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Five Focuses on Lynn Fire Damage Restoration

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

B&A fire damage by tub, snow outside SERVPRO's goal is to restore your fire damaged Lynn home to its pre-damaged condition, "Like it never even happened."

Fire Damage Recovery Happens in Set Stages

Despite variables like the type of material affected and the size of the damaged areas, fire recovery is similar from one instance to another. Understanding the objectives and focal point of the responding team keeps homeowners more at ease with each phase and its expected timelines. From the time we are first notified of a disaster, we can move quickly to help in these five main areas:

  • Emergency Services
  • Mitigation
  • Soot Removal and Cleaning
  • Deodorization
  • Repairs and Reconstruction

It is crucial after Lynn fire damage to get professionals on-site as fast as possible. Any disaster continues to worsen after exposure. We have stocked trailers and production vehicles at our facility to help throughout the Greater Lynn area, so we can enter a building as soon as possible after first responders have deemed it safe to do so.

Early Emergency Services

Because it is important to act fast with mitigation solutions, we arrive quickly to implement specific actions that can help. Often, these processes precede focused inspections and any insurance repair work. This phase of our recovery combines the knowledge of our restoration experts and the experience of our contractors. The union becomes a series of actions to improve later recovery times through efforts like:

  • Temporary Construction
  • Debris Removal
  • Water Removal

Mitigating Loss After Fire Damage

Mitigation is among the critical elements of restoration and recovery. These are the earlier actions that our professionals can take to begin fact-finding about the damage for insurance claims purposes and removing glaring issues that could make the restoration process unsafe for our team or slower to complete. Some of these focal points include:

  • Content Relocation
  • Air Quality Improvement
  • Controlled Demolition

Removing Soot Damage

One of the more formidable obstacles to removing fire and smoke damage effects from the property is eliminating soot residues on the surfaces. Partial combustion thrusts soot particles through the air, many of which rest on horizontal surfaces. Depending on the damage condition, from wet and dry smoke to furnace puff backs, the strategy of surface cleaning changes. We rely on alkaline cleaners, solvents, detergents, and other products to clear the outermost layers of affected items from soot. More aggressive measures like media blasting are also needed when the damage extends beyond the surface.

Addressing Fire Damage Malodors

Another one of the primary objectives of complete fire restoration and recovery is the removal and neutralization of malodors in the house. Not only must our professionals manage overwhelming open-air smells, but they must also deal with trapped scents in porous materials and imaginary odors (phantosmia.) Each of these requires a unique strategy, but SERVPRO can remove the actual smells with a combination of fogging, UV cleaning, and ozone.

Fire Damage Repairs Needed

Very few fire incidents do not require some type of repair, so this is the fifth and often final focus of the restoration process. Our team can resolve structural concerns and provide temporary construction, controlled demolition, and other build-back services with a general contractor license. If requested, we can even utilize the bare conditions after demolition to provide remodeling and renovation services as the assemblies get reconstructed.

When contending with Lynn fire damage threats, it is imperative to have a team of professionals capable of helping you from start to finish. Our SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield team combines experienced FSRT-Certified technicians and experienced general contractors to provide a full-service solution for post-fire recovery. Call us after a fire at (781) 593-6663.

Providing Efficient Restoration for Lynn Water Damage

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

tech vacuuming water from kitchen floor SERVPRO techs have the equipment for rapid water damage mitigation in Lynn.

Several Steps for Water Damage Recovery in Lynn

Cleaning up after water disasters is often more complex than homeowners realize. Despite the desire to perform DIY restoration, property owners do not have the sophisticated tools and the restoration experience to manage the full scope of the work necessary.

Rapid responses are critical because Lynn water damage scenarios can quickly spread and impact new portions of households and businesses. As the largest unit of our restoration team, we have WRT-Certified technicians ready to mobilize with our Green Fleet of vehicles shortly after the first notice of loss (FNOL). Mitigative priorities include:

  • Water Removal Services – Standing surface water must be removed promptly to prevent further saturation and absorption into sensitive building materials. 
  • Controlled Demolition – Sagging drywall and bulk materials must be removed.
  • Content Management – SERVPRO professionals can relocate contents to a safe place on-site or our warehouse for drying and cleaning.

Extraction for Water Damage

Because water removal services are vital to the mitigation process, customers need to recognize the tools involved. Our team utilizes a combination of pumps and vacuums to extract and discharge standing water from the residence.

The Tools of Effective Drying

Drying is the essential element of every water restoration project. Water damage must be resolved on surfaces and trapped in building materials, and our drying equipment provides the most efficient path to achieve this. Some of our most heavily used machines and instruments include:

  • Air Movers – High-velocity blowers that push warm, dry air against damp surfaces. 
  • Drying Mats – Using drying mats pulls moisture to the outermost surface layer of wood plank flooring using capillary suction.
  • Heaters – Increasing the temperature allows drying and cleaning strategies to happen faster. 
  • Dehumidifiers –  to pull moisture out of the environment after evaporation. 

Surface Cleaning Strategies

After drying up most of the damage, residues and soils are still a threat to the exposed materials. This residual damage is especially true after conditions like flooding. Some of the most heavily soiled and damaged elements in the house are carpeted floors. We use bonnet cleaning and potent cleaning products along with it to restore the colorfastness of these fibrous floors and prevent permanent staining or discoloration.

Mold Prevention Approaches

Where there is water, there is a possibility for mold growth. Damp surfaces and conditions in areas of the house that persist for more than a couple of days have likely been exposed to residential mold spores. With naturally occurring microorganisms in every environment, mold colonization is only waiting for the appropriate conditions to facilitate a colony. We treat surfaces in the area with inhibiting products and work to keep the work areas below the humidity thresholds (about 55-60%) to support mold organisms.

Are Water Damage Repairs Needed?

While many do not always consider the structural damage that water disasters can cause, this is one of the focal points of the full-service solutions our SERVPRO team provides. We understand that there are likely vulnerabilities that exist after prolonged moisture damage, including the needed repairs to elements like the plumbing system, if still a problem. We carefully determine the extent of build-back services necessary after restoration and begin implementing these actions as soon as possible to save customers time and money.

Lynn water damage incidents make up the bulk of our service calls, so it is a situation that we must always be prepared to face. We prioritize keeping drying equipment and extractors stocked on our Green Fleet vehicles for a fast mobilization when disasters strike. Give our SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield team a call when you need us at (781) 593-6663.

Remediating and Restoring Lynn Mold Damage

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

opened wall showing mold damage When mold remediation and build back are needed for your Lynn area home, call SERVPRO.

Is Mold Damage Common for Lynn Homes

Damaging weather systems of snow and rain combined with frequent humid conditions make the Greater Lynn area susceptible to threats. Many homeowners have likely experienced mold in their property’s lifetime, especially in lower levels like cellars and basements. While mold can form in just about any area, it is mostly seen in:

  • Attics
  • Basements
  • Kitchens
  • Crawlspaces
  • Bathrooms

Experienced remediators get dispatched to help with Lynn mold damage when these problems arise. Through combined efforts of mold removal and the cutting-edge equipment and products used to combat these disasters, our SERVPRO team can rapidly manage the cleanup, restoration, and remediation of active colonization.

What Makes Mold Threatening?

Part of the reason mold is underestimated and overlooked as a threat to the property is that many do not fully appreciate potential damage to the residence. Mold development is a threat to the structural integrity of the hosting materials and could continue to worsen the longer conditions go unchallenged.

Containing the Work Area

Our professionals can take early actions to help after mold and microbial threats by erecting containment barriers. By combining polyethylene sheeting, tension poles, wooden framework, and other components, we can successfully eliminate pathways of spores to new areas. We also cover HVAC returns and vents, keeping the ductwork from becoming a new passage for spore activity.

Mold Remediation Approaches

There is no universal remediation approach, so the same methods do not work in every household experiencing mold development. The preferred and least invasive option is our surface cleaning solution using antimicrobial products in our inventory to neutralize or eliminate mold activity on the surface of hosting materials. This option only affects the outermost layer, however. More abrasive cleaning might be necessary in many cases, involving mechanical actions like sanding or soda blasting. It is only when there is no suitable solution that options like controlled demolition are considered.

Overcoming Moisture Threats

The same general contractor license that gets used to implement the needed controlled demolition benefits other areas of the remediation process. Because prolonged moisture exposure is the primary contributor to mold development, it is essential to take the necessary time to implement strategies to prevent recurrences. For warding off future mold damage, our SERVPRO team

  • Resolves plumbing leaks
  • Repairs to structural damage
  • Seals openings
  • Installs proper ventilation

Lingering Odors After Mold Damage

One of the more challenging aspects of remediation for our professionals is addressing odors that result from spreading colonies. Volatile organic compounds are produced by active organisms, creating musty odors that overwhelm the immediate area. In most cases, this same strong smell can help initially identify problems in your home, even if you cannot see them. Our SERVPRO IICRC-certified AMRT technicians have multiple deodorization practices to help neutralize odor compounds, like foggers and hydroxyl generators.

Are Mold Damage Repairs Necessary?

It is difficult to experience mold development in a home or business that does not require some repairs. Fungal activity may be enough to require controlled demolition, but there is the added focus on the vulnerabilities that allow moisture to persist. With this repair capability in our ranks, you do not have to wait to complete the full remediation processes and return to normal living conditions.

Lynn mold damage can impact many separate areas, making it important to have a thorough and complete evaluation when remediation first begins. Our SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield team is ready to respond fast with skilled professionals, state-of-the-art equipment, and potent antimicrobial products to help. Call us now at (781) 593-6663.

Cleaning Up Fire Damage to Lynn Office Buildings

8/4/2022 (Permalink)

Power Plug Fire Contact SERVPRO to effectively tackle the fire damage in your property. Call now!

Reaching Pre-Fire Damage Condition

After a fire, damages can widely impact your office building. Mitigation must begin immediately to start returning the property to preloss condition. Early inspections can help steer needed recovery work. 

Job Scoping Helps Focus Restoration

SERVPRO must restore fire damage in Lynn offices quickly. Job scoping inspections use several inputs to create a complete restoration plan:

  • Customer Input: The best way to return to original conditions is by understanding the state of the office before the incident. Property management can help.
  • Visible and Trackable Damage: Tracking the migration of fire losses shows where restoration is needed now and where it will be required soon.
  • Damaged Contents: Inspections determine how damaged contents, furniture, and other objects in the office have become.

What Are Pre-Damaged Conditions?

The term pre-damaged condition refers to the condition of the office before the fire. A common misconception is that restoration is intended to improve the overall shape of this impacted property beyond its original state, but this could be costlier and more challenging for the business beyond what is necessary.

Cleaning and Restoring Damaged Surfaces

Soot and smoke solids are a common byproduct of combustion, impacting many surfaces and contents throughout the office. From desks and shelves to heaps of debris on the carpeted flooring, restoring damaged surfaces is one of the direct measures to recover the property. We have several cleaning agents to help trap soils and allow for effective wet wipe cleaning.

Completing Structural Repair

The preloss condition can also mean repairing portions of the structure compromised by the fire. Combustion can completely engulf certain building materials, especially thin wall assemblies of the office. After cleaning up the debris and bulk materials, SERVPRO will replace these drywall panels and other construction elements. 

The objective of fire restoration and cleanup for your office building is to return the structure to preloss condition. Our SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield professionals can start this work as soon as we arrive. Call now at (781) 593-6663.

Eliminating Moisture Content During Lynn Shop Water Restoration

8/4/2022 (Permalink)

Moisture Reader Call your local professionals at SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield to ensure your home is dry and sanitary.

Water Restoration Includes Humidity Management

The water restoration and recovery processes involve many approaches and focus, especially in more significant commercial properties like small businesses and shops throughout the city. As helpful as the process of removing moisture content from the environment can be, we must also prioritize other mitigative strategies first, such as:

  • Structural Repair
  • Drying
  • Cleaning
  • Content Recovery

The Impact of a Humidity Ratio

Moisture content in the environment, or humidity as it is more commonly known, can significantly influence water restoration for Lynn shops. Overcoming this threat to the property begins with understanding the current moisture concerns against the dryness in the same environment. This measure of moisture grains in the atmosphere and work areas against the dryness of the room is known as the humidity ratio. 

What is Relative Humidity?

A related term and consideration of the responding SERVPRO professionals working to eliminate moisture and water concerns in your shop is the relative humidity of the work areas. This RH is the capacity for moisture in a particular environment. This is measured as a percentage and calculates when the air in the room has become too saturated to allow drying to continue. Warmer temperatures can increase relative humidity and allow connected drying to continue.  

How Can SERVPRO Lower Humidity?

The management of environmental moisture must be a priority of SERVPRO professionals when drying gets underway. The placement and frequency of desiccant and refrigerant dehumidifiers can be critical in trapping humidity and collecting water grains in the air for discarding. Multiple dehumidifiers can operate simultaneously, which might be necessary depending on the air movers' volume. 

Humidity is one of the more challenging aspects to regulate during water restoration and post-disaster cleanup of shops. As a Large Loss recovery team, SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield has hundreds of drying tools and dehumidifiers to manage these persistent concerns. Give us a call now at (781) 593-6663.

Safety Concerns with Flood Damage to East Lynn Basements

8/4/2022 (Permalink)

basement equipment Having an issue with flood damage in your East Lynn home. Call SERVPRO for the help you need.

Cleaning Flood Damage with Safety Hazards

Despite being a fast responder to emergencies, careful considerations must be made into the kind of environment SERVPRO professionals are entering when restoring flood-damaged basements in East Lynn. Some of the safety concerns for our professionals can include: 

  • Structural weakness
  • Shock hazards
  • Infestation
  • Contamination and 
  • Standing water

Damage to the House

Structural flood damage can be among the most destructive and compromising. The infiltration point for floodwater is one of these vulnerabilities, but excessive water exposure can also cause other building materials to collapse or sag. 

Shock Hazards

Pooling water is an excellent conductor of electricity. In your finished basement, there are likely many outlets connected to the main power supply of the residence. Until the power is severed, SERVPRO professionals must often consider the likelihood of shock hazards. 

The Possibility of Contamination

Contamination is also one of the pressing hazards in your flooded basement. Intruding water must get treated as a biohazard, making porous materials and contents in the damage path unsalvageable in most cases. We work quickly to get items out of harm's way and protect building materials through containment measures however possible. We use powerful disinfection cleaners and sanitizing agents to overcome bacterial and microbial threats. 

Pooling Water and Mold Effects

Standing water is also a concern for restoration professionals, especially when considering debris and infestations that could result. Only certain extraction tools, including trash pumps and truck-mounted extractors, can be used when solids are in the standing water. Secondary effects like mold growth are likely without quickly resolving water removal needs. 

After this disaster, several safety hazards from flood damage exist in your home's basement. Even if the water flow is stopped, our professionals must overcome several pressing concerns to help make it "Like it never even happened." Give our SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield team a call today at (781) 593-6663.

Destructive Storms can Leave East Lynn Homes with Flood Damage

7/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO lets connect sign Storm damage restoration services by SERVPRO are second to none. We are ready at a moment's notice.

Act Fast to Lessen Flood Damage to East Lynn Homes

Storms that pass through East Lynn can easily cause flood damage to parts of your residence. Even if your neighborhood does not flood, lower levels of your property can find themselves underwater.

We act fast to decrease the severity of flood damage homes in East Lynn sustains. Letting water from flooding recede on its own can let microbes and other problems begin in earnest. Mold and mildew can grow as soon as 24 hours after cellulose-containing materials become wet. Flooding allowed to remain inside your home can also cause:

  • Odors from microbial activity,
  • Destroyed flooring, and
  • Drastically elevated humidity.

Bad odors after flooding are expected. SERVPRO pumps water out when it is more than a few inches deep with a submersible pump. Lower levels can still cause aromas to develop, so we use handheld units to extract the water and make it so we can rinse hard surfaces with clean water and use disinfecting sprays. Desiccant machines also help make the home arider, decreasing the number of microbes.

Flooring of all types can succumb to flood damage. Wood rapidly warps, carpeting and padding retain contamination, and tiles can come loose and unglued. Our construction team can start working on these as soon as possible. While carpeting and padding cannot be saved due to contamination, we can salvage wood flooring and tile. Salvaging these materials helps us restore your home “Like it never even happened.”

Average, comfortable humidity inside your home makes the air easy to breathe. Reduced humidity also helps your home’s heating and cooling work with normal efforts. Extracting water is the first step toward correcting the humidity level.

Quick action is only possible when homeowners call us as soon as a problem arises. Flooding might affect only certain areas in your neighborhood. You need to take action quickly if you see rising water inside your home during a storm.

SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield is always ready to send mitigation crews to your home. Call us at (781) 214-3705 for emergency services to protect your property.

Why SERVPRO Finishes Fire Restoration of Lynn Area Homes Faster

7/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO soot removal sign Fire damage restoration is no easy task. SERVPRO techs have you covered from start too finish. Call now!

Teamwork Boosts SERVPRO's Fire Restoration

When a home in Lynn burns, firefighters, work together to put the fire out as quickly as possible. They use teamwork, practice, and experienced, to extinguish the flames and regain control of the damaged areas. SERVPRO carries out fire restoration in a very similar way, using teamwork.

Relying on each other's strengths, SERVPRO's technicians work methodically, performing fire restoration tasks inside Lynn area residences. Each aspect of fire damage requires a specialized response:

  • Burnt materials and possessions,
  • Soot that formed from incomplete combustion of materials,
  • Elevated water in solid materials and moisture in the air, and odor.

Fire destroys a lot of what it touches. SERVPRO's crew takes an inventory of these items and then bags them. Then the team can carry them outside your home so your family can get a fresh start.

Smoke from burning walls, carpets, and anything else happens because some of these items disintegrate as they burn, and the heat carries these tiny pieces of wood, plastic, cloth, and so on into the air. We call this soot. It is greasy or dry, powdery or thick and clingy, depending on its source. We use special equipment to strip it from the surfaces throughout your house.

Fighting fire requires hundreds of gallons of water. When cold water hits hot, burning things, the steam goes everywhere. Moisture in this form travels far and wide, leaving areas of your home that do not require fire restoration in need of mold remediation and water mitigation. We handle both of these issues, starting with preventative measures.

Odor and strong, unpleasant smells come from burned plastics, soot, stagnant water, or a combination of those things. Much of the other work diminishes odor related to fire and smoke, but most homeowners continue to experience foul scents. We use thermal fogging, which is extremely effective at getting into the same places harboring soot particles. Without deconstructing these areas, we would never get to the hidden soot otherwise.

After a fire, call SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield at (781) 214-3705 for fast, professional fire restoration work.

Why SERVPRO Uses Dry Ice for Mold Removal in Lynn Area Residences

7/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Open windows for fresh air sign SERVPRO mold removal specialists use the latest technology and equipment for every service. We are here to help.

Lynn Trusts SERVPRO for Mold Removal Services

Our expert mold removal technicians protect Lynn area homes with different highly effective methods. Dry ice pellets evaporate quickly into an easily dissipated gas. Because these pellets’ freezing temperatures kill microbes, releasing spores becomes impossible, creating a more thorough process.

When homeowners in Lynn need mold removal services, SERVPRO uses the most effective methods. We can only use dry ice pellets on unpainted wood, concrete, or brick because abrading these cause no damage like it would on finished or painted surfaces. Our team can clean glass, metal, tile, and other smooth surfaces with sponges instead.

Blasting with dry ice pellets results in an accumulation of dust made of dead mold. This dust is easily vacuumed and removed from the area. Here are some points of interest that can give you some information about dry ice blasting:

  • Leaves wood looking like new and cleans other hard materials like concrete and brick,
  • Requires personal protective equipment (PPE) for our mold removal technicians, and
  • Perfect for smaller areas, like closets, attic enclosures, or under cabinets.
  • Process does not introduce additional moisture

We enclose the affected area with plastic sheeting for large areas, like your great room or adjoining walls in your sunroom. Plastic sheeting can form a negative pressure system, helping to keep unaffected areas from getting dirty. The dead mold falls to the floor while the dry ice pellets evaporate into the air.

When we finish the work, we check for the moisture’s source. The repairs can also be done prior to the remediation service–depending on the circumstances. The problem could be with the house’s envelope, a water line leak, an appliance, or another issue. Our construction team can help resolve any deficits, which helps ensure that the environment becomes uninhabitable for any future microbes.

SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield has highly trained experts in mold removal ready to help defend your home and clean everything, so you can relax and no longer worry about the damage microbes can cause. Call us at (781) 214-3705, 24/7, year-round.

Water Mitigation Minimizes Damage in Lynn - Call SERVPRO

6/2/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO here to help sign Water mitigation services in Lynn is a job for SERVPRO. Our IICRC certified technicians have all the experience needed for your home.

SERVPRO Applies Water Mitigation Techniques to Reduce Water Damage in Lynn

Water leaks in Lynn can cause lots of damage to the immediate area of the leak. Failure to stop the leak and remove the water as quickly as possible can cause permanent damage to many materials as they absorb water and moisture, swell and lose their structural integrity. Hardwood flooring, drywall, and cupboards made from particleboard are examples of materials that absorb moisture.

SERVPRO provides water mitigation services in Lynn and the surrounding areas. In less than four hours from your call, we believe in a fast response to manage the water damage and mitigate further damage to various building materials. We also know our clients are concerned about their homes and want someone onsite as quickly as possible to deal with the water damage.

Removing water from flooring materials and lowering the humidity level reduces the chance of secondary damage. For example, water seeps between the hardwood floor planks and, if not removed, causes the hardwood planks to warp and buckle as they absorb moisture. SERVPRO utilizes floor mats to withdraw water from the floor. We also deploy high-capacity air movers and dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels in the home. Clients are also encouraged to activate their AC systems to reduce humidity levels.

Water mitigation is a primary service we offer to our clients to reduce the secondary damage to fabrics and porous materials. Our building services team can also assist with any water damage repairs required. Don’t hesitate to call us for assistance removing water and reducing humidity levels after a water leak. Services offered by SERVPRO include:

Call the water mitigation specialists from SERVPRO of Lynn / Lynnfield and nearby areas for assistance. We can help 24/7. Call (781) 593-6663.