Recent Posts

SERVPRO Storm Response

8/18/2023 (Permalink)

Green SERVPRO Semi Truck SERVPRO has the resources available to help in a storm situation.

SERVPRO specializes in fire and water cleanup and restoration in both residential and commercial properties.

In the event of a fire or water damage resulting in the need for restoration or mitigation services at your business or residence, it's reassuring to know that there are local franchises available to respond quickly across the United States and Canada.

When storm events occur, SERVPRO can mobilize franchises in your community and from across the country to join in large-scale disaster recovery efforts. By combining our expertise, equipment, and employees, we are able to assist in large-scale cleanup. There is no job too big or too small for SERVPRO to handle. Our teams utilize their extensive training and experience to assess your situation, determine how to best mitigate the problems, and help get your home or office back to "Like it never even happened.

Science of Drying

8/18/2023 (Permalink)

Did you know there is actually a science behind the process of drying? Having the knowledge of psychrometrics is essential to restoring a water-damaged structure to its preloss condition. While your initial reaction may be to grab a few towels to mop up the mess and place a fan or two around the damaged area, SERVPRO is trained in the science of drying and follow strict industry-approved standards to help lower the chances of any secondary damages. If your home or business suffers a water damage, your local SERVPRO team will:

• Inspect the building to detect every component that is wet to help prevent secondary damage from happening.

• Measure how much moisture is in wet materials and monitor whether the materials are drying properly.

• Speed up Mother Nature by using professional drying equipment. What exactly does it mean to help "speed up Mother Nature?"

A wet building can often dry naturally because the environment always seeks equilibrium. When materials are wet, moisture will naturally move to drier air at the surface of the material? but only if the air is, indeed, drier. The only problem is, nature often takes too long and secondary damages may occur while the building is in the process of drying out. SERVPRO has the tools and equipment to help Mother Nature along, including equipment to help dry hardwood floors, tough to reach spaces inside walls, and much more.

SERVPRO also uses state-oft he-art monitoring equipment and a proven scientific process to help speed up the drying of your home or business. 

SERVPRO Named One of the Best of the Best Franchises

8/1/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO was recognized as one of the Best of the Best Franchises in 2023 by Entrepreneur. The ranking, which is featured in the July/ August issue of Entrepreneur magazine, highlights the brands from Entrepreneur’s 2023 Franchise 500 ranking that ranked at the top of their industry categories. SERVPRO was ranked No. 1 in the fire, water, cleanup, and restoration category for the 20th time.

Entrepreneur’s Best of the Best Franchises ranking is based on information submitted for its annual Franchise 500 and is part of the brand’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the  ever-changing franchise marketplace. The franchises selected as 2023’s Best of the Best are ranked not only in the increasingly competitive Franchise 500 list this year but also at the top of their respective industry categories, based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. There are 152 categories represented this year, a testament to the ever-growing diversity of industries represented in the franchise world.

"Everyone wants to join a winning team, and that's why we love making this annual Best of the Best Franchises list," says Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine. "The companies on this list exemplify what it takes to thrive in franchising: They are innovative and nimble, but also stable and growing. They are truly the best of the best."

Cooking Fires

8/1/2023 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot can be toxic, creating a hazardous situation for your property. Even if a fire is contained in one area, smoke and soot can travel throughout a structure. Our professionals are highly-trained, with the experience, tools, and knowledge to clean up fire damage and remove the smell of smoke. In keeping with our goal to restore your home and cherished possessions to their pre-fire condition, we use appropriate personal protective measures to safely clean, deodorize and restore your property.

Restoring your home or business after fire damage is our main goal. As a leading fire damage restoration company, we specialize in removing the water after firefighting efforts. Our trained team will assess the damage caused by the fire, and handle the fire cleanup and fire damage restoration. Our professionals will also deep-clean your property including soot removal from walls, carpets, and upholstery. They will also perform the smoke damage cleanup and the removal of the smoke odors.

Tips for caring for documents until restoration begins

8/1/2023 (Permalink)

It's important to get damaged documents frozen as soon as possible to help prevent mold and/or further deterioration from occurring. Documents can be frozen at a local cold storage facility or in a home freezer or refrigerator. SERVPRO can send a refrigerated truck to store the documents to help stabilize them on-site until they're ready to ship to our facility.

If possible, gather and take note of all documents that need restoration. This will allow for a smooth pack-out once SERVPRO arrives to assist. Swift action is imperative for document losses. The sooner they are addressed, the higher probability of better quality results.

Understand that some damage is permanent, such as ink runs and ink or mold stains. This type of damage is already deeply embedded into the papers' fibers at the time of loss. Our services do not undo or reverse this type of damage. Once documents have been damaged, they will likely not look brand new again. 

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

12/21/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is set to host the fourth annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, a great college football game honoring the everyday frontline heroes in towns and cities across the nation.  This year's game will be played Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium, located on the campus of Sothern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas.  Kickoff for the game is set for 2:15pm (CT) on ESPN.

Each year, SERVPRO asks their franchises nationwide to submit the name of a first responder in the local community to be considered for special recognition at the game.  SERVPRO selects one first responder from this group of nominees to be honored with an award.

In previous years, through the generosity of corporate partners, the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl has been able to provide thousands of free tickets for first responders to attend the bowl game with their families.

Rick Isaacson, CEO of SERVPRO Industries, LLC says it best, "SERVPRO deals with the aftermath of the unexpected every day, but first responders deal with the unexpected when it's happening.  They are the first on the scene, putting themselves in harm's way to protect people and property.  The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is our opportunity each year to say 'thank you' on a national stage to these brave men and women - and their families - who set an example of courage and sacrifice for all of us."

So please join us on December 28, 2021 to honor first responders everywhere!

The Science of Drying

12/14/2021 (Permalink)

Did you know there is actually a science behind the process of drying?  Having the knowledge of psychrometrics is essential to restoring a water-damaged structue to its preloss condition.

While your inital reaction may be to grab a few towels to mop up the mess and place a fan or two around the damaged area, SERVPRO of Grand Traverse Area is trained in the science of drying and follows strict industry-approved standards to help lower the chances of any secondary damages.  If your home or business suffers a water damage, we will inspect the building to detect every component that is wet to help prevent secondary damage from happening; measure how much mositure is in wet materials and monitor whether the materials are drying properly; and speed up Mother Nature by using professional drying equipment.

What exactly does it mean to help "speed up Mother Nature?"  A wet building can often dry naturally because the environment always seeks equilibrium.  When materials are wet, moisture will naturally move to drier air at the surface of the material-but only if the air is, indeed, drier.  The only problem is nature often takes too long and secondary damages may occur while the building is drying out.

SERVPRO of Grand Traverse Area has the tools to help Mother Nature along, including equipment to help dry hardwood floors, tough-to-reach spaces inside walls, and much more.  We use state-of-the-art monitoring equipment and a proven scientific process to help accelerate the drying of your home or business.

The bottom line?  We have the training and equipment to help make water damage "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

12/14/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is set to host the fourth annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, a great college football game honoring the everyday frontline heroes in towns and cities across the nation.  This year's game will be played Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium, located on the campus of Sothern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas.  Kickoff for the game is set for 2:15pm (CT) on ESPN.

Each year, SERVPRO asks their franchises nationwide to submit the name of a first responder in the local community to be considered for special recognition at the game.  SERVPRO selects one first responder from this group of nominees to be honoroed with an award.

In previous years, through the generosity of corporate partners, the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl has been able to provide thousands of free tickets for first responders to attend the bowl game with their families.

Rick Isaacson, CEO of SERVPRO Industries, LLC says it best, "SERVPRO deals with the aftermath of the unexpected every day, but first responders deal with the unexpected when it's happening.  They are the first on the scene, putting themselves in harm's way to protect people and property.  The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is our opportunity each year to say 'thank you' on a national stage to these brave men and women - and their families - who set an example of courage and sacrifice for all of us."

So please join us on December 28, 2021 to honor first responders everywhere!

Clothes Dryer Vents

12/14/2021 (Permalink)

Lint from a clothes dryer vent Clean out the dryer vent on a regular schedule to avoid build up of lint.

Accourding to the U.S. Fire Adminstration 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.  

Here are some tips to help clean and maintain the safety of your clothes dryer.

Cleaning

  • Clean the lint filter before and after each load of laundry. Don’t forget to clean the back of the dryer where lint can build up. In addition, clean the lint filter with a nylon brush at least every six months or more often if it becomes clogged.
  • Clean lint out of the vent pipe every three months.

Maintenance

  • Inspect the venting system behind the dryer to ensure it is not damaged or restricted.
  • Put a covering on outside wall dampers to keep out rain, snow and dirt.
  • Make sure the outdoor vent covering opens when the dryer is on.
  • Check regularly to make sure nests of small animals and insects are not blocking the outside vent.
  • Keep the area around the clothes dryer free of items that can burn.
  • If you will be away from home for an extended time, unplug or disconnect the dryer.

Clothes dryer don’t's

  • Don’t use a clothes dryer without a lint filter or with a lint filter that is loose, damaged or clogged.
  • Don’t overload the dryer.
  • Don’t use a wire screen or cloth to cover the wall damper. They can collect lint and clog the dryer vent.
  • Don’t leave a clothes dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed.

Hopefully these tips will keep you and your home safe from a clothes dryer fire.  If do experience a fire, give SERVPRO of Grand Traverse Area a call and we'll help restore you property to preloss conditions.

Know Your Smoke Situation!

12/7/2021 (Permalink)

The holiday season usally means more family time.  Whether cooking s'mores over a fire pit, getting the turkey cooked for dinner or smoking up some wings, the one by-product of all fires is smoke.  Along with these activities, the risk of fire damage to homes increases as well.

There are two different types of smoke: wet and dry.  As a result, there are diffent types of soot residue after a fire.

SERVPRO of Grand Traverse Area is thoroughly trained in fire clean up and restoration.  It's important to know the different type of smoke that could affect your property:

  • Wet Smoke (Plastic and Rubber).  Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, and smeary.  Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.
  • Dry Smoke (Paper and Wood).  Fast-burning, high temperatures; heat rises, therfore smoke rises.
  • Protein Fire Residue (Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire).  Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.
  • Fuel Oil Soot (Furnance puff backs).  While "puff backs" can create havoc for homeowners, SERVPRO of Grand Traverse Area can, in most cases, restore the contents and structure quickly.
  • Other Types (Tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residue).  Special loss situations requre special care.

If your home or business experiences smoke damage, give us a call at (231) 943-9750 and we'll be able to assist you.