers out on vacation all can cause your workplace to look a bit less professional than it usually does. Here are some tips for you to use to keep your place of business looking great during the summer months:

DAILY

• Install insect traps in places where they hide. Fly strips are a good idea to use near entrances.
• Dust surfaces daily.
• Clean and disinfect all bathrooms, to include: mirror, countertop, sinks, and both the inside AND outside of toilets.
• Clean and disinfect doors, door handles, and light switches.
• Sweep and mop floors, using a disinfectant liquid. Make sure the mop head gets cleaned and/or replaced regularly.
• Clean cigarette trash from provided receptacles.
• Clean and polish drinking fountain, if you have one.
• Clean and disinfect kitchen area, to include sinks and countertops.
• Clean all glass, especially entrance doors.

WEEKLY

• Wipe down and disinfect work desks and machinery such as phones, keyboards, printers, and filing cabinets.
• Sweep and vacuum all offices.
• Dust accessible window sills and baseboards.
• Dust artwork, framed certifications, and news articles, etc.
• Clean out the refrigerator and wash/disinfect microwave.
• Sweep exterior entrances, both front, and back.
• Make sure break areas are clean and presentable.
• Remove trash and debris from parking areas.
• Ensure there is no standing water on the property that could attract mosquitoes.

MONTHLY

• Inspect roofing, exterior doors and windows, and parking areas for potential problems and maintenance needs.
• Trim back large bushes and tree limbs on your property ahead of wet summer weather.
• Do a quick inspection of fencing and entrance gates.
• Schedule periodic maintenance of HVAC and ductwork regularly during this season of heavy usage.

SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia is ready to help you with all your cleaning and maintenance projects, both large and small. 

Need periodic inspections, or cleanup assistance after water or fire damage? Call us at (601) 823-1100

Mississippi Storm Damages

5/25/2024 (Permalink)

Mississippi Resident: 

Are You Covered?

Check your insurance policy and make sure you are covered for all the types of storms that affect your areas. Some insurance policies do not cover flooding and earthquakes. Fortunately hail, windstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes are typically covered by most insurances. We recommend that you check your individual policy and have a good understanding of your level of protection, and purchase additional protection if necessary.

Storms Can Cause Damage

• Hailstorms can cause great amount of damage to the exterior of your home or property. Common types of damage caused by hail are: roof damage, siding damage, shingle damage, window damage and automobile damage
• Thunderstorms can produce many types of damaging weather such as lightning, hail, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and more. The biggest contributors to damaged property are likely hail and wind, which can cause many types of exterior property damage
• Ice storms produce freezing rain that coats everything in its path with a layer of glaze ice. Generally speaking, if a storm causes accumulation of more than a quarter inch on exposed surfaces, the storm can be classified as an ice storm. This type of accumulation can cause broken tree branches, power outages and other hazardous conditions.
• Lightning storms are a major cause of storm damage in many areas around the country. The National Lightning Safety Institute estimates the cost of lightning damage in the $5 to $6 billion dollar per year range. Lightning that hits trees and the ground is a common cause of wildfires, structure fires, property damage and power outages
• Blizzards are severe winter storms that combine heavy snowfall, with high winds and freezing temperatures. The combination of cold, wind and snow damages homes, businesses and automobiles. Heavy snow can produce dangerous conditions, including roof collapse.
• Floods are typically the result of heavy rain and water that rises faster than storm drains can handle. Flash floods driven by quick, violent bursts of rain can flood homes, basements and businesses, causing serious damage to both interiors and exteriors. Flooding is a very dangerous storm phenomenon that results in numerous deaths and extensive property damage each year.

SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia is ready for whatever nature throws our way! So when the disaster is over, when can come behind it and clean up the aftermath.

"Like it never even happened."

(601) 823-1100

Signs to Look For

5/20/2024 (Permalink)

Does your flooring look different?

Buckling

Solid wood floors, engineered wood, and laminate are subject to buckling when moisture levels are high. Depending on the nature of the damage, buckling is the opposite of cupping. It bows the other way, forming grooves and peaks. The boards typically lift right off the floor.

High relative humidity can result in buckling, as can moisture located somewhere below the surface of the flooring, such as concrete slabs. Water from above creates this disfigurement as well, such as leaky appliances (ex: hot water heater).

Cupping

Hardwood floors are more common subjects to cupping. Cupping boards have a concave shape, bowing inward. They can resemble the bowl of a spoon — or the inside of a cup, like the name. The sides of each board are higher than the middle sections. Solid wood floors and engineered boards can both suffer from cupping, although moisture has a different effect on each type of flooring.

The most distinguishing feature of cupping that sets it apart from other kinds of damage is the location of the moisture damage. Floorboards resemble a sandwich in cross-section. Cupping is the result of an increased moisture content that saturates the bottom of the boards. Noticeable cupping that shows up over the span of a few days is likely because of underlying water damage. What to look for: appliance leaks, leaks in the building, site grading issues, or plumbing problems. 

Crowning

Crowning, like buckling, occurs when a floorboard is higher in the center than it is on the edges. It usually happens after water is left standing on the wood or if the floor’s exposed to high humidity over a long span. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to cause crowning in an attempt to fix cupping.

[via: www.builddirect.com]

Restoration

When your floor is showing evidence of increased moisture, usually water is the source of the damage. If your flooring is not dried properly, it won't improve in appearance, can cause preventable expense of replacing the floor, or cause more damage down the road, like mold.

Calling professionals means guaranteeing the job is done right. Our certified technicians are trained with equipment that not only dries the floor but checks moisture levels to make sure drying is complete. Our franchise owner, Kyle Huston, personally sees each job to the end to make sure you're taken care of. We take pride in our community to make sure restoration is done right the first time. 

Call Today! (601) 823-1100

SERVPRO Values Your Time

9/26/2023 (Permalink)

We don't stop until our job is done.

Call SERVPRO® of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia when you need it done right and done fast. Did you know when you hire us for your damage restoration needs, we work around your schedule and strive to get your business up & running ASAP? Quality cleaning and quick response - that is the SERVPRO® way. Can't figure out how to get the job done? We're here for you during your emergency restoration needs. When you experience a fire, water or mold damage in your home or facility, you need fast response and the expertise to get the job done right, ensuring you can get back into operation as quickly as possible. Through it all, you expect the most reliable information and the very best service at a fair price. We are here for you.

Crawl Space Service

9/26/2023 (Permalink)

Be Prepared

Preparation is the Key. There is no homeowner that can be too prepared, especially those who purchase new homes. It is so important to pay attention to new homes, because even the slightest problems give water access to unprotected materials used during construction. 
 
SERVPRO® of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia can get confused for just a carpet cleaning service, but we are so much more. We offer a variety of services to help dry your entire home, including crawl spaces and other hard to reach areas.

Crawl Spaces:

Depending on the foundation of your home, more than likely when you open your crawl space access, you'll find a dirt floor underneath. You may also find puddles of standing water, bugs, rodents, and little to no ventilation. 
 
At SERVPRO®, we can provide you with crawl space encapsulation services. Our professional services involve the use of recent technology to separate the crawl space from the ground using a high-quality vapor barrier; this creates an additional layer that protects your home from outdoor elements. 
 
Our highly trained technicians perform a full inspection to determine the state of your crawl space before doing anything else. This involves locating and repairing any possible water problems that exist, along with cleaning, mold, and pest remediation services before encapsulating, to help avoid leaving vermin or fungi behind that can destroy the seal around the barrier we create. 
 
SERVPRO® of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia can fully encapsulate your crawl space and install high-quality dehumidifiers to help regulate the temperature that exists, this often reduces foundation cracks, interior drywall cracks, developing uneven floors and produces great results your family can enjoy. 
 
Contact SERVPRO® of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia for additional information or to obtain the services you need today.

(601) 823-1100

Get Ahead of Fire Damage

11/7/2022 (Permalink)

What To Do?

If you receive a call from a client today with a fire loss, what would you do?

You have a fire loss on one of your properties OR you have a fire at your own personal property?

Here is some helpful information that might help you be prepared.

Statistics:

Fire claims spike during the months of November - February.

On average, Fire causes over $12.4 billion in property damage annually.

Top 5 Causes of Fire loss:

• Cooking equipment
• Heating equipment
• Intentional
• Electrical distribution & lighting equipment
• Smoking materials

What to do after the fire is out:

You need a Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration company like SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia.

One Stop Shop

Our services also include:

• Boardup
  Many times, the home or building must be secured immediately BEFORE anything else.
• Reconstruction
  After the restoration process has been completed, our in-house reconstruction team can help with structural construction.

Fire Damage? Call SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia (601) 823-1100

Fire Prevention Week: Fire Aftermath

10/14/2022 (Permalink)

After a Fire

A fire damage can be more involved than you may realize. Smoky residue saturates every opening because of the convection pattern that flames typically form during ignition. The soot constructs up in layers that may end up being solidified and tough to eliminate which is another reason to leave the cleaning to a specialist.

When the cleaning teams arrive, they promptly different salvageable items from charred debris, taking the things creating the strongest odors out for cleaning.

Following a fire, wall surface areas can be harmed by soot. Non-water based cleaners need to be used to remove soot from walls. These kinds of chemicals should be handled by a specialist due to the fumes and toxicity. Water-based cleaning items can cause spots to bleed into plaster walls, which is why a trained specialist should be left to deal with these chemicals.  

"What could possibly happen if I do it myself?" 
A professional restoration team reduces the after-effects a blaze can have on the health of those who return in. If a homeowner does not have the property restored by a professional, the results can be found later on down the line. To an untrained eye, they might believe the issue has been fixed. Homeowners who do it themselves may experience the remaining impacts of indoor air pollution for numerous months later on, which could also form an increased respiratory discomfort.  

We are trained to help remove your belongings as well as cleaning and storing them until your property has been restored to its original condition. We want to save as much as possible.

"Like it never even happened."

Fire Prevention Week: Businesses

10/13/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial Fire Damage Tips

At SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia, we take fire damages seriously. Fire losses account for approximately $2.3 billion in commercial and industrial direct property loss each year.  At times you can have large-loss fires that affect buildings such as apartments, facilities, and places people work. These types of losses affect multiple lives. It can take a lot of effort on everyone's part to provide support.

Property Owner Tips

• Make sure everyone is safe and away from the property. Safety is the number one concern.
• Get the community involved in helping families or workers that may be affected
• Bring your adjuster in early to help manage things such as photos, mitigation, documenting anything they need to.
• Analyze your policy, including all clauses, additions, extensions, and exclusions.
• Bring in experts to check out the damages
• Communication is key. Everyone should stay in good contact to get the job done as smoothly as possible.
• Know that the process can be long and require a lot of patience.

We hope you never need these expert services but if you do, call us at (601) 823-1100 or send us a message through Facebook.

Fire Prevention Week

10/12/2022 (Permalink)

“Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”

Seconds Count Seconds can mean the difference between residents of our community escaping safely from a fire or having their lives end in tragedy. That’s why our theme for Fire Prevention Week is: “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” Everyone needs to have an escape plan. This year we'd like to challenge you, if you haven't done so already, to draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit. Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out. Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them. Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find. Close doors behind you as you leave – this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building. Have you contacted your local fire department? See how you can get involved with them and your community to prevent house fires. Sometimes they will have events or give out smoke detectors for your home. Don't think this could never happen to you because it easily could. We don't have control over everything in our homes! We understand that, and SERVPRO of Brookhaven, McComb & Columbia is faster to any size disaster!

[via: www.nfpa.org] 

Bonfire Tips: Fall Fire Safety

10/7/2022 (Permalink)

Here in Brookhaven, MS its a tradition to enjoy the cooler nights outside around a homemade fire pit! Many of us are looking forward to spending time gathering around them to enjoy time with family and friends. Before you start dreaming of moonlit nights and toasted marshmallows, take a moment to check out some of these tips from Allstate to remember.

Backyard Fire Pit Safety Tips:

• Whether you prefer a built-in or portable fire pit, choose one that is not too large for the area. The pit should be a minimum of 10 feet away from any structures or combustible materials as well as away from trees, fences, sheds, power lines, and telephone wires.
• Make sure that the seating area is large enough and properly placed for comfort and ventilation.
• Check wind direction before lighting a fire.
• Don’t use flammable fluids (gasoline, lighter fluid, etc.) to light or relight fires.
• To start the fire, use a lighter to ignite crumpled pieces of paper covered with small sticks. Then, add larger sticks and a log or two to keep it burning. 
• Burn only dry material. Damp material will create excess smoke. 
• Don’t wear flammable clothing (like nylon) or any loose-fitting clothing.
• Never leave the fire unattended, and keep pets and children far away from the fire as they will be attracted to it.
• Keep a fire extinguisher, garden hose, or bucket of water nearby.
• As the fire dies down, use a shovel and spread out the ashes to allow them to cool down. Then slowly pour water over those ashes and watch them closely to be sure that no burning embers remain or reignite. Put the cooled ashes in a specially designated ash storage metal can.