Fire Damage and Soot

5/3/2022 (Permalink)

Soot is no joke.

If your home or business experiences a fire, there will likely be soot after it is extinguished. Soot can be a flakey, powdery, or oily substance which forms from incomplete combustion. Fine carbonized compounds cling to surfaces in your home like ceilings and walls, as well as your belongings. While soot can be tough to remove for someone who has never dealt with it before, the experts at SERVPRO of Walnut know exactly what to do.

Typically, there are two different types of soot that occur after a fire - dry and oily. Running your finger over the surface is a quick way to figure out what type you have. Oily residue smears, whereas dry residue acts more like a powder. Both are difficult to clean, which is where SERVPRO comes in. If the soot is allowed to sit undisturbed, it will cause more and more damage over time.

Heat from the fire pushes soot and can cover everything in its path. Smoke looks for a kind of equilibrium and travels until its energy is used before making its way to cooler areas. Soot is acidic, and acidic materials are destructive to a majority of elements found in nature. Over time, they continue to oxidize materials, which leads to discoloration, etching, corrosion or pitting. Stains over metals can yellow and soften. These reactions will continue to happen until the soot is removed.

SERVPRO of Walnut specializes in fire damage remediation. We use an array of special proprietary chemicals designed to clean and deodorize fire damage. We are here to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Why is drywall removed

6/9/2021 (Permalink)

Why does Drywall need to be Removed and Not Dried during Water Restoration?

In Most Cases, Drywall can be Dried within 3 to 5 Days when Drying Equipment is Placed by a Professional Restoration Company.  However, in some Cases the Drywall will require Removal due to certain circumstances during Water Damage.  

If Drywall is Affected by Dirty Water that carries Contaminates- The Drywall will have to be Removed and Replaced.

If Drywall has Wet Insulation in the Wall Cavities- The Drywall and Insulation will have to be Removed and Replaced.  

If Drywall has Double Layers- The Drywall's Layers will have to be Removed and Replaced.

If Drywall was not Professionally Dried and Secondary Damages Occured- The Drywall will have to be Removed and Replaced.

Content Restoration/Cleaning

6/9/2021 (Permalink)

Different types of fire produce different types of soot

When dealing with the aftermath of a fire or water damage emergency, there will be items in your home or business that will need special handling and conservation efforts to restore them to preloss condition. SERVPRO of Walnut are a fire and water restoration specialists and offer many contents restoration services to restore your furniture, clothes, electronics, documents, and photographs to preloss condition. We use several methods to clean damaged contents, including:

• Dry Cleaning 
• Wet Cleaning
• Spray and Wipe 
• Foam Cleaning 
• Abrasive Cleaning
• Immersion Cleaning 

Electronic cleanup

When fire damages electronics, they can become very dangerous to operate. We will coordinate the inspection and cleaning of your electronics by a qualified electronics technician to prevent further damage, including:

• Television sets
• DVD players
• Computers
• And more

Document and photograph drying

Some documents and photographs may not be able to be completely restored to pre-fire damage condition, but we will do our best to save and minimize further damage. We may use any of these restoration techniques depending on the level of fire damage:

• Air Drying
• Dehumidification
• Freezer Drying
• Vacuum Freeze Drying
• Vacuum Thermal Drying

Call us after a water/fire damage incident to assist you in restoring your property into preloss condition.

Specialty Cleaning Service

5/4/2021 (Permalink)

Technician wearing full PPE's wiping down a desk

SERVPRO of Walnut offers cleaning services ranging from cleaning restaurant hoods to removing biohazard contaminants. We have the specialized training and products to get your property back to business. Our cleaning services include the following:

• Air Ducts and HVAC
• Biohazard and Sewage
• Trauma and Crime Scene
• Carpet and Upholstery
• Drapes and Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls, and Hard Floors
• Odor Removal and Deodorization
• Vandalism

Have Questions? Call Today (909) 598-8400

SERVPROXIDE

6/16/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPROXIDE

That's why we use our own hospital grade disinfectant for your sanitation needs!

SERVPROXIDE^TM is an EPA registered, stabilized chlorine dioxide based disinfectant and sanitizer. 

SERVPROXIDE^TM carries the EPA’s lowest toxicity rating, requires no PPE for general purpose use and is safe for everyday use. It is designed to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and mold on hard surfaces and is an effective sanitizer for soft surfaces. The product is fragrance-free with a mild odor that dissipates quickly under general ventilation. The product also serves as an excellent deodorizer, once the source has been removed, that oxidizes and does not mask odors such as fire & tobacco smoke, musty odors, pet odors and stale cooking odors to name a few. It can be used to deodorize internal HVAC systems, and can also be wet fogged or misted through a ULV type mister for deodorization purposes. 

Areas of use include: Homes, vehicles, schools, daycare, gyms, locker rooms, sports gear, hospitals, nursing homes, laundry rooms, veterinary, ambulances, laboratories, restaurants, boats, cruise ships, federally inspected meat & poultry processing plants, farms, animal pens and poultry houses, egg processing premises, hatcheries, swine premise sanitation, refrigerated storage units, airplanes, trains, trucks, buses & automobiles. 2 year shelf life.

Ceiling, Floor and Wall Cleaning

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

PPE Cleaning

Ceilings and Walls

Ceiling and wall cleaning should be part of the cleaning maintenance of your home or business. 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 Walnut can help.

Ceilings and walls are exposed to dirt and dust, pet dander, cooking oils and grease, cigarette smoke, and other contaminants. Your heating and air conditioning system can distribute these contaminants throughout your property. Learn more about air duct and HVAC cleaning.

Using SERVPRO’s time-tested and industry-approved steps, along with our proprietary cleaning products and methods, SERVPRO of Walnut strives to restore your ceilings and walls without the need to repaint or refinish and to help the entire property smell fresh.

Need Professional Cleaning? Call Today 909-598-8400

Hard Floors

Hard flooring, like hardwood and tile, is often used in today’s homes and commercial properties. At first glance, hard flooring appears to be easy to clean, maintain, and restore. However, these materials tend to have soil accumulate over time, and eventually you’ll need professional cleaning to remove this buildup.

SERVPRO of Walnut have specialized training in time-tested and industry-approved cleaning methods. Also, our proprietary cleaning system allows our Professionals to properly clean and restore your floor’s original beauty.

We are Cleaning Experts

3/19/2020 (Permalink)

We are Cleaning Experts

SERVPRO of Walnut is Here to Help during this time of need

During this unprecedented time caused by the global pandemic of coronavirus, this is a reminder to our customers that we are specialists in cleaning services, and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards.

Specialized Training

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

The CDC encourages cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and tables. Other spaces mentioned in the CDC’s guidance for commercial spaces include:

• Kitchen/Food Areas
• Bathrooms
• Schools/Classrooms
• Offices
• Retail Spaces
• Water Fountains
• Shelving/Racks
• Sales Counters
• Carpets and Rugs
• Stair Handrails
• Elevator Cars
• Playground Equipment
• Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

The CDC recommends usage of a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products in the SERVPRO product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. While there is currently no product tested against this particular strain of the coronavirus, we are following all guidelines as provided by the CDC and local authorities.

Call Today for a Proactive Cleaning

If your home or business needs deep cleaning services, call the experts today – (909) 598-8400

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fguidance-prevent-spread.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html

How to Detect a Gas Leak

6/3/2019 (Permalink)

Make sure to keep your home safe using these helpful tips including usage of a detector.

If left alone, gas leaks can be come quite dangerous. You can begin to notice signs to determine if you may have a gas leak in your home. 

Placing carbon monoxide detectors around your house

• It can be life-saving to place a carbon monoxide detector in each room of your house.
• Carbon monoxide is heavier than oxygen. So placing it at knee-level, or where an outlet is, can be more efficient and successful at detecting CO.
• It's important to remember that CO is odorless and colorless that I very toxic to the body. 
• It's important that you never block a carbon monoxide detector. This will prevent air from flowing to the detector.
• If there are pets or children around, put the detector at chest-height.

Using a natural handheld gas detector to indicate where the leak is coming from

• Gas detectors that are portable are easier to sense where gas is coming from in your home.
• If you walk around your home with a portable gas detector, the alarm will go off whenever it senses a high gas concentration.
• You can go to your local hardware store to purchase a gas detector. 

It will give off a smell

• Natural gases give of a pungent smell. 
• If you notice a sulfuric smell in your home, check your stove, water heater, or any gas appliance
• Check your stove burners to ensure that they are completely turned off.
• If the odor becomes very strong, turn on off gas supply line and leave the property.

Keep an eye out using these helpful tips to keep you and your family safe!

The Electroclean Cleaning System

5/10/2017 (Permalink)

The Electroclean System

What is Electroclean?

• Electroclean is a state-of-the-art electronic database program designed to quickly and systematically test items that may be impacted by fire, soot, water and other contaminants'. This portable computer station keeps an inventory of each item. A three stage testing process provides value to the insured and the insurance company that once the restoration process is complete; the electronics are in working order. The Electroclean system determines salvageable items and eliminates costly electronic replacement by determining what is restorable versus when replacement is required. 

Why use Electroclean?

• Eliminates the expense of replace electronics when salvageable.


• Items tested before any other process, tested again after cleaning, testing a third time after ozone cleaning.


• Onsite inventory, consistent forms/documents, standardized pricing.


• Portable computer testing system with cloud-based database.


• Tests hard drives from computers and provides data recovery.

What items can be tested?

• Computers, Hard Drives, Key Boards


• Printers, Scanners


• TV's, Wireless controllers


• Gaming devices, Consoles, Remote controls


• Speakers, Subwoofers


• Cables and Electronic cords


• DVD players, DVD's, CD players, CD's


• Radio's, Air Conditioners

Technology is not just valuable, but it is something we rely on every day. SERVPRO of Walnut greatly understands this and therefore has adopted the Electroclean system to salvage our customer's electronics.

Why you should clean the areas you might forgot about!

5/9/2017 (Permalink)

The Air in Your House is 10 Times Dirtier than the Air Outside!

During the Spring and Summer months, allergens accumulate and fill areas of your home or office with dust, dust mites, animal dander, mold and other unhealthy elements. Unless you address the situation now, the air quality will continue to deteriorate.

Your friends at SERVPRO of Walnut want to ensure that you and your property are properly prepared for the upcoming seasons. Therefore, we would like to offer you some helpful tips that will adequately prepare your property for the fall:

1. Eliminate mold and mildew indoors by cleaning under the refrigerator, washing and disinfecting garbage cans, scrubbing bathrooms, and cleaning or changing shower curtains.
2. Remove any wet debris from around the home or office, as mold spores are airborne particles that can easily float indoors.
3. Schedule to have your chimney cleaned within the next month. Excessive buildup of creosote and debris, as well as miscellaneous branches, leaves and animal nests can create a dangerous situation as it increases the potential to spark a chimney fire. 
4. Remember not to ignore your duct-work, vents and HVAC systems. Unnecessary dirt and debris can pose a serious threat to the health of your family or employees if they are not properly maintained. 

Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Walnut for those difficult cleaning jobs (909) 598-8400.

Are your carpets affected from Water or Flood Damage?

4/20/2017 (Permalink)

When a home has water damage, possibly from a domestic break or leak, time is of great urgency. If a restoration team can quickly respond to the emergency, that would give a greater chance of saving furnishings and possessions. it is especially true that carpets are quite vulnerable to moisture and will degrade quickly. At SERVPRO we have excellent experience with restoring damage in Walnut/Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights. While most damaged items are easier to remove and replace, carpeting can be expensive. Often, this is not financially viable for a homeowner to replace all of the Water or Flood damaged carpets in the property, it is our job to dry and clean them. Below is some additional information on the Restoration of Water damaged carpets and sub-flooring.

1. Identifying the type of water damage

One question would be 'What kind of water seeped into the carpet?' there is a Trio of categories. A Category One, comprise of clean water from a non-contaminated source. An example is a clean pipe burst from a clean source that would usually be where you get your drinking water from. A Category Two is water which is likely to consist of chemical, toxins, or bacteria. This strain of liquid is harder to remove from carpets only because it has the potential to leave behind horrid substances. Considering that it is possible to extract Category One water and consider the carpet restored, for more contaminated fabrics require further cleaning. A Category Three is Sewage or water from an industrial source, usually is way too contaminated for safe restoration. Removal and disposal are the only viable options.

       2. How we clean Damaged Carpets

The SERVPRO technicians use hot water extractors to clean contaminated fabrics and sub-flooring. This heat creates steam, which raises the temperature of the carpet fibers and destroys many of the germs. Biocides and detergents are also helpful in cases that contamination is moderate to heavy. Though in most serious cases, technicians are having to make an urgent judgment call if the carpet is safe to keep or is to contaminated and needs to be disposed of. 

In situation like these is why SERVPRO of Walnut/ Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights is one call away (909) 598-8400.

Have You Had Your Air Duct Cleaned?

11/4/2016 (Permalink)

It's getting to that time of the year again when the weather starts becoming cooler. Which means the need for you to turn on your heater will increase. Constant use of the HVAC system can cause some build up of dust and other particles.

The benefits of a Clean Air Duct:

-It will improve the air quality by cleaning the ducts in your HVAC system it removes any dust allergens that could be circulated through your home by the air conditioner. 

-It also increases airflow by cleaning your air ducts it makes it easier for the air circulation and flow through your home. This reduces the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home, saving money.

If your home is in need of a possible air duct cleaning call SERVPRO of Walnut (909) 598-8400.

Duct Cleaning

7/23/2015 (Permalink)

Duct Cleaning Inspection

Boost the efficiency of your HVAC and keep your indoor air quality at its best by having your HVAC and ducts cleaned. 

Dirty ducts can circulate odors, contaminants such as mold, and irritating dust throughout a building or home. 

 Keeping the HVAC system and ductwork clean can potentially extend the life span of the equipment by allowing it to operate at peak condition, which may even save money. Duct cleaning may not always be necessary.. calling a professional to inspect your system and ductwork to make recommendations about the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns is a good idea. Regular inspections can save money and provide peace of mind on the health of your HVAC system and ductwork. 

 In some circumstances, such as after fire, smoke or suspected mold growth, duct cleaning becomes an essential part of the cleanup process. 

 The professionals at SERVPRO of Walnut use a portable ventilation and air duct cleaning system to examine ductwork and make a clean sweep, removing dust and grime. The process is as follows;  

Contact SERVPRO of Walnut to schedule your next duct cleaning!