Why does your fire alarm go off randomly?

12/1/2022 (Permalink)

There are many reasons as to why your fire alarm may be going off randomly. One of the most common and main reasons is because of low or faulty batteries. Some will let out a little chirp while others fully alarm. The alarm could have too much dust inside or it could even be broken. There are other causes that you probably wouldn’t consider initially such as, smoke from outside seeping into your home or even high humidity can set it off. Everyday candles can set off an alarm, too. Be sure to always treat every alarm as an emergency situation just in case it is serious. It is also recommended to change the batteries every 6-12 months to ensure it is always at its full capacity. SERVPRO specializes in fire damage restoration so in a case of emergency we are always here to help get you back to normal.

Did you know?

11/10/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO franchises are locally owned and operated. Therefore, we are in the community daily and all around you. We have the help and proven effective processes of a large corporation, but   with small town trusting relationships. Our quality of service out in the field, as well as, in the office is something we take a lot of pride in. Here at SERVPRO, there are systems in place to make the procedures easy for the home or business owner and the technicians. Every detail of the loss at hand is documented item-by-item to ensure nothing is overlooked. The ability to use electronic signing is also handy so paperwork can be sent out immediately to keep the restoration process moving along smoothly. 

We do not only offer services for those who have experienced catastrophic circumstances, we also offer preventative guidelines through our Emergency Ready Plan to keep you ahead of the game incase of an emergency. This safety plan is accessible at a finger's touch. This service is available to ensure that when something goes wrong within a business, that proper precautions are taken to get you back in the building as soon as possible.

Why SERVPRO?

11/8/2022 (Permalink)

When it comes to choosing a restoration company you may ask yourself, “Why SERVPRO?” The answer is shown amongst our 2,000 franchises and over five decades of experience. SERVPRO of Dothan is an IICRC certified firm. This means we are certified in performing water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, and much more based on the standards through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. Therefore, our technicians are learning from professionals first hand when training for fire, water, storm damage and more. No job is too small or too big…plus, as mentioned, we have many franchises with trained technicians as back up at all times! 

From our timely on-site response for mitigation all the way to the restoration, we are there throughout the entire process. We work thoroughly and provide detailed estimates so there are no unwelcome surprises. Not to mention, we are open and ready to assist you 24/7, 365 days a year. So next this question arises, remember SERVPRO has 50 years of experience in this field, is trained to industry standards, and is faster to any size disaster!

Do I have mold?

10/3/2022 (Permalink)

There are over 100,000 kinds of fungi that have been identified. In useful cases it can be used for breads, baked goods and other food products. Life saving Penicillin is even a product of mold. Although some forms add value, others can be harmful to us. Water intrusion into a building can result in mold growth. Especially if it is not treated right away, it can become harmful mold. When moisture is present, it is important to be on the lookout for strong musty odors, presences of visible mold and excessive humidity. Indoor air quality/environmental professionals use various testing devices to identify mold spore counts and what kind of mold is present. It is crucial that you contact a professional if you expect mold is present. SERVPRO is trained in mold remediation and will examine any structure.

Outlet Fires Happen!

10/3/2022 (Permalink)

There are multiple causes for an outlet fire to occur. The outlet could be faulty, the appliances plugged in could be aging, the wiring could be faulty, and placing flammable items near these areas could be a cause for a potential outlet fire. The list goes on and on for potential causes, but regardless, SERVPRO of Dothan is here to help no matter how big or small the fire may be. The aftermath odors and damages are in desperate need of professional deodorization and mitigation. The goal is always to restore, not replace. Always check for discolored and hot outlets. Even an odor that you can not locate the source of could be coming from the outlets.  Fire won’t wait, plan your escape ahead of time and call us to save you time,  money and stress.

Don't paint over soot!

10/3/2022 (Permalink)

Fire, smoke and soot damage can create a multitude of problems for a home or business owner. Smoke can travel throughout the building leaving odorous residues and deposits on surfaces. This can cause permanent damage to contents. SERVPRO of Dothan, understands this can be a very disruptive event, but in order to avoid additional odors and permanent damage, it is important to contact trained and equipped professionals. When it comes to soot, attempting to prime and paint over it will result in further damage to the surface and will only temporarily mask the smell. It would need to be cleaned properly in order to successfully repaint the surface. When painting over a dirty wall, you are not giving it the ability to bond properly and it will not do anything more than band-aid the problem temporarily.

50 Years!

9/13/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has been in business for over 50 years.

That sentence alone tells me everything I need to know about how we respect our customers and even employees.

To break it down, that means 50 years of experience and expertise. 50 years of trial and error and discovering the best quality approach with our services, as well as building programs to better suit our standards (because nothing quite lives up to us). 50 years of helping our communities to achieve the feeling of ease and relief in time of need. Our extensive training and continuing education makes for true proficiency in our field of cleaning and restoration. This bleeds down to every franchise and SERVPRO of Dothan settles for nothing less than excellence. So, next time you ask yourself, “Why SERVPRO?” Think about what has kept us in business this long, it screams satisfaction! 

Essential Water

4/1/2022 (Permalink)

Water is essential to sustain life and is a very important part of our everyday life. But, when water intrudes into our homes and businesses, it can be a major problem.

Water inside a closed structure can cause mold, rot and other issues that are damaging to your property if not addressed in a timely manner. If that happens, SERVPRO is here to help!  Our trained technicians and the latest equipment can help find and identify issues within your property that may go unnoticed for days or possibly weeks. Water that has traveled under flooring or behind cabinets can cause extensive damage in a short period of time, leaving you with extensive damage and costs.

So if you are noticing discoloration of flooring or wood materials in your home or start smelling a musty odor, call SERVPRO for a free inspection and analysis to stop further damage.

Why Choose Us?

3/29/2022 (Permalink)

Sometimes when we are out marketing in the community I get asked “Why SERVPRO?” After over 30 years in SERVPRO, the answer always comes easy to me.

Over the years, SERVPRO has become the eyes and ears among the insurance industry and has helped countless property owners through difficult situations by helping them navigate through the process of restoring their property. SERVPRO
and its network of over 1,900 franchises has become the #1 choice in the cleanup
and restoration industry because of our reputation and expertise and the ability
to handle any size disaster. With our paperless claim processing and documentation, along with the extensive training, technology and experience, SERVPRO has set the standards among the restoration industry. SERVPRO knows
what insurance professionals and customers want. Clear communication, competitive pricing, professional equipment, trained uniformed technicians and the ability to be faster to any size disaster.

So when asked “why SERVPRO,” these
reasons simply make your property loss, "Like it never even happened."

Forget something?

3/24/2022 (Permalink)

Forgot that chicken boiling on the stove? Or maybe the fish frying in the skillet? Burning these types of things are called protein fires and the damages may be virtually invisible but the slight sticky discoloration of your painted surfaces and the awful smell that tends to linger is a sure sign of the damage.

Not all fires are the same and the clean-up of these protein fires is different than the clean-up of other types of fires.  Here at SERVPRO of Dothan we have the know-how and the specialized products needed to make it “Like it never even happened."

So if you forgot the chicken on stove or the fish in the skillet or even grandma’s famous casserole in the oven, don’t get “stuck” with the damage, call SERVPRO of Dothan today!

Springtime in the South

3/22/2022 (Permalink)

Springtime in the South.  My favorite time of the year.  Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and I’m like the groundhog poking my head outside after what feels like a forever winter.  I spent this weekend pulling out my summer clothes and daydreaming of trips to the beach.

But this morning as I walked the dog, I was reminded of the pollen and humidity, and while eating breakfast with the news on, I was reminded of how easily the weather turns severe this time of year.  Waffling between cool and warm is prime time for severe storm outbreaks and yes, tornadoes.  And worse yet, overnight tornadoes.

So before the storms, keep daydreaming about the beach but keep an eye on the sky and make sure you have a way to get emergency warnings.  And have a plan to make sure you stay as safe as possible during the storm.  And after the storm, if you need us, SERVPRO will be here to help!

Equipment Placement

3/18/2022 (Permalink)

In my last blog, I wrote about why we measure and sketch and the computations for how much drying equipment to set.  Now I’d like to spend some time on the two main pieces of drying equipment and how that drying equipment gets placed and positioned.  There is a science to that too!

We primarily use two types of drying equipment; air movers that circulate air and cause the moisture to evaporate into the air, and dehumidifies that then pull that moisture out of the air.

Before I came to work here and learning so much, if I had wanted to dry a wet wall, I would have used a box fan set dead to rights facing the wall and turned it on high.  And I would have been wrong.  What I’ve learned is that doing it this way would actually push the water deeper into the wall rather than helping to release it.

Our air movers allow us to direct the air flow at a 45 degree angle to the wall; placing them around the room at this angle helps create a vortex of air movement (think “tornado”) within the room.  Adding to this, we place the dehumidifier in a position so that the warm air it expels is pulled into the vortex and that warmth amplifies the power of the circulating air created by the air movers.

Now not every water damage is the same but this basic principal of drying holds true.   And know that at SERVPRO, we have the specialized knowledge to meet your drying needs head on (and at a 45 degree angle)! 

Why We Measure & Sketch

3/17/2022 (Permalink)

A lot of our customers have asked why we measure and sketch the affected areas of their home.  It’s not just for the documentation for the insurance company; there is a science to drying. 

A complex mathematical formula is used to determine the amount and type of equipment that needs to be placed in a room in order to achieve optimum drying in the shortest amount of time. 

That formula is based on the length, width, and height of the room, the current temperature and humidity, and the percent of the surface area that is affected.

Our Crew Chiefs all have tablets that have SERVPRO’s  proprietary app which performs these complex mathematical computations for them so they can quickly go about the work of drying your home. 

So rest assured that the amount and type of drying equipment we place in your home has been verified by science!

Being Prepared Part 2

3/16/2022 (Permalink)

As I said in an earlier blog, part of being a Commercial Property Manager is being prepared.  Like knowing where the sprinkler riser is located.  But another part is prevention.  Although you can’t always predict trouble, you can take certain precautions.

The building fire that took my ego down a few pegs was investigated by none other than the Fire Chief himself.  (Large commercial structure fire that made the news was a big deal.)  Nice man; very willing to share his knowledge and I learned a lot about fires.  And how to prevent them.

The cause of our fire was a very small desk fan belonging to an employee of a company that leased office space in the building.  (Not unusual, I have one that sits on my desk now.  Summertime in the South.)  But what was unusual was that hers quit running.  When she left for the day, she knew it wasn’t running but just thought she had already turned it off.  But she hadn’t.  It had malfunctioned, was left in the “on” position, and still plugged in.  That miracle we call electricity did the rest.

So talk to your tenants about prevention.  Share this story with them.  Ask them to think about prevention before they turn the lights off and close and lock the door for the night.  Are there any appliances plugged in that shouldn’t be?  Is there any water still running?  One last walk through might be all the prevention you need.  But if not, call SERVPRO, we’re here to help!

Memories

3/16/2022 (Permalink)

Here’s a text message I sent my mother last night: “Thank you for a childhood that included tap shoes, sequined dance costumes, and bubble gum ice cream with real gum in it.” 

No matter what kind of childhood you had, I'll bet there is at least one precious item that makes you still smile.  For my step-son it would be a red hoodie with a dragon on it; for my cousin, her ice skates.  We have other precious items as well.  Our mom’s homemade quilt, our grandfather’s old fishing cap, our dad’s high school football jersey, your daughter’s favorite doll.  I challenge everyone reading this post to stop and think about all those sentimental items that you hold dear. 

Now thinking about those items, what would you do if they were caught in a flood? In a fire? Had mold grow on them?  Or they’ve been packed away so long they just need a good cleaning?

You’d call SERVPRO of Dothan!  Our new Esporta wash system can safely clean all the items I’ve mentioned and more, returning them to preloss condition and even “food grade” clean if needed.

So go pull out those precious reminders, grin for bit while you remember why they are so special to you, and then call SERVPRO of Dothan to clean them!

First Impressions Matter

3/7/2022 (Permalink)

First impressions matter.  We are told not to judge a book by its cover but we do and we all know we do. Whether it’s a person at the gym, a first date, or when we walk through the door into a business, we all form an immediate opinion.  And this opinion is based on sight, sound, and smell.

So stop and think about your front lobby or reception area.  How does it look? Is it clean and welcoming or could those upholstered chairs use some freshening up? How about the carpet? Do those traffic lanes really look inviting? How about the air? Does the air smell fresh and clean?  Could the ducts stand to be cleaned and deodorized?

If it’s time to give your lobby or reception area a good deep spring cleaning, SERVPRO of Dothan and SERVPRO of Coffee, Dale, Geneva, and Henry Counties can help.  Call us today at 334-699-5961 for a free quote!

Being Prepared

3/1/2022 (Permalink)

Having been a Commercial Property Manager in the past, I understand all too well the challenges that face those underappreciated individuals.  Good Commercial Property Managers are like mayors of small cities; constantly balancing the needs of the many for the good of all.  And they have to know a lot about a lot of different things; a “jack of all trades” so to speak.  But most of all they must plan and prepare for the improbable and the unexpected.

I learned that lesson the hard way when I was a relatively new property manager of a mixed used shopping center in Florida.  I had been working at the property for about 6 months and encouraged the head of maintenance to take a much needed vacation.  I think most of all it was my youth that made me certain I could handle anything.  How little I knew.  So the head of maintenance grinned and went fishing.  Which is why he was unreachable in the middle of a lake in his bass boat while back at the shopping center, the fire alarm was screaming, 5 fire trucks had arrived, and the sprinkler system was running full force. The Fire Chief then asked me the magic question, “Where are the risers for the sprinkler system?” And for those of you who don’t know but have probably guessed, that’s where you turn off the water to a sprinkler system after the fire is out.  Do you have ANY idea how much water those systems can pump out in a minute?

Well SERVPRO does!  So if you’re a Commercial Property Manager and find yourself with a bunch of water where you don’t want water to be, call SERVPRO of Dothan and SERVPRO of Coffee, Dale, Geneva, and Henry Counties and we’ll make it “Like it never even happened.”