Why SERVPRO Is The Best Selection for Your Restoration Needs

7/26/2023 (Permalink)

No matter what kind of damage you face, remember to call SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston for all of your restoration needs.

Every restoration effort has at least one thing in common—time. The longer damage is allowed to fester in your property, the less likely you will get away with a quick and inexpensive restoration and cleanup.

So, what makes time so important when it comes to damage? It’s the things inside your home that aren’t designed to face extended exposure to the elements. Items like flooring, carpet, and any fabric or wooden furniture will suffer immediate damage when exposed to water, with more damage happening as time goes on.

To avoid costly cleanup and an extended restoration process, you can take action before damage arrives to mitigate the potential destruction. Take steps like clearing your property of dead trees before a storm to reduce impact damage or cleaning your kitchen thoroughly to reduce any fire hazards.

In addition, you should have an emergency plan that everyone in your household knows well. Thanks to the Georgia state government, we have Ready Georgia, which compiles some great information about how you can prepare for the disasters we face here.

Unfortunately, many people will suffer home or business damage during their lives, and it’s important for everyone to know why SERVPRO is the right choice for you.

You Can Rely on Us Anytime

Our team has years of experience working with both commercial and residential damage, which gives us great insight into how stressful these events can be. No kind of damage is ever expected or planned for, so it’s important for you to have someone that you can count on day or night.

This is why our experts stay ready 24⁄7. You can call at any time of the day, and we’ll provide a quick response to help you get started on the right path to restoration.

More Than Restoration

Our professionals provide more than just constant service, however; they also become an integral part of the communities we serve. Our location is locally owned and operated, which allows us to connect with the people in our region and be more than simply a restoration provider.

Aside from all this, our team is trained to handle every kind of disaster, using industry-leading technology to get your structure back in preloss condition. With years of experience, you can feel safe trusting us with your beloved property.

No matter what kind of damage you face, remember to call SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston for all of your cleanup and restoration needs. Not only can you rely on us any time of the day, but you can also feel confident that we’ll have you back in your home before you know it.

When you suffer damage to your home or business, it’s important that you know who to call! Contact us today to get restoration started faster.

Stay Safe When Lightning Strikes

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

If your home has been damaged by a storm, contact SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/ Clarkston 24/7 to get the recovery process started.

While lighting striking your home may seem like a rare phenomenon, it’s way more common than you’d think. Each year, one in 200 homes is struck by lightning, and there are around 20 lightning-related fatalities annually in the United States.

Knowing what to do and where to go during storms is the best way to protect yourself from this hazard that is created by severe weather. Lightning can not only be a danger to humans but to homes as well. While the path of lightning is unpredictable, knowing the facts can help you best avoid these unexpected bolts from the blue.

The Facts About Lightning

Lightning is a strong sudden burst of electricity, which can travel at about 220,000,000 mph!

Lighting is usually produced during thunderstorms and is more likely to develop during the spring and summer seasons.

While lightning can touch down near or inside your home and create flames, it doesn’t have to strike your home to damage it. When lighting strikes items near your home such as concrete or your gutters, it can surge your home’s electrical system.

A direct hit can also cause damage to electrical and non-electrical items inside your property or severely damage your home’s foundation, chimney and roof.

Here’s how to protect yourself and your home:

Safeguard your home. The simplest way to protect the inside of your home from lighting is by unplugging all electronics before a storm or as soon as you hear a clap of thunder. Lightning is capable of ruining phones, computers and even that fancy new television you just bought.

There are other effective ways to defend your property, but they may be more costly. Of course, approaches such as installing lightning rods on your roof, grounding your home and investing in surge protectors to protect electronics are still beneficial. These precautions could significantly reduce your risk of exterior property damage from lightning.

Know where to shelter. A safe shelter is essential for avoiding lightning. Seek shelter in an enclosed building or a car with a hard-topped roof. If you happen to be outside during a storm and you are unable to seek shelter indoors, avoid bodies of water and shelter near lower trees.

The best way to know when it’s safe to leave your shelter is by listening for thunder. Wait about 30 minutes after hearing a clap of thunder before returning outside.

Unplug your stuff. As stated above, it’s crucial to unplug any electric devices before a storm touches down in your area. If lightning were to strike a nearby electrical pole, it could lead to an electrical surge and completely fry any plugged-in devices.

Making sure to do this ahead of storms is crucial because unplugging equipment during storms puts you at risk of being electrocuted. Staying weather-aware can help you know when it’s time to unplug any devices and seek appropriate shelter.

If your home is impacted by any weather hazards like lightning, our professionals at SERVPRO can be on the scene fast. We have years of experience restoring storm-damaged homes to their preloss state.

Top Causes of Commercial Water Damage

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/ Clarkston help your business take measures to reduce the time that your company is closed after a disaster.

While many cases of water damage in the United States are experienced by homeowners, commercial buildings are also at risk of succumbing to water damage. Water damage is often experienced in blocks by commercial properties. While there is usually a yard between homes, there may only be a few inches of concrete between businesses.

In a place like Stone Mountain, we are no stranger to powerful storms that deal serious damage to our properties. We see everything from tornadoes to floods to the effects of hurricanes that hit the coasts.

We face an additional risk for being in such a mountainous state like Georgia, where the frequent elevation change makes it easy for water to pool together and begin flash floods more easily.

It’s common knowledge how disastrous water can be to the structures we have, impacting your business both physically and financially. The best way to minimize water’s effects on your business is to deal with the problems immediately.

Knowing the causes of water damage is also crucial to finding the right solution to the issue. We’ve gathered information on the three main causes of commercial water damage for you to keep an eye out for in your building:

Major Causes of Water Damage

Oftentimes, things that seem like minor issues can actually be growing into a much larger problem for you know it.

A minor leak can waste over 22 gallons per day, and a major leak can waste up to five times that amount depending on the size and location.

Roof Leaks

The roof is designed to limit the interior of the building from external elements like heat from the sun, rain during storms and debris that gets blown around. However, a leaky roof actually does the opposite, serving as a funnel for all of the outdoors to enter your building.

As the roof gets older, it also becomes more vulnerable to heavy rain, snow and falling debris that can result in extreme damage or even an entire roof collapse. Make sure to keep an eye on your roof, especially after storms, to better prevent costly roof leaks and the following damage.

Broken Equipment or Appliances

Sometimes, your building may have appliances like a water heater, AC, dishwasher and many others that facilitate the flow of water. Apart from appliances, there are complex piping systems in every building that can suffer damage at any time and cause costly commercial damage.

Major problems happen when these appliances are broken and no one notices. Even worse, if this were to happen during off-hours, it could leak a substantial amount of water and do extreme levels of structural damage before anyone even notices.

Inspecting your piping and appliances regularly can help you stay on top of the problem before it escalates into a destructive event.

Natural Disaster

Apart from roof leaks and broken equipment, water damage happens in commercial buildings due to natural disasters like hurricanes, thunderstorms and heavy rain that causes flash floods. Clogged gutters can also lead rainwater to flow toward the foundation of your building, making it more vulnerable to damage.

Have your gutters cleaned at least twice a year, and inspect your building regularly to identify and address any damage before it gets out of hand.

Commercial water damage is a devastating problem that any business owner can experience. While there is no way to get rid of it entirely, knowing these important causes, and some preventive measures can help you minimize the risk you face.

If you have experienced damage to your business or want to learn more about our commercial damage restoration services, contact us today. We’re here to act fast, 24⁄7.

Take Steps to Prevent Plumbing Leaks

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/ Clarkston can help at the drop of a hat when you experience any water emergency.

Plumbing leaks are no joke. They can spring up instantly and cause dramatic and costly damage before it can be brought under control.

In fact, the average household in the U.S. experiencing a leak loses 10,000 gallons of water per year—with over 1 trillion gallons nationwide combined yearly! While no one knows whether there is going to be an accident, there are still numerous methods to decrease the chance of a costly plumbing leak in the house.

By maintaining your plumbing, you can lower the risk of a plumbing leak and reduce the damage if one happens. Let’s consider what areas you can regularly inspect and maintain to prevent water damage in the home:

Appliance Water Supply Lines. Every appliance that uses water has water supply lines that are generally made up of plastic or metal tubing. As a result, it is critical to monitor these lines on a regular basis. Keep an eye out for corrosion, discoloration of the pipe itself and the flooring and walls around it, as well as calcium buildup in the supply line. One common modern preventive measure would be to consider upgrading to flexible stainless steel when replacing these lines.

Water Heater. Be sure to follow the maintenance instructions on your water heater carefully. A water heater can burst due to old age and devastatingly flood the room around it in minutes, potentially causing severe and costly damage to your home. A water heater should be inspected by a professional plumber every few years, and if it’s in a location where a leak would be truly devastating, consider installing a leak detector.

Drains. All sinks, disposals, showers, tubs and toilets should be consistently maintained and clean of debris. Make sure that you and other family members are aware of what should and should not be flushed or poured down the kitchen sink. Additionally, if you have a family member that is an over-consumer of toilet paper, consider installing a bidet to prevent build up in your pipes.

Finally, if a leak has sprung out of control, it’s important to know where the main water valve is and how to shut it off. It’s essential that everyone in the home is aware of how to shut the water main line off in the event of an emergency, considering you never know when the emergency can happen.

SERVPRO can help at the drop of a hat when you experience a water damage emergency. Call the experts at SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/ Clarkston. We are available 24⁄7 to respond immediately and get the job done professionally.

The Dangers That Occur When Severe Weather Strikes

8/29/2022 (Permalink)

If your home is damaged from flash floods, lightning, or hail call SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston 24 hours a day!

More than simply being an inconvenience, severe weather can cause serious damage in a variety of ways. In addition to being dangerous enough to cause personal injury to anyone who has not sought out adequate shelter, severe weather can also cause property damage to any homes or businesses in the line of the storm.

While severe weather can often move through an area without causing much damage, any time it is a possibility, it is wise to be vigilant so you know when to seek safe shelter to protect your family. Below, we will be taking a look at the types of hazards that happen during severe weather so you can be better prepared for their occurrence.

The Types of Hazards That Occur During Severe Weather

**Flash flooding threats.** Flash flooding is a serious problem, in part because it is quite unpredictable—hence the term “flash.” Flash flooding is more common in low-lying areas, but it can happen anywhere that receives a heavy amount of rainfall in a short period of time. Rapidly rising creeks and ponds are often sources of flash flooding, but even overwhelmed storm drains can become backed-up and impact an area.

**Fire hazards from lightning strikes.** Lightning strikes can occur any time there is a thunderstorm, and they are responsible for around 2,000 deaths per year throughout the world. In addition to being dangerous for anyone caught outside, lightning strikes can also introduce serious fire risks when they strike homes. Lightning can start a fire when it hits a home, due to the intense amount of heat it transfers, but it can also cause electrical fires as it travels through (and damages) a home’s wires on its way to seeking grounding.

**Damage due to high winds and hail.** Severe weather is often accompanied by high, straight-line winds up to 100 miles per hour—which as you can imagine, can cause serious damage. High winds can break off tree branches and turn them into projectiles, which can shatter windows, damage roofs and make homes susceptible to water damage as a result of being vulnerable to heavy rains.

*If severe weather strikes your home, you can depend on us to help. We have a team of storm restoration experts on hand 24/7—contact us today to learn more.*

Let Us Help You Rebuild After a Storm

8/29/2022 (Permalink)

When storms strike your home or business, trust us to make things right again. SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is here to help.?

You know what SERVPRO does by now. You see the green truck with the orange logo, and you feel pretty sure somebody’s about to get some water damage cleaned up.

They had a pipe burst or a sewage backup, and a SERVPRO team is headed to get them back in the dry. Or maybe they had a fire in the kitchen, and the green team is on their way to clean up and remove the smoke damage and smell.

These things may all be true, and kudos to you for your acumen. But something you may not know about SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is that we can provide full-blown reconstruction when your home or business is damaged, whether you’ve had something as minor as drywall or carpet damaged by intruding water or you’ve experienced an extreme disaster. When disaster strikes, we’ve got the teams, the tools and the expertise to repair or fully rebuild.

Not only can we rebuild and reconstruct to get your home back to its preloss condition, but we can simplify your life by simplifying your post-damage process. You can trust SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston for initial damage assessment, for the emergent needs for repair and mitigation, and for putting your home back together the way you know and love it.

With a streamlined process handled all by one excellent team, you can have peace of mind knowing everything is taken care of, and nothing is missed or miscommunicated.

SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is licensed for residential contractor services, so you know you can trust our workmanship as well.

We can help with every area of your repair, rebuild and reconstruction process, including board up, dry cleaning, electrical, and HVAC services, plumbing and much, much more. We can even help with temporary fencing and warehouse space.

There’s so much more to SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston than what you may think when you see the green truck. The bottom line is that if you’ve got a repair or restoration need of any kind at home, we can help you get it taken care of. Call us first—it’s likely we’ll be the only call you have to make.

Storm Preparation Can Save Your Life

8/29/2022 (Permalink)

When severe storms damage your property, quick action can prevent further damage. ?SERVPRO is available 24/7 to repair storm damage of any size ASAP

When a severe storm warning is issued, you race to prepare, unsure of what to do first to keep you and your family safe. Preparing for storms ahead of time can keep you from having to rush to make a plan.

But with that in mind, 42% of Americans say they do not have an evacuation plan in place. A lack of preparation for an impending storm puts you at risk of the storm’s fatal effects.

Here are a few steps you should take ahead of time to prepare:

Develop a safety plan. The first step in storm preparation is to create a safety plan. Make a household meeting place and, in the event of an evacuation, know where you need to go. Make sure that everyone in your household is aware of any impending weather events and what they can do to stay safe.

Pack an emergency kit. Having an emergency kit on hand ensures that all of the essential items you may need in the event of an emergency or evacuation are all in one place. Items such as emergency food and water, medical supplies, flashlights, and a first-aid kit should be included. Keep your kit in a location where everyone in the house can access it when needed.

Prepare valuable possessions. Flood water can enter your home during severe storms, and if your belongings aren’t in a safe area, they might be ruined by water damage. Passports, birth certificates, family photos and any other items that are too important to lose should be stored in a plastic bag or a waterproof container.

Stay informed. Keep an eye out for local weather alerts to get ahead of any approaching storms. You can stay up to date on current weather events by listening to local radio and television stations. Make sure you understand the difference between a storm warning and a storm watch, as they require distinct preparation measures.

Find a safe place to stay. If you need to shelter in place, stay in your basement or an interior room with no windows. If you feel you need to find a safer place to shelter, you can search for a local mass care shelter to evacuate to. Wherever you find yourself during a storm, be sure to always bring your emergency kit.

Our Commercial Fire Large Loss Restoration Services

8/10/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston to restore your commercial property after a fire has caused a large loss.

As a business owner, there are a lot of things to be concerned about when it comes to keeping the doors open. One important element of running a business is having a plan when disaster strikes and strikes hard.

Disasters can come in many sizes, but one that is perhaps one of the most concerning is what is called a “large loss” to your commercial property. A “large loss” is defined as a large scale loss that has a considerable financial impact to your business.

What can SERVPRO do about a large loss for your business?

Emergency Response. We have emergency services on deck 24⁄7 to answer the call for whenever you might need us. We will act immediately to contain the damage and start the repair procedure. We’ve worked with commercial organizations of all kinds for more than 50 years, and we are the experts in cleaning up after large-scale damage and getting businesses just like yours back up and running as fast as possible.

Treating the Damage. Our pros in green consist of licensed experts who have been educated in specialized procedures for removing water and treating smoke damage in your commercial property after a fire. Even if the bulk of your building has been affected, we work diligently to rescue what can be restored and detect issues that may be invisible to the untrained eye. Getting your business back up and running is critical, and we do our best to ensure the work is done correctly and thoroughly while working as quickly as possible. With our knowledge and industry-leading equipment, we’re able to do the most comprehensive job in the shortest amount of time.

When you call on SERVPRO for large-loss restoration services, you can count on consistent communication throughout the duration of the job, the highest-quality products and unmatched customer service. We understand the worry that commercial property damage may cause.

The subsequent difficulties caused by smoke, water from firefighting efforts and structural damage might make your business seem irreparable. You can put your confidence in our technicians, who will work hard to treat the damage, identify any objects that need restoration or replacement, and even coordinate with your insurance provider.

Allow SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston to restore your commercial property after a fire has caused a large loss and interruptions to business. We are on hand 24⁄7, ready to take your call right now.

Your Partners in Business

8/10/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is your local commercial restoration expert. Contact us today should you experience any damage.

When running a business, to say that it can be stressful at times is quite an understatement. As a business owner, you know how difficult it can be to have things always run smoothly. Major damages or accidents can cause major losses to a company, and that’s something we want to help you avoid.

That’s why you can count on SERVPRO to become your partner in the business world. We are locally owned and operated, and we will help you work through or recover from anything that can possibly take away from your business. Our goal is to help you and your business continue down the road to success.

Large loss recovery. The top cause of financial loss for businesses across the United States are fires, storms and flooding. These things can and likely will cause large amounts of damage, especially if you wait before dealing with the problem. That’s where SERVPRO can come in with our highly trained professionals to help get you on the road to recovery.

Emergency Ready Plan. Preparation is key, which is why you need to prepare your business before disaster strikes. We will help you create and put the perfect plan into place, so that when disaster comes, you know exactly what to do. There are specific things you should consider when planning, like having an emergency chain of command, alternate meeting or work sites, and how to handle restoration needs.

Cleaning of All Kinds. We can help you with any specialty cleaning needs you have, like biohazard removal,, as well as routine cleaning needs like carpet cleaning or upholstery restoration. No matter what the messy issue is, we will come up with a solution to get it cleaned.

Restoration Services. Whether you’re dealing with storm damage or a small kitchen fire got out of hand, these things require cleanup and restoration services. SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston has all the bases covered, offering comprehensive restoration services for water damage, fire damage and storm damage, among other emergencies.

Industry Specialization. We have spent years learning about commercial enterprises, so we know that we can help anyone. We know the ins and outs of a variety of industries and stand prepared to handle those needs. Because we understand how important your business is, we will often enclose a work area during restoration so that your business operations aren’t disrupted. Whatever your recovery need may be, and whatever your commercial property may require, trust SERVPRO to get the job done. Contact us today to get started on an Emergency Ready Plan or find out how we can serve your business.

Commercial Fire Extinguisher Safety and Education

8/8/2022 (Permalink)

If your property takes on fire damage, rest assured that SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is here to help.

Fire safety is a critical aspect of health & safety measures that all businesses must address, and maintaining your commercial property’s fire extinguishers is essential in protecting your employees, property and products from harm.

A fire extinguisher can’t protect anything if nobody knows how to use it. There are many rules and regulations related to fire extinguisher safety, such as the fact that fire extinguishers should be mounted on walls at distances of less than 75 feet that would not be well-known without proper education.

You and your employees must also know how to choose the right extinguisher, as well as how to operate it. This is where it might be valuable to employ some training.

Why Training Is Essential

Let’s take a look at what fire extinguisher training includes and why it’s important:

Fire extinguisher training usually consists of education and practice. You will learn all about the types of extinguishers through lectures provided by a certified instructor. Once you have passed the education portion, you will get to put your knowledge into practice. Generally conducted in an outdoor setting, certified instructors will provide hands-on training teaching you and your team how to use the various types of fire extinguishers.

What would happen if a fire sprung up in your facility today? Would you know how to extinguish it and with the proper extinguisher? Would your employees know how to do this?

This is why training is critical in ensuring your staff has the opportunity to try these devices and techniques before a disaster strikes so that in the case one ever does happen, you all will know exactly what to do.

Your workplace runs the risk of devastating and costly damage if you’re not prepared. While you can’t predict a fire, you can ensure that your employees know what to do to promptly and effectively combat it through proper training. This ultimately minimizes what could have been extensive injuries, damages and expenses.

If your commercial property takes on fire damage, SERVPRO of Stone Mountain/Clarkston is here to help. We have teams on deck at all times ready to take your call and begin the restoration process immediately.