What Should I Do After My House Is Damaged by a Storm?

4/13/2023 (Permalink)

What Should I Do After My House Is Damaged by a Storm?

The damage a storm causes to a home can leave your life suddenly upended. In the first days after a storm, you might be overwhelmed with the damage, with everything you have to do and with concerns about getting your life back together. But careful planning can help you return to normalcy as quickly as possible.

Safety First

Whether your house flooded, sustained wind damage or was struck by lightning, the aftermath of a storm can pose serious dangers. Live power lines, mold and open areas of your house can all put you at risk. It's wise to leave your house until you're able to evaluate the damage. Consider going to an emergency shelter, staying with friends and family or staying at a hotel until you're able to get an inspector to your home. Take a few day's worth of clothing and supplies if possible, but prioritize safety above collecting your possessions. Your insurance company might provide someone to inspect your home for safety hazards, or you may need to hire someone, but in either case, you should have your home checked for hazards before you return.

Federal Assistance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a variety of assistance to victims of storm damage. You can get help with temporary housing, with repairs, with meals for your family and with filing insurance claims. Contact the FEMA branch in your area. If the storm damaged many homes in your area, a FEMA representative may be traveling through your neighborhood or available at a local temporary FEMA office. So talk to your local representative for assistance.

Documenting Damage

You'll need to document the damage that has been done by the storm as soon as possible, particularly if your homeowner's insurance only covers certain types of damage. Take photos of the damage, and be sure to document any potential problems, such as mold, crumbling drywall or exposed power lines. It's a good idea to have pictures on file of the normal state of your house. So if you're concerned about a storm that hasn't hit yet, take photos both before and after the storm.

Insurance Claims

Contact your insurance company, which will assign you a claim representative. Work with the representative to have repairs done. The process sometimes takes several months, but most insurance policies will cover the damage after you've paid your deductible. Most homeowner's insurance policies won't cover flood damage, so if your home has flooded, contact your flood insurance company instead. If you don't have flood insurance, you might be stuck paying for the damage yourself. Contact SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree to come in and evaluate your home and begin the post-flood clean-up process.

Why you must call SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree after a fire

4/13/2023 (Permalink)

When a fire hits your home, the damage can be devastating. For the best possible restoration efforts, you must address the situation ASAP.

The longer you avoid making needed repairs after a fire, the greater the chance of doing even more damage. Prioritizing the repairs and restoration of your property as soon as possible after a fire will allow you to get home back to its original condition sooner.

What Happens When Fire Damage Restoration is Delayed?

Leaving your home unrepaired for any amount of time after fire damages can result in structural issues as well as the decay of your home. You might also find yourself facing other issues like water damage, mold growth, and even theft.

When firefighters extinguish the blaze, you need to contact your insurance company right away so they can assess the damages and start your claim. You should also call SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree for help, including board-up and tarping services that protect your property from further damage.

Count on SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree to Restore Your Home

In addition to securing your property from possible thieves & vandals while protecting it from inclement weather, our proven professionals will also:

• Try to save as many of your belongings as possible – Any item in your home covered by soot or damaged by smoke can be salvaged by our restoration specialists using our proven soot & smoke damage restoration process. Soot and smoke damage requires special cleaning materials and methods to remove, which is why professionals are required.
• Help with documentation for insurance claims – Before you can file a legitimate claim for fire damage with your insurance provider, you will need to follow a number of important steps. Your restoration specialist will know exactly what needs to be done when it comes to insurance claims filing. This includes proper documentation of the damage with lists, photos, and videos.
• Work quickly and efficiently – To get your home fixed as soon and as efficiently as possible, trusting a restoration company is your best bet. An industry leader like SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree knows exactly what to do to get your home back to its original condition, like it never even happened.

Frozen Pipes – Tips to Prepare for Winter

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

With temperatures dropping it's important to be prepared. Plumbing breaks and flood damage can be incredibly costly, so preparation is key to keep your pipes from freezing. Follow these easy steps to prevent expensive plumbing repairs.

Water Main: 

Locate your house’s water main shut-off valve. In case of a water emergency, you will need to shut off all water flow to the home, and this time-saving knowledge could save you thousands in case of a burst pipe.

Exterior Pipes: 

Locate all outdoor spigots and drain.  Drain and store all of your hoses. Locate all other exterior pipes and shut down supply lines.  Install insulated pipe sleeves on exterior supply lines. 

Attic, Basement and Crawl Space Pipes:

Install pipe sleeves on both cold and hot water pipes in attics, basements and crawl spaces. 

Cold Air Entry Points: 

Seal the outside of your home with caulk or insulation.  Check your exterior envelope for air leaks and cracks to help prevent frozen pipes and boost heating efficiency in the winter. 

Have water damage from a frozen pipe? Call Us Today at 781-980-7060.

Ice Dam Removal Service

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is the ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof which prevents melting snow from draining as it should. The water that backs up behind the ice dam can leak into the home and cause damage to walls, floors, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Most ice dams occur on the lowest edge of your roof. 

There are 6 warning signs for ice dams:

1.     Your home has had ice dams in the past.

2.     You see roof ice– icicles forming on the edge of the roof, or off the front edge of the gutter.

3.     Ice is coming through the soffit.

4.     Ice is forming behind the gutters (if gutters are present).

5.     You see ice or water on the exterior wall.

6.     You see water coming through the frame of a door or window.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree offers safe, professional snow and ice dam removal services for your home or business. Our experienced team will be onsite within a matter of hours, saving you time, effort and costly repairs later. Don't wait until it's too late. Call us today and have the job done safely and done right. 781-980-7060

Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Winter Storm Damage?

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

All policies vary so please read the specific coverages, terms, provisions, exclusions, and conditions of your policy itself.  However, here are some typical coverages of homeowner’s insurance relating to winter storm damage:

Ice Dam Insurance Coverage

Very few insurance policies cover ice dam or snow removal from your roof or anywhere else on your property for that matter. However, interior or exterior damage caused by an ice dam on your roof is typically covered. As with any insurance claim, call the claims department immediately and take photos of the damage.

Frozen Pipes Insurance Coverage

Not all companies pay to have frozen pipes thawed by professionals, though some will. Most policies cover pipe replacement and water damage. The coverage may not apply if you turned the furnace off for the winter without winterizing the house and its contents.

Interruption of Services

If you lose power during a storm, an all-risk homeowner’s policy usually pays for spoiled food, repairs to damage caused by loss of power, and appliances damaged by the outage. Many policies also will pay for shelter when you lose power for extended periods during the winter. If you lose heat and fail to take steps to prevent pipes from freezing, your policy may not cover the resulting damage.

Have water damage from a winter storm? Call Us Today 781-980-7060.

The Basics of Cleaning After a Fire Loss

11/9/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage is never expected and can turn your world upside down. Here at SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree, we have fire and restoration trained professionals and resources to get you back on your feet in no time.

The process always begins with an evaluation of what items can and cannot be cleaned. We take great care to treat your fire damaged home and belongings with great care and use a multi-step cleaning process to salvage as many items as possible. We use both dry and wet methods of cleaning to achieve the best results. Dry methods of cleaning consist of dry sponging, HEPA-vacuuming and using a Masslinn dust cloth for cleaning delicate content. Our wet methods of cleaning consist of using both a cleaning agent and a deodorizer. The deodorizer has both a masking and a pairing agent. The pairing agent removes the odor and the masking agent leaves a refreshing smell. By using both of these fire restoration cleaning products, our process helps to eliminate both the dirt left behind from the fire as well as preventing any lingering smell from returning.

After a fire it's difficult to know what the first step should be to get back on your feet. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is here to help. Take a deep breath, and call us at 781-980-7060. We work hard to restore your home to pre-fire condition so you can feel like it never even happened.

Fire Safety Tips For Your Home

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

Many home fires can be avoided if proper fire prevention techniques are in place. Here are some fire safety steps to implement in your home and prevent the need for fire damage restoration.

1. The first thing that you need to do is educate yourself on the different types of smoke detectors that are on the market. There are two kinds of smoke detectors on the market, ionization and photoelectric. Ionization smoke detectors are best used for detecting the smoke that is given off from flaming fires where the photoelectric smoke detector is best for detecting the smoke particles given off from smoldering fires. The National Fire Protection Association will tell you that most deaths in home fires are due to smoke inhalation. However, since each alarm is equipped to detect different types of fires, and there is no way to determine which kind of fire will break out in a home, it is best to purchase both.

2. You need to have a fire extinguisher in your home. If a blaze does happen to break out in your home, you are probably going to evacuate and not attempt to battle the blaze, but that does not mean you should not keep a fire extinguisher in your home. The fire extinguisher is like a tool, you want to have it and better it just sits there, and you never have to use it than need it and not have it there when you need it. Sure, fire extinguishers are kind of unsightly, but if you are stuck in a fire and flames block the only exit, that fire extinguisher is going to be the best-looking thing you have ever seen!

3. Every home must have a fire evacuation plan, and you need to practice it a few times a year, especially if you have children. There is nothing more tragic than a family escaping a home fire only to have a member of the family-run back into a burning home because they think they are going to get someone who they believe to be still in there but is safely somewhere else. Make sure everyone in your family knows the evacuation plan from the home in the event of a fire and make sure everyone knows where the family is supposed to meet. Explain the value of staying at the meeting place and waiting there, and practice, practice, practice that plan.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree professionals are industry leaders in fire restoration services nationwide. Should disaster strike, we can help: 781-980-7060.

Commercial Water Damage

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

A leak in a commercial structure can cause water damage as well as several types of additional damage, including the growth of black mold. Here are five major risks that may result from water damage in a commercial property if water damage cleanup and restoration are not handled promptly and properly.

1. Warped or distorted building materials or contents: This type of damage falls between primary and secondary damage. If items are not necessarily ruined by the water itself but by the conditions caused by the leak, the damage can be said to be secondary.

2. Ruined electronics that may be dangerous to operate: Water can corrode and damage electronics in a commercial property. Once again, water damage is the primary cause, but other consequences can result from device malfunction or shorting.

3. The development of mold: Mold is one of the major secondary risks that can result from water damage. Black mold has a reputation as one of the most potentially dangerous consequences of water damage that is not thoroughly dried.

4. Bacterial contamination: Depending on the type of water involved in a leak and whether this water was contaminated, a secondary risk of bacterial contamination may arise. Cleanup experts can eliminate this risk by disinfecting areas and items affected by a leak that involves gray or black water.

5. Insect infestations: Leaks that are not addressed in a thorough and timely manner can also lead to infestations of silverfish, termites, or other insects that cause additional damage to a structure.

If your commercial property has experienced water damage, you should hire a service that specializes in cleaning up and providing water damage restoration. These experts should be able to minimize or prevent all types of damage which may result from the presence of excessive moisture or high humidity levels within a structure, including black mold.

Call us at 781-980-7060 for more information on commercial water damage.  

Why you need SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree after a fire

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

After a fire you may need SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree fire services very quickly in order to prevent damage from spreading through your property.

Say a fire burns a hole in your roof for instance. This could then lead to a situation where you have rain coming in through your ceiling and ruining your property more – the longer you leave this the more the extent of the damage is going to increase and thus you need to get SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree emergency services whenever possible rather than waiting for the problem to get more severe.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree will assess the damage and put a plan together.  We offer board-up services along with the clean-up.  During the clean-up we can address both the fire and water damage at the property.  

During this fire damage restoration process, we will ensure the removal of any odors that can linger after the smoke has been in the room. This might involve carpet cleaning as well and will often need to address adjacent rooms as well as those directly affected by fire damage.

Finally, the clean-up part of the fire damage restoration process will also involve the removal and disposal of items that are too badly damaged to be repairable. If you have furniture for instance that has absorbed a lot of contaminated water, or if you have carpet that has been badly burned… in these cases often the best case scenario is just to throw these things out and to replace them with new items.  

Water, Fire, Mold & More!

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Water, fire and mold can cause permanent damage if not handled right away. That is why SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is available for 24-hour immediate assistance. Our team is always on call to arrive at the scene of a disaster when it happens so that we can decrease the amount of damage to your property and save you time and money.

Your commercial property is an asset that requires safe and timely restoration. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is a full-service general contractor that can handle any size disaster. There is never a need to call in any other company. Our team of experts are skilled and experienced in cleaning up water, fire, and mold, and can perform any extent of reconstruction. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree can handle it all – from start to finish you can rely on our professional team. Some of our specialties include:

• Water Extraction
• Sewage Cleanup
• Smoke & Soot Removal
• Mold Removal & Remediation
• Construction & Reconstruction