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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Blog Posts

What To Do When A Pipe Breaks

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

When bursting pipes leave your home flooded, it’s normal to panic. No one is expecting to see water gushing into a previously dry room.

The best thing to do when a broken pipe causes water damage in our area is to call a professional. Remember, a flooded room can cause the following:

  • Water damage to walls, furniture, and belongings
  • Damage to insulation, which must then be replaced

Standing water can also attract insects, so it is important to address the broken pipe and flooding as soon as possible. The following tips will help you stay protected throughout the process while providing you with peace of mind.

Stay Calm and Turn Off the Water

It can be easy to panic, but try to stay calm and remember that the first step when you have bursting pipes must be to stop the flooding. To turn off the water, you’ll need to find the stop valve on the water main. You can usually find this where the main service line connects to your house, or under the kitchen sink. You should make sure everyone in your family knows where the shutoff valve is located so the water can be turned off quickly in emergencies.

Get to Safety and Call a Professional

Once the water has been shut off, you should immediately get to safety. This is especially important if the water is contaminated, as it can be a serious health hazard. Once you are safely in a dry area, call a professional to fix the broken pipe and clean up the mess.

Trust the Professionals to Dry the Area

Even if the water damage from bursting pipes initially seems minor, you should contact a professional water restoration company when you have water damage in our area, professionals will ensure the area is dry and free from mold and bacteria, keeping you and your family safe.

The Danger of Candle Fires

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

Candles are a great way to decorate your home or to add your favorite scent to the room, but they could also be a major fire hazard.  Depending on where they are placed they can accidentally be knocked over. It’s also very easy to forget about lit candles if they are in rooms where you can’t keep an eye on them, which could then lead to a fire.  

There are lots of candle alternatives in the market today that can help with your decorating and lighting needs for your home, and will help get rid of the risk of fire.  

  • Battery operated candles.  There are so many different options out there with battery operated candles.  They can range in sizes from tea lights to large pillar candles, come scented and non scented, flicker like a real candle, and some are even on timers to automatically turn on at the same time everyday.  Battery operated candles also come in a variety of colors to fit all your decor needs.
  • Candle warmers.  Choose from electric bases or larger lamp-style models that are designed to accommodate traditional wax candles.  These will warm the wax and help diffuse the fragrance without actually lighting the candle.
  • Reed diffusers.  Placing reeds in oil is a great way to spread a scent throughout your home without having to rely on an open flame or even a battery operated device 

Candles are beautiful and can create such warmth and atmosphere to a home, but can also be very dangerous if not attended to properly.  These candle alternatives are great for everyday use in common rooms like kitchens and bathrooms where candles are normally found.  

Space Heater Safety Tips

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

With Winter in full swing, many of us are using space heaters to keep ourselves warm. Whether it is at work or at home, space heaters are a great way to stay toasty when the temperatures drop.

When using a space heater however, it is important to follow best safety practices to prevent a fire. Space heaters are perfectly safe, when used properly. Use the tips below and keep your home and office warm and safe, this winter.

  • Leave the heater on level floor, don’t place on carpet - it can overheat and start a fire.
  • Do not use in bathroom, unless it is designed for it - moisture can damage the heater.
  • Keep three feet away from flammable materials and out of the way of children and pets.
  • Should always be plugged directly into wall outlet, don’t use with extension cord because it can cause overheating.
  • Don’t leave heater unattended, make sure to unplug when not in use.
  • Never sleep with a space heater on.
  • Install smoke alarms on every floor.

If your space heater shows signs of wear such as broken cords, power fluctuations, or inconsistent temperature, immediately replace. An old space heater can malfunction and start a fire or overheat and leave an odor/smoke smell in the air. Never overuse a space heater and if you smell burning, immediately unplug and discontinue use.

When dealing with frigid temperatures, space heaters are a quick solution to help fight the cold. Using them safely will keep you warm and your office or home safe this winter.

We Are a PROUD IICRC Certified Firm

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

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.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

Is It Duct Cleaning Time?

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

Allergy season is here. If you’re like many of us in Kentucky, you’re dealing with sniffles and sinus headaches too. Have you ever considered that part of your symptoms could be coming from your air ducts?

Your HVAC system circulates the air in your home anywhere from 5-7 times daily. Every time, it circulates microscopic allergens. Eventually, all of those tiny particulates build up and bring down your air quality. So if you’re one of the millions dealing with seasonal allergies cleaning your ducts could lessen the severity of your symptoms.

When Should I Get My Ducts Cleaned?

It is recommended that you get your ducts cleaned at the changes of the season. More specifically, fall or spring. It is at these times that the most dramatic changes to the weather starts. Kentuckians that are allergic to Ragweed and other pollens may want to consider the fall. As the nights get cooler, many of us open our windows to enjoy the fresh air. Ragweed blooms in the fall. The pollen can travel for 100 miles entering our homes while the windows are open. Damp places are the favored homes of mold and mildew. Large piles of leaves are examples of those places. Duct cleaning can also keep your energy bill down over the winter. A clean system means your HVAC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to heat your home. 

The spring is also a good time because we are generally already spring cleaning our homes. We are kicking up dust by cleaning our knick-knacks, and; our houses have been closed up all season. Kick up your spring cleaning a notch by investing in duct cleaning. Our duct cleaning services will aid in removing dust, dust mites, and pet dander from your home.

It’s also advisable to have your ducts cleaned after most reconstruction projects. The dust that accumulates post-construction can be detrimental to your air quality. Duct cleaning can keep the particulates from circulating around your house.

New homeowners should also consider getting their air ducts cleaned. This is especially true if the last time they were cleaned isn’t disclosed during the inspection. The idea of living in someone else’s dirty air does not sound appealing. 

How Often Should I Get My Air Ducts Cleaned?

A general rule of thumb is to clean your ducts at least every 4-5 years. However, certain lifestyles may require more frequent duct cleaning. For instance, animal lovers may need to have their ducts cleaned more often. This can help pet dander build up in the vents. Homeowners that smoke in their home may also want to have air ducts cleaned more regularly to battle the smell of nicotine.

If you're questioning how often to clean your ducts, NADCA simply suggests regular inspections. This will take the guesswork out of whether or not you're due for an air duct cleaning. 

Call us to schedule your duct cleaning today!

Don't Let Water Wait!

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

The age-old question, what happens when water damage sits for too long in a home or commercial property?

Basically, the worst.

The First Hour

Water will spread throughout your home ruining paper goods, finishes on white furniture, and sometimes cause permanent staining on flooring.

The First 24 Hours

In the first 24 hours after a water damage has occurred, drywall begins to swell and breakdown, an odor will begin to appear, usually musty or sour. The paint on the wall will begin to blister, windows/doors begin to warp, metal can begin to rust, and mold can even start to grow on furniture and other surfaces.

Forty-Eight Hours Later

The safety concerns for any one in the house increases drastically. Anyone who has a heightened sense of allergies or mold will become irritated and even sickly. The damage cost goes up by thousands and more property begins to breakdown and become unsalvageable.

Water damage is not a friend to your home. Once water damage occurs, it is important to call for help to get the water cleaned up as quickly and efficiently as possible. Water damage experts are standing by, and at SERVPRO® of Daviess County— we are here to help 24/7 and 365!

Emergency Kit for Winter Weather Storms

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Emergency Kit for Winter Weather Storms

The icy cold winter weather is coming in fast this year, with ice storms, snowfall, and flooding right around the corner. It's always a good idea to keep your family safe by having an emergency preparedness kit just in case. Our friends at the American Red Cross suggest these items for your kit. All items should be personalized to fit your family's needs. Make a plan right now!

Include:

  • According to the American Red Cross a first aid kit may include:
    • non-latex gloves
    • assortment of adhesive bandages
    • antibiotic ointment
    • sterile gauze pads in assorted sizes
    • absorbent compress dressings
    • tweezers
    • scissors
    • adhesive cloth tape
    • aspirin packets (81 mg each)
    • first aid instruction booklet
  • A 3–5 day supply of bottled water and nonperishable food
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Blankets or sleeping bags

Stay Warm!

Commercial Partner of the Month – Schools

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO® of Daviess County we believe learning shouldn’t be paused or canceled, even in the face of disaster. Disasters at an educational facility are highly complex and require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a small school or a campus of higher education, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area so that normal operations can continue while we restore your facility. Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area. Your job is to provide valuable lessons and information to the students; ours is to make sure you have a safe place to do so.

Our experience in handling educational facilities cleanups has given us the ability to provide a variety of detailed services for the following educational facilities: K-12 Schools, Colleges & Universities, Dormitories, Event and Sporting Arenas, Libraries, and Daycares / Pre-K Facilities.

Don't Let Water Wait!

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Many owners of business and commercial buildings think that just because temperatures outside get warmer, the potential damages of winter weather pass. Spring thawing can easily cause flooding in your building! Make sure your building is ready from the bottom to the top for those April showers.

  1. Basement Preparation

The basement or lowest floor of your building is susceptible to a spring flood as soon as winter snow and ice start melting. In addition to taking the appropriate measures to keep water out, such as having your foundation inspected, you should also complete and check the following items off your list:

  • Purchase an automatic sump pump
  • Install flood sensors
  • Elevate sensitive machinery off the floor
  1. Plumbing Protection

A frozen pipe can burst even when it starts warming back up. If the temperature change is too sudden, the pipes may not be able to withstand the contrast. Keep the thermostat in your building set to at least 55 degrees all the time so that your pipes are still kept safe overnight.

  1. Roof Inspection

The beginning of spring is a great time to have your roof professionally inspected. Contractors can identify damage and other weak spots, and water restoration specialists can remediate any flooding that occurred during the winter.

  1. Drainage Clearing

Falling leaves and twigs that get blown into gutter and downspouts during the winter need to be cleared out before spring rains begin. When a spout is clogged, rain must find another path off the building, and it is usually not the path you would prefer. Clean your drainage system completely so that rainwater has somewhere to go.

When you see ice and snow melting, you know it’s time to prepare your building for warmer weather. Following these tips can help ensure a smooth transition from winter to spring and keep your building from flooding.

Roof Tarp & Board Up Service Available

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

When a storm or other emergency leaves your home open to the elements, you must act quickly to help prevent further damage and protect your home’s interior. We are able to provide that fast action necessary!

Roof damage to your home or business can be caused by a storm, fire, or other emergency. Damage needs to be addressed immediately to help avoid further harm by the elements or intruders. Our professional SERVPRO crews use roof tarping and board-up techniques to help keep your home or business secure while the roof is inspected and repaired.

If your windows or walls are damaged, you will need professional board-up services to secure your property. We use approved board-up techniques to help minimize further damage and secure your home or business from weather, animals, and illegal entry.

Contents Restoration After Fire Damage

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage, including smoke and soot, affects not only the structure of your house, but also your belongings. SERVPRO® understands your family’s furniture, clothing, keepsakes, and other belongings are the very things that make a house a home.

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in restoring contents damaged by water, fire, or mold. Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. We pretest your belongings to determine what items can be restored to pre-fire condition. We'll use several methods to clean your contents, including:

Dry Cleaning - Used for cleaning light residues or to pre-clean prior to wet cleaning.

Wet Cleaning - An effective cleaning method for removing moderate to heavy residues.

Spray and Wipe -Effective for items that can’t withstand wet cleaning.

Foam Cleaning - Used for upholstery fabrics that might shrink or bleed if wet cleaned.

Abrasive Cleaning - Involves agitation of the surface being cleaned.

Immersion Cleaning - Contents are dipped into a bath of the cleaning product.

Contact us today at (270) 683-1888 for more information!

Don’t Forget P.A.S.S. When Using a Fire Extinguisher

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

The National Fire Protection Association recommends the following when operating a fire extinguisher.

Remember the word PASS:

  • Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
  • Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
  • Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
  • Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

For your home, select a multi-purpose extinguisher (can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire, but not so heavy as to be difficult to handle.

Be sure to read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out. Local fire departments or fire equipment distributors often offer hands-on fire extinguisher trainings.

Install fire extinguishers close to an exit and keep your back to a clear exit when you use the device so you can make an easy escape if the fire cannot be controlled. If the room fills with smoke, leave immediately.

Factory or Warehouse Flooded? SERVPRO is who you call!

10/10/2021 (Permalink)

Although finding a company capable of handling water removal from a factory of any size or warehouse may seem difficult, we at SERVPRO know we can handle any water removal and restoration projects in the area. We handle water removal from large buildings without trouble. If you still have doubts, here are a few of the techniques we use to dry the place out thoroughly and quickly.

Water Extraction
When a water removal project from a factory or warehouse calls for extraction of standing water, many companies do not know where to begin. Even worse, some may begin the extraction process under-equipped and poorly prepared, and may not remove water from the premises in time to prevent some of the worst damage from happening. We use truck-mounted extraction pumps to remove standing water as quickly as necessary, bringing in additional trucks as needed to make sure the building gets drained before damage can get any worse.

Fast Drying
Once standing water has been cleared, we can begin the process of drying the area out and eliminating moisture that has already penetrated into materials in the building and stored objects. By creating air currents throughout the building, we can pick up water droplets on a large scale before depositing them in buckets via our fast-acting dehumidifying technology.

Care for Contents
Depending on what you have stored in the warehouse, we may have to use special preventative measures to protect the building's contents. If they present a safety hazard when mixed with water, be sure to let us know so that our technicians can don adequate personal protective equipment.

SERVPRO provides industry-leading care for our commercial customers in the aftermath of a disaster and has the resources required to handle even the largest projects.

Fall Flooding and Storms Means Call SERVPRO

10/10/2021 (Permalink)

This year has seen an unprecedented number of flooding and storms in our area and the forecast this fall is no different. SERVPRO specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost. We are available 24/7, just contact us!

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit our area we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

How To Prevent Water Damage in Your Business and Home

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

Two pieces of SERVPRO green quipment drying out brown carpet in a water damaged home. Orange SERVPRO house in corner This home was water damaged, and we are working to dry out the carpet for reuse!

Fire and water damage are the two main reasons that SERVPRO is contacted, but many people do not realize that even with fire jobs, often times water damage is also present after putting out the fire. But the most common reason we are called to a home or business to clean up water is because of a busted pipe.

HOW TO PREVENT DAMAGE

The easiest thing to do is to prevent damage from happening by looking for leaks, and checking pipes for cracks. The next step is to educate yourself and others around you. Do this by learning how to properly cut off water supply throughout the home or building.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

This is the quickest way to ensure that no more water can pour into the home and create more damage.

Water pipe damage per minute:

A ½ inch pipe can spill up to 50 gallons a minute

A 1-inch pipe can spill up to 210 gallons a minute

A 2-inch pipe can spill up to 850 gallons a minute

A broken pipe can cause a lot of damage if not found quickly. This is why it is so important to prevent as much damage as possible when in this situation. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is Here to Help ® at a moment’s notice with 24/7/365 services available. Give us a call anytime, day or night!

Theme of the Month – June

6/16/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – June

It’s the time of the year when many people sell their homes and move, and the housing market seems to be booming extra in 2021! With this boom, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has been getting more calls than normal regarding carpet cleanings and quotes. When selling a home, that is one of the first things that the potential buyer will look at, and when buying a home, many new home owners want their carpets cleaned before moving. As a home or business owner, it is important to take care of your carpets over the years, and make sure that when the time comes, you are able to put your home or business on the market without any hiccups.

It is a good rule of thumb to get carpets professionally cleaned yearly, and to do regular maintenance throughout the year, such as vacuuming, spot removal, and shifting furniture around to prevent permanent carpet dents.

Schedule your appointment TODAY with SERVPRO!

Theme of the Month – May

5/17/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – May

Now that Spring has sprung and the weather is heating up, it is the time of year when many people take their normal cleaning duties to the next level and deep clean. This year, add another task to your list that you may not always think about, maintaining your home water heater!  

When you provide proper maintenance, you can extend the life of your homes water heater and prevent any damage from happening in the future. Many of SERVPRO of Daviess County’s water calls have a water heater involved, which makes it a prime target for issues to arise.

6 Maintenance Steps:

  1. Insulate the Pipes
  2. Insulate the Heater
  3. Test the TPR Valve
  4. Check the Anode Rod
  5. Drain the Tank and Wash Out Sediment
  6. Adjust the Temperature

For more information visit:

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/21016402/how-to-maintain-a-water-heater

Theme of the Month – April

4/14/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – April

This month we are focused on talking about something hard: Biohazard. This is a service that many never think about until they are in the situation. Many times, people might try to clean this up themselves without first finding out the risks associated. There are many reasons why it is best to do your homework and choose a company to assist, but here are two great reasons:

  • Safety: No matter what type of fluid (blood, feces, vomit, etc.), they are all considered biohazard from both human and animal. That means that they could carry life threatening pathogens to the person cleaning up the area or whoever is even just exposed to them. When working with life threatening pathogens, it is important to remove and dispose of this waste properly, in a trained manner. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has completed all of the proper trainings, including being registered and compliant with OSHA and FEMA guideline to clean up any type of biohazard.
  • Traumatic: When it is a personal connection, it is emotionally difficult to clean up the area when it is a traumatic loss. Having someone else come in will be easier on any family or loved ones.

If you have any questions about this service, give us a call.

Water loss? Trust SERVPRO of Daviess County!

4/7/2021 (Permalink)

Water loss? Trust SERVPRO of Daviess County!

What can you expect when calling SERVPRO of Daviess County?

You can expect both timely, and friendly service on the phone when you call. Our trained representatives are ready to help the second you are connected. Our goal is to make the job as easy as possible to help put your mind at ease every step of the way, and this is the first step in that process.

SERVPRO also strives to…

Response Time

Our goal is to get onsite as quickly as possible to prevent more damage from happening to your home, business or contents. We do this by being open 24/7/365, even on holidays and weekends.

Quick Service

Emergency jobs will have a crew member onsite within 4 hours.

Visual Inspection / Verbal Briefing

“Should I file a claim or pay out of pocket?” is a question we often get.

Our team members have the ability to walk a property and to see what would be the best course of action for the home or business owner when it comes to their payment method. We want the decision to be the best for the client, whether that be out of pocket or through insurance.

Let us make it “Like it never even happened.”

BIG NEWS!

3/30/2021 (Permalink)

BIG NEWS!

With over 10 years of experience, Dewayne and Lisa Cox took over our franchise on March 25th, 2021! This was a huge day for both our franchise, and the two others that the Cox’s already owned. If you see Dewayne and Lisa Cox, give them a big congratulations!

Dewayne Cox on the merger…

“I am finally able to share the news! An adventure, and it’s official! We have expanded our SERVPRO services in KY.  We are very excited about the future and this certainly would not be possible without my family, friends, our amazing TEAM COX members & my SERVPRO corporate family.

Now proudly providing fire and water restoration in:

Allen, Barren, Hart, Green & Taylor Counties.

Butler, Ohio, Hopkins, Muhlenberg & Edmonson Counties.

Daviess County”

Now that the news is out, if you see Dewayne or Lisa, congratulate them and support local by giving us a call to take care of all your water, fire, mold and cleaning needs! You will not regret it!

Theme of the Month – March

3/18/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – March

This month SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is focused on spreading the word on how our franchises help when disasters strike large areas. With the major damage that recently hit Texas and other surrounding states, our franchise, along with many others, traveled to assist homes and businesses. Our crews have been in Katy, Texas for almost a month without a break. While these weeks may be tiring, it is well worth it to see the before and after of these homes and businesses. It is also a HUGE motivator knowing we help lift the stress from these home and business owners’ shoulders during one of the most trying times of their lives.

While Kentucky was not hit this time, it could be us next. No matter the size, big or small, SERVPRO can help and handle whatever you have going on.  Our goal is to make it “Like it never even happened.”

PREVENTING FIRE DAMAGE BEFORE IT HAPPENS

3/16/2021 (Permalink)

PREVENTING FIRE DAMAGE BEFORE IT HAPPENS

Working Smoke Alarms

Regularly test your smoke alarms to ensure that the batteries are full. If it seems weak, then replace them as soon as possible. 

Clean Kitchen Space

Move flammable items away from heat sources to prevent any fire or smoke damage from happening. Crumbs can also quickly catch on fire if they get warm enough, and cause major problems.

Empty Lint Catch in Dryer

Each time you use the dryer, clean out the catch. Lint buildup causes approximately 2,900 house fires a year.

Check Old Cords

Items with fraying cords cause a huge fire risk. They can quickly combust and turn into a fire. Check each use for any issues before plugging in!

Safely Store Products 

Many items have a distinct way to store them, such as hairspray or shaving cream. These are not supposed to be kept around any heat sources. Read labels and make sure to follow them accordingly. 

Fireplace

When there is a flame, always make sure an adult is present, and nothing flammable is nearby.  

Fire Extinguishers

Have fire extinguishers available around the home or in your businesses.

Preventative Fire Safety – Space Heaters

2/26/2021 (Permalink)

Preventative Fire Safety – Space Heaters

Over the years, your electric items become more susceptible to burnouts and malfunctions. Your space heater is no different! When a disaster happens, it can cause major issues. Here are several ways to prevent this from being you-

  • Level Surface

Once tipped over, if it does not automatically shut off, can cause a fire.

  • Check Safety Features Before Purchase

When purchasing or researching a new space heater, check that it has built in safety features.

  • Move Flammable Items Out of the Area

Space heaters can quickly heat items up and cause sparks and flames if not properly taken care of.

  • Turn Off Unattended Heaters

By turning them off as you leave the room, it takes away a huge fire hazard.

  • Keep Heater Away from Small Children and Pets

You can purchase a safety screen that will put a three-foot barrier around the device. This prevents burns and fires.

SERVPRO of Daviess County – 270.683.1888

CONTRACTORS NEEDED!

2/22/2021 (Permalink)

CONTRACTORS NEEDED!

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky not only has a mitigation department, but also a rebuild department! Our goal is to be able to take you from beginning to the end when you give us a call.

Our Rebuild department is quickly growing, and we are looking for more contractors to have on hand for this growth! We are looking for Electricians, Drywallers, Tiling / Stonework, Masonry, Carpenters, Flooring, Framing, Plumbers, Roofers, Handymen, Painters, HVAC, and more. We are looking to make connections to all different types of skills to use as needed. If you are a contractor looking for more work, give us a call and see if we would be a good fit to work together.

Our goal is to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Contact Lisa at 270-670-2346 for more information.

*You must be licensed and insured, and willing to travel around our area*

WINTER ROAD CONDITION WARNING!

2/10/2021 (Permalink)

WINTER ROAD CONDITION WARNING!

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 – Thursday, February 11th, 2021, there is a severe ice storm warning for a large portion of Kentucky.  Through these days, it is advised to take extreme caution while traveling, and staying home is encouraged to prevent accidents. Weather.com states that significant ice and snow mixture will be hitting us during these days, and the possibility of power outages and tree damage are both are very high.

This week the temperatures are predicted to continue to stay low. Because of the possibility of power outrages, make sure you take precautions TODAY against frozen pipes in your homes or businesses. A few ways to do this are listed below.

Drip your inside faucets to keep water moving through pipes.

Cover outside faucets with specialized covers. You can get these at most stores, but also through Amazon Prime!

Open interior doors to promote air flow in the home.

Keep garage door closed to keep warm air inside the home or business.

Cabinet doors with pipes in them should be left open to promote warm air flow inside.

If you do experience any type of water loss or leak, give SERVPRO of Daviess County a call. We have experienced crews available to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Building Fire Prevention Tips

2/8/2021 (Permalink)

After a major disaster strikes, over HALF of businesses never reopen! That is a huge amount of businesses owners’ lives being changed. While not all disasters are preventable, there are things you can do to help prevent the loss or help prevent more damage from happening. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky’s goal is to give you information on how to do this.   

As the cold weather sets in, we know to expect even more calls to come in about fires. These calls come from both large and small losses, and from homes and businesses. During the winter months there are more fire hazards being used to heat both homes and businesses on a daily basis. Protect your business, and make plans against fire damage today!

Here are 5 ways to help protect your business:

  1. Have working fire extinguishers readily available and check them regularly. If they become hard to use, replace ASAP!
  2. Install sprinklers or a fire suppression system in every room of your business. It is also important to educate your staff about how to disarm these systems too.
  3. The equipment used in your business can cause problems when not kept clean. Dirty equipment can throw sparks and ignite other items, or the dust buildup can catch flame.
  4. Make sure to reduce clutter and take-out trash regularly to prevent a flame from taking off.
  5. Have escape routes for each area of the building posted in easy to see areas.

Theme of the Month – February

2/3/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – February

Our Marketing Team works tirelessly to let our contacts, and the community know of all the emergency services we provide in case the need ever arises that an individual or business may need them. During February though, we are changing things up. This month, we are focused on some of the other business around our cities and counties, and what they can provide to consumers both inside and curbside. Multiple small businesses will be working with us throughout the month as we do a “Community Spotlight”. If you would like to be a part of our spotlight, send us a message! We would love to meet you and learn more about what you bring to our community!  

Head over to our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up! You can also follow us on YouTube @SERVPRO10380 and always remember to support the hard-working local business owners around town! #SuportLocalBusinesses!

Local Marketing Representative – Shayland Weist

1/15/2021 (Permalink)

Local Marketing Representative – Shayland Weist

“I love working for a family oriented and team driven company like SERVPRO! I am so excited to see what we can do for the Owensboro / Daviess County and Hopkins County / Madisonville areas and the superb customer service we will provide!

I have loved meeting every person I have come into contact with and look forward to getting to know each one of you! In conclusion I would like to share a little bit about myself:

Outside of SERVPRO, you will find me working on a new home project, decorating, shopping, or doing something outdoors with my kids! We have 3 boys and a little girl, so we are always busy! To me, family comes first, work family included. We are all in this together and I believe we all must take care of each other to be successful!

Other tidbits about me:

I am a mom of 4 children, I love Italian food and my favorite dessert is gooseberry cobbler. I love repurposing antique furniture. My favorite thing to do is sit around the fire with friends and family. I am a retired All-American cheerleader, and I am finishing my business degree through Ivy Tech!”

Shayland Weist

Cell: 270-532-0444

SWeist@SERVPRO10020.com

Theme of the Month – January

1/11/2021 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – January

What can SERVPRO do for your business?

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has a FREE program that can help your business eliminate or minimize damage in an emergency situation! It is called an Emergency Ready Profile. This profile is intended for business owners to use to stop or prevent any more damage from happening once an emergency begins. When joining this program, your trained, local marketing representative will set up a time with you to come by and guide you through gathering all of the information you may need during an emergency.  This incudes insurance information, businesses square footage, water cut offs, and more.  

To set up a time, call your local representative: Shayland Weist - Service Marketing Representative in Owensboro / Daviess County, Kentucky. 270-532-0444

How to Properly Care for Masks

1/6/2021 (Permalink)

How to Properly Care for Your Masks

Single Use Mask Disposal:

Snip Ear Straps

Place mask in plastic bag and tie top.

Throw away with normal trash.

Washing Reusable Masks:

TIP: Preferably use a different mask each time you need one, or at least one a day. It is also a good idea to have a bag for dirty and a bag for clean masks.

By hand-

Use regular tap water and detergent to scrub mask.

Rinse thoroughly with clean water after scrubbed.

By washer-

Check your mask to see if there are any specific directions on how to care for it. If not, most masks can be washed with your normal laundry.

You can use regular detergent and washer settings.

Drying-

You can either dry your masks in a normal dryer or let them air dry.

You can dry your masks laying down or hanging up in direct sunlight.

Recap of 2020!

12/30/2020 (Permalink)

Recap of 2020!

This has been a tough year for everyone, but 2020 is almost over! SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky wants to wish you a great 2021, and give a little recap on what all has happened.

After being deemed an essential business, SERVPRO quickly adapted our protocols to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Both our production department and marketing department has made drastic changes regarding every job that they visit.

Production workers now wear PPE (personal protective equipment) to every job. They also wear a new protective suit while working each COVID-19 job, and dispose of soiled suits as soon as possible to ensure that they are not accidently reused. When calling SERVPRO, you can rest assured that anyone coming to your home has been temperature screened that day, is wearing clean equipment and is not bringing anything else into your home.  

Our marketing departments job is to travels around our counties each day, which had to be stopped for a matter of time, and has been changed to help prevent the spread of viruses and other sicknesses. They are now wearing masks, respecting any businesses that are currently closed to walk in clients and are taking care to always stay at least 6 feet apart when businesses are open.

During this year, our team has also continuously provided Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned cleanings throughout to many businesses. We have provided both 1-time cleanings, weekly and biweekly continuous cleanings. We will continue to provide these cleanings as long as they are needed.

To get more information about a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned cleaning, you can give us a call or submit a claim online: www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

Roof Repair - NEW SERVICE!

12/29/2020 (Permalink)

When storms move through our region, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky gets ready for the incoming calls! While these calls typically come from some sort of large or small roof damage, it can also be from a window leak, door leak or another type of storm related accident! SERVPRO is a company that wants to make it “Like it never even happened.” and be a one stop shop for all of your homes needs. While our franchise has been doing emergency roof tarping for roof leaks, then the cleanup for some time, we realized there is something missing from this equation. Who fixes the roofs itself?

Our rebuild department has recently added roofing services to our deck of cards. We have dedicated crews ready to respond whenever they are needed for small repairs up to a total roof replacement. This way we be there for you every step of the way!  

Direct any questions to our Rebuild Division Project Manager: Mike Witcher, at 270-670-1767.

5 Steps to Sanitize Your Devices

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC is suggesting that everyone clean and sanitize their phones at least once each day. While doing this, you also always need to remember not to spray your device directly with any product. Here is an easy way to do this that will only take a few minutes:

Step 1: Remove case, if applicable

Step 2: Use a soft cloth to wipe off top layer of dirt on phone and case

Step 3: Use a disinfectant wipe to wipe down to carefully clean device and case taking care around any openings, ports or buttons. This will kill the bacteria and viruses living on your phone.

Step 4: After wiping down your phone and case, put them to the side for about 5 minutes to air dry. This allows the wipe to work and disinfect before touching your phone again.  

Step 5: After air drying, wipe off anymore spots that may still have moisture present.  

Repeat this every day to help keep germs away!

Happy Holidays from your Friends at SERVPRO!

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is proud to be an essential business throughout all of 2020. We are also proud to be able to be open 24/7/365 days a year to help our communities. 

With the holiday season being in full swing, we want to remind and encourage everyone to not only have a good time celebrating the season, but to also be careful and safe! 

If you do have a disaster strike your home (or business), give SERVPRO a call to take care of the problem, both big and small. We have crews on call 24 hours a day, even holidays! 

If you do have any questions, give your local representative a call: 

Shayland Weist - Service Marketing Representative in Owensboro / Daviess County, Kentucky. 270-532-0444

Theme of the Month – December

12/9/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – December

During the winter months, the amount of calls we receive regarding water damage skyrockets. During the month of December, we are focusing on this, and giving tips to help our readers prevent this from happening to their business or home!  

Here are a few preventative measures to take to help against your pipes from getting too cold:

  • Keep the Thermostat Consistent and Leave the Heat Above 55° F
  • Open Cabinet Doors
  • Keep Your Garage Doors Closed
  • Drip Faucets
  • Open Interior Doors

If you were not able to avoid your pipes freezing, here are the first steps to take to avoid damage to your home:

First, find the water main shut-off valve. Second, turn on the faucet so thawing water can flow freely and begin to relieve pressure. Third, slowly warm the pipes with a space heater or hairdryer to look for cracks. Fourth, look for any type of water damage caused by small leaks. Last, give us a call right away if you find any damage before it gets worse. We can make it “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky – 270-683-1888

Theme of the Month – November

11/30/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – November

With the holiday season in full swing, everyone is getting excited and ready! While this is a wonderful time of year, this is also the time of year when SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky will begin receiving calls regarding holiday related accidents. State Farm provided some great tips on how to make sure this is not you this holiday season.

Cooking and Dining- When cooking during the holiday season, at times there are several people helping at once. The key to keeping everyone safe is to always have an adult in the kitchen to keep an eye on any heat sources that could catch on fire. Another best practice to keep small children and pets occupied in another room while cooking. You should also keep flammable items away from the stove or any other heat source that may be in the kitchen.

Preventing Foodborne Illnesses- While hand washing is always encouraged, washing your hands often is even more important these days. It is especially important while preparing food. Keep uncooked and cooked food separated to prevent cross contamination. Before serving food, check the temperature of to prevent undercooking. A general rule of thumb is anything should hit at least 140 degrees internally before eating. After preparing and food should only be at room temperature for two hours.

Shopping- When shopping in public this holiday season, make sure to constantly maintain a 6 foot distance and wear a clean mask. Another great idea is to only park in well-lit areas and store your purchases in your trunk or out of sight. It is also a good idea to only take a small bag while shopping, and avoid carrying large amounts of cash.

Traveling- When traveling, do not drive tired or angry. Also, if it is icy or snowy, leave extra room between cars. If you are going anywhere where you will be consuming alcohol, make sure to have a plan on how to get home safely, whether that be a designated driver or Uber/cab ride home.

Decorating- When putting lights on your home, make sure to use the proper ladder to get the job done, your safety is the #1 priority. Also, do not use any other furniture or items that are not intended for climbing on. If there are any children in the home, take care to keep sharp, glass or other breakable items up high. Before plugging in any cords, check for exposed or frayed wires. If you find any, toss and replace immediately. Using these wires could result in a fire. If using a real tree, once has gone dry, remove from the home immediately. A dry tree is a major fire hazard.

Thank you to State Farm for providing these great tips!

www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/simple-holiday-safety-tips

Fire Pit Safety

11/5/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Pit Safety

It is the time of year when grilling out turns into having bonfires! Many people have portable or stationary fire pits at their homes. While these are built to contain the fire, check out these tips provided by Allstate to ensure a safe and fun time for you and your guests!

  • When setting up or building your fire pit, make sure it is at least 10 feet away from any structures, or other items that could catch on fire easily. These items can include smaller buildings, trees, power lines and more. It should also be placed at least 25 feet away from buildings, such as apartments.
  • Place seating far enough away from the flames to ensure your guests’ comfort.
  • Do not light the flame if it is windy. It could potentially spread embers and start other fires if it is too strong.
  • Only used approved fire-starting products, do not use flammable liquids (gasoline, lighter fluid, etc.) to light or relight a dead flame. Using improper products can cause issues and flareups.
  • The quickest and safest way to start a fire is by using a lighter to ignite a few pieces of crumpled up paper on top of a small pile of sticks. Once these have caught on fire, you can then begin adding larger pieces of dry wood and logs to build up the size.
  • Do not wear loose or flammable clothing while around the fire. This prevents any accidents from happening.
  • Always have someone in charge of watching the fire, and do not leave it while it is still ignited. If children or pets are present, keep them away from the fire and in safety.  
  • Keep a bucket of water, water hose or an extinguisher nearby in case of any emergencies.
  • At the end of the night, double check and make sure the fire is completely put out. It is a good idea to wet down the fire, even if you no longer see any flames or embers.

Fire Prevention

10/22/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention- 

In years past, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky extra calls regarding fire and smoke clean up during the winter months. There are several places and items in your home or business that are more prone to causing a fire to start. Some are listed below:

The Kitchen-

This is the highest risk area of the home or in a business because of the appliances that are used. Make it a habit of never leaving the stove or oven unattended while it is on or still hot from cooking.

Small Appliances-

While your stove is the largest threat for a fire, many kitchens have other smaller appliances that create heat and can cause other items to catch on fire. It is important to remember to unplug these items after each use, and make sure flammable items are nowhere near the appliances while in use.

Candles-

Candles are another household item that can cause issues if left unattended. To prevent accidently leaving one lit, it is best practice to blow them out each time you leave the room or are going to sleep.

Matches and Lighters –

These are both common household items. If there are children in the home or who visit often, it is best practice to store these items in a safe, high place. This way they cannot reach them without adult supervision.

Fireplaces-

A lot of homes have wood fireplaces. While they are made to contain fires, it is important to still only burn dry, seasoned wood. Burning other items can cause fire flare-ups, and smoke to travel into the home instead of through the chimney.

What can you do during #NationalChurchSafetyMonth?

10/5/2020 (Permalink)

During October, it is National Church Safety and Security Month!

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky offers a free service for all local churches that is perfect to participate in this month: the Emergency Ready Profile. During this program, we help the church members gather information to help prevent or minimize damage from happening to the church. Participation in this program is completely free, and includes us sending a trained professional to work with a church representative to find and record any information that would be necessary during an emergency. Our representative will then return to our office and compile the information to deliver at a later date. The information is also saved on an app that can be shared with whoever the church needs it to be.

For more information and to get in contact with your local representative, give us a call at 270-683-1888!

Theme of the Month – October

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – October

During October, we are focused on encouraging families to take their fall home maintenance head on! There are many different things you can do this time of the year to prevent damage from happening to your property, but here are our top 9!

  • Fertilize Your Lawn – This is a great time to get a jump on next year and go ahead and fertilize. This gives the seeds all winter to work their way deep into the ground.
  • Check Winter Equipment – Make sure you have a good snow shovel or snow blower, and that each vehicle has ice scrapers or anything else they may need. Taking care of these needs early may really come in handy later!
  • Check Fire and Carbon Monoxide Device Batteries – This should be done at least twice a year, but fall is a great time to start building the habit!
  • Clean or Replace Gutters – Nonfunctioning gutters can cause water leaks in your home
  • Check for Window Drafts – Having tight seals around doors and windows prevents warm air from escaping
  • Drain and Store Outdoor Hoses – Putting away hoses during the winter season ensures there will not be water trapped that could freeze and expand, causing a water loss or leak
  • Store Outdoor Furniture for Winter – This can include putting it inside, or using covers to protect it from the harsh conditions
  • Fix Any Cracks in the Driveway – Small cracks can quickly grow when small amounts of water freeze and expand. Filling in the cracks now can prevent a lot of headache later!
  • Change Your Air Filters – If you have not been changing your filters regularly, this is a great time to start. The less debris in your filters, the better your system can run, minimizing the strain put on the system!

As you can see, several of these tasks are also related to preventing a water leak or loss in your home or businesses. Winter is a harsh time of the year, and every little bit of preparation helps!

#NationalPreparednessMonth – Wrap Up, September 2020

9/30/2020 (Permalink)

#NationalPreparednessMonth – Wrap Up, September 2020

Each year, Ready.gov gives great information about #NationalPreparednessMonth each week of September. This year, they broke the month down into weekly tasks to help you become more prepared for each type of disaster that couple hit your geographical area. Throughout the month, SERVPRO of Daviess County has encouraged families to jump on board, and work through the weekly activities. The activities for this year included making an emergency plan, building a home emergency kit, educating yourself about what disasters and emergencies threaten your area the most, and teaching the youth around you about preparedness.

A big thank you to each family that followed along with us throughout the month and completed all of the tasks. Each weeks assignments came with a different amount of work, but now that it is over and you should feel great about what you accomplished as a family!

You can still go back and go through the activities if you missed them live. The 2020 motto of Ready.gov’s #NationalPreparednessMonth is “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.”

That saying is so true. It is never the wrong time to prepare yourself and your family against the many different problems that could arise!

September: National Preparedness Month – Week #4

9/20/2020 (Permalink)

September: National Preparedness Month – Week #4

Week #4 – September 20th-26th, Goal: Teach Youth About Preparedness

Throughout the month, we hope that you have been including children in your plans and discussions on what to do during emergencies. While it is very important to include them, you may want to take time and make sure that planning is putting their minds to ease, and not worrying them. It is perfectly normal to be a little scared of what could happen, especially if you are discussing what to do if you cannot find a parent right away during an emergency. One of the best/easiest ways to help ease their nerves is to make sure they are educated on what to do. This way, no matter what happens, they know how to keep themselves safe. After helping ease their nerves, they are a lot less likely to freeze up during a real emergency.

Being comfortable, and able to react is the main goal of this week!

www.ready.gov/kids is a great resource to help young children all the way up through the teenage years on what you can do during a disaster. Ready.gov not only has information, but also has age appropriate games for younger children, and ways that older children can be involved with the community and get hands on experience.  

Families: Under the kids section of ready.gov, there are also some activities listed that you can do together. This could be a great ice breaker if you can sense your children may be a little nervous.

Teachers: This month would be a great time to have a couple of lessons over being prepared at school and at home. Use ready.gov as a resource and talk to children about what they can do!

This is the last week of the 2020 National Preparedness Months activities! Remember to update your plans, be proactive, and join us again next year!

Hurricane Laura Storm Damage

9/15/2020 (Permalink)

In the middle of August, there began to be reports released of a large storm developing off the coast of the United Started. On August 27th, 2020 the strongest storm of 2020 made landfall: Hurricane Laura. Before hitting the US, it also moved across and caused damage to several other smaller countries. When she hit the United States, she caused a lot of damage to both Louisiana and Texas.

While Laura caused a lot of destruction moving through the area, the one positive thing was that residents had several days warning she was going to hit. The locals had a little bit of time to make plans and/or evacuate the areas that they believed would be hit the worst. Many did and lives were saved. But one of the hardest parts is returning home, and seeing the damage that was caused while you were gone. While you may be prepared to find damage, there is no way to be 100% prepared to see the damage on your own home or business.

SERVPRO is a franchise that is in most areas in the county. Normally, there are enough offices and crews to handle any size job that comes their way, but when a major disaster strikes, there comes a time to call in reinforcements. At this point, SERVPRO corporate then starts calling in other franchises to travel to the areas and begin working.

SERVPRO of Daviess County was called upon to send teams to Lake Charles, Louisiana to assist with the influx of calls comes coming in. We were quickly accepted the invitation and hit the road. We have now been there over two weeks and will be there as long as we are needed.   

September: National Preparedness Month – Week #3

9/13/2020 (Permalink)

September: National Preparedness Month – September

Week #3 – September 13th-19th, Goal: Educate Yourself About Disasters and Emergencies

Different areas have different threats for natural disasters, along with non-natural disasters. For this week of National Preparedness Month, take the list of disasters you may experience, and visit www.ready.gov/be-informed to learn more about each one. Each of these emergencies are covered in depth through ready.com: household chemical emergencies, hurricanes, landslides & debris flow, nuclear power plants, pandemic, power outages, radiological dispersion device, severe weather, snowstorms & extreme cold, space weather, thunderstorms & lightning, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, wildfires, active shooter, attacks in public places, avalanches, bioterrorism, chemical emergencies, cybersecurity, drought, earthquakes, explosions, extreme heat, floods, hazardous materials incidents, and home fires.

There is also information about what you can do to recover from these disasters. Some of the subjects include how to get involved with the community, citizens corps, community emergency response team, talking to your neighborhood/neighbors about their plans, and lists of organizations active during disasters.  

Other Resources for Your Use:

Parents of Young Children www.ready.gov/kids

Business Owners www.ready.gov/business.

September: National Preparedness Month – Week #2

9/6/2020 (Permalink)

National Preparedness Month – September

Week #2 – September 6th-12th, Goal: Build A Kit  

The goal of an emergency kit is to help your family survive without assistance for at least 3 days. Last week, we took note of any specific supplies you will need to include for each member of your family. This week, we are adding all of the basic necessities that your family will need!

Basic Kit Items:

  • Water (for each person)
  • Food (for each person) Hand crank can opener
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone chargers & a backup, portable battery
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle
  • Dust masks & cloth masks
  • Battery operated radio and/or weather radio
  • Flashlights
  • Extra batteries
  • Wipes
  • Trash bags
  • Wrench & pliers (for cutting off emergency lines)
  • Plastic sheeting & duct tape

Additional items to consider including:

  • Cash
  • Sleeping bag or blanket for each person
  • Complete change of clothing for each person (including shoes)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Activities for any children
  • Soap & hand sanitizer
  • Matches (make sure to store in a waterproof container!)
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Disposable paper products
  • Prescription & over the counter medication
  • Contact lens solution (if applicable)
  • Copies of important family documents, in waterproof container or saved electronically
  • If applicable: formula, bottles, diapers, wipes & diaper rash cream
  • If applicable: pet food & water

Maintaining Your Home Kit:

Now that your kit is stocked and ready to go, you will need to update it regularly. A good idea is to update the kit each time you take a look at your emergency plan you created last week. This ensures it is kept up to date, and all items are ready to be used at any time. This also gives you the chance to update any specific items. For example: if an infant no longer needs bottles, remove those items from the kit to save room. You may then need to add in some jars of baby food.

Other Kits:

Now that you are on a roll, consider making smaller kits for work, and to keep in your vehicle. These kits should be much smaller and are a lot easier to create.

Your Work Kit should prepare you to stay at work for at least 24 hours. Also include a comfortable pair of walking shoes in this kit, as you may not be wearing comfortable shoes at work when an emergency takes place.

Your Car Kit should always be in all cars you may have. This kit should include jumper cables, flares or reflective triangles, an ice scraper, extra cell phone charger (with car charger), blanket, map and cat litter or sand (to help you gain traction if stuck).  

Check back on September 13th for the next set of preparedness tasks for your family!

Theme of the Month – September

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – September

Every month, our marketing team is focuses on a key element that can help with in people’s lives. Through September, our team is focused on the fact that September is National Preparedness Month!

Each week, ready.gov has simple, but important tasks your family can work through to feel more at ease when the thought of a disaster hitting. Check back for each week’s set of tasks.

To kick us off, Week #1 – September 1st-5th, Goal: Make A Plan. The goal of this week can be accomplished in 4 simple steps.

Step #1- Put a Plan Together

Different areas of the county are more at risk for different types of natural disasters. Your first step to put together a plan is to assess what disasters are the most heavy in your area, and make a list. Once you have a list, it will then help you with the rest of the steps.

With your list in mind, ask yourself these questions.  

  • How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
  • What is my shelter plan?
  • What is my evacuation plan?
  • What is my household communication plan?
  • Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

This will help you identify anything you may have forgotten, and help you find holes in your plan.

Step #2- Consider Specific Needs in Your Household

You can easily look up lists of items to have on hand in case of an emergency, but this step makes your supplies list specific to your family’s needs. Look at each member, and think of any daily items they may need that is not on the list. This can include the daily care of infants/small children, elderly family members, how each member communicates, pets, or anyone with specialized medical equipment or medicine. Having these items on hand is very important when disaster strikes, and you may not be able to easily obtain them.

Step #3- Fill Out a Family Emergency Plan

https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/create-your-family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Above is the Family Emergency Plan that ready.gov has put out to use. Whether you choose to use this one or not, it is a great reference in what information to have!

Step #4- Practice Your Plan with Your Family/Household

Now that you have your plan started, practicing and running over this plan thoroughly will help you identify any other weaknesses. It may also help your family members feel safe and comfortable after discussing this hard topic, especially with small children. Making sure they feel fully prepared and safe is a great way to put their minds at ease!  

#TipTuesday - Changing Air Filters

8/18/2020 (Permalink)

#TipTuesday

When was the last time you changed your homes air filters?

This is one home maintenance chore that is not always top of mind or renters or home owners. While changing your air filters is an easy task, it is easy to overlook.

Depending on how many people/pets live in a home and the homes size, it changes how often your filters need to be changed. If you have not been changing your filters regularly, here is a general guide on how often to change them:

  • Single occupant/vacation home: 6 months.
  • Single family home with no pets: 3 months
  • Single family home with 1 pet: 2 months
  • Single family home with more than 1 pet OR family members with allergies: 20-45 days

*NOTE* it is also a good idea to check them even more regularly, in case build up begins sooner!  

When it comes to changing your filters, the first thing you think of is improving air quality in the home. While this is the biggest reason why, another reason to regurally change filters is it can also extend the lifetime of your air/HVAC unit. When dirty air is circulating, it creates buildup within the system, and it takes more power to get the job done.

For more information, visit: https://www.betterhomeguides.com/home-improvement/how-often-to-change-air-filter-in-homes/

Emergency Tarping Services

8/6/2020 (Permalink)

Through the past couple of years, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has worked to grow and expand our rebuild department. One of the main goals with doing this is to be able to assist customers even faster when a storm or disaster strikes the area. While most people know us our fire and water cleanup services, there is also another small, but meaningful service that we are now offering: tarping.

When there is a hole in your home or businesses building or roof, and the damage is getting worse by the minute, one of the fastest and easiest things to do to stop more damage from happening is to correctly tarp the area. With having our rebuild department on standby, we are able to respond quickly, and efficiently.

While we have a team willing and able to help make it "Like it never even happened," we are also happy to help minimize the issue until you decide how to proceed. You are not obligated to use our services through the whole project if you call us for tarping. Our goal is to help the customer in whatever capacity that they need!  

Theme of the Month – July

8/5/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – July

Every month, our marketing team is focuses on a key element that SERVPRO can help with in people’s lives. This month, we are focusing on something that is a big unknown for many families: Back To School. With schools being closed since spring, many families are ready to get back on a normal schedule and have their children back to learning in person with their teachers and peers. While there are still many unknowns at this time, schools opening back up is a sign of live beginning to return to normal.

One thing everyone knows about this year, is it will be looking at little different. To help prepare for this, the CDC has put out many tips on what you can do before school opens to help make the new transitions as smooth as possible. Here are some of their tips, below:

  • Checking your children’s temperature daily for signs of a fever
  • Practice proper hand washing techniques at home, and stress the importance of regular hand washing
  • Find out how water or drinks will be provided to students during the school day, and consider investing in reusable water bottles for your children to use
  • Make sure to have plenty of face masks available for each student, and have a clean, extra one in your child’s school bag at all times

Click here for the full CDC list. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/parent-checklist.html

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is continuing to provide sanitizing and cleanings at local schools, daycares, businesses and more. When it comes to schools, our cleanings can include classrooms, restrooms, buses, gyms, playground equipment and more. Before we begin cleaning, our team will create a specialized plan on how to best sanitize the area. Doing this ahead of time helps maximize the value and quality of our services for the client. Learn more about this program here, or give us a call at 270-875-4883.

3 Step Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program

7/28/2020 (Permalink)

Since its beginning in 1967, SERVPRO has grown into a huge franchise with over 1,700 individually owned businesses around the world. The great thing about being a franchise is the ability to get assistance or direction on any situation that the franchise may come across because of all of the experience that has happened over the years. During these times of uncertainty with the Corona Virus/COVID-19 outbreak, it is important to partner with a business that has decades of cleaning experience, like SERVPRO.

In the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, SERVPRO Corporate began the Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program to reflect our companies unique experience and capabilities. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky quickly adopted the program, and started using it on all of our COVID-19 potential, suspected and confirmed cases. This program is made up of “The 3 C’s”:

Consult-

Step #1- Every business is different and have different needs. To start the program, we send a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who is trained to help guide you in figuring out the best course of action for your business. Once this is done, they will then create a personalized cleaning program that fits your individual needs. This includes looking at your type of business, building size, number of high touchpoints, incoming foot traffic, employee contact and congested areas of the building. Looking at this data will help decide what type of cleaning would be best to clean and sanitize the area.

Clean-

Step #2- The actual cleaning and sanitization. Using the guide built from the consultation, our trained crew undergo a deep clean on your business using our exclusive cleaning system. Our crews not only go by the SERVPRO Corporate standards, but also the CDC’s guidelines throughout the entire process. Our goal is to go beyond the scope of work to ensure maximum satisfaction and cleanliness for your staff and clients. We will also dispose of any hazardous materials that are created throughout the cleaning, so there is no cleanup for you.

Certify-

Step #3- Certify the cleaning. Once your businesses has undergone our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program, we will then post and dated signage inside and out to give both incoming customers and your employees peace of mind that their safety is the #1 priority.

SERVPRO of Daviess County’s #1 goal is to help our local communities made COVID “Like it never even happened.” Our whole process and program are designed with this in mind. Give us a call today to discuss your options, and to secure your spot on our schedule!

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is hiring!

7/20/2020 (Permalink)

Join our fast paced team, who are dedicated to helping our customers get back on their feet after a major disaster!

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is hiring!

We are looking to fill one Crew Chief Position along with multiple Production Technician positions! Below are the brief description of responsibilities of both positions.

For more information, email CustomerService@SERVPRO10380.com or give us a call at 270-683-1888.

Crew Chief:

  • Explain process and answer customer questions, as needed.
  • Monitor, communicate, and respond to customer needs/concerns.
  • Communicate clear expectations to Production Technicians and supervise their activities.
  • Perform production processes as scheduled and ensure quality control.
  • Identify safety hazards, communicate, and establish control measures to ensure the safety of occupants and workers.
  • Manage job file documentation to ensure complete and accurate project details.
  • Manage and control costs of production projects.
  • Manage assets by protecting and using equipment and materials properly.

Production Technician:

  • Inventory and load the work vehicle with equipment, products, and supplies needed for each project. 
  • Maintain a clean and organized vehicle and clean equipment appearance.
  • Prepare rooms/areas for work activities. Set up staging area and equipment for each project.
  • Leave job site with a clean and orderly appearance.
  • Perform production processes following SERVPRO® production guidelines per work order per crew chief directions.
  • Ensure clear two-way communication with crew chief and other technicians (especially regarding customer needs and concerns).
  • Perform end-of-day/end-of-job cleanup and breakdown. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Theme of the Month – July

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – July

Every month, our marketing team is focuses on a key element that SERVPRO can help with in people’s lives. This month, we are focusing on what we can do for schools that are beginning to open back up after closing because of the COVID-19 Virus. Even though the closing was much needed, many families are looking forward to getting back into a routine with kids being back in school, and things beginning to return to normal. While many are excited, everyone is also wondering how everything will work with students back in the classrooms. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has always been considered an essential business, and our crews have worked nonstop at many local businesses to help them get ready to reopen. While we have had success with businesses reopening, we are wanting to expand our reach to help ease the minds of many families sending their children back to school. We are able to use the same techniques to sanitize like we do in businesses on schools, buildings, outdoor play equipment and even school buses.

If you have any questions on what we can do for your school, we are able to answer those questions over the phone, or with a site visit to discuss your individual needs. Our COVID 19 cleaning quotes are always free, so give us a call at 270-683-1888 to get on our schedule!  

Let SERVPRO help get our lives back to normal!

Local Water Damage from Flooding

7/1/2020 (Permalink)

Our area has not experienced very much rainfall in the past couple of weeks. This weekend, things changed when there were several intense downpours. With so much rain coming down in a short length of time, there could be consequences to many homes and businesses that sit in low areas.

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is not new to flooding situations. Over the years, around 80% of the jobs we have encountered have had some type of water damage related to it. Because of this, SERVPRO understands that the longer a water job sits, the worse the damage gets. SERVPRO is open 24/7 for this very reason, and is ready at a moments notice to respond to jobs.

Early into the weekend, we already had several worried clients calling in, requesting emergency services.

If you are experiencing water damage or have any questions, give us a call at 270-683-1888!

3 Categories of Water: Clean, Grey & Black

6/29/2020 (Permalink)

When it come to water jobs, there are multiple types of categories that it can fall under.   

Clean Water, Category #1

Clean water typically comes from broken water supply lines, sink or tub overflows, or any other water line, such as a line to an ice maker.

This water category comes from a clean, sanitary source, and poses little to no risk to humans or animals when exposed.

Grey Water, Category #2

Grey water typically comes from overflowing toilets (with or without urine), sump pump leaks or discharged water from appliances such as a dishwasher or washing machine.

This water category is when it comes from a source that contains significant contamination. The contamination could include either chemical, biological or physical elements that could cause illness or discomfort to anyone exposed.

One thing about grey water, if it is left too long, grey water can quickly turn into black water. This can then cause even more damage to your home and health.  

Black Water, Category #3

Black water contains sewage, seawater, and overflow from bodies of water.

This water category is when it is considered very harmful to both humans and animals. This contamination includes unsanitary agents, dangerous bacteria and fungus, and toxic substances. This category has a very high risk of causing illness and exposure should be avoided at all costs. The only way it is safe to be exposed to Black Water is if you are a trained professional in properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE).

Top Preventative Water Loss Tips:

6/25/2020 (Permalink)

Top Preventative Water Loss Tips:

  1. Check Your Bill: Pay attention to any large (or even small) spikes in water usage on your bill. It could even show up as a few dollars a month, but it could be. This may be your only sign there is a problem!
  2. Beware of Trees: While having trees is great for the environment, and to have around, you need to be careful about what types of trees you plant close to your home or any other buildings. The key is to plant trees with non-invasive roots at least ten feet away from your home, and trees with invasive roots at least 25 feet away.
  3. Maintaining Appliances: It is important to check your appliances for any issues, and make sure they are working properly. Over time, small leaks can cause big problems if not quickly and fixed in a timely manner.
  4. Take Action: Once you see a spike in your water bill, or find a problem area, it is time to fix it! Make it a priority, so no further damage is caused. If you do ignore the problem, you can also have mold growth in the area!

Call SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky when you detect a problem, and we can help make it “Like it never even happened.”  

Proper Fire Extinguisher Usage

6/4/2020 (Permalink)

In both your own home, and in your business, it is important for everyone around to know how to properly operate, and put out a fire with the fire extinguisher available. 

When you are learning or teaching someone how to properly use the extinguisher, remember the word PASS

PULL the pin out of the extinguisher.

AIM the nozzle or hose at the base of the fire (make sure to keep the recommended safe distance away from the fire at all times).

SQUEEZE the lever to begin discharging the fire extinguisher agent.

SWEEP the nozzle or hose from side to side at the base, until the fire has been put out. Even after it is out, continue all the way around the fire, and make sure all sides are completely out. 

Now, it is time to PASS the job to SERVPRO for us to perform cleaning services. These include: cleaning up the fire extinguisher agent, fire, soot, and smoke caused. 

Specialized SERVPRO Services

6/3/2020 (Permalink)

No matter what cleaning service you are needing, SERVPRO has what you are searching for!

Besides the basic services that SERVPRO is known for, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky offers even more. Some of these include:

-Home/Business Boardup

-Rebuild & Remodel Services

-Vandalism & Graffiti Removal

-Biohazard Cleanup

-Office/Commercial Cleaning & Sanitation

-Car Detailing/Deodorization

-Sewage & Toilet Overflow

-Trauma & Crime Scene Cleaning

-Carpet & Rug Cleaning

-Drapes/Blinds Cleaning

-Odor Removal

-Air Duct & HVAC Cleaning

-Deceased Animal Removal

-And more!

SERVPRO knows that there are times in life, and situations that we may not be able to handle on our own. That is when SERVPRO is Here to Help®. If there is an item or situation that you cannot clean or sanitize on your own, give SERVPRO a call. We can check it out, and give a free quote before services even start!

COVID-19 Home and Business Cleaning

5/1/2020 (Permalink)

Due to COVID-19, it seems that most of the United States has shut down. While many people are sheltering at home, we do not need to forget the ones that are putting their health and safety on the line for us all everyday, and have continued to stay open. One thing that SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has done, is stayed open to continue the fight of killing this widespread virus. It has been our goal as a company to be there the second any essential businesses needed help cleaning, disinfecting or sanitizing. 

Throughout these past weeks, we have worked with many local businesses on helping them maintain cleanliness in their business while remaining open to the public, along with performing preventative disinfecting and sanitizing for businesses waiting to reopen. 

Top COVID-19 Cleaning Recommendations: 

  • Air Scrubbers - Removing Germs from Air
  • Hard Surface Wipe Down - Ensuring Surface is Clean/Sanitized
  • Fogging/Misting - Covering All Areas of Building
  • Air Duct Cleaning - Avoid Further Circulation

Give SERVPRO of Daviess County a call for all your cleaning and sanitizing needs. Free quotes and financing options available! 

Preventative Roof Maintenance Tips

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

As years go by, your roof goes through regular wear and tear. While eventually needing replacement, there are still several things you can to help prolong life of your roof.

Check for Normal Wear and Tear

While roofs naturally wear out, there may be times where slight damage that can be easily fixed without replacing the whole roof. Several times a year, take the time to inspect your roof yourself (or professionally) for any issues. Having these issues immediately repaired can also cut down on costs!

Maintain Gutters

Gutters being properly taken care of and installed is very important the roof to properly drain, and remove water during rainstorms. Check that gutters are properly installed, and secure. It is also a good idea to semi-annually clean them for the best drainage possible.

Check for Storm Damage

After storms, check for any obvious damage that it could have been caused. This includes missing shingles, damaged shingles, or any flashing that has come loose from the roof.

Keep Your Roof Clean

Debris on your roof can cause extra stress and can cause issues. Keep an eye out to make sure there is not any buildup of limbs or leaves. These items on the roof for long amounts of time can also cause mold or mildew to begin growing, and erosion.

If you notice any issues with your roof, feel free to give SERVPRO a call. We are now providing roofing services, including repairs and replacement. We also have financing options available.

Germs & Viruses Cleaning

4/22/2020 (Permalink)

There are many different germs and viruses that are being passed around this year. You may be wondering what you can do to prevent these germs from spreading to your family. The easiest way you can do this is by staying home as much as possible, and by consistently cleaning highly used areas inside your own home. This can be especially important if anyone in your home is an essential employee or if anyone has been out and about during that day.

Here is a list of some high touch areas of your home that can be very susceptible to germs-

  • Doorknobs
  • Light Switches
  • Fridge, Sink and Microwave Door Handles
  • Remotes
  • Phones
  • Keys
  • Car Door Handles
  • Handrails
  • Touch Points on Chairs
  • Countertops
  • Cabinet Handles
  • Bathroom Sink Hardware
  • Toilets/Toilet Handle
  • Sinks
  • Computer/Laptop
  • Tablets
  • Touch Screens
  • Tabletops

Another great way to help kill germs is by washing items infected by germs or worn outside the home as soon as possible. Doing this will help keep germs as bay when it is unavoidable for them to enter your home.

Trust SERVPRO to help disinfect and sanitize homes, businesses, vehicles, churches, emergency vehicles, healthcare facilities, and more. We offer free quotes, and are open 24/7 for your convenience!

Summer Grilling Out Tips

4/5/2020 (Permalink)

Now that it is springtime and families are spending more time at home, there is a lot more cooking happening! One of the ways many families cook together is by grilling out. This is a fun, ease to clean up way to make plenty of food for the whole family. But before you go outside and fire up the grill, here are a few ways you can make sure you grill accident free!

  • Never use or light your grill near any structures
  • Never leave a grill unintended
  • If your flame goes out, wait at least 5 minutes before reigniting
  • If you use propane, regularly check the tank for any issues
  • Make sure no clothing is in danger of getting in the flames
  • Clean grill regularly, this cuts down on anything that could catch on fire
  • All legs of the grill should be on a stable surface
  • If you use charcoal, be careful when using lighter fluid
  • And finally, make sure to always have water on hand in case of emergency

Taking care of potential issues before they arise is the best way to prevent any major disasters from happening, and keeping everyone happy and healthy all summer long!

Coronavirus Preventative Cleaning

3/24/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Here to Help during this time of need

During this unprecedented time caused by the global pandemic of coronavirus, this is a reminder to our customers that we are specialists in cleaning services, and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards.

Specialized Training

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

The CDC encourages cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and tables. Other spaces mentioned in the CDC’s guidance for commercial spaces include:

  • Kitchen/Food Areas
  • Bathrooms
  • Schools/Classrooms
  • Offices
  • Retail Spaces
  • Water Fountains
  • Shelving/Racks
  • Sales Counters
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Stair Handrails
  • Elevator Cars
  • Playground Equipment
  • Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

The CDC recommends usage of a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products in the SERVPRO product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. While there is currently no product tested against this particular strain of the coronavirus, we are following all guidelines as provided by the CDC and local authorities.

Call Today for a Proactive Cleaning

If your home or business needs deep cleaning services, call the experts today – SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky, 270-683-1888

For more information:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fguidance-prevent-spread.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html

Prepping for a Spring Break Vacation?

3/6/2020 (Permalink)

When it comes to a vacation, you probably have everything planned, and are excited to get on the road to your destination. But as you are planning your Spring Break trip this year, it is important to take preventative measures against issues while you are away.   

Inspect Potential Water Issue Sources

Windows- Especially in older homes, it is important to check the seals around the windows, and make sure they are still in good condition. If not, take a few minutes to touch up before heading out the door.   

Large Appliances- Dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators and water heaters all have pipes or hoses bringing and taking water from them. Take the time to check them, and make sure the hoses are all in good condition, and there are no risks of issues while you are gone. Another way to see if there are any leaks is to check under the appliance, and make sure there are no slow leaks impacting the floor.

Exposed Pipes- Walk around your home, and check to make sure all outdoor (or in the garage) pipes are well insulated against the cold.  This will cut down on the chance of them busting.

Guard Against the Elements

When vacationing during the winter months, many people shut off their heat while they are gone. The better option would be to simply lower the thermostat, so that your home is not getting so low you risk pipes freezing. If you do lower the temperature, you can also leave your cabinet doors open, so warm air is circulating around the pipes.

House Sitter

While you are gone, have a house sitter come by a few times and ensure that no issues arise while you are gone. This will not only prevent any potential damage from being worse, but it will also put your mind at ease and help you enjoy your vacation even more!

Theme of the Month – March

3/3/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – March

Over the years, communication has changed drastically. Since our franchise was first purchased, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has worked hard to ensure that we are keeping up with the trend. Our goal is to be able to serve our clients in the best way possible and ensure a stress-free process. Most of the time, this is achieved by one thing: great communication. We make sure this happens by going the EXTRA mile in communication!

During an insurance claim, you typically have an agent and adjuster. Our Marketing Representatives work hard to stay in constant contact with both of these individuals throughout the process, so they know how well the job is progressing. This helps them be able to put their trust in our team, and also be able to help the customer if they ask any questions about what is going on in their home.

We also know that this is a time that is extremely stressful for everyone involved. This is why we also have the Project Coordinator over each job call their clients every day. This is a good time to give updates, and ensure all questions are answered.

At the end of the job we ask for feedback on how we did. Every job has a Certificate of Satisfaction that is filled out and signed by the homeowner, which has different ratings of how we did in different areas. One of these areas is how well we communicated. Our franchise makes it a goal to get all 10/10, but especially in the communication area!

Home Pet Safety

2/12/2020 (Permalink)

Home Pet Safety

Home fires are some of the most common accidents that The Red Cross responds to, and over 1,000 a year and caused by… pets! Below are some ways to ensure this does not become your home and pets.

Protect Yours Pets- When there is a flame or a hot surface, keep animals away from the danger. This also helps keep you safe with not having them underfoot.

Dowse Open Flames- Pets are curious and tend to investigate all over your home when you are not around. Double check before leaving the home that there are no hazards for your pets to get into.  

Flameless Candles- This is another great option for people wanting to cut down on open flames in their home. The bulb in the candle will ensure if it is knocked or nosed over, that no harm is done.  

Other Tips:

Make it easy on the firefighters, and if you have any cages, put them near an entrance. This will help get your pets out faster and it is safer for the fire department.

Keep leashes and collars near doorways, in case the firefighter needs them.

Get a “pet alert” sign for your front window stating the number of pets inside the home. This can help the firefighters get in and out quickly, and efficiently.

You can find more information at: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/pet-fire-safety.html

Theme of the Month – February

2/7/2020 (Permalink)

Try the cool, refreshing taste of SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky!

Theme of the Month – February

Each month our Marketing Department promotes a different type of issue that could arise in your home or business. This February, we are working to help people know about what can happen when a pipe freezes in their home. Not only can this frozen water pipe bust and cause a large water issue, if not found and mitigated in a rapid amount of time, mold can also begin to develop. With the cold weather still going strong, and it is important to take precautions to prevent loss from happening.

Some things you can do to avoid a busted pipe is:

  • Keep pipes properly wrapped and insulated, both inside or outside the home
  • Keeping garage doors closed as much as possible. Especially at night
  • Keeping thermostat the same, both day and night
  • Opening cabinet doors so warm air can circulate
  • Remove water hoses from outdoor faucets
  • Let water drip from faucets when below freezing

Give us a call if you have any issues, our water estimates are always free!

Mold and Its Odor

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

In your home or business, there are many things that can go wrong and cause stress. One of those things is when mold is discovered. While the sight is enough to make you want to pretend you did not find it, the smell is often just as unpleasant. The odor that is given off is typically very powerful, it is often the first sign you notice when you have an issue on hand.

Mold prospers in dark, secluded places where they have access to water or moist air. It does not like light, so it is often found in dark places such a crawlspaces, basements, garages, and attics. It also can grow in your bathroom or kitchen cabinets, and on old food items.

Here are some more facts about mold:

What does it smell like?

· We often get calls asking “What mold smells like?” While it can smell different to everyone, you can look for an earthy odor. Some people describe it as rotten wood, wet clothing, or the outdoors after a hard rain.

What makes it smell?

· One of the stages that mold goes through causes it to release mycotoxins into the air. This is what creates the smell, by all the organic compounds in the mycotoxins.

How can I get rid of it?

· Your best bet is calling a professional to come take a look. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is now offering mold testing, which can confirm any question about what you have going on. We come onsite, take the appropriate test samples, and then send them off. We typically have results with 5 business days. At this point, you know exactly what is going on, and what steps to take at this point.

Roof Problems? Call SERVPRO!

2/2/2020 (Permalink)

After many of SERVPRO’s jobs, there tends to be items that have to be removed from the home or business. After mitigating the issue, repairs need to be made on the home. After being in business several years, we this need, and how many customers were not comfortable handling putting their lives back together by themselves. That’s when we started looking into helping fill this void.

This is when SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky opened their rebuild department to be able assist their clients. While the department began working primarily with our customers that had mitigation services completed, over the years it has also grown to helping business owners and families who are looking for either remodeling or repairs.

While up to this point, the services offered only reached to inside buildings. We then noticed a large amount of calls received regarding roof replacement and repair. We are happy to announce that our rebuild department has now added these roofing services!

Give us a call for more information, and for financing options!

2019 F1rst Responders Bowl - Local WKU Hilltoppers!

1/12/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has been the corporate sponsor of the F1rst Responder Bowl for the past 10 years, and our local franchise had an especially big reason to be excited this year: our local Western Kentucky University was playing in the game!

After the previous years game was a letdown with the game being cancelled from lightening strikes close to the field, it was almost “Like it never even happened.” SERVPRO’s from around the country were ready for 2019 to be a full game, especially for all the first responders in attendance.

Being the corporate sponsor, franchises from all over the country help host by donating their time, money, or tickets for local responders to enjoy with their families. We love giving back this way, and knowing we gave a family a fun night with their hero.

Congratulations to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers for winning the game 23-20, and we cannot wait to watch again next year!

Factory Cleanup

1/10/2020 (Permalink)

Owensboro/Daviess County is a large area and is full of factories and businesses. With us knowing this, we are continuously able to handle large scale jobs of different magnitudes. We recently received a call about doing a post construction clean on a huge, local baking factory. This factory had recently gone through a large expansion and had about 150,000 square feet added on. This area had not been cleaned to the factory’s standards before their new equipment arrived, so the dust had also settled on the machinery.

We were hired to clean the machinery, and expansion to the factory’s standard.

With the factory still running throughout the process, they did not want us to get in the way of their normal production. Knowing this, we altered our team’s normal schedules, and we had several crews that volunteered to work from 5pm-3am to complete the job. Along with working these long hours, we also worked 7 days a week, until the job was done. We originally estimated the job would take about 4 weeks, and we completed the work in 3 weeks.

We were thankful to have teams ready to do whatever it took to get the job done and provide great customer service along the way.

Call us at 270-683-1888 for more information!

Unique Cleaning - Biohazard, Vandalism, Crime Scene

1/8/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky offers several types of more cleaning that is necessary, but not always common. Some of these include vandalism, graffiti, trauma, and crime scene cleanup. While these are not common, they are very needed when in that situation.

Trauma or Crime Scene:

  • With both trauma and crime scene clean up, we are able to come onsite as soon as the investigation by the police is over. We are then able to begin restoring the area. We are certified to clean up, deodorize the area, and then dispose of any pathogens or bodily fluids that are found at the scene.

Vandalism or Graffiti Art:

  • Anytime someone does something to your property, it is very upsetting, but SERVPRO is here to make it “Like it never even happened.” In these situations, it is something that you want to be taken care of quickly. For both circumstances, the longer it sits the worse it is. You want to get a professional onsite as quickly as possible to minimize the issue.

Types of Storm Damage to Your Home or Business

1/8/2020 (Permalink)

Everyone that lives in Kentucky knows the jokes about how quickly the weather changes here. But during the summer and fall months, we are especially hit by water downpour from seasonal storms. While all storms cause damage, some types become a lot harsher than others on your homes or businesses. These storms can bring heavy rain, flooding, and tornadoes into our area. We can even get rain or thunderstorms off of hurricanes traveling up the coast.  

While any storm can cause major damage to your home or business, there are a few types to be aware of when a storm travels through: lightening, flooding, and wind damage.

Lighting Damage: when bolts of lightning strike your home or business. This can cause a fire, which can quickly spread. It does this through the static discharge it has.

Flooding Damage: when major amounts of water have fallen, at times it is too much for the ground to handle at once. Even with all of Kentucky’s many caves, sinkholes, and lowlands, we still have issues with it. It is easy for homes, basements, roads, and driveways to quickly flood, and fill with water. If you experience any type of flooding, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky can help you dry out, and even rebuild your home or business back!  

Wind Damage: Most of the time, this involved your roof and siding, but can also impact trees, and outdoor items. When impacting your roof, it can be from a just few shingles, to your entire roof taken off. If you see any damage, have a professional come out and take a look. Even a small hole can cause a huge issue in your home with time. It can even lead to mold being developed within days.

Commercial Building Disaster = Lost Revenue $$

1/7/2020 (Permalink)

With all of the factories and businesses in Daviess County, SERVPRO is prepared for all different types of disasters that can happen. We understand that when a commercial building is struck by disaster, money is constantly being lost. When we are called, our first priority is always to get you back “Like it never even happened.”  

No matter what type of business you own: commercial factory, a mom and pop business, restaurant, doctor’s office, or a business run out of your home, we can take care of any situation. We know there are also certain items that you must have ready to go once your building is repaired. This is why we have a Contents Department at our main office, where we can restore any items that are needed in your profession.

When dealing with this type of situation, it is also our first goal to restore items rather than replace them. This helps keep costs down and keeps down the hassle of having to replace items. We have an amazing department, who can typically decide onsite if it can be saved. Check out our videos of some of the items they have saved!

Another one of our priorities when coming onsite is to provide great customer service to our clients. We work hard to always have crews on call 24/7 if you have an issue. Our goal is to be onsite within hours and begin work the same day!

Fire Emergency Items Wash

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is now providing a new service for our local communities. When it comes to a fire, the smoke moves around a building faster than the fire itself. This smoke puts off both soot and smell on any items it comes in contact with. Many times when a fire like this happens, the homeowners' contents have to be washed and processed before they are usable again. This not only leaves the family feeling helpless, but it also leaves them without basic necessities.

After seeing this need, and our client’s discomfort, SERVPRO of Daviess County begin offering Emergency Washes on items families need immediately.   

When an entire home is brought back to our Contents Warehouse, it takes a while for items to be processed and finished. With an emergency wash, we have our families select enough of their clothing, items, children’s stuffed animals, and more to help them get through a couple of weeks. We then have our Contents Department work after hours to have the items processed and ready to go back.

While this is not necessary in every fire loss, it can be very useful for any that has the main living areas impacted.

An Emergency Processed Wash does not mean an entire home can be done, but just having some of their familiar items helps put the family’s minds at ease. It also cuts down on costs for insurance companies by restoring, not replacing items until their contents have been fully returned.

Theme of the Month – January

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – January 

During January, our Marketing Team is working to educate on the public on how we should be your #1 choice when it comes to any type of cleaning, or disaster cleanup work! Everyone knows us for being the green trucks that clean up fire and water, but we are much more than that. We handle mold, biohazard, regular cleanings, vandalism, rebuild projects, and much more!

For our insurance agents we work we, we want to remind you we should be the FIRST call you make when a potential claim comes across your desk. We can be your eyes and ears onsite and can help judge if it would be best to make a claim, or do a self-pay. We are there to assist you and your clients to make the best decision possible.

Give your local Marketing Representative, Matt Bray, a call today at 270-670-4677!

Biohazard

1/5/2020 (Permalink)

Another service that SERVPRO offers besides your typical fire, water, and mold remediation is Bioharzard Cleanup. While this is not something easy to talk about, there are times in life when it is necessary. “Biohazard Cleanup” is considered several different situations:

Microbiological and Pathological Waste, Unattended Death Clean Up, Blood Clean Up, Industrial Accidents, Animal Clean Up, Hoarding Situations, Body Fluids, Homicide and Suicide Clean Up, Crime Scene Clean Up and more.

we are called to work on a jobsite like any of the above mentioned, we take every precaution to stay discreate and be respectful of any situation. If requested, we can even schedule a nighttime crew so that onlookers cannot see what is going on. We are also proud to have staff members who can handle the situation with grace and respect. Our #1 goal throughout the duration of the job is to help ease any heartache and be as quick and thorough as possible.

Give us a call for more information.

Snowfall Flooding

1/2/2020 (Permalink)

So far, winter 2019-2020 has been mild, and we have not experienced much snow. While this may be the case, we are still not in the clear. While we may not have any snow in the forecast, that could change at any moment. Before we get snow, we would like to warn everyone about the risk of snow potentially turning into a water loss.

Many people may not think about this happening, but we often see it in our line of work. After a large snowstorm hits, it takes a few days for it to melt. During this time, it can come into your home or business by any small cracks in your foundation. This also happens quite a bit when the ground is still frozen, since it cannot absorb any of the water that needs to be drained.

Odor and mold are also side effects of water losses. Being diligent and making sure that your home is well protected this winter season is the best way to avoid seeing green trucks at your home!

But remember, the longer a loss sits, the worse the damage gets.

It is important to call in backup as soon as you know it is more than you can handle.

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky. 270-683-1888.

4 Tips for Smoke/Soot Cleanup

12/31/2019 (Permalink)

Once a fire loss is over and the adrenaline high wears off, the panic begins to set in. This is where SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky steps in and helps make it “Like it never even happened.” Our trainer professionals can come in, assess the damage, and write up an estimate of work for what they see. But before help is onsite, here are a few things you can do to help minimize the damage:

*NOTE: We want to warn you, when doing a thorough cleaning job, you need specialized training. If you are nervous about what to do, let us get onsite before moving anything. *

  1. Cleaning Sooty Dishes

        Dishes are an item you cannot live without very long. They are also an item you will want to have these 100% clean, simply because they are what you eat off. Wooden items are difficult to clean, as they will soak up water during the cleaning/soaking process. They are best to replace in this situation. To clean the plastic and glass items, first soak in a solution of water and bleach (2 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water) for about 20 minutes. Then scrub the items with detergent until clean.

  1. Textiles and Clothing Impacted

         When these items are impacted, do not throw them into a regular washing machine, as this will worsen the situation. You can call a local dry cleaner and ask what they suggest doing, or you can give us a call and we can do an emergency wash on items you need immediately. We have the Esporta Wash System in house, which can easily handle items that have went through a fire. This is a great service to take advantage of when your items are all impacted, and you need them back quickly.

  1. Tips to Remove Smoke Soot

        After a fire, if the soot has not been sitting quite a while, or is not very thick, you may be able to remove the top layer yourself. But before you put any mixture with water in it on the wall, make sure to wipe and dust the wall or item to take off as much of the dried particles as possible. Once soot gets wet, it will get sticky and harder to remove. If you are going to paint the area, also make sure the all is as clean and dry as possible before beginning.

  1. Limit Traffic in Impacted Areas

       The more people are going through the area, the more of the soot will be tracked through your home or business, and ground into the flooring until you are ready to begin the cleaning process. also limit the amount of people handling the items. Touching will make the soot harder to scrub off.  

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky can help ease your mind in this situation, and make it “Like it never even happened.” Call us today to get on the schedule for a free quote!

Garage Mold Prevention

12/31/2019 (Permalink)

Have you ever noticed any discoloration in your garage? Since mold thrives in moist, humid climates your garage is the perfect target for spores. This New Year, take the time to prevent this from happening

  • Look for leaks – Inspect all areas in the garage including moving all items/boxes against the wall, checking out the boxes, the roof, floor, gutters, and any exposed pipes. If there are any problem areas, fix them as soon as possible, and make sure they are not leaking until you can fix them.
  • Use waterproof storage – Water is attracted to any porous materials, which includes any cardboard, paper, or drywall. Switching to either plastic or metal storage containers will help keep water from sticking around in your garage if it does happen to get in. It also helps keep items inside the boxes clean and mold free, while cardboard will allow the mold to grow inside and reach the items.
  • Seal garage door – Check to see if your current weather stripping around the garage door is is old and torn. If it looks like it is in rough condition, replace it ASAP. Having your stripping in good condition will help keep the weather out.
  • Decrease humidity – Since garages naturally have a high humidity reading, it is important to control minimize it as much as you can. One way you can do this is to leave the garage door open a few sunny hours a day. This will help dry air circulate inside and kill spores. You can also use a dehumidifier as needed.
  • Remove standing water – Hopefully, you find none of this in your garage, but if you do, remove it as quickly as possible. This will eliminate the molds source of growth. You can also put a fan pointed on the area to help it dry faster.
  • Extend gutter downspouts –Look outside, and make sure that your downspouts extend at least 10 feet away from the home. This will help redirect the water away from the garage foundation and help keep water from seeping in at the base. You can pick up downspouts at any home improvement stores.

If you are still experiencing more mold growth than you realized, reach out to the professionals, and we can come and look at what you have going on. We are now even doing mold testing, where we can tell you exactly what is going on within your home!

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky. 270-683-1888.

Theme of the Month – December

12/30/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – December

This is the time of year when many different holidays and celebrations hit. With so many being this time of year, it is easy for people to forget how important it is to stay safe and do the little things to prevent a disaster from happening. During December, that is exactly what SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky focused on informing our clients and the public.

One of the main reasons home fires spike during this time of year is from real Christmas trees not getting the proper amount of water. Check out this video showing how quickly an underwatered tree can go up in flames:

https://interestingengineering.com/video/this-video-shows-how-your-dry-christmas-tree-can-cause-a-deadly-house-fire

Once you are done with your tree, dispose of it. Do not let it become a safety hazard for you and your family!

Another thing you can do while cleaning up decor, is to look for any frayed, or torn wires. Going ahead and disposing of these items before next year will save time, and also ensure a safe holiday season next year!

From your friends at SERVPRO, have a great rest of the season and Happy New Year!

Pet stains? No problem!

11/4/2019 (Permalink)

While you may have perfectly trained indoor pets, sometimes, accidents happen! Here are some tips about what to do when you find one of those “accidents”!

*Do not forget to always spot test any products before use*

Urine Stains: if found while still wet, blot up excess moisture as soon as possible. The quicker you get it up, the less it will soak in and spread around. Once you have as much up as possible, use either a pet stain remover, or a mixture of 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of warm water, and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Place mixture into a spray bottle, and spray directly onto the stain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then blot up with a clean paper towel.

Older or Heavier Stains: the first step is to get as much of the heavy or dry stain up as possible. Once you have done that, pour straight vinegar on the stain (but just enough to soak through!). After the vinegar, you will sprinkle baking soda (just enough to cover the stain), then cover with an upside down laundry basket, or a bowl. This will keep family members or pets from walking through it while it soaks. Let the stain sit and COMPLETELY dry for 24 hours. After that time, make sure the stain is dry, sweep or pick up any loose dirt, and then vacuum the spot. After that, the stain should be gone!

For more information on this method, visit: https://lifehacker.com/use-vinegar-to-get-rid-of-old-stinky-pet-odors-1520292441

If you are still not satisfied with the carpet smell or look, reach out to the professionals at SERVPRO for a free carpet cleaning quote!

Theme of the Month – November

11/3/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the month – November

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is preparing for the busyness of the holiday season! This is the time of year that many families get together, but it is also the time of year when many accidents happen. While we are known for our green trucks and water removal, we are also certified fire mitigation experts! This time of year, we get many calls about various issues that homes or businesses have experienced to do with fire or smoke. We also have on hand service you may need to put your home completely back together, making us a one stop shop! These include board up, smoke & soot cleaning, demo, contents inventory and pack out, laundry, soft and hard contents cleaning, & reconstruction.

If you have any questions, or need help, reach out to the professionals!

Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

10/29/2019 (Permalink)

Each day, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky gets multiple calls asking about what we can do for smoke or fire damage. With fall and winter being the biggest months for fires to start, we are prepared to take on any job, big or small! While many issues happen when families use their fireplace for the first time or build a bonfire a little too close to the home, COOKING is actually the #1 reason for smoke or fire damage to residential buildings! Some ways to avoid a cooking accident include: Immediately wipe up dust or grease from your stove when you notice it, never leave the kitchen while cooking, make sure to keep your stove top clean and clear, double check everything is off after cooking, do not wear loose clothing, and always unplug any counter top appliances when not in use.

Doing these things can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run!

For more information: https://www.esfi.org/resource/home-cooking-fire-prevention-tips-619

2019 Illinois Storm

10/17/2019 (Permalink)

These were just 6 of the homes we worked while in Chicago!

At the end of September, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky got the call that there was a microburst in Chicago, Illinois, and were asked if they could assist with the cleanup. After going home and grabbing their bags, we had a crew headed straight there.

As soon as they got there, they called in backup, as the work had immediately started piling up. Once our second crew arrived, they divided and conquered.

Going on 3 weeks since we were first onsite, not all of our team members have been able to come home yet. There are still an entire crew waiting and working on little things to finish up the jobs.

While each member is ready to be home, this is a very rewarding part of the job. This is when customers are finally at ease, and they know their homes are safe and sound.

Theme of the Month – October

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

Ask your marketing representative for a pink pen!

Theme of the Month – October

Throughout October, SERVPRO of Daviess, County Kentucky is working on spreading awareness of it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While it is important for regular checkups, it is especially important for you to do this if you have a family history with cancer.

We are also promoting saying prepared for any disasters with your business or home. This is a great time of year to review any insurance polices you may have and adjust to better suit your needs.

This is also a great time of year (right before winter hits!) to prepare your business in case of any water, fire, or mold problems surface. You can do this by participating in our Emergency Ready Profile Program, which is completely free! Reach out to our local representative at 270-670-4677 for more information.

#BePrepared for Storm Season!

9/13/2019 (Permalink)

Being September, we are right in the middle of Hurricane Season. Because of this, utilize the technology that we use in our everyday lives. #PreparedNotScared  

Charge Up

During Storm Season, always keep a phone charger with you and in your car. This can really help you out if you have any problems during both a major storm, or in everyday life.

Mark Yourself Safe

The Red Cross has a “Make Yourself Safe” program during major disasters that is utilized through Facebook. When you login to the app, it will give you a notification telling you that you are able to check in. This is a quick way to let your family and friends know that you are safe!  

Store Important Documents Online

Ready.Gov suggested to upload important medical records, important information about your pets, insurance policies, identification for each family member, and any other irreplaceable documents. While you may not need them in an emergency, they might still come in handy day-to-day. A couple of these free services are Google Drive and Drop Box.

Follow News Outlets

Go onto your social media and follow different Storm accounts. You may also be able to set up notifications or text messages to come to your phone.

Get in Touch

Make sure to have a paper copy of important contacts posted in your home for everyone to have access to, along with having these numbers saved in each cellphone in the home.

For more information: ready.gov!  

SERVPRO Now Doing Mold Testing

9/10/2019 (Permalink)

Have you ever been in your home or business, and noticed some discoloration on the walls, ceiling or floor that you were unsure where it came from? You might have suspected mold, but you probably cleaned it up and went on with your day. 

But what if the discoloration is too much to handle yourself? If so, that’s when SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky can step in and help out. We are now doing discoloration Mold Testing! This test includes one of our managers coming onsite to collect samples (both air and swab), sending it off to be tested, and returning a full report to you about what exactly you have found. 

If this discoloration happens to be mold, it will also tell you what type it is, so you can be fully informed about what your next step will be. 

If you have any questions, give us a call at 270-683-1888! 

Theme of the Month – September

9/6/2019 (Permalink)

#BeReady #PreparedNotScared #NationalPreparednessMonth

Theme of the Month – September

#NationalPreparednessMonth is very near and dear to our hearts with our crews regularly traveling to help those in need. Throughout the month, take the time to make sure that you and your entire family are taken care of if a disaster were to hit today.

  • Draw out an escape route for each family member
  • Follow weather channels for real time updates
  • Put together a 3-day kit of items for each family member
  • Post emergency numbers in an easy to access location

Another place to prepare is your workplace. One thing you can do is participate in our Emergency Ready Profile Program. This takes very little time on your part, but save you a lot of time in disaster strikes. Contact our local Service Marketing Representative for more information, April Noland: 270-670-4677.

You can also visit www.ready.gov/September for more information and ways you can get ready!

#TipTuesday - The Broom

8/27/2019 (Permalink)

When cleaning up the house, most of us use a broom to sweep up dirt, dust, crumbs and anything else that ends up underfoot. But, when was the last time you thought about what all is trapped between those bristles? 

When going through your cleaning routine, it is important to remember to clean your broom every now and then. If you have a broom with plastic bristles, it is really fast and easy to sanitize it. Simply get a bucket (or sink), fill with hot water, and add in dish soap, and a little bleach. Mix together with the broom, then let soak for 15-20 minutes. 

Once it has soaked, rinse well, and let completely air dry. 

Doing this can significantly cut down on germs, and can make your broom last even longer! 

#TipTuesday #Cleaning 

#TipTuesday - Cleaning Sponges

8/20/2019 (Permalink)

One of the most popular tool to clean both bathrooms and kitchens have been around a long time. While they do a great job cleaning up, have you ever thought about what all is sucked up into them? 

With being a moist, warm environment, they are the perfect breeding ground for germs and bacteria. While most people regularly replace their sponge, did you know you can easily disinfect them between switch outs? 

All you need is your sponge, water and microwave. 

Wet the sponge, place in the microwave, and turn it on high for 2-3 minutes while keeping an eye on it. Once it is done, open the door and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. 

Your sponge is now germ free! You can also add lemon juice to the sponge for a great smelling microwave and kitchen. 

Kentucky Humidity

8/19/2019 (Permalink)

When you have a water loss or accident in your home or business, many people decide to do the cleanup themselves. While this saves money in the short term, it can cost you in the long term. One of the things that many people do not consider is how quickly mold can develop. Being in Kentucky, we are used to the high humidity that can come with warm weather. One of the downsides of all of this humidity is that it certain types of mold can grow with us just that, the moisture in the humidity. This makes it very important to take the time to check wet, dark places around your home or business frequently to make sure there has not been any growth.

If you have any questions about mold, or if you could have it, feel free to reach out to us and have a trained professional come take a look!

Storm Alerts - Warning vs. Watch

8/13/2019 (Permalink)

We are currently in the middle of Hurricane Season for the United States. This season is June-November, and is the time of the year when we can expect to see bad weather around the gulf and the coast. While Kentucky is an inland state, we still experience backlash when these storms come along. We have learned to expect a lot of rain, and severe thunderstorms. When these storms are close to setting in, we see a lot of “Storm Warnings” or “Storm Watches.” But do you really know the difference between the two?

Warning: A bad storm is in the area and is moving quickly. Seek shelter and be careful.

Watch: There is a great chance that a storm is going to move in quickly. Watch the weather and be able to take shelter quickly.

https://www.weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm-ww

SERVPRO's Warehouse System

8/8/2019 (Permalink)

Bubble wrapped items waiting to be packed into a pod!

When your home or business has a major loss (fire, water, mold, storm, ect), there will typically be some type of rebuild that needs to happen. While fixing your home, most of the time families or businesses do not have anywhere to store their items after we have cleaned them. SERVPRO of Daviess County saw this need and has worked hard to fill it.

When a loss comes in like this, we pack up all the items that will need to be cleaned and bring them to our shop. Once at our location, we place them in our “dirty” warehouse until it is time to process the business or home. They are then moved to the “cleaning” warehouse, where they are processed. Another thing about the cleaning warehouse is that your contents are the only contents in that area at this time. This helps ensure that no customers belongings are mixed together on accident.

After going through the cleaning process, the items are then moved to our holding warehouse. This warehouse is climate controlled and is where the items stay while waiting to be returned to the business or home that had the loss. They are placed in large pods that are organized and labeled for your job. This also makes it easy to find your items when it is time to return them.  

Your Post Construction Cleanup Crew

8/8/2019 (Permalink)

Did you know that SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky does Post-Construction cleanup? If you or someone you know is either building a home/business or is remodeling, let SERVPRO help! We can do both interior and exterior cleaning and have a wide variety of options for you to choose from or add to. Let us take the stress from you! A few of these services are listed below:

Outside:

  • Exterior windows and doors
  • Entry door/doorway
  • Pressure washing driveway and paved surfaces
  • All trash on property
  • Washing exterior lights
  • & more!

Inside:

  • Walls (dusting, wiping down, and removing dirt/smudges)
  • Windows (tracks and frame)
  • Trash and plastic covering removal
  • Doors
  • Air ducts (including vents and baseboard heaters)
  • Cabinetry, appliances, fixtures and counter tops
  • Ceiling, fan and light fixtures
  • Trim
  • & more!

Call us today at 270-683-1888 with any questions or to request a free quote of your property!

Theme of the Month - July

7/3/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – July

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is working hard to educate our contacts on all the different services we provide. This month, we are focusing on a couple of different things about us you may not have known about that can save you $$!

One of the biggest goals of our company is to abide by the 1-4-8 rule. This rule means that we are to respond to any calls that come in within 1 hour. There will be a first responder onsite to assess the damage within 4 hours. We will be able to give a verbal briefing to the agent, adjuster or homeowner within 8 hours. Sticking to this goal is helping us save our clients money down the road. The faster we are onsite and getting to work, the less damage you will experience!

On the other side of this, we also provide a FREE service for any business owners in our coverage area. After scheduling an appointment, our Service Marketing Representative for the area will come in and gather information about your business. They then turn that information into a file for you to keep on hand in case of disaster.

4th of July - Fire Safety 101!

7/2/2019 (Permalink)

It is finally July! We are over halfway through the year, and it is time for one of America’s favorite holidays: Independence Day. While this holiday is celebrated by all, it is also one of the most dangerous holidays for what people use to celebrate, fireworks.

Below are some ways you can ensure your party stays safe for everyone attending:

  • Before starting the shooting off process, get a hose or bucket of water ready to put our sparks
  • Make sure children are being supervised the entire time, even if they are just playing with sparklers
  • When setting up the fireworks, do not use metal or glass containers to hold them upright
  • Wait a couple of minutes after the fireworks show to ensure each firework has fully went off
  • Never point or throw them at others, even if they have not been lit yet
  • When purchasing fireworks, avoid any that are packaged in plain paper bags. These have likely been used as displays and could be damaged
  • Stand beside the fireworks, not over when lighting them
  • After lighting a firework, get as far away as you can
  • Before purchasing, also make sure there is not a firework ban in your area
  • When the fun is over and you are cleaning up, it is a good idea to wet the leftover pieces of fireworks to ensure they do not go off in the trashcan and start a fire

Use caution and enjoy your holiday! If there are any fire issues, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is on call 24/7, and can respond even on holidays. Feel free to call us and have a professional come out and look at your problem!

https://www.allprodad.com/10-fireworks-safety-tips/

Owensboro Open House - June 27th, 2019

6/20/2019 (Permalink)

Check out our Facebook Event to RSVP!

Open House:

Want to know more about all of the many services that SERVPRO has to offer? Come see us at our first ever Open House on June 27th located at our Owensboro office! 

We will have games, prize giveaways, drinks, appetizers, booths, and a meet and greet from several of our staff members. We will have managers from all of our departments (Office, Marketing, Rebuild, and Production) available to answer questions and explain how each process works. We will also have a booth dedicated to us traveling on Storm, and also a table of before and after photos. Stop by after work and see us! 

June 27th, 2019

5-7PM

3290 Warehouse Road

Owensboro, KY 42301


Contact April Noland for more information:
270-670-4677 or April.Noland@SERVPRO9750.com

Theme of the Month - June

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month - June

To begin the summer, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is focusing on informing our clients on exactly how the claim process works in relation to technology. All of our paperwork, information, and job readings are tracked on specialty apps created for us, and are immediate uploaded to the cloud for safe storage.

While this makes it easier on our crews to get the information they need, it also helps our office staff get the information instantly, so they do not have to wait for the physical copy. This has also helped our customer service improve. As soon as documents are signed, they are sent to our office, but they are also sent to the clients emails themselves. This helps ease our customers when they are in this stressful time.

Even our Marketing Department has technology in their programs. We are able to track job status, what is going on with leads, take notes on client needs, and track referrals from our insurance agents and adjusters.

With making it “Like it never even happened” being our goal, we are doing everything we can to do this and to make the customer feel at ease at the same time.

Content Cleaning Process

5/17/2019 (Permalink)

Have you ever given thought to how SERVPRO transports and cleans your home’s or businesses items when they are impacted by a water or fire loss? Our employees have extensive training on how to properly pack and move your contents to prevent the least damage as possible. We make sure to bring plenty of supplies to each job, so we can wrap every item with care.

Once we get to our office, we go to our the “dirty items” Wearhouse and create a barricade with your name on each box or large item to prevent any mix ups. We then have a separate Wearhouse with all our cleaning equipment in it. We only clean one customers contents at a time, so there is no chance of mixing up any items. This also ensures that once an item is clean, that it does not get mixed back in with dirty items.

Once we are through with one customers items, we then move it to a large crate with the customer’s name on it, and move the large crate into our climate controlled Wearhouse, where only clean items are stored. Putting into this climate ensures the quality of the items cleaning while they are waiting to be returned.

With the process set up in this way, it is far easier for us to keep customers items together and find them at a moment’s notice.  

Spring Time Mold Growth

5/17/2019 (Permalink)

Crawlspace Discoloration

It’s finally Spring Time! While most people are happy to see that the warm weather has arrived, one thing that a lot of home or business owners are also noticing is mold growth.

Most thrives in warm, moist, dark places. Some of the most common areas of the home to find growth is in the crawlspace, basement, inside cabinets, and in attics. Mold can also set up within 3 days of water being present, is important to check these places regularly.

We recently got a call about a home that had discovered mold in their crawlspace but did not realize the full extent. Once our employees got into it, the mold was unbelievable. In the photo to the right, there are four different colors of discoloration in one area. At the very back of the crawlspace, there were also areas of the sub floor gone and the homes beams that had been rotted through with mold covering them.

What can cause mold growth? WATER!

5/6/2019 (Permalink)

One of the worst feelings is having unwanted water come into your home. No matter situation or how dirty the water is, it causes you panic and it is not a fun process to go through. When you are trying to decide how to handle this situation, consider what can cause if the damage is taken care of property: MOLD.

There are a lot of different types of mold out there, and none of them are fun to encounter. One of our most common calls is about a business or homeowner discovering black mold in their basement or crawlspaces.

Black mold can grow in dark, warm, damp places in the home, and can begin sprouting with 72 hours of water contact. It is a good idea to regularly check all the places in the home that could be hiding mold.

While you may not have even experiences a water loss, even the moisture from the Earth can cause enough water for the spores to take hold.

Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to check problem areas each month!

Theme of the Month - May

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month - May

During May, SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is highlighting what over 50% of our jobs involve: Water Damage.  

When we receive a call about a new fire job, we know there is probably some type of water cleanup needed on top of fire and soot damage. You do not think about it, but the water used to douse the blaze is creating a different type of damage. Now there is water and fire damage in the home or business.  

When these water issues are not addressed in a timely manner, mold can start sprouting also. With mold taking 72 hours to start setting up, so it is important to call the professionals quickly.

Below are 5 Ways To Avoid Water Damage:

  • Looking under kitchen appliances regularly for any slow leaks
  • Look for basement leaks
  • Watch for water bill usage spikes
  • Regularly replace washing machine, dishwasher and refrigerator hoses.
  • Turn your downspouts to pour away from your home or business

9 Moving Tips for Your New Home

4/9/2019 (Permalink)

Springtime is one of the busiest times of the year for the realty business. Now that spring has officially sprung, here are 9 helpful tips for anyone moving!

  1. Change your locks: If your new home has had multiple owners, chances are there are spare keys floating around. Changing the locks ensures that no one has a copy and can get into your home without your permission.
  2. Before moving in, plan emergency exits: Doing this ahead of time ensures that you do not place furniture in the way of anyone’s outdoor exit.
  3. Find your circuit breaker box: Locating this ahead of time can save you time when you need to get to it quickly! If each breaker isn’t labeled, this is also a good time to figure out what they are and label them.
  4. Review home inspectors report: When purchasing a home, you typically get an inspection done before closing. Look over this report thoroughly and make sure there is not anything that needs to be taken care of before moving in. Then file it away where it won’t get lost in the shuffle!
  5. Deal with anything water related: While some things on the report can wait, water issues cannot. When there is water present, mold can set up within 72 hours. Taking care of these issues quickly can decrease the chances of having issues later.
  6. Change your alarm batteries: Changing these as soon as you move in will ensure they are all working properly, and you know when to change them again.
  7. Look for places to caulk: While the home is empty, look for anywhere that could use extra caulking. Doing this before you more in can be significantly easier and better in the long run.
  8. Clean the gutters: Making sure the gutters are cleaned out and in good condition is something else that can benefit you in the long run. While you can wait to do this until after you move in, it is still something you want to do before you forget about it.
  9. Get your carpets cleaned: The best time to get carpets cleaned is before you start moving in. Once you move in, there is added costs associated with moving your items around while cleaning. There is also added peace of mind when you know the environment you are moving into has been professionally cleaned.

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/before-you-settle-into-your-new-home-make-these-changes-immediately

Theme of the Month - April

4/2/2019 (Permalink)

Them of the Month - April 

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky works hard to keep our work as smooth as possible. When a disaster impacts their home, this is a very stressful time for the families or homeowners involved. With SERVPRO being mainly known as the company with “the green trucks” or “the water cleanup company”, throughout the month of April, our representatives are working on highlighting ALL of the major services we provide.

When you have an insurance claim or a job in your home or business, there are a lot of moving parts. You may need more than one company working together to put it back “Like it never even happened.” This is where SERVPRO comes in. With us also having a rebuild/reconstruction department, mold mitigation services, regular home and post construction cleanings and more, we strive to be there for each of your needs in house.

If you see our representatives out and about this month, you might see what they are giving out: a 3-in-1 desk cleaning tool. This is to help our contacts remember that we are a one-top-shop for all their needs!

Removing Lingering Smoke from SUV

3/27/2019 (Permalink)

Throughout the 7 years SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has been here, we have heard a lot of questions about if we can clean certain items that are not “typical.”

One of these stories was by one of our employees. After buying a new SUV, she noticed a smoke smell that was lingering. As time went on, the smell got worse. In her situation, this was a big problem with her being allergic to cigarette smoke.

Once it started getting worse, she asked one of the production managers if there was anything we could do to deodorize the vehicle. The next day, they took her car into the warehouse, and set up an ozone machine inside. After running for a few hours, the machine had completely taken the smoke out of the SUV, replacing it with a clean smell. After a few weeks, the clean smell wore off, and it smelled like a typical car again.

A year later, the smell still hasn’t returned.

If you ever have any questions about special situations, please reach out and we can see what we can do. No job is too big or small for SERVPRO!

Theme of the Month – March

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – March

This month, our representatives are passing out LifeSavers as a reminder that SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is committed to SAVING YOU MONEY throughout the claim or job process!

SERVPRO does this in multiple ways. The first way being, we do our best to dry out your home, instead of tearing it out. This saves the homeowner time and money when they are going through the process.

We also respond to emergencies 24/7. Doing this prevents jobs from spreading and getting worse. For example: a water job can quickly turn into a mold job without the right care. Getting onsite quickly, can decrease the change of us. We strive to be as proactive as possible to save time and money when you are faced with a disaster.

SERVPRO wants you to know that we are committed to saving money on all sized jobs: both large scale and small scale.

Detailing, Deodorizing and Cleaning Vehicles

2/26/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky has the resources to clean just about anything, this includes vehicles. While we are not typically the first person you think about for this service, we are able to do detailed cleanings, deodorization, and carpet shampooing.

Recently, we have had several different instances where we have brought a vehicle to our office to be deep cleaned. These include:

  1. Cleaning biohazard our of a police departments cruiser.
  2. When a fire extinguisher went off in a brand new truck.
  3. When a newly purchased car had a lingering smoke smell stuck in it.

When a disaster strikes your vehicle, don’t hesitate to give the professionals a call to make it “Like it never even happened.” We are available 24/7, and are happy to give you a free quote. #Cleaning #Detailing #Car #Truck #SUV

Why is it important to keep your bedroom doors closed at night?

2/15/2019 (Permalink)

Photos were taken and posted by the Cold Springs Harbor Fire Department

Cold Springs Harbor Fire Department posted an article about how important it is to keep your doors closed at night. While this creates some anxiety for both the parents and children, having the door closed can drastically slow down the path of the fire. Even though most households are great about checking fire alarms, sometimes these devices can malfunction, or the batteries go dead. When this happens, it is great to have prevented the spread in other ways.  

They also posted the two photos to the left. The charred door was one that was open, and the door that was only burned around the edges was closed. With both doors being in the fire at the same time, this is a great example of how much it can help by keeping them closed.

https://www.wltx.com/article/news/health/why-fire-departments-are-urging-you-to-sleep-with-your-bedroom-door-shut/67-d6445bfa-79d8-475b-9431-f87bb563d2c3?fbclid=IwAR3o-btNEboXL8Q0OXtDqG7EJrAI7SDPzhcvV7SdWz9Q4eBzdgmlviQ6XGI&jwsource=cl 

Theme of the Month – February

2/14/2019 (Permalink)

Theme of the Month – February

February is one of our busiest months here at SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky. With temperatures dropping so low, we see a lot of broken, busted and frozen pipes in many homes and businesses in the area.

Because of this, the theme of this month is how business and home owners need to be proactive against this. Take steps to prevent damage, before it happens!

February also happens to be the month of Valentines Day. Because of this, we thought it would be fun to give out hand warmers! They not only symbolize preventing your hands from being cold, but also that we want to KEEP THINGS WARM between us and out contacts in the field!

Keep these two things in mind throughout the month of February and keep us in mind when you may be dealing with any type of damage on your home or business!

Beware of Broken Pipes! #PolarVortex

1/31/2019 (Permalink)

The first half of winter was pretty mild, but the second half is making up for it. With a Polar Vortex hitting the United States, everyone is scrambling to stay warm and avoid having to get out in the cold. Many schools, businesses and colleges have shut down for the time being, but not SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky. With Owensboro seeing such low temperatures and wind chills, we are already seeing many homes and businesses’ water pipes freezing and busting.

While this might not seem like a huge deal at the time, the longer the water sits, the worse the damage becomes. It is important to call professionals in to take a look, and clean up the spilled water as soon as possible. With SERVPRO being open 24/7, we can easily come take a look and give you a quote.

Continue to drip water through the pipes, and try to keep them as warm as possible, until the temperature comes back up. Doing this can help avoid this tragedy happening to you too!

Space Heater 101

1/24/2019 (Permalink)

It’s the time of year when many people have to start turning up their heat, and bringing out their space heaters. This is also the time of year when the amount of calls about home and business fires goes drastically up. Many times these fires are caused by improper use or a faulty heater.

Here are some safety tips when it comes to these handy heaters:

  • Always check and make sure the heater is not too close to anything flammable
  • Keep heaters away from children or pets
  • Do not use an oven or stove as a means to heat your home
  • Check to see if your heater has a setting where it turns off when tipped over
  • Make sure they are always on a level surface
  • Never place them in doorways. This can cause accidents!
  • Test batteries in detectors regularly
  • Create an escape route and meeting place

And last,

NEVER LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED OR ON OVERNIGHT! 

Theme of the Month – January

1/21/2019 (Permalink)

It’s the New Year! The 1st of the year is always a great time to restart and put new goals in place. SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky went along with this thought process when we set our January 2019 theme of the month. With it being the 1st of the year, we want you to think of us FIRST!

The FIRST person you call when you have a disaster claim

The FIRST person you think of when you have any cleaning needs

The FIRST eyes and ears on a loss site

To remind our clients of this FIRST concept, our Marketing Representatives have been giving out lime green, “#1” shaped ice scrapers throughout the month. Even though an ice scraper is not something you use every day, they are nice to have when you do need them. The same concept applies to SERVPRO, we are nice to have when you need us. Call us at 270-683-1888 for any of your needs!

We are “Green” Cleaners

1/16/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is a “green” cleaning company, both figuratively and literally. While one of our colors is green, we also use green products the entire time we are working on your home. Here are a few reasons why it is best to trust GREEN:

  1. Natural products are safer around your family and pets

While there are times to use harsher chemicals to do something in your home, these can also trigger asthma, allergies and other health conditions if breathed in. Making sure you are avoiding products with toxins, pollutant or suspended carcinogens can drastically increase the quality of air in and around your home.

  1. Green products are healthier

When you cut out the products that contain harsh chemicals, you are down to mostly all-natural products in your home. These products are also less harmful to the environment also. There are times while cleaning with these products that you might have to use a little more elbow grease, but the pros outweigh the cons.

  1. SERVPRO provides the “Green” products

To ensure that all the products are green certified, we provide them, and only use SERVPRO products when we are on the job. We are also able to provide a data sheet about each product we are using in your home, if you wanted to learn a little more.

  1. We are committed to being “Green” in all areas of our company

We are committed to using only environmentally sound products when we are on any job site. This goes along with us being a Restoration Company and saving as many of the materials as possible in every job we are working on. Minimizing the impact on our planet is a huge goal of ours.

  1. “Green” cleaning is safer for our employees

While we have talked about our home owner’s health, we now want to touch on how it impacts our workers. With our team working with these chemicals every day, we do not want them to negatively be impacting our workers health.

No matter if you want some Spring Cleaning done, or have a major disaster on your hands, make sure to THINK GREEN and call the experts!  

How can an ERP help your business?

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

When owning a business, there are always going to be times when small or large accidents or disasters happen. When they do happen, the last thing you want to be doing is scrambling around, trying to find the information needed. You want to have this information previously prepared, and ready to go. This is where SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky steps in and helps take that worry away. Our FREE Emergency Ready Profile’s take the stress off you and your business.

One of our employees comes in, and helps you gather your most important information, and then creates a concise document for you to keep in a safe place. We then return it to you for your approval, and make any corrections needed.

Contact our marketing representative, Brandon Ellis, at 270-670-4677 for more information!

#TipTuesday - Cleaning Lampshades

1/14/2019 (Permalink)

The #TipTueday for this week is about your lamp shades!

Lamp shades are something that it is hard to know how to clean. They get dusty, yet the fabric is hard to get dust off of.

Here is a hack to get rid of this problem: lint rollers.

Take a lint roller, and simply roll it all over the lampshade. This will take off the majority of the dust that has been collected, then use a piece of duct tape to get the hard to reach spots (example: around the seams). Your lamp shades will be looking good as new in no time!

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SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky takes pride in being one of the top cleaning companies in the area. Take time to look around our website for more information about the services we do, and feel free to contact us for a cleaning quote!

6 Ways to Avoid a Winter Water Loss, by SERVPRO & The Weather Channel

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

Throughout the winter season, there are several preventative measures you can take against your home having a water loss. Typically, winter water losses are caused by frozen pipes. There are several ways you can prepare ahead of time against this happening:

Putting your garden hose away for the winter and putting on a faucet cover

Add insulation in the attic

Attach insulated pipe sleeves in your exterior pipes or crawlspace  

Here are a few more measures you can take once the temperature is below freezing:

Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet to help the warm air circulate around your plumbing

Drip your faucets (it doesn’t have to be much!)

Use a fan in the doorway to move air into the colder rooms in the home

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SERVPRO and The Weather Channel teamed up to share these tips through a video. Click the link below to view:

https://www.facebook.com/SERVPRO/videos/578010849311157

SERVPRO Christmas 2018

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

Throughout the year, we are constantly amazed at how much quality work and effort our employees put into their jobs. Working somewhere that is open 24/7, 365 days a year can be tough on employees. This is why we regularly take time to do team building activities and set aside time to make sure employees know they are appreciated.

This December, we had our annual Christmas Party for all the employees. When each person arrived, they were given a number and assigned to a team. After prayer and dinner, we played several team building games before closing with franchise owner, David Elkins, talking to everyone about the year and what all we have accomplished.

When you have a company like this, you are only as successful as your employees are. Christmas is a great time to let loose, talk about the good things, and thank the employees. We are happy to have each and every one of you on #TeamElkins!

SERVPRO's New Year's Cleaning Challenge

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

January is a great time of the year to start fresh and clean out your home and life. Take our New Year’s Cleaning Challenge to jump start your New Year! Do a couple of these tasks the rest of the month to slowly put your home back in order.

  1. Unsubscribe to emails
  2. Toss or donate hair products you no longer use
  3. Delete duplicate phones photos
  4. Throw away any old, unused makeup
  5. Organize and purge your cup cabinet
  6. Trash ragged t-shirts, donate ones you no longer wear
  7. Sweep off porches, decks, and garage
  8. Cancel unused memberships
  9. Clean out your dryer vent
  10. Collect and organize your pet products in one spot in the house
  11. Dispose of expired medicine
  12. Dust ceiling fans
  13. Throw away any out of date food, organize what is still in date
  14. Clean out your purse and car
  15. Replace fire detector batteries
  16. Run the clean setting on the oven
  17. Fill out your calendar for the next few months
  18. Wash your shower curtains on the sanitize setting
  19. Clean your microwave
  20. Throw away any single socks or gloves, or any that are worn out
  21. Donate old shoes
  22. Wash the inside and outside of every trashcan
  23. Recycle plastic ware with missing bottoms or lids
  24. Sanitize all door knobs

Easy Way to Give Back

1/9/2019 (Permalink)

There are many different organizations and non-profit groups in every town. While most people want to give back to these programs, many do not know how or have the time to. Here is an easy way to continually give back without even having to think about it: Kroger Community Rewards.

The Kroger Company has set up a program where each person shopping with a Kroger card or alternate ID can choose a charity, or organization for part of what they spend to go to. Going online and taking a couple of minutes to set up your account and choosing one of the listed organizations can really help them over time.

Go to https://www.kroger.com/topic/kroger-community-rewards-3 to learn more about this program, and to choose what you would like to donate to.

Recycling the SERVPRO Way

1/8/2019 (Permalink)

One of the goals of SERVPRO is to help the environment by reducing the amount of materials we replace on any of the jobs we are work on. Being able to cut down on what is being put in our landfills is a big goal of ours, weather that be in soiled contents or in building materials. We are here to try to save as much of your property as possible, and only replace the items when absolutely necessary. We do this using different cleaning and restoration methods, and we have also invested in a washing machine that can wash and sanitize almost any type of textile items. This can drastically cut down on what is tossed out during a water, fire, or mold loss.

We can also try to cut down on the percentage going to the landfills as we go about our daily lives. Here is a list of materials you can take to your local recycling center:

  1. Aluminum
  2. Plastic Bottles
  3. Newspapers
  4. Cardboard
  5. Steel Cans
  6. Glass Bottles and Containers
  7. Magazines
  8. Any type of paper
  9. Computers
  10. Plastic grocery bags
  11. Foam cups or food containers

Being informed and everyone making better choices when it comes to the items they discard is going to be how we lower the amount of trash that is in our system.  

F1rst Reponder Bowl - CANCELLED

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is the lead sponsor of the annual F1rst Responder Bowl in December of each year. SERVPRO decided to get involved with this bowl game to help show their support for all the local men and women who put their lives on the line for others each day. Each franchise also helps to fill the stadium with local fire fighters and police offers by purchasing tickets for them ahead of time. This way, they can enjoy a day with their families stress-free. This is one of the many ways that SERVPRO tries to give back to their communities.

There was one downside of the 2018 game, it was cancelled. Right after Boston College scored their first touchdown, a thunderstorm hit the area. After a long weather delay, the officials decided it was best to cancel the game altogether.

You could almost say the F1rst Responder Bowl was “Like it never even happened.”!

SERVPRO® Mission Statement

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

Mission:

To develop a team of quality people who focus on excellent service, fairness and mutual respect.

Within our company, we want to have a contagious culture that clients pick up on the second we arrive at their home or business. We want our team to be of the highest quality in personalities, training and customer service. We want our businesses to be run on being fair to the customer along with ourselves. We also want our employees to have mutual respect for both coworkers and clients, and common courtesy for everyone they encounter. We want you to be 100% comfortable with everyone on your job site and we want each job, no matter the size, to be run with the same importance. When disaster strikes, trust green and orange to come save the day. #SERVPRO #KeepItGreen

SERVPRO® Vision Statement

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® Vision Statement: To be the premier cleaning and restoration company in the world.

Being a franchise, we have a lot of goals that are set by corporate that each franchise owner has to follow through with. The SERVPRO Vision Statement is one of these. Every franchises goal across the world is to be the #1 provider in the area. We want to be the first thing you think about when you have an accident or need any type of cleaning. When we are called, our goal is to make it “Like it never even happened,” and provide a stress-free process all the way through.

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SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is always just a phone call away. With our 24/7 service hours, we always have a team available and ready to head your way. Call us at 270-683-1888 for more information about what we can do to assist you.

SERVPRO® Purpose Statement

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO ® Purpose: To help entrepreneurs succeed.

When you own a business, there is a lot on your plate. You do not always have time to pay attention to the little things, like deep cleaning. You do not always have time to put an emergency plan in place either. This is where we come in. No one wants to work or come to a place that is not clean and when a disaster hits, you need it cleaned up as quickly as possible. With SERVPRO’s goal of helping business owners succeed, our job is to come in and make it “Like it never even happened.” We want to help you resolve your problems quickly and efficiently through hard work and communication. With SERVPRO® being a 24/7 business, we can also work around your store hours to help keep your doors open as much as possible. Our goal is to help you.

SERVPRO® Core Values

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® Core Values:

  • Believe in a Dream- We want to help others reach their dreams by helping their businesses grow.
  • Grow Relationships- We are a locally owned business, and we support other local businesses. We want to help grow local relationships and help one another in our communities.
  • Share the SERVPRO Story- We want to share the story behind the orange and green trucks: a husband and wife wanting to start something great for their family. This family mentality is still strong throughout the business today.
  • Financially Frugal- Being a restoration company, we are in the business of saving, not replacing. We want to save as much as we can during project. This in turn helps keep costs and turn around time down.
  • Follow the System- Every franchise is required to follow the system set into place by corporate. Our specialized line of products and procedures have been proven over the years and are constantly being improved. Using these state-of-the-art systems is our key to success.

SERVPRO® Mission Statement

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® Mission: To develop a team of quality people who focus on excellent service, fairness and mutual respect.

The SERVPRO® Mission Statement is very powerful. It outlines all of our companies’ goals in just a few words. We want our customers to have the best possible experience when it comes to having a loss in their home or business. We know this is a stressful time in your life, and we want to take the stress away. When it comes to doing business, we want to be fair on both our end and your end. This happens through respecting one another throughout the entire project. When we continually stick to this statement, that is when great customer service happens, and jobs get done quickly and efficiently.

Follow Us On Social Media

11/29/2018 (Permalink)

The majority of America is on some type of social media platform. This is a great way to stay up to date on events and news from around the world. It is also a great place to catch up on what is going on locally. Being connected to local news outlets and businesses in your area can keep you in the loop about a lot of what is going on. One of the things that SERVPRO of Daviess County tries to do on their social media outlets is to bring value to your timeline. Posting everyday tips, ways to clean things, weather updates, news from the communities we cover, job photos, and job openings are just come of the ways we do this. Follow us to stay up to date about what is going on in Daviess County, Kentucky: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SERVPRO10380

Instagram: www.instagram.com/SERVPROteamelkins/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SERVPRO10380

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/SERVPRO-of-daviess-county/

If you have used our services before, let us know how we did below! 

https://go.thryv.com/site/davieescounty 

Thanksgiving Day Tips!

11/19/2018 (Permalink)

With Thanksgiving being this week, many of us are preparing a large meal for family and friends. While we are preparing for all the festivities, we often let our guards down, and accidents tend to happen. Do not let this be you this season!

Here are some tips on cooking your turkey safely and efficiently:

  1. Safely Thaw Your Turkey- Never thaw your turkey by leaving it on the counter, this can cause bacteria to quickly grow. Keep turkey in its packaging while it is thawing. It takes about 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey for it to fully thaw out, so plan ahead!
  2. Make sure turkey is fully thawed and dry- Water in or on the turkey can cause an explosion when it makes contact with the oil.
  3. Do not deep fry on decks, under patios, in garages or any other enclosed space.
  4. Keep children and pets away from frying area.
  5. Keep a fire extinguisher near, just in case.

https://www.kyfb.com/insurance/lifes-blueprints/avoid-fowl-play-with-these-thanksgiving-cooking-tips/

Black Friday Safety Tips

11/19/2018 (Permalink)

During the holiday season, a lot of mischief begins to happen with people going out of town, many gifts being bought, and families letting their guard down. One of the biggest days during this season that is full of chaos is Black Friday. Many people love going Black Friday shopping for not only the good deals, but for the experience. Sometimes the experience is not a good one though. Here are some tips that will help make sure your shopping trip is enjoyable and safe!

  1. Use a credit card instead of large amounts of cash
  2. Wear a crossbody style bag, and never take it off. This helps avoid being pickpocketed.
  3. Carry keys and credit cards separate from each other. This way the cards do not fall out while you are pulling out your keys.
  4. Store your purchases in the trunk, or out of sight. This prevents break-ins!
  5. Already have your keys in hand when you are leaving the stores
  6. Shop in pairs and make sure not to overload your arms while shopping
  7. Always double check you locked your doors and your windows are up!

https://mpdnews.com/2015/11/black-friday-shopping-tips-for-our-elves/

Esporta Wash System - Changing Content Restoration

11/6/2018 (Permalink)

Our newest investment at SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky is the Esporta Wash System. This system is revolutionizing the way that companies are processing and cleaning textile contents. It is helping lower costs, raise quality, and cut down turn around time.

“Soft contents, textiles, and laundry is the largest category of contents in a home.  This is easy to understand when you consider that the invoice from dry cleaner is often one of the largest expenses on the entire restoration job. However, less than 5% of these soft content items require actual dry-cleaning.  Using the Esporta Wash System, restoration companies can restore 95% of the items in-house. “

With such a large portion of a disaster claim being the textile items, not having to send them to a dry cleaner to get processed is going to cut cost and time drastically.  

In any emergency situation, time is everything. The faster a family can get their salvageable belongings back, the faster they can restart their lives. Here at SERVPRO, we understand that. This is why we are always investing in the newest, top of the line technology.

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Read more about what the Esporta Wash System can do below for content claims below:  

http://www.esporta.ca/blog/blog/page:2/post/5/THE_ANATOMY_OF_A_CONTENTS_RESTORATION_CLAIM/

Moldy Food

11/2/2018 (Permalink)

Everyone has the occasional moldy bag of bread, but how often do you inspect all of your food to make sure it is still in date, and good to eat? Every season take the time to go through your refrigerator, cabinets and pantry looking for expired or moldy food. Even items that are in sealed containers can get bacteria inside and start sprouting spores. Making it a habit of going through and getting rid of these foods can decrease the likelihood of mold growing in your cabinets and in your home. It is also a good idea to wipe down the insides of the cabinets and the refrigerator, so no spills start growing mold either.

If you think you have mold growing in your home, call us at 270-683-1888 to schedule a mold estimate.

7 Tips for Cooking and Avoiding a Fire

11/2/2018 (Permalink)

Almost half of all home fires are started in the kitchen area and the fires reported peak from 5:00-8:00 pm each night. With all the appliances in the kitchen, it is easy to forget something is hot and start a fire, especially if you have been working all day and are tired. It is easy to get distracted, and not notice a problem until it is too late.

Here are some tips on how to avoid causing sparks or smoke:

Be Present: Do not leave food while it is cooking.

Be Clean: Keep all cooking surfaces dry and clean from spills. Grease and food can help feed a fire. This also includes your microwave and toaster oven!

Be Restrictive: Do not let the whole family come into the kitchen while you are cooking. Children or pets can cause you to trip and cause problems if they are not properly supervised.

Be Proactive: Always keep a working fire extinguisher on hand and make sure everyone (who is old enough) knows how to use it.

Check appliance wires frequently to make sure they do not need to be replaced. Always unplug them when they are not being used.

Make sure the smoke alarm nearest your kitchen has fresh batteries every few months.

Be Smart: Follow the installation and usage instructions on new appliances.

Be Timely: Use a timer when cooking! By overcooking your food, you run the risk of it catching on fire or smoking up the house.

And last, but not least:

Be Careful: Use caution while working in the kitchen, and do not to get distracted. Do not wear clothing that could dip in your food or knock into anything. You should also be cautious of long hair when you are in the kitchen, and it falling on heat sources. The same goes with food packaging, grocery bags, and paper or kitchen towels.

https://flsamerica.com/blog/7-simple-steps-to-protecting-your-home-from-kitchen-fires-2/

https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/News-and-media/Press-Room/News-releases/2010/NFPA-study-Nearly-all-structure-fire-deaths-happen-in-home-fires

#TeamElkins Hurricane Relief

10/29/2018 (Permalink)

The top of a gas station

Knowing hurricane season was coming upon us, #TeamElkins put together a group of men and women who would be our Storm team during this time with them knowing there was a chance we would have to travel to help clean up from damage. During mid-September, we started getting weather alerts about several hurricanes hitting the coast. We got ready and were waiting when Hurricane Florence went through. We had many of our employees there, when another storm showed up on the radar: Hurricane Michael. After Michael hit, we started seeing videos and photos come through of all the damage, and knew we needed to step up and help. We sent a crew to Mexico Beach, Florida. There were no other words to describe what they saw but complete chaos. They said it looked and felt like a bomb had went off in the area. There was no cellular service, hardly anywhere to get food, and the roads were all almost closed.

While our crews are now back home, there is still a lot of clean up that is being done. It will take years for this town to bounce back to its potential.

If you would like to donate to the cause, follow the link below:

https://www.helpmedonate.org/hurricane-michael-relief-event/donation?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5JSbvNCs3gIV242zCh1aLARWEAAYASAAEgIVhPD_BwE

Bathroom Mold Safety

9/18/2018 (Permalink)

Have you ever found mold in your home? Especially in your bathroom? Bathrooms are the hardest places in the home to prevent mold growth from happening. Mold loves to grow in small, warm, damp environments. When you run your shower, a lot of moisture gets put into the air along with the toilet holding water and the sink running. Without proper ventilation, all this moisture can sprout mold spores rather quickly. If you suspect mold in your bathroom, here are some of the most prominent places it grows: between the tile, surface of sink and counters, inside cabinets, and behind the toilet.  Checking these places is your first step to seeing if you have mold.

If you find any, this is when you call a professional to see how bad the issue is. SERVPRO of Daviess County has certified technicians who can come assess the damage for you.

If you do not find any mold spores, but want to avoid getting them in the future, here are some tips:

  • Always use the ventilation fan when showering or taking long baths, and keep it running for awhile after you finish
  • Use a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels low throughout your home
  • Wipe off all surfaces in the bathroom and do not leave wet towels in the floor
  • Check plumbing for leaks

Another product you can use to reduce moisture in the air is DampRid. This product soaks up water in the air and prevents the room from getting musty. It also works well when put in cabinets, so everything stored in the bathroom can stay fresh and clean!

https://www.amazon.com/DampRid-FG60FS-Moisture-Absorber-10-5-Ounce/dp/B00CBLW1MQ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537281634&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=damp+rid&psc=1

Hurricane Florence - #TeamElkins

9/17/2018 (Permalink)

Before Hurricane Florence hit, the predictions about how much damage it would cause kept changing, and many residents on the coast of North and South Carolina evacuated. Now that Florence has hit the east coast with its full force the past few days, it is time to start putting these cities back together. The amount of damage caused surpassed what the local franchisees could handle, which is when Storm was activated. Storm Teams from across the county have traveled to help clean up the destruction caused by the storm, and so have we. Right now, #TeamElkins is working in North Carolina in the cities of New Bern, Sebree, Trent Woods, and Atlantic Beach. These cities are right off the coast and have been hit extremely hard. Team members have been sending back photos, like the one to the right, of all the destruction and it is devastating to think about. We are happy to be able to help those in need, and plan on staying as long as we can to help with the cleanup.

Air Duct Cleaning

9/13/2018 (Permalink)

Air ducts are something that many home and business owners do not think about on a regular basis. But along with the rest of your home, they also get dirt. SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in cleaning HVAC Systems. 

  • The process begins by using patented equipment including a roto-scraper, which automatically adapts to the duct's shape and diameter while traveling through the duct, removing debris and filth before vacuuming begins.

  • Next, a powerful push-pull air delivery and collection system transfers the debris from the ducting to a 16-gallon container.

  • Air is filtered through a HEPA filtration system, removing 99.97 percent of particles in the airstream. HEPA filters capture debris and keep the environment clean.

  • As an optional process, a sealant or coating product may be sprayed to address odor to microbial concerns.

  • Filters will either be cleaned or replaced to remove odor and dirt.

Duct cleaning may not always be necessary. SERVPRO of Daviess County will inspect your HVAC system and ductwork and make recommendations about the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns. This inspection can save you money and provide peace of mind on the health of your HVAC system and ductwork.

In some circumstances, such as after fire, smoke or suspected mold growth, duct cleaning becomes an essential part of the cleanup process. In these cases, SERVPRO of Daviess County often restore the HVAC system and ductwork to pre-damage condition.

Call us today- 270-683-1888!

5 Appliances That Could Cause A Water Loss

9/13/2018 (Permalink)

Throughout your home there are 5 appliances that if not properly taken care of could cause a large water loss:

Hot Water Heater- The average life of a water heater is around 12 years, and 70% of their failures are because of leaks or bursts. Make it a habit to regularly check for leaks, inspect the anode rods, and piping.

Refrigerator- Your ice maker is the part of the refrigerator that typically causes the most leaks. They also typically leak in the back where you will not notice. If you replace the lines with braided steel alternatives, it could help prevent this from happening.

Dishwasher- Dishwashers are the same with refrigerators as they can cause slow leaks that you may not notice, but can cause significant damage to your flooring. Pulling the dishwasher out and inspecting under it is the best way to avoid long term damage from happening.

Washing Machine- Over half of water damage claims are the responsibility of faulty washing machine hoses. Annually check the hoses for wear and tear, or go ahead and replace them.

Air Conditioner- If you air conditioner is in the attic, once a month go check and make sure it is not leaking. When appliances are out of site, it normally takes longer to find problems. This could cause a slow leak to happen, and cause even more damage before you even realize it is happening.

#WaterLoss #Water

How We Help Sell Homes!

9/12/2018 (Permalink)

If you are a home owner and realtor with properties to put on the market, you want the potential buyer to have a great first impression. Making sure your home is in its top condition is the way to make this happen. SERVPRO of Daviess County is able to assist both the home owners and realtors in preparing homes to be put on the market. Some of these services are listed below:

  • Duct and HVAC System Cleaning
  • Carpet, Upholstery, Drapery and Blind Cleaning
  • Ceiling, Wall and Hard Floor Cleaning
  • Deodorization
  • Mold Mitigation and Remediation

Making sure your carpets or HVAC systems have been cleaned can be a huge selling point on any home. This shows not only that it is already done and they do not have to worry about it, but that you took pride in your home and took care of it. Doing the little things like this is what can set you apart from the competition!

National Preparedness Month - Tips

9/11/2018 (Permalink)

September of each year is National Preparedness Month. This is the time of the year the Department of Homeland Security encourages home and business owners to prepare for future disasters. Some of the ways that they suggest doing this is by:

  • Learn lifesaving skills- such as CPR and First Aid
  • Check your insurance coverage policies- They may not cover hazards such as floods, earthquakes and tornadoes.
  • Create an escape route
  • Start an emergency fund
  • Learn where gas and water shut offs are in your home
  • Sign up for local weather alerts
  • Make emergency bags for each family member
  • Consider what to do with pets during an emergency
  • Have a designated place for important documents
  • Have emergency phone numbers saved in cell phones and posted near house phones

Taking time throughout the month of September to do some of these things could really help you and your family during an emergency.

October is Fire Prevention Week!

9/11/2018 (Permalink)

Depiction of the "Great Chicago Fire"

Mark your Calendars! Starting October 7th through October 8th 2018 SERVPRO of Daviess County will join the United States in Observing Fire Prevention Week.  This important week is the longest running public health observance according to the National Archives and Records Administration’s library dating back to 1925. This tradition and annual occasion was signed in a proclamation of recognition by the President of the United States.  This important week also commemorates the “Great Chicago Fire” of 1871.  This horrific event in history left over 100,000 people homeless and killed approximately 250 innocent victims.  This grisly fire was rumored to have started when a cow kicked over an oil lamp.

Don’t wait until October to check your smoke detectors.  See our Blog on “The importance of Smoke detectors.

In the event that your a victim of a home or business fire, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.  SERVPRO is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We will answer and react when you need us!

Call us today! 270-683-1888

http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/

http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/fire-prevention-week

Home Safety Escape Route

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

With fire season coming, prepare your family by creating a fire escape plan and making sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency. By having a plan in place and practicing it beforehand, this ensures you and your family will know what to do and be able to calmly go through the steps to get out of your house in an emergency. The National Fire Protection Association has an extremely helpful article on how to create one that is child friendly. It also has tips on how to best lay out your plan.

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Safety-in-the-home/Escape-planning

After creating your plan, make sure to run through it a couple of times and make sure all family members know what to do. The NFPA also suggests that if you have children, have a practice run in the middle of the night, so you can find out how well they learned it. #SafetyFirst #FireSeason

Let us help prepare your business for an emergency!

8/15/2018 (Permalink)

Do you know what percentage of businesses typically close after suffering from a disaster?  50%. That is a crazy amount, and a lot of the problem is that businesses are not prepared for problems when they occur and do not know what to do when that moment comes. In most cases, the faster the work starts, the better. The longer the problem sits, the larger the damage is.

SERVPRO of Daviess County has a way to assist business owners in preventing losses through our Emergency Ready Profiles. We come into your business, gather photos and information, and put together a profile of your business for you to keep on hand in case of issues.

Already having your information together and having a plan of action in place can cut down on the amount of work there is to do on the building.

Call us today at 270-683-1888 to schedule your FREE ERP!

Kitchen Cleaning

8/10/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County is one business that can assist in any type of commercial kitchen cleaning. When a disaster strikes, the business owner’s priority is to get reopened. Being able to do this quickly depends on how quickly and efficiently the mess is cleaned up. Doing this in a kitchen is especially hard because of all the regulations. Having a business who has cleaned commercial kitchens before gives the business owner comfort. Our employees are trained to be mindful of guidelines and be aware of potential hazards around them. Some of the facilities we have assisted with before including: food manufacturing and distribution centers, fast food and sit-down restaurants, senior living facilities, and educational buildings.

Call us today at 270-683-1888 for a free quote and for more information!

Cleaning Commercial Tile

8/9/2018 (Permalink)

Before & After Cleaning

One of the toughest jobs is to clean the grout in between your tile flooring. With grouts rough texture, it holds dirt easily, unlike the tile itself. After years of walking on the floors in homes, it normally starts changing colors from dirt buildup. In businesses, this happens much faster.

When a business tile and grout cleaning gets called in, we are typically able to schedule our service around when your business is closed for the day. We do not want your business to be impacted by our cleaning service. Operating like this helps many businesses who cannot close for a day or close early. We try to accommodate all schedules.

The photo is the before and after of us coming in and cleaning a commercial floor. It looked like new grout once we were through and helped the business maintain their professional image with clean floors. Call us at 270-683-1888 for a free quote on your home or commercial business!

Soot & Smoke Facts

8/7/2018 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action. 

Smoke and soot facts:

  • Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
  • Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
  • The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Daviess County will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Different Types of Smoke

  • Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber
  • Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.
  • Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood
  • Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.
  • Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire
  • Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions. We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today : 270-683-1888

Ten Ways to Avoid a Loss

7/18/2018 (Permalink)

Use these 10 hints to avoid having a loss in your business or home- 

  1. Do not leave electronics on the floor. This includes, iPads, computers, laptops, DVD players, phones, etc.
  2. Leave a 3-4 inch gap between the back of the washing machine and the wall. This will help avoid the hose kinking near the valve connection. It is also smart to replace your washing machine hose every 5 years.
  3. Pay attention to your water bill. A significant increase could indicate a leak somewhere in your home or business.
  4. Make sure each resident in your home or business knows where the main shut-off is located. If you are unsure where this is located, contact us for a FREE Emergency Ready Plan.
  5. Have an annual professional roof inspection. This can catch problems early, and avoid larger problems.
  6. Have your plumbing pipes inspected on an annual basis for condensation, obvious leaks or corrosion.
  7. After flushing the toilet, remain in the area until the fill valve has finished refilling the tank.
  8. Make sure your downspouts are directed 5 to 10 feet away from your house. Clean all debris buildup monthly.
  9. Chemical drain cleaners can eat away at your pipes. Use a drain snake first. This is suggested every 3-4 months depending on the size of your household.
  10. Flush your hot water heater every 6 months to remove built up sediment. You can call in a licensed plumber to do this if you are unsure how.

Using these tips will help you identify problem areas in your home before a loss happens.

What is Storm?

7/17/2018 (Permalink)

On our website, and on our social networking sites, we often mention us being on Storm. When we refer to Storm many people do not know what we are talking about. When national disasters break out, there are often times where there is too much work for the local franchises to handle without help. That is when SERVPRO corporate steps in and helps. They are then able to reach out to certain franchises to seek help. To be asked to help with Storm, you must meet certain requirements as a franchise, and be able to continue running at home without the machines and employees you are sending.

SERVPRO of Daviess County is always prepared to be asked on Storm. Our production manager, Zach Gross, is the leader of Storm for Team Elkins. He can get his crew and trucks ready in a few hours’ time and be on their way to wherever they are needed.

We are proud to have employees who are willing to sacrifice and take time away from their families to help others. While being away from home for weeks at a time is tough, it is very rewarding when you are finished helping families and businesses get back on their feet.

It is hard to prepare for when disaster strikes, but we strive to be as prepared as possible for that moment. We are always ready to help fellow SERVPRO franchises and help anyone in need.

Feeding Local Heroes

7/17/2018 (Permalink)

Some of our local fire fighters!

We love to give back at SERVPRO, whether that be in the jobs we do, the events we volunteer at, or the aid we provide to Storm victims. One way we are giving back to our local communities is by treating some of our local heroes to a meal. Our local police and fire fighters do so much for the community, and you typically only think about them when you are in a time of need. We wanted to thank the firefighters of Owensboro for all the hard work they do and treat them to a free Chick-Fil-A meal! We are slowly catching all of the crews for the local stations and bringing in food for them. Pictured are our first three crews: Station #1, Station #2 and Station #3. Thank you for the sacrifices you all make!

Take time out of your day to thank a local hero!  

Des Moines, Iowa - STORM '18

7/16/2018 (Permalink)

Some of our Storm Team!

Three weeks ago, Team Elkins was activated to go on Storm. Des Moines, Iowa had been hit with major flooding and their local SERVPRO franchise could not handle the workload alone. With SERVPRO utilizing friendships and others expertise, we can call upon each other for help in times of need. That is exactly what happened with us.

We sent nine crew members, seven vehicles, and even picked up some temporary labor on the way up. With most days consisting of working 16 hours straight, these crew members busted their butts to help put back together the lives of those impacted. The devastation was sad to see, but the transformations of businesses and homes were impressive.

It is hard to prepare for when disaster strikes, but we strive to be as prepared as possible for that moment. We are always ready to help fellow SERVPRO franchises or anyone else who needs it.

Educational Opportunities at SERVPRO

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

Software training at Team Elkins Headquarters

In order to stay current with technology, software, and the latest techniques in our Industry, it is important to help our employees by providing the training and continued education that is required.  SERVPRO of Daviess County believes in providing that education on an ongoing basis so they can always be up to date for our valued Customers.  We are always working on the growth and development of our Elite Team so they can assist our customers with the highest level of knowledge and expertise. 

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPROs corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Being educated is also a way to cut down time to estimate jobs. For instance, being able to estimate a water job quickly could cut costs down considerable. The longer water sits in a home or business, the more damage it creates. This also can cause mold growth to start.

Using Social Media to Protect your Family

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

With most people being a member of multiple social media platforms, put it to work for you and your families safety!

Search of each platform and follow your local weather stations and emergency personnel to get the latest safety updates as soon as they are available. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are all three great platforms to find the most up to date news in your area. You can also share news with family members or friend online to help them stay safe too.

Preparing your social media for a disaster today could give you a few extra minutes when disaster strikes. This could be the difference between your families safety or facing a disaster unprepared. While it would be heart wrenching to lose your home and belongings, those items are replaceable. Making sure your family is #1 needs to be your main concern!

If a storm does come your way, SERVPRO of Butler, Hopkins, Ohio, Muhlenberg, and Edmonson Counties is there for you. Call us at 270-875-4883 for a free quote! Call -270-659-0067 to make it "Like it never even happened." 

Available 24/7!

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

When bad weather or unexpected fire hits our community, our employees pull together as a team from every department to assist local and distant communities. SERVPRO of Daviess County use the collective help and knowledge from every person on our team to assist all those impacted by a disaster in their home or business. Most of our employees are cross trained in multiple departments so we are able to help one another. All of our marketing department employees are Water Restoration Certified (WRT). This means that they are able to work or monitor job sites without having a supervisor with them. Having these people as back up comes in handy when we are called on Storm, and several of our full-time employees are gone for weeks at a time. We always have a plan in place to be able to assist our clients in need!

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When water or fire impact your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You don't have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you 24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help, and a crew will respond as quickly as possible!

Introducing the Esporta Machine

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

The Esporta Machine

In the past several months we have been rolling out a new piece of equipment that is going to drastically change the way we clean soft contents. The Esporta Machine is from Canada and has revolutionized the power of a washing machine to clean any type of dirt from soft goods. With employees having to attend special certification training to operate the machine, we have been slowly testing different items and seeing how it works. But we are excited to announce that we have now started using this machine to clean customers contents.

Some of the items the Esporta Machine can clean includes: stuffed animals, clothes, purses, leather, hard items with soft interior (such as helmets), shoes, rugs, and many more. The Esporta Machine also cleans the items to a food grade quality. This is cleaner than what you find in a store.

When a family’s belongings are in jeopardy, we want to be able to save as many as we can. The Esporta Machine is going to help us do just that.

Saving Family Keepsakes

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

Before & After

With our new Esporta Machine recently going live, we have seen great results with the tests we have ran on it. During a house fire, one of the items that the family members are most worried about are their keepsakes: quilts, blankets, and children’s stuffed animals. These soft contents absorb the smoke stench and are often deemed unsalvageable.

What if we were able to save these items, and deliver them back to the customer cleaner than they were before the disaster happened?

We are able to do this with the Esporta. The photo is of a stuffed animal that was deemed unsalvageable by insurance. It was too dirty and could not be saved. Knowing the Esporta was almost up and running, we saved it. This guy was one of the first things washed, and you can see an obvious difference between the before and after.

We are excited to be able to give families back their keepsakes in a cleaner state than before their disaster. It is also going to bring them comfort when going through this tough time of their lives!

Our Story - Team Elkins

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

#TeamElkins

David Elkins, Owner of SERVPRO of Daviess County, started this journey in 2009. With the help of SERVPRO corporate headquarters and mentors across the country, the dream they envisioned became a reality. They never imagined that in 8 short years he would have three successful franchise locations covering 11 counties across the state of Kentucky and proudly be in the top 100 in the nation. Team Elkins was built on a foundation of family values, hard work, dedication and the vision to succeed. Here at SERVPRO Team Elkins, our values and work ethic have not changed over the years. We are very proud to announce that we have grown from a small office in the heart of Smiths Grove, KY to a state of the art facility on the Barren County/Warren County line. This new facility has allowed us to grow our team, better serve the needs of our clients, host meetings for the entire state and expand our services. What started with 5 employees and a box truck, has grown to 35+ employees and over 20 company vehicles making us #FasterToAnySizeDisaster #TeamElkins #SERVPRO10380

24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help Call Today – 270-683-1888

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Daviess County has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

  • Your name and contact information
  • Your insurance information (if applicable)
  • The street address of the water-damaged home or business
  • When did the flooding or water damage occur?
  • What caused the water damage (if known)?
  • Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Daviess County

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property

Iowa Storm Event 2018

7/8/2018 (Permalink)

Team Elkins wants to THANK the Kollath girls who were so kind for taking the time to create these masterpieces for our Crew.

June 25, 2018 Team Elkins hit the road to help aid and assist the flooding and storm damage in central Iowa. Sioux City and Des Moines experienced flooded basements & sump pump failures causing large losses to homes and business throughout the region. Our Team assisted many families in the clean-up effort by packing up contents, hauling off the debris and drying the effected areas.

We could not be more proud of our team who sacrifice time at home to go help others. Storm Team Elkins has been working nonstop to put home and business owners lives back together. We are very grateful to be able to service other communities other than our own.

SERVPRO of Daviess are there for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!
#TeamElkins #SERVPRO10380

4th Annual Dale Hollow Golf Tournament

6/1/2018 (Permalink)

Time to sink a putt!

We hosted our 4th Annual Golf Tournament on May 2nd, 2018. It was held at the beautiful Dale Hollow State Park in Burkesville, Kentucky. We had 19 teams of Insurance agents and adjusters come out to play for a variety of prizes, have lunch and enjoy a sunny day outdoors. The weather was perfect, and we were ecstatic that everyone was able to come out. We are excited to start planning our next tournament, coming Spring 2019! 

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Easy Way to Clean Windows

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Before and after pet noses smudged glass!

One of the hardest chores is cleaning windows, whether that be in your home or business. Here is an easy way to clean them with only four household items:
-Bucket
-Microfiber Cloths
-Water
-Newspapers
1. You take a damp microfiber cloth, and wash the entire window. It will have wet streaks once finished with the cloth.
2. Then take a newspaper, crinkle it up into a ball, and rub the windows. This will soak up the leftover water, and make your windows shine!
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SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event.

If you have a lot of windows and cannot reach them all, call the professionals at 270-683-1888 The professional can come clean them all for you.

iPhone Safety Hack

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Share with friends! #SafetyFirst

While SERVPRO typically focuses on protecting your home and business, check out this feature that Apple has placed on all iPhones.

If you are in a unsafe situation, hit your lock button 5 times in a row. A screen will come up with four options: 

-Slide to power off

-Medical ID (if you have this turned on)

-Emergency SOS

-Cancel

When you choose the Emergency SOS option, your iPhone will send the nearest Police Department your current location and dispatch an officer to you. Share with your friends to inform this of this lifesaving feature! 

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SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event.

In the event of an emergency call us at:

270-683-1888

Faster to Any Disaster! SERVPRO of Daviess County, Kentucky

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Daviess County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.
Faster To Any Size Disaster
Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of Daviess County arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.
Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 – (270) 683-1888
Water Damage Timeline
Within Minutes
• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.
Hours 1 - 24:
• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.
48 Hours to 1 Week:
• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard contamination is possible.
More Than 1 Week:
• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.
About SERVPRO of Daviess County
SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

We are an IICRC Certified Firm

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

Badges worn by WRT Certified Employees!

SERVPRO of Daviess County has worked hard to be accredited as an IICRC Certified firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

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.

About SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

  • One of the rules be receive this certification is that at least one employee on every job site must be IICRC Certified. We strive to keep our employees up to date with trainings and learning opportunities. If you visit our "Employees" tab on the website, you can see what certifications have been earned by which employees.
  • SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.
  • The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Mold Safety Tips

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

  • Stay out of affected areas.
  • Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
  • Contact SERVPRO of Daviess County for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

  • Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
  • Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
  • Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
  • Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 270-683-1888 

Beware of the Water You Don't See

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

When home or business owners experience a disaster to their property, often the first step is to start cleaning up the water with a towel, mop or even a shop vac. Although this is very common practice, what about the water you do not see? Just because there is no visible water, doesn’t mean that the area is considered dry. It is very important at this time to call on the professionals at SERVPRO® of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties to make sure your property is properly dried to prevent secondary damage to your flooring, furniture, or even the possible threat of mold growth. Our crews are available 24/7 to help in the event that something unexpected happens. We understand the importance of response time when it comes to water damage. 

Family Heirloom Saved from Fire Damage

3/22/2018 (Permalink)

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is If we can clean customers contents, especially the antique items. The answer is yes, we can! 

We got a call this past week about a fire destroying the inside of a family’s home. This piano was a nonworking family heirloom, and the family was devastated at the thought of having to get rid of it. It was covered in smoke and soot, but luckily still intact. We took it back to our office and started working on saving it. We were able to fully restore the outside of it and get rid of the smoke smell it had. 

We love it when we can save items that mean a lot to our customers. This was one of those times where it is extremely rewarding to work in this industry.

We are hiring!

3/22/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County is looking for dedicated, dependable employees! Our open positions include: maintenance, production, crew chief, marketing, construction office and more! Please bring an up to date resume to our office to apply!


All positions require:
• Effective oral communication
• Basic math skills
• Experience in cleaning/restoration preferred
• High school diploma/GED
• IICRC certifications preferred
• Ability to pass a background and drug test
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds regularly, occasionally up to 100 pounds with assistance
• Ability to climb ladders, work at ceiling heights, work in tight spaces (e.g., crawls spaces, attics)
• Ability to sit/stand/walk for prolonged periods of time
• Ability to repetitively push/pull/lift/carry objects
• Ability to work with/around cleaning products/chemicals
• Ability to travel locally and out of state when necessary
• Ability to successfully complete a background check subject to applicable law
Please email customerservice@SERVPRO9750.com for more information.

Top causes of Fire

2/9/2018 (Permalink)

Every year catastrophic fires take away our homes, our possessions, and loved ones that we can not replace. The National Fire Protection Association provides lots of education for us to arm ourselves to prevent fires. According to the NFPA the top causes of fire are in the home:

  • Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.

  • Smoking is the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths.

  • Heating equipment is the second most common cause of home fire fatalities.

We want you to be armed with information but in the event you fall victim to a house fire don’t hesitate to call SERVPRO. Are fire specialist will be there with you every step of the way. Our specialist will strive to save precious heirlooms and restore your home back to the way it was.

Request help online:
http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

For additional helpful information, visit NFPA-
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Top-causes-of-fire/Cooking

Library Water Loss

1/8/2018 (Permalink)

Mary Weldon Library Water Loss

Now that winter has hit, we are seeing a lot of burst pipes in both businesses and homes throughout South Central Kentucky. One of the worst places to experience a water loss happened in Glasgow, Kentucky this week: Mary Weldon Memorial Library. The broken pipe flooded both of their floors, and created a huge mess. We were able to get to them within an hour, start extracting water and starting the drying process. The job was so large, it made front page news in the Glasgow Daily Times. We are happy to be able to assist in the time of need!

Team Elkins specializes in the restoration of water damage in commercial and residential properties. Our crew is highly trained and will do everything they can to restore your business to its original condition.

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com
http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/news/glasgow-library-temporarily-closed-after-pipes-burst/article_0b64e1fc-f19a-11e7-aaf5-9bb815f21818.html

Restoring Your Commercial Property After A Water Damage Event

12/1/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and water damage events at commercial properties are often complex with numerous issues that require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a relatively small water cleanup scenario or a large scale event, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area. In many instances, normal operations can continue in a temporary space while we restore your facility.


Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges


Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area while working within your budgetary constraints. We understand that every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises in your business, give us a call and we’ll be there fast with the help you need.


About SERVPRO of Daviess County

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Prevent a Deadly Christmas tree fire!!!

12/1/2017 (Permalink)

Decking the Halls and getting into the Christmas Spirit? Christmas trees are at the forefront of many household annual traditions and for some who neglect a few simple tips can lead to tragic consequences. Sadly, Fire departments across the country respond to deadly Christmas tree fires during the holiday season each year.  One in every 31 Christmas tree fires is deadly, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The association says electrical failures and malfunctions caused 30 percent of Christmas tree fires.

The NFPA recommend the following safety tips: 
• Make sure string lights have no loose connections, cracked lamps or frayed cords.
• Use only a single extension cord that can reach your home's outlet without being too long and being tangled.
• Use UL-approved lights and cords.
• Make sure lights are off when you go out and before you turn in for the night.
• Make sure all outdoor light connectors are away from metal rain gutters and off the ground.
• Never use candles to light or decorate a tree.
• To lessen the chance of a fire hazard, purchase a freshly cut tree.
• Make sure to keep your tree at least three feet away from any heat source.
• Water the tree every day, and remove it from your home after Christmas or once it becomes dry. 
• Don't burn Christmas tree branches or wrapping paper in your fireplace.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that could burn. 

Undetected Mold Growth in a Families Home

11/13/2017 (Permalink)

microbial growth that went undetected

SERVPRO worked to remediate a home that the family had discovered extensive microbial growth that went undetected. Believe it or not, mold problems like this can be mitigated with the right expertise and equipment. SERVPRO has trained technicians that were able to test and remove the mold growth, and then restore the space to its preloss conditions. The family was very grateful that we were able to recover their home and protect them from any potential health effects.

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.If you suspect mold growth in your home don't hesitate to call the professionals of SERVPRO!

Call us today-270-683-1888 
or Request help online:
http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

When Storms or Floods hit SERVPRO is ready!

11/12/2017 (Permalink)

Our highly trained crews are ready to respond 24/7 to storm or flood damage

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.


Faster Response


Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.


Resources to Handle Floods and Storms


When storms hit, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage?

Call Us Today - 270-683-1888

Water Damage Spreads Quickly!

11/12/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Daviess County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays. Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more. Team Elkins arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.
Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7- 270-683-1888
Within Minutes
• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.
Hours 1 - 24:
• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.
48 Hours to 1 Week:
• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard contamination is possible.
More Than 1 Week:
• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.


Team Elkins specializes in the restoration of water damage in commercial and residential properties. Our crew is highly trained and will do everything they can to restore your home to its original condition.

Annual Chamber Golf Tournament

10/9/2017 (Permalink)

Our employees were very excited to be a part of the Annual Edmonson County Chamber Golf Tournament at Shady Hollow Golf Course. It was the perfect day to be on the course, and we enjoyed spending time with the people of our community! We also held a contest for a participant to win a door prize including a cooler, a cup, and an Applebee's gift card. Van Roberts, one of our marketing representatives presented this award to our winner, Rick Brown! We are very excited to participate in this tournament next year, and we plan to be a part of and host many events taking place in our community until then!

SERVPRO of Daviess County

Call us Today 270-683-1888!

http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/

Water Removal Experts

10/9/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Daviess County have been ridding homes of water damage for a very long time, so we know how stressful it can be when you find your home flooded or with water damage. It is common practice for individuals with damage to attempt to clean it up themselves, but then smell a musky smell a few days later. Restoring water damage takes a certain science, which is why our crew is required to go through extensive training before they can repair your home or business. Our training gives us the knowledge and expertise to clean up your property before future damage has an opportunity to occur. Floods can happen at any point, so it's important to be prepared. We recommend that you save our number into your phone so you will be prepared in the case of an emergency! 270-683-1888!

Invasion of the Scarecrows Contest

10/6/2017 (Permalink)

Team Elkins' creative scarecrows submitted to the Invasion of Scarecrows contest!

Every year a local chamber of commerce hosts a contest called the Invasion of the Scarecrows. Team Elkins participated in this event and created a couple Halloween themed scarecrows. We thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to show off the skills of our creative employees. There are a multitude of awards given to the best scarecrows. In order to support our scarecrow in winning the "People's Choice Award", you must go vote for our SERVPRO scarecrow at the Allen County Chamber of Commerce before October 31st!

 Our staff is intensely involved in the community and frequently participates and hosts events similar to Invasion of the Scarecrows. We find community involvement essential to our business.

SERVPRO of Daviess County

http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/

Call us Today 270-683-1888!

Hope for the Homeless

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Our employees participating in Hope for the Homeless!

REALTORS® Hope for Homeless was established in 2012 by the REALTOR® Association of Southern Kentucky, with the purpose of helping poverty stricken and homeless children, individuals, and families in our community by collecting non-perishable foods, toiletries and money. SERVPRO of Daviess County participated in this event by collecting the nonperishable items from other members of the community and by helping the Realtor Association organize the items into separate boxes as you can see in the top right image. We also promoted this event by posting it on our social media and by informing customers of the event by word of mouth. Plenty of items were collected and donated to people in need. This was a great cause that benefited many people. We were honored to be a part of Hope for the Homeless!

Chimney Fires

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

An explosive fire in someone's home.

Did you know chimney fires account for over $120 million in damage every year? Although this fire can cause extensive damage, there are ways to prevent it from occurring. You must get your chimney cleaned by the professionals and have an annual inspection. A chimney fire is characterized by loud cracking and popping noises, a lot of dense smoke, and an intense hot smell.

Chimney fires can be explosive, noisy, and dramatic, undetectable until the next inspection, or anywhere in between. The explosive fires produce flames and dense smoke shooting from the top of the chimney and sounds similar to a low flying airplane. The undetectable chimney fires are slow-burning and do not get enough air to be visible, but the damage to the chimney  and nearby areas of the home is extensive.

If your home is damaged from a chimney fire, give SERVPRO of Daviess County a call at 270-683-1888!

Outdoor Storm Safety

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Safety Guidelines

Being outside during a treacherous storm can be extremely dangerous if you do not take the right precautions. The type of environment you are in during the time of the storm influences what precautions you must take.

If you are in an open area, it is important to find low ground. Finding lower ground has potential to protect you in a thunderstorm because lightning usually strikes on higher ground.

If you are on any body of water, you must seek land immediately. Being on open water during a storm is one of the most dangerous places you could be because lightning strikes water at a higher rate.

If you are in a forested area, it is important to seek shelter under a growth of small trees in the lowest area you can find.

If you happen to be stuck in your car during a storm, you must keep your windows closed. You also should stay in the car to provide shelter.

Preventing Mold from Infesting your Home or Business

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Mold growing inside a home or business can pose health risks and negatively effect air quality. Thus, preventing mold from infesting your home is important to insure the health of your family. There are three essential steps to preventing it- controlling moisture in home, keeping moisture out of the home, and keeping the house clean and cool. There are many methods of completing these steps.

In order to control moisture in the home, you can install a hygrometer in your home, which will measure the moisture levels. Mold grows where their is moisture, so it's important to keep the house dry. Also, you should open a window while you shower to prevent too much moisture from building in the bathroom. Hanging clothes outside to dry instead of in the house also prevents mold infestation by decreasing moisture. The last method to control moisture is increasing ventilation and circulation in your home.

The second step is to keep moisture out of the house. This step has three methods. First, it is beneficial to drain water away from your house to prevent water coming into your house from outside. Second, it is essential to clean the gutters regularly because they are an important part of the system that keeps water away from the house. Thus, they should be well maintained. Lastly, you could install plastic sheets in crawl spaces especially if it has a dirt floor.

The last step in preventing mold is keeping the house clean and cool, and it contains four methods. First, you must vacuum and dust regularly to remove mold spores. Second, running filters or air purifiers is beneficial to preventing mold. Thirdly, opening the windows to allow sun into the home prevents mold because mold thrives in dark places. Lastly, you must maintain the temperature. Mold grows in warm areas, so keeping the house cool will prevent mold.

Fire Prevention Week starting October 8th!

10/3/2017 (Permalink)

National Fire Prevention Association

During the week of October 8 thru October 14, 2017 the United States and Canada observe Fire Prevention week. Back in 1925, President Calvin Coolidge made the 1st Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week. The goal for this week of awareness is to educate the public to take precautions in preventing potentially harmful and destructive fires and how we can survive. It is getting in front of a disaster that fire can cause and the processes that can reduce emergencies and damage caused by fire.

In the event that your a victim of a home fire, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.  SERVPRO is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We will answer and react when you need us!
Call us today! 270-683-1888


Request Help!
http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol?


National Fire Protection Association
http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/resources/education-programs/community-tool-kits/keeping-your-community-safe-and-warm

Commercial Fire Loss

9/27/2017 (Permalink)

When a business suffers from a fire generally a professional needs to come and remove all the equipment and restore the walls and floors. SERVPRO of Daviess County work around the clock to remediate the problem, so that businesses can be restored as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Many businesses are at risk for a fire, especially when they lease older buildings in need of repairs. We know how costly and devastating a fire can be to a business, so it is always our goal to get you back up and running right away!
Fire damage is especially devastating for a business or commercial property. In addition to the fire and smoke damage, significant water damage from firefighting efforts and fire suppression systems may occur. Our crew has the training, experience, and equipment to handle large commercial fire damage emergencies. Whether your fire emergency occurs in a restaurant, motel, or office building, we will respond quickly to mitigate the damage and manage the restoration project through to its completion.

If you suspect Mold, Follow these Safety Tips 

9/13/2017 (Permalink)

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home. Make sure you follow the following steps-

What to Do:

  • Stay out of affected areas.
    Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
  • Contact SERVPRO of Daviess County for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

  • Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
  • Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
  • Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
  • Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 

270-683-1888

Request Help:
http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

Does your home have a Mold Problem?

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise "mold removal" and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

  • Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
  • Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
  • Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
  • Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return. 
  • Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas. Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today:

SERVPRO of Daviess County

270-683-1888

Request Help: http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

Emergency Ready Profile

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

If you walked into work this morning, and there were 6 inches of water on the floor and more pouring in, would you know where your water and gas shutoffs were? In many businesses, not every employee knows where these important cut offs are located. It is crucial for everyone to be aware in case the building owner is not around when the steps need to be taken. With 50% of businesses not reopening after a devastating accident, it is crucial for everyone in the building to be able to take the proper steps to save your business. With taking advantage of our Emergency Ready Profile, a SERVPRO employee can come in, and help your business become prepared with this free service.

Call and set up an appointment today! 270-683-1888

SERVPRO of Daviess County

Request Help: http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

Restoring Your Commercial Property after a Water Damage Event

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and water damage events at commercial properties are often complex with numerous issues that require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we're dealing with a relatively small water cleanup scenario or a large-scale event, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area. In many instances, normal operations can continue in a temporary space while we restore your facility.

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges

Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area while working within your budgetary constraints. We understand that every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So, when an emergency situation arises in your business, give us a call and we'll be there fast with the help you need.

About SERVPRO of Daviess County

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO's corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Call us today! 270-683-1888

Request Help: http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/fnol

Is Mold taking over your home or business?

9/3/2017 (Permalink)

Gone down in the Basement lately? Looked under the kitchen sink? how about out in the garage? Look around, is there any wet boxes?  Do you see that yellow, green, black or orange substance.  When you do it just may hit you that it may be MOLD! 

We have all seen it and thought, “do I have a MOLD problem?” Not all mold is bad but in some cases it can cause health concerns for a lot of people.  If you experience any kind of water flooding, water leaks to differential humidity, this can cause mold to grow in your home or business.

Taking precautions is the best way to beat the mold. There are different signs that your home or business may be inundated by this growing machine-

  • Can you visibly see the mold?
  • Is there a Musty odor? This may indicate mold is present
  • Is there a recent event that caused excess water?
  • Any type of moisture problems that may have caused mold growth?
  • Excessive humidity

If you answered yes to some of these questions call us today.  We can come out and assess how minimal or over-run the mold may be. We are always Here to Help!

SERVPRO of Daviess County 

270-683-1888

http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/

When you can't see where the water is hiding!

8/28/2017 (Permalink)

When home or business owners experience a disaster to their property, often the first step is to start cleaning up the water with a towel, mop or even a shop vac. Although this is very common practice, what about the water you do not see? Just because there is no visible water, doesn’t mean that the area is considered dry. It is very important at this time to call on the professionals at SERVPRO® of Daviess County to make sure your property is properly dried to prevent secondary damage to your flooring, furniture, or even the possible threat of mold growth.

Our crews are available 24/7 to help in the event that something unexpected happens. We understand the importance of response time when it comes to water damage. 

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help Call Today – 270-683-1888

Mold Safety Tips

8/24/2017 (Permalink)

Be careful! Without proper training, you could be spreading mold throughout your home.

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

  1. Stay out of affected areas.
  2. Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
  3. Contact SERVPRO of Daviess County for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

  • Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
  • Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
  • Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
  • Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Daviess County specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – (270) 683-1888

Do you have an Emergecy Ready Profile?

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

As a homeowner or business owner it is important to have an emergency plan and contacts close by in case anything out of the ordinary and unexpected happens. In most cases you cannot fathom the amount of stress involved. SERVPRO understands that stress. In most cases people don't think about the unanticipated things that may occur to your business such as flooding, tornadoes, fire, etc. 

Pre-planning is key and SERVPRO has the experience. SERVPRO offers an Emergency Ready Program that is available to you.  Our Emergency Ready Program, also known as an ERP, is the best way to minimize and reduce any interruption in your business following a disaster.  According to the latest industry research, as much as 50% of businesses will not recover following a devastating disaster.  A majority of the businesses that had a preparedness plan in place were able to reopen for business and survive.

By developing a SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile for your business, you can minimize the business disruption. Pre-planning will give you an immediate plan of action and serve as a type of peace of mind insurance policy.  Knowledge of what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation. 

The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile is a NO COST assessment of your facility.  The ERP profile document will contain valuable information that will be needed in the event of an emergency.   We will identify details such as shut-off valve locations, high priority areas, and 1st in line contact information. Our SERVPRO staff will come out at NO COST and walk you through the process. It takes very little time to complete and save a lot of time in the event you ever need it.   This Profile will get you back on track quickly in the event of an emergency or disaster because you will have a plan of action to execute.

SERVPRO of Daviess County is your local professional resource to assist you through the process of mitigation and restoration. You will have an industry leader close by and a life line to help you command authorization for the work to begin quickly.  When your business has a quick reference of what, when, how, and who to call, you are able to respond and solve decisions that need to be made efficiently. Our number one goal is to have you re-open for business while saving you time and money.

Give us a call today and set up your ERP!

270-683-1888

IICRC-Water Damage Restoration Technician Certified

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

According to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification,  “Water damage can be deceptive. Water penetrates into structural cavities creating trapped pockets of saturation. The detection of water in these areas can often only be discovered with sophisticated moisture detection meters. Undetected moisture will continue to cause damage. This damage, at a minimum, will cause odors. Greater damage will surface when materials delaminate, shrink, split and further deteriorate to where costly repairs are required.”

SERVPRO of Daviess County believes in education and making sure our entire Staff is trained and obtains as much knowledge in our industry.  When a home or business experiences a major water loss from flooding, our IICRC-certified restorers will arrive with the knowledge and equipment to dry your home or business facility back to preloss conditions.  When water damage has been present for a long period time you increase the possibility of mold occurring. Our staff will carefully monitor the amount of water damage including substructure materials.  This monitoring is to minimize possible mold and prevent health issues. “All IICRC-certified professionals have the training and experience to identify moisture sources, evaluate mold growth (visible or suspected), contain damage, remove contamination and dry materials to ensure that mold will not return.”

When water and flooding impact your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you  24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Daviess County

Call Us Today: 270-683-1888 http://www.SERVPROdaviesscounty.com/


http://www.IICRC.org/consumers/care/water-damage/

Handling Smoke Damage after a Fire

8/17/2017 (Permalink)

If you are the victim of a house fire, you will be very anxious to clean your home and all the contents that are salvageable.  It is always recommended to take the time to seek the professional and gain their advice. If you don’t, you could be wasting your time and efforts all the while creating further damage.  The very 1st thing you should do is contact your insurance agency immediately once its safe and the fire is completely out.  If your renting your home contact the homeowner next so you can both go over the amount of damage.  Many times your insurance agent may recommend a professional fire restorer who can give you hints to prevent additional damage and help assess what items can or can not be refurbished.  They will provide you an estimate and all available services that are available to thoroughly clean and deodorize your home. In some cases the service may seem expensive but many times these costs will be dramatically less then replacing damaged furnishings and floors.  In the aftermath, you may find items that have been passed down and have an irreplaceable value that can be saved. 

When a fire impacts your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done.  You don’t have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night.  24/7, 365 days a year we guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Call us today- 270-683-1888!

Guns & Hoses 2017

8/15/2017 (Permalink)

Guns & Hoses 2017 #SavingLives #RedCross

After the success of the Barren County Guns N' Hoses Blood Drive, we are extended our reach to other counties. Today we hosted the 1st annual Taylor County Guns & Hoses Blood Drive! This year the Fire Department crushed the attendance 3 to 1 against the Police Department. 

For those of you who couldn't make this event, Please find a local Red Cross event and donate. The Red Cross is at a critical level and every donation can save more than one life! l together!

When water or fire impact your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You don't have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you  24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Call us today- 270-683-1888

#SavingLives #RedCross American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky

Round 2 of Heavy Rains re-floods Kansas City

8/7/2017 (Permalink)

As our Storm Team prepared to tie up all the loose ends in Kansas City, Heavy rains came down Saturday night and caused more damage as well as saturating homes and basements that had just dried out.   Thankfully, SERVPRO and Storm Team Elkins was still on hand and able to assist Kansas City residents immediately.  As the calls came in at midnight we were able to rally the troops and be on-site quickly preventing additional damage.   

Our Storm Team assists customers all over the country that have storm Damage and any other type of flood or disaster.

When you need help and you need it fast, SERVPRO of Daviess County is here for you. When you have water damage in your home or Business, every minute and detail matters! We are available 24/7 for all emergencies, especially when water extraction and drying from flood water is crucial.

Don't hesitate to call! (270) 683-1888

Flooded Basement in Kansas City

8/7/2017 (Permalink)

8ft of flood water in basement

Shown are pictures of a home that flooded in the recent Kansas City flooding.  There was 8 feet of water in the basement.  Walls, baseboards, all the carpet, and contents were affected by the water damage. The homeowner was an elderly woman and wanted to go through everything before it was thrown out.  Our trained staff worked with her to go through the contents one by one.  She was able to recover lost items that she had thought were ruined and salvage many heirlooms feared lost forever.

Experiencing a major disaster like flooding is not something we deal with everyday.  Unfortunately this is not a ordinary or common service but thankfully SERVPRO is there when you need a company that can act quickly and handle the uncertainty and confusion that is presented to homeowners during a time like this.   This time is also very stressful and many times people have no idea where or who to turn to so poor decisions or no decisions are made which can cost the homeowner a variety of other problems such as financial or health related issues down the road.  Untreated category 3  flood water can lead to a variety of issues such as Mold.

We want every client treated with care and have every question answered while they are going through this very stressful time.  SERVPRO of Daviess County will work closely with the homeowner, insurance adjusters, and everyone that may be included in getting your home back “Like it never even happened.”

If you find yourself in an emergency situation don’t hesitate to call us.  We are available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Request Help today: 270-683-1888

Heavy Rains causes Flooding in Kansas

7/30/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Team Elkins heads to Kansas City, MO

This week Team Elkins Storm Team traveled to Kansas City, MO where heavy rains caused major flooding in the entire area. Many homes and business were damaged by flood water and mud. According to news reports, Thunderstorms had dropped up to 7 inches of rain in just a few hours.

Our Storm Team assists customers all over the country that have storm Damage and any other type of flood or disaster.

When you need help and you need it fast, SERVPRO of Daviess County is there for you. When you have water damage in your home or Business, every minute and detail matters! We are available 24/7 for all emergencies, especially when water extraction and drying from flood water is crucial.

Don't hesitate to call! 270-683-1888

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