Having A Plan During a House Fire in East Topeka KS

8/30/2022 (Permalink)

Does your family have a plan during a house fire?

   Your kids’ safety is of utmost importance. You teach your children to look both ways before crossing the street and to stay away from strangers. But, as a parent and homeowner in East Topeka, do you educate your children on what to do in a home fire? When a fire emergency occurs, every second counts. Have a fire escape plan and practice it with your children. Review the tips below to educate your family. 

Practice a Fire Escape Plan

   Teach and practice the following techniques with your children during a non-emergency, so your family knows what to do in the case of a home fire:

• If the smoke alarm sounds at night, roll to the edge of the bed face down, place the closest hand to the floor and slide off the bed. 
• Crawl to avoid smoke in the air on knees and forearms with head down, or crawl like a snake. 
• Check doors before opening by feeling for heat. If hot, find another way out of the room. If warm or cool, open slowly and check for fire. Close doors as you go. 
• Create and practice an escape route and agree on an outdoor meeting place. If trapped, go to the window, open it, climb out if possible or yell for help. Once out of the house, do not return inside for any reason. 

Preventative Measures for Kids

    Aside from teaching and practicing the above techniques, follow these kids’ safety tips:

• Maintain at least one functioning smoke detector at each level of your home. Teach your children that the alarm sound means there is fire and smoke in the house. 
• Keep lighters and matches out of the reach of young children. Instruct older children not to play with these or other flammable objects, such as candles. 

   By teaching and practicing the above tips with your children in East Topeka, your family is prepared for a home fire. Once your kids’ safety is secured and the fire is out, contact a fire restoration specialist and your homeowner’s insurance agent to begin the process of returning your home to preloss condition.

50% of East Topeka KS Business Never Reopen After a Natural Disaster

8/28/2022 (Permalink)

According to a major insurance company, one out of two East Topeka businesses never returns to the marketplace following a major disaster. Of those that do, half go bankrupt within three years. The businesses that survive plan their response to a disaster before it strikes.

And the property losses from hurricanes, floods, fires, and other disasters are staggering. Insured losses due to natural disaster in the United States in the first half of 2015 totaled $12.6 billion. That's according to a July 2015 presentation by Munich Re and the Insurance Information Institute.

Pre-planning can serve as a type of "insurance policy" that provides your East Topeka commercial business with peace of mind. And knowing you are "ready for whatever happens" builds trust among your clients and employees that in the event your business is affected by a disaster, they don't necessarily have to be.

Create a SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile

By developing a SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile for your commercial business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation.

An Emergency Ready Profile can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your East Topeka business. At no charge, here's what completing the profile provides for you:

A no cost assessment of your business facility- you pay nothing to have SERVPRO of East Topeka assess the storm-readiness of your commercial building.

A concise document with the critical information you need in an emergency- it takes less than 30 minutes to complete an Emergency Ready Profile. It won't take you away from current projects. But building your emergency plan will save a lot of time if a disaster strikes.

A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster- you cut costs because the profile can help reduce the time your East Topeka business will be inactive. Most business owners don't realize that the biggest cost businesses hit by a natural disaster is not the cost of the cleanup or renovations. By far, the biggest cost is having to close your business down while the repairs are made. Many businesses lose tens of thousands of dollars for every day they are closed. We specialize in getting businesses back in business fast.

A firm relationship with SERVPRO of East Topeka as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider- you gain the assurance of having a local provider who is recognized as an industry leader, knows your needs, and will respond quickly in an emergency.

A faster path to mitigation by identifying your line of command for authorizing work to begin- you save valuable time when SERVPRO of East Topeka immediately knows we can begin work of mitigating the damage to your business. Your cleanup and restoration can happen in the most efficient and effective manner.

A detailed listing of critical facility information- you have in one place a reference for details like all shut-off valve locations, priority areas, and priority contact information. You gain a quick reference of what to do, how to do it, and who to call so you're "ready for whatever happens."

We're here to Help

The team at SERVPRO of East Topeka has specialized training and experience in virtually all aspects of cleaning up after damage caused by water, sewer, fire, smoke, wind, or other natural disasters. Create your own Emergency Ready Profile with us now. Preparation today could save you days of business interruption and help keep the cost of any damage from a disaster dow

The Science of Drying in Richland KS

8/23/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know there is actually a science behind the process of drying? Having the knowledge of psychometrics is essential to restoring a water damaged structure to its pre loss condition. If your East Topeka business or home suffers a water damage, the team here at SERVPRO of East Topeka will:

• Inspect the building to detect every component that is wet to help prevent secondary damage from happening.

• Measure how much moisture is in wet materials and monitor whether the materials are drying properly.

• Speed up Mother Nature by using professional drying equipment.

What exactly does it mean to help “speed up Mother Nature”? A wet building can often dry naturally because the environment always seeks equilibrium. When materials are wet, moisture will naturally move to drier air at the surface of the material-but only if the air is drier. The only problem with nature is, nature often takes too long and secondary damages may occur while the building is drying out. SERVPRO of East Topeka has the professional training and equipment to help make water damage “Like it never even happened.”

The Behavior of Smoke in East Topeka, KS

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

The damage to your property following a fire can often be complicated due to the unique behavior of smoke. There are two different types of smoke: wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire.

SERVPRO of East Topeka professionals are thoroughly trained in fire cleanup and restoration and know the different types of smoke and their behavior patterns. Knowing this information is vital to proper restoration. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of East Topeka will survey the loss to determine the extent of impact from fire, smoke, heat, and moisture on the building materials and its contents. The soot will then be tested to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. Pretesting determines the proper cleaning method and allows SERVPRO of East Topeka to focus on saving your precious items.

SERVPRO of East Topeka knows smoke can penetrate various cavities within the structure, causing hidden damage and odor. Our knowledge of building systems helps us investigate how far smoke damage may have spread. The following Points are additional facts you may not know about smoke.

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Types of Smoke:

• Wet Smoke. (Plastic and Rubber) Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, and smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

• Dry Smoke. (Paper and Wood) Fast-burning, high temperatures; heat rises, therefore smoke rises.

• Protein Fire Residue. (Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire) Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

• Fuel Oil Soot. (Furnace puff backs) While “puff backs” can create havoc for homeowners, SERVPRO of East Topeka can, in most cases, restore the contents and structure quickly.

• Other Types. (Tear gas, fingerprint powder, and fire extinguisher residue) Special loss situations require special care.

SERVPRO of East Topeka is trained to handle even the toughest of losses. If your home or business suffers fire or smoke damage, contact SERVPRO of East Topeka to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Kitchen Cautions

2/11/2022 (Permalink)

Each year, around the holidays, families gather together to celebrate by preparing a delicious feast. However, not everyone practices safe cooking habits.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. It’s important to be alert to prevent holiday cooking fires.

• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, do not use the stovetop or oven.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while the food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire, like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, or hand towels, away from the stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire, consider the following safety protocols to help keep you and your family safe.

• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the flames.
• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you get out safely.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear path out.
• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.

SERVPRO of East Topeka wishes you a safe and happy fall season!

Keep Fall Fire Free

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

    The fall season brings cooler temperatures, beautiful colors, and an abundance of outdoor activities. Plan ahead this season to help ensure it is safe and fire-free.

• Fall decorations, like dried flowers and cornstalks, are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations away from open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.

• Keep emergency exits clear of decorations so nothing blocks escape routes.

• Teach children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop, and roll if their clothing catches fire.

• Remember safety first when choosing a Halloween costume. Consider avoiding billowing fabric.

• It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candle in a jack-o-lantern. Use extreme caution if using a real candle.

Have a safe and happy fall!

What is Water Restoration in Tecumseh, KS

1/28/2022 (Permalink)

Imagine you come home from work on a Wednesday afternoon and you walk into your living room covered with 8 inches of water.

What do you do?

Who do you call?

Do you call your family friend, a local contractor, or a Water Restoration Company?

What is the difference?

There are many differences between contractors and Water Restoration Companies.

Here are a few:

• A contractor’s job is to replace everything that is affected. This will include all flooring, walls, cabinets and even furniture. SERVPRO of East Topeka is certified in drying water damage to industry standards. We will not remove materials unless it is necessary. This prevents further interruption to your daily life.
• A contractor will have to replace all of the materials they took out of your home. This can take weeks waiting for material decisions, insurance approval, shipping, and installation time. SERVPRO’s average drying time is only 3 days. We have crews available 24/7/365 and someone to monitor your job daily.
• Replacing flooring, drywall, and all of your furniture is expensive. Restoring your home is a lot less expensive than replacing everything in your home.

When you call SERVPRO of East Topeka you can expect a First Responder on site within an hour and your home to be restored quickly by certified, professional technicians.

Be Prepared in Tecumseh, KS: Tsunamis

1/21/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know tsunamis can hit any U.S. coast? While they are more likely to hit states on the Pacific coastline or in the Caribbean, it is good to know what to do if a tsunami does strike where you live or even where you may vacation.

Ready.gov says, “Tsunamis, also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called ‘tidal waves’), are a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance, such as an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite.” Areas within a mile of the coast and less than 25 feet above sea level have a greater risk of being affected.

As with any emergency, be sure you have a plan in place prior. Know the evacuation plan, move inland or to higher ground, and avoid the beach. “The first wave may not be the last or the largest,” according to the National Weather Service.

After a tsunami, do not return to the affected area until officials deem it safe. While drowning is the most common hazard, there are many aftereffects, like flooding and contaminated drinking water.

SERVPRO of East Topeka is Here to Help

October is Fire Prevention Month

1/14/2022 (Permalink)

October is Fire Prevention Month and an excellent time to examine the emergency preparedness plans for your home and business, including your fire escape plan. Do you have a fire escape plan? Have you changed your smoke alarm batteries within the last year? Are you prepared for whatever happens?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets aside a designated week each October to focus on fire prevention. Fire Protection Week is October 4-10, 2020. The 2020 Theme is, “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!” This topic works to educate everyone about the simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves, and those around them, safe in the kitchen.

Did you know? Cooking is the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries, according to NFPA. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. NFPA notes that once a fire alarm goes off “you could have less than two minutes to get out safely,” yet only 8 percent of people surveyed said getting out was the first thought they had after hearing a fire alarm go off. Creating, implementing, and practicing a fire escape plan for your home or business may be the difference between safety and tragedy. Make a plan today!

Sewage Cleanup and Restoration in East Topeka, KS

1/7/2022 (Permalink)

Sewage backup should be considered an emergency since the water may contain viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that cause serious illnesses. We have specialized training and equipment to quickly and safely clean contaminates like sewage.

Sewage is considered category 3: “Black Water”

Category 3 water is grossly contaminated and could cause severe illness or death if ingested and any contact should be avoided. Examples include flooding from rivers or streams, water from beyond the toilet trap, water from the toilet bowl with feces, or standing water that has begun to support microbial growth.

Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can pose serious health consequences

A failure to properly remove such substances can contribute to unhealthy and dangerous environments. SERVPRO of East Topeka is trained to safely remove biohazards and dispose of them properly in accordance with OSHA and health regulations.

Equipped with the necessary safety apparatus and cleaning products, we can help transform these unhealthy environments back into clean, safe East Topeka homes and offices.

24 Hour Emergency Service

Water contaminated with sewage backup should be considered an emergency situation and dealt with as quickly as possible. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are water damage restoration specialists with specialized training, equipment and protective gear to safely restore your East Topeka area home or business.

Toilet Overflow or Sewer Backup? Call SERVPRO of East Topeka Today 785-220-7147