The Damage That Cant Be Seen!

3/4/2024 (Permalink)

Water damage can affect more than just your flooring it can also affect your walls! If the drywall is showing weakness and if there is a vapor barrier present behind the drywall, we may need to remove some of the drywall to effectively dry the framing and substructure.

When attempting to dry out wet drywall, there are many different ways to go about it. We can detach baseboards and drill holes in the drywall below the baseboard line. This allows for easy airflow into the drywall, as well as the wall cavities. We also have an injection drying system, which allows us to directly inject dry air into the walls. This is a highly effective method of addressing hidden water inside the walls and framing. Call us at 651-435-3565 and we will gladly help.

Biohazard Cleanup!

3/4/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW technicians is IICRC trained and are equipped to respond to any type of biohazard situation. We can clean up crime scenes, hoarding, human and animal excrement, and unattended death. Here are a few types of biohazards.

Sewage backups, certain medical emergencies, and crime scenes are examples of other biohazards that require special attention. Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens may be present. Special cleanup procedures and products are critical to ensure the health and safety of the occupants of the property.

If you have a biohazard problem that requires immediate attention, call SERVPRO of St. Paul CW anytime day or night. We can respond quickly. We are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year including holidays. Call us at 651-435-3565

Difference Between Gray and Black Water In Your Home or Business

3/1/2024 (Permalink)

When you have water damage in your home or business, you need to know what type of water you’re dealing with. Water can be classified into three different types of categories. SERVPRO of St. Paul Central West has the knowledge and expertise to help you identify which category of water you may be dealing with and will help you take the necessary steps to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Category 1: “Clean Water”

Category 1 water is considered sanitary and can come from sources like, a broken water line or leaking faucet. If left untreated, it can degrade into a category 2 or 3 over time, which is why it should be mitigated promptly.

Category 2: “Gray Water”

Gray water is contaminated and can cause health effects. Although it’s not as contaminated as water in category 3, it can still progress to that level, if left untreated. 

Category 3: “Black Water”

Black water is grossly contaminated, it’s the dirtiest classification of water; it can contain sewage, harsh chemicals, and microbes. This type of water can come from sources such as flooding or sewage from an overflowing toilet that contains fecal matter.

It’s important to address any kind of water damage immediately. Quick action will not only prevent secondary damage to your home or business, but even more importantly, your health depends on it! Contact SERVPRO of St. Paul Central West, we are available 24/7 should you experience water damage!

Commercial Water Loss

3/1/2024 (Permalink)

Throughout the year, you probably don’t think about how many gallons of heated water you use in your home, business, or commercial building you are in.  A water heater is the unsung hero of hot showers, clean dishes, sanitary surfaces, clean hands; the list goes on.  These water heating units are sometimes taken for granted, but when they fail or malfunction, a solution can be difficult to attain.  That is why SERVPRO® exists, to bring a solution to a catastrophe and get things back to normal as soon as possible. 

 Last month, we got a call from a very close commercial building with quite a predicament.  A water heater had failed, gushing gallons upon gallons of water throughout 3 businesses in a strip mall, putting them out of commission for the foreseeable future a that location.  Thankfully, each business had a contingency plan and was able to make do with other spaces at other locations.  In this instance, they were lucky that there was a place for them to go however, that is not always the case.

 We arrived on the scene and ensured that a plumber was available to fix the issue.  Then we extracted the water out of the carpet in each unit.  Thankfully, there wasn’t any pad under the carpet or a basement for multiple floors to be affected, but this also allowed the water to spread out into a larger radius from the source of the insult.  Once extraction was completed, we removed the cove molding from the walls to allow us to drill drying holes in the insulated wall cavities.  This allowed us to get the drywall and insulation dry within a few days due to the equipment we set up. 

 We had to place a heating unit on one side due to a heat issue, which elevated the temperature and allowed the wet materials to release moisture via evaporation.  We created a drying chamber as well to help retain heat in the insulted areas of the unit.  Multiple dehumidifiers in each business also helped remove water vapor and reduce the vapor pressure within the structure, allowing the drying process to take off.  In a business week, we had everything dry and even had a repair plan in place to reapply the cove molding and touch up other areas of concern. 

By the end of the job, we had the building owner happy with the quick turnaround with drying, as well as the plan for reinstallation of the cove molding.  Those were the main areas of concern for the building owner, but we were able to consider those and produce results.  It was a great feeling for our technicians as well as the project manager; accomplishing a lot in a short time.  Today, each business is back up and running AND they have hot water again. 

Sound the Alarms

3/1/2024 (Permalink)

Have you tested your fire alarms lately? According to the Red Cross, you could have as few as only TWO MINUTES to escape safely from your house after a fire begins. 

This is why testing your fire alarms should be a part of your home maintenance routine! These alarms in your home make sure that you get alerted as soon as possible that a fire has started. 

The next item on the list is having a planned fire escape route. But, having it isn't enough- you need to have practiced this route with your family ahead of time. Check out this free worksheet from the Red Cross to help you as you plan.

Two minutes is quick, but disaster strikes in the blink of an eye. Make sure that your family and your home are ready. Once your family is safe, you can call in the professionals to handle your home. SERVPRO of St. Paul Central West is locally owned and operated, so we’re already close by and ready to respond immediately when you need us. We make disaster "Like it never even happened." Give us a call today

We Specialize In Mold Remediation!

2/7/2023 (Permalink)

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

What to Do

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPROof St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville for mold remediation services.

Things 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.

Mold Remediation

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville 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 remediate your mold problem quickly and safely properly.

We are available 24/7 at 651-435-3565 

Mold Mitigation

1/19/2023 (Permalink)

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC,), molds are a very common type of fungus that thrives in moist environments. Water leaks around roofs, windows, or pipes, air conditioning units that have sat unused over the winter, or in areas where there has been flooding. The CDC reports that mold spores are found indoors and outdoors and can enter through home airways and can also travel on clothing, shoes, and pets. Once they find the optimum environment to grow, they grow quickly. Suitable mold nutrients include many building materials such as wet paper products and cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood and wood products. Molds have even been known to grow in dust, some paints, wallpaper, drywall, carpet, and fabric. SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville wants commercial businesses and homeowners of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville to know that we are mold remediation specialists. Although mold can never be completely eradicated, it can be arrested and controlled.

Advanced Technology and Techniques

After we inspect and access the mold damage, we will use advanced mold remediation techniques and equipment to remediate the damage by:

• Mold containment
• Air filtration
• Removal of mold-infested materials
• Content cleaning
• Restoration

Call Us

If you have a mold concern, SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville is Here to Help. ® Call us today at 651-435-3565. We’ll clean and restore your mold damage. “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville is Independently Owned and Operated.

Space Heaters are a Leading Cause of House Fires

1/19/2023 (Permalink)

Space heaters are an easy way to get extra heat in our homes when it is cold outside. But it turns out, many people are using them wrong and causing a huge fire risk in their homes. If space heaters are used correctly, they can be nice to have in the cold months. Space heaters use a lot of power so when plugging them in it is safest to plug them directly into the wall. Depending on the extension cord it might not be able to handle the amount of electricity needed. It is also important to keep any flammable objects at least 3 feet from the space heater. SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville recommends checking fire detectors often and having a fire extinguisher in an easy-to-get place. In case of emergency SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville is ready to help 24/7.

6 Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Your Home or Business

1/19/2023 (Permalink)

Minnesota winters come with freezing temperatures and plenty of ice and snow, easily causing pipes to freeze. Frozen pipes are a problem because they prevent water flow and can eventually burst, causing damage and potential flooding in your home or business.

Water has a unique property, it expands as it freezes. This expansion causes an immense amount of pressure on whatever is containing it. No matter the strength of the pipe, expanding water can cause pipes to break. The good news is, there are ways to prevent pipes from freezing.

Which Pipes Are Most at Risk?

Pipes that are exposed to the outside elements are along the exterior walls of your home. These pipes may need extra protection during the winter, which includes the following:

• Outdoor hose hookups and faucets.
• Swimming pool supply lines.
• Lawn sprinkler lines.
• Water pipes in unheated, interior locations such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, kitchen, and bathroom cabinets.
• Pipes running against exterior walls with little or no insulation.

Preventing Frozen Pipes (Internal)

1. Maintain Heat When Traveling- If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, and set it to a temperature no lower than 55° F. This should provide enough heat to keep the pipes warm and prevent any water inside from freezing.
2. Cold Water Drip- When the weather is below freezing outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet. Allowing water to run through the pipes (even at a trickle) helps prevent pipes from freezing. When a pipe freezes the pressure created between the blockage and the faucet will cause the pipes to burst. Leaving the faucet open will help avoid blockage in the pipes.
3. Insulation- Adding insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces will help maintain higher temperatures in these areas. Pipes can be fitted with foam rubber or fiberglass sleeve to help decrease the chances of freezing.
4. Seal the Gaps- Gaps may occur where the pipes come into the building and allow cold air in, which can expose the area where your pipes are most vulnerable. Seal these spaces/gaps with foam insulation or caulk.
5. Open Cabinet Doors In some homes the kitchen and bathroom sinks can be located against an exterior wall. Locations such as these are not insulated as well and cold air from outside can freeze the pipes beneath the sinks. To help fight the influx of cold air, leave the cabinet doors open to assist the movement of warmer air.
6. Keep Doors Closed: Close garage and basement doors, by keeping them closed it’ll help keep the temperature a little warmer in these areas and keep out the wind. This is important if there is a water supply line traveling through them, as these spaces are more at risk in freezing temperatures.

Preventing Frozen Pipes (External)

• Drain External Water Lines: Close internal valves that supply water to the exterior and drain water lines from the outside.

Water Damage Cleanup from Frozen Pipes

Once the main water valve is shut off and the pipes are repaired, SERPVRO of Mason City can be there to help with the cleanup and restoration. The longer the water sits in the building materials, the more potential for damage and mold growth.

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville is licensed, experienced, and available 24/7 when it comes to returning your home or business to its preloss condition, “Like it never happened.” As soon as we arrive, the cleanup and restoration process will begin immediately.

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call us at 651-435-3565

When Winter Storms Hit We Are Here to Help!

1/19/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of St. Paul CW, Minneapolis SE, New Brighton & East Roseville specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our teams are highly trained and certified. We use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

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.

When a storm hits, 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 at 651-435-3565. We are available 24/7