Mold Damage Repair in Frederick Calls for SERVPRO’s Help

8/27/2023 (Permalink)

Mold damage is hard to deal with on your own. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for certified professionals and equipment to help you.

Trust Experts for Mold Damage Repair in Your Frederick Home

Outdoors, molds play a role in nature as they break down dead, organic matter like dead trees and fallen leaves. However, indoor mold growth is something to avoid. These microorganisms reproduce by broadcasting minute spores and circulate through indoor and outdoor air.

Mold can grow indoors when the spores land on wet or damp surfaces. Mold damage repair in Frederick homes involves controlling mold growth. SERVPRO® can help you to clean up the mold and repair the water problem.

Mold ruins the structures and contents it grows on. It causes more damage the longer it grows. When remediating mold, our SERVPRO team can construct containment that serves the following safety purposes:

• Preventing contaminants from getting into uncontaminated areas.
• Managing airflow from clean to contaminated surfaces. 
• Protecting building workers and occupants from fungi exposure

We can use different methods to keep contaminants from spreading. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) defines the three degrees of isolation:

• Full-scale containment.
• Mini or local containment.
• Source containment.

For minimal contamination, our SERVPRO team can use source containment. We use mini or local containment for moderate contamination and full-scale containment for severe contamination.

Before performing remediation, we remove the non-contaminated and contaminated contents from affected areas. We can thoroughly clean contaminated contents using suitable methods to prevent mold spore reservoirs from returning to the remediated space. We consider the types of materials present in the affected area to remediate the mold effectively. For instance, if mold is present on porous materials like wallpaper, ceiling tiles, carpets, and drywall, our SERVPRO technicians can remove and discard them since we cannot clean them effectively.

If the surface of porous materials is contaminated with mold spores or dust but does not have mold growth, we can decontaminate it with HEPA vacuuming if dry. If such materials are damp, we can clean them professionally. If the materials have been wet for extended periods, we can discard them to keep mold from spreading further. 

SERVPRO of Frederick County is ready to handle the mold damage in your home. Contact us anytime at (301) 691-4683.

Frederick Mold Damage Remediators Provide High-Quality Service

5/22/2023 (Permalink)

Our team is trained and equipped to remediate mold damage!

SERVPRO Expertly Repairs Frederick Mold Damage

Frederick’s Mid-Atlantic climate makes it prone to thunderstorms, heavy rains, and hot and humid weather in the warmer months. Not surprisingly, these weather patterns also facilitate mold development and growth, which makes it especially difficult to combat this residential fungal threat. Fortunately, an area service is highly experienced in dealing with this household problem.

SERVPRO’s Frederick mold damage experts are skilled at all aspects of the mitigation and restoration process. For many years, we have provided our community with top-notch mold inspection, basement mold remediation, bathroom mold removal, and attic mold cleanup services. Company mold specialists have also performed countless black mold damage repairs for neighbors. SERVPRO’s extensive knowledge in mold damage recovery comes from its on-the-job experience and Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) training in:

• Rapid interior and content drying techniques utilizing wet vacs, extractors, air movers, dehumidifiers, and Injectidry systems
• Proper methods of treating moisture-rich and mold-fouled surfaces, including those of structural elements and furnishings, with the appropriate antifungals using foggers and injection devices
• Neutralizing troublesome foul odors using foggers and injectors loaded with industrial-grade deodorants
• Demolishing irreparably impacted parts of homes, reconstructing destroyed rooms and sections of residences, repairing all types of mold-related damage, and replacing whatever needs to be replaced

This advanced education in abatement and restoration procedures enables us to remediate your residential fungal issues faster than most other local services. Ultimately, this saves you time, money, and unnecessary headaches.

With this in mind, know that your friends at SERVPRO of Frederick County are always eager to help you clean up and restore any mold damage. Regardless of the time of day or night you call, our skilled technicians can often arrive at your residence in less than four hours. So, whenever you need us, do not hesitate to dial (301) 662-1747.

Fast Fire Damage Restoration in Germantown Homes

5/22/2023 (Permalink)

Each fire is different. We have the ability to evaluate and clean all types of smoke and soot.

Smoke and Fire Damage Cleanup Services 

Being the third-largest municipality in Maryland, Germantown is home to more than 91,000. This number might still be higher when you factor in establishments like Montgomery College. However, this large population leaves a lot of opportunities for disasters, such as fire losses. Locations like the Canterbury Apartments and the Hamptons at Town Center represent a popular type of residence in the region and a challenge for fire recovery when multiple units get impacted simultaneously.

Similarly, businesses pose a threat to fire damage restoration in Germantown as well. With the growing community within the Greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, shopping and cultural education complexes are plentiful. Those visiting the area can find several shopping locations and retail stores at The Shops at Seneca Meadows, the Fox Chapel Shopping Center, and the Neelsville Village Center. Fire damage in these locations requires fast and deliberate mitigation strategies to keep multiple businesses from suffering smoke and soot damage.

Cleaning Up Soot and Smoke Damage 

When cleaning up soot and smoke damage to structures, we must evaluate the condition of the affected building. We are Large Loss specialists for post-fire cleanup in area businesses, including massive facilities like the Holy Cross Germantown Hospital and venues like the Germantown Community Center and the Mehfil Banquet and Conference Center. Our experience as leading FSRT-Certified technicians allows us to manage soiled materials and contents in a structure rapidly with:

• Surface cleaning
• Soft goods cleaning
• On-site content cleaning
• Soot removal 

While fires can be stressful, take a relaxing stroll around Gunners Lake or through Leaman Park and give our experienced SERVPRO of Gaithersburg / Germantown team a chance to mitigate loss in your residence. The prompt arrival of our restoration team protects your property and ensures that the proper steps get taken immediately to overcome structural damage, soot, and smoke odors. Call today at (301) 963-8474.

Scoping and Water Mitigation for Frederick Homes

4/25/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO understands how important your property is. Let us help you out.

Detailed Water Mitigation with SERVPRO Gets Results

You may get away with a minor water spill in your home with a few towels or a mop and bucket. But how can you be sure that no moisture ends up under your flooring and cabinets or behind baseboards? SERVPRO wants Frederick property owners to know that there is always a risk of water migrating into tight spaces, which can lead to material degradation or mold growth issues. However, by calling us and having our water restoration technicians (WRT) begin water mitigation, we can halt migration in its tracks and get a jump on the restoration efforts. 

Part of the mitigation process in Frederick involves scoping out your property to determine the best equipment and methods to use. We aim to ensure all customers feel at ease, so we always explain each step and how we work on drying contents and building materials. Some common mitigation efforts used with our water removal services include:

• Acknowledging all potential safety hazards
• Installing containment barriers to keep water from moving into unaffected areas
• Determining the level of contamination of the water, i.e., what category
• Begin pulling up water with powerful extractors and pumps
• Carefully placing dehumidifiers and drying equipment to reduce relative humidity (RH)
• Utilizing moisture detectors, sensors, and meters to ensure no moisture gets left behind

Why Do I Need Water Mitigation Services?

Before restoration, proper mitigation must get done to harness the damage. Mitigation focuses on extraction and containment to keep the problem from worsening. Our technicians also address leftover moisture that leaves the chance of mold growth or costly material damage. We are your one-stop for inspection, mitigation, water removal, drying, and restoration. Each project gets tailored to match the needs of your property so we can achieve the best results. 

Call SERVPRO of Frederick County at (301) 662-1747, and we can send our Green Fleet to begin water mitigation. We will provide prompt, reliable service so your home or business returns to normal fast.

The First Step When Dealing with Water Damage in Frederick

3/31/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Frederick County is prepared to respond swiftly to water damage.

Extraction is the First Stage of Frederick Water Restoration

Many things can cause water damage in Frederick homes, including a burst pipe, a leaking faucet or bathtub, or moisture seeping in from the exterior. When water damage strikes, the most important thing is to extract excess water quickly from your home.

SERVPRO has access to industry-standard tools for swift water damage remediation in Frederick. As a homeowner, your best first step when you need help is to call SERVPRO. We are here for you 24 hours a day, including holidays. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, so give us a call no matter the size of the spill.

Every Remediation Project Starts with Extraction

Before drying your home, we need to remove as much excess water from the floors as possible. The longer damp materials sit in your home, the greater the risk of damage spreading or getting worse. Extraction equipment is highly efficient, quite literally hundreds of times more effective than dehumidification. We use a range of equipment to perform the extraction.

• Carpet wands
• Portable extractors
• Truck-mounted extractors

Carpet wands are ideal for a first pass and to stop liquid migrating further across the floor. Wands are also suitable for glue-down carpet, where more aggressive extraction could cause delamination (when the secondary backing on the carpet separates from the primary backing.) Because they are small, wands are good for getting into tight corners.

Portable extractors help us get into more hard-to-reach places and make extracting moisture from multiple floors easier. We measure pump strength in both tank size and water lift. Portable extractors have tanks of up to twelve gallons and provide 140 inches of water lift.

Trunk-mounted extractors are powerful machines with up to 100 gallons or more tanks and provide 198.8 inches of water lift. Because truck-mounted units have their own power supply, they are the best solution when there is no power in your home or large volumes of water require extraction.

What Happens After Water Extraction?

Our teams adhere to Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards when dealing with water issues. We follow a series of steps designed for maximum efficiency.

• We set up air movers and axial fans to increase moisture evaporation from damp surfaces.
• We use dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels in the air.
• We use moisture meters, moisture probes, and thermo-hygrometers to monitor moisture levels throughout the drying process.
• We tackle leftover damp smells using tools such as wet fogging and odor-fighting beads.

Our technicians select the best equipment for the job. For example, axial fans are more powerful than standard air movers and can move more significant volumes of air. Such fans are the best choice when we need to evaporate a lot of liquid quickly. Axial fans are also helpful for deodorizing, which is an integral part of remediation.

Careful calculation of the placement of drying equipment is key to a job well done. SERVPRO does not leave anything to chance. We calculate and monitor at every step for the best results.

Your satisfaction is our aim. You can rely on our technicians to finish the job professionally. We always carry out a walk-through and check everything is in order at the end of the project, and we take a final set of moisture readings to ensure everything is dry. We will also walk you through your home and answer any questions or concerns.

We are here for you if you need help drying out your home. Call SERVPRO of Frederick County today at (301) 662-1747 for fast and efficient service.

Homeowners and Fire Damaged Items in Frederick

3/31/2023 (Permalink)

Homeowners with fire damage can rely on SERVPRO for cleanup and restoration. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Professional Help is a Better Choice for Fire Restoration in Frederick

A house fire can burn and damage almost any item in your home. A blaze can burn some things entirely, while other items may be warped or smoke-damaged. We understand the need to get your stuff clean as quickly as possible. However, it is much better to call for professional help.

DIY attempts to clean up after fire damage in Frederick can worsen the problem. You might end up with streaky walls or soot smeared across surfaces. It is safer and more effective to let SERVPRO take care of the fire cleanup for you.

SERVPRO is available around the clock, every day. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can reach you and begin the fire restoration process.

Which Items are Salvageable After a House Fire?

When you see smoke-blackened furniture or soft furnishings, you might think that all your belongings are lost. However, with professional cleaning and restoration from SERVPRO, it is possible to restore many household items to their preloss condition.

Our technicians assess the severity and extent of smoke and fire damage in your home. We let you know which items we can salvage and cannot. We have the equipment to clean a wide range of household items, including:

• Wooden and metal furniture
• Floors, rugs, and drapes
• Ornaments and children’s toys
• Documents, artwork, and photographs

Please note it is advisable to dispose of all food items within the vicinity of the fire. We always give you a realistic estimate of what we can do and the results you can expect to see.

What Cleaning Method is Best for Fire Damaged Items?

Efficient cleaning is more cost-effective than refinishing or replacing items. Cleaning also means you get to keep the article, which is good news. We train our technicians in a range of cleaning methods, including:

• Dry cleaning
• Wet cleaning
• Spray and wipe
• Foam cleaning
• Abrasive cleaning

We match the method to the type of fire damage. For example, dry cleaning is suitable for light to medium soiling when the soot is not greasy. Dry cleaning includes using feather dusters and sponges to wipe away dry residue. We can also use powerful HEPA vacuum cleaners to remove debris.

Wet cleaning means saturating the items using either water or approved cleaning agents and is often used for heavier soiling. Sometimes we need to dry clean first to lessen the amount of soot before wet cleaning.

How Does SERVPRO Take Care of More Delicate Items?

What happens when neither wet nor dry cleaning is an option? We can use gentler methods. Spray and wipe cleaning means using a spray bottle to apply a cleaning agent, which gives our technicians more control over how wet the material gets. Spray and wipe means we can target smaller areas, too. Foam cleaning is ideal for fire-damaged upholstery that might be at risk of shrinking or dye running if saturated. Our technicians agitate shampoo to whip up a good head of foam, then apply carefully to the affected upholstery using an upholstery brush.

The key to effective fire restoration cleaning is a thorough understanding of each cleaning technique. We train all our technicians to Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards. 

IICRC certification covers the whole fire damage process, not just the cleaning part. You can rest assured that our technicians practice industry standards in every aspect, from assessing your home, cleaning items, and deodorizing to documenting the process.

If you need help with fire damage cleaning, call SERVPRO of Frederick County at (301) 662-1747. We are proud to say we always aim to leave your home “Like it never even happened.”

Call SERVPRO for Mold Damage Help in Frederick

3/31/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO uses the latest technology and equipment for every size mold remediation job. Call now for fast and immediate service.

Call for Mold Remediation Help in Frederick at the First Signs of Fungus

Mold often does not seem too bad at first. You might notice a small patch of black, gray, or green fungus. A slight odor might be your first clue that there is a potential problem. The best time to call in professional help is as soon as you notice these signs.

If you are concerned about mold damage in Frederick, SERVPRO is Here to Help. Microscopic mold particles are present everywhere. However, under certain conditions, these particles form colonies. The tiny hyphae can eat organic materials such as paper, cotton, linen, or wood. If you do not tackle fungus quickly, it can easily spread throughout your home and cause further damage.

Can You Fix Mold Damage Yourself?

We do not recommend tackling fungal growth on your own. Many commercially advertised cleaners create more moisture and can worsen the damage. Our teams know which techniques and tools to use for your specific situation.

Mold easily spreads through the air or on clothes and shoes. The spores can also cling to pet fur. One of the critical parts of remediation is setting up containment to prevent further spreading.

• Thick polypropylene sheets create a physical barrier around the affected area.
• Negative air machines draw in particles and safely exhaust them.
• Sealing doors, windows, and HVAC ducts make spores harder to escape.

We also use containment principles to set up clean rooms where technicians can change and remove personal protective equipment (PPE) before re-entering your home. We store equipment and clothing in cleanrooms to prevent spores from spreading.

Dealing with Visible Contamination

We train our technicians to tackle infestations using a variety of methods.

• Scraping is often effective when removing mold from hard surfaces.
• HEPA vacuums draw in loose particles.
• Damp wiping with disinfectant when there is heavier soiling.
• Soda blasting helps clean larger wood or stone surfaces.

Non-porous surfaces like metal, glass, plastic, and varnished wood, are easier to clean. We usually need to discard more porous materials such as drywall or carpet. 

We may need to carry out controlled demolition on fungus-infected materials in some cases. Rest assured that we will oversee reconstruction and repainting where required to leave your home “Like it never even happened.”

What Can be Done About the Smell?

A moldy smell is often one of the first clues of a fungus problem. And those odors can linger, leaving your home smelling less than fresh. Deodorization is a vital part of any remediation project. We have several deodorizing tools we can use.

Wet fogging (also known as Ultra Low Volume fogging) is effective against mold smells. Our technicians use the fogging machine nozzle to distribute antimicrobial products into the atmosphere. The products kill off spores and restore freshness.

We might also use a portable ozone machine. These machines generate ozone, which then causes a chemical reaction with odor-causing molecules. The ozone reverts into normal oxygen molecules when the process is complete, leaving no traces or residues behind. However, all people, pets, and plants must be removed from the premises before using an ozone machine. We will tell you when it is safe to come back inside.

Mold-retardant paint can also suppress odors. We clean and prepare all surfaces for repainting when necessary to ensure a professional finish.

If you notice the signs or smells of mold in your home, do not try to tackle it yourself. Instead, call SERVPRO of Frederick County at (301) 662-1747 straight away so we can help you.

Professional Water Mitigation for Frederick Shops

3/30/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO utilizes submersible pumps during commercial water mitigation in Frederick shops. Our business keeps you in business.

Immediate Water Cleanup Action Reopens Shops Faster 

A water disaster can close up your doors and make it difficult for production to return to normal. Unfortunately, many businesses that close due to damage never reopen, and as leading restoration specialists, SERVPRO is here to help ensure that’s not your shop with effective remediation.

Debris Cleanup and Removal

To start water mitigation for Frederick shops and stores, we must first identify the severity of the situation with an inspection. Then, to thoroughly conduct the assessment necessary, professionals must remove bulk materials and debris created by the loss event. Finally, vacuums, hand tools, and personnel work together to eliminate the buildup that slows mitigation.

Addressing the Surface Water

The earliest water removal objectives target surface pooling throughout your shop. Standing water can overwhelm your inventory and continually damage exposed building materials, making extraction a vital component in returning your business to its original condition. A combination of wet vacuums and submersible pumps has the most significant impact on water removal needs. 

Removing water entirely goes beyond the standing water concerns into what materials have become wet by this moisture presence. We use air movers and dehumidifiers together to regulate evaporative drying and humidity. In addition, our team continually monitors using sensors and thermal imagery to remove all water threats successfully. 

Are All Materials Salvageable?

It is important to note that our professionals can only salvage some water-damaged materials in some scenarios. Sometimes moisture exposure is too lengthy, deteriorating the impacted elements and requiring controlled demolition, discarding, and later reconstruction. Some of the common materials that become irreparably damaged include:

• Drywall
• Carpeting
• Trim
• Furniture 

When shops and storefronts are damaged by water, the mitigation stage will ultimately significantly impact when doors can reopen to your customers. Our fast-responding SERVPRO of Frederick County professionals are available 24/7 to help at (301) 662-1747.

Fire Damage Restoration Makes Your Home in Frederick Safe Again

2/22/2023 (Permalink)

If you find yourself in need of assistance with fire damage remediation, call SERVPRO.

Your Burnt Home Needs Fire Damage Restoration

A house fire can spread very quickly inside a Frederick house. The swiftness with which flames can travel from one location to another also causes more damage to a home. SERVPRO carries out fire damage restoration for the entire house, scaled to the intensity of destruction in each location. 

We rely on our construction skills during controlled demolition, removal of materials, and the detailed rebuilding of your house. In Frederick, fire damage restoration services can transform a gutted house into a beautiful home. Our attention to detail includes its aesthetics and the safety and stability of your residence. 

Changes to your home make it uninhabitable. Restoring different parts of your home takes time, but they add to the entire restoration of your dwelling. Here are some areas we clean, rebuild, and restore:

• Your roof
• The hallways
• Ceilings

It is common for firefighters to punch openings in the roof to help control the fire's size. These openings are also used to direct water coming from the hoses directly into hot spots. Initially, we tarp these openings to prevent anything from entering your attic and creating additional havoc. 

Hallways and small open spaces often become electrically charged from heated electrons, leaving these areas highly prone to collecting particles of soot in string-like patterns (soot tags). Cleaning the surfaces with specially formulated agents reduces this attraction significantly. 

Any ceiling inside your home can retain large amounts of water from firefighting. Once trapped in a ceiling, its weight can leave the structure rounded downward. We drain this water from the underside, starting at the outer perimeter and slowly making additional holes closer to the center. After draining, we slowly dry the materials and then, if possible, reattach everything to the wooden studs above. Restoring a ceiling this way keeps debris and tools out of the way below, allowing other tasks to occur and keeping the entire restoration project on schedule. 

SERVPRO of Frederick County is always available to answer your questions. Call us at (301) 662-1747 to speak with an experienced technician.

Dealing with a Frederick Storm and Water Damage

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO says a sump pump failure can lead to a partial demolition of your Frederic house. When a "storm comes a calling" Call us.

SERVPRO Water Damage Cleanup in Frederick

As a Frederick homeowner, one of the situations you dread most is water damage and flooding after a storm that leaves your interior in disarray. Home floods are always challenging to tackle, especially if this is your first time experiencing one. Storm flooding brings damage and potential hazards that can leave your living situation in chaos, uproot your life, and lead to immense costs. SERVPRO is here 24/7 to handle your water restoration needs – We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

You may wonder what can get done after stormwater damage develops in your Frederick home. SERVPRO specializes in flood and water damage repair and restoration, so we can give you some insight into what may be happening.

Possible storm and water damage causes

Flooding can occur at any time during or after an area storm, often stemming from one or more of the following:

• Leaking roof from storm damage – Wind and debris damage can cause a breach in your roof. Depending on the severity, you could have slight water damage to your ceiling and walls or a hole that causes significant damage and leaves standing water and debris.
• Sump pump failure – A sizable flood sending water into your basement or first floor can always happen. However, some people with a properly working sump pump can avoid issues with slight water infiltration. Should your pump fail, it can expel the gathered water into your basement or crawlspace and lead to flooding.
• Foundation cracks – During heavy rainstorms, your foundation could spring a leak and allow water to rush in. Such a hydrostatic event is tricky and calls for prompt attention before the problem worsens.

Once you notice flooding or storm damage, calling our skilled water damage technicians at SERVPRO of Frederick County at (301) 900-4364 is the best course of action. We can mobilize our Green Fleet to your door within hours to begin water mitigation, extraction, and drying measures to get you the desired results.