How To Maintain Your Commercial Generator

8/20/2022 (Permalink)

Keep your commercial generator well-maintained so that it works well when you need it most

A commercial generator provides emergency power to your building when the power goes out. A standby unit turns on automatically during an outage. Commercial machines typically run on either propane or natural gas, so you don't have to worry about refueling them. The average machine lasts about 3,000 hours, but it requires regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly.

Keys to Maintaining Your Equipment

Semi-annual service is critical to keep your equipment functioning properly and to avoid generator problems. A good rule of thumb in Gilberts, IL, is to have it serviced in the spring and fall so that you stay on a regular schedule. If you have a maintenance staff to handle mechanical duties, they can perform the checks. Otherwise, it's smart to find a certified mechanic to help. Typical maintenance includes the following:

• Change serviceable parts as needed. Air filters, spark plugs and fuel filters must be changed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Check oil levels and replace engine oil regularly. Keep levels close to full, but don't overfill.
• Clean the battery on your generator often to keep it free from corrosion. Make sure all connections are tight as well. Test the battery to make sure it is working properly.
• Inspect the drive belts for cracks or tears and replace as needed.
• Check the alternator and transfer switch for any signs of damage.
• Clean dirt, leaves and other debris from around the unit.
  
  

If your equipment malfunctions and your building floods, call a water damage repair service right away.

Tips for Running a Test Cycle
Many units are designed to automatically run a test cycle on a regular basis. This keeps the system well-lubricated and helps to burn off any moisture. It also recharges the battery. If your unit doesn't come equipped with this feature, run it manually for at least a half-hour every month.
Keep your commercial generator well-maintained so that it works well when you need it most.

How the High Standards of Preferred Vendors Qualify Them To Handle Your Emergencies

8/15/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know that we are a Preferred Vendor for many insurance companies.

How the High Standards of Preferred Vendors Qualify Them To Handle Your Emergencies

If you have recently undergone a disaster like a flood or fire that left property damage in its wake, one of the first steps you take may be to contact your policy provider for help. An insurance agent from the company may refer you to a professional cleanup and restoration business in Carpentersville,IL, from their preferred vendor program. Those establishments that fall under the umbrella of trusted providers have close relationships with insurance firms and supply high-quality work at reasonable, economical prices. How do you know that you can place your confidence in them though? Well, besides the fact that they have been carefully vetted, preferred vendors like SERVPRO possess qualifications that put them among the cream of the crop in the restoration industry.

They Generally Have Intensive Performance Guidelines
Usually, such enterprises will set and follow strict guidelines to ensure their performance is up to snuff. These may encompass anything from employee background checks to insurance. SERVPRO Franchise specialists are subject to 21 guidelines they must adhere to in order to give clients the best service possible.

They Are Fast and Affordable
Preferred vendors establish the budget they must stay within ahead of time with your carrier and stick to it. This keeps costs from soaring to astronomical levels. They also complete their tasks in a speedy manner due to a few reasons:

Many, like SERVPRO, are open to receive requests 24 hours a day, allowing them to respond quickly.
All the background and preparatory details have been hashed out between the insurer and them, eliminating the need for long negotiations with an insurance agent.
There is often an existing drying time limit.
They employ experienced and trained individuals who know what they're doing when it comes to assessing the situation and finishing the job.

They Validate Through Industry Standards
Through the use of manuals and handbooks, teams can offer industry-standard validation. This and the utilization of proper equipment lead to high caliber work.
When a force of nature wreaks havoc on your structure, your insurance agent may recommend operations from their preferred vendor list. These are proficient and thoroughly screened in advance.

Tips for Identifying and Eliminating Your Building's Musty Smell

7/30/2022 (Permalink)

A musty smell indicates the presence of mold somewhere in your building.

Some commercial building repairs or issues can wait to be managed. A musty odor in the building is not one of those issues. Most likely, that smell indicates the presence of mold somewhere in your building. If the problem is indeed mold, it will only get worse rapidly.

Suspected Mold Damage

If you assume there could be mold,

• Look for a water leak
• Contain the leak
• Remove excess humidity
• Open a window if you can

Be careful of running HVAC as the mold may be in the pipes. You could be inadvertently spreading it if you choose to circulate air for the mold-affected space that way; this is due to mold’s fast, efficient, and self-replicating mechanisms.

Mycotoxin Concerns
It’s only a matter of hours sometimes before mold can infect an entire building. This is due to the spores released by mold. A mycotoxin is a mold spore; it can spread easily via HVAC, and it’s also what's likely giving off that musty smell. Any type of mycotoxin can wreak havoc on the air quality for people in the affected space.
Because of these airborne mold spores, mold can hide on almost any surface and in many hidden layers in your building. For this reason, DIY cleanup is a risky venture. Mold cleanup issues often necessitate advanced technology, such as HEPA air filtration devices. To be sure the mold is not only cleaned but made totally absent from the space, you’ll need to contact mold removal specialists.

Mold Remediation
Look for mold remediation experts in East Dundee, IL, with years of experience and advanced technology. These professionals will have access to the various layers of mold testing and treatment that are required to truly remove mold from surfaces and mold spores from the air in your building.
A musty odor is an alarming issue to resolve in your building. With the help of a trusted mold remediation professional, you can experience peace of mind in knowing that soon your building will be mold-free once again.

Flood Damage: 3 Categories of Water

7/25/2022 (Permalink)

Three categories of water.

Common Causes of Flooding

For the uninitiated, all floods might seem equal; however, that is far from the truth. For example, a plumbing accident causes a clean water flood, while a sewer backup is a very toxic situation. That’s why the pros classify spillovers into three categories to show the level of pollution.
Common causes of flooding in Sleepy Hollow, IL include:

• Supply line bursts
• Heavy downpour
• Drain backup
  
  

Category 1: Clean Water

Clean water floods are typically a result of pipe breaks. They are easy to stop, as you only need to cut the water supply to the affected area. Even so, there’s the risk of electric shock and water damage, especially if it happens when nobody is at home. Generally, this flood is the least tainted on this list.

Category 2: Contaminated Water

A plumbing accident flood doesn’t stay clean for long. It eventually mixes with a lot of stuff, including household chemicals like soap, bleach, and drywall. While it might look unclean, contaminated water is nutritious to plants and should be poured in the garden or lawn. Consider it as the middle ground between a clean water flood and a sewer backup.

Category 3: Black Water

Blackwater is the most contaminated flood in the “book of spills.” It contains fecal matter that hosts all kinds of harmful bacteria and toxic chemicals known to man. This combo causes all sorts of nasty infections in people, and pets and damages the environment as well. For that reason, anything that comes into contact with blackwater requires urgent professional attention.
It is also worth noting that carpets and rugs cannot be salvaged after black water exposure. They should be discarded immediately after removal.
Removing contaminated water from a flooded house can be a daunting task for the average DIYer. It’s easy to miss a few critical steps in a cleanup, and that’s why you need a second opinion from a restoration professional.

Preparing Your Home for Flood Damage

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Have your roof inspected

4 Ways to Avoid Flooding and Damage to Your Home

Imagine a fierce rainstorm pounding outside your home in Barrington Hills, IL, waking you from your sleep. You decide to get up to get a snack from the kitchen, but when your bare feet touch the carpet in the hallway, you discover it’s soaking wet, and your linoleum floor in the kitchen is covered in standing water. Could these raging waters have been avoided? Possibly. Here are four ways to avoid flooding and the damage it can bring.

1. Take inventory of your possessions.

Make a list of your personal belongings, supported with photographs and/or video. This will be valuable in the event you have to report an insurance claim for flood damage. This inventory should be stored in a waterproof container, with a backup copy in a secure off-site location, such as a safe deposit box.

2. Have your roof inspected and repaired if necessary. It is a good idea to have a reputable roofing contractor inspect your roof for any hidden leaks and make any necessary repairs. This can prevent you from having to make costly repairs at a later time, such as after flooding.

3. Have your trees trimmed. To prevent storm damage caused by overhanging tree limbs blowing against your house, have your trees trimmed ahead of time. Remove any dead limbs or trees. They are more likely to be broken during a storm, leading to damage to your home.

4. Make sure gutters and downspouts are cleaned. Your gutters should be cleaned and any leaks repaired. Check gutters regularly to make sure they are draining properly. Downspouts should be inspected and any clogs removed. To make sure rainwater is directed away from your home, use splash blocks or downspout extension pipes.

Hopefully, your home will never be devastated by flooding. Being proactive and taking steps ahead of time to prepare your home is a decision that can pay off in the long run. In the event that your home does take damage, however, an emergency restoration company can help you in the storm's aftermath.

Do I Really Need a Flood Cut to Fix My Wall?

6/26/2022 (Permalink)

A flood cut was performed on a property in West Dundee, IL.

When working with a contractor to restore your property after flooding, you often hear different terms and procedures that don’t make a lot of sense. One of the most common is a flood cut. What does it mean? Should my cleanup team be offering one? Knowing the answers to these and other questions surrounding this type of tear out procedure can help you choose the right flood restoration professionals for your West Dundee, IL, property.

What is a Flood Cut?

The term simply means a contractor will cut water-damaged drywall from walls or other areas on your property. The process lets your cleanup partner locate and address any extra moisture behind the walls. Such moisture can lead to:

• Mold
  
• Mildew
  
• Odors
  

How It’s Done
First, professionals will examine your walls for signs of water damage such as warping or even early mold. Next, they will cut into the wall, roughly 12-18 inches from where the flood damage happened, and remove a piece of the wall. Next, steps will be taken to dry or replace insulation, depending on the level of damage, before the wall is repaired.

When is it needed?
A flood cut is not required if the wall is damaged by clean water. Unfortunately, flooding is typically associated with contamination by human waste or pathogens. In those cases, leaving wet insulation can result in not only structural damage, but actual illness. Flood cutting can also be avoided if there isn’t insulation behind a wall, in which case less invasive methods may be used.
Cutting into your drywall may seem like a dramatic response for a little flooding. But doing it now can save you a lot of extra expense when you’re facing mold or worse down the road. Consult with a skilled flood mitigation expert to learn whether a flood cut, or other process is key to getting your property back to normal.

What To Do After Fire Sprinklers Go Off

6/18/2022 (Permalink)

Fire sprinklers can go out in your building and cause flood damage.

What Happens If Your Sprinklers Go Off by Accident?

In the event of a fire in your commercial building, sprinklers could prevent a small blaze from becoming a true disaster. However, what happens if your sprinklers go off by accident?
Water from sprinklers can damage sensitive equipment and create flooding problems if not dealt with promptly. Here are several easy steps to follow if fire sprinklers go off in your building.

1. Turn Off the Water
Usually, you will not be able to turn the water off yourself. Sprinklers will not turn off until a professional from the fire department arrives and turns off the valve. If sprinklers go off, contact the fire department immediately, even if you suspect that there is no fire.

2. Call a Restoration Company to Assess Water Damage
A professional water restoration company in Gilberts, IL, will be able to assess the flooding damage and provide prompt cleanup services. It is important to address all damage as soon as possible in order to prevent the growth of mold. A company with expertise in commercial damage will also help you determine what equipment can be saved and how to restore it to working condition.

3. Call Your Insurance Company
It is important to have your commercial property insurance information readily available so that you can contact the insurance company as soon as possible. A successful claims process requires prompt and thorough communication. Keep records of everything related to the event and any services that you receive from a restoration company.

4. Take Steps to Mitigate Damage
There are several things you can do as you wait for restoration professionals to arrive. For example, you can set up fans and dehumidifiers to help with the drying process.
A false alarm can be a nerve-wracking experience. Following these steps will help you protect your building and prevent flooding.

What To Do If You Smell Natural Gas in Your Home

6/3/2022 (Permalink)

Make sure the stove is off.

Avoid a Gas Fire In Your Home

Gas leaks can happen at any time, and it is important to recognize the warning signs. Natural gas itself has no odor, but a strong rotten egg smell around your stove is still a tell-tale sign of a gas leak. This is because gas companies add a pungent chemical called mercaptan to the gas that you use.
If you get that rotten egg smell in your home one day, here are some tips to help you manage the situation safely and avoid a gas fire.

1. Leave Immediately If the Smell Is Strong
A very strong odor indicates a potentially dangerous gas fire. It is a good idea to leave the house as soon as possible and tell everyone else in the house to leave. Then, you should call your gas company from your cell phone or from a neighbor's phone.

2. Do Not Turn the Lights On
If gas is present in the building, turning the lights on could create an explosion. It is better to use a flashlight.

3. Make Sure the Stove is Off
It is important to verify that all the burners are switched off. It is easy to accidentally bump them and turn them on, which can lead to a fire.

4. Open the Windows and Doors
Opening the windows and doors allows for ventilation. This will reduce the amount of gas present in the home.

5. Evacuate to Avoid a Gas Fire
If the smell is not overwhelming and you have taken the above precautions, you should evacuate and call your gas company.
Following these steps will help you proceed as safely as you can.
If you do experience fire from a gas explosion, be sure to contact a professional fire restoration company in Carpentersville, IL  as soon as possible. A prompt restoration effort will help you recover your belongings and move forward.

3 FAQs About Insurance and Fires

5/25/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage in a home in East Dundee, IL.

Learn More About Your Insurance Policy Coverage

Your house is a valuable asset, and you want to ensure that it is protected in the event of a home fire. These events, caused by everything from electrical flares to arson, cause a lot of damage, requiring a fire restoration company to repair. Fortunately, you can learn more about your insurance policy coverage to help you prepare for this situation.

1. What Items Are Covered by Insurance?
When a home fire strikes, your insurance will typically cover any of your belongings on your property in East Dundee, IL. This includes your house, detached structures, and personal belongings. It also means that any vacant houses you own will be covered if listed on your insurance policy. The only requirement is that the item damage is on a piece of property listed on your policy.

2. How Much Coverage Can Go Towards a Fire?
The amount of money you can receive after a home fire depends on your policy limits. Read your policy to find your fire limit or the maximum amount of funds you will receive after a fire. Most of the time, you will adjust this number when choosing your policy. You should base this amount on the total value of your personal belongings and structures to ensure that you have enough coverage.

3. What Type of Fire Damage Is Not Covered?
Your insurance doesn't cover every type of fire damage. If you start a fire that damages your home or outbuilding on purpose, your policy will not cover the damage. Additionally, any fires started due to war are not covered. To get a more in-depth understanding of what potential risks are not covered under your policy.
It helps to prepare yourself for a house or vacant home fire. Understanding more about your insurance policy is one way in which you can help prepare yourself to bounce back from a situation financially.

4 Things To Do If You Have Water Leaking From Your Lights

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

Water in light fixtures will never be on-trend.

What To Do When Water Is Coming Out Of Your Light Fixtures

Water in light fixtures is rarely a good thing. Fortunately, it's also a fixable thing. If you spot water dripping or leaking from one of the light sources in your Sleepy Hollow, IL, home, here are the four steps you should take immediately.

1. Cut the Power
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. That's why so many of your small appliances include that large warning label ordering you not to dry your hair in the bath or take your toaster to a water park. The moment you spot water leaking from a light, turn off power to the entire house.

2. Shut Off the Water if Necessary
Depending on the source of the leak, you may need to shut off the water to stop the problem. If you can't identify the source, shut the water off just in case.

3. Tell Everyone You Have a Water in Light Situation
If other people are at home with you, inform them that there's an emergency with the power. If company arrives, tell them, too. Make sure everyone inside the home understands that they need to steer clear of electricity sources until the issue is resolved.

4. Call a Restoration Company
Once you've minimized the potential for danger, your next step should be to call a water damage restoration company. Expect them to assess the situation and develop a plan to safely restore both power and water. If ceiling damage has already occurred, they'll address that as well.
Water in light fixtures will never be on-trend. If you spot a leak related to your home lighting, it's important to act fast. Shut off the power and water, and then place a call to the professionals. They have the equipment and know-how to return your home to normal as soon and as safely as possible.