Winter Preparation - Household Checklist

10/31/2016 (Permalink)

Prepare your house for the winter months

As we approach our last month of fall, and while the weather is still fairly mild, now is the time to prepare your home for winter. It's coming, and unfortunately will be here before we know it! Here are some tips you can do to ensure your home will be prepared when the temperature start dropping and the snow starts falling. 

1. Check Windows and Doors for Drafts
Did you know that a simple 1/8th inch gap running the length of your door can equal the same surface area as a brick missing from the exterior of your house? Most drafts around doors and windows can be easily fixed by installing weatherstripping or caulking around windows.

2. Insulate Plumbing and Pipes
A few minutes of prevention at the onset of winter can save you hundreds of dollars on costly damage and repairs to pipes and plumbing. Insulate pipes or use heat tape or a thermostatically controlled heat cable to prevention pipe bursts. Jump into action now, and prevent major issues in the future.

3. Replace summer screens with winter storm doors and windows
Replacing screens with storm doors will keep the rain and cold out and make the inside of your home nice and cozy.

4. Secure dryer vents and air intakes
While it is a good idea for any air intake to be covered with a wire or mesh prevention barrier year round, animals may take advantage of any openings more aggressively once winter sets in.

5. Clear Debris from Gutter Downspouts
Precipitation in a short amount of time from winter storms means excess runoff and potential flooding. Gutters and downspouts are the first line of defense in keeping the inside of your home dry. Make sure the downspouts are free of debris and that water is directed away from your home's foundation. If water runs away from your foundation, odds are that the rest of your home's moisture defenses will do their job.

6. Replace Furnace Filters
Furnace filters keep excess dust and particles from circulating from your home and help your furnace operate more efficiently. Some furnaces have metal filters that can be cleaned by rinsing them or vacuuming them out, others are disposable and need to be thrown out and replaced.

7. Drain and store garden hoses and shut off exterior water spigots
Disconnecting and draining garden hoses and other exterior irrigation will greatly extend their life or prevent bursting.

8. Check attic for proper air ventilation and insulation
Have you ever checked to see if your attic is adequately insulated? If not, check out this article on how to determine how much insulation is necessary for your region.

9. Add more insulation
If you do not have enough insulation, adding more will go a long way to reduce your heating bill.

10. Install a programmable thermostat.
A programmable thermostat is a great idea for making your home more energy-efficient. 

Completing these items will help you enjoy the next season change worry free! 

End of Summer Household Checklist

8/22/2016 (Permalink)

A clean fireplace is a safer fireplace.

Wow where did summer go?? Kids are back to school and Labor Day weekend is right around the corner. Soon Starbucks will be selling their pumpkin spice lattes and that's a true sign that the seasons are changing!

Moving into a new season typically means that there are some home maintenance tasks you can check off your to-do list. That's especially true as we head into fall, as we will begin to experience cooler temperatures before winter's frigid grip takes hold.

To make sure your home is in tip-top shape, consider tackling some of these checklist items:

1. Check your home's air flow. Clean and vacuum any built up dust from your vents, stove hood, room fans, baseboard heaters and dryer vents. Keeping these areas clean will maximize air flow and can help decrease your risk of fire.

2. Crank up the heat.  Have your heating system inspected and serviced.  Change the furnace filters. It's always a great idea to make sure your system is in working order before the temperatures plunge and you're left with a faulty heater.

3. Light my fire. We're entering fireplace season, so make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean and free of any debris or build up.  You may want to call in a professional to clean your fireplace flue and liners, which will prevent a build up of creosote.

4. Paint and carpet. If you're planning to do any interior painting, carpet cleaning or carpet replacement, make sure to tackle these projects while the weather is still mild and you can keep your windows open for ventilation.

5. Check your insulation. Do a visual inspection around your home, including the exterior, to check for any spots that may need new caulk or weatherstripping. 

Once you've finished the list, you can kick back, relax and enjoy some football!

IICRC Certified and What it Means

7/28/2016 (Permalink)

IICRC Certified logo

SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont/Homer Glen is an IICRC firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.

• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.

• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.

• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.

• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont/Homer Glen

SERVPRO of Lockport/Lemont/Homer Glen specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.