Back to School SERVPRO Defensive Cleaning

7/24/2024 (Permalink)

The start of a new school year is here! SERVPRO works with schools and daycare centers in the Lockport/Lemont and Homer Glen areas to help our clients, employees, students, and teachers stay safe all year. Our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned program is a defensive cleaning program that gives your properties a way forward by providing your employees and customers with ongoing safety. Our proactive viral pathogen cleaning program will help your commercial building meet a higher standard of cleanliness.

We want to show our support this upcoming school year by providing cleaning services, including disinfecting, sanitizing, and proactively cleaning. Our cleanup procedures are in accordance with the CDC recommendations and local authorities. Surfaces to consider for cleaning and disinfecting include but are not limited to classrooms, offices, bathrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and teacher lounges.

SERVPRO® is called on by businesses to perform the necessary services to clean, sanitize, and disinfect commercial properties. Call us today! Our dispatchers can provide more information about our services and schedule an inspection for services. Our cleaning services can be scheduled recurring and also one-time.

SERVPRO's Disaster Recovery Team

7/17/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont and Homer Glen: Your Trusted Partner in Large Loss Disaster Recovery

At SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont and Homer Glen, we take pride in being part of SERVPRO's extensive large loss disaster team. Our dedicated teams stand ready to assist in the restoration of cities across the nation in the wake of various disasters, whether natural or otherwise. We understand the importance of swift and efficient response, and our commercial operations managers oversee every large loss project, ensuring effective communication and timely mitigation/restoration.

Our involvement with the Commercial Large Loss program benefits a diverse range of clients, including:

The Hospitality Industry

Property Managers

Universities

Municipalities

The SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team is your go-to resource when facing the aftermath of a tornado, hurricane, blizzard, flood, or any other disaster. With a network of strategically positioned storm teams, we're prepared to leap into action whenever and wherever disaster strikes. Our commitment to being there for you 24/7, 365 days a year means that we're always ready for the unpredictable.

Appliance Fires

7/10/2024 (Permalink)

Most of us use household appliances on a daily basis. After all, these machines help to improve our lives with convenience and efficiency. Whether it be a washer and dryer, stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, or other cooking appliances, these items are used routinely. Although convenient, these machines can often malfunction and lead to home or apartment fires. Even so, these fires often happen while a homeowner is away and leaves an appliance running or leaves a cooking appliance unattended. SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont and Homer Glen can be there to restore a commercial or residential property following fire and smoke damage and is always Here to help. To prevent a possible fire due to a household appliance and protect your property, here are three things you can do.  

1. Never leave an appliance running while away. Coming home to clean dishes from the dishwasher may sound nice after being away, but electrical issues may stem from heating elements which can cause fire. 
2. Do not overload your washer or dryer, and always make sure to clean out the lint trap. 
3. Never leave heated cookware on overnight such as crockpots. Use of these appliances should be supervised in case of a heating element or wiring malfunction.  

The Standard Water Damage Process

7/1/2024 (Permalink)

Every water damage job is different as there are different grades of water, different amounts, different floors and contents affected, and different causes. With that being said, we maintain a standard procedure to ensure the safety of the client and this allows us to build out the best call to action for every job. 

Step 1: Emergency Contact

Cleanup and restoration begin with a phone call. We have a representative to answer your phone call 24/7/365 here at SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont and Homer Glen. They will lead you through several questions to better understand your needs for the water event.

Step 2: Inspection and Damage Assessment

Our SERVPRO professional completes a detailed inspection of your property and determines the scope of the damage.

Step 3: Water Removal/Water Extraction

This step removes the majority of the water from your home or business.

Step 4: Drying and Dehumidification

Our team of professionals will manipulate temperature and relative humidity to remove the remaining moisture. Daily monitoring will occur until the materials reach an acceptable drying goal.

Step 5: Cleaning and Sanitizing

Walls, floors, and other surfaces of the property will likely need professional cleaning treatments once the area is dry. Restoring contents, odor removal, and deodorization, and sanitizing treatments occur during this step.

Step 6: Restoration

This is the final step in the process of restoring your property to its pre-water damage condition.

Storm Damage Tips

2/28/2024 (Permalink)

Storms can occur with little warning in Illinois and have devastating effects on your home or business. If your property has been damaged by a sudden storm, follow these helpful tips to minimize damage and keep your family safe: 

What To Do After Flooding

• Remove excess water by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop wet upholstery and cushions.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on for maximum drying in summer.
• Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
• Remove art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Gather loose items from floors.

What NOT To Do After Flooding

• Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
• Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
• Don't use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Don't use television or other household appliances.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.

Call the restoration specialists at SERVPRO if you have experienced storm damage. We will respond quickly and begin the process of expertly restoring your property. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call Us For Help After A House Fire

2/21/2024 (Permalink)

After the fire trucks are gone, your home and belongings likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also extensive water damage from firefighting efforts. SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont, and Homer Glen has the specialized fire and water damage cleanup and restoration training and experience to quickly restore your home to pre-fire condition. We also have specific training and equipment for odor removal and deep cleaning of upholstery and carpet.

Fire damage can be devastating for you and your family. Feelings of confusion and stress are common, and you need a caring expert to guide you through this crisis. We always treat your family with the greatest empathy and respect, and we’ll treat your property with great care.

Removing Moisture From Materials

2/15/2024 (Permalink)

When our crew approaches a water job, we evaluate many different variables. All of which are very important, but there are two variables that we look at the most: type of material and the degree of wetness. This means that we will evaluate each material's permeability, the ability for water to pass through the material, dampness, the moisture movement. The liquids will be presented in one of these forms.

Surface Water

Like the name, you can find this type of moisture on the material's surface. It is a visible liquid and can evaporate. When mitigating this type of moisture, you must remove the moisture using mechanical extraction. The next component needed to be addressed: airflow, which helps control temperature and humidity, which helps evaporate any remaining moisture.

Free Water

Unlike surface water, the name of this absorption doesn't give you many clues on how to find it in a material. Before the moisture can form a chemical bond to the material, free water happens. You can find this type of moisture in cavities, open pores, and other air spaces within the material. When mitigating this form of moisture, you will want to use lower humidities and warmer temperatures. By maintaining these factors, you ensure that the moisture is going to evaporate.  

Bound Water

More work is needed to fully mitigate this type of moisture material as this form is when the moisture has made chemical bonds. You will have to release it to get the moisture out of the material when this happens. Unlike the other categories, controlling the airflow won't help remove the chemical bonds. The moisture will dry fastest when it is warmed. The essential factor to keep in mind is maintaining the surrounding humidity. Keep in mind that this type will take the longest to dry out of all categories.

This is why you should hire our team of professionals here at SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont, and Homer Glen because we know what to look for. We evaluate each material to create a precious course of action to provide results and restore to the preloss condition. 

Kitchen Fire Damage Prevention

12/30/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Joliet understands the importance of keeping families and loved ones safe. According to the NFPA, “House fire claims over the five years have caused $6.9 billion  in property damage.” SERVPRO is dedicated to being a resource when you need us most. We want to make sure that our community is taking all the precautions necessary to prevent house fires. The following are tips to avoid fire damage in the kitchen.

Kitchen Fire Damage Safety

• When cooking food, stay at home and keep an eye on it.
• Keep children away from the kitchen when you are cooking
• Avoid food and grease buildup on cooking surfaces
• Solvents and flammable cleaners should be kept away from hot surfaces.
• Never store fuel in your home or business.
• Check that no electric cords from your appliances are hanging from the counters.

Smoke Detectors

• Replace smoke detectors every six months.
• Check the status of your smoke alarms.
• Plan a fire escape strategy for family members including pets.

In the event of fire or smoke damage, please contact SERVPRO of Joliet to help restore your home or property. Our certified technicians focus on helping you restore your home to the pre-fire condition you know and love. If you have any questions about what we do after fire damage or need help recovering from a fire damage incident, give us a call at any time. 

Carpet Cleaning For Your Business

12/27/2023 (Permalink)

Most carpeting is designed to camouflage dirt, and that’s especially true for commercial carpeting. If the carpet in your business is looking dull or rough around the edges, it’s probably time for a commercial cleaning.

Dingy carpet can hurt your business in several ways. For example:

• A carpet that isn’t well cared-for will need to be replaced sooner than one that receives regular cleanings and maintenance, costing you money.
• If you own commercial building space, keeping your carpets in good repair can cut down on complaints and liability.
• Clean carpeting and flooring are part of the good image of your business; clients will be more comfortable with you, and your employees will feel more positive about their work environment, affecting productivity.
• Clean carpets reduce loose particles, which protects indoor air quality. It has even been proven to reduce exposure to cancer-causing substances that can collect in carpet fibers! A clean carpet also reduces illness-causing biological contaminants such as bacteria, mold and viruses that can negatively affect your clients and work staff.
• You should consider cleaning your commercial carpet as a regular part of your business maintenance program, which will also cut down on odors lingering throughout the building.

Removing Moisture from Materials

12/20/2023 (Permalink)

When our crew approaches a water job, we evaluate many different variables. All of which are very important, but there are two variables that we look at the most: type of material and the degree of wetness. This means that we will evaluate each material's permeability, the ability for water to pass through the material, dampness, the moisture movement. The liquids will be presented in one of these forms.

Surface Water

Like the name, you can find this type of moisture on the material's surface. It is a visible liquid and can evaporate. When mitigating this type of moisture, you must remove the moisture using mechanical extraction. The next component needed to be addressed: airflow, which helps control temperature and humidity, which helps evaporate any remaining moisture.

Free Water

Unlike surface water, the name of this absorption doesn't give you many clues on how to find it in a material. Before the moisture can form a chemical bond to the material, free water happens. You can find this type of moisture in cavities, open pores, and other air spaces within the material. When mitigating this form of moisture, you will want to use lower humidities and warmer temperatures. By maintaining these factors, you ensure that the moisture is going to evaporate.  

Bound Water

More work is needed to fully mitigate this type of moisture material as this form is when the moisture has made chemical bonds. You will have to release it to get the moisture out of the material when this happens. Unlike the other categories, controlling the airflow won't help remove the chemical bonds. The moisture will dry fastest when it is warmed. The essential factor to keep in mind is maintaining the surrounding humidity. Keep in mind that this type will take the longest to dry out of all categories.

This is why you should hire our team of professionals here at SERVPRO of Joliet because we know what to look for. We evaluate each material to create a precious course of action to provide results and restore to the preloss condition.