Home Health: Call A Professional for Sewage Cleanup

1/10/2017 (Permalink)

There are several types of water damage, and while all need urgent attention, there are certain kinds that are considered an emergency. Floods due to sewage backup can be considered as urgent need.

Why is water damage from sewage different?

Water damage from sewage backups is an emergency because of the waste, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that pose serious health threats. It contaminates anything it touches, and it can even contaminate items it never touches because of the possibility of airborne toxins. Waste of all sorts, from storm runoff to chemical waste to dead animals to fecal matter permeate crevices and fill the air with a foul stench that is impossible to remove without professional water damage restoration.

Cleaning up water damage from a sewage backup is a biohazard, and anyone entering the contaminated area should have his or her vaccinations up-to-date, especially hepatitis B.

It’s clear that water damage from sewage backups are both unsanitary and unpleasant –but there is no need for you to do the messy clean up when there are professionals that are trained and certified to do it. Learn more about the bio-hazardous water restoration services of St. Charles SERVPRO.

One of the key differences of your locally owned SERVPRO is that we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sewage backups happen at the most inconvenient times, and we are available at any time to begin flood damage restoration services.

After an inspection, an initial cleaning plan is clearly explained to you. Within hours of your call, our trained technicians begin the simultaneous water damage and mold remediation process that includes removing moisture and filth while saving your items from further harm.

Whether the bio-hazardous black water contains pathogens or chemicals –or even a combination of both –SERVPRO of St. Charles has the equipment and expertise needed to clean up the contamination. This sort of clean up also needs to be taken care of in ways that do not pollute other living areas or the environment, and St. Charles SERVPRO is in complete compliance with all local laws regarding biohazard disposal.

After the black water and filth is removed, we get to work on carefully sanitizing, disinfecting, and deodorizing the area. No area is neglected when it comes to making sure your home is as safe and healthy as it was before the flood damage.

Water damage from sewage is a stinky and unsanitary business, and one that is best left to trained professionals. Water damage restoration in Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles is what we at SERVPRO do every day. We’ve been a familiar household name in water and mold damage restoration since 1967. SERVPRO has the legacy and track record you can trust to get the job done right the first time.

Call us today and let us know how we can best serve you in all your home and commercial water damage restoration needs!

ODORS

5/11/2016 (Permalink)

ODORS

St. Charles Home Health: How to Rid Your Home of Lingering Odors

The scent of smoke is one of the most difficult odors to remove in the home. Whether the odor is from the cigars from poker night, a small kitchen fire, or even a large home fire, the lingering scent of smoke can penetrate deep into your furnishings, carpet, and even the paint on the walls. The scent of smoke, like all scents, is made of tiny particles. These microscopic particles easily penetrate fabrics and find their way into crevices, overwhelming your home with the unpleasant, and sometimes irritating, odor of smoke. Follow these steps for do-it-yourself smoke odor removal.

If the smoke smell still lingers or if the job is much larger than you can handle, St. Charles SERVPRO will effectively and happily do all the hard work for you.

First Steps

Open windows and turn on fans to air out the room. In the next step, you will be working with vinegar and water solution is excellent for getting rid of odors, however, it can be irritating to eyes and nose. Increasing circulation will help to dissipate the vinegar scent while it does its job of eliminating smoke odors.

Cleaning Hard Surfaces

If the lingering odor is from a fire, you may also notice that there is discoloration around the area where the fire was located. Vinyl, plastic, and wood surfaces that are discolored or show other signs of fire and smoke damage, they will most likely need to be replaced or require professional cleaning to eliminate the smoke residue that is causing the odor.

For all other hard surfaces, try a natural deodorizing solution of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water. Use gloved hands, cloth towels, and a large bucket filled with this mixture to wipe hard surfaces. You will find that the solution will become dirty quickly and will need to be replaced often.

While a quick wipe down is sufficient for the vinegar solution to do its work, it is important to be meticulous about wiping all hard surfaces, from floors to ceiling, to be the most effective in a DIY smoke odor removal.

Cleaning Fabric and Carpet

For fabric items that are washer safe, try adding 2 cups of white vinegar to the wash to get rid of the smoky scent. Use cold water and a low heat or fluff dry as heat can sometimes reactivate the smoke smell.

If that does not work or if the item is too big to fit into the washer, such as draperies and area carpets, take them to the dry cleaner instead.

For carpets and fabric-covered furniture, sprinkle with generous amounts of baking soda and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Using a HEPA filter vacuum, vacuum up the baking soda and smoke particles.

If after following these steps you find that the smoke odor remains or if the smoke damage calls for a thorough professional cleaning, Batavia SERVPRO are the experts in deodorization and odor removal for both inside and outside the home. Using time-tested and industry-approved techniques, SERVPRO will eliminate every last trace of odor and smoke damage.