Common Water Issues for Businesses

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

For a commercial property owner in Florida, unexpected water problems can be a big issue. Fortunately, water damage professionals can help you assess, clean, and repair damages from any flooding or leaks you may have. Here are a few of the most common water problems a business may face, from leaking pipes to foundation cracks.

1. Pipe Breaks

A pipe break can occur in several ways. Over time, the pipe can age and loosen in its fittings, or extensive use can lead to pinhole leaks. Extreme heat or cold can affect a pipe’s integrity. A blocked pipe can lead to pressure buildup and burst.

2. Plumbing Backup

Blocked plumbing can lead to a toilet backup or sink overflow. Water in blocked pipes can take the shortest path regardless of its intended flow path. Blockages occur, including the buildup of water minerals over time inside a pipe or someone pouring a solidifying material, such as plaster or grease, down a drain.

3. Weather

Extreme weather conditions can lead to leaking pipes. Cold temperatures can cause the water in pipes to freeze and expand. The expansion puts pressure on the pipe and can create a crack or cause it to burst. If you know cold weather is coming, you can check with a local professional what preventive measures to take.

4. Foundation Cracks

Foundation cracks can become a problem leading to water damage. Water can seep through any cracks and pool, leading to issues such as mold. Any cracks should be assessed quickly to determine the best course of action.

Water damage can happen to a commercial property. Fortunately, a professional can fix the damage caused by leaking pipes, foundation cracks, a backed-up toilet, or weather, and help you repair your property. Contact SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg at (727) 341-1001.

Humidity: Primary and Secondary Damages Explained by Restoration Experts

8/8/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg restoration experts to mitigate primary and secondary damage due to storm, flooding + water.

Different Types of Water Damage

Whenever excessive moisture gets inside a building, the problems it causes can be broken down into two categories: primary and secondary damage.

Primary Damage

When water leaks from a pipe or an appliance, it comes in contact with contents and building materials. Anything that happens due to direct contact with liquid water, such as the carpet's de-lamination, is considered primary damage. 

Secondary Damage

Once water gets inside a structure, it naturally raises humidity levels indoors when moisture from wet materials evaporates into the air. Elevated humidity levels can also cause building materials issues since water transfers from the air into dry materials to reach equilibrium. When water vapor causes structural problems, it is called secondary damage.

Extraction procedures help reduce primary issues, and structural drying helps mitigate both primary and secondary water damage. When our SERVPRO technicians deal with any water damage situation, we monitor both relative and specific humidity.

What Controls Humidity?

Controlling humidity levels in a structure helps speed up structural drying times. Wet materials dry out faster if the humidity inside a building is kept low using air movers and dehumidifiers. Monitoring and strategic placement of these devices optimize drying times. When we keep humidity levels low, we also reduce water vapor in the air, causing fewer secondary issues. 

Relative Humidity

Relative Humidity (RH) is a measure of how much water is in the air at any given temperature. RH is expressed as a percentage, so if the relative humidity is 100%, then the air is holding as much moisture as it can at that temperature. At this point, if not sooner, condensation can occur inside the building. "Raining" inside your home can only exacerbate the already water damaging effects. Air can hold more water at higher temperatures, so increasing the house's temperature will lower the relative humidity. That is one of the features of our HEPA filters. Not only does the filter suck the moisture from the air, but it also heats the air to dry the space quicker.

Specific Humidity 

The temperature has such a significant effect on relative humidity, but it's not always a good gauge of how much water exists in the air. Specific humidity is the actual amount of moisture in the air. When our restoration professionals measure specific humidity, they count the actual grains of moisture in each pound of air. To find specific humidity, we measure relative humidity levels and the room's temperature. We then put these numbers in a psychrometric chart that gives us the grains per pound (GPP) number. 

If you ever need help with issues related to water or humidity, such as flood damage, storm damage, or microbial growth, call SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg at (727) 521-2562, available 24 hours a day.

Commercial Water Damage Remediation in Your Business

7/31/2022 (Permalink)

Some of the Regular Water Damages SERVPRO Sees in Hotels

Water damage can happen anywhere in a hotel, but some areas and types of damage happen far more often than others. When problems go beyond simple cleanup and sanitation matters, your cleaning personnel or company may be ill-equipped to handle the consequences of significant water damage. Professionals in the restoration industry are specialized in fast and complete hotel services, ensuring rooms stay clean, undamaged, and pleasant-smelling after the incident. If these common problems happen in your building, call a highly-esteemed restoration company or use our Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) system to get a crew of technicians to your location.

Overflowing Sinks and Bathtubs

One of the reasons SERVPRO might be called into hotels is when a guest causes a sink or bathtub to overflow. Guests remain in their rooms for various lengths of stay, so it may not be uncommon to only find out about the matter days later or when water starts to leak elsewhere and cause further damages. SERVPRO inspectors create a detailed assessment of the situation to understand what specific problems might come from these scenarios and estimate our work times and costs.

Water Line Leaks and Breaks

With so many water lines running throughout the building, it may not be uncommon for them to leak or burst, especially when they are ancient. Be sure to call us as soon as you suspect that a water line may have been ruptured, as the speed of our response may be critical to prevent as much damage as possible. To avoid most water line problems in your hotel, make sure that pipes receive semi-regular maintenance and checkups.

Left-Open Windows

Any time a guest can open a window, the potential for damage rises. Currently, there are laws about which levels can have fully-open windows in certain facilities, but regardless, if the window opens even a tiny bit, moisture can enter the facility. If guests can open a window in your hotel rooms, they may forget to close it before a storm rolls through the area. Water entering through the open window can cause significant damage to the carpet and upholstery.

SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg can handle both small, isolated incidents and large-scale disasters throughout an entire building. For the best outcomes, call quickly after an incident at (727) 521-2562.

What Is The IIRC? What Does It Mean For Me?

7/31/2022 (Permalink)

What Is An IICRC Certification? Why Does It Matter?

The IICRC is the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Industries. 

When considering who to call for water damage, do you go with the company your insurance company recommends? How about your neighbor’s recommendation? In the internet age of information-overload and bias, how can you know what’s right? Who really does the best job? Who does the most work for the money? Who handles a water loss job from start to finish? SERVPRO is proud to be your one-stop-shop for disaster relief after a fire, flood, or storm—but don’t take our word for it—let us show you.

Your local SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg is proudly an IICRC accredited firm.

What is an IICRC Certification?

IICRC Certified Firms have earned the right to display the IICRC logo as a symbol of quality. In order to achieve IICRC-certified status, firms must meet a rigorous list of standards in business ethics and expertise.

All IICRC Certified Firms must:  

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.  
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry. 
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.  

When it comes to cleaning, restoration and inspection, the IICRC writes the books. As an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Standards Developing Organization (SDO), the IICRC has paved the way in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, upholstery and fabric cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation.  

Each IICRC standard takes years to develop and the coordination of several experts in the field, including:

1. allied trades persons
2. manufacturers
3. international, national and regional trade associations
4. individual or franchise professionals
5. cleaning, inspection and restoration industry organizations
6. insurance industry
7. training schools
8. contractors and public health professionals

These standards are reviewed and updated at least every five years. Many of these fields, such as the water damage restoration field, change rapidly and those who are certified keep up with the advancement of the science and generally accepted practices of the industry.

We don’t take this stamp of approval lightly—we uphold it. If your home or business suffered water, storm, or fire damage, call us for 24 hours emergency service or for a free estimate.

Benefits of Large Loss For Your Commercial Business

6/9/2022 (Permalink)

Large Loss Restoration of Your Commercial Property

When a property is affected by a disaster, catastrophic loss occurs. Whether the large, commercial property sustains water, fire, or storm damage, there will be many different moving parts involved to restore the business to its preloss condition. Employing a restoration company that offers significant loss response can be useful for insurance agents and business owners alike. A professional like SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg will be able to make the process run smoothly since we work with the insurance directly and handle all parts of most large loss jobs in-house.

Our services include water extraction, board-up services, HEPA filtration, mold remediation, fire cleanup, contents cleaning, odor removal, biohazard cleanup, construction, and much more.

1. Experts Are Equipped With the Right Tools

When a major disaster strikes a large geographic area, it's common for restoration experts to be overwhelmed with requests and phone calls. Some local restoration companies may not be equipped to handle all types of disasters or at a large scale, and these companies may not have access to specialized tools.

A restoration company with a broad reach and the resources of 18 other locations, can bring in experts with the necessary tools to assist in the cleanup and restoration process of even the biggest and most complex jobs.

2. Experience to Handle Catastrophes

Whether a catastrophic loss occurs due to flooding, storm damage, or a fire, it's essential for business owners and insurance agents alike to know that the professionals restoring commercial properties are experienced. One person alone may not have the experience to respond to a major disaster. However, when numerous people assist in responding to a disaster, everyone's combined experience makes the loss response team equipped to manage many aspects of commercial property damage. 

3. Timely Reactions

When widespread damage occurs to an area, other local restoration companies may not assess quickly enough to be a real help. Unfortunately, a slow response can cause a property to acquire more issues, such as mold growth and structural damage. With our 24 hour emergency response, however, professionals can quickly assess a property, and take next steps. After a thorough assessment, experts can begin restoration. So, the faster the professional gets to the jobsite, the faster your commercial property can be restored to its preloss condition.

There is a reason SERVPRO has ranked number one in the industry for over 20 years. We stand with our work because we really are “here to help.”

SERVPRO® Emergency Ready Profile Helps Prepare Your Company for Emergencies

We want to help your business to be ready for the damaging effects of fire, water, and storm. By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate action plan.

Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage affects your business. 

The Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) is a tablet and phone application that allows you to take photographs of important safety and emergency features in your business. Each photograph will have a written explanation of how to turn off the different utility systems. One of our SERVPRO employees will walk you through your business’s safety features and help you establish a plan in preparation for an emergency. Remember Murphy’s law—If anything can go wrong, it will. So, we want to make sure you are not caught unawares. 

For additional information regarding SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile, contact us at (727) 521-2562.

SERVPRO Fixes Fire and Sprinkler Water Damage

11/1/2021 (Permalink)

A fire in a commercial business can be devastating. Additionally, when the sprinkler system kicks on due to the smoke, the commercial damages are intensified. Most businesses and apartment complexes cannot afford to close for a day; it affects many different individuals' lives. SERVPRO of Central St. Petersburg / Pinellas Park offers 24/7 commercial damage services to get commercial businesses back on their feet in as little time as possible. SERVPRO is Faster to Any Size Disaster™.

Using SERVPRO of Central St. Petersburg / Pinellas Park commercial services is a one-stop-shop. In this example, if a fire burns through a commercial business and the sprinkler systems turn on, there will be both fire and water damages. SERVPRO's Commercial Services are an umbrella term that extend our normal services into the commercial setting. SERVPRO can simultaneously treat fire and water damages. Our commercial services reduce the cost that businesses pay because they do not need to look for multiple companies. SERVPRO is also essentially a liaison between insurance companies and clients.

Unfortunately, disasters are not preventable, but companies like SERVPRO are here to make it "Like it never even happened," with our residential and commercial services. For questions regarding SERVPRO of Central St. Petersburg / Pinellas Park commercial services, contact the office at (727)521-2562 or message us on Facebook!

When This Doctor Needed Help, They Called SERVPRO

11/1/2021 (Permalink)

A doctor's office. A fire. Two things that don't mix. Fortunately, no one was injured. Still, we knew that in a situation like this, time was of the essence.

We got the call to come to a doctors’ office that had fire damage. We needed to help this business set up a temporary office so the doctors could continue to see patients. We responded with plenty of crew to remove the damaged contents and assess what could be cleaned and salvaged and what needed to be discarded. Contents that sustained only light soot damage were thoroughly cleaned and moved to their new but temporary office space so the doctors’ practice could resume as quickly as possible. 

Closely working with the client and the insurance company, we packed contents and began the cleaning process at our warehouse and on-site to get their business back up and running.

Contents ranged from waiting room furniture and files, to high-end instruments and tools needing intricate care. They hauled debris and cleaned the entire structure to remove soot that had traveled through the building. Ducts of the HVAC system were cleaned as the smoke and soot traveled through these systems as a means of escape. We readied the building for the re-construction project to begin, making the offices operational again.

In a fire of this magnitude, the project manager needs to oversee all activities to thoroughly complete the job. As one can imagine, this process takes months to complete. And it is always satisfying to see a job of this magnitude come to completion, knowing that our hard work helped members of our community. We know that situations like these require constant communication with our clients throughout the process to get the job done and to minimize the stress for our customers. 

When unfortunate circumstances require our services, we do our best to exceed customer expectations. We are always Here to Help®. For questions regarding SERVPRO of Central St. Petersburg / Pinellas Park and SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / West St. Petersburg commercial services, contact the office at (727)521-2562 or message us on Facebook!

Do You Know What To Do In A Fire Emergency?

10/25/2021 (Permalink)

Every Florida Business Should Have An Emergency Action Plan

Two-way communication is important before, during and after a disaster. Employees are the most crucial business asset, but are they informed of company emergency plans? These tips can help guide company’s preparation for a fire emergency.

Fire Plans: In addition to calling 911 immediately, make sure employees know what to do if there's a fire by conducting a fire drill at least once per year. This will keep seasoned employees aware of the workplace fire safety protocol and inform new ones.

Evacuation Plan: Post a fire evacuation plan in several spots around the workplace. Never include elevators in an evacuation plan; always use the stairs.

First Aid and : Employees should be familiar with the first aid kit and fire extinguishers' locations. Place the first aid kits and extinguishers where hazards are more likely to occur–such as in the kitchen.

If your commercial property has fire damage, contact SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South/ St. Petersburg.

Dealing with Commercial Mold

10/19/2021 (Permalink)

Recently, SERVPRO received a call from a local property owner to check on a restaurant he purchased to renovate. The renovation resulted in a large mold job for SERVPRO of Gulf Beaches South / St. Petersburg. Upon entering this abandoned space, it became clear immediately this was a mold remediation job for the experts! So we went to work!

With mold covering the walls, the bar area, baseboards, and crown molding, our crew had to suit up with PPE, including respirators and Tyvek suits, to ensure protection! Mold remediation is a very tedious job for a home, but even more so for a commercial property like a restaurant. A containment setup is needed to prevent contamination of unaffected areas. All items with mold exposure required proper disposal. An industrial hygienist arrived after SERVPRO finished the demo and cleanup to ensure the commercial property checked out.

Mold remediation in a commercial property is a tedious yet rewarding job, especially when we get to see a building brought back to life! Contact us today!

3 Key Facts About Commercial Black Water

10/14/2021 (Permalink)

Your Florida commercial building can be affected by flooding from several sources. Water damage can include warped flooring and moldy drywall, but one of the immediate issues caused by flooding is the influx of contaminated water. If your business has been damaged by flooding, it can help understand how this type of water can cause long-term damage and what you can do to mitigate it. 

It Can Contain Dangerous Chemicals 

Environmental experts often call contaminated water that stems from flooding Category 3 or “black water.” This means the water did not come from a sterile source and may contain various hazardous components, including harsh sewer and lawn chemicals that entered the water during flooding. These chemicals can make the water dangerous to touch, so calling in flood damage and cleanup service is the safest way to remove it. 

It May Cause Health Effects

Category 3 water damage can be dangerous in more than one way. For example, standing black water can grow microbes that may cause health effects. Urine and feces may also be present, even if they are not immediately visible, so it is wise to avoid this type of water entirely and wait for professional cleanup services to arrive. 

Acting Quickly Can Be Essential 

Because contaminated water can become more dangerous the longer it sits, it is good to call in a cleanup crew right away. This can be important even if you believe the worst of the damage has already been done. Having the water removed may reduce the chances of long-term issues with your building’s affected floors and walls and prevent mold growth, which can be challenging to treat once it takes hold. 

Black water damage can harm your Florida commercial building in several ways. However, when you know its dangers and how to combat them, you may be able to prevent the worst of the destruction.