Smoke and Soot Clean-Up

12/21/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot are very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allow us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action.  

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Countes will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – (912) 445-5190

Protect Your Home This Holiday Season!

12/21/2021 (Permalink)

Keep House Fires Out of Your Winter Celebrations | SERVPRO® of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties

Though fire safety is an important focus at any time of year, as the chill of winter sets in, it is an even more pressing concern. The Red Cross has found that the winter season is when most fires occur in the home, which is understandable given that many winter and holiday activities provide an ideal environment for house fires to start.

At any time of the year, cooking is the leading cause of household fires, and winter is no exception with more people trying new recipes and baking projects. In addition to this, heating and electrical fires become more of a concern with the use of heaters and decorations, so it is important to be aware of the risks and ideal prevention methods.

Preventing Fires Around the Winter Holidays

Keep safe when cooking. Cooking large meals or undertaking new baking experiments is a popular winter pastime; the chances for any type of cooking fire will increase accordingly. When cooking, it is important to never leave flammable objects near the stove, oven, or slow cooker, and to never leave heating food unattended. It is also wise to keep a fire extinguisher on hand in case any flare-ups do occur, so they can be addressed quickly.

Heat the house with proper precautions. As the winter chill sets in, reaching for space heaters or putting a fire in the fireplace is common, and can be done safely. It is important to note that space heaters should always be equipped with proper safety features and that fireplaces should never be left unattended, as these are some of the leading causes of winter fires. If you do have a fireplace, be sure your chimney is inspected every year to address any potential hazards.

Decorate with care. Most of us can appreciate fun, holiday decorations, but issues can develop with these electrical components that can be hazardous. Christmas tree fires are often caused by the lights hung on the tree, mainly due to the fraying of the wires or the overloading of outlets. Always check your strands of lights before using them, and never leave them plugged in when you will not be home or when you are going to bed.

Need Our Help?

If you have damage due to a house fire, you can depend on us to help. Contact us 24 hours a day to report damage and receive a quick response from our certified restoration technicians. Call SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties today. (912) 445-5190.

Check Those Smoke Detector Batteries!

12/21/2021 (Permalink)

The holidays are here and with everything going on a lot of us have forgotten a very important thing to check...our smoke detectors. If you haven't done so lately, today is the day to test your smoke detector batteries! 

The U.S Fire Administration (USFA) states that smoke detectors should be checked monthly to ensure there are no malfunctions and that the batteries should be changed at least once or twice a year. Most people have found it easy to remember to do this when daylight savings time occurs. While you’re changing your clocks, go ahead and change your batteries in your smoke detectors. If you missed getting on the time change schedule, just jump on the December/June Schedule. 

Make sure you check your smoke detectors users manual and if any of the following apply, then you may need to check your smoke detectors more often:

• The detector gives a false alarm
• The alarm emits a short beep regularly without anyone touching it
• Frequent kitchen smoke has caused it to activate often, which may cause the batteries to deplete quicker

There are two types of smoke detectors:

1. Battery-Powered- This type can be susceptible to defective or worn-out batteries. Doing monthly testing is critical to ensure that the detector is working properly.
2. Hardwired- This type is powered by your home’s electrical system, but is known to have backup batteries so the device can remain operational in a power outage. This type still requires a monthly test to help ensure that both the batteries and parts are working properly.

If your home isn’t equipped with smoke detectors, then please make sure you visit your local fire department. The fire departments in each community have access to fire safety equipment like smoke detectors and would be glad to make sure your family is safe.

Frying Turkeys and Your Safety

11/22/2021 (Permalink)

Each year, many people are severely burned and their homes are damaged from fires caused by frying turkeys for Thanksgiving. Here are some safety tips from Elizabeth Ardness, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Services found on www.georgiahealthnews.com.

Many times accidents are caused by misused equipment and overfilling. 

1. Misused equipment: unstable fryer stands

2. Uninsulated pot handles

3. Fry Pots Overfilled with oil

To prevent overfilling, drop the turkey in the pot before marinating.  Add enough water to cover 2" above the turkey.  Remove the turkey and mark the water level. Once you have dried the pot, you can add oil to the waterline mark.  Marinate your turkey and add back to the pot once the oil reaches 365-375 degrees Faranheight.  This will take 45 minutes to an hour.  

It is also important to kill all harmful bacteria.  According to www.butterball.com you must measure the temperature of the turkey in several places. Once the temperature has reached 180 degrees Fahrenheit at the thigh, and 170 degrees at the breast your turkey should be ready to enjoy!

Also, be sure that your frying area is at least 10 feet away from your home and on level ground. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! 

What Do I Do After The Fire Truck Pulls Off???

8/24/2021 (Permalink)

It's essential to hire a professional immediately after a fire.

When a homeowner sees the fire truck leave their home after extinguishing a fire, it’s not uncommon for the owner to ask the question, What’s next? Since this kind of devastation can leave the owners' heads spinning, it may be difficult to make the wisest decisions, especially based on the knowledge that they have acquired over the years. Also, if this is the owners' first experience with dealing with a house fire, they may be confused and stunned. Fortunately, there are resources available that can assist a homeowner with getting through these hours with as few disruptions and discomfort as possible. By calling SERVPRO, a representative will arrive with the knowledge to provide the homeowners with a comprehensive plan to restore their property to its original preloss condition, "Like it never even happened."

Emergency Services – 24/7

Because a fire can occur in a home at any time of the day or night, it is important to be able to get the help that they need without any unnecessary delays. Once the fire truck leaves the property, the owner and their family must know how to respond to minimize this devastating situation.  For instance, the windows and doors should be boarded up so that intruders cannot enter the home and cause additional damage or begin to take away items that were not damaged by the fire. This is why we offer emergency services to the owners that contact us, especially so we can help with taking the appropriate actions, while also devising a plan. Additionally, because no job is too small or too big, our technicians are trained in developing a customized plan to fit your situation.
 
Highly trained experienced professional restoration technicians

Even if a homeowner has dealt with fire damage in the home before, they can still use the help of a professional. This is because fire damage must be handled by trained experienced professionals that know how to restore the home to its pre-fire condition. For instance, when a fire occurs in the home, there are a wide variety of damages remaining. One of the most common involves extracting all of the water that the firefighters used to put out the fire as quickly as possible, specifically so that the family does not have to deal with secondary issues such as microbial growth.  Another part of the clean-up process deals with smoke damage. While some areas of the home may not show any visible signs of fire damage, the smoke and soot from the fire can circulate to unaffected rooms. The SERVPRO fire & smoke remediation technicians,  with IICRC and in-house training, use specialized equipment to remove the smoke from the carpeting, draperies, flooring, walls, ceilings, and other areas that have been affected. Ozone machines, air scrubbers, and several types of foggers help to limit this kind of smoke and soot damage.

When firefighters pull away from a home after a fire, the homeowner is tasked with the job of cleaning up and getting the home back to a pre-fire condition. To ensure the clean-up process is handled correctly, the owner will need to solicit help. Because our technicians are highly trained in fire restoration cleaning up services, we can assist you with doing a thorough job before occupying the home again. So, for help with fire damage in your home, contact SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties franchise at (912) 445-5190 today.

Fire Damage Calls For Professional Help

8/24/2021 (Permalink)

Dealing with fire damage at any level can be stressful and disconcerting. Even a small amount of harm will disrupt your daily life, and most likely mean you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay temporarily while your home is restored back to normal for safety reasons. It is good to know ahead of time of a reputable restoration company that you can call in a time of crisis, such as SERVPRO.

Fire damage never comes at a time that is convenient. However, understanding some things about the different steps of fire remediation is not difficult, and can help you to have peace of mind when tragedy strikes. At SERVPRO, we’ll take you through all the steps before even beginning any work, and explain questions you may have.

Loss from fire damage presents different challenges than regular repair and cleaning. The combination of the impact of intense heat, smoke residues, and water from firefighters creates an effect that will need various kinds of services from the fire restoration company. 

Fire damage restoration services can be divided up into five categories:

Mitigation Services
The goal here is to secure your home and stop any more damage from occurring. Mitigation can include boarding up any openings and establishing a source of electricity that is temporary to your home. Structures that are wet from firefighting efforts will need emergency drying, so there is not any secondary water damage.

Structural Cleaning
When your home is damaged by fire, cleaning the structure will focus on getting rid of smoke residues from your home’s structural components and deodorizing odors which are given off by the residues. The adjuster and restorer will consult and advise you on which components can be cleaned and which ones will need to be replaced. All personal contents are not always salvageable after a robust fire damaging event.

Contents Cleaning
Your personal property has to be cleared from the smoke residues. In some situations with fire, your things can be cleaned right on site. Sometimes, however, contents will have to be packed up and moved to a different location for cleaning and storage. These situations happen if your home is not secure or if it is too damaged for on-site cleaning to be done.

Specialty Restoration
Content restorers from SERVPRO will at times subcontract specialty cleaning companies for particular contents such as dry cleaning of clothing, cleaning of electronics, refinishing furniture, and restoring expensive artwork.

Reconstruction Services
In some cases, structural components can be damaged so much that they can’t be restored to a preloss condition. Reconstructing and repairing fire-damaged structural components could possibly need different skills than standard home remodeling. A fire damage restoration company like SERVPRO usually performs cleaning services while licensed general contractors perform highly extensive reconstruction services. SERVPRO can clear away the debris, eliminate odors as well as clean and wipe away soot "Like it never even happened."

Fire damage of any kind needs a professional touch. Call us at SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties when you have experienced a fire. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (912) 445-5190.

10 Ways To Prevent a Kitchen Fire

8/21/2021 (Permalink)

Kitchen fires can be easily avoided.

Did you know that the majority of house fires begin in the kitchen and the most common cause is cooking?

The American Red Cross has steps everyone can follow to avoid a cooking fire:

1. Never leave cooking food unattended – stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a second, turn off the stove.Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.
2. Use a timer so you’ll remember that the stove or oven is on.
3. Don’t wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
4. Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.
5. Keep anything that can catch fire - pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
6. Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
7. Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
8. Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
9. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

If you experience any property damage due to a fire, we are here to help. Contact SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh, East Liberty Counties today.

12/15/2020 (Permalink)

Avoiding a Furnace Fire | SERVPRO® of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh & East Liberty Counties

If you live in Bryan County or any of our neighboring counties, fall is probably the furthest thing from your mind. But it’s just around the corner.

One frosty morning soon, you may be hurrying to turn on your furnace. Take some time now to perform preventive maintenance so you won’t run the risk of a fire.

Did you know? Around 62 million American homes use gas furnaces to stay warm. Others burn wood, and about 130,000 households still have coal stoves or furnaces.

Generally, furnaces provide cost-effective heat. Still, they need to be properly maintained, or they can cause house fires.

In this blog, we’ll look at gas furnace maintenance. If you have any furnace, though, make sure it’s safe before lighting it this fall.

Cleaning Time!

Tidy the area. Yes, stuff can be stored around the furnace during the summer. Move any boxes, trash or debris at least three feet away from your furnace before operating.

Wipe down the furnace. Clean cobwebs, dirt and anything else off the furnace. Dirt can lead to overheating. It can also prevent you from noticing problems with your furnace.

Clean the Air Filter

Dirty air filters can lead to obstructed air flow and overheating. This can increase your risk of fire.

Clean Outside Vents and Flues

Call in a professional if you need help with this!

Check Smoke and CO Alarms

Smoke can indicate a house fire, while CO in the air can make you sick before you notice it. Test your smoke and CO alarms, and replace dead batteries right away.

Professional Maintenance

Every year, have a professional inspect your furnace. A good technician can identify and address issues such as a cracked heat exchanger or incorrect pressure. This fall is a great time to make an appointment to have your furnace maintained.

If your home has suffered fire damage, SERVPRO® of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh & East Liberty Counties can help. Our agents are on call around the clock, so we can start helping you get back to normal, fast. Contact us at any hour for assistance.

If your home is damaged in a house fire, SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, East Liberty is here to help. Contact us for any fire restoration need

12/2/2020 (Permalink)

Preparing to Handle the Recovery Process After a House Fire | SERVPRO® of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh, East Liberty Counties

Any time a fire occurs in or around your home, it will be a difficult event to process. Both experiencing the fire itself and working toward recovery can feel overwhelming, but planning ahead for how you will do this can make it a much more manageable task.

We always recommend making your fire safety measures, such as an evacuation plan, first priority, but once you do that, it is smart to consider how you will recover.

Prepare yourself for what to expect. Understanding how house fires cause damage can help prepare you for what to expect before you go into your home, which can be a jarring experience. Smoke and soot can make the damages appear widespread even if the fire was contained to a small area, and moisture damage can also be present from extinguishing efforts.

Wait to enter your home. The structural damage caused by fires are often readily apparent, but they can also be completely invisible. For this reason, fire officials will inspect your home to be sure it is safe to enter before anyone is allowed in, and you should always wait for this official word before you head inside the building.

Contact your insurance company. Insurance claims can often take a long time to process, so starting on them as soon as possible is recommended. Policies and processes can vary between providers, so it is best to get in touch with your policyholder quickly in order to understand what steps to take.

Document the damages. Having thorough records regarding the damage will make the restoration and replacement process much easier to manage. Typically, the insurance will require this, but even if they do not, we recommend taking photos and making a list of all impacted areas and items just in case.

Contact your restoration company. A house fire is a life-altering event that can stick with you for a long time. However, moving forward with restoration and returning to your normal lifestyle is important to healing, which is why you should work with a restoration company you can count on to do the work in a timely, professional manner.

If your home is damaged in a house fire, you can count on us to help you. Get in touch at any hour for a quick response.

SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh, East Liberty Counties is the fire restoration experts. To learn more give us a call or contact us online.

12/2/2020 (Permalink)

Practice Fire Safety When You Grill | SERVPRO® of Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh & East Liberty Counties

It is always fun to make the most of the extra daylight of summer, and for many of us, that means grilling up many meals and enjoying them outside. Because grilling is something many of us do regularly, the safety aspects of it often get overlooked—but because it is an open flame, you always want to be careful when it is time to cook.

It is reported by the U.S. Fire Administration that there are nearly 6,000 fires that result from grilling every year, leading to millions in property damages. If you can take a few precautions each time you light the grill, you can significantly lessen the chance of a fire starting in your backyard.

Always Be Careful When It Is Time to Cook on the Grill

Create a safe zone around your grill. It might be tempting to situate your grill in a spot that is convenient to your back door, but you should always remember the three-foot rule when placing it in your yard. A flare-up can be quite large, igniting any flammable materials that happen to be nearby.

Clean your grill grates often. A simple brush after each use of the grill can significantly reduce your chances of a fire, and it can make your food cook better, too. The bits of food can ignite if left unattended for long enough, and because they are often greasy, they may lead to a fire that can’t be put out with water.

Never leave the grill unattended. While walking into the kitchen for a single item or taking a quick break may seem harmless enough, your grill should never leave your sight while it is lit. Even with the lid on, grills can start fires in an instant—it is best to always act as though this is a possibility and keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case.

Inspect the grill regularly. For those that use charcoal grills, an inspection might be more simple. If you have a propane grill, you want to inspect things thoroughly to prevent any possible gas leaks. Your gas line can wear down over time, as can your connectors and even the tank itself. Gas leaks can lead to fires, so it is best to do a thorough check each time.

If you have a grill fire do damage to your home, we are here to help. You can call us any time, day or night, to have a quick response from our restoration experts.

Smoke Odor Removal

4/21/2020 (Permalink)

Have you had a fire in your home? Is there a lingering smell of smoke in your home? We here at SERVPRO are ready to help make it look (or smell) "Like it never even happened." We have listed 3 ways you can help remove the scent in your home. 

1) Remove any affected areas/materials in your home. You need to remove these items so you can begin to clean the area. Plus, removing these items will reduce (not remove) the smoke scent almost immediately! 

2) Clean, clean, clean! Clean all the areas that the fire touched along with any areas that the smoke scent is in. If you had a kitchen fire, the likelihood that the scent of smoke reached the other side of the home is high. Use a DRY sponge to wipe the areas affected. If you wet the sponge, it will most likely just push the soot around rather than removing. 

3) Spray the good smelling stuff now. I am not talking the amazing perfume sitting on the bathroom counter. I am talking about an item picking up at a hardware store- a deodorizer. Spray this over any area that smells like smoke (walls, counters, ceilings, floors). Once this is done, give it some time to dry, and if the scent still remains, spray the areas again.

If after all of these steps and your home still smells like smoke, you may need to call a professional. SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties is available to take your calls 24/7 to help in any way we can. 

Spot VS. Stain

4/19/2020 (Permalink)

After a fire, going through items can be extremely difficult. Part of that process is deciding if something is damaged beyond repair or needs cleaning. Here are a few ways to figure out if your items are stained or just covered in spots.

People often use the terms “spots” and “stains” interchangeably, but they have an important distinction between them. A spot is a visible surface discoloration that results from a soil that you CAN remove. A stain on the other hand, is a visible discoloration resulting from a color that permanently attaches that you CAN’T remove.

A skillful cleaner is sometimes able to turn what appears to be a stain into a spot. But someone with poor cleaning techniques may do the opposite. That’s why acquiring the proper spot cleaning knowledge, education and product that SERVPRO of Statesboro has to offer is crucial to carpet cleaning success. We offer a range of specialized cleaning methods backed by state-of-the-art equipment to insure your carpets or upholstery are spick and span, and spot and stain free.

Have you been affected by a fire?

4/19/2020 (Permalink)

Every emergency situation can be devastating. However, among all of the possibilities, fire damage is usually the most severe. After a fire on your property, you have an increasingly larger area to restore the longer you wait, adding pressure to the entire situation.

If you are researching for information on how to deal with a fire before one occurs, make sure to contact your insurance company to discuss available coverage and take reasonable steps to limit the losses you might experience. However, if you are among those homeowners caught off-guard by unforeseen circumstances, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you get the most out of your current situation.

Immediately after a fire occurs, notify your insurance agent and begin itemizing your losses. You want to consider your options carefully and make clear, concise decisions. You need to secure your property before entertaining the idea of getting some rest. It is entirely possible for us to respond, secure your property, and help you with your insurance company within just a few hours after a fire.

Calling SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties gives you access to IICRC certified technicians, who have experience assisting homeowners just like you with recovering after a fire. Repairing fire damage on your property can be a lengthy process, you need professionals that are on your side to assess damages properly and perform necessary repairs.

We can help you with filling out insurance paperwork and manage your entire restoration from start to finish, making things easier. Your SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties team does everything possible to help you recover, making it possible for you to get the fire damage in your home under control as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

Our goal is to make it "Like it never even happened."

Grilling Tips

4/17/2020 (Permalink)

Time to pull out those grills!

Spring has arrived and summer is upon us, which means it's time to pull out those grills.

SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties would like to share some helpful grilling tips to prevent any fires from occurring while you're enjoying that quality time with family and friends.

Do:

1. Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your home.

2. Clean your grill regularly.

3. Make sure to check for gas leaks.

4. Keep decorations away from the grill.

5. Keep a spray bottle of water handy.

6. Keep a fire extinguisher within a couple of steps of your grill.

DON'T:

1. Turn on the gas while your grill lid is closed.

2. Leave a grill unattended.

3. Overload your grill with food.

4. Use a grill indoors

Trust SERVPRO to take care of you after a fire

4/16/2020 (Permalink)

Why should you trust your local SERVPRO to take care of you and your property after a fire? 

After fire tears through your home, it's tough to get it back to the way that it was. Not only do you have to deal with fire and smoke; you also have to consider collateral damages from fire-fighters and firehoses, and the loss of your property. This leads to widespread water damage and flooding- both of which cause as much damage as fires do. In these situations, it's always best to call SERVPRO. Without a trained, professional team of cleaners, you'll never be able to return a building to normal after a fire. Professionals know how to remove smoke damage, restore your valuable furnishings, and ensure that ash residue, discoloration, and affected tarnished surfaces are back to normal. 

Restore Your Property, Don't Just Replace It 

The most important aspects of home restoration are cleaning and restoring your property. It's our goal to ensure that your property is cleaned and restored professionally, saving you money over the long run. We always strive to restore your favorite furniture and upholstery. 

How To Ensure That You Save The Most 

SERVPRO knows how to handle any fire emergency; as long as you call us immediately. The longer you wait, the more severe the fire damage becomes.

We start by inspecting your home, getting an estimate, and drying out any water damages. After that, we remove as much soot, ash, and smoke from as many surfaces as possible. Then, we clean, repair, and restore your property back to its original glory. 

Trust SERVPRO to Give You Fire Damage Security 

SERVPRO specializes in making your home livable again. We can perform repairs in virtually any regard; from fire and smoke restoration, odor control, upholstery and fabric cleaning, to water damage restoration to handle damages that might have occurred from a fire. We know how terrible fire damages can be, and how they affect your life. 

If you ever have any questions or concerns, call us so we can help because our goal is to make it "Like it never even happened."

Fire Safety Tips For Children

4/15/2020 (Permalink)

Children, especially younger ones, may not be capable of exiting a home on their own or understanding the dangers of fire hazards. If parents take the extra precautions not only by reducing risks in the home and installing proper safety equipment, but by creating and explaining a comprehensive fire safety plan of action with your family, the chance of risk can be greatly reduced. 

Here are just a few fire safety tips for you and your family to get you started.

• The Stop, Drop and Roll technique – Stop moving, lie down and roll if clothing catches fire.
• Crawl through rooms and hallways to avoid smoke inhalation.
• Touch doors before opening – if the door is hot, don’t open it.
• Never re-enter the building for any reason once safely outside.
• Fire is a tool, not a toy.
• Never pick up matches or lighters if found. Instead, tell an adult right away.
• Never leave children unattended around any fire hazard, including cooking stoves, candles, portable heaters, or any other heat source. Teach toddlers and young kids to stay at least three feet away from any common heat source or hazard in your home.

Did you know, you can contact your local fire department for free fire safety equipment like smoke detectors? Some may even be willing to have your kids stop in for free fire safety tips. Make sure to check your community events, as some fire departments are known to have free fire safety classes for families.

You can also visit the link provided for more tips and activities for children.

http://keepkidsfiresafe.org/kids1.html

10 Steps to Avoid a Kitchen Fire

4/12/2020 (Permalink)

Never leave your stove or oven unattended.

Did you know that the majority of house fires begin in the kitchen and the most common cause is cooking?

The American Red Cross has steps everyone can follow to avoid a cooking fire:

1. Never leave cooking food unattended – stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a second, turn off the stove.
2. Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.
3. Use a timer so you’ll remember that the stove or oven is on.
4. Don’t wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
5. Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.
6. Keep anything that can catch fire - pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
7. Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
8. Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
9. Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
10. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

Kitchen Fire

2/20/2019 (Permalink)

Kitchen area where the fire took place

We received a phone call from a home in Midway, Georgia. A kitchen in a house caught fire and damaged the entire house. Soot and smoke touched every inch of the house. So how do we clean the soot from walls and contents? 

One would think that we should be using water to wash away the soot. One would be wrong. Soot should not be cleaned up with water first. The water on a sponge or rag would just move the soot around on the material. Soot should initially be removed with dry sponges. Dry soot cleaning sponges are used to remove soot and dirt where you don’t want the surface to get wet. It is made of a natural rubber and is used like an eraser. Once the surface of the sponge is dirty it has to be discarded. The sponges hold a remarkable amount of soot in the pours of the sponge. After wiping the fine particles of soot off the surface the surface can be wet washed. This process needs to be done by a professional. If not done properly surface damage can occur. There is a science to fire cleaning and you should trust and hire a professional if you have fire clean up that needs to occur. This is why we love having IICRC certified technicians on our team! We work hard and have trained professionals ready to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Green Trucks Stick to Each Other!

2/6/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, & East Liberty Counties responded to another green truck in need. A local favorite to Savannah, Georgia, had had an electrical fire in their kitchen in January. We were called to the restaurant to assess and begin work. As we are locally owned and operated, we understand how tragic being closed unexpectedly can be. We knew when we arrived that we wanted to work quickly but efficiently. Fortunately for the Green Truck Pub, we thrive in these types of situations. We never want to be the reason that another business is closed. Our Operations Manager, Jon, has been keeping a close eye on this job to ensure a local favorite is restored to make it appear "Like it never even happened." 

If your business is impacted by a tragic event, such as a fire, give us a call at 912-445-5190 so we can help you in need! 

How do we help with fire damage?

1/29/2019 (Permalink)

Imagine coming home to finding your bathroom socket faulted and caught your bathroom on fire. Luckily your family was out of harms way, but you lost your entire bathroom and part of your bedroom. You ask the fire department, "What now?" They give you SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties business card and informs you to call that number. You reach our Operations Manager, and he heads out to meet you to inspect your home. When he arrives at your home, he walks through the house to see what needs to be taken out, damaged out, and cleaned. We create an estimate for you and your insurance company with the list of all the repairs that need to happen for your house. We begin the work. We begin to remove any affected area. We place equipment in your house to begin removing the scent and clean the air. We work until you are happy with the results. Our company strives to reduce the stress for you and your family when a devastating thing such as a fire happens. Please give us a call at 912-445-5190 so we can help. 

Camp Fire Safety

2/7/2018 (Permalink)

Outdoor fires are absolutely beautiful especially in the fall. The air is crisp and being outdoors is a fall favorite. When creating a fire outdoors, you definitely need to consider the environment surrounding the fire. Whether you are near your home or in a national forest, you want to ensure the fire will not burn the area. Here are some tips to keep your home and our nature areas safe.

• When selecting a fire pit location make sure you are at least fifteen feet away from tent walls, shrubs, trees, or anything that might catch fire.
• Make sure the pit area is level and clear of debris.
• Make sure the wind spot you have chosen is calm.
• Dig your pit about one foot into the ground, and circle the mouth with stones.
• Always remember to check with your campsite or the U.S. Forestry Commission to see if you are allowed to have a fire at the time you plan on camping.
• Make sure that any fire you build is kept low and out of the wind. This will help keep the embers down.

Never for any reason leave a fire unattended or hot. Make sure you pour water on the fire until it stops hissing.

Fire Classes and How to Extinguish the Fire

2/6/2018 (Permalink)

Class A fires are defined as ordinary combustibles. These fires are commonly flammable material one may find around their home. These items include wood, fabric, paper, trash, and plastic. To extinguish a Class A fire use either water or monammonium phosphate.

Class B fires are defined as one that uses a flammable liquid or gas as its fuel base. These fires are a common hazard in industries dealing with fuels, lubricants, and certain types of paint. Class B fires used to be majority of kitchen fires. However, because kitchen fires are typically the most common house fire, they have their own classification. Smothering Class B fires to remove oxygen will result in extinguishing the fire.

Class C fires are defined as fires that use electrical components and/or energized equipment as its fuel source. These fires are typically fueled by motors, appliances, and electronic transformers. Electrical fires are more likely to be seen in industries that use heavy electrically-powered equipment. Bad wiring can result in electrical fires. To extinguish these fires, one should cut the power off to the source and use a non-conductive chemical to extinguish the fire.

Class D fires are defined as one that uses a combustible metal as its fuel source. These combustible metals include titanium, magnesium, aluminum, and potassium. Class D fires are typically in a laboratory environment, but they can be found in other industries. You want to completely avoid throwing water on these fires because it is ineffective and can have the opposite effect. To extinguish these fires, use a dry powder agent which will absorb the heat and smother the fire.

Class K fires are defined as a cooking fire involving combustion from liquids used in food preparation. Greases, cooking oils, vegetable fat, and animal fat are all fuel sources that Class K covers. These fires are extremely dangerous and extremely destructive. To extinguish these types of fires, wet chemical fire extinguishers should be used.

If you or someone you know falls victim to a house or business fire, call SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties at (912) 445-5190. 

Prevent Kitchen Fires in your Home

1/24/2018 (Permalink)

Fire safety is extremely important. The kitchen is an area in the home that is more likely to catch fire. Keep reading for some safe cooking tips for your kitchen. Before cooking, you want to wear clothes that are closer to your body so it does not get too close to a hot surface. Check the area for anything too close to a burner such as paper towels, pot holders, food packaging, and more. Clean the area before cooking in case there is any residue left from previous cooking. While you are cooking, never leave the stove unattended. This could easily catch fire and spread to other others quickly. In addition, you need to have a fire extinguisher somewhere close to your kitchen in case of a fire. Most people assume the best place to keep it is close to the stove or oven. This would be wrong. If a fire breaks out in that area, the last thing you need to do is go toward the fire and harm yourself. Keep the fire extinguisher in a place such as the pantry or close cabinet that is away from any area that is more prominent to a fire. If you experience a fire in your home and need SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties, give us a call day or night at (912) 445-5190.

How to Remove Soot and Smoke from your Contents

1/24/2018 (Permalink)

You may want to separate items made from different materials because they will clean differently. Create a mixture of vinegar and a Mr. Clean and vinegar. The vinegar will deodorize the scent while Mr. Clean removes the soot. You may need to clean the items multiple times to completely remove the soot and smoke from each piece. When it comes to clothing, you need to separate items that are reparable and items that are not reparable. The items you deem reparable need to be washed several times. With each wash, put vinegar in addition to the laundry detergent to remove the scent of smoke. The most difficult items to clean will be items such as mattresses, couches, and chairs. These items will need to be placed in a garage or carpet to air out. In addition, you will need to vacuum each item very slowly. If you feel as if you need professional help, SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties is here to serve you.

What are Your Steps after Your Home Catches on Fire

1/4/2018 (Permalink)

First, you want to ensure someone such as the Fire Marshall has cleared you to enter your home for safety reasons. At this point, you can go through your home to see the damage and possibly gather items you can keep. Second, you want to document everything. Take as many pictures of your home as is for insurance purposes. You may want to take a note pad and write notes while going through your home. If the fire was in one room, you still may have the smoke odor in other rooms. It is important to carefully note this for insurance and restoration companies. Lastly, call a restoration company such as SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and East Liberty Counties to come in and help restore your home.

4 Types of Home Fires

1/4/2018 (Permalink)

The most common type of house fires starts in the kitchen. The most common kitchen fire is a grease fire. It can be started very easily and spread if not properly put out. *Do not put water on a grease fire, you want to cover it. Another common house fire is due to electrical wiring. It can be from faulty wiring or old wiring. During the cold winter months, a fire can be due to a heater. Portable heaters need to be used when someone is watching it closely or where it will turn off if overheating. Lastly, a major cause of a home fire is smoke-related. People falling asleep with a cigarette in their hand can cause a major house fire. If you are disposing a cigarette in the home, make sure it is properly extinguished before placing in a trash can or emptying the ashtray.

Specialized Restoration Methods Used For Fires In Springfield

2/25/2017 (Permalink)

Many electronics are lost in a fire, as ash and smoke can damage their fragile internals.

Restoration Methods Used For Fires

No two fires are the same, meaning that SERVPRO must create individualized plans and employ different restoration tactics for every fire we come across. In lighter fires, we may be able to use cookie-cutter methods to quickly and easily restore minor damages to the home. However, most fires require some amount of planning and consideration of alternative cleanup and restoration methods. Most troubling in some cases are materials and objects with special cleanup requirements, where our normal methods would be ineffective or even destructive. For instance, here are a few of the most common alternative approaches we must take in some situations.

Furniture
Furniture may sometimes take the worst of the fire damage in Springfield, being hit simultaneously by burn, smoke, and ash damages. However, cleaning and restoring furniture is no easy task, especially when it is made of leather or artisan materials. For most furniture, we have to employ delicate foam washing techniques and other hand-applied cleaning or deodorization methods, as opposed to the broader and faster industrial-grade tools we prefer to use for the sake of time and cost.

Clothing
In some fires, removing damage to clothing may be a simple job. SERVPRO uses a powerful set of washing and drying machines, that can take all the clothes in a home and clean them in one fell swoop. However, some articles may be more delicate or need more intensive care than others, requiring dry cleaning or perhaps hand-applied cleaning methods to be restored.

Electronics
Many electronics are lost in a fire, as ash and smoke can damage their fragile internals. However, we focus on restoration rather than replacement, meaning we carefully evaluate whether or not electronics are salvageable before throwing anything out. When these devices can be saved, we typically send them to a contracted specialist to ensure that they receive the best care available.

SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties is a locally-owned branch of a national company with the equipment and expertise to help you and your property get through even the toughest of fires. Give us a call at (912) 445-5190.

Ensure Your Fire Damage Woes in Guyton Become a Distant Memory

2/23/2017 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO right after a fire for best results and to prevent secondary damages.

SERVPRO Technicians Professionally Restore Homes After Sustaining Fire Damage

Fire can strike at any time, with a multitude of different causes. Electrical shorts in your wiring, faulty appliances, or even using the wrong charger with a phone can cause a small fire to start. If no one is present in the area where the fire begins, fire can spread from one room or area to another rather quickly.

Guyton has many beautiful homes blessed with striking architecture, but fire damage can ruin these homes quickly. SERVPRO can restore damaged homes to their original state. Our employees include at least one Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT). Their training covers all aspects of restoring homes and other structures after a fire. Experience in actual home restorations provides further knowledge that is then put to work to make every home we work on “Like it never even happened.”

A fire damaged home must be repaired structurally before it can pass inspection, which must occur before your family can return home. After removing drywall and paneling, we examine the interior of the wall. If any support beams are charred or show other signs of damage, we remove those and replace them. We repaint or reapply wallpaper to finish a full restoration of the wall. When kickboards are damaged, we also replace those.

Floors also need to be made safe again. The flames and heat from the fire might not have affected your floors and the structures underneath as much as the water used to put out the fire may have. Heat combined with water can create steam that dry wood can quickly absorb, and this can create dangerously weak spots in floors.

When a home catches fire, smoke damage also happens. As the fire grows, the amount of smoke produced increases. SERVPRO uses techniques and machines that eliminate smoke and soot, and the odors they cause. Cleaning intricate details by hand by the use of ozone-producing equipment completes the finishing touches need to restore your home to pre-fire condition.

For fire damage that is ruining your home, you deserve experts who care about your family's safety and comfort. Calling SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties at (912) 445-5190 can be the best way to restore your home. Available 24/7, we always arrive within an hour after your call.

Fire Damage Calls for Professional Help

10/7/2016 (Permalink)

Crescent Smoke & Fire Damage Could Use the Help of SERVPRO

Rely on SERVPRO to Restore Your Fire Damaged Home

Dealing with fire damage at any level can be stressful and disconcerting. Even a small amount of harm will disrupt your daily life, and most likely mean you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay temporarily while your home is restored back to normal for safety reasons. It is good to know ahead of time, therefore, of a reputable restoration company who you can call in a time of crisis, such as SERVPRO.

Fire damage in Crescent never comes at a time that is convenient. However, understanding some things about the different steps of fire remediation is not difficult, and can help you to have a peace of mind when tragedy strikes. At SERVPRO, we’ll take you through all the steps before even beginning any work, and explain anything that you do not understand.

Loss from fire damage presents different challenges than regular repair and cleaning. The combination of the impact of intense heat, burning fire, smoke residues and moisture from firefighters creates an effect which will need various kinds of services from the fire restoration company, plus working together with licensed subcontractors and contractors.

Fire damage restoration services can be divided up into five categories:

Mitigation Services
The goal here is to secure your home and stop any more damage from occurring. Mitigation can include boarding up any openings and establishing a source of electricity that is temporary to your home. Structures which are wet from firefighting efforts will need emergency drying, so there is not any secondary water damage.

Structural Cleaning
When your home is damaged by fire, cleaning the structure will focus on getting rid of smoke residues from your home’s structural components and deodorizing odors which are given off by the residues. The adjuster and restorer will consult and advise you on which components can be cleaned and which ones will need to be replaced. All belongs are not always salvageable after a robust fire damaging event.

Contents Cleaning
Your personal property has to be cleared from the smoke residues. In some situations with fire, your things can be cleaned right on site. Sometimes, however, contents will have to be packed up and moved to a different location for cleaning and storage. These situations happen if your home is not secure or if it is too damaged for on-site cleaning to be done.

Specialty Restoration
Content restorers from SERVPRO will at times subcontract specialty cleaning of particular contents such as dry cleaning of clothing, cleaning of electronics, refinishing furniture and cleaning expensive artwork.

Reconstruction Services
In some cases, structural components can be damaged so much that they can’t be restored to a pre-loss condition. Reconstructing and repairing fire-damaged structural components might need different skills than standard home remodeling. A fire damage restoration company like SERVPRO usually performs cleaning services while licensed general contractors perform highly extensive reconstruction services. SERVPRO can clear away the debris, eliminate odors smoke, clean and wipe away soot "Like it never even happened."

Fire damage of any kind needs a professional touch. Call us at SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh and East Liberty Counties when you have experienced a fire. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (912) 445-5190.

Fire Damage and What to Do After the Fire Truck Leaves Your Home

7/19/2016 (Permalink)

Rincon Fire Damage Can Be Restored and Repaired By SERVPRO.

Contact SERVPRO to Fix Your Fire Damage

When a homeowner sees the fire truck leave their home after extinguishing a fire, it’s not uncommon for the owner to ask the question, What’s next? Since this kind of devastation can leave the owners head spinning, it may be difficult to make the wisest decisions, especially based on the knowledge that they have acquired over the years. Also, if this is the owners first experience with dealing with a home fire, they may be confused and stunned. Fortunately, there are resources available that can assist a homeowner with getting through these hours with as little as disruptions and discomfort as possible. By calling SERVPRO, a representative will arrive with the knowledge to provide home owners with a comprehensive plan to restore their property to its original pre-loss condition, "Like it never even happened."

Emergency Services – 24/7
Because a fire can occur in a home at any time of the day or night, it is important that the family can get the help that they need without any unnecessary delays. In fact, once the fire truck leaves the property, it is essential that the owner and their family know how to respond to minimize this devastating situation of fire damage to their Rincon home. For instance, the windows and doors should be boarded up so that intruders cannot enter the home and cause additional damage or begin to take away items that were not damaged by the fire. This is why we offer emergency services to the owners that contact us, especially so we can help with taking the appropriate actions, while also devising a plan. Additionally, because no job is too small or too big, our technicians are trained in developing a customized plan to fit your situation.
 
Highly Trained Experienced Professional Restoration Technicians Even if a homeowner has dealt with fire damage in the home before, they can still use the help of a professional. This is because fire damage must be handled by trained experienced professionals that know how to restore the home to its pre-fire condition. For instance, when a fire occurs in the home, there are a wide variety of damages remaining. One of the most common involves extracting all of the water that the firefighters used to put out the fire as quickly as possible, specifically so that the family does not have to deal with mold or mildew growing in their home. Another part of the clean-up process deals with smoke damage. While some areas of the home may not show any visible signs of fire damage, the smoke and soot from the fire can circulate to unaffected rooms. The SERVPRO fire & smoke remediation technicians, FSRT, certified by the IICRC and in-house training, use specialized equipment to remove the smoke from the carpeting, draperies, flooring, walls, ceilings and other areas that have been affected. Ozone machines, air scrubbers, and several types of foggers help to limit this kind of smoke and soot damage.

When firefighters pull away from a home after a fire, the homeowner is tasked with the job of cleaning up and getting the home back to a pre-fire condition. To ensure the clean-up process is handled correctly, the owner will need to solicit help. Because our technicians are highly trained in fire restoration cleaning up services, we can assist you with doing a thorough job before occupying the home again. So, for help with fire damage in your home, contact our SERVPRO of Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh & East Liberty Counties franchise at (912) 445-5190 today.

Grilling Safety Tips

6/3/2016 (Permalink)

Here are some great tips for staying safe while enjoying your summer cookouts!