Managing Moisture After Buffalo Grove Water Damage

11/16/2023 (Permalink)

If your home is suffering from water damage, contact SERVPRO 24/7 for professional equipment and certified technicians to help mitigate the situation.

Water Damage Restoration Relies on Dry Conditions

When it comes to drying structures after a loss event, there are a few key factors to consider. We must identify the best spot with the right temperature, airflow, and moisture levels. Getting the moisture under control is especially crucial during the water restoration and cleanup of your Buffalo Grove home after a disaster. It's a delicate balance, but we can quickly get things back to normal with the right approach.

How Moisture Impacts the Recovery Process

Keeping relative humidity levels in check can make a huge difference in drying. When humidity is high and moisture is left unchecked, it can slow drying and ruin building materials. Hidden water damage can also be a significant issue; humid conditions create the perfect breeding ground for mold growth.

How SERVPRO® Overcomes Moisture

Ensuring that your home's restoration process goes smoothly is crucial, and one of the critical factors that can impact it is the moisture level in your living spaces. It's about more than just the areas you occupy but also the ones you don't, like the attic and crawl space. Luckily, there are various ways to control the moisture levels, such as:

• Dehumidification

We collect water from the environment to exhaust outside or dispose of from trays in the machines. Dryer air makes surface evaporation faster.

• Following Moisture Through Your House

Our moisture management solutions track damp areas and ensure adequate drying. Sensors and thermography give a clear picture of damage and identify areas that need more attention.

• Sealing and Encapsulation Services 

Encapsulation is a solution to manage wetness in crawl spaces. It protects materials with a vapor barrier and prevents excessive moisture from affecting the main floor of the house.

There is no time to lose when contending with water and moisture damage. Our SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich team is ready 24/7 with water removal, drying, and moisture management solutions for efficient post-disaster recovery. Call today at (847) 279-1940.

Convenient Mold Remediation Services within Buffalo Grove

8/20/2023 (Permalink)

Mold damage remediation is something best left to the professionals. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for professional services and technicians.

SERVPRO® Appropriately Manages Mold Damage Incidents in Buffalo Grove

Mold development at your Buffalo Grove premises can lead to different outcomes. Ideally, you should keep it under control, clean the affected areas, and continue your operations as usual. However, it can also develop fast, overwhelming your standard restoration efforts. SERVPRO manages such problems conveniently, allowing you to continue operating uninterrupted.

Most contaminations fester before the signs become apparent, thus requiring significant mold remediation work before Buffalo Grove premises regain their preloss conditions. Having sufficient resources to clean, remove decayed materials, and control the microbial growth processes is essential to conclude such incidents conveniently.

Resources that make a difference when fighting mold

• Blast cleaning equipment for soda or dry ice blasting
• A variety of dehumidifiers, such as LGR and desiccants
• Vacuums with HEPA filters
• Various chemical agents 

The challenges mold presents are wide-ranging, including growing in hard-to-reach areas, affecting sensitive materials, and degrading or embedding on surfaces. Therefore, comprehensive removal may require several approaches to ensure you reach all areas and remove all traces of the fungus before refinishing the surfaces. SERVPRO evaluates your premises, determining where we need to wire-brush or blast clean with unique mediums.

Guaranteeing safety during mold remediation

Mold may be hazardous, so exposing your workers or clients to residues and moldy debris is not ideal. Anyone managing mold removal must plan how to guarantee safety for everyone. SERVPRO crews use safeguards to guarantee this throughout the process. Wearing personal protective equipment such as bodysuits, respirators, and protective gloves ensures we can work fast since there is no fear of exposure. We also protect the other people in the buildings by setting up containment barriers to limit the spread of moldy debris.

Necessary supplies for establishing mold containment

• Heavy-duty plastic sheeting large enough to cover the area
• Strong tapes, such as masking or duct tape, to secure the sheeting to surfaces
• Support structures such as PVC pipes or metal rods
• Air scrubber or negative air pressure machine to control the environment within the barrier

SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich has advanced resources and maintains the appropriate standards during mold remediation. Call us at (847) 279-1940.

Choosing the Right Extractor During Commercial Water Damage Repair in Buffalo Grove

5/15/2023 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO team is trained and equipped to handle any scope of water damage at your commercial property.

SERVPRO Extracts All Types of Water During Commercial Water Remediation in Buffalo Grove

Businesses that experience a water damage incident can return to their regular operations with the help of commercial water damage repair solutions. If the resulting disruptions persist for a long time, the business may make losses and, at the same time, damage its reputation. Fortunately, working with a reliable water damage company can speed up returning everything to normalcy.

Water extraction is essential during commercial water damage restoration in Buffalo Grove. Before we can choose the most appropriate water extraction equipment, our SERVPRO technicians do a site inspection. We have to extract as much water as possible to quickly dry the building.

Some of the factors we consider when choosing the drying equipment include:

• Power availability
• The water depth
• The available space
• The amount of sediment in the water

Our SERVPRO technicians usually use two types of extraction units - portable or truck-mounted water extractors. A portable extractor offers a lot of flexibility since it is easy to move around in the affected offices during water removal. If the building has electrical power, we use it to power the units; otherwise, we have to use a standby generator to make them operational.

When we use the truck-mounted units, there is no need for a generator or onsite power since the vehicle's fuel is sufficient for them to operate. The trucks have waste tanks where the extracted water is directed before disposal. Compared to portable units, these extractors have a very powerful vacuum, making them better suited for large sites.

Our SERVPRO technicians observe local and IICRC regulations during water damage remediation. For instance, we dispose of all the waste we extract for your property per the set regulations.

Call SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich at (847) 279-1940 for commercial water damage cleanup services. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster and offer 24-hour emergency solutions.

Let SERVPRO Handle Your Fire Restoration Needs in Buffalo Grove

4/17/2023 (Permalink)

Need help with your fire restoration in Buffalo? Call SERVPRO. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Fire Risks Lurk in Every Room of Your Buffalo Grove Home

Most homeowners in Buffalo Grove do not experience fire damage first-hand, but that doesn’t mean they are not at risk. The COVID pandemic and the shift to work from home invited many homeowners to repurpose some rooms to create home offices and additional living spaces. In the process, they may have increased their vulnerability to a home fire without knowing. Should a computer or printer start a fire, you must be ready to act quickly.

For fire restoration services in Buffalo Grove, call SERVPRO. Once you call our 24/7 hotline, we arrive quickly and thoroughly inspect the damage. With the information, we create an action plan that may include move-out services and specialty drying solutions. We also move industrial-grade equipment into your home to help clean up and deodorize. As needed, we set up physical barriers to isolate affected areas and avoid cross-contamination throughout the home. All these steps happen quickly to mitigate the fire’s impact on your home life.

To help protect your home, keep in mind a few checkpoints you should consider to reduce your risk of fire. Some of the most common culprits, particularly in newly created home offices, are the following:

• Space heater, especially those positioned too close to paperwork or other easily flammable items
• Excessive electronics plugged into outlets. Chargers, computers, printers, etc., could create an electrical hazard and spark a fire.
• Burning incense or scented candles too close to curtains, paper, or other items can quickly catch fire.

When many of us relocated to working from home, we focused on space availability. If your makeshift home office is now a permanent space, assess its safety. But when there’s trouble, call SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove/ Lake Zurich at (847) 279-1940 and let us leave your home “Like it never even happened.”

Remediating Mold Damage From Textiles in your Buffalo Grove Residence

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

Mold only needs oxygen and moisture to grow. Call SERVPRO if you suspect mold in your Chicago home.

Mold Remediation Is Available in Buffalo Grove

Mold is a nuisance that can cause unpleasant odors in your home. It is a living organism that uses enzymes to digest organic matter, converted into energy needed for continued growth. Over time, fungi can deteriorate textiles and organic materials like wood or gypsum board. Professional mold remediation is often necessary to curb microbial growth.

The presence of mold damage in your Buffalo Grove home can creep up unnoticed. Mold is well-known for growing in hidden recesses of a property because it does not require a source of light to grow and reproduce. Signs of microbial growth are often only noticed once the problem has become significant and mold colonies become visible or release malodors. Cleaning the surface of stains does not always address the underlying cause, so you may find that mold returns a few days after cleaning. These situations often require a professional remediation technician to address the source of the problem and use chemicals or equipment to prevent it from returning. Molds attach themselves to surfaces using hyphae, making them tough to remove. They can also spread rapidly through porous materials. Infested materials often have to be destroyed, controlled demolition entirely to remediate microbial organisms. 

Naturally Occurring Causes of Mold in a Home Environment

• Microorganisms need water to grow, which means a mold problem often indicates a water leak or condensation issue somewhere in the home.
• Organic, naturally porous materials like drywall allow microbes to penetrate them entirely and often require replacement.
• Damp, dark areas of the home, such as the underside of carpets, can be ideal for mold damage.
• It is typical for inexpensive, infested materials to be removed and disposed of altogether. However, some materials may have an inherent value that undermines the cost efficiency of destroying these items. SERVPRO technicians are IICRC certified and equipped with advanced machinery to restore certain high-value items following a mold infestation. Upholstery and drapery machines are built from three core elements. These include a heating element, a vacuum, and a waste tank. Plush carpets or upholstery with surface molds can often be restored to preloss condition by using this equipment in a process known as hot water extraction. A technician can fill the designated solution tank with a registered anti-microbial chemical or cleaning solvent. Hot water extraction helps rinse the affected material with cleaning fluid and then vacuum any debris or soiling into a waste tank to be disposed of safely. 

When deciding on the use-value of mechanical cleaning equipment, which includes both hot water extractors and the suspended cleaning system of Esporta washing machines, technicians must first calculate the cost of replacement versus the cost of restoration. It may often be cheaper and more time-efficient to dispose of mold-infested textiles. However, our technicians can use these advanced techniques and equipment to return precious belongings to a preloss condition in some instances. Understanding how this equipment works on textiles can be essential to calculating their use-value.

Hot Water Extraction Equipment and Their Components

• The solution tank is fitted with a pumping filter to prevent soiling from entering the solution during the cleaning process.
• Liquid cleaning solutions can include fabric conditioners, anti-microbial treatments, and carpet shampoos.
• The waste tank can be removed and taken to a designated wastewater facility for safe disposal.

Mold can lead to extensive damage. Contact SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich for mold damage cleanup at (847) 279-1940.

How Extraction and Pumping Equipment Helps Buffalo Grove Residents with Water Damage

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians can detect hidden moisture from water damage in Chicago and properly remediate the damage.

SERVPRO is an Expert Water Removal Service in Buffalo Grove

A burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water into your home in a matter of hours. Small amounts of water can stagnate quickly, leading to secondary damage. Standing water can exert excessive pound-for-pound pressure onto wall jointing and floors. We are available twenty-four hours a day to help with your home emergency.

A water damage site in Buffalo Grove can occur at any time. One of the most powerful responses to a water intrusion issue is to enlist professional water restoration technicians (WRT). SERVPRO is a local service that employs qualified technicians and equips them with advanced equipment. We can help mitigate losses in your home by correctly deploying water extraction equipment. Suppose a burst pipe has released large amounts of water into your home, rising above two inches in water level. In that case, our team can bring submersible water pumps to reduce standing water levels and relieve pressure on the structure of your property. Pumps are usually driven by portable generators powerful enough to transport liquid water as far as twenty-five feet away from home and deposit it into a nearby sewer point. No water intrusion events are the same, so pumping equipment comes in various styles with different usage requirements. 

Pumping Standing Water Out of a Residential Property Mitigates Water Damage

• Waste (trash) pumps are capable of passing solid matter and water. We use these pumps when water comes from a contaminated source or has significant debris.
• High-pressure pumps are helpful for underground areas of the home, such as basements, because they generate enough force to move water uphill. 
• Electric submersible pumps are among the most commonly used and can efficiently reduce standing water from home.

Reducing standing water levels ensures that the structure of your home is safe from damage. Pumping can also help to minimize water migration. Water migration begins immediately when water intrudes in a property and can pool inside wall or floor cavities. However, simply reducing the standing water level is not enough to mitigate water damage. Small amounts of moisture can weaken carpets by up to 50%, while wet surfaces significantly increase the likelihood of secondary damages such as mold growth. To mitigate against these potential damages, our technicians use water extractors. Extraction equipment comes in both portable and truck-mounted varieties. Truck-mounts can remove up to 100 gallons of water at a time, while portable extractors are helpful for upper floors and can hold 30 to 40 gallons before emptying. Extraction is much more efficient at reducing water residues than air-moving or dehumidification. Therefore, the equipment of choice when dealing with large amounts of moisture in a home. 

Water Extractors and Their Usage Lessen Water Damage in Buffalo Grove

• Weighted water extractors help to compress thicker carpets or textiles. Moisture is squeezed from the material to be extracted into a storage tank.
• Light wand extractors can be used in tough to reach areas such as subfloors or in the home's upper levels. 
• Hot water extraction is a process that we use to remove contaminants from salvageable textiles such as carpets and is an effective cleaning tool. 

Emergency mitigation can save thousands of dollars in restoration costs. Contact SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich for water damage restoration at (847) 279-1940.

Helping Hundreds of Buffalo Grove Homeowners Overcome Fire Damage

3/27/2023 (Permalink)

Fires and the damage they leave behind can be overwhelming. After your home in Chicago has suffered fire damage, contact SERVPRO.

We Use Professional Technicians for Fire Damaged Buffalo Grove Homes

There are 358,500 house fires in the US every year, according to data from 2022. Over 50% of these fires occur in the kitchen. Other common areas include bedrooms and chimneys. Emergencies like this can be hard to plan for because of their unexpected nature. SERVPRO is here to help return your fire damaged Buffalo Grove home to its preloss condition after a sudden disaster. 

Technicians specializing in restoring fire damage in Buffalo Grove often act as the crucial contact between homeowner and insurance adjuster. Adjusters assess the necessary claims for your insurance while technicians perform the restoration. One task for technicians in the early stages of restoration is to consult and test the damages in your home. By physically testing soot deposits on your home's contents and structure, we can pass on accurate advice to an insurance adjuster. A pre-testing toolkit usually includes dry sponges, detergents, scraping tools, and measuring equipment. The toolkit is vital to allowing technicians to organize restoration, assess equipment needs, and sort salvageable versus non-salvageable materials. A home may appear irreparably damaged after a fire, but careful testing can prove that this is not the case. 

Technicians Use Fire Pre-testing to Assess:

• What parts of the structure and contents are cleanable. Cleanable items can reduce claims expense by restoration instead of replacement.
• Color comparisons can provide definitive information on which parts of the home are unaffected and do not require additional work.
• Testing allows us to present an accurate data set to your insurance adjuster, which can help to speed up the process and estimate the overall work.

Efficient pre-testing can help SERVPRO to coordinate production. Coordination can include putting together a roster of technicians with the right skill set to perform the restoration. These may consist of carpet cleaning specialists (CCT), odor control technicians (OCT), or even general construction experts (OSHA). We can also organize subcontractors such as electrical repair to ensure the production process runs smoothly. A job file is created with photographic evidence of damages caused by fire, forms such as the authorization to perform service, briefing notes, and documenting damages. Job files help us communicate with you about works done and pass notation onto your insurer for a stress-free claim. 

Common tasks that result from pre-testing and coordinating production involve cleaning stubborn smoke residues and tackling odor problems. Smoke residues move into clean pockets of air during a fire. This movement can result in deposits building up in crevices and cracks. Sometimes, smoke can be stubborn to remove or greasy and wet. Using the results of our pre-test, we can use dry solvents to help dissolve soots into a solution. Applying a rinsing agent allows us to simultaneously remove both the soot and the solvent, leaving surfaces clean and smoke-free. Odor control often occurs once a property is clean and dry. If odors persist, advanced equipment such as misters are deployed to disperse deodorants into the environment. 

Restoration Equipment That Tackles Smoke and Odor

• Ultra low-volume thermal foggers (ULV) vaporize deodorants and allow technicians to fumigate large areas of the home quickly. 
• Chemical pairing agents in the ULV mist find odors and bond with them. This bonding process causes the particles to sink to the floor, where they can easily be cleaned. 
• Solvents for use on metal, wood, or textiles can be highly effective at cleaning, provided the material has been carefully pre-tested to avoid accidental damage. 

A home can often be restored from smoke or odor without replacing all belongings. Contact SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich for fire damage restoration at (847) 279-1940.

SERVPRO’s Water Removal Services Save Homes in Buffalo Grove

3/26/2023 (Permalink)

When flooding affects your home, many issues can result. Contact SERVPRO for both water removal and drying services immediately after.

Buffalo Grove Water Removal Kills Harmful Microbes

Flood-related microbes are a serious threat to your Buffalo Grove home if it is ever inundated by stormwater. Special procedures, chemicals, and equipment are necessary to effectively clean up these troublesome microorganisms. Fortunately, SERVPRO has the requisite experience and everything else necessary to successfully prevent these tiny pests from ruining your residence. 

SERVPRO is Buffalo Grove’s go-to water removal service. In addition to doing basic water removal work, we also offer complete flood restoration that includes biohazard remediation like sewage cleanup, basement flooding clearing, and extensive water damage repairs. Once at your home, our trained professionals work to eliminate harmful bacteria and other microscopic threats by:

• First, treating floodwater-impacted environments with a broad spectrum, EPA-registered biocide before work begins to make them safer to operate in
• Next, discarding any contaminated furnishings and materials to facilitate the remediation process and rapidly removing any standing water with powerful extractors
• Then, diligently working to reduce and keep interior relative humidity levels below sixty percent with state-of-the-art air movers, dehumidifiers, and Injectidry systems 
• Simultaneously, using air conditioning units to keep indoor temperatures below forty degrees Fahrenheit to inhibit bacterial growth and limit its effects
• Later, treating all impacted surfaces and materials a second time with cutting-edge disinfectants, ensuring that chemical agents are mixed correctly, applied appropriately to affected materials and surfaces, and allowed to remain on items for enough time
• Finally, fogging interior areas with antimicrobials and deodorants to neutralize any remaining harmful microorganisms in the air and eliminate unpleasant smells 

After these measures have been taken, your home has usually been protected from further issues related to the current flood event. Ultimately, SERVPRO’s efforts help residents and restore the livability of their residences.

With that said, whenever you need fast and effective water removal services, remember your helpful neighbors at SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove/Lake Zurich. We are always ready for your call at (847) 279-1940.

Fast Mold Remediation Control of Infestations in Buffalo Grove Homes

2/16/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO inspects for mold damage in Buffalo Grove properties. We remediate if found and restore the home "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Provides Mold Remediation, Restoration, and Repair in Buffalo Grove Homes

Mold infestations occur in Buffalo Grove homes whenever there is a high humidity or moisture situation, with warm temperatures and organic material available, which are plentiful in residences. Left unchecked, mold colonies spread quickly and often damage porous materials such as fabrics, pillows, carpets, or furniture permanently.

SERVPRO provides mold remediation services to Buffalo Grove residents facing mold infestation in their homes. Significant mold infestations may require third-party Indoor Air Quality and Indoor Environmental Professionals to:

• Perform initial tests and evaluation of the infestation
• Provide written protocols for restoration vendors to follow
• Perform clearance tests and inspections once mold remediation is completed
• Provide advice to the client, the insurance adjuster, and SERVPRO regarding how to proceed with remediation

Fortunately, most mold infestations found in homes are not severe. Clients noticed a small infestation or musty odor and took action immediately. SERVPRO mold remediation experts can be on-site within four hours of your call and provide recommendations regarding the removal of mold colonies:

• Identify the mold location and extent of the infestation.
• Discover the source of the moisture and take action to remove the source.
• Block off HVAC systems to avoid spreading spores to other areas of the home
• Construct negative pressure rooms to contain mold spores
• Bag in place all materials that must be thrown away. They may be damaged beyond cleaning and repair or inexpensive to replace
• Clean all porous surfaces using HEPA vacuums to remove loose mold fragments
• Clean all surfaces from top to bottom
• Dry the structure and contents to prevent further mold growth

SERVPRO can also assist clients with the repair and restoration of damage caused by mold infestations as required, including flooring, drywall, painting, etc.

Call SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich for mold remediation services. We provide service to Buffalo Grove and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (847) 279-1940.

Specialty Drying Techniques in Buffalo Grove Water Damage Repair

1/16/2023 (Permalink)

Count on SERVPRO to deploy advanced equipment to dry your Chicago property--"Like it never even happened."

Most Advanced Water Damage Repair in Buffalo Grove

Cutting-edge drying techniques distinguish the better Buffalo Grove remediation services from those of lower quality. Top-notch cleanup and restoration firms employ the most advanced equipment and methods to dry out your residence fast. These services take such measures in order to minimize damages associated with excess interior moisture levels and swiftly restore impacted homes.

One of Buffalo Grove’s highest-rated water damage repair firms is SERVPRO. In the water damage remediation industry, we have become well-known for our fast and effective water removal services, basement flooding cleanup efforts, and water damage repairs. With that said, we have developed a sophisticated, specialized procedure for drying water-damaged homes back to their normal moisture levels. Our advanced drying methods are:

• First, inspecting residences that have suffered a water-related event like leaky or ruptured pipes, roof leaks, or malfunctioning appliances with infrared cameras, water sensors, and moisture meters
• Next, after moisture sources and impacted materials have been located, any water puddles are removed by strong water vacs and extractors
• Then, the most efficient drying ratio of air movers to dehumidifiers is scientifically determined, and networks of these appliances are set up to promote rapid drying
• At the same time, holes are drilled into affected structural elements, and state-of-the-art Injectidry systems are used to lower moisture levels behind these ceilings, walls, and floors
• Afterward, water-damaged structural materials are treated with antimicrobials, affected furnishings and other upholstered contents are injected with antifungals, and odorous interiors are fogged with powerful deodorants
• Later, any impacted roofing, ceilings, walls, floors, and rooms are professionally repaired or reconstructed

These measures, taken together, illustrate both the magnitude and sophistication of SERVPRO’s service offerings.

The next time you are unfortunate enough to suffer the effects of a water-related event, keep your helpful neighbors at SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove/Lake Zurich in mind. Call us at (847) 279-1940 anytime you need water damage repair work done on your home.