How Snow Can Damage Your Taunton Home

6/7/2023 (Permalink)

Here in Taunton, we are no strangers to the winter weather. Homeowners must prepare for the impact of snow on their properties. While it may create a picturesque winter wonderland, snow can also be a significant threat to homes, causing damage and costly repairs. In this blog, we will discuss how snow can damage your home and the steps you can take to prevent or address any issues.

Roof Damage

One of the most common ways snow can damage your home is by causing damage to your roof. The weight of heavy snow can put a significant amount of pressure on the roof, causing it to sag or even collapse. This can lead to leaks, structural damage, and expensive repairs. Regular maintenance and inspections of your roof can help prevent damage from snow.

Ice Dams

Another winter woe that can cause damage to your roof is ice dams. Ice dams occur when snow on the roof melts, runs down to the edge of the roof, and refreezes. This creates a dam that prevents further runoff and can cause water to back up under the shingles, leading to leaks and water damage inside the home. Proper insulation and ventilation in the attic can help prevent ice dams.

Foundation Damage

The weight of snow can also put pressure on the foundation of your home, causing cracks and damage. This can lead to water seepage, which can cause further damage and even flooding in the basement. Regular inspections of your foundation and proper drainage around your home can help prevent damage from snow.

Exterior Damage

Snow can also cause damage to the exterior of your home, including siding, gutters, and windows. Heavy snow can pull gutters away from the home or cause them to bend and break. Icicles that form on the roof can also fall and damage windows or other exterior features. Regular maintenance and inspections of these areas can help prevent damage from snow.

While snow may create a picturesque winter scene, it can also be a significant threat to your home. Understanding the potential damage that snow can cause and taking preventative measures can help protect your home and avoid costly repairs. If you do experience any damage from snow, contact a professional restoration company to help safely and effectively address the issue.

Preparing for Natural Disasters in Massachusetts

5/13/2023 (Permalink)

Natural disasters can strike at any time, and Massachusetts is no exception. From hurricanes and tornadoes to blizzards and floods, the state is vulnerable to a range of natural hazards that can cause significant damage to homes and businesses. In this blog, we will discuss the risk of natural disasters in Massachusetts and how to prepare for them.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are a major concern for coastal areas of Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands. These storms can bring high winds, heavy rain, storm surge, and flooding, causing extensive damage to homes and businesses. It's important to have a hurricane preparedness plan in place, which may include securing windows and doors, evacuating if necessary, and having an emergency kit ready.

Tornadoes

While tornadoes are relatively rare in Massachusetts, they can still occur and cause significant damage. These storms can develop quickly and bring high winds that can rip roofs off of buildings and topple trees and power lines. It's important to know the signs of a tornado and have a plan in place for seeking shelter, such as a basement or interior room on the lowest level of a building.

Blizzards

Blizzards are a common occurrence in Massachusetts during the winter months, and they can bring heavy snowfall, strong winds, and cold temperatures. These storms can cause power outages, roof collapses, and hazardous travel conditions. It's important to have a winter storm preparedness plan in place, which may include stocking up on supplies, staying off the roads if possible, and keeping heating equipment well-maintained.

Floods

Flooding is a risk for many areas of Massachusetts, particularly those near rivers and coastal areas. Heavy rain, melting snow, and storm surge can all contribute to flooding, which can cause significant damage to homes and businesses. It's important to have flood insurance and to take steps to protect your property from flood damage, such as elevating equipment and keeping gutters and drainage systems clear.

Wildfires

While wildfires are not as common in Massachusetts as they are in other parts of the country, they can still occur and pose a significant risk to homes and businesses near wooded areas. It's important to create a defensible space around your property by removing flammable materials and keeping vegetation well-maintained.

In conclusion, natural disasters are a risk for homes and businesses in Massachusetts, but there are steps you can take to prepare and minimize the risk of damage. It's important to have a plan in place and to stay informed about potential hazards in your area. If your property does experience damage from a natural disaster, contact a professional disaster restoration company to help with the cleanup and restoration process.

Understanding Flood Hazards: Dangers You Need to Know

5/8/2023 (Permalink)

As a disaster restoration company, we have seen firsthand the devastating effects of floods on homes and businesses. Floods can cause significant damage to property, as well as pose serious hazards to those in the affected area. In this blog, we will discuss the dangers of floods and the hazards you need to know to stay safe.

Electrical Hazards

One of the most significant hazards of flooding is electrical hazards. Floodwaters can come into contact with electrical systems and appliances, creating the risk of electric shock or electrocution. To stay safe, never touch electrical equipment or appliances if you are standing in water or if the equipment is wet. If your home or business has been affected by a flood, turn off the main power supply and call a professional restoration company to assess the situation.

Structural Damage

Floods can cause significant damage to the structure of buildings, making them unstable and unsafe to inhabit. The force of the floodwaters can weaken walls, floors, and foundations, creating a risk of collapse. If you suspect that your home or business has sustained structural damage due to flooding, do not enter the building until it has been inspected by a professional restoration company.

Water Contamination

Floodwaters can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and other harmful substances, creating a serious risk. It's essential to avoid contact with floodwater. If you must come into contact with floodwater, wear protective clothing, such as gloves and boots, and wash thoroughly with soap and water afterward.

Mold Growth

One of the most significant hazards of floods is the potential for mold growth. Mold can begin to grow within 24 to 48 hours of a flood, and it can cause significant damage to property. If you suspect that your home or business has mold growth due to a flood, contact a professional restoration company to assess the situation and begin the remediation process.

Chemical Hazards

Floodwaters can also carry hazardous chemicals and substances, creating a risk of exposure and injury. These hazards may come from nearby factories, hazardous waste sites, or other sources. If you suspect that floodwater has come into contact with hazardous chemicals, do not enter the affected area until it has been inspected and deemed safe by a professional restoration company.

In conclusion, floods can cause significant damage to property and pose serious hazards to those in the affected area. By understanding the dangers of floods and the hazards you need to know to stay safe, you can take steps to protect yourself and your property. If your home or business has been affected by a flood, contact a professional restoration company to assess the situation and begin the remediation process.

Fire Preparedness for Taunton, MA Businesses: Tips and Best Practices

5/8/2023 (Permalink)

Fires can occur unexpectedly and have devastating effects on businesses. The damage caused by fires can disrupt operations, cause financial losses, and even lead to permanent closure. Therefore, it's essential for businesses in Taunton, MA, to take proactive measures to prepare for fires. In this blog, we will discuss how to prepare your Taunton business for a fire and minimize the damage.

Develop a Fire Preparedness Plan

The first step in preparing for a fire is to develop a fire preparedness plan. This plan should include evacuation procedures, contact information for emergency services, and details on how to operate fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment. It's important to ensure that all employees are trained on the plan and understand their roles and responsibilities during a fire emergency.

Install Fire Detection and Suppression Systems

Installing fire detection and suppression systems is crucial in minimizing fire damage to your business. Smoke detectors and fire alarms can detect fires early and alert employees and emergency services. Fire suppression systems such as sprinklers can extinguish fires quickly, preventing them from spreading and causing more damage.

Maintain Fire Safety Equipment

Regular maintenance of fire safety equipment is essential to ensure that they function correctly when needed. This includes testing smoke detectors and fire alarms, inspecting fire extinguishers and ensuring they are charged and accessible, and conducting routine maintenance on fire suppression systems.

Create Fire-Safe Environments

Creating a fire-safe environment involves taking steps to reduce fire hazards in your business. This includes keeping combustible materials away from heat sources, maintaining electrical equipment, and ensuring that fire exits are clear and easily accessible.

Train Employees on Fire Safety

Training employees on fire safety is crucial in ensuring that they know how to respond during a fire emergency. This includes teaching them how to operate fire safety equipment, evacuate the building safely, and call for emergency services.

Have a Plan for Post-Fire Restoration

Even with the best-preparedness plans, fires can still occur, causing damage to your business. Having a plan for post-fire restoration can help ensure that your business is restored quickly and efficiently. This may include working with a professional restoration company to assess the damage and develop a restoration plan.

In conclusion, preparing for a fire is crucial in minimizing the damage to your business. By developing a fire preparedness plan, installing fire detection and suppression systems, maintaining fire safety equipment, creating fire-safe environments, training employees on fire safety, and having a plan for post-fire restoration, you can protect your Taunton business from fire damage.

SERVPRO will take care of everything after your flood damage, even the safety measures.

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO will take care of everything after your flood damage, even the safety measures.

As flooding spread through your Easton event center it is hard not to panic. Your bookings are many and the schedule is tight, not to mention that the occasions you support are one of a kind -- weddings, anniversaries, proms, and graduations. Although We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, halting the harm and bringing your space back to preloss condition does take some planning and time. Flood waters also are teeming with contaminants, requiring strict infectious waste protocols be observed.

Infectious Waste Requires Caution

Flood damage anywhere, exposes your customers, staff, and our technicians to highly infectious waste material. Sewage backup is common during overland flooding, adding cholera, tetanus, typhoid, polio, hepatitis, and a variety of other

infectious diseases to the mix in your facility. Sewage also releases methane gas and other “sewer gasses” harmful to

breathe. Our technicians working with infectious waste must follow all proper safety precautions, including keeping immunizations against diseases current. 

Permit Our Trained Workforce to Manage the Challenges

The precautions SERVPRO managers and technicians take are vital to the health and welfare of all who risk coming in contact with the flood waters. Our team wears personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent contaminants from touching exposed skin or to be inhaled. Expect also work area containment with heavy-duty plastic sheeting, sealed with negative pressure air scrubbers to filter the atmosphere inside the affected space. We set aside the area for safety reasons, but partitioning also permits us to concentrate completely on the work at hand. Each phase of the project completes more quickly because our team is focused and well-trained. 

Pre and Post Project Disinfection

SERVPRO applies an EPA-registered disinfectant on infectious waste and surfaces exposed to the contaminated water and debris prior to beginning the work. After the prescribed dwell time runs, flood water removal and deep cleaning proceed. A second application of the disinfectant after removal of all waste and moisture  inhibits the pathogens from rebounding. It also reduces the risk of airborne contaminants when we position air movers and other equipment for the drying phase.

Be confident that the professionals at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield prioritize the health and welfare of your customers, employees, and the public when responding to flood damage in your commercial property. 

Immediate Action is Critical

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Immediate Action is Critical to Address Flood Damage in Easton

While you may think that all floods are due to rising water from lakes and streams nearby, you should know that several natural factors can bring on floodwaters. The quicker that you can spring into action to remedy the situation, the easier it is to cut back on the devastation to your property. This is when contacting professionals at SERVPRO to restore your residence is the best option.

Homes with flood damage should be assessed and repaired as quickly as possible right after the event takes place. Experienced flood remediation technicians have the tools, expertise, and manpower to lessen the loss and help you get back to your life as usual. Once any natural disaster takes hold and wind and rain come with it, several areas around your property can become vulnerable.

Tree Damage
With a major storm, wind and rain can leave tree damage on your roof once the rainfall breaks through. It can saturate all of the materials within the exposed space. Any absorbent material is saturated can hold onto the moisture for an extended period. It is critical that you remove saturated materials and that the extraction begins to pull up as much as possible before water stains and mold set in. SERVPRO technicians work to tarp off the area to stop unwanted rain as well as vermin or pests from coming inside.

Window Breakage
If a window is left open during a major storm or it breaks from wind or flying debris, water can come in saturating the room as well as spreading down into the walls. Damaged window frames could also mean that water gets down inside the walls, causing warping, rust, and mildew. Our trained technicians use infrared moisture detection tools to locate any wet areas and then make sure that the window is repaired.

Standing Water
Any standing water has to be removed quickly, which is when SERVPRO team members use high-powered pumps, vacuums, and extraction tools to pull up as much moisture as possible. Other tools we employ to dry a flood-damaged home thoroughly include handheld equipment with heat, dehumidifiers, and air movers that work to circulate the area. This is followed closely by odor management to remove any unwanted smells left behind.

Understanding Fire Alarms

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Alarms; Ionization Vs. Photoelectric

There are two types of fire alarms: Ionization and Photoelectric.
Ionization fire alarms are more reactive towards blazing fires with large flames. A tiny amount of radioactive material is positioned between two plates that are electrically charged. This ionizes the air around it, causing a small current to exist between both plates. Once smoke from the fire enters the detector chamber, there is a disruption of the flow of ions, causing a reduced current flow. This lack of current flow triggers the alarm to sound.
Photoelectric alarms are more reactive to smoldering, long-lasting fires. A light source in the detection chamber is angled to point away from the sensor, to not receive any light When smoke enters the detection chamber, the light is reflected and dispersed onto the sensor which then triggers the alarm.
Combined alarms are available, or a combination of both alarms is recommended to provide maximum protection from both fast flaming fires and slower smoldering fires in both the home and the workplace.
Maintenance of fire alarms is straightforward:

• Once per month – test the batteries by holding the button for a minimum of five seconds. If they are working it will beep.
• Every six months – Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust. Keeping the alarm free of particles will prevent false alarms and allows for easy access of smoke to the detection chamber and sensor.
• Every twelve months – Replace the batteries if they are lead or alkaline.
• Every ten years – All smoke alarms should be replaced with new ones, or earlier if this is recommended by the smoke alarm manufacturer.

Maintaining your water heater

7/20/2022 (Permalink)

Maintenance is the key to longevity 

We take our hot water for granted, but we can thank our hot water heater for that. Water heaters are used in our daily routines and serve many purposes, so it is very important to keep them in good condition. This will help an individual avoid dealing with hectic problems such as bursts of the heater and other water leakage and costly problems that can be easily avoided.

It is important for the water heater to be flushed at least once a year to prevent blockage and other issues. Over time, the heater builds up debris and other rocks that can get trapped inside it, causing many issues. These rocks are formed because of the large amounts of calcium that are created by hard water moving at a rapid rate. The heater should also be tested at least once a year for temperature in order to prevent any burning caused by hot water.

Inspecting the water heater is very crucial as it increases it’s efficiency and prolongs its life. Although an individual might think that the inspection is costly, it is saving them money in the long run, as an inefficient heater costs more to own than an efficient one. If your hot water heater ever does fail you and you’re left with water damage, call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield. 

SERVPRO Technicians Can Guide You and Help in Completing the Necessary Restoration Steps

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Technicians Can Guide You and Help in Completing the Necessary Restoration Steps

A fast response is crucial after fire damage incidents to forestall some problems that develop after putting out the fire. Quick action also helps guarantee faster reoccupation of the house. Although it might not appear so, planning the restoration process can be challenging because it involves several steps, and it might not be clear which ones have a higher priority.

What steps are typical in the early stages of most restoration exercises?

When choosing the steps to take immediately after fire damage incidents, the main consideration is how the incident is expected to unfold. If some materials or contents that survived the fire might deteriorate further, prioritizing steps that help stop such deterioration is essential. In most cases, the initial stages involve:
    •    Thorough scoping of the loss site
    •    Securing the property
    •    Calling the insurance company

Why is scoping essential before starting restoration?

Although it is easy to tell whether a fire extensively damages property or not, there are aspects of damage that you cannot identify without doing thorough scoping. Successful scoping requires the right skills and equipment. When evaluating a fire loss site, our SERVPRO technicians focus on issues such as:
    •    Charring depth especially on structural supports
    •    Pretesting materials for cleaning purposes
    •    Establishing the type of smoke residues left

Salvaging materials after fire damage helps reduce repair costs. Since the decision of whether to save an item depends on the level of damage, thoroughly evaluating affected materials is essential. For building materials such as frames and other structural supports, scoping helps establish whether there are significant residue deposits or charring on their surfaces. A tool such as a tar depth gauge helps establish whether charring affects more than 10% of the cross-section of frames, thus compromising their structural integrity.

Why is testing necessary before cleaning?

Cleaning is one of the activities necessary for the restoration of fire-damaged properties. Although cleaning is beneficial, it can also cause problems such as ruining the material being cleaned or spreading residues beyond the areas initially affected. Testing helps prevent such problems and also improves the ease of cleaning. Our SERVPRO crews test fabric materials such as carpets as well as finishes, such as paint on different surfaces. The tests we perform on carpets help establish several aspects that influence the cleaning processes, including:
    •    Stain resistance
    •    Level of soiling
    •    The physical condition of the carpet

Why does the type of smoke residue matter?

As the fire burns, you might notice minor differences in the type of smoke produced. For example, you might notice thick clouds of smoke, or the color can range from grey, brown, or black. Unlike the simple differences in appearance, the residue deposits from smoke can differ greatly, affecting the restoration process. Establishing the properties of such residues helps in choosing the correct cleaning procedures. Our SERVPRO technicians use several approaches to test residues, including simple ones such as running a cleaning sponge along surfaces starting from the seat of the fire and moving outwards to establish how far the residues spread. We also check other properties, such as whether the residues are predominantly dry or wet. From the information gained from testing, our technicians decide what cleaning procedures to use, including:
    •    Mechanical options such as wiping
    •    Wet cleaning with professional cleaning products
    •    Specialized cleaning with sophisticated methods such as soda blasting

How is a fire-damaged structure secured?

Securing a property immediately after fire damage helps prevent further deterioration. There are many ways to secure a property, so the steps taken depend on factors such as the level of damages and whether the property remains occupied during restoration. In case of severe fire damage, our SERVPRO technicians board up all openings in the exterior of the structure, protecting the interior from further deterioration. In case of fires localized in sections of the property such as kitchens or living rooms, we can board up those specific areas allowing access to the rest of the house.

Apart from setting up barriers, another way to secure the property is to identify vulnerable materials or contents and secure them. For example, soot has acidic properties, which corrode metallic materials and finishes. It can also stain stone materials such as granite permanently. Our Crews pre-clean such materials then apply thin oil film on their surfaces to protect them from further damages.

Taking the correct steps immediately after a fire limits the chances of unnecessary damage. 

Prevention is better than intervention when it comes to fires.

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

No Fire Can Be Totally Prevented, But There Are Steps You Can Take And SERVPRO Can Handle the Fire Damage if it Happens In Bridgewater!

Over one-fourth of all fires take place in homes. The majority of these fires happen in the kitchen. Prevention is better than intervention, but if help is needed in a home, call the professionals.

What are the most common causes of house fires?

A house fire is never a pleasant thing. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) notes, cooking is the main cause of fires in the home and the need for fire damage restoration in homes. But cooking isn’t the only thing that can lead to a residential fire. The top five reasons are:

• Cooking
• Heating
• Electrical & Lighting
• Arson
• Smoking

Kitchen fires are one of the main reasons SERVPRO gets called out to deal with fire damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) states that firefighters responded to 188,800 cooking fires in two years.

What Causes Cooking Fires

Kitchen fires resulting from a cooking fire involve a stove or cooktop 62% of the time. Unattended cooking is the main reason for this type of fire, but things like flammable materials too close to the stove are another reason. Electric stoves cause more problems than gas stoves. Improper disposal of hot items is another cause. Thanksgiving and Christmas appear to be the peak time for these incidents to occur.

How Can I Prevent a Kitchen Fire?

One of the foremost essential things you can do is to stay alert. Never walk away from the stove when you have something cooking, turn off the stove if you need to step out. Keep all flammable material away from the range. Many people use their flat surface stoves as additional counter space. That is a big mistake that could cost you dearly. Always assume the stove is hot even when off. Keep your heat at the proper level. If your skillet starts to smoke or your pot boil over, turn off the heat. Keep a cookie sheet handy to place over the top of a pan that does catch fire.

What Happens if There is a Cooking Fire?

If the worse does happen and you undergo a kitchen fire, our Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) accredited technicians are ready to go at a moment’s notice. Once they arrive, they will immediately assess the situation. Kitchen fires are often contained and damage minimal comparatively, but there are still things that need to be determined before fire damage restoration can begin. They will determine the type of smoke residue, pretest materials for the proper cleaning techniques, and decide if there is any structural damage. The goal is to restore items rather than replace them when possible.

Cleanup and Restoration

Once a course of action is decided, the Green Team of professionals get to work. With years of experience and specialized training, they can provide the necessary services for your situation. In the case of fire damage restoration, these could include:

• Debris removal – the stove may be charred and unsalvageable
• Dry cleaning – using techniques such as wiping down surfaces
• Wet cleaning – using professional chemical cleaners specific to the soot and the item getting cleaned
• Restoring wood surfaces
• Cleaning or replacing flooring
• Checking other kitchen appliances for problems arising from the fire
• Deodorizing – air scrubbers, thermal fogging, ozone generators or aroma pellets
• Cleaning HVAC duct systems

Do I Need Expert Restoration?

A minor house fire may look harmless enough and leave you thinking you can take care of it yourself. That isn’t generally the case. Smoke residue seeps into the tiniest cracks and crevices. Depending on the type of soot, it leaves behind improper cleaning can make it worse. SERVPRO uses industrial-grade equipment and cleaning supplies that the average homeowner does not have access too. Our experts know what and where to look for when it comes to fire damage.

Available Around the Clock

SERVPRO is ready to handle any fire damage that may occur, including kitchen fires. We hope that you can prevent a cooking fire, but if something unavoidable happens, we are available 24/7. Disaster doesn’t take a holiday, and neither do we. You can trust our fire restoration technicians to leave your home, “Like it never even happened.” Your life doesn’t stop because a fire happens, and we understand that. Our rapid response team will do everything they can to get you back to normal.

Cooking fires can destroy a kitchen. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for expert fire damage restoration service that is Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For immediate service in Taunton/Mansfield, call SERVPRO

6/6/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster in Taunton/Mansfield. We can respond immediately to your emergency and have the expertise to handle your restoration or cleaning needs.

• 24-Hour Emergency Service
• Faster to Any-Sized Disaster
• Highly Trained Restoration Technicians
• A Trusted Leader in the Restoration Industry
• Locally Owned and Operated
• Advanced Restoration and Cleaning Equipment 

Have Questions? Call Us 24/7 – (508)571-6421

Residential Services

Whether your Taunton/Mansfield home needs emergency flood damage or your upholstery cleaned, you can depend on us.  Our technicians have extensive cleaning and restoration training and can make your property look its best. Learn more about our residential services:

• Water Damage Restoration
• Fire Damage Restoration
• Mold Remediation
• Storm Damage Restoration
• Cleaning Services
• Building/Reconstruction Services

Commercial Services

There's never a convenient time for fire or Water damage to strike your Taunton/Mansfield commercial property. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration services we have the training and expertise to respond promptly with highly trained technicians to get your property back to business.

We are an IICRC certified firm

6/6/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield is an IICRC firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops the Standards for The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Our Other Certifications:

• ASD - Applied Structural Drying Technician
• ECTP - Employee Certification Training Program
• FSRT - Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technician
• OSHA - 10-hour General and/or Construction Industry Training Program
• RRRP - Lead-Based Paint Activities and Renovation
• WRT - Water Damage Restoration Technician

Why choose SERVPRO when mold is discovered?

6/2/2022 (Permalink)

Working with Taunton/Mansfield Residents to Remediate Growing Mold Damage Concerns

A water spill or flood in your home can cause issues further down the line as a result of insufficient drying of the structure. Among these issues is microbial growth. Microbes are tiny living organisms that can grow into a problem with the right conditions for growth. Mold issues can creep up unnoticed in dark, dank areas of the home. These areas may include beneath carpets, on insulation, subfloor pad, or the area between floor and subfloor. It would help if you had remediation once you notice the symptoms of mold growth, which may include stale odors or visible grey, green, or black mold colonies.

Like all living things, water is essential to microbial growth, which means there is some investigative work in remediating the mold damage in your Taunton/Mansfield home. Remediation technicians of SERVPRO may need to temporarily detach carpets or probe them using moisture meters to assess whether there are damp spots beneath or within the carpet. Disposable items like subfloor pads may also need to be cut up for removal and to allow inspection of the subfloor.

Establishing a mold damage remediation project requires careful planning and organization. Mold spores- the reproductive element of the organism- are invisible to the naked eye and can travel on footwear, clothing, or air-currents in the property. These tiny organisms need containment to make sure that a minor infestation does not get out of hand during the remediation process. When restoring mold, SERVPRO may need to demolish, agitate, move equipment, or carry materials in and out of the building. Without proper quarantining, these actions can lead to the spreading of the infestation.

When remediating microbial growth in a safe, controlled workspace, there are two vital considerations. The first is to find the source of moisture and perform adequate drying of the subfloor or cavity when damp spots exist. The second is to remove mold along with any porous infested materials. SERVPRO takes an extra safeguard against returning molds by applying biocides or anti-microbial treatments to surfaces, which can help reduce mold from growing again.

Microbial remediation is a highly-qualified operation that requires expert care and attention to detail. Contact SERVPRO Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 571-6421.

Tips for Spring

3/11/2022 (Permalink)

• Check for loose or leaky gutters.  Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation and are clear and free of debris.
• Low areas in the yard or next to the foundation should be filled with compacted soil. Spring rains can cause yard flooding, which can lead to foundation flooding and damage. Also, when water pools in these low areas in summer, it creates a breeding ground for insects.
• Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks.  Make repairs now before the spring rains do more damage to the exposed wood.
• From the ground, examine roof shingles to see if any were lost or damaged during winter. If your home has an older roof covering, you may want to start a budget for replacement. The summer sun can really damage roof shingles. Shingles that are cracked, buckled or loose or are missing granules need to be replaced. Flashing around plumbing vents, skylights and chimneys need to be checked and repaired by a qualified roofer.
• Examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of damage. Have the flue cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.
• Inspect concrete slabs for signs of cracks or movement.  All exterior slabs except pool decks should drain away from the home's foundation. Fill cracks with a concrete crack filler or silicone caulk. When weather permits, power-wash and then seal the concrete.
• Remove firewood stored near the home.  Firewood should be stored at least 18 inches off the ground at least 2 feet from the structure.
• Check outside hose faucets for freeze damage. Turn the water on and place your thumb or finger over the opening. If you can stop the flow of water, it is likely the pipe inside the home is damaged and will need to be replaced. While you're at it, check the garden hose for dry rot.
• Have a qualified heating and cooling contractor clean and service the outside unit of the air conditioning system. Clean coils operate more efficiently, and an annual service call will keep the system working at peak performance levels. Change interior filters on a regular basis.
• Check your gas- and battery-powered lawn equipment to make sure it is ready for summer use. Clean equipment and sharp cutting blades will make yard work easier.

Smoke Remediation is Critical When Performing Fire Cleanup in East Taunton

6/1/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke damage can leave behind stains and odors. Tackle them with a call to SERVPRO for fire damage cleanup services.

SERVPRO ensures your East Taunton home is free from odorous smoke damage during the fire cleanup process

No homeowner wants to have lasting reminders of a fire event within their East Taunton property. Unfortunately, DIY house fire clean up leaves you open to remaining odorous particles from soot and smoke. Hiring skilled fire damage restorations from SERVPRO helps battle foul odors so that your newly-restored interior and indoor air quality (IAQ) match when the project wraps up.

When handling fire cleanup in East Taunton, our smoke and fire damage team can access a broad spectrum of odor removal tools, products, and equipment. When you call us to address the fire event in your home, we may use some or all of the following:

• HEPA filtration – HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate arrestor. While using HEPA filtration tools, we can scrub the air to remove odorous airborne particulates.
• Thermal fogging – Our thermal fogging equipment works by dispersing a fine mist of special deodorizing agents. This allows it to bond with particulates, even in hard-to-reach spaces, to pull out foul odors.
• Ozone generators – This equipment works with the help of ozone gas production to help trap and remove odors and microorganisms within any given space. NOTE: all people, pets, and plants must be out of the area while this technology gets used.

There is nothing like house fire clean up by skilled technicians! Call us at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield when you need assistance with fire cleanup and smoke remediation at (508) 824-0200.

Emergency Services Water Damage Repair When You Need It in Taunton

5/28/2021 (Permalink)

An undetected pipe leak can be causing damage behind your walls. Once found, you’ll need SERVPRO’s help to remediate your space. Call right away!

Taunton residents require prompt assistance with water damage repair can count on SERVPRO!

Broken pipes can happen when you least expect them, and you must act quickly in this situation. But what if you have a slow leak that has been brewing undetected? You could start to notice ceiling leaks and staining that will call for specialized help to get you the water clean up and repair you need. SERVPRO understands best practices for locating the source of the moisture and then handling all of the steps for water damage restoration.

Water damage repair in Taunton could be a little or a lot depending on the event. SERVPRO arrives and follows our proven processes and methods to ensure your project goes off without a hitch.

You can trust that our skilled IICRC-certified water damage remediation team will:

• Meticulously scope the zone where the loss took place, along with the surrounding area
• Take note of all water damage to contents and building materials – setting up containment for protection
• Either perform pack-out/move-out services or develop a staging area to clean or store specific contents
• Set a plan in motion for water extraction, including specialized measures for wall cavities and flooring
• Handle all water damage mitigation and restoration, as needed, using controlled demolition – General Contractor License #: CS-108357

Water removal services and water damage repair are two areas where we shine at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield. Get the project handled right the first time by calling us at (508) 824-0200 when the need arises.

Fire Damage Restoration has Many Working Parts in Taunton

5/23/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of the size of the fire, quick and effective clean up efforts are critical. Contact our experienced team to help remediate your home.

SERVPRO lessens impact and costs for Taunton business owners when called for help with fire damage restoration

Even if you have a small fire at your Taunton commercial space, you could have significant issues with smoke damage and indoor air quality (IAQ). Not only will there be burnt, charred materials to dispose of, but you also have to think about corrosive smoke and soot residue that may have traveled throughout the building – often via the HVAC system. SERVPRO is the only team to call when you want skilled fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) on the job.

When handling fire damage restoration in Taunton, our team knows that circulating soot particles start to settle on contents and surfaces, posing a threat. This acidic, corrosive soot can damage surfaces it lands on, calling for specialized, careful cleaning. We work to:

• Cut back on the power of smoke odors present in the building
• Pay close attention to any safety hazards that fire and smoke/soot damage presents
• Reduce thickness and severity of residue and soiling on all impacted surfaces

SERVPRO technicians have access to the best equipment in the industry when handling water & fire damage restorations, including:

• Vacuums and air scrubbers with HEPA filtration
• ULV fogging equipment
• Ozone and Hydroxyl generators
• EPA-registered sanitizers and deodorizers

The team at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield is available 24/7 for emergency response when you require prompt, reliable fire damage restoration. Call us to your commercial space when you need us by dialing (508) 824-0200, and we can be there as soon as possible.

Does SERVPRO provide Flood Damage Restoration in Taunton?

5/3/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is second to none when it comes to flood damage remediation for your home. Call now for the services you need.

Does SERVPRO Have Large Capacity Flood Damage Recovery Services in Taunton?

Storms can cause a lot of flood damage to homes and businesses in Taunton in a matter of minutes. High winds tear off roofs, send projectiles through walls and generally open the structure to rain penetrating the structure. Often there are flood waters associated with these storms, which rise and fall, leaving lots of contaminated debris in their wake.

SERVPRO responds to flood damage events of all sizes in Taunton and neighboring areas. Our franchise is equipped to handle large emergencies, and we can call on nearby franchises for immediate help. There are over 1500 franchises nationwide that routinely send support when large disasters strike.

We provide emergency services, water damage, and flood restoration. Our teams are available 24 / 7, and we are prepared to respond within four hours of your call. We are equipped with:

• Large capacity truck-mounted pumps
• Electrical generators
• Trained water damage restoration technicians
• Large-capacity air movers and drying equipment

Our objective is to get started promptly to dry your property and restore it to a pre-storm condition as fast as possible.

Call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for flood damage services in Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

SERVPRO Can Help with Water Damage Restoration in East Taunton

4/29/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage done by burst pipes can get crazy. SERVPRO will be onsite within 4 hours of the initial call. Our water damage restoration is top-notch!

Can You Recognize the Signs of Water Damage in East Taunton?

Many people associate water damage in East Taunton with catastrophic floods or burst pipes, allowing water to flow into their homes for hours. They can cause a great deal of water damage; however, so can slow leaks under kitchen and bathroom sinks. These leaks may go unnoticed until there is a water stain on the ceiling below or a noticeable musty odor indicating a mold infestation.

SERVPRO can inspect your East Taunton home for water damage, mold infestations and provide water damage restoration services. We will find the source of the moisture and identify how extensive the damage may be. We provide you with a water damage restoration plan that encompasses all water damage repair requirements, including:

• Water clean up
• Cupboard water damage repair
• Ceiling repairs from water damages
• Mold inspection and removal

Homeowners should conduct regular inspections of all areas where possible leaks may occur or install water detection devices to alert them about high moisture conditions.

Call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for water damage restoration services in East Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

Does SERVPRO Restore Fire Damaged Homes in Taunton?

4/24/2021 (Permalink)

Fire and smoke damage restoration for your property is no easy task to handle. SERVPRO has the equipment and experience for any size disaster.

SERVPRO Provides Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration and Cleanup in Taunton

Taunton is located in Bristol County on the Taunton River, with a population of approximately 60,000 people. The city was founded in 1637. It is considered one of the oldest communities in the United States and was nicknamed the “Silver City” for its expertise in the silver industry in the 19th century. 

It is also known as the “Christmas City,” for the annual light show on display each December.

The industry today is based on semiconductors, silicon, and the manufacturing of electronics. Taunton is 40 miles from Boston. Activities available for residents in Taunton and the surrounding area include:

• Massasoit State Park
• Watson Pond State Park
• Boyden Park
• Taunton Green
• Old Colony History Museum
• Gertrude M Boyden Wildlife Refuge
• Taunton Public Library
• Hopewell Park
• Fore Kicks
• Taunton Antique Center
• Bristol County Court House
• US Post Office
• Round One Entertainment

Massasoit State Park

Massasoit State Park covers more than 1200 acres with six lakes, numerous cranberry bogs, and trails that meander between the lakes, the wetlands, and the heavily wooded areas. The park is located in the southeast portion of the city of Taunton. There are four main trails – Massasoit, Lake Rico and Big Bearhole Pond, Massasoit Loop, and Adams Trail. Park hours are from sunrise to sunset, and there is free parking available. 

Activities at the park include camping, swimming, canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, and fishing. Hunting is also allowed; however, hunters should check with park rangers for details. There is also a boat ramp, playground, and trailer or RV hookups.

Watson Pond State Park

Watson Pond State Park is a smaller state park covering 10 acres with picnic areas on the beach, a bathhouse, a small pavilion, and a playground. It is open from late May until September from 10 am until 6 pm. Fishing and canoeing are allowed. There are several short trails to enjoy throughout the park.

Taunton Green

Taunton Green dates back to 1743, when it was used as a militia training area. There was also a meeting house. Today it is at the center of the old historic district of Taunton. The Green is the city’s holiday light display site, attracting visitors from around the area. Taunton gets its nickname, “The Christmas City,” from this attraction that continues to provide residents with a holiday event.

Providing Fire Damage Restoration Services in Taunton Residences

It is important to thoroughly clean all surfaces in homes, including contents and structural elements after a fire. When plastics burn, they produce chlorides that produce hydrochloric acid when combined with moisture. A common by-product of combustion is carbon dioxide, which produces carbonic acid when combined with moisture.

SERVPRO tests all surfaces before fire damage restoration begins in Taunton to determine the acidic nature of smoke residues. Once these surfaces are cleaned, they are retested to ensure no residual acid remains on the surface. Acids remaining on surfaces can:

• Cause discoloration
• Corrode surfaces
• Cause long term smoke damage

Completely removing and testing for acids eliminates further deterioration.

Call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for fire damage services in Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

How to Begin Water Removal after a Burst Pipe in Your Taunton Residence

4/7/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the equipment it takes to restore your water damaged home.

SERVPRO is Here to Assist Taunton Homeowners

A burst pipe can bring a lot of damage and annoyance to your home. If the break has left your floors wet, you need to remove the water as quickly as possible. If you do not, the moisture can soak into the floor or even the walls and cause long-term damage.

If you need to perform water removal in your Taunton home, it is best to call SERVPRO. Even if the spill seems small enough to mop up with an average household mop, there could be hidden patches of moisture. Leftover moisture can cause structural damage and can also provide a breeding ground for fungus.

SERVPRO techs will start by removing as much standing water as possible. We use: 

• Free-standing and truck-mounted pumps to vacuum water from the surface of the floor
• Motorized and non-motorized extractors to press the water out of the carpet
• Carpet wands to remove water from the surface of the carpet and to reach the corners

Thorough water removal is the foundation of successful water cleanup, and the sooner we start, the better the outcome. Do not wait – call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200.

Why is it Risky to Avoid Professional Fire Damage Restoration?

3/25/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot from this fire traveled throughout the home. SERVPRO has the equipment and cleaners to restore you home.

SERVPRO Helps Taunton Homeowners with Hidden Risks 

We recognize that you want to save money after fire damage. Getting in a professional cleaning crew can seem costly compared to doing it yourself. It also feels like a hassle to have strangers in your home.

However, when it comes to fire damage in your Taunton home, it is better to call for professional help. Even if you clean away visible soot, there might be hidden damage:

• Soot sinks into all kinds of materials where it can cause damage and odors.
• Smoke and moisture from fire fighting can harm structural elements and even make your house unsafe. 
• Soot is full of nasty chemicals, and if you do not treat it, those chemicals react with carpets, drapes, and upholstery.

SERVPRO technicians track the pattern of smoke throughout your home and identify risk areas. We can test for areas of hidden moisture and make sure your home is structurally sound. We can also deodorize everything from upholstery to linen to the shell of your home, to leave it “Like it never even happened.” 

Do not leave fire damage restoration to chance. Call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200.

What Should You Do if You Need Taunton Mold Removal?

3/19/2021 (Permalink)

Did you know that attics are a common place for mold growth? Inspect you home often for visible signs of mold and call SERVPRO!

Stay Put – SERVPRO is on Hand to Help with Mold Remediation

Taunton is a delightful city of 55,874, situated on the Taunton River just ten miles from Hope Bay. Taunton has everything a visitor could want, including a fascinating history, gorgeous architecture, cultural sites, and plenty of green space.

Settlers named Taunton after the town of Taunton in Somerset, England. Members of the Plymouth colony were responsible for settling the area in 1637, making it among the earliest towns in the United States. Taunton also boasts two nicknames: The Silver City and The Christmas City. Locals gave it the name The Silver City from the silver industry's development there, and people call it The Christmas City because of its impressive yearly light displays. 

Start at Taunton Green

Should you be unsure where to begin exploring this lovely city, Taunton Green is an excellent starting place. Taunton Green was historically a gathering point for troops headed off to war and was gifted to the town as a military training ground in 1743. These days, it provides a delightful green place to sit and watch the world go by and is also the Taunton Green Historic District's heart.

The district is home to many beautiful buildings from different eras. The Green is also dotted with sculptures commemorating soldiers who fought in various wars, including The Hiker, a statue in memory of those who fought in the Philippine–American War, the Spanish–American War, and the Boxer Rebellion. 

Exploring Beyond the Green

Taunton's fascinating sites do not stop at Taunton Green. There are many other places in the city to explore:

• The Old Colony History Museum belongs to the Old Colony Historical Society, founded in 1853. This museum is one of the oldest historical societies in New England. The museum is jam-packed with local artifacts and documents.
• Taunton City Hall is a historic city hall dating back to 1848. The current building houses local government offices.
• Central Fire Station is the oldest continuously-used fire station in America. It has never been shut since it was first built in 1869. The building is a striking gabled construction, featuring an eye-catching hip roof.
• Battleship Cove is the home of the USS Massachusetts and features the country's most extensive collection of World War II naval vessels. There are many famous ships moored here, and it is open to the public.

Taunton also has several parks to choose from, plus miles of walks near the Taunton River. 

What to do if You Observe Signs of Mold Damage?

If you see signs of mold damage in your home, call SERVPRO immediately. Your actions can make a significant impact on the outcome. We recommend that you:

• Stay away from the affected area if you can. Do not walk through it if you can avoid it, as mold spores can attach to your clothes.
• Do not touch anything with mold on the surface, including walls, floors, or personal belongings.
• Do not try to clean the mold yourself, as this can make the problem worse.

We equip our teams with plastic sheeting and negative air machines to set up containment and lower the spores' risk. Our techs wear protective equipment at all times and dispose of contaminated coveralls and gloves so as not to spread mold throughout your home.

For thorough mold removal, call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200.

Commercial Carpet Water Damage Restoration in Taunton

3/1/2021 (Permalink)

Carpets and flooring from water damage should be left to the pros. SERVPRO technicians are IICRC certified and trained for any size job.

Can carpets be dried in place in commercial properties in Taunton?

Whenever flooring materials such as carpets and underpads become wet from a water leak, it is essential to dry the carpet, underpad, and subfloor to avoid permanent damage and mold growth.

SERVPRO responds in less than four hours to all water damage restoration calls in Taunton. We use weighted extractors to remove water and moisture from carpeting and under padding. We use air movers and dehumidifiers to remove the remaining moisture. In addition to extraction, there are several other considerations for water damage restoration of carpeted floors:

• Older carpets may delaminate, requiring replacement
• Wet carpets may need to be floated to dry the underpad and subfloor properly
• Floated carpets expose tack strips, which are dangerous and must be covered to prevent injury
• Clients cannot walk on floated carpets until completely dry
• Walking from wet carpets onto tile floors can cause slip/fall safety concerns

Our team evaluates the best approach to restore your flooring materials exposed to water and minimize your commercial operations' downtime.

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for water damage restoration Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

Fire Damage to East Taunton Structures

2/22/2021 (Permalink)

Fire restoration services by SERVPRO are top notch. Their techs are ready 24/7 365 days a year.

Why do some contents have more pungent odors from fire damage than others?

Many clients wonder why some materials smell of smoke residue more than others after a fire. Several factors contribute to these strong odors.

SERVPRO technicians are trained to recognize smoke residues' characteristics from fire damage in East Taunton buildings and contents. Smoke particles are one-tenth of a micron to 4 microns in size. This small size allows them to penetrate surfaces easily. Also, the following conditions can help odor particles penetrate materials:

• Porous materials absorb odors readily, e.g., fabrics, drywall, leathers.
• Heavy concentrations contribute to higher penetrations.
• Exposure time also increases the number of particles that are absorbed.
• Heat expands surfaces allowing particles to penetrate. The surfaces contract when they cool, trapping smoke particles inside
• Humidity helps odors vaporize and carry the odor vapor to the nose, making the smell seem more substantial than in dry air.

Our team acts quickly to mitigate the fire damage and the retention of smoke odors. Removal, cleaning, sanitizing, deodorization, and sealing surfaces are among the solutions used by SERVPRO to control smoke odors.

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for fire damage services to East Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

Flood damage after Storm in Taunton

2/15/2021 (Permalink)

Flood damage after a storm may occur. Call SERVPRO for the flooding restoration services you need.

Providing temporary electrical power during flood damage restoration in Taunton

Taunton was founded in 1637 and is one of the oldest towns in the USA. It was also known as Silver City, named after the industry that predominated during the 19th century. Christmas City is another name it became known for after starting an annual light show in 1914, which continues to this day.

There are many activities to enjoy in Taunton and the neighboring area for residents and tourists visiting the region. For example:

• Upside Down Escape Games
• Capron Park Zoo
• Borderland State Park
• La Salette Shrine
• Norton Kayak Company
• Simcock Farm
• Ace Archers
• Massasoit State Park

Upside Down Escape Games

Can you decipher clues working with your partners to escape from a locked room? The excitement builds as the clock runs down. Compete with other teams to solve puzzles and clues using intuition and logic to find your way out of the room. Bragging rights go to those who escape first.

Massasoit State Park

There are over twelve hundred acres, six lakes and ponds, and many cranberry bogs in Massasoit State Park. The Park has an extensive pathway system enjoyed by many outdoor enthusiasts, including:

• Hikers
• Walkers 
• Mountain bikers
• Skiing cross county
• Horseback riding

Fishing on Lake Rico is allowed as long as you are using a non-motorized craft. Limited hunting is also allowed.

There are exciting activities within an hour's drive of Taunton enjoyed by residents in nearby neighborhoods.

Capron Park Zoo – in operation for 75 years, this family attraction provides education in a clean environment portraying animals worldwide.

Borderland State Park – 1843 acres, a nature preserve, with public recreational activities available, including the Ames Mansion

La Salette Shrine – dedicated to Our Lady of La Salette-Fallavaux, France. Two children reported a Marian apparition in 1846. The shrine is one of several in the United States, located in nearby Attleboro, MA, dedicated to a shrine in La Salette-Fallavaux, France.

Norton Kayak Company – take a three-hour tour by kayak of the 530 acres Norton Reservoir. Tours run daily, and the company runs camps during the summer.

Ace Archers – located in Foxborough, clients can participate in classes learning all about archery, practice open shooting and join archery club teams.

Live Electricity Can Be Extremely Dangerous After a Storm Causes Flooding

Flooding introduces many hazards such as chemical spills, bio-hazards, infectious waste, and electrical short circuits. Water and electricity can cause many issues and potentially electrocute anyone touching live wires.

SERVPRO completes a thorough inspection and takes the appropriate steps to ensure the crew's safety before beginning flood damage restoration in Taunton structures. We also provide temporary power to run water pumps, air movers, dehumidifiers, and construction equipment.

We make arrangements to remove electrical hazards. For example:

• Turn off the main circuit breaker panel switch
• Turn off individual circuits if only portions of the building are affected
• we add lockout tags in each case
• Work in progress signs are added

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for flood damage in Taunton and neighboring areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

Do Some Fires Produce More Smoke Damage than Others?

2/1/2021 (Permalink)

From start to finish, Count on SERVPRO for fire damage restoration in Taunton

Taunton Fire Damage Restoration Requires Professional Measures

There are many different types of fires, each causing significant damage to homes and businesses. Some fires burn hot, burning quickly and charring content and structures in the immediate area of the fire. While other fires burn cooler, they produce significant smoke and soot distributed throughout the building. There may also be organic material mixed with the soot.

We Deal with All Types of Fires in Taunton

SERVPRO trained technicians manage all types of fire damage in Taunton and surrounding areas. We provide services depending on the extent of the fire and smoke damage to your home or business, including:

• Boarding up and tarps on your roof
• Remove water and dry all content and structures
• Removal of damaged structures or contents causing odors
• Soot and smoke residue removal from ceilings, walls, surfaces, and contents
• Restoration, cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfection

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for fire damage services to Taunton residential and commercial buildings and surrounding areas. Call (508) 824-0200. Our team is ready to respond 24/7 to help with all your fire damage needs.

What Is the Best Approach to Remove Water from Carpets after a Water Leak?

1/25/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO saves and preserves carpets after water damage in both Taunton offices and homes

Water Cleanup and Removal from Carpets in Taunton

Carpets and the underpad beneath your carpet tend to soak up water quickly. These materials also tend to take a long time to dry if left in place. The subfloor can also absorb water quickly, begin to swell and lose structural integrity. Mold can also develop, causing potential health effects for anyone living in the home.

Complete Water Cleanup Quickly to Avoid Further Damage

SERVPRO water cleanup process in Taunton includes inspection of the carpet, the underpad, and the subfloor. We remove the rug and pad if needed. We may use weighted water extractors to remove excess water from either the carpet or the pad. We use high-capacity air movers and dehumidifiers to remove any remaining moisture. In summary, SERVPRO teams:

• Assess the condition of water contacted surfaces
• Recommend removal if needed of materials
• “Float” the carpet to dry in place
• Shampoo and restore to a like new condition

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for water cleanup services to Taunton residential and commercial buildings and surrounding areas. Call (508) 824-0200.

Take Out Service at the Taunton Public Library

1/19/2021 (Permalink)

It will be exciting to see the community enjoying their books from the Taunton Public Library!

Safely Social Distance and Get the Taunton Public Library Goods You Wish to Enjoy

The ability to enjoy a good book or other library materials is still available to residents of the Taunton area, even during this time of social distancing. At the Taunton Public Library, you can enjoy our Take Out Services! Please wear a mask, and proper social distancing rules are still in effect. But, you have the chance to call ahead to reserve what you need. Come in for an inside pick up, or you can take advantage of our convenient curbside services. Just get in contact with us at the library or use our online portal to place your order. We will then inform you when your holds become available.

• Date: Ongoing during library openings
• Where: Taunton Public Library, 12 Pleasant Street, Taunton, MA
• Times: Inside pickup, Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm – mask required. Outside curbside available Monday through Friday 9 am to 3 pm.
• Cost: No additional cost

We want the local community to stay safe during times of social distancing. At SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield, we are always available should you need prompt fire mitigation services. Our crew arrives fast to get to work on debris cleanup and soot and smoke residue removal. Call (508) 824-0200, and we will send technicians out as soon as possible.

Flood Damage Restoration in Taunton

1/18/2021 (Permalink)

From flooded carpets to entire house storm damage cleanup in Taunton--Contact SERVPRO

Call SERVPRO for Help with Flood Damage Restoration

The city of Taunton has had many different names. Native Americans referred to the area as Cohannet, Tetiquet, and Titicut. It was also known as the Silver City for being the silver industry center during the initial years of the 19th century. Taunton was settled in 1637 by members of the Plymouth Colony, making it one of the US's oldest communities. Taunton is named after Taunton in Somerset, England. Another popular nickname is Christmas City.

Taunton has supported many industries over the years, including:

• Iron Works started in 1656 until 1876
• Textile Mills
• Central Rail Transportation Hub
• US Army Camp
• The National Weather Service

Some of the things to do in Taunton include visiting

• Massasoit State Park
• Taunton Green
• Old Colony History Museum
• Gertrude M Boyden Wildlife Refuge
• Taunton Public Library
• Taunton Antique Center

Massasoit State Park

Massasoit State Park encompasses over 1200 acres, six lakes and ponds, and numerous cranberry bogs. There is a large trail system throughout the park for:

• Walking
• Hikers
• Cycling
• Cross country skiing
• Horseback riding

There is also a launch for nonmotorized boats for fishing on Lake Rico. Limited hunting is also allowed.

Taunton Green

Although the season has passed, Taunton Green must be mentioned. It is a famous annual light display that has been running since December 1914. Taunton is nicknamed Christmas City. The festival features live entertainment, activities for the kids, fireworks, and a large display of holiday lights.

Old Colony History Museum

The Old Colony History Museum focuses on collecting and displaying items from Southeastern Mass pre-1850. The museum has collected over 13,000 unique items. The museum is a great venue to bring a school group or arrange a tour for those interested in Taunton's history, pre-1850. Subject to current health guidelines, the museum regularly runs events for craft persons and workshops, storytimes, free productions, and plays. There is something for all age groups.

Gertrude M Boyden Wildlife Refuge

The refuge was established in 1968 and contains open fields, picnic areas, fishing stations with two miles of nature trails, including a covered bridge and elevated boardwalk facilitating passive observation of the wetlands and birds that frequent the area.

The Taunton public library and the Taunton antique center are two other venues that many visitors indicated are interesting places to visit.

What Contaminants May Be Found in Flood Damaged Buildings?

Floodwaters raging through a neighborhood can cause a great deal of damage to homes and structures in their path. Many people focus on the physical damage the water causes. Broken windows and doors, debris and mud distributed everywhere, dirty carpets, furniture, and miscellaneous materials are just a few examples.

Many other contaminants are contained in the debris and remaining water and must be removed safely, such as:

• Biological materials
• Fuels and oils
• Bacteria and viruses

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield for flood damage services to Taunton residential and commercial buildings and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (508) 824-0200.

Flooding from a Recent Storm is Often a Concern for Taunton Residents

1/14/2021 (Permalink)

Flooding is often unexpected but can severely damage your home. Contact our certified SERVPRO technicians for effective services right away.

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield Arrive Fast to Your Taunton Home to Begin Flood Damage Mitigation and Cleanup Efforts

Bristol County in the state of Massachusetts is where you will find the city of Taunton. This city is ripe with New England heritage and just 40 miles to the south of Boston. It is also just east of Providence, Rhode Island, and 25 miles to the west of Plymouth, Massachusetts – which happens to be where the pilgrims docked when coming to this land. Taunton is found on the Taunton River, which works its way through the city. At the time that the 2010 United States Census was taken, the city included a population of 55,874 people.

Learning More About the Finer Details of Taunton, Massachusetts

In 1637, Taunton was founded by Plymouth Colony members and remained one of the oldest towns in the entire United States. The region was known as Cohannet, Tetiquet, and Titicut by the local Native Americans prior to European arrival.

Silver City is one name given to Taunton, MA, due to it being a historical centerpiece for the silver industry that began in the 19th century. Several companies like F.B. Rogers, Reed & Barton, and Poole Silver put out silver goods of the finest quality throughout the city. Taunton has been providing a sizable light display every December since 1914, which is why it has gathered another name of the “Christmas City.”

Taunton’s original boundaries included some of the lands that are now taken up by surrounding towns. These towns include Mansfield, Raynham, Dighton, Easton, Norton, Lakeville, and Berkley.

Understanding Taunton’s Beginnings and Rich History

Taunton is a town that became incorporated in an official capacity back in September 1639. Initially founded by settlers, many in the region were from Taunton in the city of Somerset, England. These English founders purchased this land in 1637 by the Nemasket Indians as part of the famous Tetiquet Purchase. The remaining native families here were then relocated to the town of Ponkapoag, which is now known as current-day Canton, Massachusetts.

Elizabeth Poole was a central figure among the founders and said to be the first female to found an American settlement. The original Plymouth Colony was divided formally into two separate counties in 1685. Here, Taunton became a shire town for Bristol County. The Taunton area itself has been known as the site for battles and skirmishes throughout various conflicts, including that of the American Revolution and King Philip’s War. In May 1864, Taunton was then re-incorporated as a city.

During the 19th century, the city of Taunton was known for being part of the iron-making industry. Many goods were produced at this time, including tacks, machinery, and stoves. Mason Machine Works was one of the more successful companies throughout this period, which saw steam locomotive production and machinery production for the ever-growing textile industry.

Living, Raising a Family and Spending Time in Taunton, Massachusetts

There is a lot to love about New England's splendor, including four incredible seasons and a strong sense of community within each of the states. When it comes to Taunton, Massachusetts, you will see that residents have the chance to enjoy a dense suburban setting. Most residents own their homes, and there are plenty of lovely parks, coffee shops, and small businesses throughout. Additionally, public schooling is above-average, making it a stellar place to put down roots and raise a family.

There are many notable things to understand about this region, including:

• Myles Standish Industrial Park, located in Taunton's north end, is one of the most sizable in New England.
• A regional weather forecast office is operated in Taunton by the National Weather Service. This center serves the majority of Massachusetts as well as most of northern Connecticut and all of the state of Rhode Island.
• In 2010, City Hall in Taunton was damaged severely by a fire set by arsonists. Since that incident, the local government has been in full operation out of the Oak Street office, the Lowell M. Maxham School's former location.
• In 2012, the Taunton Global War on Terrorism War Memorial was constructed on Church Green in the City of Taunton.
• Back in 2005, there was a whopping 9 inches of rain that came down on the city. As a result of this weather event, the Whittenton Pond Dam, located just north of the downtown area, was in danger of failure. Two-thousand plus city residents were evacuated, and all of the businesses downtown were ordered to close. While the dam did not fail, it did prompt the Governor at the time, Mitt Romney, to request a full and immediate inspection of the dams at high-risk throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Nobody Handles Flood Damage Quite Like the Technicians at SERVPRO – Call us to Your Taunton Home When You Need Rapid Cleanup and Restoration Assistance

If not addressed quickly, flooding at your Taunton home will lead to costly, extensive repairs. Rather than the clean water that comes from a broken pipe in your home or a faulty appliance, flooding brings with it contaminated water. Instead of tackling this with DIY methods, you need skilled IICRC-certified technicians like we have on-staff here at SERVPRO. We understand best practices for dealing with significant contamination to keep bacteria from spreading to unaffected areas of your home.

When you call us for help with flood damage in Taunton after a storm, we have a series of actions that we follow:

• Our team extracts water while removing all bulk debris using pumps and heavy-duty extraction tools.
• We work to return the relative humidity in your home to normal levels by way of industrial-grade dehumidifiers.
• Air filtration devices are put into play, which removes contaminants and other particulates from the air.
• Any remaining debris, unsalvageable materials, and other damaged contents get removed using controlled demolition to set the stage for full restoration. General contractor license #: CS-108357

When you need flood damage assistance after a significant storm, you can trust our crew at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield to get the job done right the first time. We are available 24/7 by calling (508) 824-0200 for emergency restoration services. We are Faster to Any Size Disaster!

Have A Shining Good Time In The Silver City Of Taunton

12/2/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Here to Help when a flood damages your property.

Even In Stormy Weather, Taunton Has Something For Everyone

Taunton is a modern and compact city of just 55,874 people, with a fascinating industrial past and a bright future. The county seat of Bristol County in Massachusetts is one of the oldest towns in the United States.

Members of the Plymouth Colony founded Taunton in 1637. Before the city's founding, the area was known as Cohannet or Tetiquet. Where many founders hailed from, Taunton got its modern name from Taunton, Somerset County, England. Taunton is also notable because one of its founders, who played a crucial role in its church's founding, was Elizabeth Poole. This pioneering lady was one of the first women to found a colony in the United States. She sailed to America from Plymouth, England, in 1633. She sailed in the company of fourteen servants, two friends, and plenty of goods and fishing provisions.

These days, anyone in England and interested in Elizabeth Poole can visit her birthplace, Shute Barton. This is an impressive and rambling medieval home. Here in Taunton, MA, history buffs can visit her grave.

Taunton, A City Of Iron and Silver

Taunton is not only famous for its age and its founders. It also has a long history as a producer of silver and iron.

Taunton Iron Works was first founded in 1656. It held a location on the Forge River banks in what was then part of Taunton and is now the town of Raynham. The ironworks was the first of its kind in Plymouth Colony and only the third ironworks to be established anywhere in New England. 

Early Taunton residents discovered bog ore, a kind of impure iron ore found in bogs, in the Taunton area. They realized this made it ripe for an ironworks and invited two experienced iron men who had worked at Braintree Furnace in Quincy, MA, to set up works in Taunton.

Taunton ironworks continued to produce iron until 1876, which means it was in constant operation for two hundred and twenty years!

Today, the ironworks site is marked by a small park, which is dedicated to the descendants of Theodore Dean, who was the last person to own the ironworks.

Although many of the old mills now have other uses, you can still visit the historic sites and admire the architecture. In and around Taunton, you will find:

• The John Winthrop Jr. Iron Furnace Site, also known as the Braintree Furnace. This is the first iron blast furnace in the United States, and its founders went on to build Taunton Iron Works.
• The Old Colony Iron Works-Nemasket Mills Complex in East Taunton. This site initially belonged to the Old Colony Iron Company, one of the most prolific iron producers in New England. In 1899 the New England Cotton Yarn Company acquired the site, and it became a textile mill. These days it is home to residential condominiums.
• The Bridgewater Iron Works, in nearby Bridgewater. The Bridgewater works had a long and exciting history. The site was founded in 1707 with a blacksmith's shop and would produce iron pots for the whaling industry, cannons, nails, iron hoops for wooden barrels, and even steam engines. The works were a major producer of parts for the US Navy in the mid to late nineteenth century. These days the site is a public park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can still see remnants of the old buildings.
• The Whittenton Mills Complex is on the banks of the Mill River in Taunton. The site began life as an iron forge in 1670 and has also housed a nail mill and a textile mill. In more recent times, the area was used for filming several scenes from the movie Shutter Island.

As well as iron and textiles, Taunton enjoyed an illustrious history as a silver producer, and you can still visit the sites of several silver producers, including The Taunton Silverplate Company, Reed & Barton, and the Poole Silver Company.

The Past Is Always Present In Taunton

With such a long history, it is no wonder that Taunton is full of historical sites. Visitors who want to enjoy Taunton's past will love:

• The Bristol County Courthouse, which was built in 1826 and is known affectionately as "ole copper top."
• The Taunton Post Office, built-in 1931-32, is a beautiful example of Classical Revival architecture.
• The Old Colony History Museum, whose parent society, the Old Colony Historical Society, was founded in 1853. These days the site houses an impressive collection of artifacts that show what life was like in the original Plymouth Colony.
• Taunton Green Historic District, which was the heart of Taunton's commercial district in the nineteenth century. Historic buildings edge the pretty green, where you can see monuments to all the wars in which Taunton residents have participated.

When Storms Nearly Caused Disaster In Taunton

1832 saw the construction of the Whittenton Pond Dam, which was an earthen dam. The original barrier was made of wood, and in 1968 it failed and caused flooding in Taunton. In October 2005, the city was once again in danger of flooding due to historically heavy rainfall putting pressure on the dam. This caused widespread disruption:

• Schools were canceled
• 2000 residents were evacuated
• National Guard troops were stationed nearby in case of emergencies
• Roads were closed

Although disaster did not befall Taunton that day, inspectors found structural damage on the dam, and it was replaced. The replacement dam was removed in 2013.

SERVPRO Uses Water Pumps To Help Residents Deal With Flood Damage

Vacuum pumps were vital to preventing disaster in 2005. Authorities used high-volume pumps to fend off flooding by diverting water around the dam and draining nearby Whittenton Pond.

When storms cause flooding in the home, pumping out excess water is a vital first step. Water can quickly soak into everything, from furniture and textiles to drywall and insulation, causing damage to personal belongings and the property. Water also provides a breeding ground for mold.

SERVPRO uses a variety of pumps to remove excess water in the case of flood damage. We have powerful truck-mounted pumps for significant incidents and smaller electric pumps or even carpet wands for smaller areas. We train our technicians to know which pump is most effective in every situation. 

Pumping out water makes it easier to dry your home and salvage your belongings. Once the water has gone, our team will focus on using fans, air movers, and dehumidifiers to dry the area and restore your house, "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield is here to help with any flood damage issues. Call us today at (508) 824-0200.

Make Your Own Nature Inspired Festive Decor In Taunton This December

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

Did fire damage hit home? Call SERVPRO for the expert techniques in fire restoration.

Brighten Your Taunton Home This Festive Season With Hand-Crafted Decorations

The Old Colony History Museum provides fascinating exhibits that take you right into the world of the early Taunton colonists. They also offer regular craft workshops to help you learn new skills. Wednesday Workshops are a popular fixture in the museum’s calendar. Come along in December to learn how to make nature-inspired festive decorations:

• The workshop runs 5:30 – 7:00 on December 8
• Costs $10 for non-members or $5 for members
• Materials included

Space is limited, so please book in advance. If you cannot attend in person, you can join as a virtual attendee via Zoom. You will receive more information on how to access materials for Zoom attendees when you book.

It is always fun to learn new crafts, but businesses who run craft workshops need to be aware that crafts materials can provide fuel in a fire. For help with fire damage cleanup, call SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 

Share Your Love of Reading With Other East Taunton Bookworms

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let your personal belongings get destroyed by mold. SERVPRO has the technicians to do the job.

Enjoy Reading Aloud With East Taunton Residents This Winter

The only thing better than a good book is sharing it with others. You can share your latest literary finds with fellow book lovers, thanks to the Taunton Shared Reading Book Group at Taunton Public Library.

• Entry is free.
• Refreshments are included.
• Reading material is provided.

This is a relaxed and friendly group. You can read aloud if you would like, join in the literary discussions, or simply relax and listen.

The Shared Reading Book Group meets every Monday at Taunton Public Library from 2 PM – 3:30 PM. You do not need to book ahead or even read anything ahead of time. Simply turn up on the day and enjoy the materials provided.

Book lovers understand-the fear of moldy books. Protect your books by keeping them in dry places that are free of damp. If you are concerned about mold affecting your book collection, SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield is here to help with mold remediation. Call us today at (508) 824-0200.

Enjoy a Live Magic Show with Your Friends And Family in Taunton

11/2/2020 (Permalink)

Taunton SERVPRO Is on-Site, Ready for Water Music--This is magic to our customers' ears.

Residents of Taunton Can Come Together and Enjoy a Live Magic Show

Sometimes, magic shows on television are unbelievable and may look staged. Since live magic shows are rare in Taunton, most people do not get the opportunity to attend one. Fortunately, Cedric Purcell brings the Cedric Purcell Magic Show close to you. The event occurs on Friday, November 6, 2020, at 8 Trescott Street, Taunton, MA 02780. It is a one-hour event beginning from 8 PM to 9 PM. Parking is free, secure, and in plenty of supply across the street.

Ticket buyers should be above 15 years of age since the show contains strong language. All audience members should have their mask on during the event for personal safety. Those in attendance should note that they may be called on stage to participate in the show. Items provided include:

• Hand sanitizer
• Gloves
• Mask

Couples and groups should show up early to avoid being separated and help with social distancing.

SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield welcomes you to the Cedric Purcell Magic Show. If you are dealing with water damage, we are ready to help. Our highly trained and certified professionals can perform efficient water removal in your Taunton property. Call us today at (508) 824-0200 for help.

What Guarantees Safety When Managing Flood Damage?

10/27/2020 (Permalink)

Flood damage can become hectic quickly, SERVPRO can come in and calm the situation and get your Taunton home back in living order.

SERVPRO Addresses Physical, Chemical, and Biological Risks For Safe Restoration of Flood Damage in Taunton Properties

Flooded properties can be risk havens if precautions are not taken during the renovation process. Such risks can lead to physical injury or exposure to harmful substances. It is also possible to cause additional unintended damages to the property. SERVPRO helps manage safety risks for the safe restoration of Taunton properties.

How does flood damage pose risks to Taunton homeowners?

• Floodwater deposit chemicals and biohazards in houses
• Water and mud leave surfaces slick, increasing the risk of sliding
• The risk of electrocution is high once property floods

Although the most apparent problem during a flooding incident is the rising water that intrudes into different sections of the house, other issues present bigger problems. For instance, the floodwater might contain dissolved chemicals and biohazards. Wading into the water to perform removal procedures might only replace a simple problem with a severe one when someone falls sick.

Our SERVPRO technicians accomplish the desired goal of extracting the contaminated floodwaters while avoiding the risk since we use protective gear such as rubber boots and Tyvek bodysuits. We also use circuit testers to confirm no electric current flowing through the water or wet surfaces, thus eliminating the risk of electrocution.

What is the best way to safeguard against physical injury?

Unlike chemical and biohazards, it is hard to eliminate the risks that lead to physical injuries while restoring flood damage. Our SERVPRO professionals prepare the loss site to minimize the dangers by:

• Setting up the wet floor and other warning signs
• Shoveling mud and silt from the floors making the less slippery
• Securing equipment cables and hoses with tack strips 

Flood loss sites are usually chaotic, with everything spread all over the place. The equipment used to extract water and clean soiled areas can add to the level of clutter. Our crews declutter loss sites before starting restoration processes by setting up a staging area for the equipment and securing any materials that might trip people.

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield can restore your property safely. Call us at (508) 824-0200. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

What Does SERVPRO Do First to a Restore a Fire Damaged Home?

10/19/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Damage Mitigation and Control Includes Odor Elimination--SERVPRO Uses Hydroxyl Generators inside Taunton Homes

After a Fire in Taunton Our Technicians Assess What Mitigation Needs to Be Done After Dealing with Safety Issues

The Taunton Fire Department has a fascinating history. One of the oldest continually operating fire stations in the U.S., the first station was dedication in 1869. By May 1866, there were five Taunton Fire Stations, and in December of 1876, fireboxes and fire hydrants were added. The first motorized engine company began in 1912, and in April of 1924, they retired the last of their horses. Today over 127 firefighters respond annually to over 11,000 runs. Many of these call-outs involve residential property. After the firefighters put out the flames, SERVPRO steps in to help clean, repair, and restore.

During Fire Restoration What Happens First?

Securing the building from safety hazards is the first step in any job we do. We cannot begin repair and restoration unless it is safe. Our technicians are trained to scope out a fire damage scene in Taunton and look for potential hazards. Emergency mitigation, such as boarding up, may be needed as well. The particular things SERVPRO looks for include:

• Hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead
• Utility concerns including gas leakage risks and electrical shock dangers
• Damage to the structure that could lead to a collapse
• Fall or slip hazards
• Off-gassing during combustion
• Determining the level of water contamination

We have protocols we follow to mitigate any of the above situations so that everything gets done safely. These protocols include:

• Turning off utilities, such as gas and electric, at the source
• Using temporary supports for damaged structural components
• Letting our certified biohazard removal technicians handle hazardous materials.
• Use the correct PPE gear for the job.
• Working within local and state laws for removal of biohazardous material

How Do You Determine What Restoration Techniques are Used?

SERVPRO employs the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified and Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) that understand fires and fire residue. In a single fire, they often deal with wet, dry, and protein-based soot. Each of these requires different cleaning methods. The project manager considers several aspects when putting a restoration plan together. The conditions during the fire, materials consumed, and how the fire and smoke swept through the home are all considered.  The technicians then begin cleaning and restoring the home.

In order to properly clean, the technicians determine which type of soot is in the area where they are working. They test different cleaning methods and products in inconspicuous places to decide the best cleaning option. They go through the house, cleaning each impacted surface so that restoration can begin.

Why is Water Damage Cleanup Necessary After a Fire?

If firefighters were involved in putting out the fire, water and chemicals get used. Our IICRC techs deal with any water intrusion before they begin fire damage cleanup. Water is corrosive and destroys impacted material quickly. Water extraction methods are used to clear as much moisture from the building as possible. We use EPA-registered antimicrobial agents to treat contaminated water. Industrial strength drying equipment gets used to dry the structure. If the moisture is allowed to sit for long periods, secondary damage such as mold and mildew can become a serious problem.

How Does SERVPRO Restore My Home?

Once the safety issues get dealt with, and water extraction is complete, the cleaning and restoration begin. Charred and ruined material gets removed quickly as they contribute significantly to the foul odors present with fire damage. Cleaning methods such as soda blasting are used on fire-damaged structural elements. Scraping and wire brushing are other cleaning options for content covered in soot. Clothes, linens, and even sports equipment can be washed in our ESPORTA system. Damp wiping removes smoke residue from surfaces. Damaged walls, floors, and ceilings get repaired. You can rest assured that our technicians use the most advanced restoration techniques and professional equipment to restore your home. Our goal is to leave the residence, “Like it never even happened.”

Can the Smell Be Removed?

Smoke residue settles on surfaces and becomes embedded into the content of the home. The airborne particles can travel quickly throughout the home, even from the smallest fire. Our technicians work tirelessly toward eliminating the foul odors present. We neutralize scent-bearing particles with chemicals that alter the composition of the soot. Enzymatic products, hydroxyl generators, and thermal fogging are techniques that help remove the awful smell.

A fire damaged home needs professional, well-trained fire damage restoration experts that understand what is needed. At SERVPRO, we sympathize with anyone who has undergone a disaster such as a fire. We want you back in your home and doing all the normal things you do every day. Our technicians work diligently to ensure that happens.

 Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for professional fire damage service. We are licensed and bonded – Contractor Licenses: General: CS-108357.  We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Does Water Cause Harm to Upholstery, Carpets, and Textiles in Taunton?

10/18/2020 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

A Water Leak Can Lead to Permanent Fabric Damage. SERVPRO Can Provide Expert Water Cleanup for your Taunton Home.

How does water affect fabrics?
Textiles in your Taunton home are made up of unique fabrics with unique fiber and dye characteristics. When water exposure occurs, these textiles can bleed dye, shrink or become flat. Long-term water exposure can lead to unpleasant odors and mold growth. SERVPRO technicians are not only experts at drying your home and contents; we can also clean various fabrics to return them to a preloss condition. Understanding how different materials react to cleaning methods or chemical action is essential to reducing secondary damages. We can avoid these secondary harms by consulting manufacturer guidance or relying on our extensive fabric cleaning training.

What stages are there for textile cleaning?
    •    Assessing whether fabrics should be cleaned while wet or putting in place an immediate drying plan
    •    Using pre-conditioning elements as well as spot and stain remover to clean the fabric
    •    Providing a topical treatment onto the fabric to ensure a lasting clean finish

What are topical treatments for textiles?
Topical treatments are an essential part of water cleanup in your Taunton home. These treatments are usually applied initially by the manufacturer but can be re-applied after cleaning the textile. We use topical treatments to help release soiling from a fabric piece and make the fabric stain resistant for the future. A soil-repellent can be used as a mitigation method to prevent soils from absorbing into a fabric, providing technicians with a vital window to clean upholstery before permanent staining occurs. One risk of using a soil repellent is yellowing, which is why we recommend you seek professional assistance when performing textile cleaning.

What types of topical treatments are available for fabrics?
    •    Soil release agents allow textiles to absorb more water or cleaning solution allowing for deep cleans.
    •    Stain-resistant chemicals can prevent or reduce the staining of materials through dye discoloration.
    •    Fire retardants can often wash out in the presence of moisture. Re-applying fire retardants can help return your furniture to its preloss condition.

Water spills can lead to staining, dye bleeding, or other forms of damage in upholstery, carpets, and fabrics. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 now.

Why Should Businesses in Taunton be Struggling with Mold Outsource Removal to Specialists?

9/27/2020 (Permalink)

Finding mold in your building can quickly cause great stress. Contact SERVPRO for commercial mold removal and remediation services for your business.

Mold Removal Companies Offer Experienced Crews with Advanced Training Certification to Do the Job Right -- SERVPRO Is a Mold Remediation Leader for Taunton Businesses

Taunton small business entrepreneurs pride themselves on handling unexpected challenges on their own. Not surprisingly, they also surround themselves with individuals with the same type of “can do” attitude. Although this approach is commendable, one of the issues business property owners might want to consider outsourcing is mold removal. Choosing among local companies can be daunting, but there are solid reasons why you should select our services.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Full-Service Disaster Recovery Company in Taunton for Your Mold Remediation Needs?

It is not uncommon to find yourself urgently evaluating mold removal companies when you undertake remodeling or deep cleaning in your retail space. Tearing out a wall or moving plumbing or electrical lines can reveal a long-term mold issue, nearly always associated with unseen water damage. Trying to resolve a complicated situation that can involve the deterioration of building materials and a microbial infestation is best left to experts. This is why our full-spectrum disaster recovery services are in demand to remedy both the underlying water damage and mold colony multiplication issues.

How Do Mold Removal Companies Gain Access to Hidden Damage?

Our general contractor license offers the capability to proceed with carefully planned controlled demolition to reveal water and mold damage. As the spaces providing habitat for spores to grow and proliferate open to view and interventions, SERVPRO mold remediation specialists commence the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocol to rid your property of the active colonies:

• Locate the mold damaged materials
• Contain the area with 1.6 mil polyethylene, and consider the additional protection of operating a negative pressure air scrubber within the containment compartment to 
• Seal the perimeter
• Force airborne mold spores and debris through HEPA filters for capture, exhausting to the outdoors
• Remove the mold colonies with brushes, scrapers, and tempered blasting techniques like soda or dry ice, which can clear growth from some porous materials
• Vacuum and wipe up lingering debris and residues 
• Bag all moldy materials and dispose of as hazardous waste, following rules in your community
• Treat affected spaces with EPA-registered antimicrobials to inhibit mold rebound

Take full advantage of the multiple certifications held by SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield as your business recovers from mold removal and water damage remediation. Call us at (508) 824-0200 to explore how our team can make a tricky microbial invasion “Like it never even happened.” 

Contractor Licenses:

General: CS-108357

Click here for more information about Taunton.

What Should a Homeowner Do If My Taunton Home is Ever Damaged by Floods?

9/20/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding quickly damages the contents and structure of your home. Contact SERVPRO for remediation services.

If Floods Ever Impact Your Taunton Home, You Should First Contact a Good Local Flood Damage Cleanup and Remediation Service for Help.

Every year, powerful seasonal storms batter Taunton and the rest of the Northeast.  These monstrous weather systems often bring with them intense winds, torrential rains, flooding, and massive headaches for area homeowners.  As the storms pass through our community, your home could be compromised in a myriad of ways.  Tree limbs, or even entire trees, could fall on your house, damaging roofing and windows.  This, in turn, could make your residence much more vulnerable to stormwaters.  At the same time, flying debris could further impact your home in such ways and block its drainage systems.  Then, as heavy rains swell local rivers, lakes, and ponds, your house could be put in the direct path of raging floodwaters.     

What Makes Flood Waters Particularly Hazardous?

Flood damage remediation in Taunton involves much more than simply removing the floodwaters and airing-out a residence.  As SERVPRO, a local Taunton flood damage cleanup and restoration company, understands, it takes much more than this.  This is because floodwater, classified as “black water,” is the most contaminated type of water you can encounter.  It flows over various polluted surfaces, carrying with it such things as:

• Human corpses and animal carcasses
• Animal and human feces
• Industrial wastes
• Toxic chemicals
• Other harmful substances in soils 

This contaminated water is teaming with troublesome microorganisms that could, if not quickly and successfully eliminated, irreparably impact your residence and cause negative health effects.

How Does SERVPRO Quickly and Effectively Clean Up Flood Damage?

As your neighborhood SERVPRO, we are located nearby and our skilled technicians live in your community.  This is why we can often be onsite to help resolve your Taunton flooding issue within four hours of your call, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.  Once at your residence, SERVPRO experts:

• Inspect your home, noting all water damage and potential safety concerns like the presence of lead or asbestos
• Rapidly extract gallons of polluted standing floodwaters from your house with industrial strength extractors and submersible pumps
• Disinfect surfaces around your home with EPA-approved disinfectants and high-tech foggers
• Professionally dispose of hazardous wastes
• Set a drying goal based on local conditions and monitor its progress with moisture sensors/meters and thermohygrometers
• Quickly dry the interior of your residence with a network of cutting edge air movers, dehumidifiers, and Injectidry systems
• Further disinfect and deodorize your house with advanced antimicrobial-delivering foggers

Taken together, all of these measures help ensure that your flood damage is remediated as quickly and effectively as possible.  Many times, they can save you from future issues related to a flooding event, which can save you precious time and money.

How Do SERVPRO’s Foggers Disinfect Surfaces and Neutralize Odors?

The greatest concerns related to flood damage cleanup are eliminating harmful microbes and neutralizing unpleasant odors.  In order to tackle these key problems, SERVPRO employs the most advanced foggers in the industry today.  Our thermal foggers create dense fogs filled with disinfectants/deodorants that eliminate microbes or unwanted smells from confined areas of your residence.  Technicians use ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers that aerosolize microorganism/odor-eliminating agents to treat impacted materials and difficult-to-access parts of your home.  This is possible because ULV foggers, unlike other foggers, create fine mists that are able to easily penetrate tight areas and the small pores of affected materials.   

What Can Happen to My Home If I Don’t Have It Properly Cleaned by Knowledgeable Professionals?

As previously explained, floodwaters are particularly dangerous because they usually carry numerous harmful microorganisms.  The harm that these microscopic threats often cause is in addition to the troubles generally associated with regular water damage.  Some examples of the issues you can eventually expect to encounter after having ineffective remediation service performed are:

• Persistent foul odors that may become more pronounced during hotter and more humid periods
• Discolorations and stains from proliferating mold and mildew on floors, walls, and ceilings
• Deteriorating drywall and plaster
• Warping and buckling of floors, walls, and ceilings
• Structure-destroying dry rot that could require substantial and costly reconstruction efforts
• Negative health effects

It is for all of these reasons that you should take care of any flood damage as soon as possible and have the work done by trained professionals.  Otherwise, over the long term, your delays could cost you dearly.

As caring members of your community, we urge you to always prepare for storms and related flooding.  Also, you should know your cleaning and restoration options well before storms arrive.  With all that said, if you ever need help cleaning up in the aftermath of flooding, call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for assistance.

How Expensive is Fire Restoration for Businesses in Mansfield?

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

A fire estimate can help your business to process the costs of your claim.

Producing an Accurate Estimate for Commercial Fire Damage Restoration is Essential to Allow Mansfield Businesses to Plan and Account for Insurance Claims.

How are commercial claim costs calculated?

Fires affect hundreds of small, medium-sized, and large businesses in the Mansfield area every year. These can occur in restaurant kitchens, electronics shops, and retail outlets. We understand that as a business owner, getting the first idea of the costs of your claim is essential to your business planning. The expense of your restoration depends on the cleanability of the property. Replacing, resurfacing, or reconstructing is where the high costs of recovery occur. SERVPRO works to restore rather than replace and test smoke residues to gain an accurate idea of which areas can be cleaned and which may need replacement. By conducting rigorous tests, your business can avoid being charged for restoring items that ultimately need replacing.

How accurate are testing estimates?

When we conduct commercial fire damage restoration for Mansfield businesses, we generally provide testing equipment for estimators. These equipment include safety equipment like respirator masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as pH paper and brushing or scraping tools. To distinguish between restorable and replaceable items requires an ongoing assessment of smoke residues. We may scrape tiles or hard surfaces to assess damage underneath. Melted plastics, such as those found on commercial cooking appliances, can often be agitated with steel wool to see if melting can be restored. SERVPRO also includes cleaning chemicals that can be tested on discrete areas of walls or furniture in your business to see how active smoke residues are to chemical action.

How do estimate tests help restoration technicians?

- Tagging of items as a claim or damaged inform whether to restore or replace
- Caution tape may be placed to indicate potential hazards
- Markers to delineate work which can be useful during inventory

A fire estimate can help your business to process the costs of your claim. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for commercial restoration services.

What Can I Do to Restore My Taunton Home After Water Spreads Throughout It?

8/30/2020 (Permalink)

Removing all the water from your home is not an easy job. Contact SERVPRO after a water damage incident for professional remediation services.

Call in SERVPRO to Repair Your Taunton Home After Any Disaster

What Has to Be Repaired or Replaced in My Home?

Water damage repair in Taunton often centers around floors and walls. SERVPRO technicians train to preserve as much of each home to avoid the costlier expenses of property repair or replacement.

How Do Technicians Do All This for My Home?

Our technicians perform key processes that reduce the amount of immediate damage and the chance of future damage: Water removal, moving and drying property, and drying the structure.

• Water Removal – Technicians quickly set up pumps to draw water out of your home. If your electrical system was compromised, we can bring in a generator or even a truck-mounted pump for continuous operation for any sized residence. 
• Moving and Drying Property – Team members remove furniture to an unaffected part of the home and set the items on pallets or blocks. This allows water to drain from the items and increase drying through evaporation.
• Drying the Structure – Technicians install fans to increase circulation and force damp air outside. They use air movers to further increase airflow and direct the warm air across damp floors and walls to quickly dry them without causing further problems. 

What Can Technicians Do About the Odors?

SERVPRO technicians eliminate many types of odors when removing water-soaked property too damaged for repair or restoration, but some can penetrate deeply into structural and personal property. To eliminate them, team members use:

• Chemical agents that can combine with and break down the odor-causing particles.
• Injectors that put the agent directly into an odor-producing water stain. These are especially effective for sofas and other upholstered furniture.
• Foggers that break down the agents into a fog of particles that penetrate as deeply into the home as the odor-causing particles, binding with, and eliminating, them. 

To learn more about what SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield can do for your home, or to schedule a service visit, call today at (508) 824-0200. We are here for you.  

Click here for more information about Taunton.

What Can I Do To Prepare My Business For Emergencies?

8/18/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO understands how important it is to prepare for an emergency situation. We can help you with our Emergency Ready Plan.

SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Program (ERP) Helps Taunton Businesses Prepare Ahead of Time Disasters.

Fire and floods can devastate a business faster than you can imagine. Sadly 50% of all businesses that are impacted by a disaster never reopen. Of those that do survive, the majority of them had some type of response plan prepared. Over the past 34 years, Taunton has experienced approximately 5” of increased sea levels. This means the starting point for storm surges and high tides has raised, in turn, making coastal flooding more frequent and more severe. Is your business prepared?

How Can ERP Help My Business?

Taunton is a beautiful city with many fascinating historic buildings. Established in 1637 by the Plymouth Colony, it is also known as the “Silver City”. It was one of the principal starting points for the silver industry in the 19th century. Shops and homes sit along the Taunton River, which meanders through the town, ending at Mount Hope Bay. Storms can come up at any time, causing flood damage in Taunton and impacting businesses across the town. SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Program helps make sure your business is prepared for just this type of situation. Our ERP system can help by:

• Helping you establish trust with clients and employees. They know you are prepared if disaster strikes.
• Compiling a comprehensive information resource for use if there is a problem.
• Minimizing business interruption and loss of revenue.
• Reduce secondary damage saving your company money.
• Providing timely mitigation that reduces downtime due to cleanup and restoration.

The key to prompt mitigation is knowing whom to call, what to do, and what to expect in advance.

What is the Emergency Ready Profile System?

This system is designed to shorten response time to emergency calls from businesses. Its web-based interface is user-friendly and easy to set up. By having your information on hand, our response is faster, which means you are up and running as soon as possible.

What Do I Need to Do?

As a business owner creating a company profile is the first step. You personalize your company profile with the relevant information. If you need assistance getting set up, a Marketing Representative can provide that service free of charge.

How Does My Profile Help?

When you establish an ERP profile, you have a Marketing Representative that works directly with your business. If an emergency occurs, such as storm flooding, that person has all your business needs, particular circumstances, and emergency contacts listed. There is no need to take the time to give SERVPRO that information when you call. This means a faster response time on our end.

More Benefits of ERP

There are many benefits to enrolling in the ERP system, as you can see from above. Some of the other factors that can be beneficial include:

•   Multi Business Management – When flood damage hits dealing with one business is hard enough. If you are the owner or manager of multiple industries, it can seem impossible. The ERP system permits you to create a profile for each business, which is beneficial with severe storm flooding situations.
•   Contact Management – Any company has multiple contact information. Insurance, utilities, suppliers, and other essential contacts you deal with all the time. With ERP, you can organize those contact lists and store that information within the system. Communication is vital in any type of disaster, and this enhances contact efficacy in the face of a disaster.

 Are You Ready?

Every business should have a contingency plan prepared. There are 3 components to a solid plan, and they are incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity.  SERVPRO ERP system is not a stand-alone contingency plan but a vital part of an existing one. We address the incident response and disaster recovery portions. Our technicians are trained to help you recover your business after flood damage occurs, but we also want to help you before anything detrimental happens. When you invest in ERP, you are creating a win-win situation for your business and livelihood. More reasons to choose the ERP system include: 

• A no-cost assessment of your facility.
• Contains only the needed information in the event of an emergency. 
• Establishes SERVPRO® of Taunton/Mansfield as your disaster mitigation and restoration service provider.
• Names the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
• Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas, and priority contact information

If flooding does occur, the ERP readiness plan has our Green Team on the scene providing emergency mitigation and performing a scope immediately. Since we already have information on your building, the layout, and the content, the initial process is drastically reduced. Cleanup, repair, and restoration can get underway so your business can bounce back. 

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for commercial flood damage service.

Contractor Licenses: General: CS-108357. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster

How do I Get Rid of Odorous Water from My Taunton Home and Contents?

8/11/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has your water damage covered, no matter how the water found its way in.

SERVPRO Restoration Services Perform Expert Water Cleanup for Residents of the Taunton Area.

Why is odorous water in some regions of the home?

Water contains microbes, which over-time can stagnate, leading to unpleasant odors and wetness in your Taunton home. These issues are frequently linked to plumbing or leakage in the house. Outside rainwater entering the home, a faulty appliance, pipe, or water tank can all contribute to unpleasant greywater, causing a problem. SERVPRO technicians are quick to identify the root causes of water intrusion with strong expertise in the treatment of odor and sanitization. Our main goal is to return your home to a preloss condition using a combination of mechanical equipment, drying, and cleaning. While waiting for an inspection, it can be useful to isolate the affected area, unplug faulty appliances, and open windows to allow natural air ventilation. 

Is Greywater intrusion a serious concern?

Professional water cleanup services in Taunton can typically resolve water-related issues in your home provided they can address them early. Without early intervention, greywater can deteriorate, leading to a much more severe problem. This deterioration occurs because microbes present in water proliferate, leading to mold, bacteria, or viruses. Equally, building materials or contents in the direct vicinity of moisture can absorb large quantities and be tough to dry. SERVPRO water restoration technicians (WRT) establish proper drying methods using air-movement, dehumidification, and extraction to dry out the property thoroughly. Using these methods, we can be confident of mitigating further harm to your home before performing the necessary restoration to return it to its preloss condition. 

What are the symptoms of untreated water damage?

- Mold buildup in drywall, insulation and other surfaces around the vicinity

- Unpleasant stagnant odors 

- Warping of the surrounding building materials or contents

Early intervention can go a long way to reducing the overall expense of your claim. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at  (508) 824-0200.

I Need Fire Damage Restoration Services for My Home. Who Can Help?

7/28/2020 (Permalink)

Taunton Homeowners Are Happy with the SERVPRO Approach to Fire Damage Cleanup and Restoration--We Even Eliminate the Pungent Odors

Hire SERVPRO’s Team of Experts in Taunton To Complete the Fire Damage Restoration Process.

Nothing is more traumatizing than a fire threatening your family’s sense of security. Even after the flames are gone, the secondary damage may continue to destroy the structure and pose health risks to its residents. Therefore, it is essential to act fast by contacting restoration experts in Taunton within the first 48 hours to stop further damage.

Why the first 48 hours?

Restoration experts call the first 24 to 48 hours following a fire loss the golden hours of recovery. To ensure the recovery of as much property as possible after fire damage in your Taunton home, it is critical to have an effective response that stabilizes the property. When the firefighters extinguish a blaze, the acidic soot and smoke can speed up corrosion and deterioration of building components and valuable items. To compound the issue, firefighters use water or chemicals to extinguish the flames. Our technicians can remove the left-over chemicals, water, and the odor that a fire leaves behind.

What does fire damage restoration include?

Our restoration services include mitigating the fire damage, water removal, and smoke residue cleanup. We conduct the restoration process as quickly as possible so that our customers do not incur costly repairs. Beyond the visible structural damage, SERVPRO technicians evaluate contents inside a property for recovery based on factors such as:

• Decreased life expectancy
• Effect of smoke and heat
• Sentimental value
• Loss of value
• Loss of use
• Comparison between replacement cost and cost of restoration

Our fire damage restoration services can include:

• Emergency board-up: Since the restoration process might take a few days, we can protect your property from severe weather or intruders. We can use plywood enforced by two-by-fours to board up any openings. If the unfortunate incident damaged the roof, we can cover the opening using a polythene paper.
• Soot and smoke residues cleanup: We use advanced products to clean the soot and smoke residues from different surfaces. We can use Liquid Crème Cleaners such as stain scrub to clean high gloss surfaces or appliances made of stainless steel.
• Thermal deodorization: Smoke odor can hide in various places, including confined areas. Even after a thorough cleanup, the odors may persist. Our technicians can use thermal fog deodorizers to combat the odors. We use a thermal fogger to apply the product in the affected areas and allow it to work overnight.

Our SERVPRO technicians also inspect the property to ensure it is suitable for inhabitation.

Do not let secondary fire damage lead to expensive repairs in your property. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 immediately after the fire loss for effective restoration.

How Can a Remediation Service Mitigate My Water Damage?

7/22/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Offers Advanced Equipment to Mitigate Water Damage in Mansfield Area Properties

Mansfield Area Remediation Services Use Various Tools and Methods to Limit the Severity of Your Water Damage.

When your Mansfield home is impacted by a water leak, your first thoughts likely concern how damage can be mitigated and your residence restored to its preloss condition.  With that said, destructive leaks can develop for many reasons and exist in different locations around your home.  Some of their most common causes are pipe drips and ruptures, storm damage that puts holes in your roof, clogged gutters that allow the collected water to penetrate structural elements, malfunctioning household appliances like washing machines and dishwashers, and rusted out or defective water storage containers.  Whatever their cause, water leaks need to be found and adequately dealt with swiftly.

How Does a Service Like SERVPRO Discover and Locate Hidden Water Leaks?

The ideal way a Mansfield water damage mitigation service such as SERVPRO can limit a leak’s impact is by finding it early when it first starts.  This is exceedingly difficult, or near impossible, for those without the right experience and high-tech equipment to do.  Fortunately, SERVPRO technicians possess both of these things.  As a result, they can often find sources of water issues early by using their extensive training and industry experience, as well as the following tools:

• Infrared cameras to look through ceilings, walls, and baseboards to locate sources of leaks
• Moisture sensors that identify excess moisture in affected items and areas
• Meters to measure actual moisture levels in impacted materials and objects

Our workers can locate water leaks with this detection gear near the time they start if you have your home periodically inspected.  In this way, we can often help you avoid the more serious damage that generally accompanies older, ongoing water-related problems.  Even if you suspect a leak and we find it later, we can still usually prevent it from developing into a more severe issue. 

How Does SERVPRO Dry My Home So That It is Not Further Harmed by Standing Water and Airborne Moisture?

In cases of apparent or catastrophic water events, the first course of action to mitigate damage is to remove standing water and reduce water vapor levels as quickly as possible.  We do this with a vast array of state-of-the-art equipment, like:

• Strong extractors, pumps, and wet vacs that extract standing water from your home swiftly.
• Advanced air blowers, high-velocity fans, and different kinds of dehumidifiers that dry interior air, household surfaces, furnishings, and other contents
• Ingenious air blower-dehumidifier-injectidry networks to dry moist areas in difficult-to-reach places behind walls and ceilings

Often, these tools and measures help prevent harmful bacterial and fungal growths, as well as the development of persistent unpleasant odors.  This all substantially reduces your home’s long-term risk of experiencing destructive dry rot and other damaging microbial issues.  Moreover, they help ensure that unwanted smells related to your water problem are permanently eliminated.  

What Does SERVPRO Do to Disinfect Your Home and Neutralize Present Odors?

Our trained experts also do other things, besides merely preventative measures, to disinfect and deodorize your residence.  These measures further ensure that harmful microbes are killed, the structural integrity of your home is preserved, and foul water damage-related odors are effectively mitigated over the long-term.  Such efforts include, among other things:

• Spraying EPA-approved disinfectants, antifungals, and deodorants directly on impacted structural elements and household contents
• Injecting antimicrobials and deodorants into affected upholstered items and materials using injection devices
• Eliminating microorganisms and foul smells from difficult-to-access spaces with liquid agent-atomizing ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers
• Thermal fogging with deodorants, disinfectants, and fungicides

Once completed, these actions generally protect your home from further leak-related damage and unwanted smells in the future.

Considering all this, you can see how a service like SERVPRO can effectively help you mitigate your water damage.  Such services are essential for homeowners eager to minimize their recovery times and save irreplaceable or exceedingly valuable property.  If a water damage restoration company is not skilled in successfully mitigating issues, you could face substantially higher long-term repair costs and potentially lose valuable property.  With all that said, however, we are skilled in helping homeowners limit potential harm done to their homes and possessions by water.

We do this via the early detection of water-related problems, which allows our workers to resolve them before they produce bigger issues.  If standing water or excess humidity are present, we mitigate possible damage by quickly extracting the water and drying the air.     

Although it is often difficult to prevent water leaks and other such issues, there are several ways they can be mitigated once they develop.  So, if you ever need this type of help, call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for assistance.

My Taunton Business Office Flooded – How Can SERVPRO Help?

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO will get your Taunton office water damage back up and moving in no time.

By Providing Emergency Mitigation We Can Get Your Office Restored to Pre-loss Condition

You need your office open for business. If you experienced flooding from a burst pipe or HVAC leak, we recommend professional help. We have years of experience helping Taunton businesses get back to work after a water intrusion.

Can you repair and restore office furniture and equipment?

The first step our Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) accredited technicians in water mitigation in Taunton takes is to make sure the source of the water loss is found and stopped. Then we will access what needs to be done for water extraction. Gas-powered pumps extract gallons of water rapidly. Once our team removes the water, then the cleanup and restoration begin. We can:

• Clean and restore carpets if delamination has not happened. Fast intervention is needed to prevent that.
• Dry out and restore desks, bookcases, and other types of wood furniture.
• Clean, sanitize, and restore metal file cabinets.
• Dry and restore documents.
• Check electrical equipment for restoration possibilities.
• Clean upholstered items. Re-upholster, if needed.
• Deodorize the office.

Professional Water Restoration Means Returning to Pre-Loss Condition

By calling SERVPRO to handle your business office flooding, you guarantee that your office will get the care it deserves. We want you to walk in and feel, “Like it never even happened.” Our team of technicians understands you need your office functioning at full capacity as quickly as possible. We provide:

• Technicians that are accredited and are continually training to increase their knowledge
• 24/7 emergency services 
• Advanced technology that can find even the smallest trace of moisture
• Powerful equipment – air movers, dehumidifiers, and pumps
• Customer service that is second to none

When it comes to commercial water mitigation, SERVPRO has over fifty years of experience and knows what is required to get you up and running. 

Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for quality water damage service that is Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How Quickly Can My Home Get Dried Out After A Flood?

6/25/2020 (Permalink)

No matter when you make the call, we have technicians who can assist you.

For Fast, Professional Restoration in Your East Taunton Home, Call SERVPRO 

Stormwater is a greater threat to area homes than what flows from a broken pipe or split hose. Even if the same amount of water hits the floor, outside water picks up a small amount of everything it crossed before entering your home. Removing the dirt, grass, and other debris takes additional time to return each home to a clean, safe condition. 

How Long Does Everything Take?

That depends on how much water is present, and the size of your home in East Taunton. Flood damage restoration also only starts with removing the water. SERVPRO technicians use pumps and extractors that draw out most of the small bits of contaminants along with the flooding, but getting out the larger debris still requires removing it by hand and shovel. 

Can Everything Be Salvaged?

Almost. Carpets simply absorb too much water and contaminants to safely use again, so our team members throw them out immediately after removing the water. Paper and cardboard turn to mush in minutes, so it goes out by the shovelful as well. Nearly everything else we can save with a combination of commercial-grade cleaning agents and restoration equipment.

What about Drying Out My Home, So It Doesn’t Smell?

SERVPRO technicians use air movers, dehumidifiers, and exhaust fans to draw out remaining moisture trapped in both the structure of your home and personal property. Besides preserving the material, these actions also help remove any musty odors left behind. In addition to our cleaning agents, technicians also have access to chemicals and tools that can cover up any malodors until they fade or eliminate them, even if they penetrated wall framing and other support structures. 

Regardless of how much water entered your home here, or in Norton, contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield today at (508) 824-0200. We are ready to help you return home as quickly as possible. 

Learn more about East Taunton.

What Can I Expect from Professional Water Damage Repair in Taunton?

6/19/2020 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO Crews Repair Your Water Loss-Devastated Taunton Home to Pre-Loss Condition Supported by Best-Practices Training and Experience, and Cutting-Edge Equipment

Water emergencies in your Taunton home can have many causes. Plumbing leaks, appliances break, and structures lose integrity and water tightness because of storms or deferred maintenance. Regardless of how the water loss starts, it is urgent to respond quickly because of the corrosive effects of water on structural components and the risk of exposure to secondary damage. Our technicians can help, but what does that look like? How disrupted will your life become?

My Wet House Is a Mess! What Steps Do Restorers Take Initially to Calm the Chaos?

Your need for water damage repair in Taunton is immediate after the event resulting in the harm occurs. A supply line break or appliance malfunction can pour or pump hundreds to thousands of gallons of water into your house in a short time. Walking downstairs in the morning or through the door after work can find you at least ankle-deep in water if the loss happened overnight or when you were away from home. When we arrive, our first focus is on shutting down the water main if not done already. Then we concentrate on a safety review of the scene to ensure neither occupants nor restorers are in danger of encountering any of the following during cleanup and repair:

    •    Slip, trip, and fall hazards
    •    Electrical shock
    •    Other utility line breaks
    •    Contaminated fluids
    •    Dispersed or broken asbestos or lead-bearing building materials
    •    Collapse of structures because of water trapped in building cavities

How Do Professionals Handle the Bulk of Water Removal?

Once the project manager identifies and creates management strategies for safety concerns, SERVPRO technicians begin emergency services, including aggressive water extraction. If overhead water exists, we make sure to secure the surface and then punch “weep holes” to release the fluid carefully, keeping technicians and occupants away until the majority of the water drains to avoid injury. Crews position submersible pumps for water deeper than two inches. Any visible standing water remaining after pumping, we suction out using truck-mounted extractors. The pumps and truck-mounted equipment are powered by gas or generators, permitting us to move on this task even if live electricity is temporarily unavailable.

What About Removing Water in Confined Spaces?

Water can migrate anywhere inside your home, including hard to access spaces. We consider different plans of action to respond because to avoid severe consequences, no water can be left behind:

    •    Portable extractors with extensions to lengthen their reach, worn like backpacks by technicians who walk and direct them into closed-in areas
    •    Injectidry or similar systems that use negative air pressure to pull migrated water from several layers of flooring or behind baseboards using adhesive mats or hoses threaded through holes
    •    Planned, controlled demolition to open up a surface trapping water, such as flood cuts sawed several inches above the water line or holes drilled into mortar joints in cinder block construction

Why Does Drying Follow Extraction?

If you search for hints on how to handle wet building materials, advice to open windows and use fans is common as a first step. Experts wait to focus on these and other professional drying techniques until all liquid water evacuates because research proved that adding pre-drying extraction is far more effective than drying alone. We also calculate how to position air movers most advantageously, manipulate temperature, and choose the type and number of dehumidifiers to achieve the most successful drying outcome. Moisture levels measured and monitored during the drying phase guide our practice, making sure that the drying is complete, but that we do not overshoot the mark and overdry materials that could crack, warp, or otherwise break down.

Although I Am Glad, the Water and Moisture Are Gone, Whom Will Help Put My House Back Together?

Our pledge to our customers is firm. We strive to bring you back full-circle to preloss condition. We invest in an in-house rebuilding and construction division within our firm, ready to:

    •    Consult and assist with the mechanics of above-head water release, including providing structural support if needed
    •    Plan and help implement the specifics of controlled demolition, such as making the cuts and holes
    •    Assess the repair and rebuilding needs for structures damaged by the water incursion or the efforts made to extract water and dry out moisture.

The full spectrum of services offered by the team at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield can resolve residential water damage completely, “Like it never even happened.” Do not waste a second -- call us at (508) 824-0200 to get the process started.

Can I Retain Any Paneling After Fire Incidents?

6/9/2020 (Permalink)

Call the fire restoration pros in your Taunton area. SERVPRO can mitigate fire damage with updated equipment and knowledge.

SERVPRO Can Help You Make Informed Decisions during Fire Restoration in Your Taunton Home

You might not recognize your own house after a fire incident because of the soiling of surfaces or other damages. The possibility of saving materials such as wall paneling might seem minimal. A professional restoration team from SERVPRO helps Taunton property owners evaluate what to save.

Is a plan to save paneling realistic?

The likelihood of successful fire restoration of materials in Taunton properties depends on several factors, including the physical characteristics of the material and the purpose such material serves. Paneling mostly serves a decorative purpose and is made from a variety of products, which are affected differently by fire. Typical forms of paneling that you might want to save include:

• Acoustic paneling
• Utility paneling
• Tileboard paneling
• Decorative wall paneling

Since paneling makes your home unique, the reason for restoring it might be more than just to save the money you would spend replacing it.

What is the best way to restore damaged paneling?

Unlike other materials in the house, the kind of damage you can restore on paneling mostly involves soiling or slight charring by heat or flames. Other forms of damage could be too severe to reverse. Our SERVPRO technicians use regular and specialized cleaning techniques to remove soils effectively, including:

• Peroxide active cleaning on acoustic paneling
• Soda blasting porous surfaces
• Spraying and wiping regular surfaces

Some forms of paneling create ridges or grooves on surfaces leading to higher accumulation of soils. The unevenness of the surface can also slow down the cleaning process. Our crews overcome such challenges by using chemical sponges, which limit smudging or vacuum the affected areas to lift residues from corners.

Saving affected materials during a fire incident keeps costs manageable. Call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 to address any damage on fittings, "Like it never even happened."

Where Can I Find Taunton Water Removal Services?

5/27/2020 (Permalink)

Yes, appliance failures happen. SERVPRO is always ready to restore your home. Call us today!

SERVPRO of Taunton Can Help You with Your Water Removal Needs 

Many Taunton homes may end up requiring water removal services at some point in their lives. There is no doubt that modern appliances are incredibly convenient. They are easy to use and take one more task off of your hands. However, they can sometimes run into problems.  

Imagine a situation where your dishwasher leaks and leaves your home in need of local Taunton water removal services. Many thoughts may rush to your head, but it is essential to remain as calm as possible when you find water-based damage.  

What Should I Do First?  

Finding a puddle of standing water is never something with which a homeowner wants to deal. However, if it does happen, it is essential to know what to do at that moment. Consider:  

• Calling a professional restoration company, like SERVPRO
• Turn off the water source of your home
• Place any pets in kennels so that workers can move freely  

From the first moment you call, SERVPRO can begin to assemble a team of talented water damage restoration technicians (WRT) to help you.  

How Can SERVPRO Remove the Water in My Home?  

Using advanced technology, our technicians can begin to remediate your home and remove the damage as quickly as possible. For water removal jobs, our techs typically use:  

• Extractors
• Wet/dry vacuums
• Flood drying mats 
• Dehumidifiers and axial fans  

Using this equipment in conjunction allows our SERVPRO technicians to remove and then remediate the water damage inside of your home. Furthermore, we can also use devices such as moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to search for hidden pockets of water. Here at SERVPRO, we're water damage experts, and we know where to look and what to do.  

If you suspect your home may need water removal services, get help now! Contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield by dialing (508) 824-0200. We're open 24/7 to help you! 

More about Taunton.

The Hazardous Effects After A Fire In Your East Taunton Home

5/23/2020 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield team can help with efficient cleaning and restoration methods available anytime that you need them.

What Lingering Effects Are Hazards After a Fire in East Taunton?

Our SERVPRO team can help to identify hazards in your East Taunton home after a fire and work around the clock to restore these damages.

Fires are not one-dimensional threats to your East Taunton home that require only one specific restoration technique to resolve. In many situations, there are multiple lingering effects after a fire gets extinguished, which can be health hazards or structural concerns for your home. Addressing these conditions requires experienced professionals like our restoration technicians working with an insurance company and the customer to get the house back to preloss condition.

Fire damage in East Taunton often requires an array of qualified professionals from our roster, including Water Restoration Technicians (WRT), Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT), and Odor Control Technicians (OCT.) Assessing lingering threats like water damage from extinguishment or soot and smoke residues can happen in the initial walkthrough and job scoping conducted by our project manager and crew chief.

Where Is Smoke Damage the Worst?

Smoke damage is one of the lingering effects that can often continue to damage a residence after a fire gets extinguished. The smoke produced during the combustion and burning of materials throughout the house can spread quickly throughout the entire structure. With open HVAC systems, smoke residues and odors can spread into almost every room of the house connected to the initial damage point. There are a few places where smoke damage is likely to be the worst, including:

    •    Near the Ignition Point - It is not challenging to assume that smoke and burning are going to be the worst where the fire starts. Before the disaster spreads in the house, it can burn the longest in this starting point. With a total burning of the ignition point, smoke effects can be the heaviest in this area.
    •    Ceilings – In the same manner that convection ovens circulate warm air, smoke rises. You can recognize the presence of smoke and ash by a blackening of ceiling tiles and drywall.
    •    Upper Portions of Wall Surfaces – Much like the ceiling surfaces, oily residues, and smoke effects can also get found on the upper halves of wall surfaces towards the ceiling.

How Challenging Are Odors to Remove?

As is the case with many loss incidents like flooding and biohazard cleaning, odors can often be one of the most challenging and persistent threats to the structure. ‘Airing out’ the problem zone does not resolve the problem. Instead, deodorization is a process that relies heavily on sophisticated tools and equipment available to our SERVPRO professionals. Depending on what materials and what area of the house has become affected by foul smoke and burning odors, we can choose among multiple odor removal devices, including:

    •    Thermal Foggers – by heating a deodorizing compound to a vaporous gas, we can quickly and thoroughly spread out this neutralizing product throughout the affected area. In a gaseous state, the process is likely to also help trapped odors in materials get neutralized.
    •    Hydroxyl Generators – these devices work in two different ways to help the home after a fire loss. Through UV cleaning the environment and producing radicals, these machines can eliminate odor molecules on contact. The onboard HEPA filter can also reduce the present particulates and soot in the environment.
    •    Ozone Machines – These units are not safe to use with living things around but are among the most definitive and authoritative weapons in the battle on lingering odors. By breaking apart oxygen compounds, single molecules get produced, which can bond with odor groupings and break them apart.

Can I Clean Soot on My Own?

Soot can be one of the most unsettling symptoms of a recent fire, especially when you understand the immense challenge it can be to remove. There are several strategies that our SERVPRO team implements depending on its location and severity. These include:

    •    Water-Based Solvents – Oily residues often require water-based solvents to remove, but they can also be effective at times against the acidic soot particles.
    •    Media Blasting – By utilizing pressurized air and soft media like sodium bicarbonate, we can often remove much of the soot adhered to the surfaces of affected materials.
    •    Controlled Demolition – While it is always the focus of our professionals to restore before replacing, controlled demolition is one of the most surefire ways to remove soot from the household.

Many homeowners believe that the worst is over with fire once it has gotten extinguished, but there is still much damage that can happen. Our SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield team can help with efficient cleaning and restoration methods available anytime that you need them. Give us a call anytime at (508) 824-0200.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned – a defensive cleaning program

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Our defensive cleaning program gives your business a way forward by providing your employees and customers ongoing safety and assuredness.

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open in Taunton, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.

3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify

When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
• Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials.  In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.

Call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield today at (508) 824-0200 for your Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation.

* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means professionally trained SERVPRO franchises perform the requested cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection services according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry and CDC standards with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience.  Each SERVPRO franchise is independently owned and operated.

Which Water Removal Options Can Help Save Important Papers for Accounting Firms?

5/2/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has updated technology to render most water damage problems in your Tauton business.

SERVPRO Takes Special Precautions during Commercial Water Removal in Taunton to Limit Damage to Documents

When a water spill affects your Taunton area business, it can lead to different outcomes, including causing unforeseen inconveniences such as extended closedown. For an accounting firm, the incident may be more than an inconvenience if you lose valuable documents or delay your clients' work.

How vulnerable are documents to water damage?

Water exposure usually leads to irreversible damage to books or other documents. Taking preventive measures during commercial water removal in Taunton is one way to prevent catastrophic outcomes. Water can damage documents in many ways, including:

• Absorption of humidity from the air
• Splashing of water on documents
• Submersion in water
• Absorption of moisture from other wet materials

Although the risks of damage may seem apparent, other dynamics of an incident can lead to oversight. For example, when trying to resolve the incident, you are likely to pay more attention to visible documents such as those on top of desks or shelves but forget those locked away in file cabinets. Our SERVPRO technicians scope a loss site thoroughly. We also have resources such as handcarts to move heavy cabinets away from the affected areas limiting chances of damage by high humidity levels.

What happens to wet documents?

Although preventing exposure to water is desirable, it is not always possible. The next best option is halting further deterioration after discovering wet documents or books. Our SERVPRO technicians freeze the important papers and books we find at your premises to stop further deterioration. Freezing is useful when applied within 24-48 hours after exposure to water. After that, we can establish the right drying solution depending on whether you want to save the actual item or the information they hold. Drying documents relies on sublimation whereby a solid changes directly to a gas. We use a couple of methods to accomplish this, including:

• Freezer Drying
• Vacuum thermal-drying
• Vacuum freeze-drying

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield can help you deal with unique water loss challenges. Call us at (508) 824-0200. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

What Is The Best Way To Restore A Mansfield Kitchen After Oven Fire Damage?

5/1/2020 (Permalink)

You can depend on our SERVPRO technicians to respond quickly to remove fire damage from your Mansfield home.

The Most Important Thing You Can Do After A Fire Incident Is To Have An Experienced Team Of Professionals Like SERVPRO By Your Side.

According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data from 2016, cooking fires alone accounted for 630,000 of all reported home fires. These fires typically involve the use of the stove or oven, and oils and proteins are among the most common sources of flames. Manby homeowners can mistakenly spread damage by opening oven doors before a fire has been smothered entirely or trying to douse a grease fire with water, spreading the flames to nearby surfaces. 

When a cooking mishap leaves your Manfield kitchen needing fire damage mitigation, the pros at SERVPRO are always ready to restore your home. Fire damage comprises more than just soot and odors in your kitchen: invisible protein residues and soot in your vents can spread unpleasant odors throughout your home that consumer-grade products are ill-equipped to address. SERVPRO also offers licensed general contracting services (#CS-108357) to restore your home as thoroughly as possible after a disaster.

Safely Using Your Oven as a Smoker

• Put the food you wish to smoke in a bowl or container and season as desired. Use a disposable or reusable oven smoker bag, which typically has wood chips and seasoning in the lining. 
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for at least five minutes before inserting the smoker bag on a cookie sheet. Reduce the temperature and cook per smoker bag instructions.
• Maximize ventilation by opening windows and turning on your range's hood fan. 

Removing Soot Residues From Ceiling to Floor

After an oven fire, kitchens typically require soot cleanup with both wet and dry cleaning methods, particularly in and around nearby cabinets. Food stored in or near affected areas may require disposal, including cans and jars, because heat and residues can penetrate packaging or otherwise alter the container. Smoke damage on and inside the stove can be cleaned with EPA-registered all-purpose industrial cleaners as well as gently-applied abrasive or alkaline cleaners. Enzyme digesters can combat protein residues in your kitchen.

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield is a service you can count on to be Faster to Any Size Disaster. Call (508) 824-0200 to have a team of IICRC-certified technicians at your home in as little as four hours.

Learn more about Mansfield.

How Can I Get Immediate Restoration Help After a Fire in My House?

4/19/2020 (Permalink)

The aftermath of a fire can be quite overwhelming. Contact our certified technicians if your home suffers fire damage. We are standing by 24/7.

Our SERVPRO Professionals Can Reach Your East Taunton Home Fast Whenever Fires Happen to Begin Vital Mitigation Efforts. 

When fires occur, it can be a hazardous situation for your home, especially considering that many homeowners are ill-equipped to handle the immensity of fire loss recovery. With dozens of threatening circumstances present all at once, it is critical to get mitigation and restoration efforts started as soon as possible. The sooner that professionals like our SERVPRO team can get to work on restoring your home in East Taunton, the less widespread and compromising many of these effects might become.

Our fast response when fire damage threatens East Taunton homes is part of the reason that we have become a trusted name throughout Massachusetts. We have dedicated professionals devoted to fire and water loss recovery to maximize our efficiency when you need it most.

What Are the Emergency Services SERVPRO Offers? 

Emergency services are the initial actions that our technicians take when we respond during a fire damage disaster in East Taunton. As the first professionals on the scene after your property gets turned back over to your care, there are immediate steps that our team can take to lessen the destruction that can continue after extinguishment. Some of these actions include:

• Temporary Construction Solutions  

With an in-house team of residential contractors (General Contractor License #: CS-108357), we can do more than implement approaches like controlled demolition. Because many structural breaches might exist after a house fire, or even man-made openings for immediate access for extinguishment, your home does not remain exposed to the elements. We can start roof tarping and board up services right away.

• Damage Assessment 

Scoping the work to get done through mitigation and restoration phases is an essential element of maximizing production and efficiency. By carefully planning out the actions of responding technicians and the placement of restorative equipment, we can provide a faster turnaround on recovery.

• Content Management 

We understand how valuable your belongings are to you, and during a fire disaster, you might consider many of these items to be a total loss. Through focused relocation of your possessions and designations for which contents need on-site cleaning or off-site recovery, we can do more to protect what matters most to you.

• Air Quality Control 

Between odors and circulating ash, debris, and soot, the quality of the air in your home after a loss incident is hazardous. By deploying machines like air scrubbers and hydroxyl generators, we can do more to clean up the environment with onboard HEPA filters.

How Hard Is It to Clean Soot Myself? 

There are a few reasons why it might not be advisable to attempt the cleaning and removal of soot in your home on your own. These include:

• Fine Particles 

Soot is almost microscopic by the individual particle, making it a hazard for those directly exposed without the appropriate personal protection equipment. When attempting to clean up settled residues, these particles can recirculate and become a health concern.

• Thick Residues 

Because soot can collect in thick layers on the surfaces of exposed materials, cleaning these residues might be harder than you think. Wipe cleaning is often ineffective and can stain or mar surfaces when the soot layer smears.

• Varying Cleaning Approaches

Similarly, many materials react differently to soot deposits. While some surfaces require soda blasting to clean, other affected contents or structural elements could get wipe cleaned or vacuumed. Knowing what your home needs is one of the benefits to trained and educated restoration technicians like our SERVPRO team.

Is Demolition a Necessary Restoration Step? 

As much as we always seek to restore before replacing, fires often make it impossible to avoid demolition entirely. There are several benefits to choosing controlled demolition during the mitigation phases, including:

• Access to Damaged Areas
• Removing Hazards that Could Collapse
• Reduces Concentration of Soot and Odors

What Happens When We Do Not Need to Relocate After a Fire? 

Many fire losses do not force the relocation of the affected family. In these situations, our professionals can still work to provide an efficient result through containment barriers that isolate the affected areas and prevent cross-contamination from those in the living space, however possible. Through physical, structural barriers, we can reduce the migration of fire and smoke odors, soot particles, and other compromising effects.

Getting skilled professionals to your house quickly to begin mitigation after a fire loss incident is vital. We have an extensive inventory of cutting-edge equipment and tools to maximize the efficiency of our SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield technicians in the field. Give us a call anytime that you need us at (508) 824-0200.

What Do I Do When a Pipe Bursts in My Taunton Home?

4/7/2020 (Permalink)

When water damage happens, contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 no matter how big or small the problem.

SERVPRO Can Provide Your Taunton Home With Water Removal Services

The end of winter can be a dangerous time for the pipes in your Taunton home. The constant flux between freezing and warm weather can cause your pipes to burst and leave your home in need of water removal services. 

How can SERVPRO technicians swiftly remove the water inside your Taunton home? 

• Action: SERVPRO can immediately put together a team of highly trained water damage remediation technicians (WRT) and then send them to your home as quickly as possible. 
• Equipment: Our WRT can bring advanced technology to your home, which is specifically designed to mitigate water damage. 
• Removal: Using devices such as wet/dry vacuums and extractors, SERVPRO can swiftly remove the flooded water from your home. 
• Sanitization: To ensure mold growth does not occur, our WRT can use antifungal agents to sanitize the area.  

If you find your home in need of water removal services, never wait to get help. Speak with SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield by dialing (508) 824-0200. We're here for you now. 

Learn more about Taunton.

Here is What You Should do for Your Storm Damage Situation in Taunton

3/21/2020 (Permalink)

Flooding can quickly affect your home's contents and structure. Make sure to get the help that you need right away with team SERVPRO.

Hidden Moisture Following Flood Damage in Taunton

A flood is never a welcome natural disaster and can have a huge impact on your life especially if you have to evacuate due to contamination, loss of power, or the work happening around your home. After a flood, it is important to assess all of the damage and take care of it as quickly as possible to mitigate further damage. 

Flood damage in your Taunton home does not just mean removing excess water. Since flood water is contaminated it is important to reveal any impacted materials hidden within your home so that they do not fester, potentially growing mold and producing an offensive odor. 

SERVPRO restoration specialists use equipment such as infrared (thermal imaging) cameras and moisture sensors to find the location of hidden moisture pockets. They may also use moisture meters to see roughly the amount of water. When necessary, restoration specialists open walls, built-in closets, stairs, and flooring, to find pockets of saturated materials containing excess moisture. 

If they find materials inside that are wet, most likely they will remove these construction components to decontaminate and clean them, or replace them if they are not salvageable. However, restoration by cleaning is always preferable to replacing, if at all possible. SERVPRO restoration specialists use a HEPA vacuum to clean up dry particles and debris. Some surfaces, like concrete or tile, require wet cleaning which uses a cleaning detergent like Wall and All Surface Cleaner or Orange plus to thoroughly clean and disinfect the surface. 

It is crucial to note that you cannot completely decontaminate surfaces after a flood with wet cleaning on its own. You also need to use an antimicrobial (biocide) such as Sporicidin or Concrobium. The dwell time of the antimicrobial agent on any surface needs to be at least 15 minutes for it to be effective. Technicians and residents should also avoid breathing in the chemical agent.

For 24/7 assistance after a flood, contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Click here for more information about Taunton.

SERVPRO Professional COVID-19 Sanitizing Services

3/13/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield is trained, equipped and ready to help you sanitize your facility and its contents.

To our neighbors and clients,

We at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield want you to know that we take the current status of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) seriously and are diligently monitoring the situation closely. We are prepared to respond when you need services for your business. Whether you would like to take precautionary measures to minimize the spread of germs with proactive cleaning or need to sanitize due to exposure of a person testing positive to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) we can perform sanitizing cleaning services to disinfect both the facility and it’s contents.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please call us today at 508-824-0200.

Best Regards,
Bill and Beth Russell

Our Professionals Have The Proper Techniques To Restore Your Taunton Home After A Fire

3/2/2020 (Permalink)

The light fixture in this home caused a fire and our restoration experts arrived right away and began mitigation. We are available 24/7.

Cleaning Up After Fire Damage in Your Taunton Home

Having a minor fire in your home means that you have a lot of clean-up from smoke residue and long-lasting malodors. If not handled right away and properly, you may be smelling smoke for weeks and months to come.

Dealing with fire damage in your Taunton home requires a lot of patience, and often professional assistance to use the proper cleaning techniques, products, and equipment. The same fire can produce different types of residue that require differentiated cleaning, making it challenging for homeowners to clean up properly.

There are basic cleaning principles after a fire that works as a process to clean and deodorize correctly. This process aids SERVPRO fire restoration technicians with ensuring your home is returned to preloss condition.

Locate the Smoke Residues

It helps estimators to trace the trail that the smoke traveled throughout the structure. This confirms the total distance the smoke traveled and helps technicians formulate a restoration plan. This helps prepare technicians the degree of the fire damages.

Determine the Type of Residue and Surface

Technicians test surfaces to determine the type of residue to decide the appropriate cleaning tactics. For example, different types of paint may need different types of cleaning. Sometimes surfaces are porous, and smoke residues penetrate deep within the fabric, making it difficult to remove. Fabrics and upholstery hold smoke residue differently from hard surfaces.

Remove Captured Residues and Dispose

Depending on the type of residue and surface, technicians vacuum or dissolve the soils. Technicians vacuum when particles are solid, usually made up of carbon. If moisture accidentally comes in contact with these solid particles, they may become tough to capture and remove. If a residue is not an individual particle, it needs to be dissolved before removal; this way, technicians can rinse and flush away the loosely-bonded residue. The most important consideration with residue disposal is that you dispose of it according to regional and state regulations. SERVPRO technicians do not dispose of it in gutters, septic systems, or sewer lines.

For assistance after a fire, contact SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield (General Contractor License #CS-108357) at (508) 824-0200.

See more about Taunton.

Some of the Biggest Problems With Storm Damage Remediation in Taunton

2/29/2020 (Permalink)

When storm waters infiltrate your home, the results can be overwhelming. Contact the certified technicians at SERVPRO right away for remediation.

Do You Have Flood Damage to Your Home? Call the Taunton SERVPRO Team to Help!

After a storm comes and goes, your home can suffer from some massive structural and water damage. There is the potential for loss of structural integrity as well as water saturation and bacterial contamination from lingering moisture. The best news is that you have the ability to save the day and protect your home by calling a team of skilled SERVPRO technicians.

Once you call in the help of a team of experts, you have all of the best equipment and specialized techniques on your side. Flood damage in Taunton can come in many forms, but trained technicians know where to begin to offer you with the best possible result. 

When We Begin

After you call SERVPRO and we finish up the initial assessment of your flood damage, water extraction begins. Our content management team takes out any items throughout the affected area that deemed at risk from severe water damage. Even though the full extent of any structural damage remains a mystery until further inspection takes place, we put in motion other steps to help mitigate the amount of flood loss.

Drying

Once the standing water is entirely removed, our skilled SERVPRO technicians begin to dry all saturated materials. We employ the use of moisture detection devices that allow us to determine where water traveled, including the wall studs, framing, and joists throughout your home. Flood cuts taken at floor level helps to access framing and studs, allowing air movers and dehumidifiers to work in unison for proper drying of any lingering moisture. We work diligently to address any potential structural threats, as water degradation takes hold quickly. Safety is always a number one priority, so we do whatever possible to preserve or fully replace any critical structural elements throughout your home.

Specialized Cleaning

Depending on the level of flood damage your house has incurred, the SERVPRO team might have to expose any damaged materials and use industrial-strength disinfection products. We have specialized products to inhibit mold growth while also preventing the onset of harmful bacteria. 

Regardless of the scope of the flood damage to your home, our team at SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield is here to get to work. Just get in touch with us by calling (508) 824-0200, and we send a crew out as soon as possible to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Click here for more information about Taunton.

The Importance of Humidity Controls During Flood Damage Restoration in Taunton

2/19/2020 (Permalink)

When floodwaters damaged this home, SERVPRO answered the call to make it, "Like it never even happened."

Establishing Humidity Controls in Flood Damage Restoration across Taunton

Water evaporates and condensates in a constant cycle. When flooding hits your home, the process of evaporation continues and can raise the relative humidity of the affected area significantly. High levels of humidity can become a problem for homeowners because it promotes the growth of microbes like bacteria, mold, and viruses as well as slowing down the restorative drying process. When dealing with properties that are suffering from the impact of flooding, one crucial mitigation task facing restorers is to bring humidity levels back under control and protect the home from secondary damages.

Pumping equipment is a fast-acting remedy toward flood damage in your Taunton home. However, the restorative drying procedure can be equally challenging, with several factors for SERVPRO technicians to consider. Some of these factors may relate to the architecture of the structure. Other factors may relate to the type of floodwaters and their location within the home. We identify areas of concern and anticipate possible outcomes using our industry-leading qualifications, technology, and experience.

Remediation of your home often begins before the drying procedure takes place correctly. Contamination levels are category two or category three when dealing with floodwaters. SERVPRO technicians work hard to decontaminate waters during the pumping and extraction phase, then disinfecting the structure after. However, by implementing humidity controls during the decontamination phase, we can help to reduce moisture migration and microbial amplification.

Setting up humidity controls is achievable by using dehumidifiers, which are either refrigerant, working similarly to air conditioning, or with desiccant chemicals which utilize moisture-absorbing gel. In situations where flooding is limited to one portion of the structure but not others, we can set up negative air pressure using an air filtration device. Using negative air pressure can affect humidity controls, and we may need to use more powerful dehumidifiers to achieve the same result.

Maintaining a healthy humidity during the restoration of floodwaters is essential to avoiding expensive secondary damages. Contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824-0200 for assistance.

More about Taunton.

Taunton Facilities Know SERVPRO Holds the Answer to Speedy Flood Damage Control and Cleanup

2/10/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Is Always Available to Help Our Local Taunton Businesses--Here We Are!

How to Manage Commercial Flood Damage in Your Taunton Nursing Home

Nursing homes care for the medical needs of patients who are elderly or disabled. Flooding in these facilities can disrupt their regular operations and impact the residents and staff. That’s why SERVPRO responds to flooding emergencies in Taunton around the clock. We have experience in handling both small and large losses in commercial facilities.

Flood damage in your Taunton nursing home is dangerous to the property and the residents who need critical care. Some issues that can occur after floodwaters enter your nursing home include:

•    Weakened wood - If furniture, wooden floors, and walls remain exposed to water for lengthy periods, they can weaken, blister, or soften.
•    Corroded metals - A combination of air and water exposure can speed up the rusting process of metal building materials and furniture.
•    Ruined documents – Nursing home facilities keep detailed records that track the condition of every resident. If floodwater destroys some essential documents, it can throw the medical program of the residents into disarray.
•    Electrocution hazards – Water can conduct electricity when it comes into contact with plugged-in electronic equipment or live wires. An electric current can pass through the water and could electrocute staff or residents who come into contact with it.
•    Fire hazards – Water may short circuit the power system of the building and create sparks that may ignite nearby drywall, fabrics, and wood. Water that contacts exposed wiring, appliances, and power outlets is a serious concern.
•    Contamination – Floodwater usually contains viruses and bacteria, which can pose health risks to the residents.

You can avoid many of these problems if you start the cleanup process as soon as possible. SERVPRO has the equipment, knowledge, and sufficient flood damage restoration crews who can assist you in getting your nursing home back to normal operations within a short time. After assessing the damage, we can begin extracting the standing water. Floodwater may contain soft and hard solids. Our technicians can use self-priming trash pumps to remove it. These pumps can easily maintain the flow of large volumes of water containing sand, mud, sludge, and other waste with no external help. Self-priming pumps also offer easy access to the pump body if they get clogged. Small units are portable and can move 10,000 to 60,000 gallons of water per hour using a 1″ to 4″ hose.

To deal with the contaminants in floodwater, our crew can apply microbial agents in the affected areas. These are chemicals designed to stop or limit the growth of microbes or prevent their development. They include virucides, fungicides, germicides, sanitizers, and mildewcides. Our crew can also get rid of excess indoor humidity in your nursing home using air moving and dehumidifying equipment.

If you need flood cleanup services in Taunton, Mansfield, or Norton, call SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield at (508) 824-0200. We have the expertise required to restore your facility to preloss condition.

Why Taunton Residents Trust us to Deliver on Fire Restoration Services

1/31/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO will show you why we are what your Taunton fire needs.

A fire in Taunton is what SERVPRO is here for.

Property fires can occur from numerous sources with several stages of restoration to get your home back to its preloss condition. As a restoration service operating here in Taunton, we have seen fires as the result of faulty electrics, appliances, unsupervised cooking as well as candles, incense, or cigarettes. While the causes of fire are manifold, the results are almost always the same. Severe smoke residues, soot soiling on fabrics, charred debris, and unpleasant odors. Often materials severely damaged in fire need to be taken to a particular waste facility for safe disposal. The removal of soots can vary from building to building and material to material. Our team of fire and smoke damage restoration technicians are here to help guide your home to a preloss condition. 

Fire Damage

When particles are subject to extreme temperatures, they combust, releasing carbon as well as chemicals in the construction of the material. These chemicals are the root cause of fire damage in your Taunton home and can spread outward quickly from the source of ignition. Hot air rises, which is why the ceilings and upper walls are likely to sustain the most fire damage in your Taunton home. Pressure, created by the air exchange of hot and cold, can drive soot into small crevices like electrical fittings, inside cabinets as well as delaminating surfaces. Often falling soots can cause damage to furniture and upholstery. 

When beginning a fire restoration project in Taunton, the first step is to take any debris out of the building. Charred materials can continue to release odor and soot long after the initial blaze is brought under control. SERVPRO technicians can safely enter your property to seal debris and transport it out of the property. Using double-sealed waste bags prevents falling soot from being spread through unaffected rooms in the home. Often, materials with charring can continue to release chemicals into the environment, which is why they need disposal in an environmental protection agency (EPA) approved site. 

When attempting to restore a structure in Taunton, our technicians conduct comprehensive pre-tests to assess the type of smoke and the ph balance of the affected areas. By understanding the relative acidity and alkaline levels in each piece of structure or contents, SERVPRO technicians can ensure that the right products are put to use. Using the right products on the right materials can alleviate many soot-related soiling and restore contents to their preloss condition. 

Fire Cleanup

Hot smoke rises upward, depositing residues on to ceilings and upper walls. However, when the temperature cools, the soot can begin to fall. Performing fire cleanup in your Taunton home begins with light vacuuming to remove any falling soots and covering surfaces directly beneath the areas of significant soiling. SERVPRO restoration services incorporate pre-cleaning and carpet conditioning using a tailored approach to the type of carpets, fibers, and their related materials. 

Pre-inspecting carpet is an essential part of what we do during SERVPRO restoration. Accurately assessing the condition and make-up of a rug can save Taunton residents both time and expense. We use three testing methods to determine the fibers, colorfast, soiling, and stain resistance of your carpet. Technicians at SERVPRO may also ask you about any warranties or care instructions that accompany your carpets. Generally, the testing phase encompasses burn tests, chemical tests, and specific gravity testing. The combination of all three ensures that we do not irritate fabrics and cause unnecessary damage. 

Thick carpeting or rugs feature larger fibers that are more likely to attract and retain soiling. By using a truck-mount, our technicians can apply an emulsifying powder to the fibers of your rug. Emulsifying powder captures soiling, which can then be vacuumed out of a carpet. By using these powders in combination with light deodorants, our team is fully-confident of removing both soiling and odor from thicker rugs and carpet in your Taunton home. 

Smoke Removal 

The challenge of smoke removal in your Taunton home rests on the ability to identify and alleviate different types of smoke. There are two categories to consider in pre-testing, which cover wet and dry smoke-types. Often this aspect is the toughest for restorers as smoke can travel from the source of fire throughout the home in a short time. With high temperatures and pressure, the likelihood of soots bonding with surfaces increases, making safe removal even harder. 

Dissolution is a technique that SERVPRO fire and smoke damage restoration technicians (FRST) frequently use to restore walls and ceilings. Dissolution involves applying a chemical solution that bonds with soots to the affected area. Once the bonding process is complete, a technician can rinse, wash, and dry the wall removing the cleaning solution alongside the soiling for a clean finish. We may also need to dry the property of water used during the firefighting procedure by deploying extraction tools, portable heating, or air-moving equipment. Moisture in a smoke damage environment can permanently set staining or make odors more perceptible.

The type of smoke damage- either wet or dry- dictates the approach we adopt in your Taunton home. Wet smokes are the result of oily or synthetic materials. These can include plastics and animal fats. Dry smoke comes from burning natural materials like drywall or wood. We approach wet smoke using oil-based solvents which bond with the smoke deposit instead of splitting it like water-based solvents. Dry smoke residues are restorable using water-based solutions, which can be safer and kinder to materials. Tailoring our approaches ensures that Taunton residents do not suffer from further property harm during the restoration service.

Odor

When materials combust, they release chemicals into the surrounding environment. These chemicals can include odor-causing particles that can enter porous materials. Smoke odors can also linger in the air creating an unpleasant home atmosphere. Since there are a variety of odor sources, our approach to odor removal in your Taunton home must be multi-faceted. 

Cleaning the indoor air quality can go a long way to clearing away unpleasant, airborne odors. SERVPRO restoration technicians can deploy industrial air-scrubbers in your Taunton home. By combining these air-scrubbers with air-moves, we can both create and remove odor. Air scrubbers suck in contaminated air and filter it through several layers of purifying materials. These high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are capable of removing in microscopic odor particles from the surrounding air. 

Contents and possessions can also absorb odor-causing particles. Using hand-held spray equipment, SERVPRO restoration services can disperse light molecules of deodorant solvent onto furniture and fabrics. These deodorants incorporate into porous materials in the same way that smoke odors absorb and can lock odor into a structure where it no longer becomes perceptible. For massive odor problems, our team can fumigate your Taunton property altogether using ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers.

For all restoration services relating to fire, contact SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield at (508) 824- 0200.

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Water Contamination Issues After Flood Damage in Taunton

1/24/2020 (Permalink)

We are available 24/7. Call the experts at (508) 824-0200.

You should always have a plan for when your Taunton home floods

Perhaps one of the most distressing concerns for Taunton residents suffering from the flooding is water contamination. Supply line breaks and overflowing tubs are emergencies, but the water is typically clean, and secondary damage is rare if extraction and drying are swift. Hundreds of gallons of water from drain backups or overland flooding after a storm add significant hazards to the fluid buildup, and professional removal and drying must include management of these dangerous substances.

Flood Waters Are by Definition Category 3

The flood damage to your Taunton residence requires an approach that contains the affected spaces and water collected. If heavy rains overwhelm storm sewers, the main waste pipe from your house can push human and animal blood and feces-borne pathogens into your home. Often at the same time, flooding from paved areas and the ground seeps through your foundation walls into the basement or lower level of your home. Landscaping and roadway chemicals and industrial waste make their way inside. Category 3 water is the most contaminated, and best practices prescribe caution and personal protective equipment when handling.

Flood Water Disposal Limited by Local Regulation

SERVPRO trains and keeps up to date on current requirements for appropriate disposal of hazardous waste, including floodwater. We obtain any necessary permits and complete forms or other paperwork to avoid official sanctions at this already stressful time.

Containment Within Your Home

As SERVPRO technicians work to pump and extract flood water, we guard against spreading contaminants into other areas of your home. Before work commences, we often broadcast-spray an EPA-registered disinfectant over the surfaces to reduce the pathogen load. Because pumping and extraction activities can cause some vaporization of the dirty water, we consider sealing off the work area with a negative pressure air scrubbing system. The system captures airborne debris in HEPA filters and then exhausts to the outdoors. Living areas outside of the workspace are thus protected. After the space is free of liquid water, we disinfect again and continue the containment during structural drying when the air movement and accelerated vaporization otherwise could send contaminants into the rest of your home.

Count on SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield to manage even heavily contaminated floodwaters safely and lawfully. Call us as soon as the flooding is evident at (508) 824-0200. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

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Frozen Pipes in Taunton homes often result in water damage due to burst pipes

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Additional Attic Insulation Can Prevent Frozen Pipes and Water Damage to Your Taunton Home

Frozen Pipes in Taunton Spell Water Damage

If you are among the many Taunton home and business owners who have experienced a burst pipe due to frozen pipes in winter months, you are not alone. At SERVPRO, our trained professionals are here to help. You may have a flooded basement on your hands, and we have the experience and equipment to clean it up quickly.

Water damage is among the most common result of frozen pipes in northern climates. Water lines are always full of water, and when the temperature drops below freezing, the water freezes in the pipes and expands to the point that it bursts pipes that are not insulated properly. It may be that the pipe has broken at the seam or even cracked in a wall or crawlspace. We have the expertise to find the leaking pipe quickly, repair the damaged pipe, and even clean up the floodwater left behind. 

If you have frozen pipe damages in Taunton, our SERVPRO team is here to assist you every step of the way. Our 24-hour services are available to help keep damage from a burst pipe to a minimum. Day or night, we are eager to assist you if you have frozen pipes in your home or business.

Common problems caused by frozen pipes

If you have a residential property or commercial building, winter months and poorly insulated pipes are a common cause of water damage and even flooded basements here in the northern states. The SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield teams have seen it all, burst pipes causing kitchen sink leaks, bathroom sink leaks, and even leaking pipes in walls which are sometimes hard to find until water damage starts to appear.

It is crucial to call a professional at the first sign of frozen pipes. If you turn on your facet in the morning after a hard freeze and water does not come out, chances are you have a frozen pipe.

As we all know, when water freezes, it expands, and in the pipes of your house, this often causes burst pipes in need of quick repair. If not addressed immediately, you could end up with significant damages to your home as the water thaws and starts to leak into walls, carpets, and we have seen quite a few flooded basements due to water leaks after a freeze.

That is why we are here; SERVPRO restoration and remediation teams are trained to help when a disaster like frozen pipes occurs. Keep damages to a minimum with our 24-hour water removal and pipe leak repairs. We make it, "Like it never even happened."

Our 24-hour emergency response teams are knowledgeable and caring professionals well trained to find the frozen pipes in your home, repair the damage and remove any water that may have leaked into your home before significant damages can occur. Removing the water that leaked from thawing frozen pipes is extremely important. Water left in a home often results in water damage to your walls, subfloors, possible mold growth, and more costly repairs down the road.

It is essential to understand how water damage from frozen pipes can affect a building, whether it is commercial or residential, and to catch the problem quickly. No one wants to have rotted floors or mold damages due to a burst pipe that did not get addressed fast enough. If you own a building that is not being appropriately heated in the winter, freezing and thawing pipes can cause disastrous water damages to a structure if left unaddressed.  If you think you have frozen pipes, do not delay in giving our experts a call, it can save you down the road. 

If you own property in Taunton that is not occupied and unheated, be sure to check on it regularly for signs of frozen pipes and leaking pipes. Do not let time destroy your property, the longer the water sits the more water damages it causes.

Sometimes a burst pipe happens to occupied homes too. Frozen pipes in mobile homes are quite common because the freezing temperatures easily penetrate mobile home underpinning, where pipes may be exposed and not appropriately insulated. In a perfect world, we would all have our pipes insulated properly in northern climates. Still, sometimes builders cut corners, and homeowners do not know the dangers of not protecting their pipes in winter months until a disaster happens and your pipes burst.

Even regular stick frame homes are susceptible to hard freezes if not appropriately insulated. Sometimes no matter what you do, such as leaving your taps dripping, a hard freeze can cause substantial damages to your home and belongings.

Water cleanup and restoration can be costly, so inspect your property regularly and be sure to insulate any exposed pipes in the winter to keep pipes from freezing. This can help prevent the need to call us. We are not only here to help clean up and remove water from your home, but we are also here to help instruct you on preventing such a catastrophe.

Some tips to help prevent freezing pipes in the winter months:

Help protect your pipes from freezing during the winter:

• Turn on your faucets and permit them to drip, moving water has less of a chance of freezing.
• Keep your property heated to at least 65 degrees
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow heat to circulate around your pipes
• If the property is vacant, shut off the water and drain the system
• Exterior hoses should be removed in the winter and facets adequately insulated
• Know the location your water main shut off; this can help in case of a water leak
• Be sure all your pipes are adequately insulated or wrapped with heating tape, in both interior and exterior walls
• Keep your basement or crawlspace heated
• Insulate outside walls and unheated sections of your home

Keep a close eye on freezing conditions in winter months.

• Allow a faucet to drip marginally (lukewarm water) to lessen freezing
• The initial sign of freezing is diminished water flow from a faucet.
• Inspect your faucets for water flow and pressure at night and again in the morning.
• Check pipes near your water meter, in unheated areas, near exterior walls, and crawl spaces. These tend to be susceptible to freezing.
• Pinpoint cold air drafts coming in from a flue or chimney and caulk gaps that are near pipes.

If you have a hard freeze and water stops flowing:

• Turn off water at the main valve.
• If the crack is in a hot water pipe, turn off the water valve on the hot water heater
• Call SERVPRO 24/7 to remove water, repair broken pipes, and restore your property.

Bursting pipes can cause substantial loss incidents in your home that gets worse the longer you wait for professional restoration. Our SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield team has the equipment and the expertise to make it "Like it never even happened." Give us a call anytime at (508) 824-0200.