Archived Commercial Blog Posts
Clean Up Flood Damage: Call a Pro
7/8/2022 (Permalink)
Professional Flood Water Damage Cleanup
While some water damage events aren’t very predictable, flood damage from storms is comparably easier to forecast. Storm surges, torrential rain, and rising water levels cause massive water damage for those who live along the coast or in low-lying areas. Flood damage is terrible in every instance, but the good news is homeowners and business owners usually have adequate time to prepare their home and/or business for the impending water damage as best they can.
When a storm ends, and it's safe to return to a damaged property, many find the water damage in the home or business worse than they could have imagined. It sometimes seems impossible that water levels can rise so high and cause such devastating damage. In the unfortunate case that this has or will happen to you, follow the following important guidelines for safely handling flood waters and their effects.
Do Not Go Back To the Property Without Permission
Even if your curiosity wants to know how much water is in the property or the kind of water damage; never return to the property without being notified first that it's safe to return by proper authorities. Flood damage and waters can be hazardous, and it's easy to forget that there is so much more than just water on the road or in a home.
Beware of Bacteria
Before anyone enters a home or office with water damage to begin the water cleanup process, they must know how much danger potentially awaits. The water cleanup process should begin as quickly as possible, but it cannot be done if the area is still unsafe.
- Live electricity. Don't assume just because the power is out in the town that there's nothing to worry about. The power could come back on at any moment, which means it could cause serious bodily harm to anyone in contact with the electricity or its conductors. Make sure all electricity is turned off at its source before entering any building with standing water.
- Danger in the water. The second danger is what might be waiting for people in the water. There could be animals like snakes or dangerous bacteria found in feces like E. Coli. Always let the local authorities do a neighborhood sweep before taking steps to prepare for the water cleanup and drying process.
Call the Pros
Restoration companies have powerful equipment designed to allow adequate drying in minimal time. Professional mitigation and restoration are imperative because any missed moisture leads to much larger problems like microbial contamination. Restoration is designed to clear out all the water in places others might not realize it is hiding.
Call for professional restoration and mitigation rather than handling the drying process without a pro's help to remove water in a business or home. Contact SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis for professional flood water cleanup, professional drying, and content cleaning.
How to Protect My Business from Utility Room Fire or Electrical Fire?
2/21/2022 (Permalink)
A business is affected in a uniquely difficult way when the business suffers fire damage. The damage leads to loss, but it destroys the infrastructure for recovering that loss. For example, when a restaurant’s utility room or electrical system catches fire and burns a facility, the income the owners could have made to pay for that loss is uprooted, having a chilling effect on a commercial property.
This highlights the importance of buying the right insurance.
In an effort against fire loss, most buildings have measures to protect the property from utility room fire or electrical fire loss. A fire sprinkler system is one of the strategies that play an essential role in fire suppression.
A Sprinkler System’s Job
This system has sensors that detect a change in room temperature. If the temperature reaches a critical level, the alarm turns on, the valves open, and water jets are sprinkled in the rooms. The fire sprinkler system is the first line of defense against fire before the arrival of backup, like firefighters.
You’ll Need More Than a Sprinkler System
The fire sprinkler system alone may not curb utility room fire or electrical fire outbreak from spreading. If no secondary response team comes quickly to help the sprinkler system, the fire can easily consume the building. Calling 911 should be the first thing you do after exiting the building.
Did You Think About Water Damage?
After the fire, the reality of what transpired inside becomes clear. Apart from the fire damage, there is soot damage, water damage, and visible smoke damage. The fire hose pressure can destroy contents and walls, too.
This devastating scene can only be properly rectified by professionals who are familiar with commercial fire damage restoration.
Professionals Know What To Do
Hiring professionals for fire restoration gives peace of mind. Professional commercial fire damage services like SERVPRO® take a record of the items destroyed and remaining. SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis repairs and cleans content that can be salvaged. They wrap and store those items and appropriately dispose of the rest. They also find out where data backups could be salvaged, such as the computer hard drives.
The soot damage, water damage, and smoke damage are some of the things that must be cleaned fastest to restore the interior. Soot damage is cleaned using a dry brush. Water is drained and vacuumed from the rooms. This drying prevents mold from growing. The smoke is pulled from upholstery and other areas that could have absorbed odor. After the main cleaning is done and our construction team has rebuilt any remaining damage, items that underwent repair are brought back.
SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis is Here to Help® when you need us. When fire and water take control of your life, we help you take it back.
SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis Handles Large-Scale Commercial Loss
2/21/2022 (Permalink)
Give us a call at (901) 382-0900 for 24-hour emergency service.
SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis specializes in turn-key commercial restoration and reconstruction. For 15+ years we have worked in the Memphis community restoring local businesses
There's never a convenient time for fire or water damage to strike your business. We understand that every hour taken away from productivity equals lost revenue. That's why the franchise professionals at SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis have your Memphis area business covered from the time of loss to job completion.
From schools to movie theaters, office complexes and hospitals, no job is too large for SERVPRO.
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.
SERVPRO is mindful of legal and environmental concerns
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 Southeast Memphis
We specialize 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.
Give us a call at (901) 382-0900 for 24-hour emergency service. Our commercial large-scale loss team is standing by to return your business to preloss condition.
SERVPRO Conducts Routine HVAC Maintenance and Cleaning
2/13/2022 (Permalink)
Inspecting Your HVAC Unit Can Save You Time and Money
HVAC repair is costly and if the damage is severe enough, it can prevent you from doing business. SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis recommends that business owners schedule professional HVAC inspections each fall and spring. Routine inspections will help you stay abreast of potential problems with your unit, minimize expenses on repairs, and keep your business up and running.
We have identified some simple maintenance chores that you can do to prolong your system's life and increase its efficiency between professional inspections and maintenance.
Routine HVAC Maintenance
- Get a high-efficiency, pleated air filter for your system.
- Keep your heating units and AC free of pollen, leaves, and grass.
- Keep two feet of space clear of your outdoor AC and heating units.
- Inspect refrigerant lines every month.
- Replace air filters at least every 90 days.
- In the summer, turn off the water running to the furnace humidifier.
- In the fall, replace the humidifier filter and turn the water back on.
Annual HVAC Maintenance
- Replace the carbon monoxide detector battery.
- Make sure your outdoor AC unit is on firm and level ground.
- Clean AC condensation with a bleach and water mixture.
Caring for your HVAC throughout the year will keep your work environment air quality and atmosphere pleasant, which keeps your staff happy and content. It will save you money by improving and maintaining your energy efficiency throughout your building.
SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis is always ready to inspect and maintain your HVAC system. We're here to answer any questions you might have. Call us today at (901) 382-0900.
Emergency READY Profile: How to Prepare Your Business for a Disaster
2/13/2022 (Permalink)
Download SERVPRO's ERP app today at https://ready.SERVPRO.com/Home/MobileApp.
Being a property manager or landlord isn't a 9 to 5 job. Mishaps don't care if you're on vacation or out of the office. Problems can arise 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Be prepared before disaster strikes. Deal with unforeseen circumstances by implementing our Emergency READY Profile (ERP), as many as 50% of businesses have to shut down after a disaster.
Being Prepared is FREE
Your company's ERP profile is FREE and can help you in the event of a disaster. We simply take down a few basic pieces of contact information and we are at your door in case of an emergency.
What Does an Emergency Ready Profile Look Like?
- A no cost assessment of your facility.
This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
- A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time if ever needed.
- A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
- Establishes your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by.
- Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
- Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for whatever happens."
Businesses that survive a disaster had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind. ERP helps your business have a plan in place and helps keep you and your staff members informed on handling fire and water damage.
For additional information regarding SERVPRO's Emergency READY Profile (ERP), visit http://ready.SERVPRO.com or call SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis at (901) 382-0900.
Cleaning Your Business for the New Year
1/19/2022 (Permalink)
Follow these tips and for a deep clean this new year, call SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis at (901) 382-0900.
The turn of a new year inspires us to clean out the clutter. Homes, garages, and sheds are usually stocked of old unneeded or forgotten items. As we make room for new outdoor equipment and begin pulling out the things we haven't used most of the past year, we sometimes forget about our office spaces? Often, work is seen as separate and those spaces can often become stagnant.
This new year, SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis wants to remind you that having a clean and organized office space is just as important as a clean and organized home.
Getting rid of old papers, creating a new organization system, and removing the clutter can help make your work more efficient and easier to handle.
Tips to Help Get You Started
- Gather and redistribute
Gather up every item that isn't where it "belongs" and put it where it does. If it doesn't have a home, give it one or toss it.
Note: Consider an adhesive hook for hanging coats, scarves, lanyards and other items that take up space or look cluttered. It's an inexpensive way to make your office space tidy.
- Clear off your desk
Remove everything, clean it thoroughly, and put back only those essential items for daily use.
- Organize your desktop
Now that you've streamlined your desktop, it's a good idea to organize it. Use desktop organizers, baskets, and file folders to organize the items on your desk. Use trays for papers, and boxes for smaller items.
- Organize your drawers
Put items used together in the same drawer space, stamps with envelopes, sticky pads with notepads, etc. Use drawer organizers for small items – paper clips, tacks, etc. Use a separate drawer for personal items.
- Proximity
Position the equipment and supplies that you use most within reach. Things that you rarely use can be stored or put away.
- Sort mail
Don't just stick mail in a pile to be sorted or rifle through and take out the pieces you need right now and toss the junk before it begins to pile up. Sort it as soon as you get it – To act, To read, To file, To delegate or handoff.
- Assign discard dates
You don't need to keep every piece of paper indefinitely. Mark on files or documents when they can be tossed or shredded.
Note: Legal or financial documents must be kept for a specified length of time. Make sure you know what those requirements are.
- Filter your emails
Some emails are essential to read; others are just not that important. When you use the filter system to label different types of emails, you know their priority and reply first.
- Consider going digital
How much of the paperwork that you have could be scanned and saved? You may be able to eliminate some of the files and folders you've used in the past by scanning and uploading them to your computer. Make sure you are doing regular back-ups.
- Straighten your desk
Do a quick straighten at the end of the day, so you have a clean start the next day.
Deep Cleaning
Now that you've decluttered and organized your space, you may notice the dirt and dust left behind where you've moved your desk from, or the path you take to talk to and from your office might look a bit dirtier than others. Let SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis take it from here, cleaning the carpets and furniture in your office and business to make it all look fresh and new again.
Freshen Up Your Walls
You spend a lot of time in your office space, so give it some TLC. Add photos of family or beautiful paintings to the walls. Ceiling and wall cleaning should also be part of the cleaning maintenance of your home or business, too. If you're thinking about adding a fresh coat of paint to your office to help freshen it up after you've reorganized, you should also clean walls before painting so that the primer and paint can adhere properly.
Whether you are preparing to paint or just looking for professional cleaning, SERVPRO of Southeast Memphis can help. Schedule your cleaning today by calling (901) 382-0900.
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