Water Damage Restoration of Electronic Media in Chicago

2/1/2023 (Permalink)

Electronics are office staples and can be easily damaged by water. SERVPRO has trained to safely dry your equipment.

Can Electronic Media Be Salvaged Following Water Damage

Many clients backup their data to the Cloud; however, we also encounter various forms of electronic media during water damage restoration of homes in Chicago. Electronic media includes video cassettes, audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and stand-alone digital disks to maintain backup copies of client computer systems.

SERVPRO can help protect various forms of electronic media from further damage during water damage restoration activities in Chicago. We remove all media and place it in a low-humidity area to contain further exposure. SERVPRO recommends:

• Maintain humidity at 25%, which may require a dehumidification chamber
• Refer media drying and cleaning to companies that specialize in drying and cleaning electronic media
• Avoid operating electronic media in equipment before restoration.to avoid additional damage. 
• Stand-alone digital disks used for backup of data should be checked before reconnecting.

In addition to protecting the electronic media, electrical equipment exposed to water should be handled carefully to avoid further damage and danger to homeowners and our employees. SERVPRO removes all water and begins drying and dehumidifying the affected areas as soon as we are on site. We take safety very seriously in addition to protecting your electronic items:

• All electronics are unplugged.
• Remove all backup batteries.
• Shut off power in the affected area.
• Electronics are removed from the area or covered for further protection.
• Wipe excess water from electrical equipment.
• Install air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the affected area.
• Electrical equipment and electronics are only reconnected once a qualified electronics restoration vendor has checked and restored all devices.

SERVPRO takes all appropriate precautions required during water damage restoration to protect your electronic media and devices, to minimize damage during restoration.

Call SERVPRO of Marquette Park / West Lawn / Ford City for water damage restoration services. We provide service to Chicago and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (773) 337-3993.

What to Do After Storm Flood Damage in Your Chicago Home

8/1/2022 (Permalink)

Call Patricia Zubricki, SERVPRO's famed owner/operator, to rescue your flood-damaged Chicago home. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Hire SERVPRO to Handle Flood Damage in Your Chicago Home

A house's flooding can result from heavy rainfall, blizzards, snow, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The aftermath of this calamity might be extraordinary, and the resulting damage is likely to be disastrous. The National Weather Service states that the US experiences about 100,000 thunderstorms and 1,000 tornadoes yearly, causing about $40 billion in damages.

SERVPRO has the equipment and expertise required to handle the storm flood damage in your Chicago home as quickly as possible. Your safety is a priority. The steps to take following a devastating storm include:

• Keep yourself and your family safe – Find another place to stay if necessary. 
• Secure the area – If your home is accessible, remove valuables. Discard compromised food and medicine. Please take photos of the destruction and catalog them for your insurer. 
• Call SERVPRO – Contacting professional restorers who perform storm damage restoration quickly is vital. We can work with you to provide dependable and fast services to begin the clean-up process. 
• Contact your insurer – Inform your insurer about the incident to begin the claim's filing process. 

SERVPRO can assist you in repairing any items the flooding did not adversely affect. This includes dented and cracked items. We can discard severely damaged contents or porous items like mattresses and carpets because eliminating microbes from them is challenging. 

We can use centrifugal pumps to extract the floodwater from your house to prevent the damages from spreading further. Centrifugal pumps convert rotational energy from a motor to energy to move fluids. Examples include high-pressure pumps, self-priming trash pumps, and electric submersible pumps.

Our SERVPRO team can also dry your home thoroughly. We often use air movers to enhance evaporation. They introduce airflow at the surface level and replace the saturated, cool boundary layer with drier, warmer air from dehumidifiers. Air moving equipment also moves the dry dehumidified air from rooms where restorers have positioned dehumidifiers to other rooms.

Do not allow the floodwater to sit in your home. Contact SERVPRO of Marquette / West Lawn / Ford City for help at (773) 337-3993. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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. 

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Click here for more about Chicago.

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.

See more about Chicago.

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.”

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. 

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.

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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 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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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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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.

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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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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.

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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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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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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.