Levels of Fire Damage Possible in Your Chicago Home

8/1/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for a Chicago house fire cleanup. We can make it "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Remediates ALL Types of Damage After a Fire

Candles are lovely for ambiance, and many people use scented candles to give off a pleasant aroma. They can also come in handy during a power outage. However, you need to use candles responsibly to avoid a fire in your Chicago home. It is essential to keep the candle away from anything flammable and not to leave it unattended at any time.
 
Sometimes, as careful as we are, candles still start home fires. Before you know it, you can be looking at severe fire damage in your Chicago home, which is when you need to call our professionals at SERVPRO for help. When the fire is out, we are the ones you can trust to clean and repair your home, so the fire looks "Like it never even happened."
 
Fires can result in varying ranges of damage, making each restoration project unique. With fire damage that is minor, only specific areas or rooms might be affected by smoke residues, and the smoke damage is not heavy. Our restoration services might involve dry or wet cleaning of walls, ceilings, floors, and your possessions. A few areas may need repainting, while only a few items need replacing.
 
When the fire damage is moderate, the smoke residues are as well, and more items need wet cleaning to eliminate residues. The areas that need repainting and the items that need replacing increase, and floors might need refinishing. Heat damage to cabinets, drywall, and contents means more materials that need replacing. SERVPRO techs may be able to clean contents at the job site, and smoke odors are present and could need additional deodorization after cleaning.
 
When the fire has been more severe, heat and damage are worse at the fire's source. Finishes and structural framing could be charred, resulting in repairs to the structure. We can help after the fire department leaves and allows access. Smoke residues are spread throughout a significant portion of your home, and odors are strong. We may need to board up your home, establish a source of electricity, and remove any smoke-filled and charred debris. Our restoration services involve extensive cleaning of your structure and likely need restorers to pack and move any salvageable contents off-site for cleaning. We also use various methods for deodorization.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City understands the various levels of fire damage. Just give us a call at (773) 337-3993.

Keep Your Chicago Commercial Site Open for Business after a Water Problem

8/1/2022 (Permalink)

It takes more than a red umbrella to protect your Chicago commercial building from water damage. Just call SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Helps Keep Businesses Open After Water Damage

Department stores and retail establishments throughout the surrounding area should consider developing a relationship with local restoration providers early on; this way, you have an opportunity to give the company you choose any pertinent information that helps them gain access to your building and provide the services your business needs to survive an emergency situation.

Often water damage cases in the Chicago area require access to a professional restoration company that provides 24-hour emergency services that help keep your business running and limit exposure to inventory, which helps prevent additional damages from forming and large-loss situations from occurring.

SERVPRO technicians can answer your call and begin handling your emergency immediately; the information you provide and your preparations directly impact the success of the restoration services you require.

With a water damage event occurring on your property, you only have 24 to 48 hours to get things under control before the possibility of mold contamination and additional damages to structural materials begin to develop. Hesitating can cause significant damage to stored products and capital investments.

Moisture in your walls can cause walls to warp and ceilings to sag. With enough exposure, water can do much damage. Structural degradation can mean lost revenue through closures and expensive repairs.

SERVPRO can provide you with any of the services you need to gain control of the water damage event affecting your business while protecting your investment.

SERVPRO services involve more than using water extractors to remove standing water or providing air dryers and advanced cleaning services. We can provide the difference between losing an entire store of merchandise and going out of business or re-opening within a couple of days.

Give SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City a call today to begin building a professional relationship that could make the difference between saving or closing your business. (773) 337-3993

Flood Damage Cleanup and Complete Restoration Service in Chicago

7/10/2022 (Permalink)

Whether the flooding is from a storm or an appliance malfunction, the result is the same. Contact team SERVPRO to assess and remediate the situation.

Hire SERVPRO in Chicago for Flood Damage and Total Restoration Assistance

For flooding in Chicago, you want mitigation from skilled technicians, but complete restoration is also essential. SERVPRO offers the total package to help whether you are working with storm damage and debris to contaminated floodwaters saturating your furnishings, carpet, and possessions. Water can rapidly damage many materials in the home, and mold can develop in as little as 48 hours. Because of this, you need a company like the SERVPRO team to bring your property to pre-flood condition. "Like it never even happened."

Water and flood damage mitigation in Chicago involves several critical steps. Our IICRC-certified SERVPRO team uses proven methods and industrial-grade equipment to get you the results you need fast.

What does flood water mitigation entail?

• Mitigation begins with a detailed assessment of where flood water is coming in and where it has dispersed.
• SERVPRO technicians treat the flood zone with antimicrobials and then begin water removal services with the help of pumps and extractors.
• Drying begins with air movers and dehumidifiers to dry any materials still set. 
• All surfaces are monitored as drying occurs, and we adjust to achieve our goals better as we move along.

What does flood water restoration entail?

• Once mitigation wraps up, the flooded area still needs work to get back to pre-event condition.
• All damaged areas like walls, carpeting, flooring, and other materials get assessed and repaired as needed.
• Restoration also involves odor removal, extensive cleaning, sanitizing treatments, and finishing touches so that your interior is like before the flood.

Flooding of any kind is an emergency situation that is not good to tackle as a DIY. SERVPRO has the experience and equipment to get in quickly to get results so that your flood damage is a thing of the past. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City 24/7 at (773) 337-3993, and we will mobilize our Green Fleet as soon as possible.

Professional Basement Flood Removal in Chicago

7/10/2022 (Permalink)

Dealing with basement flooding can often be overwhelming. Call SERVPRO for water removal and effective remediation efforts. Our team is standing by.

Chicago flood damage can be tricky, let our team help you through all the steps.

Floods are the most common natural in the US today, and the most costly to homeowners. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a 1,000 square foot home with three inches of floodwater in it can cost an average of $11,450 to repair. With two feet of water in the same space, the cost nearly triples to $33,700. For a 2,000 square foot home, the cost incurred by three inches of floodwater is $22,590, while two feet of water skyrockets the repair expenses to $62,880.

If your Chicago residence requires flood removal, an emergency-response SERVPRO team can come to your home within hours of your call to extract floodwaters and contaminants. The goal is to restore your home and its contents to a preloss condition while minimizing losses and replacements. Your local SERVPRO team also serves the community by cooperating with organizations like the Children's Museum of Oak Lawn, the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, and the Sertoma Centre, Inc.

What Not to Do During a Basement Flood

• Avoid entering your basement during a flood. Floodwaters often contain sewage, pests, industrial chemicals, and bacteria that can make entering your basement unsafe.
• Never neglect flood prevention measures. Whether you need to design an emergency evacuation plan for your family, maintain a basement sump pump, or install water sensors, these measures are essential to minimizing damage and maximizing safety. 
• Contact your insurer immediately. Most flood policies impose time limits on claimants after a disaster occurs, so fast filing is a must.

SERVPRO's State-of-the-Art Inventory System

SERVPRO's unique electronic contents management system makes detailed notes of what was damaged, what needs repair, and what needs replacement. It also includes essential details about various belongings such as makes, models, and serial numbers. This software bolsters insurance claims by providing adjusters with extensive photo, video, and written documentation of the flood-affected contents in your home. This system can not only improve your chances of compensation, but it can also increase the amount you receive.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City offers emergency-response services that are Faster to Any Size Disaster. You can call (773) 337-3993 for cleanup 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Fire Cleanup and Odor Control In Chicago

7/10/2022 (Permalink)

Attic fire damage can quickly trickle down and make its way throughout your home. Call SERVPRO immediately after the fire fighters leave. We are here.

Fire Cleanup and Odor Control Needed in Chicago Home

A home disaster that requires fire cleanup and odor control is a prevalent scenario. As fire burns, it leaves behind soot and smoke residues. The soot particles can be smaller than the human eye can see, and as they carry scents, that is why the smell from a fire is so challenging to remove.

An attic fire in a Chicago home needed both fire cleanup and odor control. Removal of charred items assists in lowering the amount of residual scents from the fire loss. SERVPRO technicians removed the burned sheetrock and insulation and found much of the framework did not receive much in the way of the actual damage, and the techs left it in place.

Careful Cleanup of Fire Loss

As items get removed from the worksite, the techs inspect each one for restorability potential. The techs only dispose of things with the approval from the adjuster or the property owner. To assist in the expediting of insurance claims, each loss item has a detailed record created, including a photo and condition statement. This attention to detail helps SERVPRO save homeowners the cost of replacing through their cleaning methods.

Soot Equals Odors

The techs have a multi-layered approach to odor removal. The first part is cleaning the visible soot and smoke residues from surfaces. The techs test the surfaces and choose the appropriate cleaning agent to ensure the best outcome. Air scrubbers are invaluable pieces of equipment for the capture of airborne soot particles, and this also assists in lowering odors in the home.  

The final step involves equipment such as hydroxyl generators. These safe machines use UV rays to attach to and change the molecular makeup of odorous elements, rendering them inert for causing foul smells. For porous objects, thermal fogging with a heated solvent is very useful for the removal of smoke odors.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 has certified technicians available 24/7 for fire cleanup and odor. Their advanced equipment and restoration methods make the fire loss in your home, “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO's Annual Convention "Brand Partnership Panel"

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

"Brand Partnership Panel" presentation by SERVPRO owner/operator and VP of Operations at the annual Convention--2022.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City

The SERVPRO Industries LLC annual convention 2022 is hosted in Dallas, TX. This major event assembles more than 2000 individually owned and operated network franchises to showcase our successes and experiences in the cleanup and restoration industry.

The Brand Partnership Panel is a key element of the convention's goal of expanding the SERVPRO impression. Frank Zubricki, owner/operator, and David Mason, VP of Operations for the SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, will present. They will share successful endeavors in expanding localized branding in three initiatives.

PGA Tour & LPGA

Insurance agents and adjusters enjoy a round of golf. We maintain close connections with local agencies both on the links and by providing non-credited franchise-offered classroom education on the practical aspects of cleanup and restoration services. Frank contends that establishing insurance-driven claims enriches the revenue stream greatly.

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Our sponsorship of this annual ESPN-owned college football bowl game puts our name in front of many viewers. We proudly support all First Responders who put their lives on the line every day. We often send brave individuals to the football game as a statement of our commitment to helping our communities.

The First Responders Children's Foundation

We recognize the requirement and the benefits of supporting all families of the fire, police, EMS, and other First Responders. SERVPRO franchise owners partake in many worthwhile charitable programs to help these children.

Frank and David have many years of experience operating multiple SERVPRO franchises. Growing the brand in each market with practical events and programs for local communities and national regions makes good business sense. By partnering with outside agencies, we can make our mark.

Training Event in Chicago for Multiple Team Zubricki SERVPRO Franchises

6/6/2022 (Permalink)

Team Zubricki trains hard and works harder!

Ongoing training and industry learning are imperative throughout the SERVPRO franchises. Team Zubricki is proud to bring multiple franchises together for training, such as a recent event held in Chicago. This training included SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City and other area franchises and Florida teams.

Training went over techniques and instruction on best practices for providing excellent service, including presenters like:

• Project managers
• Franchise owners
• Construction technicians

This memorable event took place at our Chicago warehouse facility built to accommodate our Greater Chicago-area franchises. The warehouse itself is essential as a centralized location for storing all of our restoration equipment. It is perfectly sized to allow the flexibility of hosting training sessions of this scale.

Throughout the training, personnel broke into groups for office staff, sales, and production. Anyone unable to attend in person tapped into the training through Microsoft Teams. Our firm belief is that such ongoing training and bringing the employees of the Team Zubricki franchises together provides staff with knowledge and skills and helps foster a healthy company culture. We not only offer cutting-edge service and advanced equipment for our customers but for our entire Team Zubricki.

Look to us at SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City whenever you require restoration assistance for fire, water, and mold-related emergencies. Call us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Basement Flood Removal in Chicago Needs SERVPRO Experts

6/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is has the right equipment to remove water from your basement. Call us today!

How Experts Carry Out Basement Flood Removal in Chicago?

Dealing with a flooded basement is nothing short of a nightmare for any homeowner, especially after a storm. Quick and efficient basement flood removal of your Chicago property needs experienced, trained experts who have access to the best pieces of equipment.

The biggest challenge for SERVPRO techs during basement flood removal of your Chicago home is to pump the standing water out of the structure as quickly as possible. As the floodwater often contains debris and other solids, extracting the water with ordinary pumps is not easy. Another challenge is the lift required to pump the water out of the basement. SERVPRO techs use different pumps depending on the amount of debris and the suction lift needed to get the job done efficiently. 

Pumps Used for Water Cleanup After a Storm 

The most common pieces of equipment that SERVPRO techs use to remove water from flooded basements in Chicago are:

• Trash Pumps
• Electric Submersible Pumps

Trash pumps are gas or diesel-powered and can move 10,000 to 60,000 gallons of water per hour. What makes these pumps especially useful for basement flood removal is their ability to be used even when there is quite a lot of debris in the water. Trash pumps pass solids up to 1¼ inches in size without clogging. Hence, they are ideal for removing floodwater laden with sand or mud. Unfortunately, the trash pumps provide limited suction lift.

SERVPRO techs use electric submersible pumps when a higher suction lift is required. Although these pumps are slower to remove water than trash pumps, they offer a much stronger charge. Besides, these pumps run on electricity and can also be used in occupied spaces.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 to discuss your restoration needs. 

Water Damage can Happen After a Fire in Your Chicago Residence

6/5/2022 (Permalink)

Our priority at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is to take care of your home like it is our own.

SERVPRO Offers Water & Fire Restoration Services to Chicago Homes

Both Chicago homeowners and renters can experience damage to their belongings. Furniture, beddings, clothing, books, and other items can become ruined, or nearly so, through no fault of your own. Repairing items, cleaning them, or performing restorative work can help restore many possessions, helping keep replacement costs low and manageable while also helping to preserve unreplaceable keepsakes.

Residents in Chicago might experience water damage after a small fire. Putting any size fire out with water can lead to damaged areas of your home. Because many people feel relieved after the blaze goes out, they forget to take care of the water, leading to problems later. SERVPRO understands that your initial efforts to save your home and its contents when the fire ignited can backfire all too easily, but we can help solve the situation.

When water stays in place, damage ends up slowly accruing. Stains, bubbled paint, loosened carpet and padding, result in many other problems. Even when firefighters put out a massive fire, removing the water becomes an additional responsibility of the homeowner. Renters might find themselves at the landlord's mercy regarding their belongings, but we also work with these individuals and their families. Water damage can include visible staining and microbial growth in clothing, leather goods, and footwear. Odors can also become a nuisance. Special laundering and cleaning can eliminate many of these situations and save your belongings.

Artwork and wall hangings can harbor moisture from the water you used for fire extinguishment, leading to mold colonies and other microbes growing wildly out of control. Bleed-through and other stains can also become unsightly and ruin your investments.

Drying out your dwelling can stop water damage and allow us the drier environment needed to begin preserving your belongings and undoing any current damage. Air movers, heaters, and desiccant machines help us reach our goals of a dry residence and keep humidity and moisture from continuing to infiltrate your home's environment.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City wants to help all of our neighbors when their homes or belongings require restoration after water damage threatens your possessions. We can be reached at any hour, day or night, by calling our local service line, (773) 337-3993, any day of the year.

Learn Your Mold Damage Restoration Options When in Chicago

6/5/2022 (Permalink)

Our IICRC trained SERVPRO technicians are trained to remediate any scope of mold damage.

Mold Damage Restoration

Discovering mold damage on your property is always frustrating. Failure to act immediately may destroy the floors and walls and cause other damage. With that in mind, it's crucial to know the signs to look out for to avoid such outcomes as a resident of Chicago.

The faster you spot mold damage in your Chicago home, the easier it is to do the remediation. But how can you fix all that when you do not have the right tools for the work? That is why you need service providers like SERVPRO, specializing in commercial and residential mold remediation. It is not that easy to notice mold when it is in its initial stages of growth - particularly when that is happening behind wallpapers and within the walls. Always call our team to inspect your property if you detect a strange smell.

Primarily, you should expect mildew growth after flooding or water damage. Since water flows freely and settles in different places, the resulting humid environments create favorable conditions for mildew growth. When our SERVPRO team responds to such incidents, we set up air movers and heaters to dry the area. Additionally, we can exterminate the spores by using thermal foggers, which dissipate antimicrobial agents.

Our IICRC trained SERVPRO technicians use air scrubbers to control surface mold, especially when it is resting on hard surfaces. If we notice it has contaminated porous materials such as carpeting and fabrics, we remove them from the area. We can introduce wire brushing, sanding, or damp wiping for semi-porous surfaces when doing the removal. HEPA vacuuming is also an option when removing loosely attached mold.

The remediation process also involves the use of mildew retardant paints that can suppress the unpleasant smells, leaving behind a clean and smooth area. IICRC certifies our technicians, which means we aim for the highest standards possible.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City responds to any size of disaster to restore and clean both commercial and residential properties. Call us at (773) 337-3993 for industry-proven services.

Large Loss Specialists Awarded as Inaugural Class of White Coats

5/11/2022 (Permalink)

Congratulations to the team members awarded the White Coats

Large Loss recovery is a specialty for the Team Zubricki franchises. We have a dedicated primary warehouse with equipment like a 40-ft service trailer ready to mobilize to natural disasters and storm events that threaten the country. Many of our employees are expected to drop everything at a call for help and selflessly do so. Some of our staff embody this commitment to selfless service in many ways, and owner Patricia Zubricki felt these individuals should be acknowledged and celebrated for these efforts.

During a three-day Large Loss training event bringing all of Team Zubricki franchises together to deconstruct a recent restoration project, five of our own were awarded white coats. The symbolism of the white coat is that this color stands out from the blacks, greys, and SERVPRO green of the event, just as these technicians and managers stood out with their superior service and work ethic in the field. White Coats for this inaugural class included:

• Senior Project Manager Patrick Houlihan
• Nick Laughlin
• Restoration Project Manager Eduardo Gomez
• Randall Roach
• Owner Anthony Zubricki

Tony Dantonio, Vice President of National Accounts at Team Zubricki, shares his thoughts on the team members awarded the White Coats: "The team members that were recognized with the White Coats have gone above and beyond to help make Team Zubricki successful.  The White Coats are intended to stand out just as these folks have done. They are true team players, and were caught in the act of doing things right."

Those deemed the ‘Top Guns’ of the previous year and called our White Coats met several criteria for this new annual award. This token of appreciation was given to show that Patricia and other upper management recognized the personal sacrifice and determination demonstrated in many of the previous years’ most laborious Large Loss events like:

• Massachusetts
• Chicago
• Louisiana
• Kansas
• Oklahoma
• Arizona
• Virginia

Because of how involved Large Loss recoveries can be, the cleanup and restoration can last weeks or months. That is the time removed from family and friends to serve the greater good. Our honorees earned their accolades with:

• Time spent in service of the team
• Selflessly helping others during holidays or family events
• Showing superior customer service and compassion in challenging times
• Devoting long hours on evenings and weekends to complete jobs

Water Damage Repair After a Failed Sump Pump in Chicago

5/8/2022 (Permalink)

Basement flooding issues need to be quickly assessed and have the water removal and repair services started on right away. Contact our SERVPRO team.

SERVPRO Provides Efficient Water Damage Repair for Chicago Residents

The basement is one area of any Chicago home that is very vulnerable to flood water infiltration. The basement can get flooded whenever there is a foundation leak, natural flooding, a sewage backup, or soil oversaturation after heavy rains. If you end up with water damage and flooding after your sump pump fails, SERVPRO is there to help with water removal services, damage repair, and drying.

When you call us for water damage repair in Chicago, you can expect to see our team arrive at your door within hours. We must get in fast to begin water mitigation efforts and extraction as soon as possible to limit damage and overall cost for your project. If you have an issue with your sump pump, you must know how it works and what you can do to avoid the problem in the future.

• Sump pumps excess water that comes in from outside and collects inside your interior pump basin. After the basin fills, a sensor triggers the pump to turn on and pump the water back outside a safe distance from the home’s foundation.
• The sump pump must remain functional to protect your home and basement from flooding. During a flooding and heavy rain event, failure to trigger could mean significant water damage.
• Your sump pump’s screen, inlet opening, pump, and basin should be checked and cleaned regularly.

Should you experience flooding or water damage even after caring for your sump pump, calling in the help of our skilled water damage professionals will get everything cleaned up fast. SERVPRO uses advanced extraction tools and drying equipment to pull water and remaining moisture from your basement. We also address possible black mold growth that may have developed due to the water infiltration.

Call (773) 337-3993 to have SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City mobilize a crew to your door. You can look to us for all of your water extractions and water damage repair needs.

Water Damage Can Destroy Your Chicago Home

5/8/2022 (Permalink)

Broken pipes can spill a large amount of water on your property very quickly. Call SERVPRO 24/7 for effective water removal services.

What Happens Without Water Removal in a Chicago Home?

Water damage winds up in properties in a myriad of ways. Common sources are overflowing toilets, broken pipes, or an appliance such as a washing machine going on the fritz.

No matter how the damage occurred in a Chicago home, water removal needs to occur quickly. But what happens if the homeowners simply blot up the water they can see and leave the rest to dry on its own?

Structural Damages from Water

When sheetrock has exposure to excessive moisture for an extended time, it buckles and warps. Once that happens, the only outcome is removal as it has no restoration potential. Vinyl tiles commonly delaminate and on a case by case basis, receive an inspection by SERVPRO technicians for the possibility of reuse.

The Threat of Mold Damage

As fast as 24-hours after a water loss in a home, mold spores can germinate and spread throughout the area. This scenario is costly as mold infestations require professional remediation to ensure no cross-contamination occurs along with correcting the issue that created the favorable environment for the establishment of colonies.

Foul Odors

The need for odor control is another outcome of inadequate water cleanup. Water that runs behind baseboards or within wall cavities can set the home up for foul odors, and quite often, mold growth is a part of the equation.

Professional Water Extraction Methods

When SERVPRO technicians handle water damage, they use moisture detection equipment to determine all areas of excessive moisture. They then use water removal equipment, remove baseboards as needed, and extract any remaining water.

Professional equipment for drying also makes a difference. Using attachments that force warm, dry air into floors and walls to ensure complete dryness. Dehumidification equipment assists in the lowering of ambient humidity that also helps reduce odors and dry existing mold colonies.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 stands ready to assist local property owners with any size needed water removal job. The certified technicians work quickly to make the damage “Like it never even happened.”

Chicago Flooding Woes? Minimize Stress and Damage--Contact SERVPRO

5/8/2022 (Permalink)

When a storm brings a large amount of water into your living space, it’s time to call in the professionals. Contact SERVPRO right away.

How to Get the Best Outcome During Flood Damage Cleanup in Your Chicago Home

Extreme weather events that climate change has fueled are on the rise. Flooding is one such event, and it is costly. A report from the American Geophysical Union shows that flooding in the U.S.A beginning from 2000 to 2018 caused over 62000 deaths and over $830 billion in economic damage. Heavy rainfall in Chicago can lead to flooding after the resulting runoff causes rivers to rise. Floodwater can devastate your home and necessitate remediation services from a professional flood restoration firm.

The flood clean-up experts from SERVPRO know the appropriate procedures to follow to restore your home to its preloss condition. We can properly clean, dry, and disinfect your flood-damaged Chicago property to prevent costly damage. Generally, professionals perform flood damage remediation better than homeowners because of the following reasons:

Floodwater removal

Sometimes, removing flood water from a property is complicated and requires the use of several types of water extraction systems. After assessing your home, we can know which equipment is needed to tackle the job quickly. For instance, if there is flood water in an underground structure like a parking garage or basement, our crew can use high pressure pumps to remove it.

Moisture diagnostic

Mitigating standing water is relatively straightforward. The challenge is digging further to determine where gravity sent water below the surface. Floodwater can travel through porous or semi-porous surfaces such as walls, into cabinets, and under subfloors. Identifying where the water went helps in moisture removal efforts. We have sophisticated moisture detection equipment like thermal imaging cameras, moisture meters, and moisture sensors that help our restorers to track the moisture in your home.

Selecting appropriate cleaning products

By taking proper clean-up and remediation procedures after flooding, damage and mold growth can be stymied. Our crew has the knowledge to choose the most suitable cleaning products like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved sanitizers and disinfectants. We rely on EPA approved cleaning products because they are more effective in eliminating biological contaminants.

Knowledge of the procedures to follow when applying cleaners

Apart from selecting the appropriate cleaning products, using them correctly is also vital. Our crew is aware of this fact and can choose the application methods that offer the most effective cleaning. When applying cleaning products, our SERVPRO crew uses methods and quantities that allow the solution to come into contact with all contaminated materials and surfaces such as tackless strips, subfloors, wall bottom plates, and walls.

Efficient drying

Structural drying should happen quickly, and it is crucial to dry every surface to a specific moisture content level. We have air moving and dehumidifying equipment that makes this possible.

If your home has flood damage, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for restoration services. Our restorers can arrive at your home within an hour, assess the situation, and start the remediation work. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How to Perform Mold Remediation in Your Chicago Home

4/10/2022 (Permalink)

When you see or smell mold, time is of the essence. Contact SERVPRO for trained technicians and the right equipment to remediate your home.

Mold Remediation in Chicago Homes is Straightforward With SERVPRO's Help

Mold is a nuisance to every homeowner. It can cause health effects to everyone residing in the affected house. It is caused by water leakage into the building from sources such as burst pipes or flooding, which causes the build-up of moisture.

You can hire SERVPRO to perform mold remediation in your Chicago residence. We have a well-trained team armed with top-notch equipment to help you out. We can handle the mold by taking the following steps:

Inspection and damage assessment

Upon arrival, SERVPRO can inspect the house to determine how safe it is and then fully assess the level of damage that the mold infestation has had on your building. We can use borescopes and inspection cameras to look into cavities to examine the construction method and determine the presence of visible contamination. Most borescopes and inspection cameras can take video and record still images.

Containment and filtration

We can set up containment measures to ensure mold spores do not spread to other areas. We can then use air filtration devices like air scrubbers to ensure that airborne mold spores do not spread to areas that are not affected. We can also set up ventilation measures to ensure the careful flow of air in and out of the affected area.

Removal of mold and affected materials

Our SERVPRO technicians can remove all the affected materials, most probably for disposal.

Content and belonging cleaning

We can dispose of the materials that have been adversely affected and use industrial cleaners to clean the salvageable ones. We can then apply fungicides to the materials in the affected area to kill any remaining mold and destroy spores to avoid further growth.

Restoration

Our SERVPRO team can then help you to restore your residence by replacing or repairing damaged building materials.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is equipped to help property owners to deal with mold to make it "Like it never even happened." Contact us at (773) 337-3993.

Our professionals Describe The Fire Damage Restoration Process In Chicago

4/10/2022 (Permalink)

Regardless of the extent of the fire in your apartment, team SERVPRO can help. Contact our certified technicians right after the firefighters leave.

Fire Damage Experts In Chicago Describe The Restoration Process In Detail

If your apartment building in Chicago ever sets ablaze, the flames can engulf many of your contents and building materials if they are not extinguished promptly. When our SERVPRO technicians work toward restoring fire damage, we know that no two fires are the same. However, whether the blaze was big or small, our team uses the same restoration procedures and process for every job. Our process has proven to be successful when strictly followed each time.

The first phase of our SERVPRO team's process we conduct when mitigating your fire damage in Chicago is the project initiation step. This phase starts as soon as we get your call saying that you have a problem. The first project initiation phase involves the following six steps.

1. Intake And Research

During this first step, we figure out the details of your property, such as who owns it and whether it is insured or not. We then record the contact information of all of the people who need to be involved in the restoration process.

2. Contact And Schedule

Once we receive your call, our IICRC-certified technicians contact you and schedule the best time to inspect your home. During this initial contact, we get information regarding how many rooms got affected to get an idea of your situation.

3. Arrival And Walkthrough

During this step, we arrive at your house on schedule and meet you for the first time and listen to your problems. We do a walkthrough with you and get an idea of what your priorities are.

4. Project Consultation

Once we get the information about your damage that we need, we go over it with a manager on our team so that we can formulate the best plan. We also notify you of the situation and tell you about our emergency action plan.

5. Customer Consultation

After we have reviewed our findings with our team's manager, we then sit down with you and tell you what we need to do to restore your home to the way it was before the fire “Like it never even happened.” Once you approve of our plan, we get authorization from you so that we can begin work.

6. Initial Services

This step includes making the work area safe by cleaning up rubble and boarding up burnt out windows.

Restoration projects always go more smoothly when you get help from the experts. Once you notice problems caused by something burning, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993. We are available 24/7.  We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

How You Can Get Help Eliminating Water Damage In Your Chicago Business

4/10/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage at your restaurant location would certainly slow down business. Contact our SERVPRO team to quickly assess and formulate a plan.

Limit the Effects of Commercial Water Damage in Your Chicago Restaurant Through Expert Restoration

Restaurants play a vital role in the social, business, artistic, and intellectual life of a thriving society. Sanitation is essential to the health of the patrons and the continued operation of a restaurant. When a water loss incident occurs in a food-related business, health authorities can regard it as unsanitary and therefore unfit to operate.

The other risk associated with commercial water damage in your Chicago restaurant is mold growth. The presence of mold can lead to citations and lawsuits from the health department. The other thing you may have to deal with is loss of revenue until you reopen your restaurant. After a water loss incident, you should take the following precautions:

• Do not operate water-ruined equipment until professionals have cleaned and disinfected it.
• Do not operate water-ruined electrical or gas equipment and hot water systems until a competent utility technician has checked it. 
• Avoid walking through standing water because it may contain hazardous contaminants.

It is critical to clean and dry damp physical structures in your restaurant thoroughly and quickly to prevent microbial growth. SERVPRO can help you complete the restoration process quickly. 

Indoor environments usually have microbes. They are part of the ecological system, and it is not possible to eliminate them by applying antimicrobial and biocide products. However, if bacteria reproduce and grow in indoor environments, they can cause health effects. 

If you do not mitigate a category one sanitary water situation for 48 to 72 hours, microbes can amplify. They can increase contamination in your restaurant and turn a category one water damage into a category two or category three situation. Our SERVPRO AMRT, Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians can act fast to prevent microbial contamination from worsening as time passes. 

We control microbial growth by applying biocides and eliminating moisture. We can remove moisture by reducing humidity levels and drying the affected areas using air moving and dehumidification equipment. We concentrate on drying a structure quickly to minimize moisture levels. We can also remove any contaminated materials from your business premises and dispose of them appropriately. 

Dealing with a water intrusion problem in your restaurant can be challenging. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for help. We have the expertise to make the problem seem “Like it never even happened.”

Ice Dams and Water Damage in Your Chicago Attic

3/1/2022 (Permalink)

Time to call SERVPRO when ice dams create water damage on your Chicago home's roof

When Your Chicago Attic Has Suffered Water Damage or Ice Dams, Call SERVPRO

During Chicago winters, the temperature of your attic can reach above freezing, which melts the snow on your roof. When this melted snow runs down your roof and into the colder eaves, it refreezes. Over several days this cycle continues, and freezing snowmelt builds up and creates an ice dam. Behind this, water forms into puddles that are quite large. This water can push into your attic or damage the structure's siding.

With attic leaks, you may not even realize there is an issue at first, which could worsen the water damage by the time you notice it.

Your Chicago home needs the help of water damage professionals to get it back in shape. SERVPRO is always ready to help you clean up the water mess and repair any damage that has been done.

Attics are not always easy to access, and the amount of equipment we can get into the damaged area can be limited. The drying process can be difficult because of water-soaked sheetrock, which may require demolition, allowing access to the attic crawlspace.

Restoration of attics often involves SERVPRO crews to manage the insulation. We can dry out wet fiberglass insulation and save it, but we might not be able to restore damp plaster or sheetrock under the insulation. Typically, it is more efficient and cost-effective to remove and discard the insulation. Removing insulation and sheetrock during demolition can make vast amounts of dust, plus high air movement can force the dust to move throughout your home. In this case, we might have to build containment to minimize cross-contamination and utilize negative air pressure to channel the airborne particles to the exterior.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City is sure to be careful while drying and repairing your attic after water damage. Call us at (773) 337-3993.

Lightning Strike Causes Fire Damage in Chicago

3/1/2022 (Permalink)

When jolted by a fire damaging lightning strike to your Chicago home--call SERVPRO--We're Faster To Any Size Disaster

Chicago Fire Damage Cleanup by SERVPRO

Thunder and lightning are frequent accompaniments to the torrential rains experienced lately in northern Illinois. Lightning strikes that cause residential fires are rare but serious. If it happens to you, a clear action plan must be developed and followed immediately. After the firefighters leave your home, still standing but damaged, depend upon SERVPRO to help.

Being jolted out of bed by the flash and rumble of a thunderstorm is annoying but adding fire damage in your Chicago home from a lightning strike makes it worse. Now you have a bona fide disaster on your hands. Reach out to us, and we respond with a full range of fire restoration services provided by highly qualified technicians.

Lightning typically strikes the highest point on a building, making attic fires among the most common related to this cause. The energy of the lightning also damages plumbing, wiring, and electronics, conducted throughout your home via these utility lines. Even when the fire department quells the flames quickly, secondary fire damage spreads throughout your home. SERVPRO has an effective strategy for every issue:

We assess charred framing and rafters in the attic, arranging for replacement if the damage is severe, or cleaning with proper solvents and abrasive scrubbers if minimal.

• We look closely at the insulation in the area of the fire. Damage to insulation is typical if water was used to extinguish the fire. Our SERVPRO crew chief can scope the damage and determine what to replace or discard.
• We contain soot and other residue and thoroughly remove it from surfaces using dry or wet techniques depending on the porosity of the materials affected.
• We inspect HVAC systems to ensure odors and debris experience limited distribution. Cleaning and sealing the interior of the venting is one technique that works.
• We evaluate lingering fire-related smells and deodorize following best practices taught during the comprehensive fire restoration curriculum our ICCRC certified techs master and review regularly.

The energy of the lightning travels along with communication, electrical, and plumbing systems inside your home, damaging them and appliances and electronics attached. Our SERVPRO project managers work with your insurance company and other contractors to get all of these essential services back up and running, “Like it never even happened,” whenever possible.

Recover from the shock of a lightning strike fire by partnering with SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City. Begin the journey back to preloss condition with a call to (773) 337-3993.

What Areas of Chicago Offices Are Most Affected by Water Damage?

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

When disaster strikes your business, contact SERVPRO. Our certified technicians can help remediate and mitigate the commercial water damage.

Experienced water restoration professionals like ours help quickly manage water mitigation for Chicago businesses.

The experience of our water restoration professionals plays a role in how quickly and completely leaks and burst pipes are managed and repaired. We provide a full-service solution for these threats to your facility.

The Structural Impact of Water Leaks

One of the first considerations regarding water cleanup for offices in Chicago is the direct impact of moisture and moving water on structural elements. Because our SERVPRO team also has a general contractor license, we can help to repair and reconstruct damaged areas like:

• Ceiling Assemblies – With many plumbing fixtures and pipes stored in the ceiling assembly, a leak or burst can impact the ceiling assembly materials first. 

• Flooring Materials – Gravity forces water to pool along the floors and begins to saturate into low-pile, glue-down carpeting common to office buildings. 
• Plumbing Networks – In addition to the structural damage to building materials, the damage to the plumbing system also must be corrected by our competent contractors. 

Damaged Contents and Equipment

We work quickly to protect contents, equipment, electronics, and furniture from open areas of the office. Pooling water or damp conditions can lead to irreparable harm for these contents, making relocation and cleaning critical.

Moist Conditions Encourage Mold

One of the threatening situations in allowing moist conditions to persist over several days is the likely development of damaging mold colonies. In 48-72 hours of consistent damp environments, naturally occurring mold spores can begin to land on moist hosting materials and form into colonies. Beyond the health effects of active colonies, mold is very destructive to hosting elements, making reconstruction a larger need. 

Post-water damage scenarios for office buildings can be greatly destructive without immediate action from qualified and experienced restoration professionals. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team has WRT-certified technicians that can mobilize fast to help when you call (773) 337-3993.

Effective Mold Removal Options for Chicago Apartments

2/11/2022 (Permalink)

If you find mold in your apartment, call SERVPRO right away. Certified technicians can investigate the cause and help with mold removal.

Removing mold from Chicago apartments requires a combination of effective remediation solutions.

Apartments can be a difficult building to manage developing and spreading mold damage. With many shared walls and structural assemblies, a growing mold condition in one of these areas could impact multiple units simultaneously. Our SERVPRO professionals treat mold growth scenarios with an urgency that illustrates our understanding of the severity of these conditions.

Evaluating the Severity of the Situation

When considering the multiple types of mold removal in Chicago apartments, our experienced team of professionals can help narrow down your residence's needs. A thorough inspection of the apartment can show where specific materials have been impacted and the likely spread of active colonies.

Surface Cleaning Strategies

One of the effective methods of removing mold from hosting materials is to utilize sporicidal products in our inventory. These powerful cleaners are formulated to eliminate mold organisms on contact, allowing them to be effective on surface mold threats without additional actions. In addition, these same products can inhibit mold growth, so they can be sprayed on surfaces that have yet to support active colonies and keep the organisms from thriving in those areas.

Aggressive Cleaning and Mold Removal Methods

There are times when more than surface cleaning is needed to eliminate active colonization and the effect of mold on structural elements. Abrasive cleaning and aggressive tactics can penetrate beyond the surface to remove the entire hyphae of a threatening organism. Some of the measures for this include:

• Sponge pressure cleaning
• Media blasting
• Sanding
• Controlled demolition

With several possible effective methods for removing mold growth in area homes and apartments, our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City professionals can help when you need it most. The fast spread of mold damage can be stopped with a phone call to (773) 337-3993.

Cleaning Up After Fire Extinguishment in Chicago Shops

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

You have to act fast when a fire causes damage at your business. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for fire damage remediation and mitigation services.

With several types of extinguishment methods, fire damage cleanup in Chicago businesses can vary.

There are multiple methods of extinguishing fires. No matter which option is chosen, some chemical residue or water damage is left behind to threaten the property differently. Our SERVPRO team evaluates these concerns and provides direct cleaning and recovery solutions.

Removing Affected Contents and Wares

Fire damage to Chicago businesses can result in substantial damage and destruction to wares and inventory of the shop. Our responding professionals prioritize performing necessary actions for cleaning these impacted items, moving them to safe locations, and other needed efforts. Our professionals help with:

• Cataloging damage
• Inventory management
• On-site relocation
• Off-site cleaning and recovery

Fire Extinguisher Residues

In many cases, the chemical compounds used in fire extinguishers for shops or residential use feature sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. Cleaning up the residues these units leave behind is treated with the same severity as soot removal. Cleaners in our inventory with alcohol bases can neutralize and remove chemical residues left behind after extinguishment.

Water Damage Present in the Property

One of the more popular methods of stopping an active fire in a business is water. Whether it is an installed sprinkler system or the efforts of responding firefighting professionals, water is a conventional approach to putting out the flames. This approach also leaves standing water and pooling throughout the property that our experienced professionals must address with extractors, drying tools, and other equipment.

The various methods to extinguish and quell spreading fire damage can leave residues and substances to clean. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can appreciate the urgency in getting your shop’s doors back open as soon as possible, and we work fast to eliminate hazardous suppression residues and water damage “Like it never even happened.” Call today at (773) 337-3993.

Restoring Water Damage To Your Chicago Apartment

1/21/2022 (Permalink)

For assistance with water cleanup, call the experts at SERVPRO. We are Here to Help.

SERVPRO Can Help With Restoring Water Damage In Chicago

Owning an apartment in Chicago comes with an added set of concerns when a disaster occurs. Even a seemingly minor incident could produce significant water damage. The threat of this kind of emergency makes a property owner have to be even more diligent with preventative maintenance of appliances and plumbing to reduce the risk of something costly occurring. The trouble is that some unfortunate incidents occur with no warning and can entirely be the fault of someone else.

Water damage to your Chicago apartment is very different than a typical homeowner having a substantial leak from their basement pipes. In a building full of flats, you have to be concerned with more than just the immediate damages to your place and couple that with concerns for the damage that spreads out to nearby apartments both to the sides and underneath yours.

With added stresses of needing to consider potential damages to your neighbors, it is imperative for you to reach out quickly to SERVPRO. Our emergency response team is outfitted with the tools and skills to clean up the mess and to restore the area, provided that the damage is not beyond replacing damaged drywall.

Our SERVPRO professionals work quickly to assess the root of the problem and prevent it from getting worse as soon as we arrive. Depending on the severity of the water in the apartment, portable pumps can be used to remove standing water. Drying the area is critical, as this prevents the spread of the damage to neighboring properties sharing common walls/floors and reduces the moisture available for mold colonies to start forming.

We will work closely with your insurance company to assess the damages and the appropriate actions that have been taken to remedy them. This direct communication helps streamline the process and ensure that the work is completed to restore your apartment in a timely manner.

Owning an apartment does not mean that you have to handle water damages to your property alone. You can call us at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at any time at (773) 337-3993.

How SERVPRO Helps Property Managers Coordinate With Insurers After Fire Damage To A Chicago Apartment

1/13/2022 (Permalink)

If you find yourself in need of assistance with fire damage remediation, call SERVPRO at (773) 337-3993.

SERVPRO, Property Managers, and Insurers Will Work Together to Save Your Chicago Apartment

Fire breaking out in one of your properties is one of the worst nightmares for any property manager. Ablaze damages your property and often leads to an expensive cleanup bill as well as the inconvenience of having it cleaned to remedy soot and flame damage.

After fire damage to your Chicago apartment building, there is a lot to consider. One of the things you need to think about is liaising with your manager and your property firm's insurance company.

SERVPRO is on hand to thoroughly clean your property and mitigate as much soot and fire damage as possible. We are also able to help you when it comes to getting in touch with insurers and keeping the top managers of your property rental agency in the loop.

Our industry software is useful for generating forms and lists. We can detail both salvageable and unsalvageable items and building elements so you can give your insurance adjuster a clear picture of the state of the property after the blaze. We assist in coordinating some of the paperwork and writing up and passing along a detailed plan of action for damage mitigation.

Of course, the plan of action we draw up for you is based on our professional fire cleanup and damage remediation service. SERVPRO's IICRC-certified technicians are trained in all aspects of assessment and cleaning after a fire.

Our team inspects your property to ascertain the extent of the harm caused by the flames and the resulting smoke and soot. We use the information from our assessment to devise the best plan of action for restoring your property as completely and as quickly as we can.

The amount of cleaning necessary depends on how bad the fire was. We employ a range of cleaning methods and materials to remove soot from surfaces and use powerful UV washers to deep clean smaller items. Any salvageable soft furnishings can be cleaned using industry-leading Esporta washers that push detergent deeper into the material for a better result.

SERVPRO also tackles odor removal to get your rental property smelling fresh and ready to be inhabited again. We use thermal fogging equipment to remove smoke odors effectively.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Do not let the aftermath of the fire give you an insurance headache. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 today.

Three Ways Pipes Can Break in Chicago Homes

1/7/2022 (Permalink)

For any type of water damage in your home you can count on SERVPRO to help. Just call (773) 337-3993.

Knowing How Disasters Occur Ensures You Have a Plan to Protect Your Chicago Residence After Water Damage.

Pipe bursts are among the more common reasons our SERVPRO team must provide emergency services for homes with water damage. These situations occur without warning and can leave properties contending with several inches of standing water in a short period. Our fast-responding professionals appreciate the urgency to resolve any of the main reasons pipes might burst. 

Old Materials Can Degrade 

Many homes in and around the windy city are decades old or more, so water damage to Chicago properties is inevitable. Copper and lead lines, which were the staple of plumbing construction until the late 1980s, show their wear and degradation over time. The erosion and scaling of water lines leave them vulnerable to splits and separations. 

Freezing and Bursting Pipes

Freezing and frigid conditions also cause problems for vulnerable plumbing. Under-insulated pipes and fixtures exposed to the elements but still energized by the main lines pose a potential problem for bursts, flooding, and severe structural damages. 

Irregular Pressure or Blockages 

Variances in pressure within the line, such as an air pocket traveling through your water heater and distributed through the service lines in the property, can force weakened joints and bends to expand beyond their thresholds. The result is a break, leak, or rupture of the pipe. 

How Can SERVPRO Help After Pipe Bursts? 

How you respond to severe water damage can make a difference in the harm your property experiences. Professional restoration like we provide helps to solve pressing issues as soon as the team first arrives, including: 

• Extraction
• Drying
• Content Relocation
• Plumbing Repair 

There are many reasons that pipes could burst or leak in a household. Still, however, water damage exists in area homes. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team is Here to Help. Call today at (773) 337-3993.

How Can I Restore the Sheen to My Windows after a Fire Incident in Chicago?

12/23/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO to restore your fire damaged Chicago property--Yes, we do clean windows!

SERVPRO Handles All Types of Fire Damage Restoration in Chicago Including Restoring Windows to Their Pre-Damaged State

You may feel relieved that a fire incident at your Chicago house does not shatter the windows. Later, you may realize you still have some issues around the windows that you need to address. For instance, you must remove ash, soot, and window haze from the glass panes and window trim.

What Makes Window Cleaning After Fires Challenging?

Cleaning windows as part of fire damage restoration at your Chicago home may be challenging than the normal cleaning you do from time to time because of issues like:

• Soot having oily residues
• Vulnerability of glass to substantial agitation
• Likelihood of fire damage to frames and caulking

Using conventional cleaning methods might not clean your windows to the desired levels. It might also take longer, especially when cleaning products fail to cut away oily residues. Agitation with brushes or other cleaning materials might lead to scratches, or the vulnerable windows might crack.

How Does SERVPRO Resolve These Challenges?

Using appropriate cleaning equipment and products is one unique way our technicians use to eliminate soling from the fire incident, “Like it never even happened.” We use specially formulated Window Green Clean Solution that helps remove stubborn soils faster. It has numerous unique characteristics that make it ideal for cleaning fire residues, including:

• An ideal pH around 10-11
• Does not contain solvents or ammonia
• Has no dyes

In addition to the chemical solutions, most window cleaning processes after fires require agitation to eliminate the soils. We use power washers to deliver a jet of water at high pressure, stripping away soils from the windowpanes and frames conveniently. Pressure washing is particularly useful when cleaning the outer sections of your home. The combined action ensures all the glass surfaces in your property are streak-free and shiny clean.

If you are uncertain whether your windows can regain their original sheen, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to help clean them. You can reach us at (773) 337-3993.

What Happens to a Chicago Property After Flooding?

12/15/2021 (Permalink)

Count on owner/operator Patricia Z. to restore your flood damaged Chicago home--"Like it never even happened."

Here is the Difference Between Mitigation and Restoration for Flood Recovery

When massive quantities of water enter your Chicago home, there are two primary objectives that restoration services aim to achieve. Mitigation of damages and restoration of the property. Mitigating damages means preventing further harm to the property through water exposure, absorption, trespass, and theft. Restoration is the recovery of contents and structure to return your home to its pre-damage condition. Flooding events can be extremely volatile and very stressful for any homeowner. SERVPRO can organize these two objectives on your behalf to ensure a smooth, transitionary experience from flood damage to pre-damage.

What Residential Chicago Floods Have Category Three Contamination?

• Raw sewage or backups from the waste-line beyond the trap that is category three regardless of appearance
• Overflow floodwaters from rising seawater, rivers, and streams which enter the property
• Contamination in water intrusion that comes from wind-driven rain, including cyclones and hurricanes

How are Category Three Water Emergencies Brought Under Control?

An initial inspection during the flooding cleanup of your Chicago home is when a qualified technician determines the extent of water contamination. Our crew chiefs can communicate directly with you about potential hazards and avoid all contact with these potentially toxic waters. SERVPRO can often arrange, under extreme conditions, for an indoor environmental professional (IEP) to assess your home for any lasting dangers that could occur from category three contamination. Generally, water must be extracted, while many building materials or assemblies must be removed and replaced with clean materials. Affected structural areas that remain can often benefit from thorough disinfection and decontamination.

What Factors Affect Restoration or Replacement?

Material porosity can affect how quickly absorption of contamination occurs. Once absorbed, most materials need demolition and replacement.

Water absorption through the building assembly is often dictated by the time of exposure to contamination

The expense of replacing materials versus restoration possibility. Some hardwoods, metals, or plastics can recover from even category three contamination.

Category three water emergencies can pose a severe threat to your health and home. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993.

What Is the Best Way for Chicago Homeowners to Avoid Frozen Pipes and Ice Damming?

12/1/2021 (Permalink)

To prevent ice dams and icicles from damaging your Chicago home--follow SERVPRO'S Tips!

SERVPRO Brings Fast, Professional Restoration Services for This Type of Water Damage to Chicago Properties

When someone thinks of winter weather, the first things that come to mind might be snow, wind, and slippery roads to tread carefully upon. However, another hazard that is frequently an issue in the Chicago area is frozen pipes and ice dams.

A homeowner that takes a little time to winterize their residential property can often avoid frozen pipes and ice dams in their Chicago house. SERVPRO has some tips to help local area property owners prevent this costly situation.

Tips for Avoiding Frozen Pipes

Most frozen pipes start with faucets outside the home, with lines running into the house through cold areas such as basements, attics, garages, or crawlspaces. Understanding how frozen pipes burst within a home can help avoid the situation. While an iced-over outdoor faucet can burst, the real issue is the water in the line. The backflow of the pressure between the water source and the ice is now blocking the pipe. As the ice expands, it pushes the line and pressure to its limit, resulting in a big, wet mess.

• Homeowners should drain all sprinkler systems, swimming pool lines, and outside faucets
• Place hose socks over outdoor spigots
• Let the water drop from faucets in basements that are not climate controlled
• Open cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms to allow warm interior air to circulate around the pipes

Avoiding Ice Dams

While they can be a major issue, ice dams are not commonly known to homeowners with sufficiently insulated attics. Heat escaping from the living quarters can warm the interior sheathing of the roof resulting in melting. This hazardous situation occurs when snow on a roof melts but cannot flow into the gutters due to ice over the gutters. The backup flows under the shingles and into the interior of the home. This action can also cause the shingles or gutters to detach and fall off the structure. Icicles can be an early warning sign of an ice dam formation. Homeowners should look for signs of water damage along the exterior walls and ceilings to catch the problem head-on and bring in SERVPRO to handle the cleanup and restoration.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 supports the local Chicago community for help after frozen pipes and ice damming occurs.

SERVPRO Offers a Premier Fire and Smoke Restoration Service in Chicago

11/15/2021 (Permalink)

A coat of paint will only temporarily solve smoke and soot issues. For a job-done-right the first time, call SERVPRO.

Prompt Response and Experienced Technicians Make SERVPRO One of the Most Trusted Fire and Smoke Restoration Companies in Chicago

Fire and smoke damage can not only ruin the contents of your home but can cause significant structural damage to it as well. Hiring professionals like SERVPRO for fire and smoke restoration of your Chicago home is the first step toward getting your home back in order after a fire incident.  

Experienced and skilled SERVPRO technicians use a unique and scientific approach during the fire and smoke restoration of your Chicago home. The primary goal of the restorers is to get rid of the smoke and soot residue from the various surfaces quickly before they can cause any long-term damage. Most cleaning methods that SERVPRO techs use involve:

• Loosening the soil.
• Suspending or dispersing them in a cleaning product.
• Extracting the residues along with the cleaning product. 

How do Cleaning Products Remove Smoke and Soot Particles During Fire Damage Restoration of your Chicago Property?  

SERVPRO techs use the basic principle of 'like dissolves like' while selecting the cleaning product to remove smoke and soot residues from your fire-damaged Chicago home. Soils formed during the fire and smoke damage can be categorized as hydrophilic (easily dissolves in water) or hydrophobic (easily dissolves in oil-based solvents).

SERVPRO techs use detergent solutions in water to remove hydrophilic soot particles. However, it is much more challenging to remove oily particles. SERVPRO techs either emulsify the oily particles in detergent solutions or dissolve them using oil-based cleaning agents.

While water-based detergents have their advantages, heavier hydrophobic residues are more efficiently cleaned by solvents. SERVPRO techs use solvents recommended by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993; we can assist you any time of the day.  

Disaster Recovery Teams at Your Service – Far and Wide

11/11/2021 (Permalink)

For Chicago and Nationwide--OUR TEAM--Answers the call for emergency restoration services

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City Offers Local and Nationwide Response for Emergency Restoration of All Kinds

Professional flood restoration, water removal services, and reconstruction are just a few of the areas where we thrive at SERVPRO. Our team is your local Commercial Large Loss Division, but we also have the capacity to offer assistance across the United States to areas hit by sudden natural disasters. When called, we mobilize our Green Fleet of vehicles and formulate a plan of action that allows us to assist with significant flooding, storm damage, and hurricane events anywhere in the United States. All while ensuring we have enough personnel to address any restoration calls that come in here in the Chicago area.

No Job Too Big or Small

We are a locally owned restoration franchise with a plethora of national resources. We are part of the local community, and all of our Project Managers understand that time is of the essence. Our extensive training and attention to detail on any size project, big or small, gets you the results you deserve. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Leave it to Our SERVPRO Team!

As a Commercial Large Loss Division, we warehouse all of the equipment and tools necessary to handle any natural disaster or significant restoration event that arises. Our Green Fleet of vehicles include:

• Industrial-grade equipment

• Towed large desiccant dehumidifiers

• RVs for lodging on-site

• Semi-trailers equipped with generators

• And more!

As a Disaster Recovery Team, we are part of an incredible national network placed strategically across the country. We have the workforce and extensive equipment to handle whatever mother nature throws our way. Whenever and wherever there is a need, our well-trained IICRC-certified crews get deployed to help. In the local area, we can respond within hours for all commercial and residential restoration needs.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City is ready and responds when you need assistance. Call (773) 337-3993 to get in touch with our team. We are the Official Licensed Downtown Chicago Operator!

Why is SERVPRO the First Choice of Chicago Residents When It Comes to Mold Remediation?

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

It doesn't take long for mold to colonize and grow. Our techs are highly trained for complete mold remediation;

SERVPRO Offers a Safe and Reliable Mold Remediation Service to Chicago Residents

Mold can cause irreparable aesthetic as well as structural damage to your home if not addressed promptly. SERVPRO's mold remediation experts of Chicago can help you minimize this damage and get your home to the preloss condition in no time. 

SERVPRO techs adhere to the IICRC S520 guidelines during mold remediation of your Chicago home. Our goal is to get the mold damage under control as quickly and safely as possible. Once the technicians assess the extent of the mold contamination, they establish containment zones to prevent the airborne spores from spreading elsewhere in the building. Technicians use air exchangers coupled with filtration devices to dilute airborne fungal concentration in the containment area before the actual cleaning can begin.  

What are HEPA Vacuums that SERVPRO's Mold Specialists use in Your Chicago Home? 

HEPA vacuums can filter particles that are as small as 0.3 microns with an efficiency of 99.97%. SERVPRO techs only use well-constructed professional HEPA vacuums during mold remediation of your Chicago home.  

These vacuums ensure that the microscopic spores are retained and not circulated back into the atmosphere when the mold colonies are removed during the cleaning process. SERVPRO techs take special precautions and care while using these systems to ensure no leakage around filters or seals to minimize the risk of accidentally spreading the contamination. 

SERVPRO techs also use a sub-micron laser particle counter to check the filters' efficiency before using these HEPA vacuums during mold remediation. 

If you suspect mold contamination or need assistance in dealing with mold in your home, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993. Our highly trained techs are available 24/7 to assist you. 

SERVPRO Saves Chicago Establishments Time and Money in Water Cleanup

11/1/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage to your establishment can cost you both in terms of downtime and repair expenses.

SERVPRO Offers Chicago Businesses a Fast and Dependable Water Cleanup Service

Water damage to your establishment can cost you both in terms of lost time and repair expenses. It would help if you had professionals like SERVPRO for the water cleanup of your Chicago business who have the training, equipment, and experience to handle the situation. 

The IICRC certified SERVPRO technicians use a targeted approach backed by scientific principles for the water cleanup of your Chicago commercial space. Our restorers measure the thermodynamic properties of temperature, humidity, vapor pressure, and dew point to evaluate the air conditions and determine whether these conditions are favorable for drying. The technicians then manipulate temperature and humidity levels to produce optimum drying conditions that do not result in secondary damages. 

What is Humidity Ratio and how SERVPRO Techs use it During Water Restoration of Your Chicago Property?

The humidity ratio is the actual amount of moisture in the air. It is usually expressed as the weight of moisture (in the number of grains) per pound of air. The aim of SERVPRO technicians during water restoration of your Chicago property is to produce air conditions resulting in a low humidity ratio causing evaporation of moisture from wet surfaces.

A low humidity ratio air has little moisture in it and consequently favors faster evaporation. The two ways by which SERVPRO techs can reduce the humidity ratio of the atmosphere are by:

• Removing the excess moisture using dehumidifying equipment, and
• Replacing the heavy, moisture-laden air with drier and lighter air using air movers

SERVPRO techs use these pieces of equipment to produce low humidity ratio conditions to speed up the drying process. Technicians measure, document, and monitor the humidity ratio to create an optimum drying environment.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993; we are available round the clock to offer assistance.

Need Water Removal and Cleanup Fast in Downtown Chicago

10/21/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of the way your property was affected by water, SERVPRO is the effective company for water removal services. Call right away.

Call SERVPRO for Commercial Water Removal in Downtown Chicago

In Downtown Chicago, there are many office buildings and small businesses along with restaurants and retail stores. They all have kitchen facilities and bathrooms for their employees, and of course, restaurants have large kitchens to create mouth-watering meals for their patrons. Unfortunately, drains sometimes are plugged, or a sink overflows, and there is a flood of water in the immediate area which can migrate to other rooms and floors.

SERVPRO provides water removal and cleanup services in Downtown Chicago for commercial customers who need their businesses open. We appreciate how important it is to serve your customers and office employees to be able to be at work. When water spreads to other floors, it can impact other business tenants in office buildings. We can assist them as well and mitigate the damage in their office space.

Our highly trained team of experts can be onsite within four hours of your call. We have equipment on standby to deploy to remove water and begin drying operations. From truck-mounted pumps to weighted water removal vacuums and high-capacity air movers, we have the tools needed to return your business to normal operations as quickly as possible.

When water leaks to the floor below, it may accumulate in the ceiling tiles, going unnoticed until a ceiling tile caves in, delivering a flood of water on unsuspecting office workers. We can check for water accumulation and take action to avoid further damage in these situations.

Our commercial water removal services include:

• Water removal services
• Water damage remediation and repairs
• Ceiling repairs from water damage
• Emergency water damage restoration

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for water removal in Downtown Chicago and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (773) 337-3993.

Need Fire and Smoke Cleanup in Chicago – Call SERVPRO

10/15/2021 (Permalink)

If you need professional assistance with fire damage, Call in the experts at (773) 337-3993. We are always available to help you!

SERVPRO Offers Fire and Smoke Cleanup and Restoration in Chicago

The focus of many clients after a fire in Chicago is the damage caused by the fire. There may be contents and structures that were damaged by the flames contained to a small area. However, this damage is only a small part of the total damage. Fire retardants and water used by first responders to quell the fire can damage contents adjacent to the fire location. Smoke residues and odors can also be distributed to adjacent rooms or even throughout the entire structure by an HVAC system. No one wants to live with the aroma of smoke on their clothes and their furnishings.

SERVPRO provides fire and smoke cleanup to Chicago residents and businesses. Our highly trained restoration team can be onsite within four hours of your call. We assess the situation and determine how much damage there is from the fire, from water, fire retardants, the type of fire, and the amount of smoke odor in the home or business. The kind of fire determines the type of smoke residue. Hot fires produce fluffy residues, while slow-burning fires and kitchen fires often have an oily residue that adheres to everything.

SERVPRO fire, smoke, cleanup, and restoration services include:

• Removal of at-risk contents to a safe area for their protection
• Cataloging of removed contents
• Demolition of damaged areas
• Cleaning and odor removal from hard and soft services
• Coordination with your insurance company
• Fast response to avoid secondary damage from high humidity and mold infestations
• Restoration of your home or business to its preloss condition

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for fire and smoke cleanup in Chicago and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (773) 337-3993.

Need Mold Remediation in Commercial Buildings in Chicago – Call SERVPRO

10/8/2021 (Permalink)

Mold is a serious issue that should be taken care of right away. Don't wait, call in the experts at SERVPRO!

SERVPRO is Your "Official Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator." For Mold Remediation

You may realize there is a mold problem in your Chicago commercial building when someone notices a musty odor in the air. Mold infestations can occur in your building where the right conditions come together – warmth, moisture, and a food source. A small water leak causing high humidity is usually the cause, and suddenly you have a mold infestation in one area of your structure which can spread to other sites. Mold can cause health effects for customers, employees, or suppliers exposed to mold spores.

SERVPRO provides commercial mold remediation in Chicago, and we are an "Official Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator." Our highly trained mold and water damage restoration specialists are available to contain the infestation and prevent mold spores from migrating to other areas of your commercial building. Many solutions are considered, including establishing negative pressure areas to prevent mold spores from contaminating additional commercial space while we remove contaminated items and clean your contents and structure.

Our SERVPRO team understands how important it is to avoid any restrictions to normal operations. In addition to establishing negative pressure rooms, and clean rooms, we also:

• Identify the source of the moisture to curtail further humidity issues and future mold infestations.
• Remove porous materials, which include fabrics, drywall, carpeting, and insulation.
• Clean mold from non-porous materials such as glass, metal, plastics using HEPA vacuums or wiping with a detergent solution.
• Semi-porous materials such as wood and concrete are cleaned using abrasive approaches.
• Wood structures heavily infested with long-term exposure may need to be removed and replaced.
• We clean all surfaces beginning from top to bottom, capturing mold spores as they settle downward.
• Cleaning is completed in the direction of the negative airflow machines.
• Everything is dried using air movers and dehumidifiers.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, your "Official Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator." for mold remediation in Chicago and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (773) 337-3993.

Our Storm Damage Experts Can Restore Your Home In Chicago

9/21/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford is ready and waiting for your call when a storm strikes, just call us today.

Cleaning Your Flood Damaged Home In Chicago

Substantial rains can oversaturate the soil in Chicago quickly, overwhelming municipal and storm sewers. All this rain can result in large amounts of water pooling around the foundation of your home. Without the correct maintenance, these floodwaters can come into your home and cause extensive damage. Learning how to prevent flooding in your home can help you stay dry during these heavy storms.

Immediate attention is required if your home in Chicago sustained flood damage. Hiring SERVPRO, a professional remediation company, is the best thing to do since we possess the training we need to restore your home in a timely fashion before more damage occurs.

Prevention is the best defense against floodwaters. It might seem a bit strange, but you should limit your water usage during heavy rains. Running your dishwasher, taking a shower, or doing laundry only makes matters worse when it comes to the local sewer systems being overwhelmed. The more water that is in the sewers, the higher the possibility of a flood or sewage backup.

Water Damage Restoration 

When it comes to restoring water damaged items in your home, SERVPRO has to assess the damage and the materials to see if they would hold up to restoration techniques. With any wood furniture, two issues occur when wood or wood composition furniture has been exposed to water. We may be able to remove water spots with specialized wood care products, and a furniture refinisher can repair problems with furniture frames.

Particleboard furniture covered by laminate does not react well to water. The laminate can resist water and act as a barrier for vapors, while the side that is not laminated absorbs much water. All of this can lead to warping.

To help keep your home dry you can also install a drainage system, such as a sump pump. These are put in the basement or crawlspace floor, and they drain water from around your foundation. Also, the waterproof coating around your foundation when it was built only last so long. You may want to have it done again if you notice any water stains on your basement walls. Waterproofing can be done to the interior or exterior of the foundation walls.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is here to help you restore your home in Gage Park, Ford City, or Brighton Park from flood damage. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster, so give us a call right away at (773) 337-3993, and we can have your home dry in no time.

Call Our Experts After Fire Damage In Your Chicago Home

9/14/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage issues can be a lot to take in. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City as soon as a fire occurs.

Read This Before Covering Up Fire Damage In Chicago With New Paint

When a part of your home becomes discolored as a result of fire damage in Chicago, the first solution that may cross your mind could be to cover up the patch of discoloration with a fresh coat of paint. However, without the help of a professional damage restoration company like SERVPRO, you run the risk of causing permanent damage to the building through freshly applied paint. The process to eliminate any visual signs of damage is far more complex than one might assume, and without using specialized cleaning techniques before covering up the damage, these consequences could develop with time.

Long-Term Odors

One of the ways we help local Chicago residents deal with fire damage is through our smoke odor removal services. SERVPRO technicians use thermal fogging devices armed with special mixtures that target and eliminate smoke odors at their source. Without these heavy-duty tools, it can be almost impossible to mask smoke odors long-term. Repainting over a damaged area without first putting the area through odor removal treatments can lead to your home still smelling smoke years after the incident happened.

Coloration Problems

For a variety of reasons, freshly-applied paint may not match the colors in the room, even if the same base color from the same paint company is used. Dark brown and black colors may create a dark patch on a wall or, worse, compounds in the smoke and ash residues still present on the wall can cause chemical changes in the paint and alter its pigmentation. When necessary, we use special types of paint that not only match the other colors in the home but also can thoroughly cover up any charring on the wall.

Cleaning Troubles

Cleaning the wall on your own before applying fresh paint can bring trouble, too. Some types of fire residues can react in a harmful way when they come in contact with water and other household cleaning agents. SERVPRO technicians use a diverse array of specialized cleaning agents to scrub off residues without causing further damage to the structure of your home.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can help you to clean up and recover from the effects of fire in your home without causing any further damage to the building. Call us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Repairing and Restoring Storm-Damaged Chicago Homes

9/8/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is here for your storm damage issues. Give us a call so we can help you today.

We work fast to clean and reconstruct damaged Chicago properties after a storm. 

With hundreds of thousands of homes throughout the Chicago area, many can be damaged and compromised by passing storm disasters. When floodwater penetrates a property, there is a finite amount of time before irreparable harm occurs to many exposed elements. Our SERVPRO team can help with fast repairs and mitigation solutions.

Debris Removal and Surface Cleaning

Storm damage cleanup for Chicago homes often starts with the residues and debris left behind after flood penetration. The presence of floodwater can overwhelm building materials like ceiling systems, causing a collapse under the weight. Muck-out cleaning can help mitigate loss for the household.

Water Removal and Drying Solutions

Standing water can be a substantial concern for area homes, namely when this pooling begins to absorb into porous materials. Eliminating surface water combines portable water removal tools with attachments for pulling trapped moisture from the flooring. We also have numerous deep extraction tools for severe water damage. Our mitigation services combine:

• Wet vacuums
• Light wands
• Submersible pumps

Reconstruction and Build-Back Services 

One of the benefits of choosing our SERVPRO team after storm damage is the general contractor license we have. Because high winds and torrential rainfall can be so devastating to a building’s envelope, there are many ways that our fast response and competent contractors can help, including:

• Replacing windows
• Roof repair
• Siding replacement
• Foundation repairs

The Windy City is no stranger to powerful storms that can damage homes and businesses. Repairing these properties after a loss begins with a careful inspection of the structure and a crafted restoration plan. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can help with efficient repair and recovery services. Call us today at (773) 337-3993.

Our Team from Marquette Park Helps Louisiana Post-Hurricane Ida

9/2/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's Disaster Recovery Team was on the scene to assist Louisiana with Hurricane Ida storm damage recovery

SERVPRO's Disaster Recovery Team Supports Residents in Louisiana with Storm Damage

On the 16th anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana and tied for the strongest hurricane to hit the area. SERVPRO of Marquette Park saw the need for their services in the area to help with the cleanup and went into action with their Disaster Recovery Team, an elite group of SERVPRO franchises that support communities in need all over the United States.

Our team, headed by Anthony Zubricki, a franchise co-owner, arrived in the area the day before Hurricane Ida impacted the area. The Heroes in Green brought along a 53-foot trailer stocked with water damage restoration services equipment. VP David Mason, left on Monday, the day after Ida affected the area with a second 53-foot trailer with more equipment. A third franchise owner, the original, Frank Zubricki, will arrive this week with additional support for the flood damage cleanup efforts that are expected to last approximately two weeks.

The hurricane took out the main electricity station, and all of New Orleans was without power. SERVPRO brought generators to power their equipment, so there are no delays in the restoration services to benefit the affected community. The team also brought along an RV to serve as a place for taking breaks, sleeping, and for use as a central control center.

Supporting Residents Post-Hurricane Ida

SERVPRO of Marquette Park's Disaster Recovery Team takes on tasks to assist residents in getting their lives back to normal as quickly as possible such as:

• Entering properties for residents to retrieve items
• Extraction and drying properties as needed
• Temporary repairs and removal of ruined building materials

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City stands ready to help both Marquette Park residents and out of area communities with any size storm damage cleanup. (773) 337-3993

SERVPRO of Marquette Park Awarded the SERVPRO 2020 Bronze Sales and Service Award

8/23/2021 (Permalink)

The Zubricki Family Accepts the Bronze Sales Award on Behalf of the SERVPRO team. From left: Anthony, Amanda, Frank, Pat, and Stephanie.

Who are the Zubricki's?

The family owned and operated SERVPRO location in Marquette Park is shown in this portrait of Patricia and Frank Zubricki, who are flanked by their three children Anthony and Amanda, on the left, and Stephanie, on the right. They are happy to receive the award on behalf of The SERVPRO team to recognize the team’s commitment to excellence in sales and service representing SERVPRO. The entire team of production technicians, sales reps, support, and office staff have earned this Award. Their dedication has made this achievement possible.

What is the 2020 Bronze Sales and Service Award?

While top service is always part of the standard service from SERVPRO, franchises that go above and beyond with detailed work and successful restorations of local properties post-water, fire, or mold damage get vaulted to the top. This standard of excellence by this family has resulted in the team being acknowledged by their parent umbrella company SERVPRO Industries LLC. This year, the Annual Convention was held at Disney World in Orlando, FL, where the team received the Bronze Icon Award for Outstanding Sales and Service, ranking in the top 15 out of over 1850 franchises. This SERVPRO franchise has been acknowledged as a top 100 franchise every year since 2012.

Helping the Marquette Park Community

The Zubricki’s support Marquette Park residential and commercial properties recover from all types of disasters through the use of their extensive training and experience handling all types of professional restoration, remediation, reconstruction, and other cleanup tasks. When they are not working within the community, the team is volunteering and donating to local charitable organizations and raising awareness to good causes such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and NAIFA Chicago Southland. Additionally, Pat Zubricki is also on the Board of the Children’s Museum in Oaklawn, providing hands-on learning and fun to area youth.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City (773) 337-3993 proudly serves the local community for all sizes and types of professional restoration services.

How Water Damage from Your Leaky Windows in Chicago Affects Your Wooden Floors

8/17/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage can be so unpredictable, call SERVPRO today for your Chicago water damage.

Contact SERVPRO Before Water Damage Ruins Your Hardwood Flooring

There are several reasons window leaks can happen, but usually, they are from poorly installed windows or windows that have parts that are worn, causing the breakdown of sealants. If your Chicago home’s windows are leaking, you have a big problem with your hands. Window leakage is not just annoying. It can create damage to your home, including mildew and mold growth, rotting wood, and even problems with your foundation.

If you notice the windows in your home are leaking, do not ignore them. You should think about having them repaired or replaced right away, and if there is already water damage to your Chicago home, contact SERVPRO immediately to help you clean and repair the damage.

Save Your Hardwood Flooring From Water Damage

When you have wood flooring under a leaking window, our team can help you restore it. We understand how moisture affects different materials and how to dry them properly. Exposure time and permeance are the two primary variables in figuring out how much damage has been done. Permeance refers to how quickly water vapor can go through a material, while exposure time refers to how long the floor was wet. It is, therefore, necessary to contact us right away when you notice a problem to avoid additional damage.

Wood naturally contains moisture but it expands when it absorbs excess moisture. Boards can warp and expand one's butt up against each other, causing buckling at the joints where the boards touch or where they meet the walls. The flooring needs to be replaced if proper drying and refinishing cannot get rid of the damage.

Cupping happens when the water absorbs from the sides and bottom of the wood. The edges raise up slightly. We can typically sand cupping out of the wood.

Crowning occurs when the top of the wood has more moisture than the bottom and sides, which makes the wood arch, making a bowed shape in the middle. It usually happens when the bottom of the wood is over-dried. SERVPRO techs generally cannot sand out this type of problem.

If your leaking window has caused damage to your wood flooring, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can assess whether we can dry the wood out and fix the problem or if the flooring must be replaced. Either way, residents in the areas of Chicago, Downtown Chicago, or Ford City should call us as soon as they recognize a problem at (773) 337-3993.

Flood Damage and Furniture Cleaning in Your Downtown Chicago Home

8/10/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can be with you immediately after your storm damage.

SERVPRO Acts Fast to Save Your Furnishings after Flood Damage

No matter where you live, you should not ever think that you are completely safe from flooding. Even in Downtown Chicago, heavy rains can cause area floodwaters that can enter your home and uproot your daily life. It can happen fast, like in the case of flash floods, or give you more warning as waters in the area slowly rise before overflowing their banks.

No matter how the floodwaters came into your home in Downtown Chicago, the flood damage left in their wake can be devastating. The longer the water sits in your home, however, the more damage is done. Knowing whom to call ahead of time in a disaster like this is essential in salvaging your home. Our staff at SERVPRO are ready to help you anytime you need us.

One thing that is likely affected in your home from the flooding is upholstered furniture. Several problems happen when water affects upholstery. Framing is made of wood and is subject to swelling and cracking. The framing joints weaken from this, plus water can cause glues to break down, creating damage to the furniture.

If the fabric is dry-clean-only, spotting from the water can occur. The whole piece of furniture may need wetting to avoid water lines. Often, dust covers on furniture also bleed when wet, and if it sags, it can stain your flooring or carpeting. Upholstered buttons have metal backs that rust and also cause staining. SERVPRO staff can follow spot removal procedures in these cases. We also keep in mind that wooden furniture legs can stain carpeting and that once dry, the stains are almost impossible to remove, so we attempt to clean the stains while it is wet.

Storm Flood Damage Can Bring About Other Issues

Mold growth can also be an issue, so we use dehumidifiers and air movers to dry everything rapidly. The furniture stains are all treated first, and we also wet the whole piece if needed. Furniture is extracted with the right extractor and an upholstery tool, and zippers and buttons are dried to avoid rust. We put wax paper between the zipper and cushion to prevent the transfer of rust and furniture pads around metal buttons. We also tent cushions and place air movers and dehumidifiers as we need to.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City carefully dries your furniture when your home in Chicago, Downtown Chicago, or Ford City floods so that everything possible is salvaged. Call us right away at (773) 337-3993 when you experience flooding so we can help you avoid additional damage.

Can Chicago Water Removal Specialists Mitigate Carpet Water Damage?

8/4/2021 (Permalink)

Damp carpet from water damage can cause quite an issue. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for assistance today.

Chicago SERVPRO Techs Remove Carpet Water Damage with Specialized Extraction Tools

Whether the damage is caused by pipe leaks or appliance failures on a Chicago property, carpet and pad can become a thriving environment for mold growth in as little as 24 hours after moisture exposure. Without rapid-response water removal, moisture can seep through to compromise subflooring and any floors below.

SERVPRO professionals provide water removal for Chicago homes day and night to return affected structures and contents to a preloss state. Highly-trained techs carefully observe Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) guidelines for water damage mitigation.

SERVPRO Extraction for Chicago Home Carpeting and More

Chicago SERVPRO professionals take a multi-pronged approach to save carpet and pad from moisture exposure:

• Specially-designed carpet wands pull water damage out of carpeting with the vacuum component of the extractor unit
• Portable extractors address nooks and crannies in walls, baseboards, corners, and other hard-to-reach spaces
• Rover vacuums use weight and pressure to pull water out of saturated carpeting

Technicians can then pull up carpet and pad to examine the subfloor and prepare it for drying with centrifugal air movers and low-grain refrigerant dehumidifiers. SERVPRO can also inject or spray carpeting with EPA-registered antimicrobials during the cleanup process.

Don’t wait for clean category 1 water to degrade into gray category 2 or black water which is category 3. Then the pad must be discarded and generally also the carpet. 

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City proves that We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster service 24/7 for property owners who call (773) 337-3993.

Equipment for Flood Damage in Downtown Chicago – Getting the Right Extraction Tools

7/21/2021 (Permalink)

When your home is flooded, time is of the essence. Contact SERVPRO to arrive on scene with tools and technicians to tackle the job.

SERVPRO's Inventory of Equipment Mitigates Storm Damage

Residential flooding does not always result in a submerged ground floor and occupants with very wet feet. Many of the cases we handle don't involve vast amounts of standing water. Either the leak or fault is not severe enough to cause intensive water intrusion. Alternatively, the laws of physics have their way, and the liquid water gets trapped in porous materials.

On the other hand, SERVPRO also has lots of experience dealing with severe cases of flood damage in Chicago. When storm waters intrude upon a structure, the cleanup is different from ground floor pipe bursts covering the rooms in two inches of standing water; we are here to help you eliminate it quickly. To do this, we employ a range of straightforward and sophisticated extraction tools.

Weighted Compression 

These tools work by, literally, squeezing the liquid out of fabrics (usually carpets). They use heavyweights (sometimes an operator stands on top) to push water out of the underlay and into an extraction machine. One such water extractor is called a Rover.

Vacuum Sealed Water Claw 

Water claws are compatible with 'carry in' and truck-mounted pumps, but the latter is only present on-site in rare circumstances. The tool depends on the presence of water to construct a tight seal, so the SERVPRO technicians first extract as much liquid as possible from the underlay. Then, the process gets completed with a traditional carpet cleaning wand.

Traditional Carpet Wands for Water Removal 

The more basic carpet cleaning wands are not as efficient at extracting liquid from subflooring and other types of fibrous materials. For this reason, SERVPRO only uses them in conjunction with other tools. Water mats also increase the suction surface of the carpet and are very effective in drawing moisture out from the seams of hardwood flooring. This also helps to dry out the supporting floor joists in a crawl space structure.

Hard Floor Squeegees 

While tools like squeegees are quite simple, they can effectively push excess water out and away from structural materials like hardwood, linoleum, and tile floors.

The Purpose of Water Damage Extraction 

The efficient and controlled extraction of standing water has a very positive impact on the overall drying process. It has a significant effect, for example, on the number of drying tools and the timeframes required to restore the home and contents to an optimal moisture equilibrium. Vacuum tools are the best form of standing water removal. The stronger the vacuum pressure and airflow, the more powerful the extraction equipment. For instance, truck-mounted devices have a much greater vacuum pressure than the more compact, portable tools, though the latter is a staple of most residential cases of flood damage.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has the expertise and skills you need to eliminate flood damage quickly. We serve homeowners within the Downtown Chicago area, so please find out more about our restoration services. Call us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993 today. 

Water Damage from an Overflowing Sink in Your Downtown Chicago Home

7/16/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage from an overflowing sink can sometimes be quite severe. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 to arrive quickly on the scene.

Be Aware that Water Damage can Grow From Small to Large to Mold in Days

A sink that overflows can create just a small amount of water damage if it is caught quickly. However, if it is unchecked for several hours, the results can be devastating. It is one of those human errors that are seemingly small but can lead to huge consequences. Plus, if the overflow occurs on the upper level of your residence, you can easily wind up with water damage throughout the home.

Water removal in your Downtown Chicago home must be done as soon as possible to prevent further damages. You need the professional help of SERVPRO, a water damage restoration company. We have the training and experience required to get your home back to its preloss condition.

You may have the overflow from a child playing in the bathroom or something foreign being placed in the sink and clogging the drain. At SERVPRO, we understand the stress of such a disaster, so we are available 24/7 to help you out when you contact us.

Water Damage Restoration to Prevent Mold Damage

Water from your sink is safe for consumption. Therefore, there are not many bacteria that can cause harm right away. The threat, however, develops if a fair amount of time passes before you have the water cleaned up. Temperature and time let bacteria and mold grow and thrive, which heightens the contamination and water damage. Our technicians check your home for hidden moisture or mold growth once we have all the standing water cleaned up, as mold can begin growing in as little as 24 to 48 hours.

We also communicate with your insurance company, so it is a worry that you do not have to handle yourself. Instead, you can focus on your family and their needs while we take care of getting the coverage you deserve.

An overflowing sink is not something to take lightly, as it can cause lots of damage to your home, so contact us at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City as soon as you are aware that you have a problem. We can be reached anytime at (773) 337-3993.

Can Fire Cleanup Help Restore Extreme Soot Effects at My Chicago Home?

7/11/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage cleanup and remediation needs to happen quickly after a fire. Contact our SERVPRO team 24/7 365 days a year for your emergency.

SERVPRO Uses Advanced Fire Restoration Methods to Reverse the Effects of Soot and Smoke

After a fire incident, you might have difficulty identifying many items in your Chicago home because they are caked with soot, or their surfaces have streaks or other stains. Your first consideration might be to throw damaged items away. However, professional cleanup can help restore them.

Since soot has different effects on various materials, you need to seek help from people who can offer well-rounded fire cleanup services for your Chicago home, ensuring you minimize the financial and sentimental loss following the incident. SERVPRO can help you manage your fire loss better since our crews can clean wood, glass, ceramic, metallic, or any other material affected by fire residues.

Cleaning helps achieve various objectives like:

• Fire damage restoration
• Smoke remediation
• Water & fire damage restorations

The outcome of a cleaning exercise mostly depends on the methods used. On the other hand, the methods chosen depend on the type or location of the affected material. Our SERVPRO technicians combine a wide range of cleaning approaches to realize the desired objective. For instance, on the exterior surfaces of the building, we can readily use pressure washing to strip off residues without harming the materials. For interior surfaces, we opt for alternatives such as using chemical sponges since they do not introduce excessive moisture. 

Specialized cleaning methods may also be necessary and include:

• Blast cleaning with soda blasters
• Immersion cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner
• Cleaning with specially formulated chemical agents

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has considerable experience handling fire cleanup in properties removing any soiling, “Like it never even happened.”

Production Facility Upgrade Expands Options Offered by SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City

7/1/2021 (Permalink)

New Hub of Operations in Downtown Chicago

Dedicated contents restoration space raises the bar for the seven Zubricki SERVPRO franchises in or near Chicago 

Patricia (Pat) and Frank Zubricki are proactively supporting the needs of their growing SERVPRO businesses by purchasing a large, conveniently located industrial building for additional equipment inventory, contents cleaning operations, and administrative space. Just minutes from Midway International Airport, with easy access to I-55, the 61,000 square foot facility will serve as a hub to support their seven Chicagoland locations. REjournals.com notes that improvements and renovations are in the works.

"It's an ideal central location," according to Pat, who identifies the continued exponential growth of their customer base as the impetus for the project. Having received the designation of Official Downtown Chicago Licensed Operators, they can be engaged with multiple large commercial projects at any given time. Pat and Frank’s future vision for their SERVPRO franchises is to continue to support their expanding Chicagoland customer base with top-notch restoration services for commercial and residential victims of water, fire, storm, mold damage.

Rely on the professionals at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for disaster interventions, calling (773) 337-3993 24/7 to schedule an assessment.

Should Property Owners Struggling with Significant Water Damage in Chicago Seek Restorers with Nationwide Experience?

6/30/2021 (Permalink)

We traveled to Louisiana after a Polar Vortex to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Chicago area experts at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provide the local touch plus significant nationwide disaster response experience

Would it surprise you to know that property owners throughout the country also rely on the expertise of our home-grown Chicago water damage restoration specialists? The weather extremes we grin through and bear on the shores of Lake Michigan as businesspeople and residents provide excellent disaster training for the highly-trained and well-equipped workforce our company offers. The stature earned by SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City does not go unnoticed, resulting in our regional SERVPRO Commercial Large Loss Division membership. Our reputation as a go-to resource for major water damage catastrophes also is demonstrated by our recent partnership with the military residential property management giant, Corvias.

Why Did Corvias Property Management Need the Help from Our Chicago Restoration Team?

One thousand miles south of Chicago, Fort Polk is a multi-tasked military installment, housing thousands of service people and families working in and for the base's:

• Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC)
• 3rd Brigade Combat Team
• 10th Mountain Division
• 115th Combat Support Hospital
• U.S. Army Garrison
• Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital

Shockingly low,  below-freezing temperatures, ice storms, and power outages drove the families and service members out of thousands of housing units in February 2021. SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City transported crews and equipment to Fort Polk and stood firm with Corvias, finding solutions to return people to their homes fast. 

Our workers have seen the devastation the freeze and thaw cycle inflicts on some insufficiently insulated Chicago properties. In an area like Louisiana that never expects prolonged freezes, paltry or missing insulation led to burst pipes and deterioration of building materials. Ceiling leaks, crumbling walls, and flood restoration became the norm, resulting in the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issuing a Louisiana Disaster Declaration. Our SERVPRO performed efficient interventions ranging from moisture detection and controlled demolition to water removal and comprehensive structural drying, relying on our considerable experience in those tasks.

Is There a Preferred Method for Chicago Businesses and Residents to Partner with Our Local Yet Nationally Proven SERVPRO?

In addition to the professionalism evidenced during the Fort Polk water damage remediation project, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City also holds designation as an Official Downtown Licensed Operator. Choosing us as your designated water damage restoration company makes sense. Our team invites Chicago Loop property owners and managers to improve the odds of successful recovery from ceiling leaks and obtain basement flooding cleanup by developing an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) with us. A no-obligation assessment can reveal remediable vulnerabilities while also designing a personalized recovery plan for your business or home before any disaster. 

Discover the prompt response that leads to remarkable outcomes delivered by SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City. When water damage strikes your high-density commercial or residential property, call (773) 337-3993 immediately, or be proactive and schedule an assessment for an ERP to be put in place in case of a future  water remediation emergency.

Water Damage in Your Downtown Chicago Residence Can Negatively Impact Furnishings

6/14/2021 (Permalink)

Water not only damages floors and structures, but also your belongings. SERVPRO is trained to restore you water damaged home.

Your Furnishing Can Be Severely Affected by Water Damage in Your Downtown Chicago Home

Your home is more than just four walls and a roof. You and your family have things in it that you consider being special. Memories, trophies, gifts from loved ones – they all have a special place, a secure and protected place, inside your home, safe from damaging threats of the outside world.

In Downtown Chicago, leaks from water lines or appliances inside your home can release water that can damage your furnishings and those prized possessions. This damage can occur in moments when books and magazines are saturated or over a few hours or days when it involves Grandma's antique quilts stored in the basement. Depending on the source of the water and the location, things can become soggy and wet fast.

Trained Technicians for Water Damage Repairs

The water damage restoration technicians at SERVPRO can preserve your belongings by drying them out, along with other restoration techniques. Our equipment covers a wide range of possible needs when disasters involving water happen in your home. Repairing a home's structure is not the only aspect of restoration we provide. Our IICRC training includes certifications for cleaning and restoring upholstery, drapes, carpets and rugs, and other home furnishings made from textiles.

Upholstered cushions with textured weaves are often made from various fibers. If these are not cared for correctly, the different components can dry unevenly. These need to be dried specially and possibly stretched while drying to retain their correct lengths. Soft but stiff brushes can also be necessary when restoring cushions to maintain their original naps.

Unique keepsakes such as antique quilts and wall-hangings can be taken to our site and laundered and dried with special equipment. These are often too large to be handled adequately in a home's washer and dryer. Placing them inside a unit that is too small can result in shredded fabric. Reading materials can be dried rapidly so that curling of pages is minimized, but it is rare when books or magazines are completely undamaged by contact with water. We can ensure that the moisture content of paper-related items is within normal moisture content levels before they are returned to you so that secondary water damage is not a concern.

Let us help you restore your home's contents after water damage has affected your home. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 at any time of the day or night. We're always available to answer your call, and we consult with you regarding the situation.

Materials that Harbor Smoke Odors in Your Downtown Chicago Property

6/7/2021 (Permalink)

Fires of any size result in smoke and soot damage. SERVPRO is always ready to remediate home.

SERVPRO Remedies the Effects from Smoke and Fire Damage

Almost all house fires cause smoke damage of some kind. Whether it is an isolated kitchen fire or a much larger one, SERVPRO almost always needs to treat smoke damage of some form in the aftermath of a fire. But not all materials are created equal, and some can harbor smoke much more readily than others. Knowing what materials do and don't have significant fire damage can help you make an early guess on the costs and time it may take to get your home smoke and damage-free.

Materials that Harbor Smoke Odors

Porous materials, such as fabric, wood, and grout, take the most fire damage from smoke in Downtown Chicago. These materials have pockets of spaces ranging from microscopic sizes to easily seen ones, inside which smoke particles can become lodged and prove challenging to remove. Even the tiniest pores in the wood are vulnerable, as smoke particles are often smaller than cells or microorganisms. These are the materials that SERVPRO brings out the heavy guns for, applying advanced area foggers to get into the deepest recesses. Other tools such as CO2-based deodorizers may be used to remove smells from a concentrated area. If ash and smoke damage are severe, we may also apply specific and thorough cleaning processes to rid the object or surface of its smoke entirely. It may be necessary to use a pressurized CO2 pellet blasting to remove charred damage from raw wood such as garage ceilings.

Materials Resistant to Smoke

The most resistant materials to smoke damage include metal, stone, and plastic. For the most part, these materials are solid throughout, providing few places for smoke to latch on that cannot be quickly and easily washed. Note that for stone, cracks and molding materials can still be harbors for stray smoke particles. In some cases, laminated woods or smooth tiles can also give the same advantages, but it is much easier for these to be breached and deeply affected by the smoke.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is a locally-owned franchise with the tools and training necessary to entirely rid your home of smoke and other signs of a fire. Call us anytime at (773) 337-3993.

Who Can Businesses Call in Downtown Chicago to Recover from the Aftermath of Flood Damage?

6/2/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can dry any level of your downtown office. Call us today.

Rely on SERVPRO of Marquette /West Lawn /Ford City for Comprehensive Flood Restoration of Commercial Properties

Flood damage in downtown Chicago poses challenges for the owners and managers of the city’s more than 1,300 multilevel commercial and mixed-use buildings. Achieving flood restoration in Chicago Loop high-rises is a massive undertaking requiring scalable work crews and fleets of state-of-the-art equipment.

How Does SERVPRO Prepare for Chicago Commercial Flooding Emergency Services?

Water damage remediation professionals from SERVPRO serving downtown Chicago respond to the intensity, areas affected, and source of your water clean up crisis. Advanced Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training plus experience as part of SERVPRO’s Large Loss Recovery team gives our team the confidence to manage significant flooding events efficiently. Water damage repairs can involve upper levels down to basement flooding in an office building, retail center, or apartment building, linked to the following disasters and more:

• Leaking Roof from Storms
• Burst Pipes
• Waste Pipe Clogs
• Overland flash flooding after torrential rainstorms 

Can Your Chicago Business Plan to Improve Flood Restoration Outcomes?

Prospectively partner with our SERVPRO management and crews by developing an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) before the need for water damage restoration. Contact us for a no-obligation assessment, so our technicians hit the ground running with sufficient resources when you call for commercial building and basement flooding cleanup. 

Designation as an Official Downtown Licensed Operator confirms SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is ready to restore substantial urban commercial flooding. Expect a prompt and appropriately staffed and equipped response when you call (773) 337-3993.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City

5/20/2021 (Permalink)

If you need professional mold remediation services, don't hesitate to reach out for help.

Need Mold Removal and Remediation at Your Downtown Chicago Home? Call SERVPRO

Mold spores are airborne, microscopic, and omnipresent. High humidity and a temperature between 68-860F are ideal conditions for the spores to germinate and start proliferating. SERVPRO technicians begin the mitigation process with a thorough inspection of your Downtown Chicago home to identify the state and extent of the damage. 

Mold damage at your home in Downtown Chicago can be a startling discovery. If not mitigated immediately, it can spread quickly and can cause health effects as well. You need SERVPRO mold specialists for effective and safe mold removal and remediation of your home. We have years of experience and training in mold inspections, remediations, and removal in Downtown Chicago homes. 

How do SERVPRO Mold Specialists Mitigate Mold Damage at Your Downtown Chicago Home? 

After identifying the damaged areas, SERVPRO experts take the following steps during the mitigation process:

• Establish Containment- Plastic polypropylene sheets are used to contain the affected area. Negative air pressure is also applied to prevent the mold from spreading to unaffected areas.
• Remove Mold Contamination- SERVPRO techs use HEPA vacuum systems to remove mold from non-porous surfaces. We also use abrasive methods to remove mold from semi-porous surfaces such as wood and concrete. 
• Dry the Materials- Drying materials is essential to step for attic mold and bathroom mold removal process. We use air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the materials.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 today for a 24/7 service. 

How Are SERVPRO's Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Services Helping Downtown Chicago Businesses?

5/11/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's certified technicians are ready and available to assist with fire damages 24/7.

Why Downtown Chicago Businesses Trust SERVPRO for the Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration of Their Establishments 

Fire and smoke damage can cause significant losses in terms of property and time for Downtown Chicago business owners. Professional fire and smoke damage restoration services from SERVPRO can help limit the damage and save time. Our experienced and trained experts can get your Downtown Chicago business up and running in no time. 

Smoke damage is often a challenge for mitigation experts after a fire. Particles of smoke are less than 10 micrometers in diameter and can get lodged in porous surfaces, making them difficult to remove. Trying to clean these particles by yourself can only worsen the extent of damage by driving the particles deeper into the surface. SERVPRO restoration experts of Downtown Chicago have the proper equipment and expertise to eliminate them without adversely affecting the surface. 

What Cleaning Products SERVPRO Experts Use for Smoke Remediation of Your Downtown Chicago Business? 

SERVPRO fire restoration experts use various cleaning products to clean smoke particles from your Downtown Chicago establishment, including:

• Dry cleaning solvents- Petroleum-based solvents, used to clean lightly soiled fabrics
• Volatile dry solvents- Evaporate quickly, leaving no residue. SERVPRO experts use them for the removal of carbon and soot particles
• Wood oil soaps- Contain mild detergents and ideally suited for finished wood surfaces
• Carpet and Upholstery cleaners- Blend of detergents and solvents that work well on all kinds of fabrics

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for a 24/7 fire and smoke damage restoration service. 

Downtown Chicago Homeowners Rely on SERVPRO for Water Damage Mitigation

5/6/2021 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged by water, call in the professionals for assistance with water clean up and remediation services at (773) 337-3993.

SERVPRO Offers 24/7 Water Damage Restoration Services to Downtown Chicago Residents

Located on the southwestern shore of the majestic Lake Michigan, Downtown Chicago is home to over 2.7 million proud residents. With 100 neighborhoods and 77 community areas, it is the third-largest city in the United States. A truly multicultural city, Downtown Chicago embodies the values of America's heartland. 

The city is known for many things- a gorgeous skyline, amazing museums and more importantly, the food! Downtown Chicago has some amazing restaurants and eateries. From Michelin star fine dining places to unassuming little pop-up restaurants, there is something for every palate. 

The Food Scene in Downtown Chicago

The deep-dish pizza is as iconic as the city itself, but there is so much more to try in Downtown Chicago. The following are some of the best places in the city to have a bite. 

• The Signature Room at the 95th- Perched on the 95th floor of one of Downtown Chicago's most famous skyscrapers, the Signature Room is an experience to behold. The sweeping panoramas of the city are as gorgeous as the food itself. You can find upscale menu items here, including roasted racks of lamb and seafood towers, to name a few. The wine and spirit collection is also quite extensive. 
• Gibson's Bar and Steakhouse- A steakhouse like no other, you can't miss Gibson's if you are in the city. The restaurant exclusively uses its own USDA-certified Angus Beef for that extra punch of flavor. There is a long list of choice cuts on the menu, from the dainty filet mignon to the gigantic tomahawk. They also have an exquisite take on a hamburger that they call 'The Sandwich King,' which is also worth trying. 
• Girl and Goat- One of the newer entrants on the scene, the restaurant is helmed by Stephany Izard, the first female chef to win the cooking reality show 'Top Chef.' The place is known for its shareable plates and experimental dishes such as an oven-roasted pig face. Since it opened its door in 2011, the restaurant has grown in popularity and fame, earning the finalist spot in the 2011 James Beard Awards. 

SERVPRO Offers Reliable and Efficient Water Removal Services to Residents of Downtown Chicago

Water damage can cause significant problems in your Downtown Chicago home. Water damage remediation must be done promptly to avoid any significant damage to the structure or contents of your home. SERVPRO restorers have years of experience in water removal and cleanup occurring due to-

• Ceiling leaks
• Burst pipes
• Leaking roofs from storms
• Basement flooding

SERVPRO water damage restoration experts assess the damage and establish a drying goal as soon as they arrive at your Downtown Chicago property. It is crucial to eliminate not only the standing water but also residual moisture to prevent any secondary damage. Our technicians use several types of equipment to monitor the moisture content of the damaged homes to establish the best possible strategy to achieve preloss conditions. Some of the monitoring equipment we use include-

• Moisture sensors
• Thermal imaging cameras
• Moisture meters
• Thermo-hygrometers

Give a call to SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for a fast and reliable water damage restoration service.

Wondering How to React to Flood Damage Affecting Your Chicago Business?

4/22/2021 (Permalink)

Ice damming caused this water damage. SERVPRO was able to isolate the source and restore the property.

SERVPRO Helps through Timely Intervention to Save Chicago Businesses from Flood Damage

Adverse weather such as rainstorms coupled with the inadequacies of aging or overwhelmed infrastructure can lead to severe flooding. Flood damage is more than just an inconvenience because it can lead to costly repair bills and shutdown revenue collection.

If flood damage affects your Chicago business premises, taking immediate remedial action is essential, although it is not always easy. For instance, although you may notice filthy floodwaters rising around the items in your store, you might need to wait for floodwaters outside the structure to recede before you can take action. Involving a professional flood restoration company immediately you are aware of the flooding can help you avoid several issues that crop up after flooding, including the need for:

• Rodent cleanup services
• Biohazard remediation
• Disinfecting companies

SERVPRO, for example, helps by spraying EPA-registered disinfectants directly into the floodwaters pooling in your store. We also board up openings to keep out small animals that may try to seek refuge in your facility. Such actions, when done promptly, help keep flood damage minimal.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has sufficient resources to handle flood damage. Call us at (773) 337-3993.

Is Water Removal Sufficient to Save Hardwood Floors in Ford City Properties?

4/15/2021 (Permalink)

Your hardwood floors are an investment. You can trust SERVPRO to restore your water damaged floors.

SERVPRO Takes Extra Steps during Water Removal from Ford City Homes for Satisfactory Outcomes

Wood flooring is semi-porous and thus vulnerable to water exposure. The water also penetrates beneath the floorboards through the joints. Although timely water removal helps limit damage on hardwood floors, it might not be sufficient if focused on the surface.

When called to handle water removal in a Ford City home with hardwood flooring, SERVPRO teams have resources to handle extraction from the floor surfaces and beneath the panels. The resources prove helpful, especially when dealing with severe water issues, including:

• Leaking roof from storms
• Cleaning up after a sewer backup
• Burst pipes

Extracting pooling water from the surface requires equipment with a sufficient vacuum lift. We have a wide range of extractors, including truck-mounted extractors. Once surface water is addressed, other resources are essential. Flat lay tenting materials help concentrate air circulation close to the wooden floors expediting the drying process. Our SERVPRO technicians use plastic sheets and duct tape to create the tenting, focusing dry air currents over the floor surface. 

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can help perform all necessary steps to ensure water removal effectively resolve water damage repairs. Call us at (773) 337-3993 for assistance.

Hesitant Whether Fire Damage Restoration Can Save Your Chicago Home?

4/8/2021 (Permalink)

Effective fire remediation, for even small fires, is best left to professionals. SERVPRO has the know-how to restore your home.

SERVPRO Commits the Best Personnel and Tools for Successful Fire Damage Restoration in Chicago

Chicago is a city of many firsts, whether you consider innovations or other social aspects of life. For instance, the city is home to the only river in the world that flows backward due to human intervention. The project that took eight years was completed in 1900. Its goal was to ensure sewage and other pollutants did not reach Lake Michigan. Considering how human activities continue to pollute water bodies worldwide, the project is remarkable to this day.

The founding of the city was also unique compared to other towns in the United States. The first non-indigenous resident in the area was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a man of African and French descent born in present-day Haiti.

Various innovations also originated from Chicago, including:

• Cook County Hospital set up the first blood bank in the country
• NBC 5 Chicago/WMAQ was the first all-color television station
• Spray paint was invented in Chicago by salesman Ed Seymour

The Home of Famous People

The city of Chicago has grown significantly compared to the days of Du Sable. It is the third most populous city in the country and the most populous in Illinois, with a population estimated at 2,693,976 in 2019. Apart from having a large concentration of people, many of its residents have gained national or even global fame. One of the people readily associated with Chicago is gangster Al Capone who gained notoriety during the Prohibition Era. Although born in New York City, he later moved to Chicago in 1919. Other renowned people from The Windy City include former first ladies Michele Obama and Hillary Clinton. The film industry has also drawn several actors and directors from Chicago, including Shonda Rhimes, Harrison Ford, Bernie Mac, and many others.

Unique Architecture

Today the Chicago metropolis is dotted with giant skyscrapers; however, a raging fire on October 8th, 1871, almost halted the city's development. The inferno wiped out structures covering approximately 2100 acres. Although the fire did not influence architectural designs since the primary goal during the rebuild was a speedier resumption of normalcy, new laws required new buildings to use fireproof materials like stone, marble, brick, and limestone. However, the economic and population growth that followed the fire led to the exploration of unique architectural approaches resulting in iconic buildings like:

• Chicago Cultural Center, which opened in 1897
• Wrigley Building which features a Seville Cathedral's Giralda tower with touches of French Renaissance details
• Marina City, which has two cylindrical towers that resemble corn combs

How Helpful is Fire Restoration in Saving Chicago Properties?

Unlike in the days of the Great Chicago Fire, when firefighting was in its infancy and restoration techniques almost nonexistent, nowadays it is possible to manage the damages from fires. Fire restoration can help save the structure and valuables or reduce the recovery cost from a fire incident.

Successful fire restoration in Chicago properties takes different processes. Some of the most useful ones include cleaning and deodorizing any affected materials to manage:

• Fire and smoke damage
• Smoke remediation
• Water & fire damage restorations

SERVPRO provides sufficient resources, including equipment and trained technicians, to fully carry out the fire restoration processes. For instance, our technicians spend time evaluating the loss extent before attempting to fix any issue. We also use advanced and straightforward cleanup or deodorization techniques such as soda blasting and thermal fogging, resolving issues from light soiling to deep charring.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is well suited to handle fire damage restoration. Call us at (773) 337-3993.

How Can Flood Damage Get Addressed in Chicago Homes?

3/19/2021 (Permalink)

Homeowners have to deal with many things which may include storm damage. Don't let the moisture take over your home. Contact SERVPRO right away.

Cleaning up After a Flood Can Require Multiple Restorative and Mitigative Steps. 

One of the unfortunate certainties that many Chicago homes face throughout their lifetime is contending with flooding and water disasters. Because of rising bodies like the Chicago River and surges from the lake, residences and businesses can battle spreading flood water concerns. With leading extraction options, our SERVPRO team can help mitigate these losses so that cleaning can get started. 

How Can SERVPRO Clean After a Flood? 

One of the initial steps that our professionals can take with flood removal in Chicago homes is muck-out cleaning. Removing debris and silt from the flooring of your home or business can help to reduce the concentrations of potential contaminants. Muck-out can also identify areas of your home that might require repairs or replacement during this upcoming phase. Solids heaped on flooring materials include:

• Mud 
• Silt
• Organic matter 
• Trash
• Hazardous Substances

Despite how fast flooding can develop, our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can help with efficient mitigation solutions. Call us today at (773) 337-3993. 

Can SERVPRO Technicians Provide Efficient Fire Cleanup in Chicago?

3/12/2021 (Permalink)

Our fire damage technicians have the equipment and experience to restore your home to pre-damage condition.

Removing Soot and Smoke Residues is Vital to Restoring your Fire-damaged Home. 

Chicago has always been a city that is mindful of fires' destructive nature, having one of the most devastating man made disasters in 1871 that leveled a portion of the metropolis. Today, fire restoration and recovery services are more efficient and advanced, and our SERVPRO team can help clean and repair damage fires can cause quickly to get you back in your home as soon as possible.

How Can SERVPRO Remove Soot and Smoke Residues? 

Partial combustion can generate soot particles that come to rest on surfaces throughout the house, making fire cleanup in Chicago a necessary step. Our technicians appreciate these particles' acidic and carcinogenic composition, making them hazardous to underlying materials and people exposed. We have multiple cleaning strategies to help in this regard to overcome residues and eliminate soils before irreparable damage and staining occurs. Some of these include: 

• Soda blasting
• Surface wipe cleaning 
• Controlled demolition

No matter how damaging fires can be, our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can help. Call us today at (773) 337-3993.

High Tourism Promotes Efficient Water Removal in Chicago Businesses

3/3/2021 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO at the first sign of water damage to avoid further damages of your property.

Water Disasters Can be Threatening to Structures and Require Immediate Mitigative Action. 

The Windy City has always been culturally diverse and leading in terms of art and historic preservation. More than 58 million people visit Chicago each year, which has a lot to do with the unique attractions and venues available in the city for those looking for a change of pace. As the third-largest city in the country, commercial properties within the municipality's borders offer something for everyone. Tourism continues to thrive because of the adaptability of the city to meet changing needs and desires of travelers.

Most Visited Tourist Locations in the City

You do not become one of the most visited cities in the country without having charming venues and attractions for visitors. Many of our landmarks are as iconic as our pizza, preserving stories and history of both Chicago and Illinois. From our dark history with the American mafia to maintaining one of the original baseball venues still operating in the country, there is much to learn and see in Chicago. Some of the top attractions visitors can experience include:

• Art Institute of Chicago – For those that come to Chicago for the arts, music, and cultural influences – this is a must-see location. This center is a culmination of local and national talent spanning centuries.

• Wrigley Field – Second only to Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley Field is one of the country's oldest operating baseball stadiums. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2020 to preserve its appearance and functionality. The Chicago Cubs played their first game in the venue in 1916. 

• Magnificent Mile – This is an upscale shopping corridor positioned on Michigan Avenue. You can find many retail locations in this stretch, from the Chicago River to Oak Street, making it an attractive stop for shoppers.

• Chicago History Museum – This is one of the cultural centers in the city that cater to the history of Chicago almost exclusively. From the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871 to mafia legends, Chicago has been a world all its own.

Water Removal Services for Chicago Homes 

When water disasters occur, it is often necessary to begin water removal for Chicago homes as soon as possible. Standing water can be a threatening presence in these properties, allowing moisture to migrate to more challenging areas that require controlled demolition to dry appropriately. We have multiple extractors that can help with the efficient removal of surface water concerns to begin thorough drying processes as soon as possible.

Extraction often hinges on multiple instruments and devices in a recovery inventory simultaneously. Greater depths of standing water require submersible pumps to overcome, while wet vacuums with attachments can handle shallower damage and trapped moisture concerns.

No matter how water damage develops in your home, our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can help when you call (773) 337-3993.

Get Flooding Remediation Quickly in Chicago Homes

2/15/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City when your property has a flood damage and the property needs remediation.

Local Chicago Residents Count on SERVPRO for Flooding Remediation

The cleanup of a residential property with floodwater is a lot more involved than simply removing the water and hoping for the best. Some issues can arise from the structure getting inundated with a large amount of water. 

SERVPRO technicians use their equipment to determine if different problems have arisen from the contact with the floodwater. Frequently seen issues during flooding remediation in Chicago homes include:

• Germination and spreading of mold spores
• Buckled or deteriorated sheetrock
• Sagging basement ceilings
• Pooled water in basements
• Crowning and cupping of hardwood floorboards

While the water extraction is a given during a flood damage cleanup, the drying phase of the mitigation process is crucial. The technicians monitor the process closely to ensure that the humidity levels fall in an even and timely manner. Afterward, air moisture readings on the tech's equipment can confirm that the structure is dry rather than relying on visual inspections only.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 supports the local Chicago area with flooding remediation of any size. 

SERVPRO Stands Ready to Assist Chicago Property Owners for Post Fire Cleanup

2/8/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage to your property can be devastatingly uppsetning. Call SERVPRO to help ease the situation and get you some help.

Chicago Residents Rely on SERVPRO For Fire Cleanup

It can feel daunting to see a residence after the first responders leave the scene. Possessions pushed into the center of the room and continually hosed down to halt the fire's spread is hard to look at. 

When SERVPRO works on Chicago fire cleanup jobs, the technicians' first actions are to go through the pile left by the firemen and see if there are any restorable items as the articles within the burn area get removed to a staging area outside. The staging area can have multiple uses such as:

• Use of immersion cleaning techniques for non-porous items
• Odor control treatments as needed for items
• Hand cleaning for hardwood or upholstered items without charring but need the removal of smoke residues or water stains

The technicians may need to mix specific formulas inside the home to create cleaning agents to use on particular surfaces without marring. For example, some surfaces cannot tolerate contact with a solvent-based cleaner. In those cases, oxygenated or oil-based cleansers may get used for releasing the sticky residue off the surface.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 brings years of experience and the latest equipment to handle fire cleanup in Chicago properties.

SERVPRO Handles Water Removal in Local Chicago Properties

2/3/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is here to assist their Chicago community when disaster strikes.

Chicago Homeowners Trust SERVPRO for All Types of Water Damage Restoration Services

One of the most recognizable structures in Chicago is the Water Tower.  This iconic building is often featured in movies or television shows set in the city. The tower, modeled after the Louisville water tower in Kentucky, originally got constructed in 1869 to house a massive pump to draw water from Lake Michigan for the community. In the present, it serves a dual purpose as the Office for Chicago Tourism and is home to the City Gallery, an art gallery that hosts the work of local artists, photographers, and mixed media.

The Designer of the Chicago Water Tower

The tower, designed by architect William W. Boyington, was one of many unique structures Boyington created for the city. Although originally from Massachusetts, Boyington settled in Chicago when it was just beginning to expand. A large number of his buildings got destroyed in the Great Fire. However, some still stand like the water tower and are much-loved landmarks. Some of the other buildings accredited with Boyington as the chief designer are: 

• LaSalle Street Station
• University of Chicago
• The grand entrance to Rosehill Cemetery, where Boyington himself has a gravesite

The Grand Pacific Hotel was in the middle of construction when the Great Fire occurred, and Boyington had the hotel rebuilt from the ground up following the original blueprints 1873.

The Chicago Water Tower Design

Boyington had the water tower created from the eye catching Lemont limestone, which has a slight yellow tint. The building itself stands nearly 183-feet tall, and inside is a standpipe that is 138 feet in length that held water. The water tower provided clean water to the city, the local fire department and assisted with controlling water surges in the area that could flood properties. After the Great Fire, the tower was not the only building in Chicago to survive, but it was the only structure in the burn zone that came out intact. 

Does Deep Water Have to Wait Until it Recedes for Water Removal in Chicago Homes?

When a large amount of water infiltrates a Chicago home, water removal does not have to wait; in fact: it should not wait at all. The reason is simple, the longer it remains inside the property, the more damage it has the potential to do. Common reasons for large amounts of water include: 

• Overflowing sewers backing up into the home
• Hot water tank failures
• Washing machine or dishwasher malfunction
• Flood water entering the home

SERVPRO technicians have access to a large selection of extraction equipment. It is never a one-size-fits-all process for the removal of water from a property. Submersible pumps are ideal for removing water when the depth is greater than two inches. Waiting for the water to recede can lead to a more significant migration of the moisture within the structure and wicking into building materials, increasing the cost of replacing these ruined articles. 

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 serves the local Chicago community for all types of water removal needs. The techs arrive quickly and make it, "Like it never even happened."

Up for Combining Your Sense of Adventure and Interest in Local History with a Delicious Dinner Near Chicago?

1/18/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is looking forward to the good time at Outdoor Forgefire Globe Dining!

Take a Calculated Risk on Outdoor Forgefire Globe Dining at the Lemont Quarries Southwest of Chicago

Enjoy a candlelit view of the historic Forge Quarry and Eight Towers Adventure with up to three dining companions in a climate-controlled globe January 29 through 31, 2021. Think nothing of the chill outside as you savor our specially curated menu -- appetizer, entree, side, salad, and dessert.

For your safety, we limit capacity and require reservations at least a week before your adventure.

• Dates:

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

January 29, 30, or 31, 2021

• Dining Times:

2:00 - 3:30pm

4:00 - 5:30pm

6:00 - 7:30pm

• Tickets are $50 per person,  including:

• 90-minute globe rental
• Featured Forgefire Globe Dining menu of the week (peruse at Forgeparks website)
• Beverage 

• Location:

The Forge: Lemont Quarries

1001 Main Street

Lemont, IL 60439

630-326-3301

You need dedicated workers like the skilled excavators who toiled at the Lemont quarries for reliable Chicago mold removal.  Call (773) 337-3993 and discover why SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City fits your specifications.

Can Flooding in Chicago Occur 12 Months Out of the Year?

1/10/2021 (Permalink)

Storms can occur unexpectedly and may leave a watery aftermath in your home. Contact our expert team for water removal and remediation efforts.

Regardless of the Season, SERVPRO Delivers Flood Damage Recovery to Chicago Residents with Highly Qualified Managers and Technicians and Cutting Edge Equipment

Flooding might seem like a warm-weather phenomenon, but Chicago homeowners know the misery and helplessness felt when a significant winter storm results in water-logged lower levels. Severe harm occurs throughout a home when

• High winds and resulting utility pole, tree and limb damage, and debris batter roofs and exteriors.
• Massive quantities of snow blanket the structure.
• Snow and ice pile up against the foundation.
• Ice dams form in gutters, and a melt and freeze cycle permits water intrusion.

Are Blizzards Common in the Chicago Area?

Between the thousand-mile sweep of the plains to the west of Chicago and Lake Michigan's effect, the Windy City experiences its share of heavy snow events. In addition to many moderate to light snow storms expected each year, five huge blizzards imperiled the area over the years. Runner-up blizzards include:

• The Super Bowl Blizzard of 2015 dropped 19.3 inches of snow over three days, from January 31 through February 2, 2015. Several days of snow extraction finally opened up Chicago and surrounding areas to unimpeded travel. 
• The Blizzard of 1979 totaled 20.3 inches from January 12 through 14, 1979. The political fallout for then-mayor Michael Bilandic, blamed for long-term post-blizzard transportation issues, resulted in his loss of the Democratic Primary to Jane Byrne. She then became Chicago's first woman mayor after victory in the general election.
• The 2011 Groundhog Day Blizzard also tangled traffic, with 21.2 inches falling from January 31 through February 2, 2011. Dubbed "Snowpocalypse," nearly 900 cars and buses blocked Lake Shore Drive.
• The Blizzard of 1999 spread to the East after inundating the Chicago area with 21.6 inches from January 1 through 3, 1999. Blizzard conditions moved from Illinois to Michigan, halting traffic and grounding airplanes at Chicago's O'Hare and continuing toward Detroit. Flight cancellations continued for many days, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers.

Which Blizzard Ranks as the Worst In Chicago History?

The largest Chicago blizzard began its paralyzation of the city over fifty years ago, spanning two days, Thursday and Friday, January 26–27, 1967. The storm slammed 23 inches (58 cm) of snow over Chicago and its suburbs.  Its winds of 50 mph-plus trended to the northeast, and wind gusts constructed drifts rising as high as 15 feet. Blizzard conditions continued into the weekend following an incredibly mild Tuesday, January 24, 1967, that recorded shockingly warm temperatures of 65 degrees.

What Sets the 1967 Blizzard Apart Other Than Total Snowfall?

Because of the unseasonable weather immediately before the blizzard, Chicagoans were caught uncharacteristically unprepared for the change in weather patterns and the snow's impact. Weather forecasts read or heard on January 25 for the 26 indicated a cold front would drop temperatures and that rain or snow would fall as the cold front stalled over the Chicago area. During broadcasts on the evening of the 25th, the National Weather Service projected a mix of snow mixed and freezing rain. Overnight forecasts suggested snow accumulations up to four inches, triggering a heavy snow warning. Expected quantities were increased to 8 inches on the morning of January 26, 1967, well below eventual totals. Businesses, schools, and individuals did not modify their responses:

• Residents were unaware of the severity of the storm and the potential accumulations.
• Television station WMAQ-TV on January 26, 1967, reported on the evening news that the worst of the storm passed already, quite the error.
• Students and workers were stuck in schools, offices, and other establishments.
• Traffic stood still -- up to 50,000 cars and 1100 Chicago Transit Authority buses clogged the streets and expressways.
• The local airports reported gusts of 48 to 53 miles per hour, resulting in huge snow drifts.
• Complicating matters, thunderstorms, and several funnel clouds joined the blizzard.

How Were Residents of Chicago and Surrounding Towns Affected?

Snow removal began slowly. Helicopters were primary emergency vehicles, delivering medicine and food to those stranded in vehicles. Women in labor rode sleds, snow plows, or bulldozers to hospitals or delivered their babies at home. The airports opened about midnight Monday. Most schools reopened on Tuesday, the 31st, following the blizzard. Tragically, 26 died during the blizzard, including a young girl shot in the crossfire after looters confronted law enforcement. Some deaths occurred from heart attacks during snow shoveling. Exhausted residents were in for even more snow. An additional 4 inches fell on Wednesday, February 1, followed on Sunday, February 5, as another storm piled up 8.5 inches more. From January 26 through February 5, the grand total was 36.5 inches, typical for an entire Chicago winter.

Who Can Help Chicago Residents Battling Winter Storm Flooding Events?

Especially if your Chicago home suffered external damage from the weight of snow, wind, or buffeting by debris, flooding could occur on all levels of your home. Leaking in the attic from ice dams and drifting in rooms after broken windows or siding can send meltwater spilling across floors and down walls and stairs. Rapid response by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)-trained crews is crucial to mitigate and remediate the damage melting and then flowing water does.

What Longer-Term Issues Can Occur after Massive Snowfalls?

Even if your home weathers the winter storm, Chicago residences risk flood damage when warmer temperatures return. Snowmelt makes its way through foundations, flooding basements. Storm sewers become overwhelmed in some areas of the city, forcing human waste back into homes. SERVPRO has the IICRC training and the high-efficiency equipment to contain and remove flood waters and contaminants from properties fast. We have experience dealing with water complications in all its forms -- ice, sleet, snow, liquid, and even the high humidity accompanying flooding scenarios. We assess and control for

• Safety hazards
• Trapped flood water
• Long term and secondary damage to confined areas and building cavities
• Structural integrity failure

Then we remove and dispose of the floodwaters, containing and disposing of them as required by local regulation. Cleaning and disinfecting with EPA-registered products set the stage for efficient drying with our commercial-grade air movers, heaters, and dehumidifiers. We promise and achieve preloss condition after flood damage, "Like it never even happened."

Count on the savvy crews and management of SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City no matter what type of precipitation takes its toll and floods your home. Call us day or night at (773) 337-3993 -- We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Can You and Your French Bulldog Team Up for Chicago Fun on a Friday Night?

1/10/2021 (Permalink)

It will be exciting to see the community enjoying Frenchie Fridays!

No Need to Compromise -- Celebrate at a Chicago Frenchie Meet-Up and Happy Hour January 22, 2021!

Sit Local, a Dog Lounge, invites French Bulldogs and their owners to fabulous Frenchie Fridays. Humans need masks, and pups need to mind their manners during the two Happy Hours of the event. Bring your own beverages, snacks, and treats, and let your little buddies romp while you share the delights these jaunty canines bring to you and other owners.

Sit Local provides the space and appropriate supplies to clean up after any doggy doings.

• Space limited to 10 owners at a time, Fridays only

• Reserve for $15 on Chicago Eventbrite -- Frenchie Fridays!

• Date And Time

Friday, January 22, 2021, and ongoing Fridays

7:30 – 9:30 PM 

• Location

SIT Social

3920 North Ashland Avenue

Chicago, IL 60613

In search of Chicago water restoration companies for your business? SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford Cityat (773) 337-3993 offers fast and reliable help, so you and your beloved Frenchie need not miss any after-work shenanigans.

Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago—A Fire-Free Zone

12/14/2020 (Permalink)

The Lion House at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. SERVPRO is not "Lion" about restoring your fire damaged property! Call Us!

So Much to Do in Chicago

Over 58 million people visit Chicago every year to see this vast metropolitan city's sites and sounds. There are museums, shopping, sports activities and many more too numerous to mention. However, the locals know about many activities that are inexpensive and can be enjoyed by the whole family. For example, visit:

• Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo
• Try ice skating at Maggie Daley Park
• Admire the City of Chicago Christmas tree
• Visit the RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) Exhibition
• Shop along the Magnificent Mile

Zoolights at Lincoln Park:

are on display until Jan 3rd, 2021, from 4-10 every night. Admission is $5. However, there are also five free nights. This is a display the entire family will enjoy. There are loads of light displays, animal exhibits outdoors. Get your tickets early since many nights are sold out early.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provides fire and odor removal services to Chicago residential and commercial business customers and the surrounding area. Call (773) 337-3993. We are available 24/7 to help with all your fire and odor removal needs.

Visit Chicago’s Willis Tower

12/8/2020 (Permalink)

Floodwaters do not reach to the Ledge in the Willis Tower, but SERVPRO can remove stormwater from your property--and very fast!

Check out the “Ledge,” Highest Observation Deck in Chicago

Chicago ranks 3^rd in population in the United States. The population is over 2.7 million and covers 234 square miles of real estate. There are many areas to visit in Chicago. Over 58 million tourists visited in 2018.

West Lawn, Marquette Park, and Ford city are located on the southwest side of the city. There are many activities to see in Chicago. However, the Willis Tower is one of the iconic buildings that many people visit every year. Standing 110 stories high, visitors can go to the 103rd floor to the Skydeck or, as some refer to it, the Ledge. Visitors can see for more than 50 miles on a clear day.

Some quick facts about the Willis tower:

• Construction began in 1969, with 350,000 Sears employees moving in1973
• The Willis Tower was the tallest building until 1998
• There are 110 floors
• 1730 feet high, including twin antennae,
• 1450 feet high to the 110th floor,
• Average sway is six inches

Virtual online tours can be scheduled anytime. Teacher guides are available, along with fact sheets and quizzes for all interested parties.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provides flood cleanup services to Chicago residential and commercial business customers and the surrounding area. Call (773) 337-3993. We are available 24/7 to help with all your flood cleanup needs.

Chicago Recognized as an International Hub for Many Industries

12/2/2020 (Permalink)

Call Patricia Our Proud SERVPRO Owner for Commercial Water Removal in the Greater Chicago Area

A Tourist Mecca with Over 58 Million Tourists in 2018

Chicago was incorporated in 1837. The city grew along Lake Michigan's shores and became attractive as a transportation hub between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi watershed. Chicago connected the American Midwest all the way to New Orleans via the Mississippi and the Great Lakes leading to the St Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Ocean.

Chicago's population is approximately 2.7 million people, while the greater metropolitan area provides a home to over 10 million people. Some fast facts about the city:

• The Chicago Fire left 100,000 homeless and devastated several square miles in 1871
• Chicago School of Architecture developed the steel-framed skyscraper design
• The city is an international hub for telecommunications, technology, transportation, and finance
• Creation of the first standardized futures contracts
• The city is host to many Fortune 500 companies
• Many landmarks to visit including universities, sports facilities, zoo's and cultural venues
• Steamboats initially traveled the canal between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River in 1848
• Al Capone initiated the St Valentines massacre in 1929
• Today Chicago is a powerhouse of activity with many attractions and business opportunities

Marquette Park is the largest park on the southwest side of Chicago. Similarly, Ford City is the largest mall also located on the southwest side, and the area of West Lawn is one of Chicago's 77 official community areas with a diverse population.

Inexpensive Attractions in the City

There are many interesting attractions for residents and visitors in the city. We will list a few of them in this post and delve into several of the more interesting ones. Here they are:

• Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo
• Ice skating at Maggie Daley Park
• See the Chicago Christmas tree
• Visit the RBG Exhibit (Ruth Bader Ginsberg
• Shop the Magnificent Mile and view the light festival
• Tour a museum for free
• Tour the 606 – the elevated trail connecting neighborhoods
• Walk along the Chicago River Walk
• Join a Greeter Tour of Chicag0's diverse neighborhoods

Tour the 606 Trail—very unique

Take an abandoned industrial railway train line, convert it into a 2.7-mile elevated trail system connecting parks, scenic views, an observatory, public art displays, and four of the cities hippest neighborhoods. This is the 606, which got its name from the common numbers of the west side zip codes. The communities connected by the trail are – Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, and Humbolt Park. The 606 is an ideal trail system to enjoy the day, exercise, commute from one area to another, or enjoy one of the many art displays.

There are also community events, such as bonfires, workouts, art displays, and even astronomy nights. Along the way, residents and visitors can also enjoy:

• Exelon Observatory – enjoy sunset views as well as regular astronomy nights
• Julia De Burgos Park – an excellent place for kids with a variety of play structures and a long sitting wall
• Damen Arts Plaza – enjoy rotating public art exhibits
• Park No. 567 and Walsh Park – enjoy special events and outdoor sports activities

The city supports a rich culture captured by the cities 18 museums. Whether you are interested in communications, surgery, the holocaust, science, history, art, or photography, there is something for everyone.

If you are interested in Chicago history, the Chicago History Museum is an excellent place to start. The museum was incorporated in 1857. However, the initial building was lost in the great Chicago fire of 1871. The museum occupied temporary buildings until 1896. Since 1896, the museum has grown by leaps and bounds to become a major exhibit for the cities history today. There are online exhibitions as well as onsite exhibitions for visitors to enjoy. Also, there are rotating temporary displays as well as permanent exhibits. Visitors to the museum can enjoy a varied experience each time they visit.

For example, some of the temporary exhibits currently on display include:

• Modern by Design – Chicago Streamlines America
• American Medina
• Remembering Dr. King

A popular permanent exhibit takes viewers through some of the significant events in the city’s history. The Great Chicago Fire, the Worlds Columbian Exposition, Maxwell St in the 50s, construction of the Sears Tower in the 70s, significant sports victories, and view President Obama's victory speech. The film runs 27 minutes and brings to life some of these significant events in the city's life.

Abraham Lincoln considered Chicago as his second home. The exhibit, Lincoln's Chicago, depicts lithograph views of the city during the 1860s, some of his contemporaries. This exhibit is also a permanent exhibit.

There are many more activities to see and do at the museum as well as in the city. Plan your vacation or stay-vacation and visit one of these interesting and exciting venues.

Remove Water and Moisture, Get Your Business Back Online Fast

Anytime a commercial business is offline due to water in the premises, it usually means lost revenue, spoiled goods lost customers, and lost staff wages. SERVPRO understands the importance of being onsite quickly to help manage the water situation. Our motto is, "We're Faster To Any Size Disaster."

Clients can call us 24/7, seven days a week. We will mobilize our technicians and equipment to meet any size of water removal requirement. Every disaster is tailored to the needs of the client and the situation. Large water removal situations require more resources than smaller ones. SERVPRO follows a time-proven formula to ensure our customers can return their commercial business to service as quickly as possible:

• Inspect and Assess the damage
• Mobilize removal and water extraction resources
• Dry and dehumidify the area to return the humidity to normal levels
• Clean and make repairs as needed
• Restore water damaged structure and contents as needed

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provides water removal apt. to Chicago commercial business customers and the surrounding area. Call (773) 337-3993. We are available 24/7 to help with all your water removal needs.

Enjoy an Autumn Chicago Pizza Tour

11/17/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City looks forward to seeing our community enjoying the local events, especially when food is involved.

Chicago Locals and Tourists Alike Can Enjoy Quality Deep Dish Pizza

Chicago is renowned the world over for its delicious and unique deep-dish pizza. Chicago pizza started after Ike Sewell turned two historic mansions in the River North neighborhood into pizza parlors: Pizzeria Uno and Pizzeria Due. The Chicago-style pie was concocted at Pizzeria Uno in 1943.

So, here is relevant information about this Mud City event:

    • The tour starts at Pizzeria Uno.

    • An expert guide will happily fill you in on the history of Chicago’s pizza scene.

    • Both meat and vegetarian options are available.

    • The tour ends at Gino’s Brew Pub, another acclaimed deep-dish pizza parlor.

Tours embark on Saturdays and Sundays through December 27 and are designed for both tourists and locals. Whether you are vacationing with a significant other or bringing the kids along, this family-friendly pizza smorgasbord is sure to leave everyone smiling.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is proud to serve the businesses contributing to local food tours and other events. Call (773) 337-3993 if your Chicago pizza parlor requires commercial mold remediation.

Learn About Wine Tasting from the Comfort of Your Chicago Home

11/10/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO supports local event attendance from the safety of your Chicago home.

Zoom Events Designed to Turn Chicago Wine Aficionados into Sommeliers

Due to current safety guidelines, many local events are now held over Zoom or other video platforms. However, this means that Chicago apartment dwellers can learn new skills and enjoy new experiences while staying comfortable at home. One such event is Tasting Tuesday, a weekly virtual wine tasting event led by sommelier Tuanni Price.

These wine-related events also feature:

• Guest sommeliers and aficionados coming together to enjoy quality wines
• Learning to evaluate such qualities in wine as price point, typicity, and quality
• Viewers learn about the ins and outs of deductive wine tasting
• Streams take place at either 3:00 or 6:00 PM Pacific Time, a perfect time for Windy City residents to enjoy a hearty dinner paired with their favorite wines

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City warmly welcomes you to the vibrant Windy City. If you need fire mitigation for your Chicago apartment after a cooking mishap or electrical failure, you can get rapid-response service at (773) 337-3993.

Chicago Mitigation from Locally-Owned and Operated Teams

11/3/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City not only wants to help our Chicago community but supports our Chicago community as well.

SERVPRO Responds Quickly to Chicago Homeowners’ Flood Cleanup and Restoration Needs When They Call (773) 337-3993

More than two million residents of Chicago are subject to frequent rain and snow. The Windy City’s National Weather Service office on West University Drive in Romeoville features some of the country’s most extensive weather records. However, some of the earliest records from 1870 and 1871 were destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

One of the most notable aspects of Chi-Town is its extensive system of canals and rivers that span over 150 miles in total length. While these waterways can pose some flood risk, they also create plenty of opportunities for watery escapades, including:

• Leisurely weekend river cruises hosted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center on the Chicago’s First Lady. Several other guided boat tour cruises are available
• Guided kayaking tours designed with novice, intermediate, and advanced experience levels in mind. Popular vendors include Urban Kayaks and Wateriders
• Sailboat charters operated by experienced crew members, like those at the Salty Dog Sailing Co.

The Great Chicago Flood

On April 13, 1992, Chicago was flooded by over 250 million gallons of water, which caused an estimated $2 billion in damages. Floodwaters filled up much of the underground tunnels in the city, including Kennedy Expressway and much of the Loop. The flood was speculated to have happened when construction crews accidentally perforated a fragile, derelict freight train tunnel while preparing to install new pilings for the Kinzie Street Bridge.

Full remediation took weeks, and three days had passed before commerce could resume in the area. Before repairs, the breach was a whopping 20 feet and took more than five dozen truck-fulls of stone and cement to slow the leakage. The water in the old freight tunnel system was eventually rerouted to the Chicago Deep Tunnel System. The hole that allowed floodwaters from the Chicago River to submerge the underground was ultimately fixed by a unique concrete mixture devised by Brian Rice of Material Service Corporation. This concoction was poured into the tunnel through small shafts.

In the aftermath of the flood, the city’s losses were at an estimated $3.25 billion in 2019 dollars. Subway routes and parking were either closed or changed significantly to accommodate repair efforts.

This flood event led to a U.S. Supreme Court case, Jerome B. Grubart, Inc v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. The defendant had at first been considered liable for the flood, but it was later discovered that the city had prior knowledge of the freight tunnel leaks. The courts eventually ruled that admiralty law was applicable to the work performed in the Chicago River, a ruling in favor of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.

Factors That Add to Chicago’s Flood Risk

Chicago’s closeness to the Great Lakes and the Chicago River running through the city makes many areas of the city vulnerable to flooding. These characteristics, combined with rain and snowfall, contribute to floods that occur with relative frequency. Residents must stay wary of larger-scale natural disasters like hundred-year floods and derecho storms.

• Water levels in the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Michigan, have seen an overall increase, particularly after a succession of wet rainy seasons since 2015
• Changes in Lake Michigan’s water levels are becoming both more frequent and drastic. In 2013, the lake was at record low levels but spiked back up to near-1986 highs in 2020. Local climatologists have noted that the recent spate of warmer winters has contributed to unstable and unpredictable water level fluctuations
• The Chicago River is frequently flooded by considerable rainfall. In May 2020 alone, a several-day period of rainfall culminated in almost 8 inches of precipitation. This time frame alone was considered the fourth wettest stretch of weather in the city’s 150 years of official weather records
• According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) flood map, Chicago is a Zone A region. This designation indicates that the affectionately-termed Mud City is vulnerable to hundred-year floods. These significant disasters have a 1% chance of occurring each year
• Derecho storms are meteorological phenomena that result in massive, long-lasting storms that can create damage from flash floods, high winds, and even tornadoes. In August 2020, one of these massive storm systems tore through Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska. Winds in the midwest from this storm alone peaked at 100 miles per hour and caused significant damage to infrastructure and homes

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City strives to aid Chicago residents through education and swift action. Whether you own a condo in Printer’s Row or a family home in Aurora, this locally-owned franchise provides rapid-response service from over 1,700 locations across the United States and Canada.

How Does SERVPRO Aid Chicago Residents with Flooded Homes?

Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified mitigation techs at SERVPRO receive extensive training and education in flood damage cleanup, including basement flood water removal for Chicago residences. Basement flooding is especially crucial to clean, as it can damage the foundation of your property and lead to significant repair costs without fast action.

Sanitation of structural materials is a must when cleaning flood-damaged basements. Homeowners should not perform this task themselves to avoid potential health effects posed by mold and sewage.

Unlike conventional water damage situations, sanitation occurs before drying because:

• Without thorough cleaning, microbes and mold can spread through the air and contaminate other areas of the home when operating drying equipment
• EPA-registered biocides are effective at both mold remediation and odor control
• Other sanitation concerns, such as pests and chemical residues, require addressing before drying to ensure your home is safe to occupy once more

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City supports community efforts by providing such services for Chicago homeowners as basement flood water removal. Call (773) 337-3993 to jump-start the cleanup process after a disaster.

What is the Smartest Way to Remove Water from a Burst Pipe in Chicago?

10/18/2020 (Permalink)

Removing water from your home isn’t something you can do alone. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for professional remediation and mitigation from our team.

SERVPRO Handles Water Extraction Quickly with Powerful Equipment When Called to Your Chicago Home

High-pressure water from a burst pipe spells disaster for the interior of your home. Even if you quickly shut off the water supply, there could be a lot of standing water to deal with. Chicago residents know that they can trust SERVPRO to arrive fast with the latest equipment and tools to handle water removal. Along with extraction efforts, our skilled water restoration technicians (WRT) have the expertise necessary to bring your home back to pre-accident condition, “Like it never even happened.”

How is the Water Damage Handled?

Once you call our offices for help, we send out a crew that will begin the assessment phase, followed by prompt water extraction in Chicago. Our inspection and detailed planning allow us to select all of the right tools for the job.

• SERVPRO is here seven days a week, 24 hours a day, to handle your water restoration needs. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster!
• Our team is fully IICRC-certified and able to handle water incidents and cleanup on all levels, including categories 1, 2, and 3 water events. 
• The trucks in our fleet feature advanced equipment and EPA-registered products for cleaning, sanitization, and deodorization. You never have to worry about musty odors or the onset of potentially harmful mold once we are on the job.

Once our crew chief sets the plan into action, our technicians get to work on extraction with truck-mounted and submersible pumps that allow us to handle all of the standing water. For saturated carpeting, we may use rovers or light wands that will enable us to pull moisture from the carpets as well as the padding beneath. Should we see damage beyond repair, we offer replacement with controlled demolition to restore your interior to preloss condition.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City is the team to call when you require fast water extraction on your property. Call us for emergency services at (773) 337-3993, and we will be there as soon as possible to get started.

Click here for more information about Chicago.

Is Ice Damming a Common Cause of Flooding in Chicago?

10/10/2020 (Permalink)

No matter what threats your home faces after a flood disaster, our professionals can respond quickly when you call (773) 337-3993.

Chicago homes and structures can often experience extreme temperature drops that can lead to threatening conditions like ice damming.

Many Chicago properties must prepare for structural damages and unexpected flood damages during the winter months when harsh seasonal conditions exist. Ice is often one of the most troublesome of these winter effects and can impact residences in multiple ways, including freezing and bursting exposed pipes. Much like torrential rainfall, excessive precipitation mixed with the lower temperatures can allow for conditions like ice jams as well that can back up the flow of rivers, creeks, and streams. Natural flooding can result in nearby homes and businesses when these emergencies occur.

Preventing flood damage in Chicago properties and homes can be a considerable challenge. Conditions can change quickly that allow for natural flooding to overtake neighborhoods when streams and water bodies overflow their banks. Likewise, heavy snowfall can test the limitations of aging roofs and joists, allowing for partial collapses that leave attics exposed to precipitation and flooding. Extreme temperature conditions can also lead to situations like ice dams without careful consideration of your roof's state. The presence of these dams could be highly destructive to shingle roofs.

What is Ice Damming?
Homes contend with extreme temperature drops accompanying heavy snowfall. These icy conditions can lead to a dam forming along the edges of a roof under specific circumstances, namely when warm air from the attic, accompanied by poor insulation, warms spots of the roof, and melt present snow.

How Does Water Get Into the Attic?
As the ice forms and spreads back up the roofing materials, it can force itself underneath shingles. Not only can this loosen these portions of the home's exterior, but it also provides direct water access to the underlayment and plywood backing of roof systems. When water absorbs through these materials, it can begin flowing into the basement unabated. While elements of the roof system can become quickly damaged, four main components can become impacted by intruding water:

    •    Shingles
    •    Underlayment Material
    •    Plywood
    •    Joists

How Do You Know When Flooding Occurs?
Flood damage is a considerable threat when left unchecked. You might not notice these concerns immediately but can identify them by changing conditions in floors beneath your attic. Some signals of potential flooding and water damage include:

    •    Leak – A steady drip or damp place on ceiling material can often indicate thorough saturation that results from water penetration on the flooring above in the attic.
    •    Sagging Material – When materials become heavily saturated, especially porous structural elements like sheetrock, they can begin to sag.
    •    Staining – Gradual leaks over long periods can often appear more as staining on white ceiling materials than persistent drips.
    •    Visible Ice – After a heavy snowfall, you might recognize the dam of ice forming on the edges of your roof that can indicate a need for immediate actions.

What Can SERVPRO Do to Resolve the Flooding?
As a leading flood restoration company in the area, our team has multiple tools and practices to make a recovery more efficient and cost-effective. While we have several avenues to address these threats, nearly all attic flooding situations require:

    •    Extraction – Water removal is always one of the foundational elements of flood restoration, and in confined spaces like the attic, need special tools like high-pressure pumps and wet vacuums.
    •    Drying – By using positive pressure systems that can infuse roof system materials with heated, dry air, our team can promote evaporative drying within structural cavities and in the entire attic space.
    •    Repairs – If structural concerns exist with the roof of the house because of ice damming, elements of the roof require replacement to reduce the continued flood threats.

What Can SERVPRO Do About the Damaged Roof?
Eliminating the source of damming is one of the critical ingredients for addressing this situation. Inadequate insulation is often a primary culprit for damming developments. With roof repairs that might be necessary after these flooding situations, we can also ensure that the appropriate insulating materials get installed along with build back. In addition to sufficient insulation for your household, we must also address the dam itself on the roof's edges. While chipping away at the buildup to break it loose is partly an effective strategy to remove ice, chemical deicing and even warm water application can speed up the melting process.

When ice dams exist, there is a small window of time to stop this harmful situation before flooding results. When the attic space becomes impacted by intruding water, our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team can help with efficient and thorough extraction and drying solutions. No matter what threats your home faces after a flood disaster, our professionals can respond quickly when you call (773) 337-3993.

How Do I Pump Water Out of Second or Third-floor Properties in Chicago?

9/27/2020 (Permalink)

Pumping water from the upper level of your home or apartment can be a tough task. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for remediation and mitigation services.

SERVPRO is an Expert in Providing Tailored Water Removal Services for Residents in the Chicago Area.

Can flooding occur on the upper levels of a property?

There can be many causes of having excess amounts of moisture in your Chicago home. If you live in an apartment, duplex, or tenement building, certain damages may even occur through no fault of your own. However, once large amounts of water accumulate in the property, the priority is to remove it quickly. Excess moisture can cause humidity levels to rise, microbial growth, and absorb into materials causing warping or cupping. Typically gas or electric-powered pumping equipment is only effective on standing water above two inches. But this equipment may be limited by their twenty-five-foot hoses when working with properties above ground level. SERVPRO can use portable water extractors capable of removing up to 40 gallons of moisture per tank.

What is a portable water extractor?

• A forty to a sixty-gallon water storage tank
• A vacuum element to draw water into the storage tank
• A heating element to further encourage drying times

Why are water extractors used in wet properties?

A water extractor is a vital tool for professionals dealing with water damage in your Chicago home. These equipment combine many drying techniques into one machine. Hot air-movement encourages evaporation, while negative air pressure can draw moisture directly out of a surface or material. Water extractors are up to 900 times more effective than dehumidifying a wet space. Some extractors are weighted to squeeze moisture from carpets or other soft furnishings. SERVPRO technicians can perform the lion share of extraction using this equipment capable of properties situated on the upper levels.

How is wastewater disposed of?

• Storage tanks may be emptied into an open sewer point
• Certain types of water may require disposal in a specialized waste facility
• Wastewater mains provided by the local council

Removing large amounts of moisture requires specialist equipment. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more information about Chicago.

What Extractors Work Best for Flooded Basements in Chicago?

9/16/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding can be a traumatic situation, so getting our SERVPRO team involved quickly can be beneficial for your property.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding the flooding, there are several extractors ideal for basement flooding in your Chicago home.

Natural flooding happens frequently enough in Chicago, where our large loss recovery team, combining several sister franchises in the area, stays prepared to address these emergencies. Weather can change quickly and fiercely, from freezing conditions that can dam up rivers and streams throughout the metropolitan area to torrential rainfall that can forcefully impact your property.

Knowing the best tools and approaches for flooding in the basement of Chicago homes begins with addressing standing water and pooling. Natural flooding presents an issue with both the several inches or feet of trapped water in the lower level and the possibilities of contaminants, solids, and debris. Removing standing water and this debris requires a combination of powerful extractors, including:

    •    High-Pressure Pumps – If solids are not a chief concern in the flooded basement, the lift available with high-pressure pumps presents the ideal removal rate for a house's subterranean levels. These units are not as efficient when debris is present.
    •    Self-Priming Trash Pumps – Gas-powered submersible pumps in our inventory have a large intake hose that can move smaller debris and solids floating in the water along with the liquid. These and truck-mount pumps are often the most readily used after natural flooding situations.
    •    Wet Vacuums – Any submersible pump is only rated to drop water levels to two inches, meaning that cleaning tools like the wet vacuum must work to remove the rest to allow drying and cleaning to begin.

Can Certain Attachments Help Remove Surface Water?
Wet vacuums often work best with a series of attachments designed to address direct concerns with a property after flooding. From wet and damp muck left behind on the flooring to squeegee wands that remove surface water concerns on tile/concrete flooring, wet vacuum attachments can help to move the restoration process along.

Flooding can be a traumatic situation, so getting our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team involved quickly can be beneficial for your property. Give us a call today at (773) 337-3993.

How Can Freezing Pipes Damage Your Chicago Home?

9/4/2020 (Permalink)

Our certified experts are ready and available to help. Give us a call today (773) 337-3993.

Cold snaps and temperature drops can often have a destructive effect on the plumbing system in your home, including outside hose bibs. 

With both the proximity to the Great Lakes and the persistent winds pushing through the city, Chicago has record-breaking low temperatures during the winter months. As much as many homeowners work to protect their home and its utilities through the proper insulation, this is not always sufficient. In some situations, plumbing can be exposed to the elements without you realizing, such as a mouse that might be removing insulation around the pipe for a nest it is building nearby. You cannot know about these vulnerabilities in your network of water service lines until these extreme lows exist, freezing the liquid inside. 

You often cannot recognize the potential for water damage in your Chicago home before these disasters occur. The pace of water flow from these plumbing breaches is substantial, allowing hundreds of gallons of water to impact the immediate area within minutes. It is vital when these conditions exist that you can focus on relevant, helpful steps such as shutting down the water supply to your home to prevent further damages. It is vital to know where your main shutoff is before a crisis, so you waste little time in protecting the property as best as you can. 

How Do Water Pipes Freeze in Chicago Homes? 

While many homeowners can deduce that freezing conditions and still water in your service lines are enough to cause a problem, there is more to these disastrous events than you might realize. Aging pipes, such as lead service lines, can degrade over decades to become thinner than when installed. These more fragile materials encasing your water supply are now more susceptible to freezing conditions to impact the metal service line and the still water inside. 

There are ways that you can better protect your property and its occupants from these unfortunate circumstances. Knowing what to look for when inspecting your property can help you to identify where more insulation might be necessary or where you could need new plumbing materials altogether. Preventing pipe bursting typically falls into three stages:

• Ensure pipes are appropriately insulated
• Inspect exposed plumbing for damages and wear
• Leave several faucets running a small amount of cold water in deep freeze conditions

What Extraction Strategies Can Help with Standing Water? 

One of the first tasks responding SERVPRO technicians must address after a pipe bursts in the walls of your home, or your basement is removing standing water. Pooling can almost instantly become a concern when hundreds - or even thousands - of gallons of water find the floors of your home. We have multiple extraction tools that can help in these situations to eliminate surface water, so more intricate drying and water removal tactics can begin. The removal of standing water often falls to three extraction units in our inventory: 

• Submersible Pumps
• Carpet Wands
• Wet Vacuums

How Can Drying Be Efficient in Damaged Homes? 

The removal of standing water is only part of the concern, however. While the most pressing damage can occur from pooling and water exposure to elements like the flooring and wall systems, adequate drying is also critical. Many tools must play a role in the drying and restoration of your damaged home, much of which can be within wall systems and structural cavities. Controlled demolition can often provide direct access to damp areas of the house without requiring excessive build-back and reconstruction once mitigation efforts complete. The tools most commonly used in evaporative drying of damaged Chicago homes include: 

• Air Movers
• Desiccant Dehumidifiers
• Floor Drying Mats
• Positive Pressure Systems
• Portable Electric Heaters

Does SERVPRO Perform Repairs? 

Instead of waiting for the available scheduling to line up with third party residential contractors, we have in-house building trade professionals that can help to provide controlled demolition solutions for damaged drywall, wood framing, and insulation. These same experts can seamlessly transition into build back, and reconstruction when mitigation completes and plumbing repairs have allowed for the re-pressurizing of the water utilities in the house. 

Pipe bursts from cold snaps during the harsh winter seasons of the Windy City can be a damaging situation for your house. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team is Faster To Any Size Disaster, and we are ready to mobilize quickly when water damages occur. Give our professionals a call anytime that you need us to make loss incidents "Like it never even happened." We are available 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Why Do I Need Professional Restoration After a Water Leak in My Chicago Office Space?

8/13/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let a water leak take over your Chicago office, let SERVPRO help you.

Water Restoration Companies Limit Secondary Damage – Call SERVPRO to Your Chicago Business for Clean Up

Even if you only notice a small leak from the plumbing in your Chicago office, you need to ensure all moisture gets removed as soon as possible. Failing to locate and dry out all moisture pockets can create hidden damage that becomes costly in a short period. SERVPRO features highly trained water restoration technicians (WRT) that quickly get to the heart of the water damage. From there, we work on drying the office and ensuring relative humidity levels get back to normal.

When you call water restoration companies in Chicago like SERVPRO, you have a broad range of services available to you. This will give you peace of mind knowing that your business will see little or no downtime. You can count on us for:

• Emergency water damage mitigation
• Content management services
• Rapid water removal
• Drying and dehumidification
• Controlled demolition and reconstruction services

Rapid, efficient mitigation is the key to avoiding costly damages and working to preserve as much of the structure of your office space as we can. Waiting too long to have a crew get started can further damage building materials and create the perfect atmosphere for mold and bacterial growth.

Why Should I Choose SERVPRO?

For commercial and residential applications, we feature a Green Fleet of vehicles loaded with the latest tools and equipment. Our staff is comprised of IICRC-certified technicians with all the industry knowledge to ensure your business is back up and running faster than any DIY methods can achieve. 

When you need help from water restoration companies, you can trust that SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City will be there in less than four hours after your initial phone call. We can be reached at (773) 337-3993 for 24/7 emergency water restoration services.

All the Water Seems to Have Drained Away -- Do I Need Water Extraction in My Chicago Home?

8/5/2020 (Permalink)

If you don’t act quickly, water damage in your home can escalate. Contact our experienced SERVPRO team right away.

There Is More to Water Extraction in Chicago Than Meets the Eye, and SERVPRO Has the Training and Tools to Spot the Damaging Trail Water Followed Through Your Home.

This list of events that can lead to a significant water loss is long, and the manifestations of the damage are diverse. Whether because of a plumbing leak, or appliance failure, water spreads and flows unless it is impeded or contained. It seems to disappear while instead finding cracks, crevices, building cavities, and highly permeable and absorbent structural components and contents in which to hide. 

Why Is Locating Hidden Water Inside Your Home Important? 

Because we use it for so many things -- drinking, washing, bathing, sprinkling, cleaning, and more --it is difficult to imagine just how destructive it is to building materials and contents in your Chicago home. Water extraction is critical when significant amounts escape from containment and threaten to damage your house or a broad range of furnishings, household goods, and personal possessions. The timeframe for removal is very short, with substantial harm to standard structural components like drywall, ceiling tiles, insulation, and flooring occurring within minutes to hours. Mold growth traceable to water damage also is a constant worry, taking hold if spores absorb moisture, including the moisture soaked into building materials or hidden spaces. 

What Are the Risks of Trapped and Hidden Water in a Residence?

One of the first things the SERVPRO crew completes when we arrive to help with a water emergency is a safety assessment. Even customers who call for fire damage or mold remediation consultation find we do a water safety assessment immediately.  The water incursions related to many disasters can be a major cause of exposure to risks that could result in substantial injury or even death if not identified and controlled correctly. Excess trapped water can be responsible for:

• Electric shock or electrocution -- wiring threads through the same building cavities in which the water hides 
• Collapse or weakening of structures -- particularly above ceilings and between walls where unseen water collects, the weight and pressure eventually causing materials to break through or crack, crushing contents and potentially injuring anyone beneath or next to a breach
• Deterioration of previously contained hazardous materials such as asbestos heat shields, insulation, or pipe wraps, or lead-painted surfaces
• A build-up of contaminants such as infectious waste or molds if the leaked water was tainted before it percolated into subfloors or wicked into drywall

What Is the Answer to Locating and Eliminating the Trapped Water?

Among the tools in our service vehicles are moisture detectors, moisture meters, and infrared cameras. When we listen to your description of the leak or malfunction, we orient to the general water damaged space and then use the devices to plot out the dimensions of the water-damaged areas. Infrared imaging requires a trained technician’s evaluation of temperature fluctuations to show cache’s of water behind barriers. Moisture detectors use prongs or sensors to sketch the outline of absorbed fluids. Measuring the level of water absorption in various materials verifies the path of the water. It provides data for drying goal setting and implementation after we extract as much water as possible. 

When Professionals Find the Water How Do They Extract It?

Research indicates that thorough water extraction is much more effective than transitioning to drying tactics alone -- 1200 times more effective. Because of the risks to structural integrity and concerns about mold, we take an active approach to removing the water and moisture once detected. Significant barriers make the extraction challenging, but our crews make good use of limited, controlled demolition to access the water and open up wet cavities for successful structural drying. Specific tactics include:

• Prying off baseboards and beadboard paneling to drill or cut holes permitting drainage of water and allow connection of hoses to enhance extraction with suction
• Drilling holes in mortar joints of cinder block, brick, or concrete construction to release water
• Punching weep holes in bulging areas of walls or ceilings to control the release of trapped water
• Sawing flood cuts in drywall between studs several inches above the water collected in wall cavities

The demo techniques used respond well to repair and rebuilding efforts. We can help arrange for that final step.

Water extraction is a core service offered by SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, halting visible and hidden water damage while preparing surfaces and structures for restoration. Call (773) 337-3993 to schedule an assessment even if the water “disappeared” after a leak, spill, or flood. 

The Blaze Started in a Second -- Who Can I Count on to Restore Fire Damage in Chicago Quickly?

7/26/2020 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

Rely on Your Local SERVPRO to Respond Promptly and Manage Chicago Fire Damage Fast

A moment of inattention can throw your Chicago home into chaos, fire flaring after a pot boils dry or bubbles over, or children playing with the fireplace matches set paper ablaze. Even if you bring the fire under control with an extinguisher, the effects can linger and be much harder to resolve than you ever knew possible.

How Are Fire Residues Different Than Other Dirt and Grime?

When structural components and the contents of your Chicago home suffer fire damage, restoration needs professional intervention. Because of the chemical changes occurring during combustion, burned items transform into smoke holding solid incompletely combusted particulates -- soot -- that settle, adhere, and stain surfaces throughout your home. Your HVAC system and superheated air current team up to spread the soiling far from the ignition site, so the entire house needs inspection and treatment.

What Are the Challenges to Removing Soot Residues?

SERVPRO technicians delve deep into scientific theories developed to break the bond between soot and surface during coursework at the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). On-site, they put these theories to the test. Three broad types of soot respond well to the following products and techniques:

    •    Loose, ashy soot (paper and wood fueled)
    •    Brushing
    •    Vacuuming
    •    Dabbing with a dry (chemical) sponge
    •    Foam cleaning

Thick, sticky soot (plastic, rubber, synthetic fabric fueled)
    •    Cleaning products matched for effectiveness through testing
    •    Spray and wipe
    •    Immersion of loose items if durable
    •    Addition of abrasive substances into cleaning solution
    •    Use of abrasive tools -- gently -- to loosen stubborn residues

Protein-based soot (food and grease fueled)
    •    Solvents
    •    Carefully used scraping and abrasive tools
    •    Immersion or ultrasonic cleaning if available

We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, on duty to set things right after a household fire. Contact us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Do I Need Professional Help After A Bathtub Flood?

7/15/2020 (Permalink)

An overflowing bathtub can quickly cause damage in your home. Call SERVPRO today to avoid additional water loss of your property.

DIY Projects Can Be Fun But Cleaning Up After the Bathtub Floods May Need Experts Who Can Find Hidden Water Intrusion in Your Chicago Home.

Whether your bathtub overflowed or something went wrong with the plumbing causing flooding; it’s not the time for a DIY project. Instead, call in the Chicago professionals to make sure there is no hidden damage.

Can an overflowing bathtub do that much damage?

Everything was going fine until you forgot you started running a bath, and the next thing you know, water is pouring out of the tub. There is a least an inch of water on the floor. You think – mopping up should take care of everything. But you may not be able to see the problems that can arise from the situation. Calling in water damage restoration experts in Chicago can help you avoid long term damage and costly repairs.

What Damage Should I Worry About?

Water seeps into the nooks and crannies of the room where there is flooding. You can mop up all the water you can see, but it takes special equipment, like moisture detectors, to see hidden water. If left untreated, it can cause:

• Mold and mildew
• Damage to subflooring
• Ceiling and wall damage if the bathroom is on an upper level
• Warping of wooden cupboards or fixtures in the bathroom

 Why Call a Professional?

Our technicians are certified to provide remediation and water damage restoration in a situation where you may think you have cleaned up all the water. They will use moisture detectors and sensors to search out even the smallest amounts of water. You can trust these professionals to use state-of-the-art equipment to provide restoration and leave your home, “Like it never even happened.”

Our Green Team is available 24/7 to provide the help you need. Don’t attempt a DIY flood cleanup that can cause you a bigger headache in the long run. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337 - 3993 for expert water damage restoration service.

See more about Chicago.

What Can Professional Restorers Do to Protect My Business After a Water Loss?

7/9/2020 (Permalink)

We continually train so that we can effectively remediate the water damage at your business.

Our Professionals Keep Your Chicago Shop Up and Running While Addressing Water Recovery's Pressing Needs 

Running a shop in Chicago can have its fair share of stresses and severe circumstances from one year to the next. You cannot predict or plan for emergencies like water losses that can happen suddenly and spread quickly throughout your building. It is always wise to anticipate the appropriate professionals you need to restore these losses and get you back to running at your full capacity in these circumstances. 

Many look to our SERVPRO team to help address water damage in Chicago's commercial properties, especially the small shops and boutiques that had such a personal and unique flair to our city. Because these circumstances can become devastating, it is advisable to secure professional restoration services as soon as possible. Our professionals work to live up to our motto that We're Faster To Any Size Disaster so that no customer waits longer than they should for our experienced restorative actions. This same fast reaction is vital in protecting your business and its contents/wares from irreparably becoming damaged. 

How Fast Do Professionals Arrive?  

There is no mistaking the benefit of a fast response when a professional restoration is necessary. Our technicians work to provide an unrivaled response during an emergency, so vital efforts like mitigation and emergency services can begin within your initial call hours. Several strategies are always in place to help our experience technicians mobilize once we get notified of an active water damage disaster. Some of the strategies to quickly dispatch our experienced professionals include: 

• READY Trailers – Ready trailers are a strategy that has proven effective for the many years that we have been serving the city. Because water losses are a typical call out for our professionals, we keep production vehicles stocked with the appropriate tools and equipment necessary for drying, extraction, and other restorative actions. 

• 24/7 Availability – Disasters do not wait for a convenient time to strike, so we remain prepared for whatever might occur. With most of our professionals accredited with water restoration certifications, we have experienced professionals who can quickly reach your shop when you need it. 

• Trained Roster of Water Restorers – This training and education serve to provide confident and reliable responses to commercial customers.  

What Can Be Done to Prevent Closures? 

We understand that if possible, you want your Chicago business to remain open despite the water damage restoration that must occur. In some situations, this is not impossible. With the right response happening quickly, we can often establish the appropriate containment and other protocols that prevent customers from encountering restoration as that occurs and eliminates cross-contamination with other areas of your shop unaffected by the water damage. Much like emergency services that seek to reduce the severity of the loss that your shop experiences, our actions keep your business open despite its water loss. Some of these include: 

• Containment – Containment can often Mean several different approaches, depending on the situation. In most of these situations where water loss is spreading through your building's main shop area, we can build a framework with plastic sheeting that establishes set drying zones to make restoration more efficient and prevent foot traffic through the work area. 

• Content Management – The protection of your wares is also essential whenever our professionals first arrived at the water-damaged building. The stock in your store is your profit and investment, so content management seeks to reduce irreparable damage to these items with on-site cleaning and recovery solutions. 

• Working with Customer – We do not know your business as you do. We often refer to the priorities you create to restore and recover your shop after a water loss period. We focus on the areas you deem to matter most to exceed your expectations with the restoration services we provide. 

How Can Water Loss Get Dried Up in Containment Zones?  

While the circumstances might change from one site to the next, drying is necessary for every water loss. Through the use of multiple tools working together, we can work to regulate the three primary elements of drying science: 

• Temperature
• Humidity
• Airflow 

We have restoration technicians and commercial contractors that can help from content management to complete repairs and build back. Give our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team a call anytime that you need us at (773) 337-3993.

My Ceiling In My Chicago Home Looks Water Damaged – What Do I Need To Do?

6/28/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is committed to restoring your home to its original status.

SERVPRO Can Fix Water Damaged Ceilings in Chicago and Prevent Further Problems

Anytime you have water problems, you need immediate mitigation. Water damage to a ceiling can cause quite a few problems. We repair and restore ceilings in Chicago and leave them “Like it never even happened.”

What are the signs of a damaged ceiling?

We specialize in water removal in Chicago and can help restore your ceiling and any other damaged areas. There are specific things you can look for if you think your ceiling requires repair from water intrusion.

    •    Discoloration
    •    Condensation around ceiling lights
    •    Soft spots from wet material
    •    Drip marks near the top of walls
    •    Bubbling on the surface area
    •    Warping of tiles or surface

Ceiling Repair & Restoration

Finding the source of the water loss is key to taking care of the problem. If the source of the leak is in the home, we fix that first. If the water loss comes from a roof leak, our team can repair or tarp, minor damage. Significant roof repairs will need to be handled right away by a qualified roofer. Contact your insurance company immediately if this is the case. If light fixtures or other electrical devices were exposed to the moisture, turn off the electricity before doing anything else. Next, we move onto repairing your ceiling. This includes:

    •    Moisture testing
    •    Water removal – portable pumps are often used
    •    Drying with air movers and dehumidifiers
    •    Clean and sanitize
    •    Replacing tiles or panels as needed
    •    Repainting if needed

If you have ceiling tiles, it can be cheaper to replace the tiles rather than restore them. Removing water stains from certain types of ceiling material is not always possible.

SERVPRO is committed to restoring your home to its original status. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for quality water removal service that is Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Should I Prepare for Fire Damage Restoration in My Chicago Business?

6/17/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPROs ERP mobile app makes it easier to deal with fire and any other restoration needed to be done to your Chicago business.

SERVPRO Urges Chicago Business Owners to Partner with Us, Collaborating on an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) to Streamline Fire Restoration

It is often said that you should not borrow trouble, but as a Chicago business owner, you cannot afford to fail to get resources lined up in case a fire or other disaster occurs. Although many of the issues we see among fire scenes in commercial properties share commonalities, we know we can deliver the best results if we have in-depth knowledge of your physical layout and business operation details.

How Do I Set Up an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) for Fire Restoration in My Business?

Contact SERVPRO at your earliest convenience to invite experienced project managers to learn more about your building and your business. We walk through your property, taking pictures and making notes about the basic blueprint, including the location of utility lines and shutoffs, recesses where damaging contaminated water and residues could collect after a fire in your Chicago business. We explain in detail how we would likely manage fire restoration in your space. A unique feature of our assessment is the set of recommendations we generate after the walk-through, listing adaptations, maintenance, and repairs to lessen the chance of a disaster and minimize the effects if one does occur.

How Can I Help SERVPRO Get the Information Needed to Restore My Business After a Fire?

Take the time to use the ERP mobile app to fill in details about your operations. Any data you provide makes the concise, digital document we create as a team more personalized and relevant to your circumstances. Listing the vendors and contractors who helped shape your systems and installed your equipment gives us an excellent reference during the restoration phase. Our build back services set us apart. Your full disclosure allows us to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Join forces with SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to give yourself peace of mind with a response plan crafted together with seasoned disaster restoration professionals. Call  (773) 337-3993 to schedule an assessment with one of our ERP specialists.

How Can I Fix a Leaking Shower in Chicago?

6/7/2020 (Permalink)

Shower leaks can cause extensive damage behind walls. Make sure to call team SERVPRO to help when you suspect water damage in your bathroom.

Shower Leaks Can Lead to Water Damage Without Professional Restoration. Arrange a SERVPRO Callout Within Four Hours of Notification of Loss to Return your Home to its Original Condition.

Why do showers only leak sometimes?

Overtime fittings and attachments in your shower may have intermittent blockages. These blockages may include caulking of the valves, resulting in water dripping off the shower and running down the walls. If the tiling or shower itself is wearing away, water may get inside baseboards or through cracks in sealant. Once behind a wall, moisture can trickle down into the lower floor and appear as discoloration or cracking on the ceiling below. Intermittent leaking can still cause significant harm to your property, so it is vital to use a professional Chicago restoration company to inspect, assess, and repair the damages.

Can I claim shower leaks on my home insurance?

Insurance policies can differ from resident to resident. However, most home insurance covers the resulting damages of a shower leak but does not cover the shower or plumbing. To prevent water issues from getting out of control, you need to first fix the source of the Chicago water damage, in this case, by inspecting or retiling areas of the shower. Afterward, you may need to enlist the help of a restorer to reverse the damages that were a result of your leaking shower. SERVPRO water restoration technicians are expected at wet room restoration and have experience in drying out ceilings as well as floor cavities.

How can I dry floor cavities beneath my shower room?

Drying mats can help to draw moisture out of seemingly impermeable flooring like tiles. These mats cover a large surface area, and we place them directly onto the floor tiles. Each mat has capillaries for water to absorb into and a centrifugal engine that applies negative air pressure across the mats. While not primarily designed for removing water in Chicago, they are exceptionally effective at drawing water out of a surface where it can evaporate freely. For small quantities of moisture, drying mats are an effective, non-invasive measure that SERVPRO uses.

However, not all shower rooms are suitable for drying mats. In some cases, we may need to access the subfloor by pulling up floorboards or carpet in the adjacent hallway. While not having direct access to the damp spot can make drying a challenge, using an adapted air-mover to circulate into the cavities is most effective. The ceiling below can sometimes benefit from inner cavity heating as well, although it is likely that paintwork must be repainted using a water-resistant primer.

What materials can waterproof my shower room?

• Tiles along with a water-resistant sealing to prevent moisture escaping through cracks
• Greenboard drywall is water-resistant although may become damaged with large amounts of water
• Vapor barriers can help to prevent most of the moisture from reaching green board or underfloor
• Moisture resistant paints are useful on the underside ceiling as well as between wall and shower

Does shower leakage cause secondary issues?

Water intrusion in any amount is a bad thing. If water leaks from your shower, over time, you may notice swelling on the ceiling below. Equally, the frame keeping your floors together may become wet. It is unlikely that damp frames are at risk of collapse from water exposure alone. However, it can make the frame susceptible to dry rot or microbial growth, which, for years, can weaken the floor, produce unpleasant odors and discolor paintwork or eat away at waterproofing measures. SERVPRO technicians may probe the framework in your floors using a moisture meter to understand how much water the frame has absorbed. We may need to place dehumidifiers into the cavity to help draw out and dry the affected area.

What steps do I need to take to dry out floor cavities?

• Gain access to the floor cavity by removing floorboards. If in a tiled room, floorboards in the adjacent hallway
• Use a moisture meter and thermal hygrometer to assess the moisture content and the relative humidity in the affected area.
• Fit air-moving equipment with a flex hose or duct it onto the access point to circulate warm air into the cavity.
• Once appropriately dry, place dehumidification equipment into the cavity to remove residual moisture further.

How long does it take to restore a leaking shower?

Shower leakage usually involves smaller amounts of water than with other plumbing issues. However, these slow leaks can be more challenging to restore. Our average turnaround time is around five days using equipment that may run overnight to dry cavities effectively. During that time, SERVPRO technicians return regularly to assess the impact of the drying method and can adapt designs to suit specific needs daily.

Taking a proactive approach to slow leaks in your home can mitigate expensive damages. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 now. 

How Can I Rid My Chicago Apartment of Fire Damage?

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

Never wait if your home is fire damaged. Speak with SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City by calling (773) 337-3993.

SERVPRO of Chicago Is Here to Help Your with Your Fire Damage Restoration Needs

Fire damage could happen to your Chicago home at any time. A candle left unforgotten could turn into a blaze, or cooking could get out of hand and start a grease-fire. Fortunately, for when accidents happen, help is always close at hand.

If your Chicago home suffers fire damage, you should call for help as soon as possible. Here at SERVPRO, we prioritize getting to your house as fast as possible to provide you with efficient and professional restoration services. No matter the time of day, or the day of the week, we're open and ready to help you.

What Can SERVPRO Do About the Fire Damage?

We believe in erasing the damage inside of your home as thoroughly as possible. When it comes to fire, we can:
    •    Address smoke damage and remove malodors with advanced equipment
    •    Clean up soot-stains with home made cleaning agents
    •    Remove anything beyond remediation and demolish any damaged structures

When we leave your home, we want you to feel as if the damage never happened. Here at SERVPRO, we aim to address all aspects of fire damage, so you can live your life, “Like it never even happened.”

What Advanced Technological Devices Can SERVPRO Use For Fire Damage Restoration?

While addressing the physical signs of fire damage, our fire and smoke damage technicians can use:
    •    Hydroxyl generators
    •    Thermal foggers
    •    Sealing paints

Removing greasy soot stains can be challenging, but our technicians are very capable. We can remove stains from your home with some chemical knowledge, elbow grease, and the right cleaning agent. Furthermore, should your home need any demolition, our technicians can put you in contact with a reputable contractor for rebuilding.

Never wait if your home is fire damaged. Speak with SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City by calling (773) 337-3993. Our skilled technicians are always ready to help you.

Can I Treat Contamination and Mold After Flooding in My Chicago Home?

5/18/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has your home covered when it comes to storm damage.

Flood Damage Addressed by Our Professionals at SERVPRO Ensures Your Chicago Home is Fully Restored

After flood water recedes, it is reasonable to want to get back to your routine as quickly as possible. To make sure your interior is safe and that mold does not set in, calling in the help of trained water restoration technicians (WRT) is the best bet. With one phone call, we deploy a crew of our IICRC-certified SERVPRO technicians to get started in as little as four hours.

What Happens When You Arrive?

We provide you with a full inspection and assessment of your flood damage in Chicago so that we can put the best plan into action. It is important to act carefully and quickly when flood water is involved as it poses a potential threat to your health as well as structural damage if it sits for too long.

Flood water is known to contain a variety of contaminated elements, including:

•   Bio-hazards
•   Chemicals
•   Fecal Waste
•   Fuel, and more

We show up on site with all of the necessary equipment to remove water from your home, including truck-mounted extraction tools that allow us to pull up water rapidly along with any debris in the water. Our team always wears the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), which includes foot coverings to ensure unaffected zones within your house remain protected. 

Following water removal, we then use moisture detection tools like thermal imaging cameras and moisture sensors to locate any hidden pockets where water may have migrated. Depending on the condition of your interior, we may be able to perform flood cuts to remove damaged drywall. However, carpeting saturated in contaminated flood water is almost always removed and replaced.

We know how important it is to restore your home to preloss condition, which is why it is best to call us at SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City. You can reach us at (773) 337-3993 to deploy a team for flood damage assessment.

To find out more about Chicago, click here.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned – a defensive cleaning program

5/18/2020 (Permalink)

Our defensive cleaning program gives your business a way forward by providing your employees and customers ongoing safety and assuredness.

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open in Chicago, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.

3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify

When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
• Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials.  In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned,but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City today at (773) 337-3993 for your Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation.

* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means professionally trained SERVPRO franchises perform the requested cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection services according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry and CDC standards with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience.  Each SERVPRO franchise is independently owned and operated.

What is a Common Indicator of Water Damage in Chicago Homes?

5/17/2020 (Permalink)

We know that Chicago homeowners work hard in maintaining their homes, but water damage can ruin many of their efforts.

Peeling Paint Often Indicates Chicago Water Damage

A new coat of paint can make any room feel livelier and fresh again. Preparing the walls in your Chicago home before beginning is a crucial part of any painting project. Finding areas where the paint is flaking away can tell you that underlying problems are likely to exist.

We know that homeowners work hard in maintaining their homes, but Chicago water damage can ruin many of their efforts. SERVPRO's specialists are friendly professionals who understand that the state of your home is a serious concern to you. When the place you rest your head needs help, you want to make sure that it receives the best possible assistance available. This is the reason we work very hard to gain experience in all types of situations that a home might encounter. Our dedication to you is also part of why we earn our many different certificates from the IICRC.

If you find peeling or flaking paint during your preparation efforts, water damage is a possible cause. Even if no drips or stains exist, high humidity can create problems when it condenses on walls and ceilings. Absorbing into the underlying drywall or plaster can break down the seal between that material and the paint. Simply painting over the area is not able to efficiently remove the moisture and future problems become more likely to occur.

We use sensors that detect moisture in both the air and in hard, semi-porous surfaces. Once found, we eliminate that moisture using the most efficient methods. Some of the methods used require straightforward and well-known machines such as dehumidifiers, while others are combinations of heated mats that also serve as large suction cups designed for extracting moist air and send it to a tank where the water remains trapped.

However, sometimes our sensors detect ongoing situations in which water is steadily, although incredibly slowly, entering your property through cracks in basement walls or drips in your plumbing lines. We work with homeowners to eliminate these sources and then help ensure that future damage from water does not happen.

Call us, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, when you have concerns regarding water damage inside your home. We answer our phones 24/7, so giving us a call at (773) 337-3993 puts you in contact with our team. SERVPRO makes it “Like it never even happened.”

More about Chicago.

What are some tips for my closed, but soon to open business in Marquette?

5/15/2020 (Permalink)

When you feel like germs are everywhere and you can't keep up, SERVPRO is here to help.

Cleaning Tips for Locations that are Open in Marquette Park 

The CDC website, as well as numerous DIY articles and how-to blogs, offer good advice about how you can clean and disinfect your own environment. These are correct and helpful suggestions. However, if you have an essential business that has remained open, perhaps it’s time to step up your level of protective cleaning. Companies everywhere are looking to do this to build their employee and customer confidence in the level of cleanliness (and safety) of their facilities.

Cleaning Ideas for Locations that are Closed in Marquette Park 

For businesses that have been closed, there will come a time when they reopen. Before facilities re-open, they will need to be cleaned and made ready for employees and customers to return. In addition to cleaning and disinfecting, being closed or open for limited hours is an opportunity to do carpet cleaning, HVAC cleaning, and other projects that will help contribute to the overall sense of well-being of your employees and customers. As professionals, we perform these services, and we do it faster and better than your in-house.

SERVPRO trained technicians have years of experience and certifications in general cleaning and for handling all types of biological remediation, including disinfection against MRSA and SARS, trauma scene cleaning, sewer backups, and mold. We are also better equipped with powerful, industrial-strength machinery, designed to handle jobs of any size. We know how to handle this virus cleaning and we have the resources to do it right, including:

• Knowledge of CDC guidelines and OSHA requirements
• Profession equipment to the job right
• Advanced Hospital-Grade cleaning products
• Flexible work hours 
• Human-power to get it done
• Cost-effective strategies
• Consultation and advice

Cleaning offices with a spray bottle doesn’t cut it. We are available for consultation to develop a plan that is best for you and your facility. Trust our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team, call us at (773) 337-3993.

To find out more about Marquette, click here. 

Disclaimer: Advice from the medical and scientific community regarding how to deal with the coronavirus is based on present knowledge, which is subject to change as the situation continues to develop. There can be no assurance that disinfectants alone will be adequate to fully eliminate the virus. We are not physicians or infectious disease professionals. Consult your medical professionals for individual medical advice.

Why Smoke Is So Difficult to Remove In Fire Damaged Chicago Properties?

5/14/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke may seem like a relatively benign effect of fire damage, but in reality, it is one of the most challenging and troublesome factors.

SERVPRO Gives Smoke Removal Tips for Chicago Homeowners

Smoke may seem like a relatively benign effect of fire damage, but in reality, it is one of the most challenging and troublesome factors. Smoke is virtually impossible to remove with conventional means, necessitating the kind of specialty equipment carried by SERVPRO or other restoration companies. However, why is smoke so difficult to remove? Why won't a simple cleaning and air freshening job solve the problem? Here's a bit of insight into the science behind it.

Almost all cases of Chicago fire damage produces smoke, since smoke is one of fire's natural products, along with ash and certain gasses that can vary in composition depending on the nature of the fire. Smoke similarly varies in composition, being heavily affected in form and nature by what was burning, how long it burned, and what its moisture content was during the fire. Some types of smoke may be very easy to clean and require virtually no deodorization, but this is rare. More commonly, your home may encounter darker, wetter types of smoke that are much harder to remove.

These types of smoke produce enormous quantities of tiny smoke and soot particles that can sink into materials and embed themselves well beyond the reach of common cleaning products. Even high-powered washers and scrubbers used by SERVPRO technicians usually can't touch smoke that has seeped into a home's structure. However, our powerful deodorizing foggers accomplish the task well, saturating an area with a fog similar in composition to the targeted smoke particles. Depending on the type of smoke, particles in this fog should nullify or replace smoke throughout the area, removing any smell or sign of damage permanently.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is a local franchise of a national company with the training and equipment to handle smoke and fire restorations of any size. Call us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

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How do Professionals Remediate Flood Damage in Chicago?

5/11/2020 (Permalink)

Partner with SERVPRO for skilled remediation and restoration efforts after a big storm.

SERVPRO Details how Professionals Remove Water and DryStructures After Water Loss Events

Although Chicago as a city has put in place several measures to curb flood damage, it is hard to know what to expect when the heavy rains come around. Being the Windy City--The Hawk, a tree in your compound can be blown away, and in the process expose your property to rainstorms. If that property is your house, then flooding is more than expected.
 
Residents of Chicago have choices to make at the end of a flood damage incident. The most recommended choice is letting a service provider like SERVPRO to restore the affected property. Remember at this point we are talking about your property that is soaked with flood water and needs the right air moving equipment to enhance evaporation and quicken the drying time. Below, we highlight some of the air moving tools that our certified professionals use to restore your property.
 
Restorers use clamps that come with some air movers to hold your carpets into position so that air can be blown under them. They also have a special feature which makes it possible for the experts to attach snouts at their end. By doing that, dry air reaches the wall cavities which are normally located under the cabinets. The air forced by these devices is high velocity so that the rate of evaporation is increased.
 
SERVPRO technicians can also use ventilating or drying systems to direct air into wall cavities. The working of these systems is similar to that of air movers, and it is typical to see tiny holes drilled in the walls or beneath your cabinets to blow air into them. Larger volumes of air are also moved by the use of venting fans or axial fans.
 
When your property is dry and its moisture levels have been checked for the last time, SERVPRO experts choose the most appropriate cleaning method based on the restored material. If we are talking about a soiled carpet, then the soil level determines the cleaning process. All in all, homeowners are encouraged to seek professional water restoration services as opposed to working on their own.

Flooding can Lead to Mold Damage in Chicago

Leaving excess moisture inside of your home can lead to further complications, such as mold damage. The piping behind your bathroom sink has been subtly leaking for a long time and that time has given the moisture plenty of room to feed mold spores. While you may not begin to see the mold colony forming for a while, one of the earlier signs that you can detect is a musty odor. If you catch a musty scent repeatedly in your small bathroom, it is enough of a suspicion to reach out for professional help.
 
When it comes to ridding your Chicago home of the mold damage inside, it is best to call for help as soon as possible. Mold is responsible for organic material breaking down and decaying. Over time, mold can have a significantly negative impact on the structure of your home.
 
When you want to hire a restoration company that offers swift 24-hour service, as well as highly-trained and friendly technicians, SERVPRO is the answer. Our technicians are IICRC-certified and use advanced trade technology made to combat the mold damages inside of your home. Our top priorities are to arrive at your home quickly and to get the job done well.
 
After a brief investigation, SERVPRO can set up plastic sheeting to block off the entrance to your bathroom, as well as any vents, to ensure that the mold spores do not spread when disturbed. Once properly quarantined, our technicians can set up air scrubbers equipped with HEPA filters, to capture mold spores in the air as we remediate the damage.
 
SERVPRO can make cuts in the wall to get to the mold damage in the structure around the piping behind the sink. If the mold has become particularly invasive to the wooden structure, we can remove it. If it hasn't, we can merely wipe away the mold and then use an antifungal agent to ensure that regrowth doesn't occur. Once we're finished, SERVPRO can put you in contact with a reputable contractor who can rebuild the section of your bathroom that we had to remove.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is here to provide you with flood damage restoration services when you need them most. Contact us at (773) 337-3993 to learn more about your options.

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Is a Pack-Out of My Belongings a Smart Game Plan During Water Loss Recovery in Chicago?

5/9/2020 (Permalink)

Call (773) 337-3993 day or night for compassionate professional advice.

Our Contents Tracking System Is Why SERVPRO Can Keep Your Personal Property Secure if Move-Out and Move-Back Is Part of the Restoration Plan in Chicago

When a water emergency occurs at home, damage to both its structure and your contents is probable. The worry you experience about wet furnishings, household goods, and personal possessions are both practical and emotional, each of which we consider carefully while assessing the comprehensive needs for mitigation and remediation at your residence. We have many contents restoration resources to offer both on-site and at our production facility, why our team is considered an industry leader.

How Does the Water Soak into the Contents of My Home?
Water damage in your Chicago home often results from plumbing leaks, appliance breakdowns, and spills. Once the water is unrestrained by pipes, hoses, and basins, it spreads everywhere. Significant quantities of water can flow out of a supply pipe overnight or while you are away, greeting you with wet floors, walls, cabinets, carpeting, and furniture. If a ceiling holds water, it can collapse, soaking spaces beneath and their contents with hundreds of gallons of fluids. Water wicks up cardboard storage boxes, leaks down walls into closets, sprays from cracked hoses, and more, affecting contents throughout your abode.

Why Do We Recommend a Pack-Out After Water Damage?
Two primary concerns arise when the contents of your home receive substantial water saturation. Balancing these concerns can lead us to suggest at least a partial move-out of furnishings and other possessions. Our ability to transport household and personal goods and furnishings to our production facility for processing is one reason why SERVPRO reaches consistently successful outcomes.

Concern Number One: Contents Have Unique Cleaning and Drying Requirements
How do you dry papers, photos, and books?
Freeze-drying allows the water to be removed from fragile papers through a process called sublimation, which transitions absorbed water directly to a vaporous state, and out of the materials, rather than passing again through the damaging liquid state.

How do you dry upholstered furniture?
Creating small contained drying areas within our facility permits us to control temperature and air movement to accelerate the evaporation of absorbed water. Our technicians monitor carefully to ensure overdrying, which can crack wooden frames.

How do you manage wet textiles and soft items?
Evaluation of clothing, linens, window coverings, bedding, and removable rugs includes:

    •    Determining the fiber content and any special care needs.
    •    Pretesting for shrinkage, durability, and colorfastness.
    •    Running soft items and fabrics through appropriate washing/cleaning equipment.
    •    Selecting a successful drying method.

How do you clean and dry loose items?
Our production facility has immersion and ultrasonic cleaning tanks to facilitate the removal of any residues and debris, soiling washable, solid articles. We then employ our knowledge of drying techniques to ensure the items are ready to be cataloged and stored in our climate-controlled warehouse.

Concern Number Two: Extraction and Drying of Your Home Is Streamlined When Contents Are Packed-Out

Our team of Water Damage Restoration Technicians (WRT) and Applied Structural Drying (ASD) certified experts can complete the extraction of water, moisture testing, and structural drying more efficiently when a pack-out “clears the decks.” Benefits of a pack-out include:

    •    Elimination of staining floors and carpets with varnishes, inks, or paint from wet contents.
    •    An overall reduction in interior humidity as water-soaked items are moved out of the space, reducing drying times.
    •    No need for our crew members to continually move heavy furniture and boxes from room to room, saving time and effort.
    •    Technicians have room for equipment and can systematically approach extraction and drying.

Can You Explain How My Belongings Are Tracked During a Pack-Put?
In the chaos after a water emergency, we realize you have concerns about permitting the bulk of your possession to be packed up and moved by our crews. Best practices require that the restoration company maintains a well-articulated inventory and security system. Our commitment to handling your possessions correctly is why SERVPRO utilizes our Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS). We list, memorialize, and document the movement of every item from the original packing; through assessment, cleaning, drying, and storing; and on until the pack-back after your home is cleaned, dried, and ready to receive the items. Inventorying steps include:

    •    Creating written lists
    •    Using barcoding
    •    Taking digital photos

The documentation we develop using CCIS allows us to provide accurate information to your insurance carrier for any claims made. Our skills in contents restoration result in many items you might have discarded instead transformed to preloss function and appearance.

Reliable security protocols and world-class cleaning, drying, and restoration options are why SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is sought after for contents management after a residential water disaster. Call (773) 337-3993 day or night for compassionate professional advice.

For more about Chicago click here.

What Should You do When you Encounter Water Damage in Chicago Schools?

5/8/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Works Hard to Keep Chicago Area Schools Open after a Water Loss

Municipal Water Losses in the Chicago Area? SERVPRO Provides Cleanup and Recovery

When you are responsible for the upkeep of any of the Chicago area schools, you have to become prepared for whatever incident could occur. While many of the situations that you face can get rectified by the custodial staff that the institution employs, it is critical to understand when a situation is out of the wheelhouse and abilities of this limited staff. Water loss incidents can cause a great deal of damage initially, not to mention, continue to cause lingering effects to the facility if they do not get correctly restored.

One of the things that you need to keep in mind when determining your need for water removal services for your Chicago school is the severity of the situation. What you might not know, is that water damage can spread far from the source of the problem and into areas that you cannot readily see. The longer it takes to address the problem, the worse it continues to become. It is why our commitment to the clients we serve is the slogan used every day that We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. We partner with many regional and local municipalities to grapple with water loss to structures.

One of the things that you have to consider about the facility itself is the students and families affected by a disaster like this if the school has to get canceled for the problem to get resolved. Our efforts might limit or eliminate the amount of time that this has to happen altogether, working around students and staff to continue restoration work while educational efforts continue.

Another factor that you might want to consider is the contents of the affected rooms. With many wooden shelving units and drywall used in the construction of your school, these materials are very susceptible to oversaturation and failure. Our SERVPRO technicians have the expertise to assess the stability of these materials and determine if they can get restored or if they require replacement.

Requiring water removal services for your school is something that no superintendent wants to have to experience, but unfortunately, this is something that you should have a plan in place to handle. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team of experienced technicians can respond quickly and help to limit the time that your facility has to close its doors for restoration. Give us a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

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Why is Professional Remediation Necessary for Storm Damage in Chicago?

5/5/2020 (Permalink)

Stop Worrying About Flood Damage in Chicago, Call SERVPRO for Water Removal and Restoration

SERVPRO Provides Skilled Technicians and Equipment to Combat Devastating Storm Events in Chicago

Floods can happen almost anywhere, anytime regardless of where you live. You should never make the mistake of thinking your Chicago area home is immune to flood damage. Thunderstorms, tropical storms, hurricanes, excessive rain, and snow can all cause flooding in your home. However, flooding can also occur due to dam failures, paving issues, improper drainage, and even clogged sewage. Take your pick.

Circumstances change on a minute to minute basis when dealing with this type of event which makes preparation and readiness your most beneficial tools. Flood damage in your Chicago home can take many forms including, structural instability, electrical hazards, unsanitary conditions, and health issues many of which you can avoid, given the proper tools.
 
Your home, vehicles, equipment, and personal belongings can all take severe damage from just a few inches of water. The IICRC-industry certified technicians from SERVPRO have access to all equipment, personnel, and resources necessary to help limit any losses you might experience, even in the most drastic situations. You can count on our technicians to be there 24 hours a day, every day, whenever needed.

The entire team at your local SERVPRO has experience and training in utilizing advanced water extraction units, submersible pumps, hygrometers, and moisture detectors that help make your restoration process as quick and efficient as possible. Our technicians take responsibility for providing you with the quality, efficient, and detailed services that you can count to return your home to a quality condition you and your family can enjoy, "Like it never even happened."

At SERVPRO, we want to be your answer for environmental and emergency situations that may occur on your property. We can offer everything from water extraction, professional drying, to cleaning and sanitizing treatments. Our odor removal and contents restoration help get things back to normal quickly and help you save many items you thought lost forever.
 
Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City anytime day or night for access to highly-trained professionals who care about members of their local community and enjoy providing expert restoration services to every single customer. (773) 337-3993

What to do in Chicago? Just click here.

How Do Professionals Restore Differing Stages of Fire Damage in Chicago?

5/2/2020 (Permalink)

Our expert technicians are available for emergency services 24/7 and can be at your home in hours after you call.

SERVPRO Explains the Various Levels of Fire Damage in Chicago

Fire damage can be a horrendous situation. Just imagine all your belongings are gone or turned to dust. The most dangerous part about a fire is if your loved one is still in the house. However, if everyone can get out safely, then we can breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, dealing with the aftermath of fire damage can be quite stressful. This problem is mainly because different levels of fire damage can change the way we repaired or manage the situation.

Fire damage in Chicago has various levels. Minor fire damage is basically a light smoke residual that flows across the room. The restoration process involved dry cleaning or wet cleaning the ceiling and floor. This level of damage does not require a lot of repair or replacement. The medium fire damage level contains a moderate smoke residual level that requires wet cleaning to remove the residual. This is where the amount of re-painting and repairing can increase. The floors might need to be refinished, and you might have to replace the cabinet or drywall. The smoke odors are noticeable so you might have to deodorize. The major fire damage level is very severe. This situation is where structural framing and finishing can require extensive repair. The smoke residuals are distributed throughout a large portion of the residential establishment. This level requires an emergency service to assist in the replacement and repair. Restoration can involve cleaning, restoring, repairing, and replacing any structure or items in the house. In this level of damage, you might need to call in the professionals.

SERVPRO technicians are expert at fire damage restoration. They can begin the mitigation process to secure the structure and to prevent further damage. This process would include boarding up openings, winterizing the plumbing system, and providing a temporary source of electricity. They can help clean any fire damage structure to remove smoke residuals. They can also provide content cleaning within the office, residential, and other building. A full reconstruction is usually required for extensive damage, and the SERVPRO technicians are experienced in all aspects of the repair and replacement from fire damage.

Methods for Cleaning and Deodorizing After Fire Damage To Your Chicago Home

Chimney fires account for a portion of the fire damage losses in the United States every year which damages include smoke and soot damage. The blazes can be attributed from usually one of two causes. The first is a build-up of creosote, a highly combustible oil that is distilled from coal tar and coats commercially sold wood as a preservative. The residue of burning logs can block a chimney leading to a flash fire. Regular chimney maintenance avoids this happening. The second common reason is the homeowner failing to use a fireplace screen and a spark igniting carpeting or furnishings.

When SERVPRO responded to a call to mitigate the loss after a Chicago living room fire, we used a multi-layered approach to address all aspects of the damage left by the fire. Technicians inspected the home to determine how much of the house was affected by the fire, water to put out the fire and deodorization needs. Containment around the living room was used, and the HVAC system turned off to stop the spread of the odor around the home.

Technicians remove items that cannot be restored and choose the best cleaning method based on the type of smoke residue as well as the construction materials of items, special dry sponges with specially formulated solutions to combat soot and smoke are one of our effective methods used.

The odor left behind by a home fire penetrates porous objects, furnishings, and building materials. Hydroxyl generators work by neutralizing harmful gases, odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments. This method also eliminates bacteria, mildew, and mold. Thermal fogging is another deodorization method employed by SERVPRO. This restoration method uses the same principle to penetrate areas of the room as the smoke did, eliminating odors left behind by the fire.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City knows restoration of fire damage to your home needs to start as quickly as possible to avoid additional damage. Our expert technicians are available for emergency services 24/7 and can be at your home in hours after you call (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more about Chicago.

How Does Mold in Chicago Homes Affect Air Quality?

4/29/2020 (Permalink)

You should take care of microbial growth as soon as you discover it by trusting our applied microbial remediation technicians.

SERVPRO Addresses Mold Damage in Your Chicago Homes

Air quality can become a concern for your Chicago residence following disasters. From fires to floods, the quality of the breathable air throughout the environment can become compromised, requiring specialized equipment to restore. With the potential health effects associated with threats like mold growth in your home, taking care of these airborne contaminants and active mold spores should happen as quickly as possible.

The discovery of mold damage in your Chicago residence often spurs many homeowners into action to attempt to remove the problem themselves. With the inability for conventional cleaning methods to penetrate deeply enough to remove an entire mold colony successfully, homeowners scratch at the surface of the problem that exists. You need to have a team of trusted professionals with the right training and equipment to resolve the situation.

Our SERVPRO professionals undergo rigorous training to receive their initial certifications for mold remediation from the industry standard-setting IICRC. Even beyond their on-site experience and their certification for remediation work, our technicians have the opportunities to continue their training through e-learning settings and in-house seminars and coursework to improve their abilities to mitigate properties and to learn about the modern techniques to remove mold and restore the damage it causes to your property more efficiently.

The equipment that our SERVPRO franchise uses is updated and maintained regularly to continue to be the leading advanced technology capable of fast removal and restoration. When mold damage affects your property, restoring and remediating begin with the removal of moisture from the affected area to prevent the situation from persisting. Our air movers and dehumidifiers work collectively to force moisture into the air and remove it from the premises.

Mold damage can adversely affect both your property and those that live in it. You should take care of microbial growth as soon as you discover it by trusting our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City applied microbial remediation technicians to remove it and restore the damage it has caused. Give our emergency response team a call 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more about Chicago.

The Benefits Of Fast Fire Debris Removal In Chicago

4/27/2020 (Permalink)

Give our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City rapid response team a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

Advantages of Beginning Fire Debris Removal Fast in Chicago Homes

After a considerable structure fire happens in Chicago homes, you might not be able to look at the ruins of your house and see it ever looking the way that it used to again. Because of the fast response and the training made available to our Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) in our SERVPRO team, we can offer practical solutions for your property beginning as soon as we first arrive.

Structure fires can destroy construction materials and contents in its path, leaving a desperate need for fire and debris removal in Chicago homes. While you must wait until the property gets turned back over to you after extinguishment completes, it might not always be in your best interest to rush inside. Your insurance provider has likely already gotten involved and insisted on professional restoration. You can expect our team to help with immediate emergency services like shoveling out debris and ash. There are two distinct advantages to beginning debris removal immediately.

Lessens Fire Loss Damage Concentration
Heaps of debris and charred remnants of walls and contents can amplify many of the challenging obstacles that our restoration professionals must overcome in your fire-damaged residence. Aspects like harsh odors can become more heavily concentrated in areas where debris is a concern, and removing this threat can lessen the severity of these conditions until appropriate deodorization can occur.

Exposes Vulnerabilities or Weaknesses
Clearing surfaces and flooring of this debris can help to expose some structural concerns and weaknesses that were not immediately seen. Now the assessment of the structure by our SERVPRO project manager and crew chief, which determines what processes are necessary to recover the house, can be more accurate.

You cannot predict when destructive fires can take place in your house, but you can trust in the team of professionals that can begin working right away to protect your property and get you back to normal life as soon as possible. Give our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City rapid response team a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

For more about Chicago click here.

How Does SERVPRO Restore Commercial Fire Damage in Chicago?

4/26/2020 (Permalink)

Fire damage does not need to spread through an entire venue to affect operations and profits.

Chicago Fire Restoration Professionals Discuss Remediation Techniques for Your Business

Chicago enjoys many tourists who come to see the many attractions in our Windy City. While nearly all venues now forbid smoking on the premises, this cannot guarantee that guests always adhere to such rules. With a high number of guests, the chances increase that one might decide to smoke nevertheless and then cause a fire when disposing of the 'evidence.'

Whenever a tourism-related business in Chicago suffers from commercial fire damage, the toll felt affects many guests, travel agents, and related businesses. Although someone might spot a fire and put it out quickly, the smoke damage can cause problems, also. Fire damage does not need to spread through an entire venue to affect operations and profits. This is why SERVPRO technicians restore damaged properties of any size, and with any scope of fire damage.

When we receive a call to restore a shop, hotel, restaurant, or other business after a fire created a mess, we arrive ready to get the work started. While we assess the situation thoroughly first, we know that time constraints affect the results. We want to exceed your expectations on how your business looks when we finish. Our dedication to helping our customers keeps us attentive to details and continually focused on working as a team.

Removing charred and burnt materials serves different purposes – making way for the materials installed for restorative work, removal of soot-covered surfaces that produce bad odors, and elimination of water-soaked carpeting and drywall. Also, safety risks decrease upon elimination of exposed nails, wiring, and broken glass, making the area safe for restoration work.

After the completion of restoration work, we can ensure that no foul odors arise by using the latest techniques in odor elimination. Our Odor Control Technician (OCT) uses different methods, depending on the types of materials that combusted during the fire, to keep odors from bothering your patrons.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City wants our community to enjoy a continuing robust tourist trade. Helping you provide what your clientele desires helps our community immensely. For any type or size of fire damage restoration work, no matter how complex, call us at (773) 337-3993 to reach our 24-hour service.

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Who Should I Call if My Chicago Retail Store Needs Water Removal Fast?

4/26/2020 (Permalink)

When water damage affects your business, time is of the essence. Contact team SERVPRO for effective remediation services.

SERVPRO Sanitizes Chicago Businesses During Commercial Water Removal Services

Operating a large retailer presents unique challenges compared to many other types of businesses in Chicago. Even with meticulous maintenance routines, disaster can strike and render your facilities unsafe until it can be professionally cleaned. All it takes is an obstruction in your plumbing to cause sewage backups that require thorough, commercial-grade mitigation.

When you need commercial water removal for your Chicago retail facility, SERVPRO techs are prepared to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including nights, weekends, and all holidays. This team adheres strictly to restoration industry standards and best practices, as determined by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

Understanding Black Water Damage in Commercial Settings

There are three main categories of water damage, rated based on the cleanliness of the water:

• Clean water damages are typically considered category 1 damages because the water is clean enough to drink and carries minimal additional risk.
• Gray water, or category 2, damages, are those that come from relatively clean sources that might have substances mixed in. This can include soaps and detergents from appliance overflows.
• Black water, or category 3, poses the most risk because of sanitary concerns. This can include plumbing failures that cause sewage backups, ground floods, wastewater, and even water damage from fish tanks.

SERVPRO’s Cleanup Measures for Commercial Water Damage

SERVPRO uses EPA-registered, OSHA-approved biocides to address category 3 water damage situations and restore your facilities to a clean and safe condition. Technicians are outfitted in IICRC-recommended personal protection equipment (PPE) during mitigation. Cleanup modalities can include removal of waste solids, spraying down surfaces with a broad-spectrum disinfectant solution, and grout cleaners for mitigating stains between tiles.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City uses professional mitigation tools to keep your commercial facilities looking, “Like it never even happened.” Call (773) 337-3993 for cleanup that can get you back to business quickly and safely.

What are My Options for Restoring Flood Damage in Chicago?

4/21/2020 (Permalink)

When flooding happens very quickly, have SERVPRO on speed dial to call after an event. Our fast action offers the best results

SERVPRO Gives Flood Remediation Tips for Chicago Residents

Flood damage can be disastrous to your home because it can not only destroy your property but also has several health effects due to the molds. Treating flooding in your Chicago home as an emergency is critical.

In Chicago, flood damage events occur more often, and you need certified experts to help you restore your home. One of the most critical tools that our technicians at SERVPRO use to help dry your entire house is the air movers. They need to be placed in a clockwise pattern with the inlet towards the wall and ensure the snout is touching the wall. Our technicians can easily monitor the equipment and move air movers to the left and right in a circular pattern to ensure an evenly dry structure.

In hard-to-dry areas such as the walls, ventilation is critical, and the SERVPRO team ensures that these areas are thoroughly checked and dried without any damage whatsoever. The baseboards need to be removed and vent holes drilled between each stud in the wall at the baseboard level. The process can be challenging, and inexperienced technicians can damage your wall leading to additional expenses.

The amount of time required to ensure your home is thoroughly dry depends on air movement, humidity, temperature, and amount of water to be evaporated. For successful drying, all these factors need to be controlled using different techniques and equipment, such as the dehumidifier for lowering relative humidity and truck mounts for water extraction. SERVPRO technicians have years of experience and the advantage of extensive training on how to effectively use the various equipment at their disposal. Our technicians can also create a drying goal to ensure that we get your home back to its earlier condition as soon as possible.

SERVPRO Uses Effective Equipment to Dry Out Your Property After Chicago Area Flooding

Chicago weather is usually milder at this time of year, with rainstorms fewer each month until September. Sudden storms can still happen though, dropping massive amounts of water on area neighborhoods in just a few hours.
 
Remediating Chicago flood damage requires a combination of stopping leaks and removing water as quickly as possible. SERVPRO restoration specialists accomplish this with expert training and the latest equipment designed for removing water and drying structural and personal property.
 
When done within a day after the flood, removing standing water with pumps or extraction wands serves as most of the restoration work, eliminating long-term damage. If the flooding was severe or remained for more than a day, then the water had time to soak into the property, and removal is not enough.
 
Our teams first set up dehumidifiers to draw moisture from the air and nearby property like drywall and furniture. These machines can remove over 20 gallons of water every day, which lowers the interior humidity and helps to dry items without causing additional damage. The action also serves to increase the efficiency of other devices.
 
SERVPRO technicians use air movers to force warm air across the surface of wood furniture and structural items like drywall. They can adjust the temperature and speed to decrease drying time without splitting the wood or crumbling the drywall panels. Specialists also install exhaust fans at exit points to draw the cooler, interior air outside of the home.
 
If not removed quickly enough, water can also cause odors. Technicians counteract them using solid, scent-producing pellets to cover the odor and then eliminate them using chemical sprays to eliminate them at the source.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can be able to quickly respond to your flood emergency events since we are a locally owned and operated business. We have the equipment, resources, and personnel to help you at any time. Call us at (773) 337-3993 and get quality services today.

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We Are The Best Choice In Chicago For Storm Damage Restoration

4/9/2020 (Permalink)

The storm water in this home lifted up the tiles on this floor and caused other large amounts of damage. We acted fast and began restoration.

Can SERVPRO Clean and Repair My Chicago Condo After a Storm?

Our SERVPRO response team offers real-time solutions for temporary roof repair, flood restoration, and full-scale reconstruction to help storm-damaged Chicago condos.

In the “Windy City” of Chicago, many homes and condos have met their match with the often-hazardous weather conditions that could develop. Wind and torrential rains together can form a destructive combination that could not only damage structures but the property surrounding them as well. How our SERVPRO team responds to these storm emergencies can have a substantial impact on the preservability of many items in your condo and even structural systems in place for the building as well.

How Do Powerful Storms Damage Chicago Condos?

• Roof Damages
• Broken Windows and Structural Breaches
• Tree Damages

One of the most direct damages that can result from wind and water storms for condos in Chicago is roof damage. A structural breach in this area of the building can have an immediate and destructive effect on your condo. Not only can substantial damage collapse a portion of the roof system into your unit, but you also welcome devastating secondary disasters like flooding.

Windows and other vulnerable portions of your building can fall victim to flying debris and violent winds during powerful storms. Breaking windows and tearing off other structural defenses like siding or veneer material can expose your property to direct rainfall and flooding potential. Also, you have to look at the steps necessary to repair and rebuild these compromised portions of your condo to protect it from further damages moving forward.

Trees on the property can add a beautiful view from the window of your condo, but they can also be one of the destructive elements during a storm. When trees get uprooted and fall into the building, they can cause substantial structural damages. Addressing these concerns often means removing the trees, repairing the structural collapse, and restoring the inside of your condo from debris and flooding.

What Emergency Services Does SERVPRO Offer? 

• Temporary Construction Solutions
• Tree Removal
• Controlled Demolition

Emergency services are a vital element to the fast and confident response that we offer Chicago homeowners and property owners after storm emergencies. Among the most pressing of these needs following structural compromise is temporary construction solutions like roof tarping and board-up. By sealing up breaches to the outside, we can reduce the direct penetration of flooding. This protection allows our SERVPRO professionals to get to work inside the condo on flood removal and restoration.

As trees can be a destructive element in your property after a wind and rainstorm, our experienced contractors must have a way to address these threats as well. Removing trees or their limbs from the roof or side of the building can help to provide us the access necessary for the earlier mentioned temporary construction solutions to get put in place.

Damage to the interior of the condo is likely when exterior structural damage exists. When our team first arrives, we must assess existing threats like sagging ceilings and weakened walls to begin controlled demolition in these areas. Managing these structural threats in a controlled manner prevents collapse that could injure our restoration technicians or those who might still be working on vacating the condo to allow restoration to begin.

How Can Flooding Get Cleaned Up Quickly in Your Chicago Condo?

• Extraction
• Drying
• Post-Construction Cleaning

Flooding is a substantial threat to storm-damaged Chicago residences because many of these properties become susceptible to flooding. Addressing the presence of floodwater must be deliberate and focused, and our SERVPRO professionals have advanced equipment and technologies to manage these disasters. This effort begins with effective extraction, which can involve many efficient removal machines, including wet vacuums, electric submersible pumps, and gas-powered trash pumps.

Drying up your residence after flooding can require an understanding of the migration of water damages in the structure, so we utilize advanced technologies like surface moisture meters and thermal imagery to determine the presence of damp pockets in construction materials and structural cavities. Understanding where moisture exists can focus the use of air movers, dehumidifiers, and other drying equipment to maximize evaporation.

Even when structural damage does not exist, flooding almost always leads to a need for controlled demolition and build back. With a team of licensed contractors in-house, we can return your condo to its original condition as soon as possible. Construction can cause dirt and debris of its own in the final stages of restoration, so our cleaning technicians also focus on these final touches to make flood loss “Like it never even happened.”

Do I Need to Secure a Contractor for the Rebuild? 

Many Chicago property owners would likely assume that the same company that you involve in the restoration and recovery of your condo would not be the contractors hired to rebuild the structure as well. One of the unique advantages of our comprehensive approach to restoration is the seamless transition between mitigation and reconstruction that we can offer customers in a stressful time.

By initially securing the services of our SERVPRO team, you get the full measure of our capable restoration technicians accredited through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in Water Restoration (WRT) and Applied Structural Drying (ASD) as well as experienced contractors to begin controlled demolition, tree removal, and final full-scale build back of the property.

Roof repair is a vital element to restoring your building after a storm damage emergency. Careful considerations must get made to ensure that supports are reinstalled appropriately and that your property is better protected moving forward from similar storms that might cause similar destruction. Once restoration completes in the condo, and the area gets dried, our contractors can move to reconstruct compromised areas to get you back in the residence as soon as possible.

Violent storms are not unusual circumstances in Chicago, and our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team is ready 24/7 to help you overcome the damage they can cause. Reach out to us anytime at (773) 337-3993.

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How Does Water Damage in Chicago Affect Carpets?

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

Getting water off your floors and out of your carpets is a long and arduous task.

SERVPRO has the Tools to Extract Water from Chicago Carpets

Getting water off your floors and out of your carpets is a long and arduous task. Armed with just a mop and bucket these types of the job require much spare time and more than a little effort. However, sometimes water can spread faster than you can remove it; especially if the source of water comes from a warped or split pipe. In these instances, it's always useful to have a professional service on hand.

When we refer to water cleanup in Chicago properties, we are not talking about restoration or removal of standing water. Water cleanup involves removing all traces of moisture from a specific area and then dehumidifying the affected area to guard against potential damages like mold and mildew growth.

We start by bringing in SERVPRO IICRC certified technicians to assess the scope of damage caused by water. It may be necessary to temporarily remove carpets to dry both sides and check your subfloor for saturation. When carpets are removed, we can also take the opportunity to treat them with anti-microbial chemicals to ensure a long-lasting clean.

For excess water in residential properties, we usually opt for portable extraction units. These nimble pieces of equipment allow us to dry in between floorboards and into cracks using air, vacuum power, and heating elements. Sometimes, we might place rapid air movers to evaporate moisture and dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the surrounding atmosphere.

As part of our cleanup, SERVPRO can thoroughly deodorize the area using chemical based foggers that neutralize odor particles. We can also employ moisture meters to ascertain saturation levels and ensure the affected area has a similar humidity to other areas of the home. At the end of service, we can conduct a guided tour with you to show you all aspects of work done and any areas you may need to watch.

If a spill goes beyond what you can clean up, contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for expert service.

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Our Experts Use State Of The Art Equipment In Chicago After A Water Loss

3/5/2020 (Permalink)

We offer water damage restoration services 24/7. We act fast to prevent further damage, and bring our expertise and experience into every situation.

Water Removal in Your Chicago Kitchen

A water spill in your kitchen not only impacts your routine, but it also can cause damage to your flooring or kitchen cabinets if you do not take the right precautions quickly and effectively to remove the water before any secondary damage occurs like soaked and destroyed drywall or dangerous mold infestations.

Water removal in your Chicago kitchen should be looked at as an investment into keeping your home in tip-top shape and mitigating additional damage. Sometimes damage occurs in areas of weakness such as cracked tile, loose floorboard, or cracks in the cupboard. This is an opportunity to fix these things as you repair the damage.

One of the critical components to take care of your home after water damage is to make sure the impacted areas are dried to preloss moisture content levels. SERVPRO restoration specialists extract any excess water and then use air moving equipment and dehumidifiers. They use air movers to enhance evaporation by directing the airflow at the surface level. This is because the air right above the wet floors is heavy and saturated with cool moisture, known as a boundary layer. The purpose of the surface level air movers is to direct the warm, dry air from the dehumidifiers over the boundary layer to dissipate the moisture and humidity.

Centrifugal air movers have an impeller, a moving component that has a shaft with blades positioned around it. These high-velocity air movers produce a higher static pressure in air volume compared to axial air movers, which blow larger volumes of air. They deliver lower amounts of pressure at a higher volume. Axial air movers use less amperage than centrifugal air movers and are a good option if there is limited electricity within the home.

Dehumidifying equipment works in conjunction with the air movers to dry impacted surfaces. Dehumidifiers take water vapor from the air. It reduces the humidity ratio in the air, allowing the rate of evaporation to increase until the home and all of the contents are dry. As it pulls moist, humid air, it circulates dry, warm air back out into the room, facilitating drying.

Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for 24/7 assistance. We make it, "Like it never even happened."

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Flooding In Your Chicago Condo

2/20/2020 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

Flood in a Chicago Condo Needs Expedited Restoration Services

When you live in a condo, what affects your neighbors sometimes affects you, and this includes water damage. Because the basic design of condos has them constructed on top of each other, a leak in a roof quickly becomes a ceiling issue for the neighbor below.

Storm damage peeled up a portion of a roof in a vacant condo above, and the occupied residence below caused a flood in a Chicago condo ceiling that saturated the living room and carpet.

Water Extraction Above and Below
SERVPRO techs needed access to the vacant unit above to clean up the floor and also tarp the roof until the required repairs occurred. The leak had been ongoing for a time, and the techs removed the flooring around the water loss area to open up the floor joists for drying. This action halted any further water from entering the client unit below. The techs used weighted extractor heads to push the water out of the carpet and padding. They also raised the cushions on the sofa for water extraction and drying. The cushions took on the brunt of the moisture and very little seeped into the frame.

Specialized Drying of Carpet and Furnishings
The techs set up air movers in the unit above with drying mats to force air into the opened area within the floor and dry it. The sagging ceiling below required removal. SERVPRO techs used a technique known as floating to ensure complete drying of the carpet. This tactic involves loosening one edge and forcing the warm, dry air from air movers under the carpet above the padding.

Final Restoration Services
When the condo is clean and dry, the techs give the property owner the suggested repairs that need to happen to bring the residence to a preloss condition. This overview includes the replacement of the damage to the ceiling. The techs compiled a separate report for the loss in the upstairs unit, including the repairs to the roof, ceiling, and flooring to make the restoration complete.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 understands that storm damage needs fast action and is available to local condo owners 24/7 to make the loss “Like it never even happened.”

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We Act Fast In Chicago After A Water Loss

2/19/2020 (Permalink)

We used our commercial air movers and dehumidifiers to thoroughly dry the sub-flooring in this home. We arrived right away to prevent further damage.

Water Damage In Chicago Involves Knowing About Carpet Construction

Places all across the country including the Chicago metro often report home insurance claims due to liquid H2O infiltrating their living area. Once moisture enters the interior of your house, water damage can quickly plaque your structure. Since liquids are susceptible to gravity, once they come into your building they tend to promptly head to your floors. This means that flooring materials such as your carpeting can become victims of the plumbing failure that occurs.

Once your carpets start to soak up moisture, water damage inside your Chicago residence can quickly become a harsh reality. When your carpeting gets wet, the occurrence can become a catalyst for future problems. Most carpets get constructed with a combination of synthetic and organic fibers put together by a paper that sits underneath it. Since most carpeting is a material composed of natural substances, the backing of your flooring can become a food source for fungi. And, due to the porous properties of carpeting, when your carpet's fibers get wet, the indoor relative humidity inside your building can substantially increase.

Raised humidity levels and mold can create more work for a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO. Therefore, our crews use their knowledge of carpet construction to dry out and restore the building material that constantly comes into contact with you and your family's feet.

That being said, our SERVPRO technicians constantly study the various carpet construction methods so that we can determine the best ways to restore each type of flooring material. The first factor to consider when analyzing your carpet is to determine the quality of the content. The nature of the fibers and the condition of the carpeting all play a role in its restorability.

The quality of each carpet our SERVPRO crew attempts to restore plays a significant factor in whether or not the attempted restoration results can be achieved. How well the carpeting gets maintained makes a difference when trying to clean the damage flooring material. Carpets that receive regular cleaning procedures like vacuuming and spot removal can often prove to be much easier to clean and restore when water damage restoration procedures require carpet cleaning.

Having a plumbing failure that makes your floors wet can prove to be quite a headache for the average homeowner. If you ever need professional assistance after a pipe leak, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24/7.

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Commercial Water Damage in Your Chicago Office

1/29/2020 (Permalink)

Call us today at (773) 337-3993 to avoid ruining your reputation.

Manage Commercial Water Damage in Your Chicago Office Quickly to Prevent Serious Losses

Your office is one of the first places you interact with your existing and potential clients. The way people perceive your office can influence their decision on whether to work with your company or not. An unfortunate incident like water intrusion can ruin the professional environment of your office, turning away clients in the process.

The inconvenience of commercial water damage in your Chicago office is not merely the destruction it poses to the building and its contents; it is the aftermath that demands an immediate water removal plan. People base some of their decisions on how they feel. If you make them feel confident about your services and your business premises are well maintained, your potential clients can readily build a working relationship with your company. However, if they notice haphazard attempts to fix broken pipes, disorganized or damaged equipment, and a damp, musty odor, they may perceive that you do not take pride in your office.

Water damage can bring normal office operations to a standstill. Remediating the issue is crucial so that you can continue with your daily operational duties that keep things moving forward, such as tracking orders, maintaining employee records. A water intrusion problem in your office can damage computers and networks, copiers, and faxes, among other essential equipment. If you have stored hard copies on-site, water can ruin vital records like order histories, employee information, and other documents.

If the water damage is severe, you may need to shut down the office for several days, which could affect your revenue. Your employees may also be out of work, and this can ruin their finances too. Such an incident can have a ripple effect that impacts many people. Our SERVPRO technicians can help you bring things in your office back to normal. We can remove the water and dry the affected areas within the shortest time possible.

Moisture in your office can contribute to mold development. Mold often grows in dark areas, areas with poor ventilation or behind surfaces like carpeting, subflooring, and drywall. Mold can cause health effects to the people working in the office. Our technicians can use penetrating moisture meters to test for moisture underneath wood flooring or inside walls. To check for moisture in challenging areas, we can use infrared cameras.

We can use axial air movers to increase the evaporation of moisture from affected surfaces. These air movers can move larger volumes of air and are therefore ideal for restoring commercial buildings. Our SERVPRO team can remove water vapor from the air using desiccant dehumidifiers. We offer quick and comprehensive restoration services at affordable costs.

If your office in Ford City, Marquette Park, or Gage Park has sustained water damage, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can clean up and restore it to its pre-incident state. Call us today at (773) 337-3993 to avoid ruining your reputation.

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Chicago Unit Suffering a Water Loss? Team SERVPRO Has the Solutions!

1/19/2020 (Permalink)

Chicago Water Leaks in a Multi-Unit Building Can Always Use SERVPRO's Expertise and Experience for Mitigation

Restoring Kitchen Water Damage from a Line Rupture in Your Chicago Condo

Water supply lines feed several of the appliances and fixtures installed in your Chicago condo’s kitchen. In the city, the possibility of mice getting into structural cavities and living for short times is likelier than you might think, and materials like plastic plumbing lines can be a source of food or nesting material for a rodent. When a water line breaks or begins to leak, porous materials like cabinetry, drywall, and flooring can all begin to absorb the damage.

Breaks on supply lines still in structural cavities can have disastrous effects on your property and possibly adjoining units, making water removal for your Chicago condo an immediate need. You might not understand how involved this water damage has become without the advanced discovery tools available to our SERVPRO team. Our technicians have non-penetrating surface moisture meters, thermography, and probing detection tools to reveal both the migration of water and the concentration in specific materials.

Because many condos feature hardwood cabinets, it is often most cost-effective to attempt to restore and dry these individual components rather than remove and replace them like cheaper particleboard options. We can work to carefully reach the structural cavities beyond these cabinets with minimally invasive techniques like our positive pressure systems, which shoot dry air into the wall space to evaporate water and moisture. The materials surrounding the breach in the plumbing must get removed enough for our general contractors to access and repair.

Our technicians/contractors have decades of experience in the building trades, including a vast understanding of plumbing repairs to provide a permanent solution to the source of water damages. While our SERVPRO technicians work on drying out exposed materials and cleaning surfaces exposed to migrating water loss, our contractors can remove portions of PEX pipe and replace them with new fittings and connections.

While you might not know when a mouse might come and go from the structural cavities of your building, you can protect your condo after unexpected water losses by trusting our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City team. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and you can reach us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

Fire Damage Mitigation In Your Chicago Property

1/16/2020 (Permalink)

For help with any size mitigation project, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24/7.

Fire Damage Mitigation In Chicago Often Requires The Restorer To Clean Clothing

Whenever something burns on your property in Chicago, the smoke coming from the flames can spread all throughout any structure. As the smoke works its way through your building, it can cause different types of fire damage to take place. Smoke can cause the surfaces of your building materials and contents to become soiled and coated with soot residues. Smoke can also penetrate porous materials and cause foul odors to exist.

When dealing with fire damage restoration in Chicago, our SERVPRO technicians utilize various techniques to remove unpleasant aromas and soot residues. When dealing with porous materials such as upholstered items like your furniture, we can take steps that both clean the items and remove foul odors. Smoke can also travel throughout your home and negatively affect contents like your clothing.

Our SERVPRO crew knows that when cleaning smoke-damaged clothing that there is an element of urgency involved. Many items of clothing are manufactured with synthetic fibers that can bond with smoke particles and malodor molecules. If clothing does not get cleaned quickly, then discoloration or pungent aromas can adhere to the items permanently.

Before we clean your clothes, we prioritize them in three different groups based on how often you use them. The first group we clean consists of items that you wear regularly and need immediately. Next, we put clothes in the second priority group, which is clothing that you will need at a later time. Lastly, we clean the third group of clothing that contains seasonal items.

Cleaning clothing can often require several steps and a combination of techniques. First, we remove clothes from metal coat hangers and dispose of the hangers. Smoke residues can cause the metal on the hangers to oxidize onto the clothing.

Next, we take steps to remove any loose soils on the surface of the fabric. We can accomplish this by blowing off the clothing using compressed air. The force of the air can evaporate odor molecules and blow off smoke particles.

If foul odors remain inside clothing, other deodorization steps can be taken. We can spray items with a solvent-based odor counteractant, which can counteract the malodor particles. Or, if pungent aromas still exist, we can thermal fog your clothing so that deodorants can mimic smoke and penetrate deep into the fabrics.

If you ever notice smoke-related issues inside your home after something burns, it is wise to call in a professional restoration company. For help with any size mitigation project, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at  (773) 337-3993 24/7. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

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The Undeniable Truth About Water Damage Remediation Services That NO ONE is Telling You About

12/29/2019 (Permalink)

The water intrusion may not be coming from your apartment unit but still can affect your residence.  Contact SERVPRO 24/7.

SERVPRO Handles Water Removal in Chicago Fast

Illinois homeowners are well aware of the risk that water damage can pose to their facilities, but they may be surprised to find that weather-related water damage contributes to 11% of the most costly homeowners' insurance claims filed to date. Without regular maintenance and constant vigilance, it can be easy for water damage to cause damage over days, weeks, or months that require extensive repair.

If your Chicago residence requires water removal, SERVPRO technicians are always available to address disaster and restore your home to a pre-damage condition. This IICRC-certified firm offers a bevy of advanced equipment and techniques rooted in scientific theory to address water damage while preserving homeowners' possessions and structures. 

SERVPRO's Comprehensive Training

SERVPRO prides itself on its commitment to studying the standards and practices set by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Technicians and franchise owners alike must learn the ins-and-outs of what is expected of them for water and fire restoration, as well as mold remediation and cleaning upholstery and carpet. This program includes everything from various means of drying carpet to learning software that helps catalog what items have been damaged in a water-related disaster.

How SERVPRO Can Help

If water damage has affected your furniture, technicians have a variety of tools available to preserve items and restore them to a preloss condition. While restoring damaged upholstery, they may be wetted to ensure even cleaning and drying. Wax paper and furniture pads can be placed on metal items like zippers and buttons to prevent rust and corrosion.

To dry couch cushions and similar pieces of upholstery, technicians can tent them to facilitate drying on all sides with air movers and dehumidifiers. If wooden furniture frames have been affected by water damage, technicians can enlist the aid of a licensed refinishing expert with the consent of homeowners and insurance adjusters.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can ensure that your home looks, "Like it never even happened." Call (773) 337-3993 for disaster cleanup from experienced professionals. 

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Commercial Water Cleanup in Chicago

12/19/2019 (Permalink)

A thorough cleanup is necessary after water loss incidents to guarantee convenience for customers.

The Resources That Ease Commercial Water Cleanup in Chicago Motels

Water loss incidents cause various problems, including staining and soiling in different parts of property by pushing debris from one location to another, necessitating various forms of cleaning. For a multistory building such as a motel, the water is likely to filter through the walls, affecting rooms on different floors. Cleaning up after such water loss requires different resources.

Having the Right Pump
Removal of any standing water is a crucial step in the early stages of commercial water cleanup from affected Chicago properties. Water is a universal solvent, and given time, it causes wide-ranging problems, including staining materials, compromising their structural integrity, or even sparking microbial growth.  With the right pump, it is possible to complete the removal fast and efficiently. For a high rise building, our SERVPRO technicians utilize portable extractors because they add an aspect of flexibility to the removal.  We can also use truck-mounted extractors, especially when there is no power at the loss site because the engine of the production vehicle powers them.

Cleaning Tools and Materials
The spilled water is likely to soil a wide range of materials and contents. For example, carpeted areas, draperies, or beddings in a hotel can be soiled by dissolved debris or stained by dyes from saturated materials, among other issues. Our SERVPRO crews utilize a wide range of cleaning resources. The water extractors we use have additional features such as heating capability, which helps us perform cleaning processes such as hot water extraction.  We also utilize a wide range of professional cleaning agents, including EPA-registered broad-spectrum disinfectants and deodorizers. We usually add such products to the cleaning solution or apply them directly to subfloors, wall bottom plates, and other areas of the building.

Humidity Control Resources
Controlling humidity during the water removal and cleanup is necessary. Our SERVPRO technicians set dehumidifiers in different parts of the building immediately after arriving at the site to regulate humidity during the cleanup and other restoration steps. We also dry excess moisture from materials and regulate humidity after finishing the process.

A thorough cleanup is necessary after water loss incidents to guarantee convenience for customers. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 to help. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more Chicago click here.

SERVPRO Mitigates Current and Future Water Damage Problems in Chicago

12/17/2019 (Permalink)

Let us assist and make sure that your Chicago home is fully mitigated correctly after a water damage for past, present, and future.

SERVPRO has your back right now and for the future of your Chicago water damage.

A water loss incident can cause a wide range of problems in your home. The obvious ones are soiling and wet materials or contents, which occur immediately. However, other problems can develop later on in the course of the water loss incident that affects your Chicago home, including:

• Growth of Mold Colonies
• Warping, Buckling and Rotting in Wood
• Bad odor
• Sagging Ceiling and Crumbling Wall Panels

Scoping the Water Loss Helps

The type of water damage in your Chicago home can be traced back to what caused the loss. A burst pipe or faulty appliance that releases water immediately necessitates immediate action, and if done correctly, most long-term problems can be avoided. Losses caused by other issues such as plumbing leaks, seepage through walls, or roof leaks may happen gradually or out of sight, creating perfect conditions for long-term damages to occur. Our SERVPRO crews scope the loss site to identify all issues during the loss to ensure we do not leave hidden problems.

Fast Extraction

Fast action helps prevent or minimize most of the damages caused by water loss incidents. Our SERVPRO crews use high capacity pumps and specialized extractors to expedite water extraction. Such action helps minimize water action on materials such as carpets, which delaminate when exposed to water over extended periods. It also reduces the amount of water absorbed by semi-porous materials such as wooden floorboards, which can cause future problems such as mold. Apart from using sophisticated extraction equipment, we also remove barriers such as carpet and pad in the affected area to quicken the process further.

Thorough Drying

High moisture content in a property is responsible for most secondary damages.  Such moisture content can be in wet contents or building materials as well as the air if there are high humidity levels.   Our SERVPRO technicians take steps to dry all areas and contents within the property. We also use thermal hygrometers to check relative humidity and take remedial action where necessary.

Leaving some issues unresolved after a water loss incident can lead to substantial losses in the future. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 to help resolve the incident, “Like it never even happened.”

To find out more about Chicago, click here.

Some Tips to Help Your Succeed With Water Removal in Chicago

11/22/2019 (Permalink)

Team SERVPRO has the right equipment to dry out water damage at your home or office. Call right away.

Providing Your Chicago Home with the Right Drying Equipment

Air movers are a vital element to drying out water-damaged Chicago residences, whether it is an apartment or a two-story townhouse in the boroughs surrounding the city. Water loss incidents can become a substantial threat that worsens continually until the appropriate measures get taken to dry out saturated elements and construction materials. Centrifugal and axial high-velocity air movers play a crucial role in this process in many drying stages.

Just having the equipment to dry out the water damage in Chicago residences is not enough. The placement and number of these units are equally essential to the process, and that is why this determination is part of the primary scoping process for damage assessment taking place when our project manager first arrives at a new job site. Knowing what a project needs before our technicians first arrive ensures that we show up prepared to address the needs of your property most efficiently and cost-effectively.

With hundreds of air movers ranging in sizes and types at our SERVPRO warehouse, choosing the ideal units for the specific damage to your property is not as complicated as it might seem. These machines are designed to get connected in what we have labeled a daisy chain. By connecting one unit into another, we eliminate the need for excessive cords running throughout the household.

We have to find a balance between the number of air movers and the number of dehumidifiers in a damaged space. We begin by designating an air mover for every affected room, but can increase this number for:

• Every 50 square feet of wet flooring or lower wall surfaces.
• Every 100 square feet of wet ceiling or connected wall surfaces.
• For any wall inset or offset more significant than 18 inches.

A balance between the necessary air movers and the dehumidification units necessary to remove moisture in the air is vital. Disrupting this balance can lead to slower drying or worse damages. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City restorers can calculate the needs of your property and return it to preloss condition quickly. Give us a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more about the city Chicago.

We Have The Proper Techniques To Restore Your Chicago Home After A Fire

11/4/2019 (Permalink)

Our technicians have the specific equipment and training for odor removal and deep cleaning of carpet and upholstery.

Learn How to Remove Fire Odor in Your Chicago Residence

Fires affect many households in Chicago every year, causing families to lose precious memories and possessions. Even though the experience of a fire may not be traumatic, the odors it leaves behind are a terrible reminder of the incident. It is daunting to remove the unpleasant odor associated with fire damage, particularly when synthetic materials have been burned. The smells can linger for many days or weeks long after the fire has been put out.

Smoke can seep easily into wood, drywall, and textiles, and soot can coat and ruin several materials, leading to residue, discoloration, and permeating odors. To eliminate fire odor in your Chicago residence, you can take the following steps:

Air out your home by opening doors and windows. You can also use a large fan to increase air circulation in your home.

• Remove curtains, rugs, and blankets to be washed or dry cleaned. Smoke sticks to fabrics, so you need to clean these items to get rid of the smoke scent.

• Wash the windows, window shades, and window screens while paying attention to the window sills, frames, and blinds because smoke tends to stick to these areas and may cause a recurring odor after the cleanup.

• Use a unique solution made of white vinegar, dish soap, and warm water to wash solid surfaces like walls, ceilings, cabinets, doors, and door frames.

• Clean carpets and upholstery as soon as possible to keep smoke particles from penetrating the fibers deeply.

If the smoke scent persists, you may need to dispose of some household items. You can also benefit from using professional fire odor removal services. Smoke damage restoration professionals from SERVPRO have the experience and equipment required to remove the smoke scent altogether. We use efficient and safe odor removal techniques to eliminate malodors from structures and personal possessions. We start with necessary deodorization procedures which include:

• Removing the source of the odor

• Cleaning odor-causing residues from surfaces

• Recreating the condition of odor penetration
  Sealing surfaces as necessary

It is not always possible to identify what is causing an odor or determine which specific deodorization method can counteract a particular odor source. Therefore, our SERVPRO technicians often combine several deodorization methods and products to produce the desired outcome. Some equipment we can use to remove the unpliant scents includes thermal foggers, air scrubbers, and hydroxyl generators.

We may also use water-based wet mist deodorizers to deal with the odors. We apply them using a ULV mister to produce a fine mist or fog, which enables the chemical to get into surface crevices and cracks where the smoke scent is present, eliminating it “Like it never even happened.”

If your home has troublesome fire odors, you can trust SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to help you remove them. Call us any time at (773) 337-3993 for effective odor removal services.

See more about Chicago.

Fear? Not when you use SERVPRO to Remediate Water Damage in Your Chicago Home.

10/31/2019 (Permalink)

Water Damage can happen to any home. Be prepared and call SERVPRO to mitigate the damages done.

Thorough Water Removal from Affected Chicago Homes That Helps Solve Future Problems

A case of water loss may seem straightforward to address. However, when improperly handled, it can trigger many long-term problems, including mold and indoor air quality issues. Modern building practices also create almost airtight homes to improve energy efficiency, but this can affect some aspects of water removal, especially moisture management. It can even lead to wet building syndrome developing in your Chicago home.

Identifying all Sources

Although most water spill incidents have a single source, it is essential to confirm before starting water removal procedures in Chicago. It is probable to have more than one leak point, especially if the pipe runs through a wall. Apart from sources, the spilled water might form reservoirs, especially in hidden spaces where it can continue to cause moisture problems. Our SERVPRO technicians use several approaches to identify sources, including using thermal cameras to establish concealed sources.

Expediting Extraction

Apart from the convenience of restoring normalcy faster, extracting water fast solves many other problems associated with water loss. Water left standing in a property over extended periods leads to carpets delaminating, bad smell, and deep intrusion into wooden, concrete, and other semi-porous materials. Our SERVPRO crews expedite water extraction in different ways including using equipment with abundant lift capacity. We also open up walls, removing baseboards and door trims creating room for faster extraction.

Drying all materials

Most of the materials used in the construction of a house have varying degrees of moisture absorbency. The common ones include gypsum-based wall panels, wooden frames, floorboards, and concrete materials. Some, like gypsum, are hygroscopic, thus absorbing moisture from the air. Others like concrete do not change, although they absorb and hold significant amounts of water. Thorough extraction of moisture from all materials affected by the spill helps prevent severe moisture issues in the future. Our SERVPRO technicians use air movers to increase the evaporation rate from these materials then use dehumidifiers to remove the moisture from the air. We also have moisture detection equipment to ensure materials dry to normal levels.

Water removal should address immediate and future problems. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 to help. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Click here to learn more about the city of Chicago.

Our Professionals Can Save Your Chicago Electronics Store After A Flood

10/7/2019 (Permalink)

Being reactionary is the best defense against the flood-damages inside of your store.

How to Help Your Chicago Electronics Store After Sustaining Flood Damage

Owning a store comes with a lot of responsibilities and concerns; and, if a severe thunderstorm brought flood damage to your Chicago property, it would give you, even more, to worry about. If you're trying to decide between replacing an old roof or not, consider what might happen if a flood did impact your electronics store.

Imagine a scenario where your Chicago store suffered flood damage. We can say that the leading cause of the flood was the roof. It was aging, and you guessed it probably had three or four years of life left to it before it needed replacement. However, what if your time estimate was wrong? What if a severe thunderstorm caused the roof to leak?

Being reactionary is the best defense against the flood-damages inside of your store. Here at SERVPRO, we believe in being reactionary too. Once our experts receive your call, our technicians can immediately gather together and travel to your home. We always aim to be Faster to Any Size Disaster. After arriving, we can immediately begin to investigate and map out a restoration-plan.

Let's say in this scenario, the back wall of your store, where you keep your televisions, has been impacted. The floor has various puddles spread out on it, and the ceiling panels are soaked. The walls are damp, and the televisions have visible water on them. The described situation may seem nightmarish, but SERVPRO can handle it.

First, we can remove the TVs and work with your insurance adjuster to begin a claim process for any ruined and damaged inventory and materials. From there, our SERVPRO techs can use wet/dry vacuums to clean up the puddled water. We can remove ceiling panels, any water-damaged linoleum floor tiles, and make flood cuts to the soaked walls. Our goal is to get the flood-damaged material out and minimize the chances of mold damage.

Once the damaged material has been removed, SERVPRO could then bring in drying equipment. We could use devices such as axial fans, heaters, and dehumidifiers to dry out the structure from the store. Finally, our technicians can then bring in new sheets of drywall and begin to reinstall, making the flood seem “Like it never even happened.”

If your business ever sustains flood damage, do not wait. Get in touch with SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City by dialing (773) 337-3993. Whenever you find yourself in flood-damage trouble, we can be there.

For more about Chicago click here.

Did Water Damage in Your Chicago Home Leave an Unpleasant Odor?

9/11/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage often leaves an odor after the water is dried. SERVPRO has the know how to remove the odor - permanently from your home!

Methods Used in Conjunction with Water Damage Restoration in Chicago 

Many people notice a difference between how their pet smells while dry and after the four-legged family member gets wet. The reason for the increase in odor coming from a wet animal is primarily because of the way odor-causing molecules hitch a ride on water molecules as they evaporate into the air. The body heat of the pet helps make the process happen faster, and SERVPRO uses heat when drying out a Chicago home, also.

During the restoration of a house in Chicago with water damage, the use of heat helps dry things out in a more even and rapid manner than what we might expect otherwise. Different materials inside a home give off odors when they absorb moisture in liquid form or from the condensation of water vapor. Many odors linger within the average house after we finish with mitigation, so we begin odor control measures soon after we begin the restoration process.

One type of deodorization that many customers expect us to use is ozone. Ozone is useful, but existing dampness in materials often means that we should try another method that does not carry the same risks as ozone brings. However, we want to use something that still provides the strength we get from ozone. Our hydroxyl generating machines accomplish for us.

Some customers might worry that the time needed to achieve results similar to those obtained when we use ozone machinery increases significantly. However, we can run our hydroxyl generating machinery at times that ozone machines cannot, such as when people are in the treated area. If the area remains vacant and people intend to occupy the space in a day or two, and heavy odors persist, ozone might work better than hydroxyl.

One method that many overlook as a way to help control unwanted odors in a house is the larger box fan. We can use this to disperse odor-causing molecules and direct the remaining ones out of the house. Many of these molecules are attached to water molecules in the air. Removing them from the home before they can become deposited on a surface elsewhere in the house helps in the further elimination of odors.

Because water damage can create such a large number of sources that cause odors, we often use multiple approaches, with some overlap occurring occasionally. Our goal is to satisfy the customer with the finished result. While our Odor Control Technician (OCT) brings extensive knowledge and experience to each job we do, it is the customer's nose that determines when odors no longer exist.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City handles more than water damage-related odors in Gage Park, and Archer Heights, as well as around Brighton Park and Scottsdale. Call us at (773) 337-3993 to find out how we can help you restore your home where stains, deterioration, and microbial infestations also pose problems.

More about Chicago.

Our Fire Damage Experts Discuss Dry Cleaning Non-Washable Surfaces In Chicago

8/26/2019 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 because our highly trained team can arrive Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Commercial Fire Damage Professionals In Chicago Discuss Dry Cleaning Non-Washable Surfaces

If an inferno ever ignites inside your Chicago furniture store, many of your products or contents could be at risk of getting soiled or ruined. Your porous wall coverings can also get affected by smoke and soot making residue removal a major portion of any commercial fire damage project. The type of surface we are cleaning inside your store dictates whether we can use water-based detergents or if we must dry clean the item.

The general rule our experts use is that if the surface of an object is porous, we use dry cleaning techniques, and if it is non-porous, we use wet cleaning. When working on your commercial fire damage project in Chicago, our SERVPRO technicians know that wet cleaning porous surfaces can soak the soot deeper into them. Many of the contents and building materials inside your furniture store may contain porous surfaces such as vinyl or wallpaper. If your place of business only suffers from a small burn, then there may be steps you or your maintenance team can take to dry clean many of these porous surfaces.

Light soot residues and soils can sometimes easily be wiped away with a rag or a dry sponge. However, before agitating the soot, it is wise to conduct some pre-cleaning procedures. Vacuuming is one of these methods, and it can be used to clean off large soot particles from your furniture items or affected walls. You could use compressed air to blow the heavy soot off of the surfaces before you conduct your dry cleaning methods. In some scenarios, our SERVPRO experts recommend to pre-clean the affected items inside your furniture store with brushes to get some of the soot off.

After pre-cleaning your furniture store's affected surfaces, clean off the remaining soot with a dry sponge. Sponges do not use chemicals to remove soot. Instead, they use friction. Applying the sponge firmly to the affected surface can help release the soils. Sponges should not be used on glossy surfaces because they can smear the residues. The dry sponge also should not be used when attempting to clean greasy residues.

If even a small blaze starts in or near your furniture store in Brighton Park, Scottsdale, Gage Park, or Archer Heights, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 because our highly trained team can arrive Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more about Chicago click here.

Damaged Roof After Brutal Storm Hits Your Chicago House? 

8/23/2019 (Permalink)

Windstorms can cause all sorts of chaos to your Chicago home. Call the professionals today at SERVPRO for remediation assistance.

Your Resource for Chicago Windstorm Cleanup 

Winds gain energy and strength as they pass over the relatively flat topography west of Chicago. Earlier this summer, wind gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour caused damage and canceled events. In the mid to late summer, the winds are often accompanied by torrential rains. If your home is in the path of straight-line winds and the added challenge of substantial rainfall, severe structural and contents harm is possible.  

Scalable Response for Natural Disasters

Windstorm cleanup for Chicago residents need not be a waiting game. With many of your neighbors experiencing the same type of damage, you need a disaster recovery company that can access cleanup resources from a nationwide system of highly-qualified providers. Our owner and management built a robust storm response team for our community, proving storm event after storm event that we have the will and the expertise to respond 24 hours a day to meet our customers’ needs. You can now benefit from this track record.

Windstorms Increase Flooding Risk

Roofs damaged by high winds, windows broken by falling trees and branches, and exteriors with holes from flying debris admit water that collects in the lower levels of your home. Even if overland flooding did not occur, the water found its way inside and now must be removed rapidly and the property dried completely. This is the cornerstone of SERVPRO’s mission, and one that we commit to complete successfully to restore your home.  

Building Securing and Reconstruction Services

After your first call, we arrive as soon as possible, securing exterior damage to prevent additional water incursion. The SERVPRO crew then moves task to task, removing water with state of the art pumps and extractors, and then cleaning and disinfecting the affected spaces. Structural drying proceeds with our skilled team positioning heated air movers to move moisture out of structural components into the air as vapor. Dehumidifiers then capture the moisture for disposal.

Our reconstruction division can address external and internal damage remaining after mitigation and remediation. Repair and rebuilding help make the restoration process more efficient and seamless.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City knows windstorms do not respect regular business hours. Give our team a call at (773) 337-3993 for an immediate response, day or night. 

Click here to learn more about Chicago. 

SERVPRO Completes Water Removal After a Sump Pump Failure

8/6/2019 (Permalink)

If your Chicago home experiences water damage, contact SERVPRO to restore your home whether you are near or far.

Water Removal Chicago – Sump Pump Failure

Some homes have a sump pump in their basement because the water table is very high relative to their basement floor. Occasionally water seeps into the basement. The sump pump is supposed to remove any excess water in the basin to prevent water from entering the basement. One client failed to test his pump regularly, and of course, it stopped working while he was away on vacation. A neighbor checking on the house for his friend discovered a foot of water in the basement and promptly called the owner.

The owner called our SERVPRO office about water removal in his Chicago area home, and we quickly responded. The basement was partially finished, which meant that furnishings on the floor were wet. Many items were stored in the basement storage area were also wet. Items stored on shelves were unaffected.

The first step was to remove the excess water after first making sure that it was safe to enter the basement. We used powerful truck-mounted pumps to remove the water and then began the recovery and drying of the basement.  Large fans and dehumidifiers were brought in to help dry the basement. The neighbor assisted in purchasing a new sump pump and arranging for it to be installed.

With the water removed and dehumidification underway, attention turned to the walls, the flooring and the contents of the basement. Hard surface items were hand washed and dried. Fabrics were wiped down, and air dryers used to dry the fabrics further. The contents of boxes on the floor were unpacked, dried, and repacked in new boxes. The drywall was damaged up to about two feet from the floor and needed to be removed. We removed excess moisture, and new insulation and drywall were installed.

The homeowner had been in touch with SERVPRO the entire time. He was kept fully informed about the damage and the steps being taken to remove the water. Although he arrived home to a mess, recovery, and restoration was well underway thanks to SERVPRO and the support of his neighbor next door.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for 24/7 service. We serve Gage Park, Brighton Park, and surrounding areas. We aim to restore your home, "Like it never even happened." We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Chicago, IL

David Mason, Our Vice President of Operations and SERVPRO Restoration Services

7/25/2019 (Permalink)

Why SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City? Meet Our Vice President of Operations--David Mason

Why SERVPRO Shines as a Property Recovery Service Company--Team Members Like David Mason

Restoration Service companies to treat properties in Ford City and the Greater Chicago locale are many. So Why does one, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City stand out? David Mason is one reason.

High-Quality Personnel
No company can fulfill customer expectations without the right mix of personnel and equipment led by proficient professionals. Marquette area property owners benefit from the expertise provided by David Mason, who is our promoted Vice President of Operations. His extensive background and commitment translate into outstanding outcomes for our residential customers and commercial clients.

David and SERVPRO go back together from 2006; tenacity and experience produce cleanup and restoration results second to none. David's awards and achievements throughout the years indicate successes in the field, which increase profitability and increasing our brand awareness. David has a lot of savvy through the BDP Business Development Program that he headed. He directed 90 SERVPRO franchises in achieving goals because of outstanding business relationships with leaders in the restoration industry throughout the country. This is the attitude that enhances our name in local communities, a sense of family, blended with a deep knowledge to achieve desired results.

Our SERVPRO franchise here in Chicago is a vital section of the National Storm Team that ranges far and wide to help after natural disasters like floods, wildfires, and hurricanes strike. Our Commercial Large Loss Team has been managed by David since 2014 and has gained recognition as being a go-to team to mitigate damages.

Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City franchise is operated like a large family that pulls together to meet our customers' expectations. We are thankful that David Mason is part of the family. Trust us to help you recover a property loss by calling (773) 337-3993.

The Marquette Building: to see it, click here.

Smoke Deodorization Is A Crucial Part Of Our Fire Damage Restoration Process In Chicago

7/22/2019 (Permalink)

Any type of smoke that gets into your Chicago rental home can cause you many problems.

Fire Damage Experts From Chicago Talk About Smoke Deodorization

Any type of smoke that gets into your Chicago rental home can cause you many problems. Smoke and fire damage costs residents and landlords across the country millions of dollars each year. Cigarette smoke is also a common issue, and our SERVPRO technicians always treat these scenarios the same as any other type of smoke-related problem. If your tenant inside your rental property smokes tobacco, your house could develop a serious odor problem.

Cigarette smoke causes landlords in Chicago many fire damage claims each year. Cigarette smoke can travel throughout your structure and penetrate your building materials and contents just like smoke from any other burnt substance can. Once tiny partially combusted particles penetrate deeply into porous materials, foul aromas can exist for a very long time.

Once the smoke has affected your rental house, it is wise to call in a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO. We have advanced equipment and knowledge when it comes to removing unpleasant smells. When conducting deodorization procedures, we use these four tools the most.

1. Hand/Electric Sprayers
For light odors, we can use sprayers to spray a chemical that deodorizes by both masking and pairing. Masking is when foul aromas get covered up by more pleasant ones, and pairing is when malodor particles get chemically neutralized.

2. Ultra Low Volume (ULV) Foggers
ULV systems use similar masking and pairing detergents, but the machine breaks the particles down and applies them in a mist form. The fog can mimic how smoke behaves and penetrate affected items.

3. Thermal Fogging
Thermal fogging systems get used for more severe scenarios, and they work by heating the chemicals and breaking them down into even tinier particles. The hot fog works in the same way as the ULV fog, but it can penetrate further into some substances due to the smaller particles.

4. Ozone Generator
Ozone systems work differently as the other techniques and use unstable O3 or ozone particles to deodorize. These particles float around and give an oxygen atom to malodor molecules to oxide and neutralize them.

If you ever have a tenant smoke tobacco inside your Brighton Park, Scottsdale, or Gage Park rental home, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 as soon as possible because We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more about Chicago click here.

What To Do If Your Home In Chicago Is Damaged By A Flood

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

If flood waters have ruined your property, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for effective cleanup services.

A Guide To Handling Flood Damage In Your Chicago Residence

Flooding is common in Chicago, and according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 90 percent of flood damage claims are for locations outside the mapped 100-year floodplain. Urban flooding can happen when water from a heavy downpour overwhelm the local drainage system, resulting in water pooling in yards and streets, entering houses through the foundation and backing up from sewers into streets and basements.

Dealing with significant flood damage in your Chicago residence can be overwhelming, and you may not know where to begin the flood cleanup efforts. To prevent further destruction to the contents of your property, remove movable items that can soak water quickly like clothing, furniture, bedding, and non-permanent carpeting to prevent mold growth.

It is also imperative to document the destruction by taking photographs of your house. This can eliminate disputes between you and your insurance provider over which items sustained damage and which repairs have been completed. Like with other major property damage, alert your insurance firm immediately after floodwater enters your house. A representative of the insurance provider can analyze the damage and inform you about the coverage you can get based on the evaluation.

The other essential step to take is contacting flood cleanup company such as SERVPRO to extract the water, clean up and sanitize your property and its contents. Our technicians can assess the damage and provide you with an estimate and our remediation plan. Our Water Restoration Technicians (WRT) have the resources and expertise to handle your emergency. We begin the water removal process speedily to contain the loss and ensure it does not spread to other areas of your property and cause more significant damage.

The water can disintegrate wallboard, rot wood, ruin many types of insulation, and compromise electrical wiring. We can use pumps or wet/dry vacuums to extract the water so that your house can dry faster. Mold can grow within 48 hours after the incident, potentially causing health effects to your family and producing a lingering musty scent. Most molds need lots of moisture to grow, but some survive in relative humidities as low as 65%. Our technicians maintain indoor relative humidity below 60 percent to reduce mold growth. We can use different air movers and dehumidifiers to dry your property.

Floodwater is usually a toxic mixture of water, household chemicals, pesticides, and gasoline, among other substances. Our SERVPRO technicians can use antimicrobial products to decontaminate your home. We can complete every aspect of the flood damage cleanup process to your satisfaction. Our technicians can also rebuild the structures that water has ruined.

If flood waters have ruined your property, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for effective cleanup services. You can reach at (773) 337-3993. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more about Chicago click here.

SERVPRO Answers the Call 24/7 from Chicagoans for Restoration Services

7/6/2019 (Permalink)

Chicago Buildings Both Tall and Small Rely on SERVPRO for Cleanup and Restoration Services

Why Chicago Residents Choose our Restoration Services for Personal Property Damages

The role of a professional restorer is to mitigate losses in the structure, structural contents, and contents of your home. First responders can deal with the immediate danger of a home emergency. Contractors can replace the weakened structure or perform remodeling duties. The restorer operates in between, performing drying, cleaning and deodorizing to ensure permanent damages are kept to a minimum. Our restoration services are professional using our employees local to the area with access to national resources and equipment.

Water
The methodology for the restoration of water damage in Chicago tends to fall under two broad categories. The first is open system drying. Principally, open system drying involves exchanging moist indoor air with drier outdoor air. SERVPRO achieve this by opening windows and doors in the home to create an open circuit. The strategic placement of rapid air-movers encourages both air flow, through centrifugal motion, and evaporation by raising surface temperatures.

Restoration services using open-system drying may be deemed inappropriate by a SERVPRO technician. During colder periods of the year, the opening of windows and ventilation in Chicago may not be feasible. In these circumstances, a technician can use a close-system drying method. The core principles remain the same, except dehumidifiers with desiccant chemicals are used for the exchange of moist air with drier air. Sometimes, a drying tent may be set up to concentrate remediation efforts.

Both methods are proper drying techniques for your Chicago home. Humidity levels need to be monitored continuously throughout the operation using thermal hygrometers. By keeping moisture in the air below 60 grains per pound, SERVPRO can ensure microbial growth remains under control throughout the process. This controlling of microbial growth is essential to avoiding expensive secondary damages to your structure and possessions.

Fire
During a house fire smoke can enter your heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. Smoke can cause harm to your HVAC requiring restoration services for fire damage in Chicago. Worse still, smoke residues can be spread through your home, distributing deposits from return-side ventilation ducts. SERVPRO can assess and clean your system as well as removing the deposits from various areas of the home. HVAC remediation is usually required for medium to substantial smoke damages. Failure to attend to this issue can result in soots being released into an otherwise restored structure.

The first step a SERVPRO technicians takes is to inspect your system. We are answering questions like at what point smoke has entered your HVAC- either the return side or the supply side- and applying appropriate restoration services to remedy it. Smoke on the return side usually requires removal and replacement of the filter, located just behind the ventilation duct. Supply-side damage requires a more extensive cleaning process since it is likely your system has spread smoke throughout ventilation ducts.

The supply side is usually the largest vent panel in your Chicago home. It draws in clean air and redistributes it via the return vents. SERVPRO may need to deploy negative air pressure machines fitted with hoses. Usually, an entrance point must be cut using a saw to allow hose access. After service, the ventilation tunnels can be thoroughly deodorized with the cut-out replaced using sheet metal screws for fastening.

Storm
Our primary task after adverse weather conditions is to protect structure and contents from water damage in Chicago and the surrounding the area. SERVPRO runs out of hours restoration services using local technicians on call throughout the night. We do this to ensure the community can reach out to us during a time of emergency and because a fast response to flood waters entering the home can significantly reduce the likelihood of permanent damages being sustained.

Restoration services focused on the structure are best done by technicians with applied structural drying (ASD) qualifications. SERVPRO can create access points to wall cavities, subfloor, or crawlspaces by drilling small holes that can be filled in and do not damage cosmetic appearance. Allowing access to these cavities is essential to deploying injectidry systems into the voids of your Chicago home. By accessing these cavities, we can significantly reduce the likelihood of long term or permanent damages by eliminating all hidden moisture.

In terms of your structural contents and possessions the question of whether the items can go through restoration services onsite or off-site. On-site proceedings tend to be quicker. These processes could mean floating carpets to dry beneath them and draw moisture from the subfloor. In more extreme cases, it may be best to relocate possessions to a secure storage location, allowing more targeted drying techniques and access for cleaning equipment like truck-mounted extraction units.

Mold
Microbes are living organisms that exist in virtually all environments- especially where water or moisture is present. One type of microbe fungi, known colloquially as mold, can proliferate in ideal conditions causing unpleasant odors, soiling and affecting indoor air quality. You may need professional remediation for mold damage in Chicago, using local restoration services. SERVPRO has experienced technicians for the assessment and remediation of uncontrolled microbial growth and can be reached twenty-four hours a day.

In remediating microscopic fungi, the first action after assessment should be to quarantine sections of the home. Air-borne particles can enter, and infest other areas of the home without adequate containment. SERVPRO achieves this by setting up physical barriers, in the form of plastic sheeting, or by using negative air pressure when clearing away soiling.

Using air scrubbers in a contained area can help to pull microbes from the air before they become a threat to other areas of your Chicago home. SERVPRO can deploy air scrubbers fitted with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters which can remove particles as small as 0.3 microns from the atmosphere. Larger quantities of mold can be wrapped up and taken with us for safe disposal to avoid cross-contamination and reduce the likelihood of mold returning.

Restoration services are geared toward mitigating loss and guarding against future damage. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 to arrange expert assistance.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en.html

Our Experts Can Dry Your Water Damaged Documents In Chicago

6/24/2019 (Permalink)

Give our specialists a call anytime that disaster strikes at (773) 337-3993.

Document Drying In Your Chicago Library

Water loss incidents that affect your Chicago library can be devastating to its shelves of irreplaceable works. Knowing how to handle situations where substantial water loss events can damage books and publications in your care can prevent the loss of a significant investment made by the county or private collectors. Even an abundance of moisture can compromise novels over a short period, so you need to reach out to professional restoration specialists like ours to get mitigation and recovery solutions started immediately.

One of the ways that our team can help with water cleanup in Chicago libraries is through document and publication recovery. We have advanced drying techniques with our contents department that can happen both on-site or in our nearby SERVPRO facility that can preserve affected books and other works you have stored on the shelves of the library. Freeze drying is often the method most trusted by our professionals for its fast turnaround and impressive results.

This process involves rapidly freezing the moisture-damaged books in the library inside of a chamber. With vacuums, the pressure gets reduced substantially within this area, and heat gets added into the equation. The frozen water can then evaporate without damaging the composition or the cellular integrity of the individual pages of the books or other works removed from the facility.

Our SERVPRO team must also address the saturation of areas like the flooring after a water loss incident in the library to prevent the continued exposure of these books and novels. We have advanced rapid drying solutions that can cover several thousand square feet with the use of multiple units simultaneously.

From plumbing breaches to water heater malfunctions, there are many sources of substantial water loss incidents that could impact your local library. To preserve both the building and its publications, seek out the experience and advanced equipment of our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City professionals. Give our specialists a call anytime that disaster strikes at (773) 337-3993.

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The Ultimate Guide to Storm Damage In Your Chicago Home

6/15/2019 (Permalink)

Don't let your basement turn into this. Contact SERVPRO for flood damage remediation assistance.

Wind Damage that Can Ultimately Flood Chicago Homes

The wind is a defining characteristic of the Greater Chicago area, and while many residents have gotten accustomed to the stiff winds that can often sweep through the region, homes might not be as prepared to face the storm. With winds that can sometimes rival the intensity of hurricanes and other severe weather events, many homes can fall victim to circumstances like missing shingles, broken windows, fallen trees, and sheared siding. Any of these vulnerabilities that could exist during a storm can lead to even worse conditions like flooding.

Having a team that can help you through the damaging effects of a severe storm is one thing, but having a crew of professionals with the experience to address flood water removal and the symptoms of standing water in your Chicago residence is another entirely. Our SERVPRO professionals have extensive training and knowledge in disaster relief and flood damage recovery through our accreditations by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in multiple facets of the restoration industry including structural drying, water restoration, and mold remediation.

Wind damage presents substantial risks to your property when combined with torrential rainfall. With missing shingles or damaged areas of the house, runoff and direct precipitation can penetrate the residence and find a way to spread quickly. We have the experience to begin our mitigation efforts with emergency board up and tarping services to prevent the flood damages from getting any worse as extraction and drying efforts begin.

Flooding can thoroughly saturate construction materials in the house, ultimately requiring removal and replacement. Our SERVPRO professionals can fully reconstruct removed areas of the property and entirely repair damaged portions of a roof, siding, and broken windows throughout the residence.

We understand how quickly flood effects can spread throughout your home, so our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City professionals respond fast to these emergencies. We have the tools and the experience to make these damages “Like it never even happened.” Give us a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

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You Can Depend On Our Fire Damage Experts To Restore Your Chicago Home

6/4/2019 (Permalink)

Contact our IICRC-certified specialists for this and other restoration work by calling our 24-hour services line.

The Mess After A Fire Needs Cleanup By Trained Professionals In Chicago Properties

Seeing your Chicago residence from the outside after a fire can seem minor to the destruction that you later see inside. You might feel hopeless about the future your family seems destined to experience while putting your lives back to normal. SERVPRO professionals use industry-standard techniques that help our customers accomplish their goals of recovering after disasters at the lowest possible expense.

Owners might feel tempted to carry out fire cleanup tasks in their Chicago home to reclaim some of the personal belongings scattered around their now charred property. Doing so can quickly seem like another disaster. Others prefer to not even look at their items, as seeing them can feel like reliving the fire all over again.

The condition a fire leaves furnishings and other contents in can range from heavy soiling with soot and smoke residue from other items that burned to melted plastics and charred wood and other combusted materials. Water from fighting the blazing home’s structure can also create additional conditions that require the attention of mitigation and restoration specialists.

Because of our Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training, we know how to use our extensive inventory of restoration tools and equipment to clean up fire damage affecting your home efficiently. We also rely on teamwork, making it possible to have your home restored soon after we begin, “Like it never even happened.”

For families with children, we understand that helping them with the trauma and after-effects can reduce the stress that the adults in the family must deal with daily. We can place loveys and other chosen items in priority position so we can return them to you faster. Our ultrasonic water bath can get these clean in a short time, with only drying and deodorization to follow before we hand them back to your family.

Our fire cleanup experts continue with other items that our specialists boxed up for restoration through cleaning while others proceed with the work needed inside your home. This includes removing soot from walls, ceilings, counters, and cabinets, extracting water from putting the fire out, removing destroyed items including remnants of curtains, rugs, and mattresses, and deodorization. Working in teams, SERVPRO completes fire cleanup tasks quickly and gets your home restored so your family can move back home again.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has qualified professionals on the job in Scottsdale, Gage Park, and Archer Heights homes, performing fire cleanup and restoration work. Contact our IICRC-certified specialists for this and other restoration work by calling our 24-hour services line, (773) 337-3993, any day of the year.

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You Can Count On Our Crew To Restore Your Chicago Home

5/31/2019 (Permalink)

Once the storms have subsided, give us a call at (773) 337-3993 so we can get to you as soon as possible to restore your home.

Flood Damage And Your Walls In Your Chicago Home

Frequent and heavy spring rainstorms can create a great risk for flooding in your Chicago home. Being as prepared as possible is best, but sometimes you cannot predict or prepare for such an event. Your home can be dry and safe one moment and underwater the next. Floods can be quite an overwhelming event to experience, and you need help getting everything back in order.

Flooding and flood damage in your Chicago residence is something you need to move fast to correct. Reaching out to a professional remediation company, such as SERVPRO, is the smartest decision you can make at a time like this. Our trained staff has the right tools and needed experience to get your home looking as if nothing ever happened before more damage can occur.

SERVPRO technicians understand that drying flood and water damaged walls can sometimes be difficult. Each home is uniquely built with various wall materials. We are highly trained and inspect your home to come up with a plan which dries the affected walls. Because each situation of water loss is different, our approach to repairing the damage depends on the severity of the underlying damage.

In cases where floodwaters have done the damage, our goal is to save the original wall surface if possible, but sometimes the wet surfaces have to be removed. Our company has a lot of experience with various wall surfaces, and we can use different pieces of equipment to dry your walls and stop additional damage such as mold growth. Homes usually have two kinds of walls – exterior and interior. Interior walls usually do not contain insulation like foam or fiberglass. Only walls which are a sound barrier wall generally contain some kind of insulation.

Our process for drying your walls out include monitoring devices to detect how far the water has wicked up the wall and the removal of your trim and baseboards. We look for any doubled sheetrock or insulation and drill holes under the baseline so we can figure out a drying plan for the area which is affected. Continuous airflow is used with air movers, and dehumidifiers help to dry the air in the room. Once the water mitigation equipment is set in place, we take additional readings. We then monitor the equipment every day so we can make any needed adjustments.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can help you dry your property in Archer Heights, Scottsdale, or Marquette Park after flooding. Once the storms have subsided, give us a call at (773) 337-3993 so we can get to you as soon as possible to restore your home.

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SERVPRO Suggests to Chicago Homeowners to Call Us for Inspection and Cleanup after a Water Loss

5/27/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Doesn't Clown Around When It Comes to Water Damage Mitigation for Chicago Properties

When Can Seemingly Minor Water Damage in Chicago Be Much More Severe?

Not every incident of water damage in your home may require the help of a professional damage mitigation and restoration company like SERVPRO. Sometimes, you might be able to skip a phone call to us entirely and handle the incident with a mop and some cleaning products. However, it can be dangerous to ignore the warning signs of an incident that requires professional assistance. Seeing any of these scenarios unfold in your home should mean a direct call to us for emergency assistance.

Deeply Soaked Flooring Materials
A small spill or puddle in your home might not be cause for concern, but when the water comes in large enough volumes to cause water damage to your Chicago home's carpeting or wooden floorboards, you should call in professionals to mitigate and restore the damage. When water soaks into your floor, it can start to break down and warp the materials, potentially creating uneven surfaces and ruining finishes. Even if you dry the area out, deeper pockets of moisture may remain and contribute to mold growth in your home. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster to help prevent mold growth from happening and to avoid replacing the flooring materials in your home.

Unclean Water
Water from an unclean source, such as a drainage ditch or a septic tank, should never be allowed to enter your home. Unclean water sources can create dangerous situations that could cause health effects if you are not careful. Always call SERVPRO when dirty water reaches your home, even if the damage seems relatively minor.

Leaks or Damages in Unseen Areas
What might seem like a small leak behind your wall could be hiding a much larger problem or even substantial fungal growth in your home. Our inspectors use advanced moisture detection tools such as infrared scanning devices to identify pockets of moisture and find out the true extent of damages in unseen parts of your home.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provides 24/7 protection against water and flood damage for homes in the area. Call us at the first sign of trouble at (773) 337-3993.

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Need Water Extraction from Your Chicago Property? Don't Wait--Call SERVPRO for Immediate Help

5/6/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Does Not Clown Around--From Office Staff to Production Crews We Restore Water Damaged Structures in Chicago

What Helps SERVPRO Provide Some of the Fastest Water Removal in Chicago

Water removal projects can be difficult, time-intensive, and costly without the help of professionals. Some severe situations can prove to be almost impossible for individuals and households to clean up on their own. SERVPRO provides the expertise and equipment necessary to get water out of your home within days or even hours of a disaster. The work that goes into our high-speed water removal services can be complex at times, but a few key factors help us to continually refine our processes and bring you some of the best services in the industry.

Industrial Equipment Standards
SERVPRO franchises across the country maintain the upper hand against flooding and water damage thanks to our use of high-power industrial equipment held to a national standard. Our water removal projects in ordinary Chicago homes use the same types of equipment that we would use for a large warehouse or factory space with similar issues. Through the use of strategically-placed air movers, multiple types of dehumidifiers, and highly efficient and specialized odor removal solutions, we can accomplish the same amount of work in less time than ever before.

Rigorous Training
The backbone of any SERVPRO franchise is our extensive staffing of highly-trained damage mitigation and restoration specialists. All of our technicians go through weeks of full-time training to learn the methodology and science behind our restoration techniques. This is our Employee Certification Training Program (ECTP.) As our crew members progress in their careers, they can earn additional opportunities to become specialists in one or more types of damage through further education and testing. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) supplies many our techs with endorsed water damage restoration certificates(WRT.) Most teams we send out include at least one veteran technician with years of experience handling many different types of accidents.

24/7 Readiness
We stay ready around the clock to respond to local incidents as soon as they appear. By arriving faster to the damaged property, we can immediately implement preventative measures that reduce the consequences and expenses associated with the incident. SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City--We're Faster To Any Size Disaster. Call us at (773) 337-3993 for questions or our 24/7 services.

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Why Safety is Important With Fire Debris Removal in Chicago

4/17/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is always on call for your fire-damaged property.

Fire Debris Removal Workers In Chicago Describe Restoration Methods

Anytime something burns inside your Chicago home, items inside the building may need to be removed and replaced. If the flames torch your building materials or contents, it could become necessary to call in a professional fire debris removal company such as SERVPRO. The number one goal when arriving at your residence is to use specific methods to save items preventing replacement as much as possible. However, in some situations, your structural components or other items can get damaged to the point where they need to be removed and replaced. When a situation like this occurs, it is wise to save the fire debris removal for the experts.  

When rebuilding a fire damaged home, we take specific safety measures. During any fire debris removal project in Chicago, our SERVPRO technicians always put safety first. Before we begin any work, we inspect your home for both potential dangers and to figure out the extent of the damage. If there are any structural issues or other problems that could pose a hazard to any of the building's occupants, then we perform steps to mitigate the possible danger. For example, should burnt items pose a fall hazard, we take them down.  We also temporarily support the compromised building's structure while demolition procedures take place.  

After our SERVPRO experts deem the fire damaged building safe for you, your family, and our staff, we commence mitigation efforts. First, we run tests to see how burnt your building materials and contents got. For instance, if charring is found into the drywall and past its surface, then most likely it needs removal. If your studs show torching deeper than a quarter inch, then sections of your building's skeleton needs discarding.  

After disposing of the unsalvageable contents and building materials, we take measures to prevent the spread of unpleasant aromas created by smoke and charred materials. If anything ever burns inside your house, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 any day of the week.

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Our Team Is Here To Help If A Water Damage Emergency Occurs In Your Chicago Business!

4/8/2019 (Permalink)

Please give us a call at (773) 337-3993 as soon as you find or suspect a problem so we can get everything back to normal as soon as possible.

Commercial Water Damage Cleanup For Your Chicago Business

A slow drip under a sink, leaking from your roof, or water stains on your ceilings are all signs there are water issues in your Chicago coffee shop. It doesn’t take much water to create damage to your building that is rather significant, and sometimes the problem can go unnoticed for a while until they become a much more substantial problem. Commercial properties often have more bathrooms than private ones, and therefore, have more plumbing to upkeep.

When you are a business owner, there are steps you can take to locate any issues that may be lurking before they become catastrophes. When you do find an issue, you need water damage restoration in your Chicago property from a professional company such as SERVPRO. We can find the problem and get your building promptly restored so you can get back to business as usual.

Begin with your kitchen/break rooms and bathrooms. The water lines behind toilets should be checked, as well as under sinks for drips. Make a note of any watermarks you see in the cabinets under sinks. Fridges with ice makers, dishwashers, and coffee makers/drink dispensers all use water, so make sure to check the plumbing connections on them.

When we arrive, SERVPRO staff find where the water source is coming from first. We can then use moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to find and measure the amount of water and humidity in various building materials. If the water severely damages any drywall or other building materials, we remove them and replace them with new material.

In most cases, we do what we can to work around your staff and customers so as not to cause a significant interruption or shut down your shop. We understand that closed doors for any length of time means lost profits for you as a business owner.

You should also keep an eye on walls and floors, as a leaky roof doesn’t just present itself as a dripping ceiling. Water might travel down walls and across flooring. Also check your foundation, as this is an area which can get overlooked, but water damage can come from below as well. Look at your foundation and any the basement if applicable.

Be sure to trust your senses as well. If you notice any moldy or musty smells, try turning off any noises fans or machines and listen for rushing or dripping noises.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City wants to help you restore your business in Gage Park, Marquette Park, or Scottsdale when there is any water damage issue. Please give us a call at (773) 337-3993 as soon as you find or suspect a problem so we can get everything back to normal as soon as possible.

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Call Us Right Away If Your Ford City Rental Property Experiences A Water Damage Disaster

3/27/2019 (Permalink)

Our water damage experts are ready to help you 24/7 and make the situation “Like it never even happened.”

How SERVPRO Helps After Water Damage In Your Ford City Rental Property

Getting a call from your tenants that there is water damage in your rental property is an unpleasant situation. The key to mitigating damage to your house and helping your tenants is to get the water removed, and contents cleaned as quickly as possible. The longer water stands, the more contaminated it becomes and the more damage it does. After 48 hours, if the water is still in the home, it becomes a black water-level incident, and the number of possessions and home contents that can be saved through restorative efforts goes down due to contaminants and secondary damage.

When SERVPRO arrives to remediate water damage at your Ford City property, technicians split into teams to determine the scope of the water infiltration into flooring and soaked into drywall. While one team works on extracting water, another inspects the structure. Saturated drywall often cannot be restored, and our technicians use moisture probes to determine how far up into drywall moisture has seeped. If removal is necessary, we cut out drywall at least six inches to a foot from where moisture was last detected so complete drying happens within wall cavities.

After the standing water is removed, technicians set up air movers at angles to move moist air out of the area. Dehumidifiers lower the overall moisture and encourage faster and thorough drying. Then surfaces and non-porous items are wiped down by hand with professional-grade antifungal and antibacterial cleaners.

Our goal is to work quickly and disrupt your tenants' lives as little as possible during the remediation process. Drying water-saturated contents will often substantially reduce the noticeable odor in the home. If any lingering odors remain, we have equipment and methods to neutralize residual smells dependent on the level of treatment needed.

When you receive a call from a renter telling you there is water damage, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993. Our water damage experts are ready to help you 24/7 and make the situation “Like it never even happened.”

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We Keep Your Work Areas Clean While Restoring Your Space In Chicago

3/13/2019 (Permalink)

Businesses often have pipes burst which causes significant water damage. Our experts are ready to help you with restoration 24/7.

Commercial Water Damage Specialists From Chicago Talk About Problems With Acoustic Ceilings

Problems associated with moisture can happen anywhere including your Chicago ice cream shop. If your roof ever happens to leak or a pipe breaks in a unit above yours, it is wise to notify a professional commercial water damage company such as SERVPRO. Water coming into your company's building from above can cause several different problems. If moisture comes into contact with your acoustic ceiling tiles they can quickly start to crumble and disintegrate. Problems with ceiling tiles are a common part of many commercial water damage projects.

When dealing with your specific business, our SERVPRO technicians know that sanitization is vital. When conducting any commercial water damage project in Chicago, especially inside an ice cream store, we take extra measures to make sure your work areas stay clean. If moisture happens to pour down from above, then we can use plastic to mask off your food prep tables as soon as we arrive at your place of business. Roofs that leak or moisture coming from a storefront above you, can detoriorate your ceiling tiles and cause them to crumble and fall to the ground.

Debris falling onto your prep table where your company prepares ice cream treats can cause you sanitary problems. If we notice that your acoustic ceiling tiles retained moisture, then we inspect them to see if they present fall hazards or if they can be saved with sturctural drying procedures. Since acoustic tiles are easily ruined by moisture and they are relatively inexpensive to replace, they often get removed when they are saturated.

If we ever have to remove materials that make up your ceiling, we make sure that we cover all areas below with heavy-duty plastic. Even if your ice cream preparation table has its own cover, we still make sure to mask off your equipment so that no contamination occurs. After the project gets completed, we clean and sanitize your entire ice cream shop. If you ever happen to notice water damage or moisture coming into your ice cream store from the ceiling, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24 hours a day.

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Revealed: SERVPRO Offers Fast Assessment and Water Removal Services After Chicago Flooding

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

Flood damaged homes need fast and effective water removal efforts. Call us anytime 24/7 365 days a year for service.

Easy Ways to Deal With the Different Aspects of Flood Damage in Chicago

Managing a home damaged by floods is never easy because of the different ways floodwaters harm property. Apart from the removal of water and cleaning of soiled areas, the process might involve teardown and rebuilding of some areas which complicates the process even further. One straightforward solution to help you deal with the damages is hiring a professional restoration company.

Each case of flood damage in Chicago is unique so restoration should only start after a thorough evaluation process. While issues like water pooling around the property are expected, other aspects of the problem are harder to discern. For example, the level of moisture migration in materials such as wooden floors, baseboards or frames requires more in-depth evaluation. Our SERVPRO technicians use a variety of detection tools like moisture sensors, thermal cameras, and thermo-hygrometers to evaluate the conditions in the affected areas. We also use electrical circuit testers to check for electrical hazards.

Floodwaters can occupy a considerable section of the property meaning high volumes of water need removal as part of the restoration. Handling such a process with mops and buckets might not be very practical especially considering the need to fast-track the process to prevent secondary problems. Our SERVPRO team simplifies the process by using different equipment to handle the removal. For water deeper than two inches, we have submersible pumps. We also have truck-mounted water extractors which can remove up to 36000 gallons of water per day.

Contamination after flooding is common considering floods lead to sewer backups and other problems. Dealing with contaminated water is not always easy considering there might be disposal restrictions in your area. Direct skin contact with such water can also cause health problems. Our SERVPRO technicians help you deal with contamination in different ways. Before starting restorative processes, we spray EPA- registered disinfectants directly into the water. We also have the right PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, including rubber gloves and boots which allow us to move around the property freely. Our water extractors have storage tanks that can hold up to 100 gallons of water, but in case of higher volumes, we liaise with septic tank services to help with proper disposal.

Restoring flood-damaged property is straightforward with professional assistance. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to assist you. You can reach us 24/7 at (773) 337-3993. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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Chicago's Water Damage Experts Water Damage Approved

3/7/2019 (Permalink)

When the temperature drops outside sometimes water pipes inside your Chicago home freeze and break.

Water Damage Experts

When the temperature drops outside sometimes water pipes inside your Chicago home freeze and break. If a pipe breaks in your kitchen, for example, it is a possibility that water pours into your kitchen and other areas of your house. Water getting inside a structure, in many cases causes much damage.

It is possible when something goes wrong with your pipes that water damages contents and building materials. Anytime you think you may have a water damage problem it is smart to call in SERVPRO's team of water damage specialists in Chicago. Our crews are IICRC certified and experienced in mitigating water damage problems in many different scenarios.

In the case of a pipe breaking the first thing our team does is fix the source of the problem so that water stops leaking into the dwelling. Then our SERVPRO restoration crew comes in and extracts any standing water found. After standing water gets extracted, we use specialized equipment to extract water out of the carpet and hard surface flooring.

Once our team extracts as much water as they can, the drying process begins. To start our experts use their equipment to test temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content of building materials inside the room. The technicians then set up air movers and dehumidifiers to bring moisture levels down to normal.

The air and building materials within the damaged room get tested periodically throughout the drying process. If things are still wet in an area, then nothing changes until the moisture levels meet the goal. If the area where the air movers are drying is dry and other parts of the home are not, then our specialists reposition the air movers and dehumidifiers so that they are drying the wet area.

We return to your house every day and check the temperature, relative humidity and moisture content in the walls and floor. The equipment stays set up and operating inside the dwelling until moisture levels are back down to what they are under normal conditions. Once the moisture levels are in the desired range, we come in and remove all of the drying equipment and then complete a final cleaning process.

Often our crews mitigate a water damage situation without having to remove and discard any building materials. For best results when your home gets water damage, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 for help 24/7.

For more about Chicago visit https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en.html.

Can My Wood Table Be Saved After Mold Damage in Chicago? Mold Remediation Approved

3/7/2019 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO if you see mold on your favorite wood table. We arrive quickly and will do our best to save your table from having to be replaced.

Our IICRC Certified Technicians Have Experience Dealing with Mold Infestations in Homes

Mold damage is a problem many homeowners have to face at some point. Mold can grow in any situation where there is moisture plus an organic food source. As organic food sources include natural housing materials such as insulation or drywall, it is all too easy for the fungus to set up camp in a house.
 
In the event of mold damage in your Chicago home, it is natural to be concerned about favorite pieces of furniture or belongings that you do not want to lose. We have experience in removing mold from a broad range of surfaces, which is why it is important to call us straight away. Our SERVPRO technicians assess the situation and let you know what is salvageable.
 
Wood tables can, unfortunately, become victims of mold damage. Wood soaks up water which provides moisture, so if you have suffered a leak, a flood, or simply have a damp environment in your home, fungus might grow on your favorite wood table.
 
We equip our SERVPRO technicians to tackle mold in several ways.
 
HEPA vacuuming is an effective way to remove loose spores from the surface of your table. HEPA vacuums are capable of filtering out particles as small as 0.3 microns, which makes them ideal for tackling mold.
 
Our team also scrubs away mold with stiff bristled brushes, always being careful not to cause further damage to the table.
 
Finally, we apply detergents if necessary. Products are chosen to suit your specific situation, so you can rest easy knowing you are getting the most appropriate treatment for your home.
 
Mold thrives in damp environments, which is why SERVPRO also tests the moisture levels in your home and establishes a drying goal and plan. We use thermal hygrometers and moisture meters to measure humidity levels, and a range of dehumidifiers and air movers to bring the humidity down to an acceptable level.
 
Speed is of the essence when it comes to mold remediation. SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is waiting to offer assistance throughout Chicago, Ford City, Marquette Park, Gage Park, Brighton Park, Archer Heights, Scottsdale and the surrounding areas. Call us today at (773) 337-3993.

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Our Experts Explain Containing Microbes During Our Mold Remediation Process In Chicago

2/6/2019 (Permalink)

Call us for professional mold damage remediation services that provide long-lasting protection against mold and mildew.

How We Contain Microbes During Remediation Of Mold Damaged Areas In A Chicago Property

Chicago homeowners who find mold and mildew on walls and ceilings want to get the mess cleaned up fast. SERVPRO can help do this by using industry standard methods. Our methods also help prevent further contamination inside your home.

Before we begin any work, we look for hidden moisture that causes mold damage in your Chicago residence. We use infrared imaging cameras that show changes in the different materials' temperature because moisture keeps elements cooler than neighboring dry materials. This lost moisture feeds microbes, but without it, they cannot grow. Shutting off their source of sustenance becomes crucial toward controlling their growth in the future. Once we eliminate each of these sources and ensure that such affected areas can dry out thoroughly, we can begin our mold remediation work.

Many times, spores end up in your ventilation system. Heating and cooling ducts harbor spores, as well as transport them from one place to another area. Because of this, we turn off your HVAC system during mold damage remediation. Also, we use other ways to keep mold and spores from circulating through your property.

We use containment methods that effectively keep spores from escaping the area we are working on and then dispose of them properly. While we use HEPA filters on many of our machines, this is not enough alone. Even air scrubbers can allow some microbes to escape, especially when cutting materials such as moldy wallboard and infested carpets are part of the work. We must use plastic barriers that microbes find impossible to pass through.

Plastic sheeting works well as both temporary walls and also as tubing that runs from the air scrubber to the exit at the window. Pushing spores and microbes outdoors helps keep them from starting new colonies inside your home if moisture ever becomes a problem again. Dust also finds its way outside, keeping irritants at a minimum.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City protects homes in the Ford City area, as well as Scottsdale. Call us for professional mold damage remediation services that provide long-lasting protection against mold and mildew. Our number is (773) 337-3993 and is always answered to provide prompt and reliable services from start to finish.

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Is a Hidden Leak Under Your Kitchen Sink Damaging Your Chicago Home?

1/29/2019 (Permalink)

Check under cabinets for water leaks.

A Leaky Kitchen Sink Can Cause Water Damage in Your Chicago Home

Sometimes a leak and the water damage it can cause might go unnoticed in your home for some time, especially if it is in a spot that isn't out in the open. In your home, when your kitchen sink sprang a leak, you did not notice at first. It dripped water onto the base of the cupboard under it for weeks before you finally noticed the water damage one day when you were looking for certain cleaning supplies. The bottom of the cupboard has bubbled up and swollen from the exposure to the moisture. Furthermore, it has also become discolored.  

At this point, the best thing that you can do to address the water damage in your Chicago home is to call for professional help as soon as possible. Getting remediation experts into your home can ensure that the problem does not get any worse. They can take preventative measures to ensure that microbial growth does not continue under the cupboard, as it is likely it had already begun.  

We train our SERVPRO technicians to use advanced equipment to remediate the damage inside your home quickly. We always try to get to your home as quickly as possible after your call, as we understand how stressful the situation can be for you. At SERVPRO, we pride ourselves on our professionalism and our friendliness. It is always our goal to make remediations as stress-free as possible, and we go the extra mile to make sure you understand what is happening in your home.  

When we arrive at your home, our SERVPRO techs can begin to remediate right away. We can set up equipment that is designed to pull moisture that your cupboard absorbed out of it again. We can set up dehumidifiers, air movers, and ventilation fans. If the water managed to penetrate underneath the cupboard, we can drill a hole and feed small tubes inside, which are designed to blast dry air in a hard-to-reach area. Once SERVPRO is sure that adequate drying has occurred, we can use moisture meters, ensuring that the moisture levels are returned to an acceptable degree.  

If water damage strikes your home, always act quickly. Speak to a representative of SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City by dialing (773) 337-3993. 24/7, we're open and ready to take your call.

Read about the Chicago fire here.

Do Not Panic When Your Hot Water Heater Causes A Flood In Your Chicago Home Call Our Experts

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

You can depend on the experts at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City day or night for a quick response to your water disaster.

Handling A Hot Water Heater Tank Flood In Your Chicago Home

Hot water heater tank failures are one of the top five causes of water damage inside homes. This type of situation needs the experience to clean up the mess you can see and prevent secondary damage from occurring in areas the water has spread that you cannot see.

The sizes of conventional tank-type hot water heaters in homes range from 30 gallons to 56-gallons on average. Cleaning up the water damage in your Chicago home from an interior flood needs to begin as soon as possible after the incident. Your SERVPRO technician will inspect the scope and scale of the water and devise a custom clean-up plan to get rid of the water and prevent additional damage from mold or warping wood or compromised drywall from occurring.

The first phase of the cleanup addresses any standing water. Your SERVPRO technician can choose from different methods to remove the water with powerful industrial or truck mounted pumps or wet and dry vacuums depending on the amount of water that needs to be removed. Utilizing tools such as infrared cameras, hygrometers and moisture detectors the technicians can determine the amount of moisture remaining in the home. Air movers can be deployed to dissipate the residual moisture and speed the drying time. Mildew can grow quickly in a damp environment appearing as a filmy, white coating on water-exposed wood. Your SERVPRO technician will stop the growth of this fungus and clean surfaces with anti-fungal cleaners if necessary.

Another huge concern after the water is removed, is any remaining odor. We address that on a case by case basis with the application of a HEPA air scrubber which works by removing particles in the air that cause allergens and odors. For large areas that require deodorization, we employ the use of thermal foggers which saturate foul odors and neutralize them.

The final concern after a water damage incident is mold. Making the environment inhospitable for mold growth is key. Our technicians will determine areas most prone to mold growth and ensure they are dry and treat them with antifungal cleaners if necessary. Once our team has completed their remediation, your home will be returned to its preloss condition like the hot water heater incident never happened.

You can depend on the experts at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City day or night for a quick response to your water disaster. Resolving your problem starts with calling (773) 337-3993 for a consultation with our skilled technicians.

Click here for more about Chicago.

Some Ways to Keep a Mold Infestation From Spreading Throughout Your Chicago Home

1/6/2019 (Permalink)

Take note of mold when you see it in your home, so that you can better describe it when you call Team SERVPRO. Call right away for best results.

Cleaning Up Your Home's Interior with Help from Mold Removal Experts in Chicago

After the holidays, getting decorations and extra furnishings put back into storage helps get your Chicago home's environment restored to a calmer state. Moving things around can also stir up dust and reveal mold-infested areas in your attic or basement.
 
Over the winter, microbes might slow in the rate of growth and become dormant, making it an excellent time to start mold removal in Chicago. Cleaning up in these areas during periods of slowed growth can make things easier. If moisture remains a constant presence, temperature fluctuations in attics and basements only slightly slow these microbes' growth down. However, SERVPRO technicians always carry the tools and equipment needed to get mold reduced to normal levels and cleaned up.
 
While you clean your home after the last party or celebration, uncovering mold can put a stop to everything. If you find mold in any particular space, putting boxes in the area can contaminate them and their contents. SERVPRO cleans the mold from all surfaces and makes them clean again. We also clean the air by using our air scrubbers. These machines pull air through at a tremendous rate and extract all mold and spores from the air.
 
When mold grows densely in an enclosed space, our specialists often use blasting equipment to abrade mold colonies from surfaces in these areas. When we use dry ice pellets, the frozen pellets freeze the mold and spores instantly, keeping the spores from entering the air. Afterward, the dry ice evaporates and does not require any additional cleanup. Other times, we rely on soda blasting to achieve the desired results. This method does require a bit of cleanup after we finish, but the soda also kills odors while leaving a pleasant scent in the area.
 
Cleaning up party decorations often includes just pulling things down and placing them in either a box for re-use next year or disposal in a garbage bag. Finding mold and mildew means you need a partner in cleaning up your home. We at SERVPRO stand behind our methods and know we can restore your home's interior.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can quickly get things squared away in your Brighton Park or Scottsdale home with IICRC-certified specialists in mold removal and remediation. Call our 24-hour service line at (773) 337-3993, year-round.

Click here for more information about Chicago.

Let Our Team Take Care Of Foul Odors After Your Chicago Property Experiences A Fire

12/26/2018 (Permalink)

Thousands of structure fires take place in Chicago every year making your clothing store at risk.

Commercial Fire Damage Experts In Chicago Describe Odor Deodorization Procedures

Thousands of structure fires take place in Chicago every year making your clothing store at risk. Even if the fire starts somewhere else in the building you are leasing, you still may need to call in a professional restoration company like SERVPRO to mitigate your commercial fire damage problems. Fires account for about ten deaths and 45 injuries each year in the United States. Over eight percent of all structure fires take place on non-residential properties. When something burns, the smoke created can travel to other parts of a large retail building and cause commercial fire damage to your place of business.

Our SERVPRO technicians know that mitigating any smoke related issues from your clothing store is essential. During most commercial fire damage projects in Chicago, we complete soot removal and deodorization processes as a part of the restoration procedures. Even smoke from another location inside your retail building can make its way into your store and cause you problems with building materials and contents. Smoke first rises with heat; then it gets attracted to cooler surfaces. Once the partially combusted particles hit cooler surfaces inside your building, they solidify in the form of soot residues and soils.

The presence of soils and residues on some surfaces can cause them to deteriorate. Soot can also permanently stain some items when cleaning becomes impossible. The presence of soot and soils created by smoke can also cause unpleasant aromas to exist.

In most cases, our SERVPRO team can eliminate most odor issues when they clean and remove soot particles from your building. However, smoke can penetrate porous materials like fabrics very deeply causing foul odors to exist well after all soot residues have been cleaned from indoor surfaces. Since your clothing store has clothes that can hold unpleasant aromas we sometimes take specialized deodorization measures.

In some situations, we use an ultra-low volume fogger which mimics the behavior of smoke and dispenses small particles of chemicals into the porous materials. In other scenarios, we use an ozone machine that releases O3 particles into the air that attach with malodor particles and neutralize them. If you ever get negatively affected by the presence of smoke, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 any day of the week.

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Got Water Damage Troubles? Our Professionals Can Be Trusted To Restore Your Chicago Commercial Property!

11/26/2018 (Permalink)

Smart business owners in Chicago have a backup for every negative contingency.

Team Up With SERVPRO Before You Need Help With Commercial Water Cleanup In Chicago

Smart business owners in Chicago have a backup for every negative contingency. Restaurants have secondary food service suppliers. Offices use modern cloud or other digital storage to save documents. Supervisors schedule subs or temporary workers for a broad array of employee absences. CFOs set aside reserve money in case expenditures go above budget. Businesses dealing with natural and other water disasters need a safety net as well. We help you build it.

If your Chicago business faces commercial water damage, the time it takes for a professional response quickly becomes part of the equation. Minimize the inspection and planning component of water remediation by developing an Emergency Ready Plan and Profile (ERP) to streamline the steps we take to assist when you need our services.

Schedule an assessment to start the ERP process at your convenience. SERVPRO sends one of our experienced team members to view your property, evaluate possible vulnerabilities and strengths should a water disaster occur, sketch a layout, and make practical suggestions intended to limit the damage to your structure and its contents. We work hard to understand your operations so that we can plan how to keep at least some of the commerce flowing even while we attend to the water damage.

You help add details to the SERVPRO inspection by using our mobile app to complete the Emergency Ready Profile. Identify critical staff whom you designate to act on your behalf if you are unavailable during the crisis. Show the locations of utility shutoffs. Provide a list of the vendors who sold and installed equipment and contractors who developed your systems. Consulting with those experts during water damage cleanup and restoration is useful and saves time and expense.

Once you and SERVPRO complete the components of the ERP, it just takes a few clicks to alert us that you need help. We then refer to a concise yet comprehensive digital plan to hit the ground running if your company has a water loss. This innovative and proactive approach to disaster planning pays off in many ways, including showing your customers you were ready for a catastrophe with a plan that limits the negative consequences they experience while we help you recover. Since 40 to 50 percent of companies that close temporarily to manage a disaster find themselves closing the doors to their enterprise permanently, being ready is essential to their longevity.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City welcomes the chance to work with your business on an Emergency Ready Plan and Profile. Call us at (773) 337-3993 to set up the initial consultation.

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When Faulty Plumbing Causes Water to Invade Your Chicago Office

10/29/2018 (Permalink)

A small crack in a pipe can leak 250 gallons per day, causing a lot of damage to your office.

Commercial Water Damage Pros In Chicago Explain How Moisture Harms Building Materials

Pipes can break and leak at both your house and your Chicago office building which can ruin both your contents and structural materials. Plumbing system failures are the most common source of commercial water damage claims. Estimates show that on average, 10,000 gallons of water per year gets wasted due to leaks inside American homes. A crack in a pipe that is only an eighth inch wide can pour 250 gallons per day into your office complex. Once moisture starts soaking into building materials, commercial water damage restoration becomes necessary.  

The sooner you call in a professional mitigation company like SERVPRO the better off you are. Our team always arrives promptly, and we immediately begin restoring the commercial water damage inside your Chicago office. We first fix the initial pipe leak so that moisture stops entering the structure. We then make sure your office is safe for your employees and ours. Next, we inspect all areas of the building and figure out which areas got damaged.  

Our SERVPRO technicians use moisture sensors and other equipment to take atmospheric readings. We determine how wet your building materials got and how far the water spread, and then we devise a plan to extract and rapidly dry out the affected areas.  

Water can be quite destructive once it starts to saturate building materials like carpet and drywall. Wet carpet can become detached from its backing forcing it to get removed. If drywall soaks up too much moisture, it must also be removed and replaced.  

Once moisture gets inside a structure, the relative humidity increases inside the dwelling. Elevated humidity levels can also cause secondary damage to regions of your office that did not get wet at first. If organic building materials stay wet for more than a few days, it creates a condition for mold develop.  

Our SERVPRO team knows that moisture-related problems can get worse if they go untreated for too long. After we set up our drying equipment on the first day, we return and test moisture levels each day and adjust the equipment as necessary. For a prompt response for all of your water-related issues, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 any time a disaster occurs.

The Chicago River flows backward to prevent wastewater from flowing into Lake Michigan.  Click here for more information. 

Signs Every Renter In Chicago Needs To Know About Mold Damage In Their Apartment

10/24/2018 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, we can resolve mold infestation in your apartment.

How First Time Renters Can Find Out If Their Chicago Apartment Has Mold

Mold is a fungus which decomposes dead organic matter. It spreads by releasing spores in the air, similar to a dandelion. When the spores find a suitable surface in a Chicago apartment, a mold colony can grow. Prolonged exposure to mold and the spores leads to health effects. To avoid a rental with mold damage, take a few minutes to look out for signs. Here are signs to look for as you hunt for an apartment.

Stale Odor
No one wants to imagine mold damage in Chicago is present even in a rental. Not only can it ruin the drywall but colonies can grow to cause serious health effects. As you hunt for an apartment, pay extra attention to areas with high humidity. They include crawlspaces, bathrooms and under the kitchen sink. If you detect the presence of a musty smell, it means a mold colony is growing there.

Brown Stain On Your Ceiling
If you spot brown stains on your ceiling or interior walls, the cause is a roof leak or HVAC unit. Here is how it happens. The leaking roof slowly drips water over a period of time. After the water dries, a yellow stain appears. Aging pipes can leak too. As you know, ceilings contain organic material. If other conditions favor, a colony can start to grow. If not detected, it can lead to mold damage.

Bubbled Floors Or Walls
Laminate flooring expands and contracts with moisture. This is due to the presence of moisture in the air. Under normal conditions, the level of humidity in a home is 30% or less. If higher than 60%, it means too much moisture is in the air. If measures are not taken to improve air circulation in the house, bubbling can occur on the plank’s edges. Moisture causes this as it seeps into the floor via the joints. As a new renter, learning more about the signs of mold damage can save you.

At SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City, we can resolve mold infestation in your apartment. Our process is simple – inspection, assessment, and remediation. If you have any questions pertaining to mold, call our 24/7 emergency line at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more about Chicago.

How SERVPRO Gets Started Drying Your Flood Damaged Home In Chicago

10/10/2018 (Permalink)

Flood damage from a storm can be a frightening experience.

Find Your Drying Goal After A Flood Damage In Chicago

Flood damage from a storm can be a frightening experience. The results can be very costly, and it is not a suitable DIY type of project to do to help you fix the situation. The most important thing is to act quickly to extract all the water out of your establishment. Even if you can get all the water out, you still have to find a strategy to dry your house, wall, carpet, and all your belongings efficiently.

The important thing is to establish a drying goal for any flood damage in the Chicago area. A drying goal is a condition that the techs want to bring out in any damaged structures. It is the level of drying that you wish to have in your environment. You want to include the moisture reading from dry and unaffected areas, percentage on wood materials, and points for non-wood structure. For example, if you do the calculations, it may look something like this: 10% moisture in the wooden floor and 12 points for drywall.

SERVPRO technicians are experts and can often use drier air to increase the rate of evaporation. Keep in mind that dry air usually equates to air with low humidity. A relative humidity that is less than 40% means that it is efficient for drying. Dry air helps absorb water from the moist area. The SERVPRO techs can use more accurate results from the specific humidity reading to add in a more accurate assessment that the humidity in the affected area is decreasing. The flood damage technicians can determine if you have reached your drying goal by using a moisture meter to document how much moisture is in a specific structure. They can also compare the readings to see if the items are drying correctly. Once the drying process is complete, the techs can give you a final walk-through to make sure that you're satisfied with the results.

If you want to reach your drying goal after flood damage, then give SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City a call at (773) 337-3993, and we can send our skilled technician to your residential area.

Click here for more about Chicago.

How to Detect and Prevent Airborne Water Damage in Chicago

9/26/2018 (Permalink)

Airborne water can cause damage to your home and health. SERVPRO can test for and eliminate excessive humidity in your home.

Remove Water Damage From the Air in Chicago

Water damage can occur anywhere without warning. Plumbing issues, storms, leaky roofs, and broken appliances can quickly release a tremendous amount of water in your house resulting in costly damages. When water stays in your home for a long time, it can destroy both the foundation and structural integrity of your house. It can also damage your belongings, carpets, floors, walls, and appliances. The damage often leaves a strong unpleasant odor that can linger around your home for an extended time.

Water damage in the Chicago area can happen in several ways. Storms and broken pipes can cause immediate water damage, but water is also absorbed through the moisture from the air. Airborne water can be difficult to detect and extract. Unlike standard surfaces where you can wipe, clean, and remove moisture, high levels of ambient humidity are very hard to identify and notice. You would need some advanced tools and equipment to detect water vapor content.

Restoration technicians from SERVPRO have all the tools and equipment necessary to evaluate air conditions in your house. With these tools, they can locate the area that is affected by the water and find out the extent of the damage. They can utilize moisture devices such as moisture sensors, moisture meters, and thermohygrometers.

The moisture sensors can detect moisture in carpets, baseboards, and walls. The moisture meters can identify moisture content in a variety of materials. The thermohygrometers can measure both temperatures and humidity. With a psychrometric chart, the SERVPRO technicians can calculate the dew point, humidity, and vapor pressure. With all the information that the equipment can provide, the techs can determine if the environment is favorable for drying. Plus, it can help them manipulate temperature and humidity levels to create the proper drying condition.

If you are ready to remove water content from the air, then give SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City a call at (773) 337-3993 for a consultation with our reliable technicians.

What was the original use for the Ford City Mall? View here for answers,

You Can Save Money And Still Do Proper Restoration Of Fire Damage In Chicago

9/17/2018 (Permalink)

Even after a small fire, extensive damages might occur, requiring extra effort to restore the property back to its preloss condition.

Proper Fire Damage Restoration

Even after a small fire, extensive damages might occur, requiring extra effort to restore the property back to its preloss condition. In small Chicago fires, smoke causes most of the damage because it drifts even to areas unreached by the flames. Water and other materials used to extinguish the fire can also cause further damages especially if left to pool around. Since cost is never a priority when putting out the fire, what determines whether you make any savings is what you do after the flames die down.

When dealing with fire damage in Chicago, one way to save cost is to be thorough when doing the restoration. Combines, the damage extent, the size of the affected area and the time spent doing the restoration determine the total costs involved. If ineffective methods are used, it might lead to unsatisfactory results. Such outcomes necessitate repetition of the procedures, which inevitably drives up the costs. If you choose to work with SERVPRO, our technicians first inspect the damaged areas and choose the most effective restoration approaches.

Sometimes, the restoration methods used, end up causing more damages thus driving costs up. A good example might be using a strong cleaning solution that ruins upholstered items instead of removing stains caused by soot or other smoke residues. Chemicals used in thermal foggers to deodorize smoke odor might also cause damages to leather items. Our SERVPRO team has access to a wide variety of professional cleaning products and tools ensuring we only use the appropriate ones during the restoration of your property.

Speed is essential during restoration because other costs might pile up as you wait for your property to be fully functional again. Even a simple inconvenience like eating out because the kitchen is no longer usable can pile costs up. Also if you leave standing water in the affected area for too long, problems like mold or rotting of wood can develop. Our SERVPRO team clears debris and extracts any water from your property immediately restoration starts, saving you from unnecessary costs. We also work at sufficient speed to ensure your property is usable in good time.

To restore your property cost-effectively, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993. We are available 24/7.

Click here for more about Chicago.

Making The Claims Process Efficient After Fire Damages In Your Chicago Home

8/22/2018 (Permalink)

Overcoming a disaster to impact your Chicago residence might feel overwhelming.

Making The Claims Process Efficient After A Fire

Overcoming a disaster to impact your Chicago residence might feel overwhelming. With widespread damages affecting multiple areas of your house, it is often challenging to know what you need or where to begin putting the pieces back together. With professional restoration services, experienced technicians can help you to assess the full scope of the damage and to lay out a plan to bring your home back to preloss conditions.

An example of an overwhelming situation in your Chicago home is combating fire damages. With so many different threats happening all at once, no homeowner gets prepared for the work that has to happen to bring their property back to the way it used to be. When our SERVPRO franchise says We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, this is precisely the kind of situation that we meant.

Once the first responders have left your home, you have to start making calls. The first of these would be to your insurance provider to let them know about the incident and start getting the ball rolling on filing a claim. Restoration work like ours is often a result of insurance claims, and our team of experienced technicians and staff work directly with the insurance provider and adjuster to expedite the claims process to get your home restored as promptly as possible.

While this insurance company is going to need some physical proof of the claim that you are filing, usually photographs, this is another situation where our SERVPRO professionals can take over. There are many threats and potential hazards in a home after a fire that our experienced professionals have the equipment to face. Our estimator can provide these required images to your insurance adjuster as part of the full inspection required in the estimation process.

As a homeowner, you want to restore the damages to your residence as promptly as possible following an instance like a fire. Unfortunately, there are often a lot of steps in between the disaster and its completed restoration. Let our professionals at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City help you to navigate this process and work as efficiently as possible to restore your home to preloss conditions. Give us a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more about Chicago.

Chicago’s Water Damage Experts Explain Rapid Structural Drying

7/31/2018 (Permalink)

When a water leak takes place inside your Chicago apartment, excessive moisture can negatively affect your contents and building materials.

Water Damage Experts Explain Rapid Structural Drying

When a water leak takes place inside your Chicago apartment, excessive moisture can negatively affect your contents and building materials. The longer things stay wet, the more likely they will get ruined and need to be replaced. Over time water saturates materials and causes them to lose their structural integrity and fall apart. The organic materials inside your home carry a risk of mold contamination if they stay wet for more than 48 hours.

If moisture stays inside contents and materials, the severity of the problems increase. When mitigating water damage in Chicago, our SERVPRO technicians’ primary goal is to prevent secondary issues. When water directly affects an object the problems that occur are considered primary. Secondary damage results when water vapor penetrates items and negatively affects them. Therefore, prompt mitigation can greatly reduce the amount of water vapor present in the air, reducing the chance of suffering secondary issues.

The first step to moisture removal is to vacuum up as much water as possible using specialized, industrial extraction equipment. Once the extractors get to the point where they are no longer pulling up water, the rapid drying phase begins. The goal of drying is to speed up the natural evaporation process and return moisture levels to normal as quickly as possible.

Since things in nature always seek equilibrium, we know that water from wet materials will evaporate into dry air sitting next to it. This is why we set up air movers to push air across surfaces so that the air next to wet materials stays dry allowing it to collect moisture. However, once all of the air in the room gets saturated, the moisture must be removed from the air. To lower a building’s relative humidity, we set up dehumidifiers that pull vapor out of the air and dispense it in liquid form.

To accomplish speedy drying, our SERVPRO crew uses principles of psychrometry. Psychrometry is the study of the humidity, air, and temperature, and their effect on various materials. Since air can hold more water at higher temperatures, humidity, airflow, and temperature all play major roles in determining how fast materials dry. High relative humidity numbers can slow down drying because the air must have less moisture than the affected materials for water to evaporate. Higher temperatures lower a room’s relative humidity thus speeding up drying.

Structures dry out best when they have constant airflow, high temperatures, and low relative humidity percentages. This is why we use air movers to create circulation, dehumidifiers to keep humidity low, and heaters to raise the temperature. If you need help drying out moisture before more problems arise, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 any day of the week.

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We can Remediate Mold Damage Issues in Your Chicago Home

7/22/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold can lead to panic. Contact SERVPRO and let our technicians locate the cause and remediate the damage.

Team SERVPRO Has Many Techniques to Remediate Mold Damage as Well as Combat Remaining Odors 

Mold can grow in your home from various sources such as leaking pipe, a hole in the roof or from water seeping into cracks in the foundation. These types of problems may go on without homeowners taking notice for weeks or even months, which can lead to hidden moisture and mold damage. Fortunately, there are skilled professionals like us nearby that can offer you reliable services.
 
Call SERVPRO when you discover mold damage in your Chicago home right away. We offer expert remediation services. It is wise that you contact our company immediately because mold can cause health effects. Plus, mold can leave a very unpleasant smell in your home. Moreover, mold can cause rot in the affected areas of your home, which is why calling us as soon as possible can help reduce damages to your property.
 
When our skilled crew arrives at your residence, they can quickly check for mold, assess the damages and begin the remediation process. The first step to containing the issue in your home is to use plastic sheets to prevent mold spores from spreading throughout the structure home during the cleanup stage. SERVPRO techs may also block and seal vents and doorways with plastic sheeting or other materials to contain the mold.
 
After the team removes mold from the affected areas, they can use air scrubbers to clean the atmosphere and rid the structure of musty odors. This process also helps eliminate airborne mold spores while the crew is working in your home. Our technicians may also use disinfectants to clean non-porous surfaces. The crew can utilize dehumidifiers to reduce the level of moisture in the area. Also, the team may use antifungal sprays to stop the re-growth of mold.
 
When you see mold damage in your home, it is best to call us right away. Our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City techs can remediate mold damage in your home when possible. Call us at (773) 337-3993 at any time. We are available to assist you 24/7.
 
Click here for more information on the city of Chicago.

Irrigation Systems Can Make Water Removal From Your Chicago Home Necessary

7/19/2018 (Permalink)

Water removal can be tricky to achieve and a puzzle to connect to a source, but SERVPRO has the training and experience to restore your home.

Water Removal

Everyone is busy, and one of the tasks that can take up much time this summer in your Chicago home is watering your urban landscape. A common strategy is to have an inground-sprinkler system installed. Often on a timer, these configurations take care of your yard and gardens with little to no effort on your part. Unfortunately, sometimes the water finds its way into your basement. If so our full-service disaster restoration company can lend a hand.

Chicago summers are hot and steamy, so water removal would seem to be far down the list of crises -- certainly after AC repair. Water is a force of nature that takes every opportunity to move from wet to dry, however, and the combination of damaged or poorly set-up automatic sprinklers and improperly graded ground around your foundation can spell severe seepage or even a flood. You need out expertise with this crisis.

One morning you walk down to the basement to grab something out of the freezer for dinner and find several inches of water. No plumbing leaks, washer overflows, or broken water heater explains the moisture, but the clicking of the sprinklers outside give you the clue needed. Override the sprinkler system and invite SERVPRO to make an emergency visit.

Sprinkler systems are a set and forget proposition, so the water likely has been seeping into your cinder block foundation for some time. When SERVPRO arrives, our crew chief examines the standing water closely but also takes a special interest in the walls of your basement, seeking signs of microbial growth or deterioration due to days or even weeks of slow water incursion.

The water removal plan includes employing pumps and extractors to clear the standing water. SERVPRO crew members take baseline moisture readings and use infrared scanners to find pockets of water frequently found in the open cells of cinder block construction. If your basement is finished, we check behind wallboard and paneling and evaluate whether any carpeting can be dried in place or needs removal. Weighted and heated wands can restore and dry out the carpet in the hands of our expert technicians who go slowly and in overlapping patterns to ensure the carpet does not tear, stretch, or delaminate.

We discuss additional strategies if needed for mold remediation, but at a minimum use EPA-registered antimicrobials to sanitize after the air movers and dehumidifiers we always carry on our trucks dry out the area. SERVPRO also strongly advises you work with the company that installed your sprinkler system to troubleshoot so that the water does not intrude again. Consider regarding around your home, sloping down and away from the foundation. The sprinkling patterns, water force, and possibility of underground leaks in sprinkler supply lines must all be considered and remedied if there are problems or the water will return.

Water removal can be tricky to achieve and a puzzle to connect to a source, but the team at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has the training and experience to assess and recover. Call (773) 337-3993 for a fast response and the best outcome.

Click here for more about Chicago.

Roof And Gutter Damage Can Lead To Flooding In Your Chicago Home

6/28/2018 (Permalink)

Freezing and thawing can break shingles off, or disconnect/break gutter systems.

Roof And Gutter Damage Can Lead To Flooding

While you might be thinking of plans for the warmer weather around your Chicago home, your actual house might still be working off the harsh winter that did not seem to want to end. For areas like the roof of your house, the winter months combined with heavier snowfalls in the region can take a toll on the structural integrity of this vital part of your home's exterior defenses. Freezing and thawing can break shingles off, or disconnect/break gutter systems. Ultimately, these damages appear once you start to experience severe weather situations now in the warmer climate.

With damage to the roof or gutter system of your Chicago residence, you are opening the door for the disastrous flood damage that could result. While some thorough inspection into these elements and subsequent repairs could spare you this unfortunate circumstance, most homeowners do not actively go looking for problems in their house until they get posed with the result of one.

Fortunately, our SERVPRO professionals can respond quickly to your emergency and help you to ease some of the stress in the situation. With our various equipment for extraction, we can remove the water from the affected areas efficiently. Once the water has gotten pulled from the flooring and other areas, we can get to work on thoroughly drying the area.

One of the primary concerns of our SERVPRO technicians is assuring that the area gets thoroughly dry. Lingering moisture or dampness is a breeding ground for microbial and mold growth, which can be another involved restoration process in itself. Through air movers and dehumidifiers, we can remove the majority of the moisture. For dampness found in wall cavities, above ceilings or below floors, special equipment must get used to remove the moisture without compromising the strength of these materials.

As intricate and involved as flood restoration can be for a lot of homes, it is nothing that you should have to contend with on your own. You can always count on our SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City restoration specialists to help you remove the water and return your house to preloss conditions. Give us a call anytime at (773) 337-3993.

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How We Clean Up Mold Damage in Your Chicago Home

6/24/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold in your home can be a reason to panic. Contact SERVPRO right away for efficient mold damage remediation services.

SERVPRO Technicians Use Effective Techniques When Remediating Mold on Your Property

Microbes live everywhere, including inside Chicago homes. This includes every room in your house. However, mold and mildew often stay out of sight because the lack of humidity keeps them from growing too much. Once a water source like a dripping faucet or a slow leak becomes available to them, they quickly become a problem.
 
When your Chicago dwelling has visible mold damage, you need to call an expert company like SERVPRO to help you correctly remediate the situation. We have IICRC-certified technicians who can safely perform this work. We know how to keep the rest of your home from cross-contamination. We use simple techniques like double bagging of materials to prevent spores from escaping and more complicated methods to rid your home of excess mold. Each technique helps us restore your home "Like it never even happened."
 
One of these techniques looks messy, but we, and the many hospitals who use it also, find negative pressure containment set-ups to work exceptionally well in most of the remediation jobs we perform. Hospitals use this when they must keep a patient’s room’s air from escaping into the rest of the hospital because of a highly contagious disease.
 
In negative air pressure set-ups, we pull the air into a tightly sealed area while simultaneously pushing the air out of the same area through an air filter and then out the window. We use HEPA filters that catch the spores in the area. Other tools and equipment help us clean your home after we remove moldy materials, so nothing gets left behind for you to clean up.
 
Mold damage in a home can cause health effects in occupants. We remove excess mold, so this does not happen and also stops the mold from damaging any other materials. Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City so we can restore your home’s interior to a healthy state by removing excess microbial populations and restoring areas with mold damage. Our emergency service line number, (773) 337-3993, is always available to you and your family.

Click here for more information on the city of Chicago.

Chicago's Fire Damage Restoration Team Explains Cleaning Wooden Furniture

5/24/2018 (Permalink)

When dealing with fire and smoke damage, it is best to bring in the experts to help restore your home. Contact SERVPRO right away for best results.

Team SERVPRO is Certified When It Come to Remediating Fire Damage in Homes

Nobody ever plans on it happening to them, but it is possible that a small fire starts inside your Chicago apartment building. A blaze can burn materials and items inside the home forcing them to be counted as a loss. As a fire burns, some particles do not fully combust into gas creating plumes of smoke.
 
These partially combusted particles rise with the heat before adhering to cooler surfaces. When mitigating any fire damage in Chicago removing soot left behind from the smoke is an essential step of the process. Soot residues can ruin surfaces and cause pungent aromas to fill the air.
 
Various materials react differently to soot residues that consist of multiple partially combusted particles. Some soots can get wiped off with minimal effort while other types of residues adhere well to surfaces causing removal to be difficult. Our SERVPRO technicians have a vast quantity of different chemicals and methods they can implement based on each scenario.
 
When cleaning contents inside your home, the type of surface we are cleaning dictates the method we use. When cleaning porous surfaces, wet cleaning can cause more damage, so dry sponges get used to remove the soot. Non-porous surfaces can be scrubbed with water-based detergents because the moisture does not soak into the material.
 
If hardwood furniture gets affected by soot, the type of finish it has and the extent of the damage change the item's cleanability. Many furnishings have a finish that changes its ability to resist heat, smoke and odor particles. Depending on the type of finish, the coating can either help or hinder the cleaning process. Unfinished woods are porous and can get cleaned best using dry cleaning methods.
 
The heat created by the burn can cause hardwood furniture to blister. Some types of smoke can permanently stain the wood. If the piece of furniture suffers blistering or staining, then cleaning becomes impossible and refinishing is required.
 
Certain chemicals are explicitly designed for removing soot from materials like hardwoods. For assistance with smoke problems at your residence, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24 hours a day.
 
Click here for more information on the city of Chicago.

The Surprise Of Mold Damage In Your Newly Obtained Chicago Residence

5/22/2018 (Permalink)

Mold eats at the substances it grows on, causing it to rapidly disintegrate at the cellular level.

Mold Damage In Your Residence

Homebuyers in Chicago can rely on various legal protections when purchasing a home, including those that require sellers divulge the existence of any problems with the property that require attention, maintenance, or repairs. These regulations do not always guarantee that the home does not have any problems. Also, when someone passes a property down to a relative, these same laws do not apply. Mold damage can also remain undetected in hidden areas inside a Chicago residence until a pre-sale inspection takes place, surprising both homeowner and buyer.

Microbial infestations can indicate other problems with the house. Water pipes that leak, or roofs that do not keep all the rain out, as well as accidental overflows from tubs and sinks, can create other types of damage. Mold eats at the substances it grows on, causing it to rapidly disintegrate at the cellular level. As it steadily moves deeper into the material, your walls, floors, and other structures, including any personal belongings, soon weaken, become filled with holes, and crumble into pieces.

Mold remediators from SERVPRO take care to only remove genuinely damaged materials and then bring in replacement items for these areas. We do not replace when we can restore through cleaning or by making minor repairs. We know you want to save money and generally, restoration or repair proves the less expensive option. SERVPRO employees earn different certificates from the IICRC, including the Applied Microbial Remediation (AMRT) certificate. Remediation requires skill and a thorough understanding of how this microbe interacts with its environment. Disturbing it can cause spores to disperse, requiring protective measures beforehand. Building containment areas to control the spread of spores and loose mold particles remains a crucial part of the process.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can remediate mold damage in your newly acquired house and help you make it a home in which your family loves to live, entertain guests, and make lasting memories. We know the importance of removing destructive mold that can affect your property and cause health effects in those you love. Call SERVPRO, so we can help you in accomplishing this goal. Our local number is (773) 337-3993, and we always answer it so we can provide the best service to those in our community.

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Commercial Water Damage After Sewer Backup In Your Chicago Business

5/8/2018 (Permalink)

As your commercial building in Chicago ages, pipes get older as well, and sewer lines can get backed up.

Commercial Water Damage After Sewer Backup

As your commercial building in Chicago ages, pipes get older as well, and sewer lines can get backed up. Plus, employees usually do not treat facilities at work with the same amount of car as they would in their own home. Even though commercial sewer lines are made to withstand more wear and tear, they can still clog and back up. You have a staff who counts on you for a safe working environment, so if a sewer line does get backed up, acting quickly is essential.

When it comes to damage to your sewer lines in your Chicago business, time is of the essence. You need commercial water removal services as soon as possible before additional damage can occur. At SERVPRO, our staff has gone through extensive training and certification to do the job for you and do it right. We are available any time, day or night, and ensure that we return your business to its usual, safe working environment.

City sewer lines have what is known as Category 3 water, which is very hazardous to anyone who comes into contact with it. It can contain microbes, bacteria, and other microorganisms that can severely damage not only the health of you, your employers and your customers, but can also damage the indoor air quality.

SERVPRO techs understand the dangers present with this kind of water damage, and we wear the correct protective gear to ensure the safety of our workers during restoration. We also have the right equipment and tools to remediate the areas affected quickly. SERVPRO understands that every minute you are closed costs you money, so we act fast to help you out.

When we arrive at your site, we evaluate the damages and then communicate the plan for cleanup with you before we begin any work. We can quickly return your building to safe conditions and let you and your employers get back to work.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City works quickly, but carefully, to take care of your sewer backup issue in your business in Ford City, Scottsdale, or Brighton Park. As soon as a problem arises, give us a call at (773) 337-3993 so we can get a team out to you right away.

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Speed And Quality Of Recovery Equally Important When Fire Damages Your Chicago Home

4/13/2018 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO team can professionally clean and restore your fire damaged home back to preloss condition.

SERVPRO Has What it Takes to Restore Your Chicago Fire Damaged Home

The harm done by a fire is not just frightening and discouraging your family while you spend days trying to devise a cleanup plan on your own. Failing to clean up the water, chemicals, smoke, soot, and other residues in your Chicago home promptly exposes the building materials and all contents to their progressive and devastating after effects. A professional fire damage restoration company provides high-quality services within the first hours.

Fire damage in your Chicago home involves much more than the charring and burning that seems the most prominent. The materials combusted by the flames create smoke, a vaporous mixture of solids, liquids, and gases. A component of smoke is soot, a dark substance that coats surfaces throughout your home. The sooty residues are corrosive, extraordinarily acidic and capable of damaging home structures and the fixtures, furnishings, and personal possessions inside.

Every moment that ticks away means the damage becomes more severe and less likely to reverse easily. Some materials warp, some yellow, some tarnish, and some etch. A fully equipped SERVPRO crew moves deliberately through a fire damaged home, cleaning and restoring areas one by one. The first priority is actually water removal and drying in most fire scenarios as water commonly extinguishes fires. Water damages a fire-ravaged home as well and creates slip and fall and other safety hazards. We are a full spectrum recovery firm, and water damage remediation is accomplished quickly.

Our trained technicians then match the proper tools, techniques, and cleaning products to the characteristics of the soot debris encountered. Soot that is light and loose vacuums and brushes away, while wetter soot sticks and needs a spray and wipe or abrasive approach. Kitchen fires feature protein and grease based smoke and soot that coats surfaces tenaciously, perhaps needing solvents and abrasive tools to loosen and remove. SERVPRO employees can also use immersion techniques, and even ultrasonic cleaning at our production facility for thick soots on blinds, light fixtures, and other intricately figured articles.

Smoky fire smells linger, and the SERVPRO team masters deodorization techniques that eliminate, not cover up odors. Removal of burned objects and a thorough cleaning are initial steps followed by sprays and advanced technologies like thermal fogging and hydroxyl generators that neutralize odor particles at the molecular level.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City responds fast and scales up a crew of expert fire damage remediators to clear debris and clean surfaces and deodorize within hours to days rather than the weeks a DIY effort might require. Call (773) 337-3993 to schedule an evaluation as soon as the firefighters leave the scene.

For more on Chicago, click here.

Commercial Water Removal Technology In Chicago Saves Proprietors Money and Downtime

4/2/2018 (Permalink)

Need Water Removal from Your Chicago Area Grocery Store? Call SERVPRO 24/7

SERVPRO Offers Top-Rated Equipment Manned by Skill Technicians for Mitigating Water Damage

Many problems possibly occur when a pipe breaks inside your Chicago grocery store. Water many times damages products and building materials inside your store. If left unattended, excessive moisture sometimes causes mold growth or foul odors to exist.
 
Restoration work can inhibit business operations and causes your company a loss of revenue. SERVPRO's commercial water removal team in Chicago uses the industry's best technology to mitigate your problem with minimal strain on your business. The advanced tools and techniques we use allow us to change our operations to hinder your grocery store operations as little as possible and to salvage as much as possible of your foodstuffs.
 
The first step to any restoration project is to secure the area and make sure that the building is safe for your customers and your employees. The next step is to fix the problem from its source. For example, if the cause of the water problem is a broken pipe, then the water gets turned off, and a plumber comes in to fix the piping.
 
Then, we use specialized equipment to extract all of the water out of your store as possible. Depending on the situation, either a truck-mounted or portable extractor gets used. Truck-mounted systems usually get used when the amount of water is excessive because they have more vacuum power. To get into tight spaces or to go places without restricting foot traffic inside your store, often we use portable extractors. The size of our team depends on the volume of water.
 
SERVPRO's restoration technicians also have a choice between a few different types of extraction tools. If the amount of water is minuscule or the material is fragile, then light-weight extraction wands get used. However, if carpet inside your store gets saturated with moisture, then heavy-duty extraction tools get implemented to reduce agitation which possibly ruins the carpet. For retail shops with tile, wood, or vinyl flooring we make adjustments for the greatest expedition of water extraction.
 
After the extraction phase is complete, we attempt to dry out any remaining moisture. First, we test the building materials inside the store to see where drying is a necessity. To detect moisture within soft materials, we often use a moisture sensor. Moisture sensors have sharp probes on the bottom that we stick in carpet or upholstery and it notifies us if there is a presence of moisture.
 
To test moisture levels inside harder materials such as wood we sometimes use moisture meters. Moisture meters give us a moisture percentage of the material. We compare the numbers of an affected area to moisture levels of an area of your grocery store that did not get wet.
 
The monitoring equipment we use helps us determine when drying is needed and when it is complete. For professional help dry out your grocery store, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24 hours a day.

Historic Building Information by clicking.

Chicago's Fire Damage Specialists

3/15/2018 (Permalink)

Fires can happen quickly. After you and your family are safe and the fire fighters have left, contact SERVPRO for remediation efforts.

SERVPRO Technicians Follow FOUR Proven Steps When Removing Odors After a Fire

Whether it is big or small, a fire burning inside your Chicago condominium is never a pleasant situation. Flames and heat burn contents and building materials. Smoke possibly flows throughout the building leaving behind soot residues and foul odors.
 
After a burn, one of the last and most important steps is to remove all pungent odors that get left behind. Chicago's fire damage technicians at SERVPRO follow four steps when deodorizing a structure. First, we remove the source, then we clean, recreate and seal.
 
Deodorization after a blaze sometimes gets complicated since foul odors usually have more than one type of source. In some situations, multiple methods must be used to remove odors, but the four steps still get followed. To start with, our team always removes the source of the odor. Any debris that got severely burnt and is smelling pungent gets discarded from the area.
 
Awful smells inside a home often come from soot residues that adhere to surfaces after a fire. If smoke smells still exist after removing all burnt items, then most likely the source is the odor-causing residues sticking to surfaces in different rooms of the condo. Our restoration crews follow the smoke and make sure to clean all areas that soot is present.
 
If horrible smells still exist after cleaning, then odor particles penetrated deep into contents and building materials inside the structure. The best way to remedy this problem is to recreate the same conditions odor particles stuck to the materials by using a chemical fogger. Sometimes this step gets skipped if it is not needed.
 
In many scenarios, odors get eliminated by just removing the source and cleaning soot residues. If the first two steps do not work, fogging is the next option then the last step is to seal. Our experts often seal surfaces that get exposed to malodors. In some cases, we paint over walls or wooden studs with a specialized sealant paint.
 
After deodorization, we do a final cleaning process that sometimes involves adding pleasant odors to the area. For professional help with the restoration process, call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at (773) 337-3993 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Click here for more information about the city of Chicago.

Stopping and Removing Mold Damage in Chicago Homes

2/18/2018 (Permalink)

When mold growth surfaces, it is time to give SERVPRO a call to investigate the source of the damage, remediate, and then offer preventative tips.

Certified SERVPRO Technicians Come Face-to-Face with Mold Damage on a Daily Basis

Removing mold from Chicago homes is not a simple task. Identifying possible sources of moisture and other risks for mold growth is a more efficient method of keeping our neighborhoods safe regarding structural and personal health.
 
Few people associate Chicago and mold damage. We are certainly more famous for our fires when it comes to disasters. SERVPRO, however, knows that mold can be just as destructive as a fire and the costs nationwide to remove it run into millions of dollars each year. Fortunately, we also know the best way to interrupt mold growth to remediate the effects is to stop it at its source.
 
For a residence, this usually means there is a leak somewhere inside. If the problem is something minor like a loose connection, a split washer hose, or a dried-out rubber washer, we can quickly fix it. Anything larger and we recommend using a licensed plumber. Before we repair the leak, though, our technicians spray any mold we find with an anti-fungal agent. It kills exposed mold on contact and temporarily stops further growth.
 
Now, we go to work removing standing water and drying the surrounding area. There is normally a small amount of water present, but even a small puddle can provide enough moisture for thousands of spores to expand and begin growing across attics, behind walls, and under sinks and other appliances. Once we remove the water, spores react quickly and return to their inert state within a few days. At this point, we can wipe away most of the spores on surfaces like house dust off a bookcase.
 
If mold has grown into the surface, however, SERVPRO technicians can deal with that as well. Building materials are a favorite food source for mold, especially drywall. Attempting to dig out mold from drywall panels is labor-intensive and usually costs far more to the homeowner than having us remove the affected panels and replace them.
 
When mold penetrates wall framing or other support structures, we have more options. If the mold is just below the surface, technicians can sand down the surface and spray the exposed mold and wood with the anti-fungal agent again. It is very effective and a cheaper option than replacing the wood.
 
Cleaning and removing mold damage requires professional service. If you suspect mold is in your home, contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City. Call (773) 337-3993 today with any questions or to schedule an inspection.

Click here for more information regarding Chicago.

Quality Fire Damage Mitigation Services Available In Chicago

2/5/2018 (Permalink)

Contacting a qualified restoration company after fire damage occurs in your retail store can help even under the worst circumstances.

Fire Damage Mitigation Services

Operating a retail establishment in Chicago can be a difficult undertaking. After finding decent suppliers, you need to find the right location, promote your opening, and commence retail operations, providing an enjoyable experience that encourages customers to return on a regular basis.

Running a restoration company is quite similar. We take pride in providing the members of our local community with professional restoration services they can trust. Otherwise, they would never return to us should problems arise. With that said, contacting a qualified restoration company after fire damage occurs in your Chicago area business can help even under the worst circumstances.

SERVPRO can handle any size job, everything from small storage fires to full structure fires. We offer emergency response teams year-round, making us available whenever needed to respond to situations that threaten regular operations. We help local companies like yours recover from emergency and environmental situations as quickly and efficiently as possible.

After looking at the damage to your property for the first time, you may think most of the damage is permanent. However, that may not necessarily be true. Most of the time, smoke and soot residues often leave an undesirable appearance and odor behind. SERVPRO technicians treat each surface and material separately, often cleaning, restoring, and deodorizing a variety of assets that you thought lost forever.

Everything in your retail store can benefit from inspections performed by a fully-certified IICRC technician. SERVPRO can provide you with cleaning and restoration services using advanced equipment and resources that make getting your company back up and running, faster. We use water extractors of all shapes and sizes to remove water used to douse the flames and have an advanced drying, cleaning, and repair services available to provide you with one-stop solutions to fire damage on your property.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City has a fully-trained staff waiting to assist with your retail store’s recovery. Call us anytime for quality fire-damage restoration services you can count on, today (773) 337-3993.

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Fire Damage in Your Chicago Home from a Kerosene Heater

1/25/2018 (Permalink)

It is important to keep heaters away from flammable objects while in use.

SERVPRO’s Fire Damage Restoration Process

Using a kerosene heater in your Chicago home in this cold weather is not uncommon. However, there are precautions you must take to prevent severe hazards like fire. Keeping the heater too close to furniture or other combustible items like draperies, knocking a lighted heater over, or lighting the fuel accidentally when filling the tank are all things to be careful of. Explosions can also occur from using the wrong kind of fuel, or by operating the heater with combustible fumes present, like in a garage or workroom.

No matter where the fire and fire damage has occurred in your Chicago home, it can create lots of damage quickly, and leave a big mess behind. SERVPRO can help you clean the fire damage, soot and smoke, and any water from the fire being extinguished. We have the tools and training necessary to do the job correctly in a timely fashion.

We arrive at your home within hours so we can begin assisting you with fire damage restoration. We do a quick damage assessment first, pretesting the areas affected and writing any needed estimates. When needed, we perform stabilization of your structure and emergency board-up.

We use methods for cleaning up soot and other residues from the fire damage which are environmentally friendly. Another essential step in our process is the removal of smoke odors, as is air purification and sanitation to make your home safe again.

Careful removal and securing of any personal possessions, household goods, and other contents is done. These items are taken to another location so we can clean and restore them while the rest of your home is taken care of. SERVPRO uses water extraction equipment which is of an industrial grade, plus air movers, dehumidifiers and other equipment to remove any water left behind as well.

Reconstruction of the affected areas is done so your home is fully restored. Then disinfectants and antimicrobials are used to prevent the growth of mildew and mold.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is very thorough in cleaning up your home in Gage Park, Brighton Park, or Scottsdale after fire damage. You can count on us to take care of you after a fire when you contact us at (773) 337-3993.

Click here for more on the city of Chicago.

Chicago Kitchen Fires Do Not Have To Threaten Your Profit

1/22/2018 (Permalink)

Chicago Fires In Bakeries, Shops, and Businesses Get Fast Cleanup and Restoration from SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Can "Turn-Over" Your Fire Damaged Bakery or Eatery Fast

Your Chicago bakery is a staple of the community, but even the best of bakers can make a mistake or two in the kitchen. When a small kitchen fire breaks out in your business, the fire itself might be simple to contain, but its lingering effects can make it difficult to keep customers coming in. Resolving these issues takes a lot of time when you do not actively seek out professional assistance.
 
Fire damage to your Chicago bakery can come in several different varieties. Your priority is to keep customers wanting to come into your shop and buy your goods, so understanding how professional restoration can aid in accomplishing this should help you come to this conclusion. Our experienced and courteous staff understand the value of time for your business and work quickly to ensure that our efforts mitigate your overall profit losses from the incident.
 
Since baked goods are the fare that you offer the city, you have no doubt understood that fires could produce harsh scents that overpower and nullify your enticing aroma and replace it entirely with a noxious smoke smell. Removing this lingering odor is sure to aid in reeling customers back into your establishment, and our SERVPRO technicians have state of the art equipment to do just that.
 
With the use of artificial ozone machines fitted with HEPA filters or portable dense fogging machines, our professionals can create a chemical reaction with the foul-smelling molecules that neutralize them. The result is the absence of a scent at all, which is precisely the foothold that you can utilize with your latest batch of creations.
 
Depending on the severity of the damage to your kitchen area, your cooking space might not be entirely ready for you to get back to baking. With the use of wet or dry scrubbing equipment, our SERVPRO restoration specialists can remove smoke damage from surfaces, equipment, and fabrics to ensure that your kitchen is as ready as you are to resume the work that needs to get done.
 
While fire damages might leave you in need of professional assistance, you always have SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to help you overcome any emergency. You can reach our experienced technicians 24/7 at (773) 337-3993.

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How is Mold Damage Remedied by Professionals in Your Chicago Home?

12/24/2017 (Permalink)

Mold sometimes hides for months before the smell creates a clear picture of what lies behind cabinets or furniture. Contact SERVPRO for remediation.

SERVPRO Technicians Remediate Mold Damage and then Focus on Preventing the Mold Infestation From Recurring

Mold damage can be a nightmare for your Chicago property. If you do not act promptly and seek help, the damage can spread quickly and get out of hand. Furthermore, trying to tackle mold damage on your own is a bad idea. Mold remediation is a job for the professionals who have the necessary training and equipment to get it done.

Here at SERVPRO, we offer professional mold remediation services that can get rid of mold damage from your Chicago property in no time. Our skilled professionals are trained in eliminating mold from your property as safely and efficiently as possible. Here are some of the steps involved in remediation of mold damage. 

• Documentation

Documentation is a significant part of mold remediation process. Once SERVPRO technicians are on the site, they generate a record including information such as the extent of damage and moisture saturation. They work closely with the Indoor Environmental Professionals (IEPs) to ensure proper documentation before and after remediation.  

• Contain mold at its source

The next thing that the professionals do is take steps to contain the damage to the affected area. Curtains and negative air pressure machines are used to ensure that mold does not find its way to the unaffected areas. 

• Mold removal

Once the mold is contained, the next step involves its removal. The excess mold can be removed physically, by HEPA vacuuming and damp wiping. If the mold damage is too extensive, the materials can be disposed of safely rather than trying to restore them. 

• Correcting the moisture problem

Even the best cleanup will not be able to prevent mold from returning if the moisture problem is not solved. Mold loves moisture, and if there is excess moisture on any surface, the mold is bound to make a comeback. SERVPRO professionals use equipment such as air movers and dehumidifiers to rectify the moisture problem. We also use various instruments to monitor the levels of moisture and ensure that the levels are brought back to normal.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park/ West Lawn/ Ford City at (773) 337-3993 today to schedule an appointment.

For more information regarding Chicago, click here.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City Recognized with the Storm Responder Award

12/18/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Proudly Offers Storm Responder Teams After Hurricanes and Disasters

Our Chicago SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City Franchise Proudly Provides Emergency Support to Our Neighbors, Both Near and Far

In the wake of some of the most dangerous storms that our country has seen in quite some time, we at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City were tuned in to the devastation and destruction that was left behind. Since we first opened our doors to the area in 2009, we have always strived to offer the best service and treat every customer as though they were our priority: because every single one has been our priority. That culture and philosophy are what has allowed us to be voted into the top 100 franchises (out of over 1700) under the SERVPRO corporate umbrella in 5 of the last 8 years we have been in business. You have given us your trust, and our dedicated staff has shown you that it was not misplaced.

When hurricanes and damaging tropical storms decimated homes and businesses throughout the southern expanse of the United States, our entire Chicago staff knew that we had the equipment, the expertise, and the compassion to make a difference in relief efforts. We wasted little time dispatching a team to both Florida and Texas to help provide assistance wherever we could for those hit hardest by Hurricane Irma and Harvey.
 
For recognition of sending our Green Fleets down to aid those that needed us most, we received a thank you plaque from the corporate offices of SERVPRO who recognized our team as a Storm Responder. We humbly and graciously accept the accolade, though it was never about an award.

We at SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference and hope that you will continue to trust us to do the same for you in the years to come.

How Chicago Responds with Emergency Management & Communications click here.

Cleaning Smoke Residues After a Chimney Fire in Your Chicago Home

11/14/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has specific cleaning methods for the different types of smoke damage found in your home.

Wet Smoke vs. Dry Smoke and Necessary Cleaning Methods

If you have a fireplace in your Chicago residence, you need to take care of your chimney on a regular basis. A build-up of creosote along the lining walls of the chimney can facilitate the beginnings of a fire in your chimney. Such a build-up is created by unburned materials in the smoke accumulating on the walls of the chimney and making a sticky substance which can catch fire quickly.

Annual inspections and cleanings are therefore a must for your chimney in your Chicago home. If you have still experienced a chimney fire and fire damage to your home, you should give our professionals at SERVPRO a call as soon as the fire is out. We can help you to clean up the mess the fire left behind, including making any necessary repairs.

Each fire progresses through steps, putting out both dry and wet smoke. Some fires make a large enough proportion of one kind of smoke to characterize the whole exposure as predominately dry or wet smoke. We use different cleaning methods to remove the different residues. Usually, wet smoke is more challenging to remove. A chimney fire can quickly spread throughout your home fast, so we could be dealing with various surfaces that have been affected.

A few factors determine whether smoke residues are dry or wet, including the rate of combustion, the kind of material that is burning, and how much oxygen is present during the fire. In many fires, the more oxygen which is available, the faster the combustion process is. Fast-burning fires with plenty of oxygen produce a dry smoke, and slow-moving fires without much oxygen make wet smoke.

More materials are restorable in conditions with dry smoke. It carries few aerosols and deposits small, dry particles. It does not stain surfaces as deeply as wet smoke, and it has a less pungent odor. SERVPRO techs use less aggressive cleaning procedures in these cases, but dry smoke usually occurs from hotter fires, which do more damage.

Our restoration efforts are more involved with wet smoke residues. Usually, they contain a high proportion of aerosols like solvents, varnishes, and other liquid components. Since the fire is moving slowly, it has its time to work its way into crevices and enclosed areas which generally would not be contaminated by a fire that is fast-burning. Hot, oily residues discolor plastic materials within minutes.

Many times, contents exposed to a smoldering fire and wet smoke cannot be restored. Even stripping and refinishing may not prove enough. Aerosols in wet smoke can soften, penetrate, and stain finished surfaces and burning plastics and rubbers making large, black particles which smudge or smear.

No matter the type of smoke or damage done by the fire, SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City does our very best to restore everything that is salvageable, and we make repairs when needed to get your home back to its original state. Just give us a call at (773) 337-3993 if you reside in the areas of Gage Park, Marquette Park, or Scottsdale and have suffered a fire.

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Commercial Water Damage and Your Chicago Deli

11/1/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is trained and ready to restore your commercial space after water damage and make it "Like it never even happened."

Thorough Water Damage Cleanup to Keep Your Business Ready for Customers

Delis provide quick but nutritious food to Chicago residents and tourists alike. Providing the best requires a clean environment, while customer demand also dictates an inviting atmosphere. Fresh-looking paint, a lack of rust and corrosion on kitchen and dining fixtures, and great lighting all help deliver this to your customers. 

When a Chicago deli has commercial water damage, it can deter customers and make profits plummet drastically. Investing in the upkeep of any business should include both repairs and improvements. SERVPRO can help remove water-damaged materials so improvement projects can stay on schedule. We also provide the services needed to restore your business after damage takes place, ensuring that it once again looks “Like it never even happened,” and preserving your trademark look.

Trained, so they receive IICRC certifications, our technicians soon gain hands-on experience in every stage of restoration work. We do more than just the tear-outs and removal of materials. We also make sure that your establishment is ready to serve customers again. We know you must pass various inspections during the year and can help make sure water damage does not pose any obstacles.

Our Floor Care (Hard Surfaces) Technician (FCT) makes sure that often overlooked areas receive the care and attention they require. Different flooring throughout your deli can suffer from water damage in different ways. Carpeting can stretch and develop loose areas, while hardwood floors can warp and splinter, creating trip and fall hazards. Linoleum and tile can become loose and begin to disintegrate.

Walls and ceilings also show signs of water damage, making your deli seem dirty and unfit to serve food. New paint can sometimes sufficiently cover up slight water damage, but many times, stains bleed through soon after, wasting the new paint as well as the labor involved. When paint flakes or blisters, removing it can reveal disintegration of the walls underneath. This calls for new installation of drywall to solve the problem. Ceilings may sustain problems from tenants above your business, or directly from a leaky roof. We can discuss the best method to resolve this type of situation with the property owner, so future damage does not occur.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is a service dedicated to helping other local businesses remain strong assets to our local economy. Whenever water damage or other problems develop at your business, call us for 24-hour services at (773) 337-3993.

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Curious Sights and Scenes in Chicago Flood Damage SERVPRO Has Seen

10/22/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and storm damage needs professional restoration by knowledgeable technicians. Contact SERVPRO to achieve that goal and for fast response.

Dealing with the Aftermath of a Storm and Flooding in Residential Areas

While flooding represents one of the most catastrophic events that can happen to a home, it can also make for some very peculiar situations. We deal with dozens of flood damage cases in Chicago every year, and every once in a while, something crops up that truly surprises our seasoned technicians. Storm floods can bring in all sorts of items and debris from the outside, and while this makes storm flooding extremely hazardous, it also allows for a fascinating insight into what goes into the neighborhood around us. Here are some of the strangest things we have seen in flooded homes.
 
Entire Trees
 
More than once, we have seen an entire tree or bush make its way inside a client's home in Chicago thanks to flood damage. While large and well-rooted trees usually stand fast in the face of overwhelming deluges, smaller trees and large bushes can become uprooted as floodwaters inundate the soil around them. Eventually, when the flood hits a home, it may send the plant crashing through the front door, making for a messy but thankfully easy-to-fix situation.
 
Auto Parts
 
What happens when a vehicle gets picked up by floodwaters, or something gets knocked off? Tires and mirrors have to end up somewhere, and sometimes that somewhere is the interior of a home. Seeing auto parts strewn about the area can be jarring at first, but should make for a good story later on.
 
Pets and Animals
 
Some floods can pick up and carry away pets and animals in the neighborhood, only to deposit them later in another home. While this sometimes results in a tragedy and resulting biohazard, SERVPRO technicians are occasionally confronted by pets in the wreckage - pets that happen to belong to someone a block away.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City provides professional flood damage mitigation and restoration services to locals whenever disaster strikes. Call us for more information or our services at (773) 337-3993.
 
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After Chicago Storms, Partner With a Reputable Remediation Company

9/15/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding after a big storm can be devastating to you and your family. Partner with SERVPRO for skilled remediation and restoration efforts.

SERVPRO Technicians Handle ALL Aspects of Flood Damage Remediation After a Storm

We can never really comprehend the volume of water that is shed from the structures we inhabit until storm damage opens a portion of it to the elements. This type of catastrophe must have a swift, professional response. Hiring a company like SERVPRO that specializes in flood damage and overall disaster remediation is the key to a successful outcome.
 
Here is a typical storm damage scenario: torrential rains and high winds buffet your home for hours. Nearby tree limbs fall, break windows and cause a corner of the roof to collapse. The breach allows water to rush in through your attic and to the floors below, leaving you with flood damage throughout your Chicago home. As the storm begins to weaken, you realize the safety of your family and the structure of your house require a professional response. Leaving even a portion of your home open to the elements risks more water damage, invasion by pests or unauthorized personnel.

SERVPRO can meet your immediate need to temporarily secure and protect the storm damaged structure, and prevent further damage or unauthorized entry with board-up and roof tarping services.  Then the process of mitigating and remediating the interior can begin.  Storm and flood damage abatement calls for a broad range of skills and specialized equipment possessed by this remediation industry leader.
 
Expect the SERVPRO team to take the time to create a firm plan outlining all the jobs that must be completed to prepare your home for re-construction. Standing water on every level of your home must be pumped out or extracted with powerful vacuums. The majority of the water collects in the basement or lowest level, so immediate attention focuses there, but SERVPRO's properly prepared and trained technicians examine every inch of the dwelling for flood damage.
 
Following the removal of the water, SERVPRO's certified workers take moisture measurements of structures, air, and possessions as a post-disaster baseline. Drying goals shortly emerge from their skilled computations, and the recovery spotlight now shines on achieving appropriate moisture levels to minimize permanent damage to wood, metal, and fibers, among other things. Commercial air movers and low grain refrigerant dehumidifiers are precisely placed where needed to dry out the structure, flooring, floor coverings, walls, ceilings, and belongings.
 
Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for your flood damage needs. Hiring a competent and well-seasoned remediation team is only a call to (773) 337-3993 away.

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Dealing With Mold Damage In Your Chicago Area Home The Right Way

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO technicians are available 24/7/365 to answer all of your mold damage needs.

The Right Way to Deal with Mold Damage in Chicago is By Calling SERVPRO

Many people go their entire lives without experiencing mold damage in their home. They might be lucky or might experience mold without even knowing it. The signs of mold growth can be subtle, something that most might shrug-off if they do not know what to look for, or are unaware.

If you are interested in learning more about mold damage in your Chicago area home, take advice from someone who has experienced this type of event, and only read up on mold and related issues on sites provided by professionals. A lot of these general blogs that discuss mold issues may not point you in the right direction, or even give you bad advice. So, you should avoid them when possible.

When dealing with mold damage in your home, you always get the best results from a professional. Mold remediation takes far more equipment, and resources than most homeowners keep on their property. So, unless you are someone who specifically invested in industrial-grade mold remediation equipment for your home, leave the cleaning to a qualified professional, like SERVPRO.

Many homeowners attempt remediation on their own, only to find that the contamination spread further. Without the right equipment, tools, and safety lessons you can send airborne spores to any area of your home, you cannot see them, which makes it hard to prevent. SERVPRO remediation technicians use air movers and air scrubbers to catch spores, trapping them with containment sheeting, limiting exposure to other areas of your home.

What happens when you clean a moldy area with common household cleaning solutions? The mold itself simply waits for the right conditions to exist to flourish again. You might have taken care of existing growth and colonies, but the fungus remains. It takes an EPA-registered disinfectant and physically removing saturated materials to get mold growth in your home under control properly. SERVPRO provides these services and can perform any repairs necessary to get things back to normal quickly.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Make the call to SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City to begin your mold remediation, today. Take advantage of IICRC certified professionals in your area, call now. (773) 337-3993

For more information regarding the city of Chicago, click here.

Water Removal on Hardwood Floors after a Storm in Chicago

8/2/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Uses Drying Mats to Extract Water from Storm Damaged Hardwood Floorings

SERVPRO Has the Equipment and Training to Mitigate Water Damage and Salvage Most Floorings

Water flood from a storm can lead to colossal property destruction. Hardwood floors are especially vulnerable to water damage. When it makes its way into the building, the water can penetrate hardwood floors and cause irreversible damage.

When a storm occurs in your Chicago area, our water removal services can help deal with the situation. SERVPRO has highly trained technicians who can dry the water damaged hardwood floors quickly and efficiently.
 
Hardwoods tend to hold up better from moisture than softwoods in a water damage situation. During a storm, the combined high density of the wood and high moisture conditions causes it to retain more water. Our water removal procedure centers on preventing permanent warping, cupping, and buckling. The amount of water present and how long it has been there can influence the extent of the water damage.
 
SERVPRO technicians are IICRC-certified and can assess whether the cup and warp are severe before choosing a solution. If not, we may use sanding during the refinishing process. Before this, we have to stabilize the moisture content level to below 12 percent. It can take 1-2 months before initiating the sanding and refinishing processes, as we have to wait for the wood floors to acclimate. When done prematurely, sanding can cause your hardwood floors to cup or crown as drying progresses. One of our techniques is to place drying mats, about 10 square-feet each, and suction the water from this large surface area from between the joints, and if structured, the below sub floor and floor joists.
 
Veneer Hardwood flooring is more vulnerable to water damage caused by a storm, as it has a considerably thinner surface. The layers of these types of planks present an almost no chance of restoration. It is typically more economical to discard and start anew. The purpose of our water removal efforts is to dry the hardwood floor as much as possible. Drying prevents mold growth on the wood, which can occur when moisture levels are above 20 percent.
 
This type of water damage situation also requires minimizing relative humidity to 30-45 percent. SERVPRO technicians use air movers to achieve this purpose, which facilitates airflow above and underneath the wood floor. We may also need to increase the room temperature after the storm, which helps accelerate the evaporation process.
 
Water damage on your hardwood floor does not have to stress you out anymore. SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City is available 24/7 to offer quick water removal services to your community. Call us today at (773) 337-3993.

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Many Problems can Begin with Unremediated Mold Damage in Your Chicago Home

7/18/2017 (Permalink)

Don't Ignore Mold Patches in Your Chicago Property, Call SERVPRO for Remediation.

Ignoring Mold Infestations Is Not the Solution to Remediation

Not many homeowners like to think about the problems that their largest investment might someday have to face. Mold can grow prolifically enough that it creates damage all through a home. Addressing the situation by having professional remediation performed can prevent these problematic situations.
 
Mold travels easily by air and Chicago, known for its strong gusts of wind, is the perfect location for this fungi to find its way around, eventually causing substantial mold damage in someone's beautiful home. If that someone is you, SERVPRO can help solve the problem through remediation. Having extra protection against future mold infestation is important because mold does not just stop at being a bothersome problem – this scourge can produce many other issues.
 
Damage happens to walls and ceilings because these fungi attach to surfaces, burrowing their hyphae so they can consume the nutrients present while fending off air currents that might carry them away. As for feeding and growing on these surfaces progress, the structure slowly falls apart at the molecular level. Soon, growth into the material makes the deterioration more and more pronounced. Mold growth can spread to adjacent structures, including wooden support beams, making distressed areas in a home unsafe.
 
Potted plants can be infested by mildew on the surface of their pot's soil and their leaves and stems. Mold typically consumes dead organic matter, but even though your plants may seem lush and thriving, a treasure trove of organic matter exists in a potted plant's tiny environment. Soil can hold plenty of stuff for mold to feast on, and watering only adds to the benefits mold finds in these locations.
 
As mold finds it way around your home on air currents, nothing is off-limits. Once contamination happens, growth continues until all nutrients are exhausted. Then, spores are sent off to find new environments. Sometimes, your personal belongings are contaminated and attacked. When infiltrated, many things require specialized cleaning because of the stains normal cleaning leave behind. SERVPRO can help with this at a cost that is much less than the replacement cost for such items as coats, boots, shoes, sports gear, and clothing. Books and documents that are infested with mold growth can be treated, also, saving them from ruin.
 
SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City can perform remediation in homes where structures and contents have mold damage, and then help prevent future problems by ensuring that humidity levels are kept under control. Installing a dehumidifier can prevent mold growth. Call us at (773) 337-3993 at any hour to consult with us about restoring your home or apartment to a safe and healthy condition.

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Electrical Fire Caused by Rodents in Your Chicago Home

7/3/2017 (Permalink)

Almost one-quarter of fires with unknown causes are thought to be due to rodent damage

Can Rodents Cause a Fire in Your Home?

Everyone knows that rodents are a nuisance inside our homes. They get into food and ruin it with their feces, scurry in walls and above our heads, and they reproduce rapidly. They do much damage to the structure of your home, pipes, insulation, and even electrical wiring, which is where the biggest problems come into play. A missed frayed wire can create an electrical fire in your home.

Almost one-quarter of fires with unknown causes are thought to be due to rodent damage. The simplest way to prevent fires and fire damage that are rodent-related in your Chicago home is to keep rodents from getting into your house in the first place. Since mice can squeeze through holes that are as small as a one-quarter inch, a wildlife exclusion team needs to be called in to make sure rodents cannot enter your home.

If you have rodents already, a professional pest team should be called right away. If they have caused an electrical fire before you realized the problem, you need the expert help of SERVPRO, a fire remediation company with the experience and training to repair your home and clean it properly after a fire.

Normally, electrical wiring is surrounded by plastic insulation since electricity is very hot when it goes through wiring. It protects objects nearby from getting overheated. When a rat or other rodent chews on the wires, however, they leave nothing but exposed hot metal. Then it is just a matter of time before the wire short circuits, causing a spark, or heats up and makes something close by ignite. Household insulation or other debris are usually stirred up by the rodents and is what sets fire, but it can also be from a wire resting on a wooden support.

Getting a hold of our technicians at SERVPRO as soon as possible after a fire is important because more damage can be done from the soot and the water from firefighting efforts. We have all the knowledge and equipment to dry your home out, repair it, and clean the soot before it starts eating away at materials in your home.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City understands the complexities of fire damage, so we work fast, but efficiently, to recover your home to its preloss condition. Call us as soon as you can at (773) 337-3993 so that we can do our job and help you regain your life on track.

For more information regarding the city of Chicago, click here: https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en.html

Raccoons Enter Your Marquette Park Home Causing Biohazards And Other Damages

5/8/2017 (Permalink)

Biohazardous Raccoon Contaminated Insulation Is Replaced by SERVPRO Techs in Your Chicago Attic

SERVPRO Can Insulate Your Home After Biohazardous Removal and Sanitation of Raccoon Waste

Let’s start by saying that not all raccoons become infectious. However, raccoons are the primary host for a roundworm infection called, Baylisascaris Procyonis, which is extremely harmful to humans. Treating your attic as a biohazard area after discovering a raccoon living in your home is the best way to avoid contamination and possible illness.
 
Raccoon problems happen in the Marquette Park area quite often, creating biohazards that require professional cleaning services and lead to additional repairs that can cause severe damage to your home if not handled promptly. Keep in mind that raccoons are wild animals that are comfortable in invading urban areas seeking shelter and food
 
Raccoon-Human encounters are very common; they are smart, curious, strong, and aggressive creatures. So, when we say that they possess the strength to rip open flashing on your roof, tear vents off of your house, or enter your home through ducting, you can understand our concerns.  
 
Pest control services respond to calls about raccoons digging holes in yards, entering gardens, rummaging through garbage cans, and even swimming in pools. Once they have successfully removed the critter from your property, SERVPRO can perform a full inspection that reveals, even more, damages that you were not aware existed.
 
SERVPRO technicians often find that raccoons access attics through missing vents, damaged roof flashing, or tear through many of these items to obtain entry. Once inside, they leave fecal matter and urine everywhere that may contain biohazards that pose severe threats to your health. If insulation becomes contaminated from biological wastes, discarding this insulation is a safe step to take. SERVPRO technicians can disinfect the affected attic crawl space and blow in new insulation that may even reduce your energy bills. Raccoons often damage electrical wiring in your attic, making contact with flammable materials and creating fire hazards. Same goes for piping insulation, raccoons rip the insulation off and use it in nesting areas, exposing your water sources, causing expansion during cold weather which can burst pipes and lead to water damage.
 
A raccoon may also get into trouble, get stuck inside of a vent, or return injured after searching for food and end up dying inside of your attic, walls, or ventilation system, creating even more biohazardous conditions. SERVPRO technicians can help eliminate these issues and more. Raising their litters in your attic means that trafficking in and out of your attic can also lead to annoying noises coming from your attic.
 
Whether you have issues with raccoons in your home or business, give SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City a call today. We can help discover issues caused by this type of intrusion and get things back to normal quickly. (773) 337-3993

Get Help With Mold Damage In Your Chicago Area Home

4/4/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Patches in Your Chicago Home Get Professional Remediation from SERVPRO

SERVPRO Has the Solutions for Mold Remediation to Your Property

It is sometimes true that the right mixture of bleach, or other disinfectants, applied to small mold infected areas found in your home can inhibit mold growth and clean affected areas. However, these disinfectants have zero effectiveness against mold spores and mycotoxins that escape into the air and deposit new growth spores throughout your home.
 
Without professional remediation services, your Chicago area home is likely to become exposed to mold damage repeatedly. Applying chemical products as your sole source of mediation only leads to more exposure, often affecting larger areas than before. You can carry microscopic mold spores throughout your home without even knowing it is happening.
 
A company, like SERVPRO, with expertly trained mold remediation specialists, provides you with professionals capable of containing mold exposure in your home. We use water extractors and physical removal methods to rid your home of saturated materials and clean the affected areas before performing the repairs you need to return things to normal quickly.
 
Focusing on fast drying of your structure to limit damages and paying specific attention to the contents and personal belongings to save as much as possible from loss. SERVPRO’s IICRC certified technicians only use chemical products to help control microbes and make the job site safer for workers to perform their tasks.
 
All contaminated materials found on your property get bagged up and disposed of properly according to EPA and OSHA guidelines presented in our training. When porous materials such as sheetrock or wood become contaminated for longer periods of time, it becomes necessary to remove them and replace them with clean materials.
 
SERVPRO manages your complete remediation and restoration process. We remove all of the moisture found in your home, even moisture hidden within your walls, or in hard to reach areas like under your cabinets, or in crawl spaces. But not before we close off the entire area and use negative airflow equipment to stop contamination from reaching other clean areas of your home.
 
After we perform extraction and cleaning services, we perform any repairs necessary to get things back to normal quickly and efficiently. Our technicians treat you with respect and keep you informed throughout the entire process.
 
Contact SERVPRO of Marquette Park – West Lawn – Ford City for information about returning your home to a safe, clean, secure environment you and your family can enjoy. (773) 337-3993

Appliances in Your Chicago Home Which Can Cause Flood Damage

3/27/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Water Backups Can Affect Heavy Appliances with Flooding in Your Chicago Home or Apartment

SERVPRO Tips to Prevent Flooding from Appliances in Your Chicago Property

Any appliance which has pipes or other fixtures which feed into a water line have the possibility to spring leaks or develop blockages that could lead to serious flooding if they are left unattended. There are five common household appliances which are potential sources of flooding. When flooding happens in your home from one of these devices, you need to have SERVPRO come to your home to repair damages, as they are an experienced and professional flood damage remediation company.

Dishwashers
Dishwashers often overflow and cause flood damage in your Chicago home because someone simply put in too much detergent, or the wrong kind, into the dispenser. In other cases, it could malfunction from a faulty float switch assembly or a clogged strainer from debris and food. If it is not one of these things, the leak could occur in the metal pipe fittings which connect the dishwasher to the water supply, or in the flexible hose which discharges used water through the drain under the sink.

Refrigerators
Refrigerators make plenty of extra moisture, and the condensation created pools on the bottom of your refrigerator's holding pan. Most of these appliances are outfitted with drain lines which siphon off the excess fluid, but they can become blocked with food or algae preventing the water from emptying correctly. Therefore, drain lines need to be cleaned regularly. Another problem is the water supply line for your ice maker becoming unattached, leaving you with a large amount of standing water in your home.

Washing Machines
The six most common areas for washing machine leaks are the hose connections, inlet connections, outer tub seal, center post gaskets, the pump and the air dome seal. Unplug your appliance and turn off the water main before you start troubleshooting these fixtures one at a time, using your owner’s manual to help you. Then get in touch with our techs at SERVPRO so we can help you clean up the water damage.

Water Heaters
Leaks here are usually because of a malfunctioning pressure relief and temperature valve, corrosion in the water tank itself, or a leaky plumbing connection. If it is the water reservoir, the whole water heater needs replacing. The key here is preventative maintenance, having the unit checked annually by a certified and licensed plumber.

Toilets
An overflowing toilet is caused from either a malfunctioning float which lets in too much water to the tank or a clogged drain. If plunging does not clear the problem, the blockage could be in the pipes outside your home, which is when you need a professional plumber.

SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City is adequately trained and experienced in fixing all kinds of flooding damage. If an appliance in your home causes flooding, we are the ones to reach out to at (773) 337-3993 right away.

Drying Out a Flooded Crawl Space in Your Chicago Home

3/10/2017 (Permalink)

No matter the severity of your water damage situation, our SERVPRO team will be there with a lending hand.

Drying out and Restoring a Flooded Crawl Space Is What We Do at SERVPRO

When you have water damage to your home, it can go down to your crawl space as well. A water damaged crawl space is many times difficult to access. The access door is generally a small and challenging for equipment from a remediation company such as SERVPRO to get through. Even when the door of your crawl space is big enough for equipment, the crawl space could lack enough room inside of it for a dehumidifier to stand upright under the floor system. Working could be difficult as well. Removal of insulation might be necessary, the floor could be mud or dirt, and you might need to have the foundation of the house, or the HVAC system inspected.

With all of the complications, you definitely do not want to handle cleaning up water damage in your Chicago crawl space by yourself. One thing our technicians will need to be careful of is electrical hazards being present, so we need to ensure that the electrical circuits running under the home have been deactivated. We’ll also need to check to see if the structure has been affected and could collapse. Ground setting could affect the footings and foundation walls. The water in crawl spaces is generally black or gray because of dirt flooring, so proper equipment has to be worn.

Our SERVPRO technicians will remove any standing water from the crawl space, and if a plastic vapor barrier isn’t present, pumping or extracting water could be from a muddy surface of the crawl space. We’ll find the lowest point in the area and use the right submersible pump to get a majority of the standing water out. Once most of it is removed, the next step is to figure out the best way to dry the structural components of the floor.

When our equipment won’t fit, an option we have is to use flex hose as a duct to move air from dehumidifiers to the crawl space. A piece of light gauge sheet metal can be cut to fit the dehumidifier outlet to vent dry air into areas which are small.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Crawl spaces can be tricky to dry out, but the technicians at SERVPRO of Marquette Park/West Lawn/Ford City are trained to handle these situations. Therefore, don’t hesitate to contact us at (773) 337-3993 if your crawl space becomes flooded for any reason.

Understanding Mold Remediation in Chicago

2/28/2017 (Permalink)

Chicago Mold Remediation Handled Safely by SERVPRO

In Chicago, SERVPRO Remediates the Mold Problems to Your Property

Discovering mold damage in your home is never a happy moment. Fungi which is found both indoors and outdoors, mold in your home is unsightly, smelly, and can cause health effects for you and your family. Molds grow very well in damp, warm, and humid conditions, and makes spores to spread and reproduce. Mold spores can live through environmental conditions which are harsh, like dry conditions, which do not support normal growth of mold.

Understanding the basics of mold remediation and removal is simple and essential if you are going to hire the right professional at the highest quality and best price, such as SERVPRO. Your Chicago home is a huge investment and is the haven for your family, so when you discover mold damage, you want to be wary of any companies or contractors who try to confuse you about mold remediation or removal. While you are learning the basic concepts of this process, doing the actual work in the right way can be a challenge, which is why you need to let our trained technicians at SERVPRO handle it for you.

Every homeowner who has a mold problem can understand the basics of mold remediation and removal without needing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Biology, and Earth Sciences. If you already have found mold, you need to get it removed as soon as possible. It must be gotten rid of and done so properly, regardless of the kind of mold that it is. There are five core principles of mold remediation that our staff will follow when we come to your home including:

• Safety – Protecting all occupants and workers.
• Assessment – Making a preliminary evaluation, another during remediation and a final one once the mold remediation is complete
• Contamination Control – Preventing spread of mold from contaminated areas to areas that do not have it or have less contamination and cross-contamination
• Source Removal – Physically removing the mold at its source.
• Moisture Removal – Eliminate the problem of moisture which caused the mold outbreak.

Once the mold is removed physically from its source, we scrub the are clean of airborne mold spores using a HEPA air scrubber and air exchange. Only HEPA filters are made to capture particles as small as mold spores.

Throughout the entire process, we explain anything to you that you do not understand, and ensure that you have no worries or concerns before we proceed with each step. We understand that you may be stressed and want to make sure that you are comfortable with what we need to do to help.

At SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City we can handle your mold problem, so you do not have to. Just contact us anytime you need at (773) 337-3993, and a technician will be out to your home soon.

A Professional Relationship That May Save Your Department Store Or Retail Establishment In Chicago

2/14/2017 (Permalink)

Damages to a Chicago Business from Water Re-Open Faster with the Help of SERVPRO

SERVPRO Helps Keep Businesses Open After Water Damage

Department stores and retail establishments throughout the surrounding area should consider developing a relationship with local restoration providers early on, this way you have an opportunity to give the company you choose any pertinent information that helps them gain access to your building and provide the services your business needs to survive an emergency situation.
 
Often enough, water damage cases in the Chicago area require access to a professional restoration company that provides 24-hour emergency services that help keep your business running, limit exposure to inventory, which helps prevent additional damages from forming and large-loss situations from occurring.
 
SERVPRO technicians have the ability to answer your call and begin handling your emergency situation immediately, the information you provide and the preparations you make directly impact the success of the restoration services you require, especially during water damage situations where time is such a major factor.
 
With a water damage event occurring on your property, you only have 24 to 48-hours to get things under control before the possibility of mold contamination and additional damages to structural materials begin to develop. Hesitating can cause severe damages to develop that have a chance of affecting the entire contents of your structure.
 
Moisture hidden in your walls can cause walls to warp and ceilings to sag. With enough exposure; water can do far more damage than simply removing a little sheetrock in a few locations around your building. It can cause warping in flooring, cracks in your foundation and a variety of significant issues that require professional attention to correct.
 
SERVPRO can provide you with any of the services you need to gain control of the water damage event affecting your business and provide you with additional services that are specifically designed to help save as much of your inventory and as many of your assets as possible.
 
SERVPRO services involve much more than using water extractors to remove standing water, or providing air dryers and advanced cleaning services. The services we provide could mean the difference between losing an entire store of merchandise and going out of business or re-opening within a couple of days putting this horrible event behind you.
 
Give SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City a call today to begin building a professional relationship that could make the difference between saving or closing your business. (773) 337-3993

Mold Damage Remediation Is On The Menu In Your Chicago Bed And Breakfast

2/2/2017 (Permalink)

Protect Your Chicago Bed & Breakfast from Mold by Calling SERVPRO

SERVPRO Keeps Your Business Open with Immediate Mold Remediation

Your guests look forward to relaxing in a clean and unique setting when they book a room at your B & B. If hidden water damage transforms your comfortable jacuzzi suites into musty smelling hosts for microbial activity instead, get SERVPRO on site for a mold remediation inspection. Plumbing leaks or overly humid air in an unvented bathroom can provide the moisture for mold colonies to grow. Taking charge of mold growth is not a do it yourself project, particularly when your paying customers expect luxurious yet quaint accommodations. Speedy and successful mold remediation requires professional attention for the safety and peace of mind of both you and your guests.

The unpleasant smell and appearance of mold damage in your Chicago bed and breakfast can result from a wide range of causes. Our inspectors only stop when the mold infestation is found, contained, and safely removed. Proper remediation then requires the areas where mold was found be vacuumed with HEPA filters and damp wiped with suitable products to eliminate as many settled and airborne spores as possible. The water source that fed the mold must then be repaired to avoid more growth in the future. Because mold is spread by microscopic particles, cleaning techniques that you or your household staff typically use to maintain your guest rooms have the potential to make things worse rather than better. Contact a mold specialist to manage this challenging problem.
 
Mold damage in the lodging industry needs the attention of an expert in the restoration field. The SERVPRO technicians assigned to your microbial infestation job will have specific training in EPA approved methods to return your guest rooms and baths back to a safe and musty odor free condition. Visible or odor-causing microbial activity in your B & B will make guests uneasy and feel as though they have not received value for their money. Mold exposure also can be risky for susceptible individuals, causing fear in all of your guest’s minds, although only a physician can determine if mold has caused a health effect. Your hard work to create an inviting refuge for travelers will be wasted if you do not get the prompt, professional help we offer for mold damage.
 
Keep the reviews of your bed and breakfast upbeat and encourage future bookings by calling SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City at first sight or smell of mold damage. (773) 337-3993