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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Archived Why SERVPRO Blog Posts

The Requirements of Cleaning Sewage From a Building

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

Toilet overflow Toilet overflow in North Fort Myers, FL

Even in the best-run businesses, mishaps occur with the plumbing system. Pipes break and sinks get clogged, causing water and sewage to back up into the building. The protocols for sewage cleaning are very specific and require specialized knowledge and training.

Finding the right company in North Fort Myers, FL, is absolutely critical. This will protect your property, your company, and your employees from the dangerous effects of contaminated water. Workers from a water damage remediation team will come equipped with personal protective gear and advanced equipment to clean up the mess. They will have the experience and the training to handle any situation.

Handling a Toilet Overflow

Most commercial companies have several restrooms spread throughout a building. Some could be for customers and some could be designated for employees. When a toilet backs up, professional sewage cleaning is required. SERVPRO technicians will follow a proven process that has been developed over a 50-year period. The following steps are utilized in an emergency:

  • Inspection and assessment
  • Water removal and cleanup
  • Cleaning and disinfecting
  • Restoration

The job is done to the highest industry standards. This ensures the facility is safe again and free from harmful germs. It also makes sure areas are dried and dehumidified with professional equipment. This prevents further damage such as the growth of mold. It also prevents the recurrence of odors.

Addressing Other Issues

Whether it is a clogged pipe, a broken sewer line, or some other issue, it is best to rely on trained and certified workers to remedy the problem. Sewage cleaning is just one of many disasters SERVPRO franchises are trained to deal with. They are a big help in the aftermath of fires and floods and can handle problems large and small. They use proven methods to assess the scope of a problem. From there, they come up with a plan of action to restore a company to its original condition.

Does Your Homeowner's Insurance Cover Mold? What Every Buyer Needs To Know

7/29/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a residential home Mold growth found in a St James City, FL home.

Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or looking for your forever home in St James City, FL, finding insurance with mold coverage probably isn't your top priority. However, fungus growth can damage surfaces like drywall and carpet. Mold remediation can be difficult and expensive. That’s why all buyers need to know if their homeowner's policy includes mold insurance.

What Do Insurers Cover?

Most insurers only cover mold cleanup when some other covered incident caused the mold to grow. The issue might be covered in some of the following cases:

  • Water from a busted pipe soaks your floor, drywall and insulation, causing mold to grow.
  • An extreme snowstorm damages your newly installed roof and the melting snow seeps into your attic and soaks the insulation.
  • A new heat pump leaks suddenly and fungus growth happens before you can make a claim.

What Isn’t Covered?
Mold caused by poor maintenance of your home and appliances is not covered. What about floods? Homeowner's policies typically do not cover flood damage, including mold. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you should explore flood insurance in addition to your homeowner's policy.

Can You Find Insurance That Covers Mold?
Before you buy homeowner's insurance, ask if the policy offers mold coverage. Some policies may offer limited coverage and some insurers may add coverage for an additional fee. If your insurance agency does not offer mold insurance as part of a regular policy, you should be able to add extra coverage for a fee on top of your basic homeowner's policy.

Sometimes extra coverage for mold can be expensive, especially when your home has a history of mold damage. If your insurance company's quote is high, do your homework to see if the additional coverage is worth it. Paying for mold remediation out of pocket may be the cheaper alternative in some cases.

When black and green fungus growth threatens your home, you want to know you have options to pay for the cleanup. If your current homeowner's policy doesn't have mold coverage, you can look into additional insurance to bring you peace of mind in your new home.

What To Know About Claims Management Software

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

computer laptop with blue files in a blue background Most insurance claim management software comes with a set of standard features that helps agents perform their jobs.

Claims Management Software: What You Should Know

Providers need an efficient way to handle an insurance claim they receive. When you notify your provider about a disaster in your business in Flamingo Bay, FL, it kicks the process off. During this process, agents need a way to track costs, work with a disaster remediation company, such as SERVPRO, avoid fraud, and streamline their communication. The way they do this is with claims management software. Here is some basic information about this software.

What Are Common Features?

Most insurance claim management software comes with a set of standard features that helps agents perform their jobs. This includes:

  • Claims tracking
  • Electronic claims
  • Data exchange
  • Fraud management
  • Inventory management
  • Customer portals
  • Customer relationship management
  • Reporting

What To Consider When Purchasing It?

As with any software purchase, companies need to think about certain aspects of the insurance claim management software they buy. For instance, the type of software they buy is a big factor. Both on-premises and cloud-based software are available. On-premises is traditional software installed at an office location, while cloud-based is run through the internet. On-premises software tends to be used because it is more customizable. On the other hand, cloud-based systems don't cost as much. Each vendor will evaluate these factors when choosing the right software.

Additionally, insurance companies need to think about what additional features they need. Some may want incorporated accounting or business intelligence systems. Items such as these can enhance the claims management system. Therefore, these are common add ons. Furthermore, an agency will need to think about the type of insurance they offer. Then, they can choose an appropriate system for their offering. For instance, those that offer property coverage are going to have different requirements than business interruption companies.

Your insurance company uses claims management software to streamline the filing process. This makes it easier for an insurance agent and business owner to file a claim and get it processed quickly.

3 Key Steps to Take After a Fire

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

Employee sweeping up debris from a fire. This office space was ravaged by a fire. SERVPRO does the heavy lifting for you, removing debris and restoring the affected area!

Businesses in Cape Coral, FL suffer a wide range of consequences after a fire: lost assets and equipment, damaged buildings and environmental hazards, just to name a few. Dealing with details and the interruption to your operations can feel overwhelming, but there are a few key steps you can take. Your insurance company, along with skilled fire restoration technicians, will play key roles in the aftermath of a blaze.

1. Contact Your Insurance Provider

Once you and your employees are safely accounted for and the flames are put out, your next phone call should be to your insurance company. The commercial property portion of your business policy provides the fire insurance coverage to handle your recent loss. Try to get as many details as possible ready before you get on the phone, but keep in mind that you’ll probably be in contact with an adjuster who’ll assess the destruction.

2. Hands Off Everything

For both safety and practical reasons, you should not touch any damaged or destroyed areas of your premises after a fire. Although it might be tempting to “rescue” equipment, furniture or even filing cabinets, keep in mind that your insurance adjuster needs to document the post-blaze state of your property.

3. Contact Cleanup and Restoration Services

After the flames have been put out, your premises likely suffer from smoke and fire damage as well as flooding and water damage from fire suppression efforts. An expert fire restoration company will assess what work must be done and then perform clean up to bring it back to its former condition. Typical services include board-up services for missing walls and windows, tarp-up on impacted roofs, water removal, smoke cleaning, and final cleaning and sanitizing.

Fire’s natural properties make it a destructive force that not only consumes but leaves lasting effects behind in its wake. Thankfully, a fire restoration professional in Cape Coral, FL can help your business on the path to recovery.

For Large Losses, SERVPRO Is on the Case

2/25/2022 (Permalink)

Truck from a restoration company With our SERVPRO of Cape Coral team, you can always count on a quick response, no matter the day or hour of your loss.

SERVPRO Is Ready To Respond To Large-Scale Disasters.

At some point, most Pine Island, FL, homeowners will experience some type of incident or mishap in their house. They can handle many of these minor issues on their own, but what happens when something severe such as a flood or fire produces catastrophic loss? This is precisely when you need an experienced professional to take over. SERVPRO fits the profile as the ideal disaster relief company. These experts have what it takes to tackle disasters of any size.

What Makes SERVPRO the Best?

In the aftermath of a fire or flooding, as an insurance agent you don’t want to trust cleanup, rebuilding and replacement to just anyone. SERVPRO is equipped with what you’re looking for in a high-quality disaster response team.

• They have resources.
• They have a proven track record of success.
• They use best practices and techniques to clean up after large losses.
• They have the skills and customer service you need.

Biggest Problems

Chances are, if a major storm or fire affects your client’s home, it may affect others in the areas as well. When it comes to catastrophic loss, SERVPRO has the ability to handle even the most challenging situations. This trusted disaster restoration company has a nationwide presence so that it can send technicians from several locations to your client’s home and neighborhood. This helps ensure a faster, more thorough response to the most significant problems.

True Professionals

SERVPRO is one of the most reputable names in the business because the entire staff prides itself in doing first-rate work. The team will start by inspecting the storm damage or damage from smoke and fire. Technicians will then decide what they need to replace altogether and what they can clean, repair and salvage. They use the most up-to-date techniques and equipment to ensure your client’s home is as close to the preloss state as possible.

SERVPRO is your top choice to help your insured recover from catastrophic loss. Call your local office during your time of need.