Water Damage Mitigation and Restoration 24/7 in Chicago

2/14/2023 (Permalink)

If you experience water damage in your Chicago home, call on the professionals at SERVPRO to help.

SERVPRO Acts Fast in Chicago to Address Your Water Damage Needs

Whether you own a home or run a business, you need to know that the faster you act to have a water emergency cleaned up, the better your chances are of total recovery. SERVPRO is available 24-hours a day, including nights and weekends, to address the water cleanup needs for Chicago area residences and businesses. Whether you are dealing with burst pipes connected to your second-floor bathroom or storm flooding is coming into your main living area, we have the scalability to address your needs. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!

Did you know that water mitigation is imperative for any call we receive to address water damage in Chicago? With proper mitigation, our IICRC-certified water restoration technicians (WRT) can limit property loss after you have a water-related emergency. We can be there within hours of your initial contact with our customer care center to begin:

• Assessment/inspection
• Water removal services
• Drying and dehumidification
• Cleaning, disinfecting, and deodorizing
• Controlled demolition/restoration (as needed)

Water damage from hidden leaks can also bring several issues within any structure. Depending on the cause, water stains could develop on walls and ceilings. Another tell-tale sign of a slow leak within your home or business could be foul, musty odors. If you notice any water issues, it is best to contact our team to begin inspection and cleanup!

We Take a Customized Approach to All Water Damage Restoration Calls

Each water emergency is unique, from the cause and location to other factors like interior layout, materials impacted, relative humidity, and more. Our IICRC certified technicians have been through ample training. We take the time to note the cause of the problem, the extent of water infiltration, and overall severity before we even begin. In most water clean-up calls, we will use extraction and drying techniques in tandem to help us reach our goals.

Many different variables are involved that determine the drying rate for all contents and materials. We consider some of the factors will be the type of material, interior temperatures, and any existing air currents. Should there be damp air within your building, it could also slow down the water removal process. These important areas can be addressed with simple tweaking to the equipment we used to create optimal drying conditions. Some of our most-used equipment on water restoration projects includes:

• Powerful gas-powered or submersible pumps
• Truck-mounted extractors
• Carpet wands
• Rovers (weighted extractors
• Axial fans
• Centrifugal air movers
• Desiccant dehumidifiers

Hidden Moisture is No Match for SERVPRO

Water is known to travel to dry spaces while following the path of least resistance. With any significant spill or flooding, following the migration is key to ensuring no hidden moisture lingers. Any hidden moisture pockets could lead to mold and mildew growth, but there is also the possibility of costly secondary damage. We can locate moisture that might have gotten trapped behind walls, under flooring, and other enclosed areas with the help of moisture sensors, thermal imaging technology, and moisture meters.

Should there be substantial water behind walls, our technicians may use boreholes to create drains. The next step would be forcing warm, dry air inside to help facilitate the venting and dehumidifying process. For any materials that seem to have excess moisture, a drying chamber may be used to create a better environment conducive to our drying goals.

SERVPRO of Hyde Park/E. Bridgeport/Bronzeville is there to help whenever you require reliable water damage assistance. You can reach us for emergency service by dialing (312) 509-5000.

Fire Damage Assistance When You Need It in Chicago

2/14/2023 (Permalink)

We want to help you erase some of the memories of fire damage in your Chicago home. Call us today.

SERVPRO Helps Chicago Properties Owners 24/7 with Fire Damage Restoration

If you have a small blaze in your Chicago home or business, it might be tempting to go the DIY route yourself or utilize your janitorial staff. However, many pitfalls come with handling fire cleanup on your own. The last thing you need is an increased interruption, enhanced secondary damage, and the potential for immense costs to fix what goes wrong. SERVPRO wants all area customers, commercial and residential, to know that working with skilled technicians ensures high-quality, long-lasting results for any fire-related emergency.

SERVPRO is here around-the-clock with proven fire damage techniques in Chicago. We can handle all restorations, including any water and moisture left from first responders dousing the flames. Our efforts come together to ensure we can bring your property back to life “Like it never even happened.”

Not only does DIY take longer if you are unsure of where to begin and how to address every issue, but you will also see that the results will be lacking. IICRC-certified cleaning and restoration cuts back on your fire damage claim costs and drastically cuts down on time to get your life back to normal. Additionally, our restore versus replace mindset helps you recover items that you may otherwise deem a loss when approaching house fire cleanup with DIY methods alone.

What Happens After the Fire has Been Extinguished?

We are here at SERVPRO 24-hours a day, seven days a week, for all fire and water restorations to give you added peace of mind after an emergency. Our crew arrives to handle all debris, and airborne threats throughout your property are too tricky to address with DIY methods alone. The crew chief assigned to our team inspects and assesses all damage to determine the right processes and equipment to use and identify any unique challenges.

Do not enter your property unless first responders deem it safe until we arrive. Keep in mind that any foot traffic leads to tracking of soot and soiling throughout the property, including areas unaffected by the fire.

It is never good to clean anything before our fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT). Letting our skilled and experienced team handle everything is better because:

• We wear all the proper personal protection equipment (PPE) due to any toxic residues and debris left after a fire.
• Our crew thoroughly assesses your structure to ensure safety and stability, including flooring, walls, and ceilings.
• All cleaning measures and products used depends on materials burned or saturated. We consider composition and fire/heat impact on everything before we begin.
• Any moisture inside the building gets addressed with the help of our extraction tools and drying equipment.

All Fire Restorations Involve a Multi-faceted Approach

No two fire cleanup projects are the same, which is where our perfected techniques come in extremely handy. We combine each method to create a tailored plan to restore your home or business to pre-fire condition, including contents and inventory. Some of the techniques may include:

• Agitation uses movement, cleaning solutions, or both to loosen soils and wash them away. Options include rotating brushes, air or water pressure, scrubbing, sandblasting, and wiping.
• Chemical action with cleaning solutions using the ‘like dissolves like’ mentality. Water-based soils get water-based solutions, and so on.
• Suspension and dispersion to loosen soils on items deemed safe to get submerged in water/cleaning solutions.

SERVPRO of Hyde Park/E. Bridgeport/Bronzeville is here whenever you require professional fire damage cleanup and restoration. Call our customer care team and dispatch a crew to your door by dialing (312) 509-5000.

Mold Damage Cleanup by Skilled Technicians in Chicago

2/14/2023 (Permalink)

When mold damage occurs in your Chicago home, contact SERVPRO for fast results.

Learn Why SERVPRO Is Best in Chicago for All Mold Damage Restorations

There are a lot of common myths, misunderstandings, and confusion regarding black mold development and best practices for cleaning. You should never trust any company claiming they can complete mold removal at your Chicago property because mold ‘removal’ is impossible. There is a lot about mold that calls for specialized care and cleanup to ensure you and your family are safe throughout – this is where SERVPRO comes in.

With proven methods and a highly-trained team ready to address mold damage in Chicago, we can freshen your interior and allow you to enjoy your home again. But why call professionals? We can explain!

What Everyone Should Know About Mold Damage and Remediation

There are not only hundreds of kinds of mold, but microscopic mold spores are all around us, indoors and outdoors. These tiny mold spores travel through the air and come into our homes and businesses through the HVAC system, windows, and on people or pets. These are some helpful things to remember when you are curious about mold:

• Mold thrives on moisture and begins colonizing fast when given the right environment. If you have a moisture problem or poor ventilation, you could have mold festering under cabinets, behind furnishings, and cracks around your tubs and showers.
• Are you noticing a strong, musty odor but not sure where it is coming from? This is usually a telltale sign that mold is present, and you should have someone come in for a full inspection.
• Before starting any mold remediation, our SERVPRO crew will address any known water or moisture problem to fix it. Failing to do so before mold cleanup begins leaves the possibility that the mold issue will come back.

Can SERVPRO Handle a Large-scale Commercial Mold Restoration Project?

SERVPRO is locally-owned and operated with extensive warehouse facilities that house an immense inventory of tools and equipment. Once you make initial contact with our customer care team, we gather information on your project to help determine the scope. From there, we mobilize our team to load up our Green Fleet with all the best equipment for the job and head to your door so that we can begin the assessment.

• Infrared cameras allow us to identify areas where moisture is hidden from the naked eye.
• Professional moisture detectors, meters, sensors, and hygrometers allow us to measure moisture saturation.
• Industrial-grade dehumidifiers help us to pull water vapors from the air
• Air scrubbers with onboard HEPA filtration allow us to pull out particulates from the air.
• Specialized vacuums help pull up and trap mold spores while keeping them from dispersing into the air.

What You Can Do Before We Arrive

We get ready and get to your door within a few hours of your call so we can get started. Until then, we suggest you:

• Stay clear of any areas with suspected mold growth
• Shut off any fans and your HVAC system
• Never spray or wipe any visible mold on any surfaces
• Do not attempt drying the area yourself

With any mold remediation, odor control is paramount. SERVPRO’s Odor Control Technicians (OCT) work to eliminate odors using the best products for deodorizing and sanitizing. This includes EPA-registered antimicrobials, odor counteractant beads, thermal fogging equipment, etc. We never mask odors with sprays, and everything is left clean with surfaces sanitized – Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned!

Mold damage is not a do-it-yourself project. Contacting SERVPRO of Hyde Park/E. Bridgeport/Bronzeville gets you the detailed restoration you deserve. Call us at (312) 509-5000!

For Commercial Water Cleanup in Chicago, Professionals Are the Right Option

2/13/2023 (Permalink)

Count on your official Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator for water and mold cleanup. We keep your business in business!

SERVPRO Meets Commercial Water Cleanup Needs in Chicago Restaurants

For any business, the building is the biggest asset. This means that the discovery of any size or type of structural damage is sure to cause a lot of stress. You can take measures to prevent this damage from occurring in a restaurant, but water intrusion incidents can happen without notice.

The business owners who survive such incidents better understand how they might occur and have easy access to expert emergency water cleanup services in Chicago. You do not have much to worry about since SERVPRO, a DCLO (Downtown Chicago Licensed Operator), is competent in conducting water cleanup services for commercial and municipal projects.

The water might ruin the building, equipment, records, and food inventory. It is crucial to follow several procedures after water damage in a restaurant. One is to ensure the safety of the customers, employees, and restorers. Be ready to close off the affected areas. Our SERVPRO technicians usually wear personal protective equipment like gloves, eye protection, and rubber boots to ensure safety.

Mold growth has been known to start about 48 hours after a water intrusion, so immediate contact with us is beneficial. This fast response gives us room to start the water extraction and drying process in the shortest time possible.

At SERVPRO, our process can vary from one site to the other, but we have a general working process, which flows as shown below:

• Securing the building and assessing the damage.
• Extracting the standing water.
• Prevention of mold growth.
• Drying and dehumidification.
• Decontamination of affected machinery and personal property.
• Restoration and rebuilding of affected contents and structures.

SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville relies on introducing a stream of dry air over the water-damaged surfaces for a faster drying process. We use air-moving equipment, primarily the axial air movers, which can move larger air volumes. They work at lower pressures and high volumes to cover larger areas, which makes them the preferred method for commercial properties.

Detailed Water Mitigation After Chicago Storms

1/16/2023 (Permalink)

A flooded basement with muddy waters is no match for our crack Chicago SERVPRO storm team.

Call SERVPRO 24/7 for Storm Water Mitigation

You don’t have to reside in a flood zone to be prepared for storm damage or water infiltration within your Chicago property. Extreme weather events happen occasionally, and you may have one or more areas of your home or business left vulnerable to the elements. Water removal services become paramount whenever you have even the slightest flood water coming into your property. SERVPRO is here to begin mitigation services as quickly as possible to reduce damage and overall costs for your project drastically.

Extractions and drying are two main factors in the Chicago area with water mitigation and storm cleanup. Properly drying your interior and hidden spaces helps to control water damage severity and returns relative humidity (RH) to normal levels. With SERVPRO’s proven methods and prompt action, we reduce microbial infestation and secondary water damage. When necessary, controlled demolition is also performed on any areas deemed unsalvageable.

You can count on SERVPRO to:

• Contain the impact of water and storm damage
• Protect and clean your personal belongings
• Repair any structural damage and other hazards
• Thoroughly dry your structure
• Clean and disinfect all exposed surfaces

Why is mitigation necessary?

Any home or business requires efficient mitigation efforts to cut back on the impact of any disaster, including storm damage and floodwater infiltration. SERVPRO’s IICRC-certified water restoration technicians (WRT) contain flood water movement, address all possible contaminants, and protect your building and contents. With adequate mitigation, your project moves along faster, we can salvage more materials and contents, and the risk of secondary damage and mildew or mold growth decreases significantly.

For any areas deemed unsalvageable, we enlist the help of trusted local contractors and vendors for build-back services. By replacing drywall, flooring, baseboards, and other materials harmed by storm water damage, everything is returned to preloss condition “Like it never even happened.”

With a phone call to SERVPRO of Hyde Park/E. Bridgeport/Bronzeville, we will deploy a crew to your property as soon as possible. We are the trusted team in the area for all water mitigation and restoration services you require.

Prompt Water Mitigation Services for Chicago Apartments

12/25/2022 (Permalink)

Dealing with water damage on your own is never easy. Contact us to investigate the cause and remediate the water damage in your home.

Assessing Your Need for Water Mitigation

Mitigation is an important phase of recovery after disasters in area apartments. Owners and renters must understand the order of events so they might get needed restoration work started to protect what matters most. After a disaster, homeowners should:

• Contact restoration professionals
• Move items that could be in the damage path 
• Get to safety if hazards exist
• Contact your insurance provider

Water Damage Repair Services

While many consider water mitigation in Chicago apartments to begin with water removal services, it is often more necessary for our SERVPRO team to determine if repairs are needed first. From board-up services to emergency repairs for the plumbing system after leaks and breaks, our general contractor license can be instrumental in thwarting continued damage to the structure.

Extracting Standing Surface Water

To prevent absorption into materials and contents, it is critical to begin extraction as soon as possible. The wall systems used in high-rise apartment buildings are not often thick and formidable, making water movement easy after prolonged exposure. We focus on the earliest actions possible to clear surface pooling. We have several extraction devices in our inventory, though the process is often down to a combination of pumps and vacuums to remove any standing water threats.

Transitioning to Restoration

One of the ultimate objectives of successful mitigation is directly transitioning to the restoration needs of the apartment. Time is critical with multiple units connected to prevent avoidable water migration through wall systems that could cause greater concerns. Extraction and repairs are often suitable foundations to begin setting up drying equipment. 

Mitigating water damage in Chicago apartments can be a large undertaking for even experienced professionals like ours. Many high-rise structures require unique restoration approaches after disasters, as multiple units could get impacted. Give our SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville team a call today at (312) 509-5000. 

Mold Damage Remediation and Containment in Chicago – Call SERVPRO

11/14/2022 (Permalink)

Mold remediation for your home is no DIY project. Call the professionals at SERVPRO for fast and immediate service.

SERVPRO’s Mold Damage Remediation Processes Protect Your Home in Chicago

Consumers in Chicago homes are naturally concerned whenever they notice mold colony formation or smell a strong, musty odor in their homes. The odor may lead them to a seldom-used area of the house or under a sink where moisture has accumulated, causing a mold colony to grow. Water leaks and moisture left in place for significant periods can cause extensive mold infestations, damaging structures and contents.

SERVPRO provides mold damage remediation services in Chicago. Our teams can be onsite in less than four hours, offering advice and plans to homeowners and business customers on managing and removing mold. Mold left in place can damage contents and structure, which must be carefully removed to prevent mold particles and spores from spreading to uncontaminated areas of the building.

Our team takes every precaution to protect the occupants and other areas of the structure by applying the following techniques:

• Install containment barriers utilizing plastic sheeting
• Establishing negative air pressure in the contaminated area
• We seal HVAC vents to avoid contaminating the duct system
• We use clean rooms to transition people, equipment, and materials from contaminated areas
• Remove and dispose of contaminated porous materials
• Clean and disinfect non-porous materials
• Bag and seal in place contaminated materials before removing
• Controlled demolition of severely contaminated structures 

We also utilize PPE to protect our employees entering the contaminated area. Our clients can continue to live or work in non-contaminated areas with containment properly installed. SERVPRO offers the following services to our clients dealing with mold infestations:

• Mold inspections, remediation, and removal
• Attic mold removal
• Basement and bathroom mold removal

Call SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville for mold remediation and restoration services. We provide service to Chicago and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (312) 509-5000.

Stopping Kitchen Fire Damage Before it Happens in Chicago

9/18/2022 (Permalink)

You don’t ever want your kitchen looking like this. Contact SERVPRO for tips and tricks to help you be prepared for any fire emergencies in your home.

SERVPRO Advice to Prevent and Mitigate Fire Charring in Your Home

Kitchen fires consistently rank among the most prevalent and costly residential fires nationwide. Moreover, yet, at the same time, most Chicago kitchen fire damage can be prevented by watchful eyes and proper preparation. Keeping your kitchen and dining area safeguarded against fires is essential, as failing to do so may end up costing you thousands if a fire hits. Follow our advice, and the risk of your kitchen incurring fire damage in the future should sharply decline.

Smoke Detectors

Positioning smoke detectors well and keeping them charged is the first step in mitigating fire damage in your Chicago kitchen. Smoke detectors are often the first thing in the room to notice when something is wrong, providing an unmistakable warning when something has overheated or caught fire. Ideally, smoke detectors should be linked to a sprinkler system, but these are uncommon in most homes. For most, smoke detectors only serve as an alert to the presence of fire.

 Fire Extinguishers

To put out fires, you need something capable of smothering the flames. The best option for this is a modern fire extinguisher, which can put out a blaze without any risk of harming your home or appliances. Modern fire extinguishers do not use water as a smothering agent, instead opting for chemical mixtures or carbon dioxide foams to deny oxygen to the fire. Keep at least one in the kitchen and be sure to inspect it regularly. Typically, an ABC type extinguisher is handy to have in the kitchen. Also, keep a fire blanket nearby to smother a flaming frying pan.

 Keep Appliances Clean

Upon inspection, SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians find dirty appliances as a probable cause for many of our fire damage cases. While many fires start with overcooked food, much more preventable disasters often arise from the presence of extra grime and grease on stovetops, ovens, and other heating devices. These films and organic materials can smoke or catch fire if they are allowed to build up, causing fire damage even to vigilant homeowners who never leave the kitchen unattended. Be sure to clean your cooking equipment to eliminate this threat from the kitchen entirely.

SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville is there for you when a fire strikes your home. Call us at (312) 509-5000.

Can Smoke Odors be Removed After Chicago Fires?

8/21/2022 (Permalink)

Dealing with any remaining odors after a fire will take some expertise and know-how. Call SERVPRO come out and help with the situation.

SERVPRO Improves Indoor Air Quality in Your Fire-Damaged Chicago Home

While fires in Chicago homes can present many effects and obstacles for homeowners looking to recover their properties quickly, indoor air quality concerns present a significant risk to the wellbeing of those entering the home after the disaster occurs. While many of these effects can be resolved with the advanced equipment available to our professionals, cleaning the air inside your house and deodorizing all affected areas, materials, and contents does not happen instantaneously.

While deodorization might be one of the final steps in the restoration process for your Chicago home, fire odors can begin to get addressed in other ways from the time that our professionals first arrive. Our SERVPRO team understands the potential risks of airborne threats including carcinogens, soot, smoke residue, ash, and debris. We have machines that can begin cleaning the environment throughout our mitigation process, including ozone machines and hydroxyl generators. Both of these machines have onboard filtration and an ability to reduce or even eliminate harsh odors present noticeably.

Deodorization is also a vital component of the pack-out process. When our SERVPRO technicians designate contents and belongings in your house for removal to our nearby facility, this happens to allow focused cleaning and odor removal for each item. In many cases, odor removal for removed items takes place in a sealed ozone chamber in our facility. This practice is unsafe for humans and pets to get directly exposed to, much like the use of the portable ozone generators for use inside your home, but both are effective in neutralizing harsh odor molecules.

For lingering fire odors in softer fabrics and surfaces, our professionals can also utilize our thermal foggers. These machines release a dense chemical compound that breaks odor molecules apart, rendering them inert.

There are many effects that a homeowner faces after a fire in their home. Our SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville team knows that We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and we can arrive quickly with the experienced technicians and advanced equipment to get your home back to preloss condition. Give us a call anytime at (312) 509-5000.

Helping Chicago Shops Through Fire Damage Restoration

8/21/2022 (Permalink)

Whether your store has a little or a lot of fire damage, team SERVPRO can help. Our technicians have access to small scale and large scale equipment.

SERVPRO Helps You Understand Fire Damage Cleanup

Fire restoration services should begin in retail locations impacted by even minor flare-ups as soon as possible. Our prompt response can manage extinguisher residues, water damage, soot and smoke deposits, and other fire loss effects. Because our professionals are available 24/7, we can mobilize fast after the first notice of loss to get your doors back open quickly.

Helping You Understand the Work to Come

With fire damage to Chicago shops, business owners must know the work to be completed and when the regular operation can resume. Because of your vested interest in returning to full production and allowing traffic into the store again, we help address questions you might have, like:

• Completion Timeline - Among the chief concerns for business owners is when their shop can reopen, so we provide a reasonable timeline to complete the expected restoration.

• Addressing the Customer's Concerns - You have priorities that our mitigative IICRC-certified team might not recognize. We can listen to your concerns and integrate them into the restoration plan. 
• Describing Restoration Steps - Restoration steps might seem invasive and disruptive until you fully understand their purpose and benefit. 

Once we have met your expectations and answered any questions that you might have about the work, we ask you to fill out an Authorization to Perform Services form. This document designates SERVPRO as the restoration provider you have selected to complete early mitigation actions and the restoration work to follow. 

Fire restoration and mitigation in shops and stores in the city should be completed as soon as possible. Post-fire effects and loss continue after extinguishment until direct action is taken to clean up the structure and its contents. Let our SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville team help make this disaster "Like it never even happened" by calling (312) 509-5000.