Storm Season doesn't end when Hurricane season does.

11/28/2022 (Permalink)

Even though storm season is wrapping up rather quickly, a nearby road overflow can cause significant issues in the ground levels of your property. Heavy rainfall results in sewer systems backing up and overflowing with contaminated Black Water. Due to the potentially harmful effects of Black Water, it is essential to hire a professional, qualified technician to help repair and restore your property safely. Indeed, many of your possessions can be salvaged by using professional cleaning equipment promptly.

Where there is Flood Damage in SERVPRO® of New Orleans & Mid-City homes, the likelihood of contaminants being spread around the home is high. In the circumstances, it is not uncommon for our technicians to wear Hazmat suits to protect themselves from pathogens during the cleanup operation. We may also have to remove sections of drywall to clean in and behind walls, floors, and fittings. Left behind debris is not only odorous but has the potential to be harmful if not dealt with thoroughly.

For owners who find themselves in this position, it is only natural to immediately assume the worst, especially where personal possessions are concerned. Here at SERVPRO®of New Orleans & Mid-City,  we always work with a restore over replace mentality. Unlike other providers, our services are geared toward salvaging as much as possible. We enable our technicians to achieve this by providing them with state-of-the-art cleaning equipment and technology.

We can assess items immediately on-site to decide which possessions are salvageable and which need disposal. Generally speaking, porous materials absorb black water making them exceptionally difficult to clean; this could include your carpets or curtains. However, where they are valuable fabrics, we can send them to a specialized facility for mechanical cleaning using Esporta washing machines. This equipment is expensive because they are advanced. However, SERVPRO New Orleans & Mid-City provides technicians with everything they need to restore items rather than replace them.

Floods are considerable emergencies which is why SERVPRO training involves a rapid-response unit as well as a 24-hour emergency call line. Our skilled specialists are local to the area and can reach you fast to help mitigate loss and reduce the risk of permanent damage.

In an emergency, contact the SERVPRO professionals right away!

Storm Damage Remediation Options for your Home or Business

10/27/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage can cause significant damage to your property and your health if not promptly attended to by water restoration professionals.

When water penetrates your walls, it can result in structural damage to your home. Not only that, it causes mold to form around your property. After a flood, a leak, or a general plumbing failure, it is advisable to inspect your home for potential water damage. Spotting water damage in the wall is possible if you know what to look for. In most cases, the damage may not be visible immediately.

To avoid potential damage to your home, it is important to enlist the service of a water damage restoration professional who has the skills and knowledge to identify water damage and recommend an appropriate fix.

Wall water damage that happens behind your wall can cause long-term damage both to your home and health. But a timely intervention of a professional can help prevent these issues.

If you need a professional water damage restoration service for water removal in the New Orleans area, look no further than SERVPRO of New Orleans Uptown and Mid-City.

The company has a dedicated team of water restoration specialists with experience in handling wall water damage, regardless of the size. They will come to your property to assess your water damage emergency and provide recommendations to fix the issue.

Telltale Signs That Water Has Entered Your Walls

Most times, it is easy to tell when you are dealing with water damage that has managed to spill into your wall. Some of the identifiable signs of wall water damage include:

Wallpaper or paint starts peeling

One of the most obvious signs that there is water behind your wall is you notice that your wallpaper or paints have started peeling. This often happens when your sheetrock has absorbed too much water. Other related signs pointing to wall water damage are flaking paints or the opening of a wallpaper at the seams.

Mold growth

Mold typically grows in areas that have excess moisture such as bathrooms, kitchens, or basements. But if you notice mold growing on walls, especially in areas distant from plumbing fixtures, there are chances there is moisture trapped behind your walls.

But unlike peeling or flaking of wallpapers and paint which may take days to show, mold growth takes between 24 and 48 hours to grow on your wall if there is too much moisture.

Warping

Have you noticed warping around your house? It may be time to look around the house for possible water damage to your wall. Oftentimes, warping occurs when there is too much water trapped in the sheetrock behind your walls. That said, warping on the wall is a strong indicator that there is water penetration somewhere in the house.

Musty smell

When excess water or moisture is trapped in materials such as drywall, wood, or plasterboard, it can cause moldy and musty odor. As mentioned earlier, wall cavities with trapped moisture are a breeding ground for mold, which comes with an unpleasant smell.

Therefore, if you perceive a strong odor coming from your walls, that could be a sign that water has penetrated your wall.

Visible stains around the wall

Another prominent sign of water accumulating in the drywall is noticeable staining around the wall. If the stains continue to expand, it is an indicator that there is a hidden plumbing failure in your home. 

What You Can Do If You Find Mold In Your New Orleans Home or Business!

10/27/2022 (Permalink)

Our New Orleans Uptown & Mid-City team is trained and certified to restore mold outbreaks by the Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in El Paso, TX. We have the training, equipment, and experience to restore areas compromised by mold quickly and efficiently. Here are some mold damage emergency tips from our website for things you can do and should not do while waiting for help to arrive:

What to Do

• Stay out of affected areas
• Turn off the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and fans
• Contact our Southeast El Paso office 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

Call Us!

When you discover a mold problem in your New Orleans Uptown & Mid-City commercial business, our team is available to help! We’ll clean and restore the mold damage “Like it never even happened.” Contact us today.

What Happens to Your Roof After a Severe Storm or Weather Condition?

10/27/2022 (Permalink)

The thunderstorms in the Gulf South are on another level compared to many areas of the United States. After a thunderstorm, you might be concerned about damage to your home and especially your roof. After a storm, here are some tips for inspecting your roof for water damage so you can get it fixed before the next storm.

Check Your Roof

If you don't see any internal damage, you should try to get up on your roof and check for any missing shingles, cracks, or other damages. Carefully go over each section to find any kind of wind or water damage. Make sure any seals around grates, vents, or windows are intact and have not been weathered.

Check For Leaks

The obvious way to know if you have roof damage is if there is water leaking into your home. Look along the seams where the wall meets the ceiling, corners of rooms, and in the attic for any kind of moisture or dampness. If you find any, you will know where to make repairs and can help to mitigate to prevent further damage.

How To Use Your Garden Hose To Check

The most thorough test you can do for your roof to ensure there are no leaks is to test it out by simulating heavy rain conditions. With someone inside watching for leaks, pour water from the garden hose over sections of your roof to look for leaks. You can also do this to make sure your gutters are properly draining. This test will give you a firsthand look at how water is draining off your roof and let you know of any repairs that need to be made.

If you find any damage to your home or roof, immediately contact your home insurance provider and document any damage with pictures so that you can get a claim submitted for repair costs. Our New Orleans Uptown & Mid-City team is on standby 24/7 to help mitigate any issues. We also have a phenomenal construction team that can help with roof repairs!

How Can Mold Damage Your Business?

10/25/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO understands how mold can affect your business and the importance of stopping and preventing it.  Mold is a type of fungi (it’s not a mushroom) that is found outside as well as indoors.  Mold can be found in multiple colors, but the most common are black and green.

How does mold get in?  It gets in very easily.  It can float through the air right through a door or window, as well as attach itself to clothing or other things that are traveling around.  Once the mold is established, it will continue to release spores into the air so that it can spread (insert horror movie music here) all through the building.

Depending on the type of business that the mold finds itself in, it will always find something to do.  The best case scenario, if you have mold, is that it might put off a “musty” (you’ll know it when it happens) odor that spreads throughout the building.  On the other end is allowing the mold to get to the point where it starts damaging the structure.  Imagine the inside of your office walls covered with so much mold that they can’t be repaired and have to be destroyed entirely.  If you are in the food production business, mold can be your worst nightmare.  It can contaminate the food in your coolers and dry storage, not to mention the list of boxes that the Health Department just checked off on your business (not a good thing).

Let the professionals at SERVPRO of New Orleans Uptown & Mid-City help with your mold remediation.

Keeping the Air Ducts at Work Clean!

10/6/2022 (Permalink)

Air duct cleaning is an important cleaning service for homeowners. Air duct cleaning means having all your duct systems, including the supply, intake, and return vents cleaned using professional air duct cleaning equipment. In addition, air duct cleaning may also include cleaning the registers, grilles, fans, the HVAC unit, and cleaning the furnace if you have one.

If not properly installed, maintained, and operated, these components may become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen, or other debris. 

Ventilation systems are often the biggest culprit in poor indoor air quality. Make it a priority to inspect the ductwork of your business.

If your HVAC has been operating for some time without attention, it could be circulating one or more of the following:

• Dust
• Pollen
• Odors
• Dirt and debris

The benefits of servicing your HVAC unit include:

• Helps to restore peak energy efficiency.
• It May help to eliminate offensive odors.
• Helps reduce the potential for mold growth.

For more information on HVAC and air duct cleaning, call us today!

Our SERVPRO Rapid Response Team Can Help You With Storm Damage In Your Property

10/6/2022 (Permalink)

Even though storm season is wrapping up rather quickly, a nearby road overflow can cause significant issues in the ground levels of your property. Heavy rainfall results in sewer systems backing up and overflowing with contaminated Black Water. Due to the potentially harmful effects of Black Water, it is essential to hire a professional, qualified technician to help repair and restore your property safely. Indeed, many of your possessions can be salvaged by using professional cleaning equipment promptly.

Where there is Flood Damage in Greater New Orleans area homes, the likelihood of contaminants being spread around the home is high. In the circumstances, it is not uncommon for our technicians to wear Hazmat suits to protect themselves from pathogens during the cleanup operation. We may also have to remove sections of drywall to clean in and behind walls, floors, and fittings. Left behind debris is not only odorous but has the potential to be harmful if not dealt with thoroughly.

For owners who find themselves in this position, it is only natural to immediately assume the worst, especially where personal possessions are concerned. Here at SERVPRO®of North Kenner, Harahan & Lakeview we always work with a restore over replace mentality. Unlike other providers, our services are geared toward salvaging as much as possible. We enable our technicians to achieve this by providing them with state-of-the-art cleaning equipment and technology.

We can assess items immediately on-site to decide which possessions are salvageable and which need disposal. Generally speaking, porous materials absorb black water making them exceptionally difficult to clean; this could include your carpets or curtains. However, where they are valuable fabrics, we can send them to a specialized facility for mechanical cleaning using Esporta washing machines. This equipment is expensive because they are advanced. However, SERVPRO®of North Kenner, Harahan & Lakeview provides technicians with everything they need to restore items rather than replace them.

Floods are considerable emergencies which is why SERVPRO® of North Kenner, Harahan & Lakeview's training involves a rapid-response unit as well as a 24-hour emergency call line. Our skilled specialists are local to the area and can reach you fast to help mitigate loss and reduce the risk of permanent damage.

Did You Know That SERVPRO Offers Mold Remediation Services in New Orleans and Surrounding Areas?

9/21/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in your home can cause cause health effects; here are the effective ways to solve your mold problem.

Finding mold in your shower, basement, or kitchen can be alarming. A small amount of mold may not cause health effects, but knowing to get rid of it on time can keep it from becoming a bigger issue. When left untouched, mold can spread quickly to a larger area and cause health effects.

SERVPRO of New Orleans, a professional mold removal company serving the New Orleans and surrounding areas, shares five effective tips for removing mold from homes. 

1. Applying Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is an antibacterial and antifungal solution. It is effective for mold removal. You can use it safely on a wide range of surfaces like kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, hard flooring, and wall surfaces.

Pour the concentration into a spray bottle. You can begin by testing areas or surfaces that are not conspicuous to prevent discoloration or damage. Once you are satisfied with the result, spray the moldy surfaces and leave them for 15 minutes. After that, scrub the area to remove black mold and stains.

2. Using vinegar for mold removal

White vinegar is a nontoxic acidic product used to clean, deodorize and disinfect. Vinegar can kill more than 80 percent of mold species, including black mold. You can use this solution safely on a wide range of surfaces.

Pour undiluted vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray onto the moldy surfaces. Leave it for about an hour. Finally, wipe the area with water and allow the surface to dry.

3. Using baking soda to remove black mold

Baking soda is not only effective for removing odors in the fridge, but it can also help to get rid of black mold. Baking soda not only kills mold but also absorbs and encourages mold growth. The best part is that it is safe for your family and pets.

Pour a tablespoon of baking soda into a spray bottle filled with water and shake until it dissolves. Spray the moldy area and scrub the surface using a scrub brush. After that, rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold stains and the baking soda itself.

4. Removing black mold with essential oils

For centuries, millions of people have used essential oils in aromatherapy. But very few people know that some essential oils, such as tea tree oil are effective insect repellents and deodorizers. It is a natural fungicide that removes mold quickly and ensures mold spores do not come back.

Mix tree oil with a cup of water in a spray bottle and shake vigorously to achieve a fine blend. Spray the moldy area, leave it for 45 minutes, and then wipe away with a dry towel. Essential oils can cause health effects in some people, so ensure you wear protective gloves when applying them.

5. Curbing mold growth with lemons

Lemons are a natural antiseptic, bleach, and stain remover. Additionally, it is one of the most effective ways to remove black mold in the house. The high concentration of acid in lemons helps break down mold spores, leaving you with a clean and disinfected surface.

Juice three to five lemons into a cup and pour over the affected area. Wait for 10 minutes, and then wipe the surface with a damp towel. You can also scrub the surface to get rid of tough mold stains.

Get Professional Mold Removal Services In Lakewood, New Orleans

The team of mold removal specialists at SERVPRO of New Orleans has years of experience and is well equipped with the latest tools and technology to restore your home to a safer and healthier condition. They are available for emergency mold removal service 24/7. 

Storm Damage Resources

9/20/2022 (Permalink)

We have all dealt with storm damage in the past, and since we live in an area affected by hurricanes, we will probably deal with them again in the future.  We all know what to do in order to prepare for a hurricane, but what do we do after the storm has passed?  It is just as important to have a post-storm plan, as one before.

Here are a few things to do immediately after the storm has passed and it is safe to do so.

1. Before you clean up, take pictures and videos of all of the damage, inside and out.
2. Start removing anything that is wet or holding water, followed by debris from your home.
3. Have your insurance policy and contact information ready to go so that you can contact them right away.  
4. Start making any repairs that you can in order to stop future damage.

Remember that if a storm does damage to your property, it probably did to many others as well.  Get in touch with your insurance company as quickly as possible to get the claim started.    We all remember events in the past where it took weeks to get someone out to look at the damage.  Having a plan for after the storm can help keep you on a track to getting back to normal as quickly as possible.  The team at SERVPRO of New Orleans & MidCity is here to help.

Tips On How To Prevent Home/Office Fires

9/6/2022 (Permalink)

Nobody wants to think about their home or office catching on fire.  Sometimes these things happen and they are totally out of our control, but there are a lot of things that we can do to help prevent them.

FEMA’s records show that just over half (50.2%) of residential fires are caused by cooking-related accidents.  The next three biggest reasons are Heating (9.3%), Electrical Malfunction (6.8%), and Intentional (4.5%). 

Here are a few things that you can do to help prevent a house fire and protect your family.

Pay attention when cooking.  If you need to step out of the room, ask someone to watch the food until you get back, or turn off the stove and stop cooking.

Test your smoke alarms regularly. 

Check the dryers’ airflow.  Pull the lint trap and clean it every time you dry a load of clothes.

Be careful with power cords and strips.  Attaching too many appliances to one power strip can draw more power than the cord is able to handle.  This can cause it to heat up and potentially catch on fire.

Store flammable products away from heat sources.

Place fire extinguishers in key locations around your house.  Make sure that everyone in the home knows how to properly use them.

If you need help after a fire, SERVPRO is here to help.  We can replace the damaged areas, check your electrical system for any potential issues, and can even help you get that smoke smell out of your home.