Tips for Removing Nasty Cigarette Odor from your Home

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

Purchasing a new home with a former smoker? Besides the damages, getting the smell of smoke out is a nightmare. There are some tips that aid in this process.

1. Charcoal and White Vinegar
This method is by far the cheapest of many options as both charcoal and white vinegar are easy to come by from your local grocery or hardware store. By keeping open containers of either charcoal or white vinegar in your home, the cigarette smell is slowly absorbed out of the air. Keep in mind that this method only works for milder pockets of odor, so you might need something more heavy-duty if you've suffered a large ashtray fire.

2. Air Filters
If the solution above isn't as fast or as effective as you require, you might try an air filter. Since you're dealing with a very complex pollutant composed of many particles and gases of varying sizes, your best option is a HEPA filter. There are different ratings of filters based on what size particle you want to filter. Each filter is rated on a scale of 1 to 20 called a MERV rating. This tells you what size particle a filter effectively removes from the air. The higher the rating, the smaller particles it is capable of filtering. With a cigarette fire or odor, you should use a filter with a MERV rating of 18 or higher.

3. Contact a Professional
If these DIY tips aren't solving your issue, it's time to contact a fire cleanup and odor removal specialist at SERVPRO! These experts come with equipment that's designed exactly for this job, and they know how to use it with efficiency. One piece of tech many pros use is a hydroxyl generator. This device produces a harmless charged variant of water particles to break up odor molecules. This helps deal with the smell, and more advanced filters are used to deal with the pollutants.

Don't suffer from a lingering cigarette fire odor. Implement these tips and breathe easier.

Is Your Business Ready for Winter?

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

We have already seen the impact of winter storms in our area. We are in store for much much more. Here are some tips to keep your business going in a winter storm.

• Ensure your furnace is cleaned and working properly. Also, change the filter. 
• Line up snow/ice removal. Make sure they are able to have the sidewalks and driveways cleared before anyone arrives to work. Have extra salt on hand for sidewalks. The last thing anyone wants is for someone to fall. 
• Shut off any outside water source, and have the lines cleared. This will help to prevent frozen or burst pipes when the temperatures drop. 
• Have a plan for staff. Let them know where to check for any weather related delays. Also, who they need to call if weather prevents them from coming to work. Add a storm damage restoration team to your list of emergency contacts in case of emergency. 

Winter storms can be dangerous and cause great stress to businesses, so it is essential to have a plan.

Fixing a Leaky Roof After A Storm

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

Storms can wreak havoc on your property in but for most problems, there is a pretty straightforward solution. If the most recent thunderstorm pummeled your building with hail, high winds or heavy rains, it is likely that you will have a roof leak. Here are the four steps remediation experts can take to fix it.

1. Assess the Situation

Every damaged roof is different. Your roof may show no outward signs of a problem but definite signs of leaking through the ceiling. You may see lots of debris on the outside while everything inside looks intact. Professionals know the signs to look for both inside and outside so that they can address every issue that exists.

2. Remove Wet Materials

A roof leak will inevitably get something wet that shouldn't be exposed to excess moisture. For example, if your ceiling insulation is saturated, it will likely need to be torn out and replaced. Not only is storm weather contaminated, the dampness also tends to penetrate the porous material and weaken it.

3. Dry and Disinfect

After all the unsalvageable material is gone, everything that remains must be thoroughly dried. Failure to do this could lead to secondary damage, such as mold growth. Surfaces should be dry, and dehumidifiers should be used to control the moisture in the air. After drying, technicians will disinfect every part of the structure and every item that is going to remain within it.

4. Rebuild the Structure

The last step is reconstruction. Walls, insulation and ceilings that were removed must be rebuilt. Holes in the roof are patched and missing shingles are replaced. The restoration job is not finished until your building looks as good or better than it did before the storm.

A roof leak may cause a lot of damage, but that doesn't mean it can't be fixed. When you hire trusted professionals to restore your property, you can rest assured that the problem will be resolved.

Keeping Your Company Running During an Emergency

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

One of the biggest fears for business owners is losing any progress they have gained when disaster strikes. Once you have a business emergency plan in place, there is no need to fear in losing momentum. Whether you have a new or an established company, protect your assets by building a plan custom tailored to you.

1. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis Survey with your more experienced employees. You will need to assess the most vulnerable areas in your company and determine how to keep the risk of loss low. Where will you conduct your business if you have to vacate the premises, for example? When is the best time to contact commercial building restoration services? With a thorough assessment of your company’s needs, you can be better prepared to continue work, whether that means renting out an area from a nearby facility or having a temporary workplace set up.

2. Develop an emergency response team. Your team should be willing and able to handle its daily responsibilities and emergency response training. If you choose, you can have yourself or the team leader trained as a Business Continuity Plan Professional by taking a course from the Disaster Recovery Institute International. A certified professional can direct your team with efficient loss prevention techniques.

3. Update your emergency response plan with new training and revisions. As your business grows and changes, your plan will need to grow and change with it. Keep your employees informed of any changes and the reasons behind them. That way, when an unexpected setback occurs, you are ready.

In the event of flood, fire, or other emergency, you would hate to lose business because you had no plan to keep the wheels running. No one can expect when a flood or fire will occur, but you can prepare for the unpredictable at any time. No occasion is better than the present to develop a business continuity plan.

Is It Duct Cleaning Time?

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

Allergy season is here. If you’re like many of us in Kentucky, you’re dealing with sniffles and sinus headaches too. Have you ever considered that part of your symptoms could be coming from your air ducts?

Your HVAC system circulates the air in your home anywhere from 5-7 times daily. Every time, it circulates microscopic allergens. Eventually, all of those tiny particulates build up and bring down your air quality. So if you’re one of the millions dealing with seasonal allergies cleaning your ducts could lessen the severity of your symptoms.

When Should I Get My Ducts Cleaned?

It is recommended that you get your ducts cleaned at the changes of the season. More specifically, fall or spring. It is at these times that the most dramatic changes to the weather starts. Kentuckians that are allergic to Ragweed and mold may want to consider the fall. As the nights get cooler, many of us open our windows to enjoy the fresh air. Ragweed blooms in the fall. The pollen can travel for 100 miles entering our homes while the windows are open. Damp places are the favored homes of mold and mildew. Large piles of leaves are examples of those places. Duct cleaning can also keep your energy bill down over the winter. A clean system means your HVAC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to heat your home. 

The spring is also a good time because we are generally already spring cleaning our homes. We are kicking up dust by cleaning our knick-knacks, and; our houses have been closed up all season. Kick up your spring cleaning a notch by investing in duct cleaning. Our duct cleaning services will aid in removing dust, dust mites, and pet dander from your home.

It’s also advisable to have your ducts cleaned after most reconstruction projects. The dust that accumulates post-construction can be detrimental to your air quality. Duct cleaning can keep the particulates from circulating around your house.

New homeowners should also consider getting their air ducts cleaned. This is especially true if the last time they were cleaned isn’t disclosed during the inspection. The idea of living in someone else’s dirty air does not sound appealing. 

How Often Should I Get My Air Ducts Cleaned?

A general rule of thumb is to clean your ducts at least every 4-5 years. However, certain lifestyles may require more frequent duct cleaning. For instance, animal lovers may need to have their ducts cleaned more often. This can help pet dander build up in the vents. Homeowners that smoke in their home may also want to have air ducts cleaned more regularly to battle the smell of nicotine.

If you're questioning how often to clean your ducts, NADCA simply suggests regular inspections. This will take the guesswork out of whether or not you're due for an air duct cleaning. 

Call us to schedule your duct cleaning today!

We Are a PROUD IICRC Certified Firm

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

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.

Space Heater Safety Tips

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

With Winter in full swing, many of us are using space heaters to keep ourselves warm. Whether it is at work or at home, space heaters are a great way to stay toasty when the temperatures drop.

When using a space heater however, it is important to follow best safety practices to prevent a fire. Space heaters are perfectly safe, when used properly. Use the tips below and keep your home and office warm and safe, this winter.

• Leave the heater on level floor, don’t place on carpet - it can overheat and start a fire.
• Do not use in bathroom, unless it is designed for it - moisture can damage the heater.
• Keep three feet away from flammable materials and out of the way of children and pets.
• Should always be plugged directly into wall outlet, don’t use with extension cord because it can cause overheating.
• Don’t leave heater unattended, make sure to unplug when not in use.
• Never sleep with a space heater on.
• Install smoke alarms on every floor.

If your space heater shows signs of wear such as broken cords, power fluctuations, or inconsistent temperature, immediately replace. An old space heater can malfunction and start a fire or overheat and leave an odor/smoke smell in the air. Never overuse a space heater and if you smell burning, immediately unplug and discontinue use.

When dealing with frigid temperatures, space heaters are a quick solution to help fight the cold. Using them safely will keep you warm and your office or home safe this winter.

The Danger of Candle Fires

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

Candles are a great way to decorate your home or to add your favorite scent to the room, but they could also be a major fire hazard.  Depending on where they are placed they can accidentally be knocked over. It’s also very easy to forget about lit candles if they are in rooms where you can’t keep an eye on them, which could then lead to a fire.  

There are lots of candle alternatives in the market today that can help with your decorating and lighting needs for your home, and will help get rid of the risk of fire.  

• Battery operated candles.  There are so many different options out there with battery operated candles.  They can range in sizes from tea lights to large pillar candles, come scented and non scented, flicker like a real candle, and some are even on timers to automatically turn on at the same time everyday.  Battery operated candles also come in a variety of colors to fit all your decor needs.

• Candle warmers.  Choose from electric bases or larger lamp-style models that are designed to accommodate traditional wax candles.  These will warm the wax and help diffuse the fragrance without actually lighting the candle.

• Reed diffusers.  Placing reeds in oil is a great way to spread a scent throughout your home without having to rely on an open flame or even a battery operated device 

Candles are beautiful and can create such warmth and atmosphere to a home, but can also be very dangerous if not attended to properly.  These candle alternatives are great for everyday use in common rooms like kitchens and bathrooms where candles are normally found.  

What To Do When A Pipe Breaks

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

When bursting pipes leave your home flooded, it’s normal to panic. No one is expecting to see water gushing into a previously dry room.

The best thing to do when a broken pipe causes water damage in our area is to call a professional. Remember, a flooded room can cause the following:

• Water damage to walls, furniture, and belongings
• Damage to insulation, which must then be replaced

Standing water can also attract insects, so it is important to address the broken pipe and flooding as soon as possible. The following tips will help you stay protected throughout the process while providing you with peace of mind.

Stay Calm and Turn Off the Water

It can be easy to panic, but try to stay calm and remember that the first step when you have bursting pipes must be to stop the flooding. To turn off the water, you’ll need to find the stop valve on the water main. You can usually find this where the main service line connects to your house, or under the kitchen sink. You should make sure everyone in your family knows where the shutoff valve is located so the water can be turned off quickly in emergencies.

Get to Safety and Call a Professional

Once the water has been shut off, you should immediately get to safety. This is especially important if the water is contaminated, as it can be a serious health hazard. Once you are safely in a dry area, call a professional to fix the broken pipe and clean up the mess.

Trust the Professionals to Dry the Area

Even if the water damage from bursting pipes initially seems minor, you should contact a professional water restoration company when you have water damage in our area, professionals will ensure the area is dry and free from mold and bacteria, keeping you and your family safe.

Roof Tarp & Board Up Service Available

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

When a storm or other emergency leaves your home open to the elements, you must act quickly to help prevent further damage and protect your home’s interior. We are able to provide that fast action necessary!

Roof damage to your home or business can be caused by a storm, fire, or other emergency. Damage needs to be addressed immediately to help avoid further harm by the elements or intruders. Our professional SERVPRO crews use roof tarping and board-up techniques to help keep your home or business secure while the roof is inspected and repaired.

If your windows or walls are damaged, you will need professional board-up services to secure your property. We use approved board-up techniques to help minimize further damage and secure your home or business from weather, animals, and illegal entry.

Is Your Building Ready for Spring?

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Many owners of business and commercial buildings think that just because temperatures outside get warmer, the potential damages of winter weather pass. Spring thawing can easily cause flooding in your building! Make sure your building is ready from the bottom to the top for those April showers.

1. Basement Preparation

The basement or lowest floor of your building is susceptible to a spring flood as soon as winter snow and ice start melting. In addition to taking the appropriate measures to keep water out, such as having your foundation inspected, you should also complete and check the following items off your list:

• Purchase an automatic sump pump
• Install flood sensors
• Elevate sensitive machinery off the floor

1. Plumbing Protection

A frozen pipe can burst even when it starts warming back up. If the temperature change is too sudden, the pipes may not be able to withstand the contrast. Keep the thermostat in your building set to at least 55 degrees all the time so that your pipes are still kept safe overnight.

1. Roof Inspection

The beginning of spring is a great time to have your roof professionally inspected. Contractors can identify damage and other weak spots, and water restoration specialists can remediate any flooding that occurred during the winter.

1. Drainage Clearing

Falling leaves and twigs that get blown into gutter and downspouts during the winter need to be cleared out before spring rains begin. When a spout is clogged, rain must find another path off the building, and it is usually not the path you would prefer. Clean your drainage system completely so that rainwater has somewhere to go.

When you see ice and snow melting, you know it’s time to prepare your building for warmer weather. Following these tips can help ensure a smooth transition from winter to spring and keep your building from flooding.

Commercial Partner of the Month – Schools

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO® of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties we believe learning shouldn’t be paused or canceled, even in the face of disaster. Disasters at an educational facility are highly complex and require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a small school or a campus of higher education, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area so that normal operations can continue while we restore your facility. Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area. Your job is to provide valuable lessons and information to the students; ours is to make sure you have a safe place to do so.

Our experience in handling educational facilities cleanups has given us the ability to provide a variety of detailed services for the following educational facilities: K-12 Schools, Colleges & Universities, Dormitories, Event and Sporting Arenas, Libraries, and Daycares / Pre-K Facilities.

Emergency Kit for Winter Weather Storms

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Emergency Kit for Winter Weather Storms

The icy cold winter weather is coming in fast this year, with ice storms, snowfall, and flooding right around the corner. It's always a good idea to keep your family safe by having an emergency preparedness kit just in case. Our friends at the American Red Cross suggest these items for your kit. All items should be personalized to fit your family's needs. Make a plan right now!

Include:

• According to the American Red Cross a first aid kit may include:
• non-latex gloves
• assortment of adhesive bandages
• antibiotic ointment
• sterile gauze pads in assorted sizes
• absorbent compress dressings
• tweezers
• scissors
• adhesive cloth tape
• aspirin packets (81 mg each)
• first aid instruction booklet
• A 3–5 day supply of bottled water and nonperishable food
• Personal hygiene items
• Blankets or sleeping bags

Stay Warm!

Don't Let Water Wait!

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

The age-old question, what happens when water damage sits for too long in a home or commercial property?

Basically, the worst.

The First Hour

Water will spread throughout your home ruining paper goods, finishes on white furniture, and sometimes cause permanent staining on flooring.

The First 24 Hours

In the first 24 hours after a water damage has occurred, drywall begins to swell and breakdown, an odor will begin to appear, usually musty or sour. The paint on the wall will begin to blister, windows/doors begin to warp, metal can begin to rust, and mold can even start to grow on furniture and other surfaces.

Forty-Eight Hours Later

The safety concerns for any one in the house increases drastically. Anyone who has a heightened sense of allergies or mold will become irritated and even sickly. The damage cost goes up by thousands and more property begins to breakdown and become unsalvageable.

Water damage is not a friend to your home. Once water damage occurs, it is important to call for help to get the water cleaned up as quickly and efficiently as possible. Water damage experts are standing by, and at SERVPRO® of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties— we are here to help 24/7 and 365!

Contents Restoration After Fire Damage

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

Fire damage, including smoke and soot, affects not only the structure of your house, but also your belongings. SERVPRO® understands your family’s furniture, clothing, keepsakes, and other belongings are the very things that make a house a home.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in restoring contents damaged by water, fire, or mold. Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. We pretest your belongings to determine what items can be restored to pre-fire condition. We'll use several methods to clean your contents, including:

Dry Cleaning - Used for cleaning light residues or to pre-clean prior to wet cleaning.

Wet Cleaning - An effective cleaning method for removing moderate to heavy residues.

Spray and Wipe -Effective for items that can’t withstand wet cleaning.

Foam Cleaning - Used for upholstery fabrics that might shrink or bleed if wet cleaned.

Abrasive Cleaning - Involves agitation of the surface being cleaned.

Immersion Cleaning - Contents are dipped into a bath of the cleaning product.

Contact us today at (270) 659-0067 for more information!

Don’t Forget P.A.S.S. When Using a Fire Extinguisher

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

The National Fire Protection Association recommends the following when operating a fire extinguisher.

Remember the word PASS:

• Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

For your home, select a multi-purpose extinguisher (can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire, but not so heavy as to be difficult to handle.

Be sure to read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out. Local fire departments or fire equipment distributors often offer hands-on fire extinguisher trainings.

Install fire extinguishers close to an exit and keep your back to a clear exit when you use the device so you can make an easy escape if the fire cannot be controlled. If the room fills with smoke, leave immediately.

Fall Flooding and Storms Means Call SERVPRO

10/10/2021 (Permalink)

This year has seen an unprecedented number of flooding and storms in our area and the forecast this fall is no different. SERVPRO specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost. We are available 24/7, just contact us!

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit our area we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Factory or Warehouse Flooded? SERVPRO is who you call!

10/10/2021 (Permalink)

Although finding a company capable of handling water removal from a factory of any size or warehouse may seem difficult, we at SERVPRO know we can handle any water removal and restoration projects in the area. We handle water removal from large buildings without trouble. If you still have doubts, here are a few of the techniques we use to dry the place out thoroughly and quickly.

Water Extraction
When a water removal project from a factory or warehouse calls for extraction of standing water, many companies do not know where to begin. Even worse, some may begin the extraction process under-equipped and poorly prepared, and may not remove water from the premises in time to prevent some of the worst damage from happening. We use truck-mounted extraction pumps to remove standing water as quickly as necessary, bringing in additional trucks as needed to make sure the building gets drained before damage can get any worse.

Fast Drying
Once standing water has been cleared, we can begin the process of drying the area out and eliminating moisture that has already penetrated into materials in the building and stored objects. By creating air currents throughout the building, we can pick up water droplets on a large scale before depositing them in buckets via our fast-acting dehumidifying technology.

Care for Contents
Depending on what you have stored in the warehouse, we may have to use special preventative measures to protect the building's contents. If they present a safety hazard when mixed with water, be sure to let us know so that our technicians can don adequate personal protective equipment.

SERVPRO provides industry-leading care for our commercial customers in the aftermath of a disaster and has the resources required to handle even the largest projects.

8th Annual Guns 'N Hoses Blood Drive and 5th Annual Battle of the Badges

7/2/2021 (Permalink)

2021 Blood Drives hosted by SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

The last week of June is always an exciting time for SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties! Each year we host two blood drives during this week, along with the American Red Cross, and our local First United Methodist Churches.

On Tuesday, June 22^nd at the First United Methodist Church in Campbellsville, Kentucky we hosted out first drive of the year, Battle of the Badges! Along with providing support to the staff, we grilled out for both the staff and the donors. We had a tight battle for the win but…. The Police Department pulled out the win by two votes!

On Friday, June 25^th SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties also hosted our 8^th annual Guns ‘N Hoses Blood Drive at the First United Methodist Church. And again… the police pulled out the win against the fire department by two votes!

Congratulations to both police departments, and we hope to see everyone again next year!

When it comes to water, the longer it sits, the worse it gets.

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

This home was water damaged, and we are working to dry out the carpet for reuse!

Did you know that often times, even fire damaged buildings have water damage present?

This is because many times fires are put out with water, but the water damage is often times overshadowed by the fire. Because of this, the majority of SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties jobs involve water in some form or fashion. With water being one of our specialties, we can tell you firsthand how important it is for you to prevent this damage from happening to your home or business!

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

One of the easiest things to do to prevent damage from happening is by regularly looking for leaks, drips and cracks in your water pipes. The next step is to educate yourself and others around you about the dangers of water damage and what to do if it does happen. Do this by learning how to properly cut off water supply throughout the home or building.

IMPORTANCE

Water pipe damage per minute:

A ½ inch pipe can spill up to 50 gallons a minute

A 1-inch pipe can spill up to 210 gallons a minute

A 2-inch pipe can spill up to 850 gallons a minute

A broken pipe can cause more damage than many of us realize. Above are estimates of how much water can pour out of a pipe at any given time. It is important to prevent, then minimize any damage that happens. The longer it sits, the worse it gets.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, Kentucky is Here to Help ® with our 24/7/365 services. Give us a call anytime, day or night!

June Theme of the Month

6/16/2021 (Permalink)

June Theme of the Month

The housing market is booming! Because of this, the June Theme of the Month is all about your carpets. Did you know that regular cleanings can not only make your carpets look nice, but also last longer? As a home or business owner, or someone selling or buying a house, you want your space to be as clean and as possible for any guests entering. Some regular maintenance includes vacuuming, spot removal, and shifting furniture around to prevent permanent carpet denting.

Depending on build up and wear, your carpets can often times require a professional cleaning to keep them in tip top shape. A good rule of thumb is to make a yearly appointment to get this done, and make sure to maintain them between cleanings.

Carpet Cleaning is one of the professional services that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties provides to the community. Give us a call for a free quote on your home or business, today!

May Theme of the Month

5/17/2021 (Permalink)

May Theme of the Month

Spring has sprung! It is the time of year when many people take their regular cleaning duties to the next level. This year, add another task to your list that you may not always think about: water heater maintenance!

Like anything else, with the proper maintenance, you can extend the life of items in your homes water heater. This can also help avoid a major water spill if something broken and can be detected and fixed early!

6 Easy Maintenance Steps:

1. Test the TPR Valve
2. Check the Anode Rod
3. Drain the Tank and Wash Out Sediment
4. Adjust the Temperature
5. Insulate the Pipes
6. Insulate the Heater

For more information visit:

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/21016402/how-to-maintain-a-water-heater 

April Theme of the Month

4/14/2021 (Permalink)

April Theme of the Month

This month we are focused on a service we provide that is often times hard to talk about: Biohazard Cleanup Services. This is a service that many never think about until they are in the situation to need services. Some people may try to clean this up themselves, but it is best to always choose a trained professional to come in and take care of the issue.

• Because it is traumatic: When it is a personal connection, it is emotionally taxing to clean up the area when it is a traumatic loss.
• Because it is safer: Any human or animal remains or fluids (including blood, feces, vomit) are all considered biohazard. That means that they can carry life threatening pathogens to the person cleaning up the area. When working with life threatening pathogens, it is important to remove and dispose of this waste properly. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has completed the proper trainings, including being registered and compliant with OSHA and FEMA guidelines.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 270-659-0067

What to Expect Working with SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

4/7/2021 (Permalink)

What to Expect Working with SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

What can you expect when calling in a water job with SERVPRO?

The first thing to expect is timely, and friendly service on the phone. You can also expect quick service, as we are open 24/7/365, and always have crews on call to respond to emergencies. No matter the time of day, holiday, or weekend, we are there to make it “Like it never even happened.”

You can also trust that SERVPRO will….

Quickly respond-

Along with peace of mind, it is also important to get onsite in a timely manner to prevent more damage from happening to your home, business or items.

Arrive in a timely manner-

Our goal is to have a crew onsite to any emergency situation within 4 hours of the initial call.

Do an inspection/verbal briefing-

Our team has the ability to walk a property and to see what would be the best course of action for the home or business owner, whether this is to file a claim or continue as a self-pay. Identifying this early helps prevent a denied claim later in the process.  

WE HAVE EXCITING NEWS!

3/30/2021 (Permalink)

WE HAVE EXCITING NEWS!

As of March 25^th, 2021, we are under new ownership! Dewayne and Lisa Cox of Elizabethtown, Kentucky have purchased our franchise and are ready to get to work! Here is a message from Mr. Dewayne Cox about the merger-

“I am finally able to share the news! An adventure, and it’s official! We have expanded our SERVPRO services in KY.  We are very excited about the future and this certainly would not be possible without my family, friends, our amazing TEAM COX members & my SERVPRO corporate family.

Now proudly providing fire and water restoration in:

Allen, Barren, Hart, Green & Taylor Counties.

Butler, Ohio, Hopkins, Muhlenberg & Edmonson Counties.

Daviess County”

We are excited to see where our growing team is going, and what all we can do for the communities we serve! If you see Dewayne or Lisa, give them a big congratulations!

March Theme of the Month

3/18/2021 (Permalink)

March Theme of the Month

This month we are focused on what we can do when there is a bad storm in your area! The devastation that recently hit Texas and other surrounding states rocked many families, and SERVPRO Franchises from all over the country traveled to assist in the cleanup… including our very own! We have had crews in Katy, Texas for going on 4 weeks without a break. While these are very tiring and trying times for our crews, but it is always well worth it to see the before and after, and know that we help lift the stress from these home and business owners’ shoulders.

While this time it was in another state, it could be Kentucky next time. SERVPRO is the company to call when there is any type of disaster to your home or business. No matter if it is big or small, SERVPRO has the resources to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Prevent Smoke and Fire Damage

3/16/2021 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties our #1 priority is our customers safety. Our goal is always to limit damage and to educate you on how to PREVENT damage from happening to your business or home.

Test Every Smoke Alarm

This is the simplest way to prevent fire damage from quickly spreading. Take the time to press the “Test” button on the side of the device and if it is weak, so ahead and change the batteries.

Keep Your Stove and Oven Clean

When there are built up food particles, they can quickly catch fire if they get warm enough. Keeping your area free and clear is an easy way to prevent any accidents.

Check Your Dryer

It is important to clean your lint trap in your dryer EVERY TIME you use it! It is also a good idea to get it regularly inspected for issues and to never leave your dryer running when you leave the home.

Maintain All Cords

Frayed cords can cause a huge fire hazard if left unattended. As you plug something in, always take time to quickly look the cord over and make sure it does not have any wear and tear.

Properly Store Flammable Products

Products that could POSSIBLY combust (example: hairspray, shaving cream) should be kept away from any type of heat source and in a cool area.

Fireplace Safety

Always stay in the room when a fireplace is on, and make sure there is a door to prevent any flames from getting thrown onto the flammable flooring.

Keep A Working Fire Extinguisher Around

This is your best defense against a fire break out. Every room that has potential threats should have one, such as the kitchen. Every family member of age should also know how to use one.

If you have any questions or concerns, give our office a call at 270-659-0067!

Space Heater Safety

2/26/2021 (Permalink)

Space Heater Safety

Have you ever had a space heater burn out? There are times when this happens that it can cause smoke or even fire damage in the space it is in. Here are five tips to help avoid this from happening!

1. Check Safety Features Before Purchase

Most models include a sturdy cord, a GFCI plug and an automatic safety shutoff feature. While most heats made in recent years have these features, double check that they are on the model you are purchasing.

2. Keep Children and Pets Away

Children and pets can easily be burned by the heater, and they can also easily knock the heater over and cause issues. You can help this by purchasing a safety screen that will set up a three-foot barrier around the device.

3. Keep Heater Level

Keeping the heater on a level surface can help prevent it from tipping over and burning the area or items around it. It is also safest to use heaters on non-flammable surfaces like concrete, stone or tile.

4. Keep away from Flammable Materials

This includes desks, rugs, books and curtains.

5. Never Leave a Heater Unattended

Having someone always near a running heater cuts down the possibility that it will tip over and cause a fire.

If your unit does cause a fire or any smoke damage, give SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties a call!

HELP WANTED!

2/22/2021 (Permalink)

HELP WANTED!

Over the years, SERVPRO has offered more and more services to the clients we service. While our goal is always restore not replace items in a home, there are times when we do have to remove them. Several years ago we realized that we needed rebuild services to be able to put those items back, and take our customers from A to Z when it comes to their homes and businesses!

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is growing! To keep up with this growth, our Rebuild Department is looking to add more contractors to our list in ALL of our areas.

We are currently looking for contractors for…

Plumbers, Roofers, Handymen, Painters, HVAC, Electricians, Drywallers, Tiling / Stonework, Masonry, Carpenters, Flooring, Framing and more!

You must be licensed and insured, and willing to travel around our area. Contact Lisa at 270-670-2346 for more information. We look forward to seeing if we would be a great fit!

WINTER WEATHER WARNING IN KENTUCKY!

2/10/2021 (Permalink)

WINTER WEATHER WARNING IN KENTUCKY!

Throughout South Central Kentucky there has been an ice storm warning issued now through Thursday evening (February 11th, 2021).

Weather.com states that significant ice and snow mixture are on the horizon. Power outages and tree damage are both to be expected during this time. Extreme caution should be used while traveling, and staying home is strongly encouraged.

While the temperature continues to stay low throughout the week and power outrages are possible, make sure you take precautions against any frozen pipes, as this is the ideal environment for them to quickly happen.

Drip your taps.

Cover outside faucets.

Open cabinet doors with pipes in them to promote air flow.

Keep inside doors open for more air flow.

Keep garage door closed as much as possible to keep warm air inside.

Give us a call if you have any water issues, and we can make it “Like it never even happened.” Our crews are on standby, and we are ready to help at a moment’s notice!

Fire Safety Tips - Home and Business

2/8/2021 (Permalink)

Did you know that 50% of businesses never reopen after a disaster strikes?

That is a huge amount! At SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, we are working to make that number go down as much as possible.

With it being the cold, winter months, there are many more fire hazards being used to heat both homes and businesses. Make sure your business does not become a statistic, and make plans against fire damage now. Here are 6 ways to help protect your business:

1. Have fire extinguishers readily available and check them regularly
2. Install automatic sprinklers or a fire suppression system
3. Regularly check and clean the equipment used in your business
4. Reduce useless clutter
5. Have an exit plan for all employees
6. Maintain outdoor areas against being vulnerable against wildfires (if applicable)

February Theme of the Month

2/3/2021 (Permalink)

February Theme of the Month

Each month, our Marketing Team focuses on what our business can provide to other businesses and residential homes. This month, we wanted to flip the script. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on what our other locally owned small businesses and organizations bring to our community. We are working with several small businesses throughout the month of February to do Community Spotlights on some of the hardworking individuals in our area. If you have or know of a local small business to be highlighted, send us a message and let us know who they are! The videos will be posted on both YouTube and on Facebook. Head on over and give our Facebook page a “Like” to follow along, and always remember to #SuportLocal!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SERVPRO9750

Local Marketing Representative – Madison Short

1/15/2021 (Permalink)

Local Marketing Representative – Madison Short

“I just want to thank you all so much for welcoming me so warmly to the area. As the Marketing Representative for Allen/Barren/Green/Adair/Russell Counties, I look forward to continuing to develop relationships with each and every one of you. My number one goal is to provide excellent customer service and act as a bridge between you and our company. We always strive for 100% satisfaction in each and every one of our jobs and want that to show clearly in everything we do.

If we have not yet had the chance to meet, I wanted to share a few pieces of information about myself so you can get to know me a little better ahead of time.

First, I have lived in Glasgow for nearly my entire life and have a deep love for the state of Kentucky (which bleeds over to my love of my UK Wildcats, too). I grew up in a large family it has heavily influenced how much I value spending time with the ones I love. My wife and I recently found out that we will soon be adding another member to that family (est. July 2021) and cannot wait for Baby Short to arrive!

I love my job and the chance to meet so many different people on a daily basis. If I have not had a chance to drop by yet, then I cannot wait to meet you and will be seeing you soon!

Thank you and stay safe!”

Madison Short

January Theme of the Month

1/11/2021 (Permalink)

January Theme of the Month

This month SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on what we can do for businesses!

SERVPRO is a franchise that is based In Gallatin, Tennessee. Being a franchise-based business, we have a lot of opportunities to help businesses both large and small after a disaster strikes. No matter what the size, we can handle whatever is thrown at us. If the job is too large for our crews to handle themselves, we are able to quickly call-in backup. These backup crews are always in high standing with corporate and are completely trained.

SERVPRO is also available to help before a disaster strikes. When an issue comes up in your business or place of work, what is the first thing you do? Many have never thought of this and would not know what to do. This is where SERVPRO comes in. One of our trained representatives will come in and help you gather up all the needed information for any of your employees to use in case of emergency. This Emergency Ready Plan can greatly help prevent or minimize damage on your business.

Give us or your local representative a call to set up an appointment start your ERP!

Madison Short - Representative over Allen, Barren and Green Counties. 270-670-8661

Sydney Gossom - Representative over Hart and Taylor Counties. 270-670-2575

How To Care For Reusable and Non Reusable Masks

1/6/2021 (Permalink)

Now that we are living in a world full of germ-x and face masks, it is important to know how to dispose of single use masks, and also how to properly wash reusable masks.

How to properly dispose of your single use mask:

Cut straps

Place soiled mask in plastic bag and tie up.

Throw plastic bag in with the regular trash.

How to wash cloth mask:

Store wet or dirty masks in plastic bag away from any clean masks.

Wash after each use, or at least once a day.

By washer-

You may include with regular laundry

Use regular detergent and washer settings unless otherwise listed on fabric label.

By hand-

Wash in regular tap water with laundry detergent or soap.

Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

You can dry your cloth mask in wither a dryer or air dry. If you are air drying your mask, you can hand, lay flat or put in direct sunlight for it to dry completely.

2020 Recap

12/30/2020 (Permalink)

2020 Recap

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, SERVPRO has stayed open 24/7. In the very beginning of 2020, we were considered an essential business, and our team has adapted and overcame everything that 2020 has thrown at them!

Our production department have completely adjusted how they handle every job throughout this pandemic. They now wear full PPE (personal protective equipment) to each job to help slow the spread of the corona virus, and other common germs. They also wear new suits to each COVID-19 job and dispose of them properly afterwards. You can rest assured that anyone coming to your home has been temperature screened that day and is not spreading anything to your home or business.

Our marketing department has also taken precautions against spreading germs while running routes and are taking care to always stay at least 6 feet apart. They continue to wish their agents, adjusters, and other contacts well that they are unable to see right now!

Our team has continuously provided Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned cleanings throughout the year to prevent any outbreaks, and will continue this throughout 2021 also.

If you have any questions how we can help your business enter 2021 clean and ready to go, give us a call or submit a claim online:

https://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

SERVPRO's Roofing Services

12/29/2020 (Permalink)

When a large storm hits, we brace ourselves for water damage calls. This can come from several different sources, such as window and door leaks, but most of the time it is from roof damage. While SERVPRO has been doing emergency roof tarping for quite a while, but what is the next step?

In most instances, SERVPRO must wait until the source is fixed before we can begin cleaning up the mess. But SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has recently added a new service to our lineup… Roofing!

If you have any roof damage during a storm or normal wear and tear, SERVPRO can help! We have a dedicated crew that can do anything from small repairs to total replacement.

If you have any questions, contact our Rebuild Division Project Manager, Mike Witcher, at 270-670-1767!

How To Properly Sanitize Your Phone

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

With all of the virus and sickness going around, it is important now more than ever to keep your phone clean. The CDC suggests that you should sanitize your phone at least once a day.

Here are some easy steps on how to clean it in just a few minutes-

Step 1: Remove phone case

Step 2: Wipe phone with a cloth to remove the top layer of dirt.

Step 3: Use disinfecting wipe to wipe down the device and case. Take care around the ports and buttons. This will kill the bacteria and viruses living on your phone.

Step 4: Let air-dry for 5 minutes. This allows the cleaner to work its magic before diving back into your phone.

Step 5: Wipe off any excess disinfectant with a new soft cloth.

*It is also important to note that you should never spray any type of cleaner directly on your phone*

Merry Christmas!

12/21/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties want to wish you and your family a very  Merry Christmas! This time of year is filled with family fun, and celebrating the season. It is also a time of the year when many families let their guard down, and we start getting a lot of calls about accidents happening.

Be careful and safe this holiday season, and make sure to remember that SERVPRO is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to service any emergencies you may have. 

December Theme of the Month

12/9/2020 (Permalink)

December Theme of the Month

This month SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on what to do if your pipes do freeze over in the cold weather!

1. Locate the water main shut-off valve
2. Open the faucet so thawing water can flow freely & relieve pressure
3. Warm the pipes with a small space heater or hairdryer
4. If you find any leaks that are causing water damage, give us a call right away!

If they have not frozen but we are expecting below freezing weather, here are some ways to prevent your pipes from getting too cold:

• Keep Your Garage Doors Closed
• Drip Faucets
• Keep the Thermostat Consistent and Leave the Heat Above 55° F
• Open Interior Doors
• Open Cabinet Doors

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties – 270-659-0067

November Theme of the Month

11/30/2020 (Permalink)

November Theme of the Month

During the month of November, most of us are gearing up for the beginning of the holiday season! While this holiday season is going to look a bit different this year for many families, it is still a time to celebrate and bring joy to your family and community.

This is also the time of year that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties receive extra calls regarding accidents around the holidays. With all the hustle and bustle, many people’s guards go down. This year take precautions against any accidents from happening.

Decorating- When decorating, use a proper ladder when needed. Do not use furniture or items that are intended for other uses.

If there are small children in the home, also take care to keep breakable items up high, and away from small hands.

Check any lights or decorations for exposed or frayed wires. If you find any, replace immediately.

All candles should be on a level surface, and never left unattended.

Keep both fake and real trees away from fireplaces and air vents.

Shopping- When holiday shopping, always park in well-lit areas.

Hid any bags or gifts in the car. If you have a car trunk, this is the best place for them.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash or large purses. Take only what you need.

Keep an eye on your bank accounts for any suspicious charges.

Traveling- Avoid driving while tired. Also avoid aggressive or angry driving.

Leave extra room between cars when it is cold, icy or snowy.

If you are consuming alcohol, make sure to have a DD or a cab ahead of time.

Cooking and Dining- Always have an adult in the kitchen keeping an eye on things.

Keep children occupied in another room while cooking.

Keep flammable items away from the stove or any other heat source.

Preventing Foodborne Illnesses- Wash hands frequently.

Separate uncooked and cooked food.

Check the temperature of food to prevent undercooking.

Refrigerate food within two hours of preparing.

Leftovers should be consumed within 4 days.

For more information, check out this article from State Farm: statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/simple-holiday-safety-tips.

Fire Safety 101 – Fire Pits

11/5/2020 (Permalink)

Fire Safety 101 – Fire Pits

Especially during the fall and winter months, fire pits are often used for social events, along with cooking out hotdogs and smores! Before you throw your first party though, remember these tips how to keep the occasion safe for everyone in attendance.

• When purchasing or building a fire pit, take into consideration the size of the area. A fire pit should be at least 10 feet away from any structure, or other items that could catch on fire easily. This can include trees, fences, smaller buildings, phone or power lines, and more. They should also be kept at least 25 feet away from muti-residence buildings, such as apartment buildings.

• Make sure seating is large enough to be comfortable and well ventilated.

• Check wind direction before lighting any type of flame.

• Do not use flammable liquids to light or relight the flame.

• When lighting a fire, use a lighter to ignite a few pieces of paper and small pile of sticks. As this catches fire, add larger sticks and DRY logs.

• Using a fire pit screen will prevent embers from leaving the controlled area.

• Do not wear flammable materials while tending the fire, or any loose clothing.

• Always have someone tending the fire, and make sure children and pets are kept away from the flames.

• Keep water nearby in case of emergency.

• Before leaving the fire pit, make sure that the ashes are completely put out, and there are no more embers remaining.

For more information on this topic, visit Allstate’s website: www.allstate.com/blog/considering-backyard-fire-pit/

Winter Fire Prevention

10/22/2020 (Permalink)

Winter Fire Prevention

We are quickly approaching the time of year when the amount of house fires spike: December, January, and February. While you may think that you are doing all you can to prevent a house fire, there are many different types of fire hazards many that you may not even realize are a threat!

1. Your Kitchen-

One of the quickest ways a fire can get started is by leaving a stove top or oven unattended. There are many items around the kitchen that can catch on fire, and your attention is key when preventing anything from happening!

2. Small Kitchen Appliances-

These appliances are easy to overlook, and keep plugged in at all times, but it is important to unplug after each use. If accidently left on, they could catch items on the counter on fire.

3. Candles-

Candles should never be left unattended. It is best practice to blow them out when you leave the room or may go to sleep.

4. Matches and Lighters –

Store these items up high, where children cannot reach.

5. Fireplace Wood-

Do not burn trash inside your home. Only burn dry, seasoned wood.

If you do experience any fire or smoke issues this winter season, give the professionals a call at 270-659-0067!

#NationalChurchSafetyMonth - October 2020

10/5/2020 (Permalink)

October is National Church Safety and Security Month! Some quick ways to prevent anything from happening in your church are by reviewing and posting cooking safety tips in any kitchen areas, reviewing candle safety, and making sure that there are clear paths to all exits.

While there are many ways you can prepare for something happening, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties offers a FREE service that can help you prevent damage from becoming worse in the event that it does happen!

What we offer takes it a step further than your normal preventative tips. Our Emergency Ready Profiles (ERP) are free to all our local churches in the area. This program includes a trained professional coming in and working with one of the congregation members to collect all the necessary information you would need in an emergency. We will then compile all the information in an ERP and deliver it at a later date. The information will also be put on an app that can be shared with members in the church and can be accessed remotely.

Participating in this program does not take long and can save you time and money in the long run if a disaster does strike.

Contact your local Marketing Representative for more information and to set up a time!

#NationalChurchSafetyMonth

October Theme of the Month

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

October Theme of the Month

Each month, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties focuses their efforts on one central marketing theme. This month is all about fall home maintenance! There are a lot of things you can do in early fall that will prevent damage from happening during the winter months, or to prepare for next year.

Here are the top 9 simple tasks you can do:

1. Clean Out Gutters – When gutters are full, it can cause water to build up and leak into your home
2. Check for Window Drafts – Tight seals around both doors and windows help the warm air from your system from quickly escaping outside
3. Store Outdoor Hoses – Putting away hoses during the winter season ensures there will not be water trapped that could freeze and expand. When this happens, often times a water leak inside your home can be the result.
4. Store Outdoor Furniture for Winter – This can include putting it inside or using covers to protect it. While it is made to be weatherproof, doing this will help prolong the lifetime!
5. Fix Cracks in the Driveway Pavement – When there are small cracks in your pavement, they can quickly grow without much warning. Small amounts of water can freeze, expand, and bust open the small cracks.
6. Check Filters –The cleaner or less debris there are in your filters, the better your system can run. This can not only help the system out, but also your electric bill!
7. Fertilize Your Lawn – This is a great time of the year to think ahead and fertilize for the next year. It gives the fertilizer all winter to get deeply rooted into the ground.
8. Winter Equipment – Check to make sure your snow shovel or snow blower, is working properly and that each vehicle you own has ice scrapers inside.
9. Check Fire and Carbon Monoxide Device Batteries – While this should be done at least twice a year, it is a great time to go ahead and check the batteries and replace as needed!

#NationalPreparednessMonth – Wrap Up

9/30/2020 (Permalink)

#NationalPreparednessMonth – Wrap Up

Throughout the month of September, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has been working through the weekly recommendations of Ready.gov about how to become better prepared for disasters in your area. Each week covered different topics:

Week #1 – Make A Plan

Week #2 – Build A Kit

Week #3 – Educate Yourself About Disasters and Emergencies

Week #4 – Teach Youth About Preparedness

Thank you to everyone who followed along with us this month, and if you missed it, you can still work through the weekly recommendations and activities. It is never too late to become prepared for an emergency!

*NOTE* - Also, do not forget to periodically update your emergency kits and run through your emergency plans with the whole family. Doing this will not only help your family remember what to do, but will also ease the minds of everyone by them knowing and practicing what to do.

September: National Preparedness Month - Week #4

9/20/2020 (Permalink)

September: National Preparedness Month, Week #4

Week #4 – September 20^th-26^th

Goal: Teach Youth About Preparedness

When you have children in the house, it is very important to make sure they know what to do in an emergency. When you have discussed emergencies and what to do, children are likely to be a little scared of the thought of what could come. One of the best ways to help ease their nerves is to make sure they are educated on what to do, and they know the plans that you have put in place. This also helps avoid them freezing up during an emergency and helps them think more clearly.

This week, make time for each child in your household to work through some activities on www.ready.gov/kids. This program covers all ages, from young kids to teenagers. For young children, there are games they can play to learn and become comfortable. For teenagers, it outlines what they can do to become more prepared and involved with the community.

There are also resources for families on what you can do together, along with what teachers can do to help their students be more prepared at home.

Thank you for following along for this year’s National Preparedness Month!

Hurricane Laura Damage

9/15/2020 (Permalink)

Hurricane Season 2020, June 1^st – November 30^th, 2020

This hurricane season, we have been warned of several large, developing storms. The most notable storm so far this year has been Hurricane Laura. Hurricane Laura quickly developed and caused major damage in multiple countries before making landfall in the United States. While many states and areas of the coast got heavy rain and storms, Louisiana and Texas were hit the worst by the storm.  

The one positive thing about Laura was that it took several days for her to gain the amount of power that she made landfall with. This gave residents time to make plans or evacuate the area. Now that the hurricane is completely gone, families are now seeing the damage firsthand, and working on putting their lives back together.

While most areas in the county have local franchise locations, in an event like this, they are often overrun with calls and cannot handle the workload. This is when the franchise aspect of our business really becomes a positive. If there is too large of a workload coming in, we are able to call in other franchises from around the country to come and help.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties was happy to accept an invitation to come help with the Hurricane Laura cleanup. Our team has been there going on two weeks, and will continue until all our clients' homes and businesses are taken care of.

As one of the primer restoration companies in the world, we are able to respond and help make it “Like it never even happened.”

September: National Preparedness Month - Week #3

9/13/2020 (Permalink)

September: National Preparedness Month

Week #3 – September 13^th-19^th

Goal: Educate Yourself About Disasters and Emergencies

There are many different types of disasters and emergencies that can happen in your area that you may not think about. Find out what may impact your area, and visit www.ready.gov/be-informed to access information on each of these emergency situations:

• Active Shooter
• Attacks in Public Places
• Avalanche
• Bioterrorism
• Chemical Emergencies
• Cybersecurity
• Drought
• Earthquakes
• Explosions
• Extreme Heat
• Floods
• Hazardous Materials Incidents
• Home Fires
• Household Chemical Emergencies
• Hurricanes
• Landslides & Debris Flow
• Nuclear Power Plants
• Pandemic
• Power Outages
• Radiological Dispersion Device
• Severe Weather
• Snowstorms & Extreme Cold
• Space Weather
• Thunderstorms & Lightning
• Tornadoes
• Tsunamis
• Volcanoes
• Wildfires

It is also important to educate yourself on what you can do to recovering from disasters. You can get involved with the community, volunteer, join the citizens corps, learn more about your local community emergency response team, get involved with your neighborhood/neighbors, research what organizations are active during a disaster, and check out the “5 simple steps that may save a life.”

Other Resources:

If you are a business owner, is to prepare your business for disaster. Follow this link for everything you can do to prepare: www.ready.gov/business.

Have young children? www.ready.gov/kids is a great resource for information and games to help them prepare without being scared.

Glasgow / Barren County Chamber of Commerce's 28th Annual Golf Scramble

9/10/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties had a blast at the Glasgow / Barren County Chamber of Commerce's 28^th Annual Golf Scramble on September 4^th! With the current Corona Virus outbreak, we did not know if this annual event was going to be able to be held in 2020. After time and consideration, it was determined that all sponsors and participants it would be able to safely social distance during the event.

Service Marketing Representatives, Vicky Siebold and Madison Short were happy to attend the event representing SERVPRO, and be able to network with the community at a safe distance. We look forward to attending more events being scheduled in each of the counties that we cover.

Thank you for having us, and we look forward to seeing everyone again at the 29^th Annual Scramble!

September: National Preparedness Month - Week #2

9/6/2020 (Permalink)

September: National Preparedness Month

Week #2 – September 6^th-12^th

Goal: Build A Kit

It is now time to set yourself up for success if you are not able to obtain supplies for a few days during a disaster! Last week we looked at supplies you will need for each specific member of your family. This week, we want to add to that list, and build a kit that can help you be independent for at least 3 days.

Before you begin, start with how you will store these items. Putting them in airtight bags, then placing those bags in easy to move containers/duffel bags is the way to go. This way, no matter what happens, your supplies are safe and easy to move.

Basic Kit Items:

• Water
• Food
• Battery operated radio or weather radio (with extra batteries)
• Flashlights (with extra batteries)
• First aid kit
• Whistle
• Dust masks
• Plastic sheeting & duct tape
• Wipes, trash bags and plastic ties
• Wrench & pliers
• Manual can opener
• Local map
• Cell phone chargers & backup battery

Additional items to consider:

• Cloth face coverings
• Soap/hand sanitizer/wipes
• Prescription & over the counter medication
• Contact lens solution
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes & diaper rash cream
• Pet food & water
• Cash
• Copies of important family document such as: ID cards, bank account records, and insurance policies. These should be stored in a waterproof container or electronically.
• Sleeping bag or blankets for each person
• Complete change of clothing for each person
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches (in waterproof container)
• Personal hygiene items
• Paper products
• Activities for any children

Maintaining Your Home Kit:

Now that your kit is stocked and ready, you cannot simply forget about it. You now need to make sure your kit is kept in a cool, dry place, food items are stored in tightly closed plastic or metal containers, expired items are replaced frequently, and your families changing needs are always reflected in your kit.

Kit Storage Locations:

Your Home Kit should be located near an exit, and be easy to grab and go. Make sure everyone in the home knows where it is kept.

Your Work Kit should be packed to prepare you to shelter in place for at least 24 hours. It is also important to have a comfortable pair of walking shoes in this kit, as you may not be wearing comfortable shoes at work when an emergency takes place.

Your Car Kit should always be in your car and stocked up. This includes jumper cables, flares or reflective triangles, ice scraper, cell phone charger, blanket, map and cat litter or sand (to help you gain traction if stuck).

Join us next week on the blog for more information on how to prepare your family for a disaster!

September Theme of the Month

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

September Theme of the Month

Our September theme of the month is focused on the fact that September is National Preparedness Month! With hurricane season being at its peak during the months of mid-August through late October, this is the time of year to be proactive about you and your family’s safety for all natural disasters that may impact your area.

Week #1 – September 1^st-5^th

Goal: Make A Plan

Step #1- Put a Plan Together

When beginning to make a plan, make a list of all the main types of disasters that could hit your geographical area. Doing this will give you a solid jumping off point and will guide you in the right direction. After that, ask yourself these questions while referencing your list:

How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?

What is my shelter plan?

What is my evacuation plan?

What is my household communication plan?

Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Step #2- Consider Specific Needs in Your Household

When building your emergency plan, look at the specific, daily needs of each family member. This can include how each member will communicate, the care of small children, elderly family members, pets, or anyone with specialized medical equipment.

Having a list of any special needs for your family unit will ensure that you are taking care of each need and are ensuring that members safety in all aspects of their life.

Step #3- Fill Out a Family Emergency Plan

Find a premade Family Emergency Plan to fill out, or create your own. Here is one plan that is a great resource: https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/create-your-family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Step #4- Practice Your Plan with Your Family/Household

Going over this plan thoroughly will help you find any holes you may not have noticed and will also help all family members feel safe and comfortable! It is also a good idea to put a reminder on your calendar to go over the plan again in 6 months.

For more information, visit: https://www.ready.gov/plan

#TipTuesday - Changing Air Filters

8/18/2020 (Permalink)

This #TipTuesday is about home maintenance!

While this chore is typically easy, it is also easy to forget. Depending on the size of your home and amount of family members or pets, your filters should be changed anywhere from every 3 months to every 3 weeks.  A general guide to how often to change-

Vacation home, or single occupant: 2-3 times a year

Suburban home with no pets: 3 months

Suburban home with 1 pet: 2 months

Suburban home with more than 1 pet: every 20-45 days

Keeping your filters changed regularly can not only improve the quality of air being breathed in, but it can also extend the lifetime of your HVAC unit. Without the buildup of dirt, the unit can work much better and more efficiently.

Fore more information, visit: https://www.betterhomeguides.com/home-improvement/how-often-to-change-air-filter-in-homes/ 

Storm Damage Tarping Services

8/6/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is considered an essential business, and provides emergency services to our surrounding communities. While we are typically known for our fire and water cleanup services, another emergency service we provide is tarping. This includes both homes and businesses, roofs and buildings.

When a severe storm hits and causes major damage, it is important to do what you can to minimize the continued damage being caused. When there is a hole in your building, one of the fastest and easiest things to do to prevent more damage is to tarp up the area. With SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties having a complete rebuild division, we are able to quickly handle any of your tarping needs, both large and small.

We have worked on jobs where trees made holes in roofs, cars ran into the sides of buildings, homes finding leaks in their roofs, or even buildings having construction done to them. Any situation, we are here to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Contact our rebuild division at 270-659-0067 for more information and to get on our schedule!

August Theme of the Month

8/5/2020 (Permalink)

August Theme of the Month

Our August Theme of the Month is all about something that has been weighing heavily on the minds of many families: Back to School. With school closing early during the 2019-2020 school year, many are ready to get back into the routine of kids being in school and life beginning to go back to normal after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Many families are worried how the school experience is going to change from previous years, and what that will look like for both their children and their teachers. The CDC has put out many tips on what you can do before school starts to help make the transition as smoothly as possible. Some of these include:

• Checking your children’s temperature every morning for signs of sickness
• Review and practice proper hand washing techniques at home, and stress the importance of washing hands
• Find out how water will be provided to children during the school day, and consider investing in reusable water bottles for your children to use
• Make sure to have plenty of masks available, and have an extra one in your child’s school bag

Check out this link for more information from the CDC.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is also available for sanitizing and cleaning at schools. This includes classrooms, gyms, buses, playground equipment and more. We have a specialized plan on how we handle each businesses we work for, and we create a individual plan for them. Learn more here.

For more information on any of our COVID-19/Corona Virus Cleaning, give us a call at 270-659-0067!

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program

7/24/2020 (Permalink)

When you are going through any time of emergency, especially dealing with viruses and germs, it is important to partner with a business that has decades of cleaning experience under their belts. During the COVID-19 outbreak, SERVPRO began the Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program to reflect our unique experience and capabilities. This program is made up of “The 3 C’s”.

The 3 C’s – Consult, Clean and Certify

Consult-

With every business being different, we send a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who is trained to help you figure out the best course of action for your business. They will then create a cleaning program that fits your individual needs exactly. This includes looking at your category of business, size, number of high touch points, incoming foot traffic and congestion points.

Clean-

Based on the cleaning program created for your businesses, your business then undergoes a deep clean using our exclusive cleaning products, by the CDC’s guidelines. With our employees having extensive cleaning experience and training, we will go beyond the scope of work your regular janitorial duties. These intensive cleanings typically include both porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of equipment, tools and/or supplies. We also dispose of any hazardous materials.

Certify-

Once your businesses has underwent our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned Program, we will post signage to give incoming customers and for your workers peace of mind that you have went beyond your normal cleaning standards to help make COVID “Like it never even happened.”  We will also date the signage so everyone knows that the cleaning was done regularly.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation!

July Theme of the Month

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

July Theme of the Month

Our July Theme of the Month is all about schools reopening around the country after the Corona Virus cut the 2019-2020 school year short. While closing schools early was necessary to help slow the spread of COVID-19, many families are excited about the thought of children being able to attend this 2020-2021 school year. While some are excited, some are also still a little apprehensive about it. At SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, we are doing our part to try to help ease families' minds by offering cleaning services to schools, school buses, buildings, outdoor play equipment and more.

If you have any questions on services available for schools, give us a call at 270-659-0067. We are providing free quotes on our COVID cleaning services and can even set up weekly or biweekly cleanings based on your needs.  

SERVPRO is Here to Help®, no matter the situation!

7th Annual Guns 'N Hoses & 4th Annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drives

7/1/2020 (Permalink)

General Manager, Chad Burckhard, giving blood at our annual blood drives!

During the last full week of June 2020, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties hosted the 4^th Annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive in Campbellsville, KY, and the 7^th Annual Guns ‘N Hoses Blood Drive in Glasgow, KY.

These two blood drives are something that SERVPRO employees look forward to hosting, along with the local police and fire departments, each year. Being able to team up with these first responders to bring in donors, and be out in the community serving while helping those in need is a huge blessing to everyone involved. With the spread of COVID-19, we were concerned that we would not have the turnout we have had previous years. But with all the safety precautions being taken by the Red Cross along with SERVPRO, we are happy to announce that both drives exceeded their target donor goals! We even have first time donors at both drives.

June 23^rd – Campbellsville, KY. 45 units collected, which have the potential to save up to 135 lives.

June 26^th – Glasgow, KY. 60 units collected, which have the potential to save up to 180 lives.

We encourage any business, church, or organization to give back and help host a drive with the American Red Cross. They make it a painless, and a great experience!

Recent Local Flooding

7/1/2020 (Permalink)

South Central Kentucky has not experienced very much rain in the past few weeks. That all changed this weekend though, when we got several major downpours. While the rain was much needed, there are consequences to so much rainfall coming at once. This can cause flooding in low areas, which can impact both homes and businesses.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is not new to flooding situations. We have had our fair share over the years, and were ready to react when calls started flooding in over the weekend. We had several worried clients in need of emergency services. When it comes to a water job, the faster we begin cleaning up, the less damage there is. SERVPRO knows the importance of being timely, so this is why we are open 24/7/365. Because of this, we had crews ready to respond at a moments notice!  

If you are experiencing water damage or have any questions, give us a call at 270-659-0067!

Types of Contaminated Water

6/29/2020 (Permalink)

Did you know that there are different types of water in water losses? Depending on how long a water loss is there before it is found, or where the water comes from, it is one of three categories.

Category #1- Clean Water

This water category is when the water comes from a clean, sanitary source. This means that the water poses little to no risk to humans or animals. Examples of this are: broken water supply lines, sink or tub overflows, or any other water line, such as a line to an ice maker.

Category #2 – Grey Water

This water category is when it comes from a source that contains significant contamination. The contamination includes chemical, biological or physical elements that could cause illness or discomfort after exposure. Examples of this are: overflowing toilets with urine, sump pump leaks or discharged water from appliances such as a dishwasher or washing machine. If left too long, grey water can quickly turn into black water, and cause even more damage to your home and health.

Category #3 – Black Water

This water category is when it is considered very harmful. This contamination includes unsanitary agents, dangerous bacteria and fungus, and toxic substances. This category has an extreme risk of causing illness and exposure should be avoided at all costs unless you are a trained professional, in properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE). Examples of this are: sewage, seawater, and overflow from bodies of water.

Four convenient tips to prevent a water loss

6/25/2020 (Permalink)

Four convenient tips to prevent a water loss-

1. Check Your Trees: While having trees around your home is nice to have, you need to be careful about what types of trees will grow well close to your home. It is a great idea to plant trees at least ten feet away from your home, and to make sure that trees with invasive roots should be planted at least 25 feet away.
2. Regularly Maintain Appliances: It is a great idea to check your appliances for any issues, and make sure they are working properly. Over time, even small issues or leaks can cause big problems if not found in a timely manner.
3. Watch Your Bill: Looking at your water bill every month, and paying attention to any spikes in water usage. This is a huge red flag that there could be an issue that you have not found yet.
4. Take Action: Once you find a leak, GET IT FIXED! Not making it a priority could be a big mistake, Water can cause more damage by the minute, and then the wet area can begin mold growth.

Call SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties for any water damage you may come across!

Fire Extinguisher Usage

6/4/2020 (Permalink)

Whether it is your home or your business, it is important for you and everyone in the area to know where a fire extinguisher is, and how to use it. While we hope you never have a reason to use it, here is an easy way to remember how to properly use it: PASS

• PULL the pin.
• AIM the nozzle or hose at the base of the fire. Make sure to keep the recommended safe distance away from the fire at all times. 
• SQUEEZE the lever to discharge the fire extinguishers agent.
• SWEEP the nozzle or hose from side to side until the fire has been extinguished. Even after it is out, continue around the fire, and make sure all sides are completely out. 

After you have finished, PASS the job to SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties for a great post fire clean. We are able to handle not only the fire extinguisher agent, but also help clean up from the fire, soot, and smoke the fire caused. 

Other SERVPRO Services

6/3/2020 (Permalink)

There are many services that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties offers the local communities’ businesses and homes that not everyone realizes we handle. Besides our basic services that we are mainly known for, some of our specialized services include:

-Air Duct & HVAC Cleaning

-Deceased Animal Removal

-Vandalism & Graffiti Removal

-Biohazard Cleanup

-Home/Business Boardup

-Carpet & Rug Cleaning

-Drapes/Blinds Cleaning

-Odor Removal

-Sewage & Toilet Overflow

-Trauma & Crime Scene Cleaning

-Rebuild & Remodel Services

-Office/Commercial Cleaning & Sanitation

-Car Detailing/Deodorization

-And more!

We know that life happens, and sometimes it is more than we can handle alone. That is when SERVPRO is here to make it “Like it never even happened.” If there is ever a time that you have a situation (or an item) that you are not sure how to handle, give SERVPRO a call, and we can come up with a plan to help!

T.J. Samson Community Health - Giving Back

5/13/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties presented lunch to the healthcare workers of T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow, Kentucky on May 12^th, 2020. These brave men and women risk their health on a daily basis for their community, especially in times like now, when sickness is at a all time high. We were happy to also partner with several other local businesses for volunteers and donations.

Sponsors:

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

Phillips IGA

Extreme Fitness of Glasgow/Glass Holdings

Bailey Gibson Buick-GMC

Home Towne Settlement Services, LLC

Monticello Banking Company

Erica Spillman, Realtor

Allstate Insurance Agent: Wilson-Phillips Insurance Agency

Next week, we will also be providing lunch to the rest of the T.J. Samson Healthcare Team at the T.J. Health Pavilion. Even during these tough times, we strive to continue to serve our local communities!

Customer Letter

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

With SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties being considered an essential business, we are currently working with many homes and businesses throughout this unknown and stressful time. While our team is being spread thin to accommodate incoming calls, it is very encouraging to receive a letter letting us know that our customer service and work ethic is being upheld and noticed by our clients! 

"To Whom It May Concern,

We recently had the misfortune of a water heater leak, followed by the subsequent damage that results. Our insurance company selected SERVPRO to dry and to clean the damage and my wife and I opted to allow SERVPRO to repair the damages as well.

We cannot express adequately our immense satisfaction with the way Brian Haire and his team professionally guided us through this trying time in our lives, coupled with the added headache of the COVID-19 stresses; Brian stayed in constant contact with us ad always made himself available to us at any hour of the way if we needed information or had concerns. Brian and his team were very congenial and took the time to pay special attention to each of our repairs. Their work demonstrated an attention to detail that we have no experienced for a long time with hired professionals, going that extra mile in a most efficient manner and their courteous, understanding, and professional approach gave us the confidence that we were getting the best service by gentleman with seasoned expertise in each field of concern with regard with regard to every facet of our repairs.

Brian Haire and his team certainly warrant recognition of the highest order as they have demonstrated themselves to be professional, courteous, and knowledgeable employees of the highest caliber; if they are in line for promotions, pay raises or the like, we would strongly recommend and support such recognition.

We want to express our gratitude and our assurance that we will be commended and most strongly consider SERVPRO Professionals for any future catastrophes that may come our way.

Thank you for Brian Haire and his team, they made an otherwise disastrous time in our lives a blessing." 

COVID 19 Sanitation Cleaning

5/1/2020 (Permalink)

Throughout these unknown times, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor has stayed open for the essential businesses in our counties. It has been our goal as a company to be there the second these brave men and women needed us. 

Throughout these past weeks, we have worked with countless businesses on maintaining cleanliness in their business, along with working to disinfect and sanitize for businesses waiting for the clear to open back up. 

Some of the services that we are currently offering include: 

• Hard Surface Wipe Down - Ensuring Surface is Clean/Sanitized
• Air Duct Cleaning - Avoid Further Circulation
• Fogging/Misting - Covering All Areas of Building
• Air Scrubbers - Removing Germs from Air

Call SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties for all your cleaning and sanitizing needs! 

Home and Business Roof Maintenance

4/30/2020 (Permalink)

Throughout the lifetime of your roof, it goes through regular wear and tear. But there are several things you can do over the years to help prolong life of your roof.

Check for Normal Wear and Tear

While your roof will eventually wear out, there may be times where there slight damage that can be easily fixed before it becomes worse. Twice a year, take the time to inspect your roof for any issues, so that you can have them repaired before it becomes a major issue. Also, do not forget to check on previous repairs.

Maintain Gutters

Gutters are important for a roof to properly drain, and remove water during rainstorms. Check that gutters are properly installed, and secure. It is also a good idea to semi-annually clean them for the best drainage possible.

Check for Storm Damage

After any storms blow through, check for any damage that it could have been caused issues for your home or businesses roof. This includes missing shingles, damaged shingles, or any flashing that has come loose.

Keep Your Roof Clean

Having items or debris on your roof can cause extra stress, and issues. Keep an eye on your roof in case there are any buildups of limbs or leaves. Having these items on your roof can also cause mold or mildew to begin growth, and can cause erosion.

While these tips may seem time consuming, it is important to take preventive measures to prolong the life of your roof. If you notice any issues with your roof, feel free to give SERVPRO a call. We are now providing roofing services, including repairs and replacement. We also have financing options available.

Germs & Viruses Cleaning

4/22/2020 (Permalink)

During this time, you might be wondering what you can do to prevent germs from spreading throughout your home. This is especially important if you have an essential employee that is out and about during the day, and your potential of being exposed is heightened. Here are some areas of your home that you can focus on regularly cleaning, to ensure germs are taken care of:

• Tabletops
• Touch Points on Chairs
• Counter Tops
• Cabinet Handles
• Doorknobs
• Light Switches
• Fridge, Sink and Microwave Door Handles
• Bathroom Sink Hardware
• Toilets/Toilet Handle
• Sinks
• Remotes
• Phones
• Keys
• Car Door Handles
• Handrails
• Computer/Laptop
• Tablets
• Touch Screens

Another tip is to launder items worn outside the home in hot water as soon as they enter into the home. This will help kill germs and cut down the likelihood of them traveling across other parts of the home.

If your home has been infected by any germs or viruses, give us a call for a quote on cleaning your space. Our technique is even able to kill germs on walls, and ceilings!

Grilling Safety Tips

4/5/2020 (Permalink)

It is finally springtime! Now that the weather is becoming prettier, many families are spending more time outdoors, and are starting to fire up their grills after a long, wet winter. Here are some ways that you can make sure your grill is safe against any mishaps these spring and summer seasons!

• Grill away from any structure.
• Make sure your grill is on a stable surface.
• Keep your grill clean.
• Check for propane leaks.
• If the flame goes out, wait five minutes before relighting.
• Keep an eye on what is going on around the grill.
• Be cautious when using a charcoal starter fluid.
• Do not wear loose clothing or clothing that can dangle into the flames.
• Be prepared to put out a fire if the need arises.

Implementing these tactics are a great way to reduce the chance of having major issues with your grill throughout the grilling season!

We are Cleaning Experts

3/24/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Here to Help during this time of need

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

Specialized Training

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

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

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

Specialized Products

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

Call Today for a Proactive Cleaning

If your home or business needs deep cleaning services, call the experts today – SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, 270-659-0067.

Sources:

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

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

Protecting Your Home From Water Damage On Vacation

3/6/2020 (Permalink)

When going on vacation, you are always in a hurry to get out the door and hit the road. But take time the week leading up to leaving to make preventative measures against any water issues that may arise while no one is there.

Preform a Visual Inspection

This includes checking your windows, pipes, and large appliances.

Windows- Look for any leaks around the window, and check to ensure that the seals are in good condition.

Pipes- Along with broken pipes, also check and make sure there are no signs of weakness in the metal, like rust or cracks.

Appliances- Inspect hoses that run in and out of appliances for weak sections, tears, or kinks. This includes dishwashers, refrigerators, and water heaters. Doing this can also help find and prevent any slow leaks from happening without your knowledge.

Guard Against the Elements

If leaving during the colder months, leave your thermostat set to low, but never turn off the heat completely. This prevents any water pipes from freezing and bursting. Also, take the time to insulate any outdoor pipes, or any in the garage.

Enlist Backup

If possible, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to stop by and check on the house a few times while you are gone. This ensures that if there is an issue, it is quickly found and taken care of.

While you may not want to take the time to take these preventative measures, it could be the difference between arriving home to a disaster, and being able to enjoy being in the comforts of home.

March Theme of the Month

3/3/2020 (Permalink)

March Theme of the Month

With the world becoming increasingly more digital and online based, how we communicate has changed drastically over the years. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties strives to keep up with the constant changes, and continue to serve our clients in the best, fastest ways possible. Some of the ways we do this is how we go the EXTRA mile to keep all parties involved in a claim informed of what is going on.

One of the ways we serve our agents and adjusters is by sending daily job notes about what is going on during their job. This way, we are constantly communicating what is going well, and what still needs to be worked on at a job site.

For our clients, we have one of our Project Coordinators call each client daily, to ensure that there are no questions going unanswered, and to let them know what is going on within their home.

At the end of each job we do, we then have a COS (certificate of satisfaction) signed, and we get rated on how well we do. As a company, we take these ratings seriously, and want every person to feel confident enough to give us 10/10!

Pet Fire Safety

2/12/2020 (Permalink)

Pet Fire Safety

While home fires are the most common disaster in the United States, they are also the most preventable. There are many reasons why a fire could start, but did you know that over 1,000 home fires a year are caused by a family pet?

While you may not have thought about this before, there are steps you can take to avoid issues arising:

Extinguish Open Flames- Pets are curious and will investigate cooking appliances and fires in your home. Do not leave an open flame with your pets near, and make sure to double check you have put out a flame before leaving your home.

Invest in Flameless Candles- Instead of a flame, these candles have a bulb. This takes the danger out of a curious nose, or a tail getting into the flame.

Secure Young Pets- When there is a flame or a hot surface, keep animals confined and away from the danger. You can do this in a crate, or even behind a baby gate.

Helping Firefighters:

Keep pets near entrances of the home, where firefighters can easily grab them in case of an emergency. Also, always have their leash near the house entrance.

Attach a “pet alert” sign to your front window with the number of pets inside. This can help the firefighters get in and out quickly, and efficiently.

Learn more at: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/pet-fire-safety.html

February Theme of the Month

2/7/2020 (Permalink)

Along with keeping your pipes insulated, keep your drink insulated too!

February Theme of the Month

Each month, our franchise has a theme of what we will focus on. This month, we are working hard to help warn everyone about the dangers of having frozen pipes and want to remind everyone what they can do to prevent an issue from arising. Not only can a frozen water pipe bust and cause water issues, if not taken care of property, it can also cause mold issues to come about. Through the rest of the winter, it is important to take precautionary actions against these issues.

Some things you can do to avoid a busted pipe is:

• Keeping garage doors closed
• Opening cabinet doors
• Removing water hoses from outdoor faucets
• Letting water drip
• Keeping thermostat the same, both day and night
• Keep pipes properly wrapped

Using a few of these tips will greatly decrease the chances of you finding an accident in your home!

The Facts About Mold & The Odor it Causes

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

When it comes to your home or business, mold is one thing you never want to come across. While the sight is enough to make you run, the smell is often just as unpleasant. While the odor is often putrid, it is often how you find the mold in the first place. While it is unpleasant to smell, it is a good thing when you locate the mold before it begins to develop uncontrollably.

Mold often hides in dark, unused places. Some of these include basements, garages, attics, crawlspaces, or even under your kitchen cabinets. It also quickly grows on food items (I bet you can find some in your fridge at work!).

Here are some more facts about mold:

Clues Your Nose Can Pick Up

· The smell is typically the first thing that people notice in their homes or businesses. It has a musty, pungent odor. Some people describe it as wet socks, the outdoors after a strong rain, or even rotting wood. It has an earthy undertone.

Why it Stinks

· Once mold hits a certain stage in growth, it begins to release mycotoxins into the air. This is an organic compound is a collection of the different items fungus is consuming to continue to multiply.

How To Get Rid of It

· When there is a chance of there being a mold outbreak in your home or business, it is best to have a professional check it out. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties are now offering mold testing, where we can find out exactly what you are dealing with in 3-5 business days. Having this data will help you make an informed decision about what your next step should be.

Now Offering - Roof Repair and Replacement

2/2/2020 (Permalink)

During many of our water, mold or fire losses, there are items or surfaces that are damaged beyond repair. After we get done with our portion, it is time to repair the area and make it “Like it never even happened.” When we first opened, we noticed a big need for home and business owners to have help figuring out what to do next. That’s when we started looking into helping fill this void.

Soon after, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties opened their rebuild department to be able to handle rebuild jobs. While these started with our customers that had mitigation services completed, it has quickly grown to customers that are just looking for remodeling or repairs on their homes or businesses.

Up to this point, we have only been providing services inside the home. With the growing amount of calls we have received regarding roofs, the rebuild department has now added roofing services! We are able to bid roof repairs, along with full roof replacements. Give us a call at 270-659-0067 for more information and to discuss financing options!

SERVPRO 2019 F1rst Responders Bowl

1/12/2020 (Permalink)

The 10^th edition of the F1rst Responder Bowl was played on December 30^th, 2019 by the Western Michigan Broncos versus our local Western Kentucky Hilltoppers! After the 2018 F1rst Responders Bowl was cancelled within the first quarter, we were excited to see the turnout for the 2019 game. We were especially excited when the contenders were announced, and Western made the cut!

The F1rst Responder Bowl is proud to help celebrate local first responders and treat them and their families to a night at the field. SERVPRO franchises from around the country donate their time, money, and tickets to provide fun for these brave heroes. We are thankful for each and every one of their many sacrifices to make our country a safer place!

After a close, great game… Western pulled out the win 23-20! Congratulations!

Factory Cleaning Job

1/10/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties recently completed a cleaning of a baking factory. This local factory had just added on 150,000 square feet to their existing building, along with new equipment for that area.

We were hired by the factory to completely a 4-week project to clean the space to the factory’s standard. The factory also did not want their daily production to be impacted by our presence, and because of this, we worked night shifts. We arrived at 5pm and worked until 3am, 7 days a week, until the job was completed. Doing this, we also finished ahead of schedule, at 3 weeks.

With SERVPRO providing so many different services, we are able to make many accommodations for our clients. We understand the struggles of running a business around workers and construction, and we strive to make the process as easy and stress free as possible.

Call us at 270-659-0067 for more information!

Not all Storm Damage is Created Equal!

1/8/2020 (Permalink)

During the summer and into the fall, Kentucky experiences a lot of different types of weather. Some types are a lot harsher than others, but often times these storms bring heavy rain, flooding, and tornadoes. In our area, we can even experience rain and storming from hurricanes traveling up the coast.

Any of these types of storms can cause issues to your home or business. No matter what happens, is it important to know the different types of damage that could be caused by a storm.

Wind Damage: Most of the time, this involved your roof. This could be anything from a few shingles, to your entire roof gone. Even if there are an only a few shingles missing, you need to have a professional come out to take a look, as it can cause large leaks in your home. This can even lead to mold being developed if not quickly dried out.

Flooding Damage: With many caves, and lowlands around Kentucky, it is easy for homes, basements, road and driveways to flood. After the flooding is ceasing, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties can help you dry out, and rebuild your life back.

Lighting Damage: If a bolt of lightning strikes your home or business, it can cause a fire to quickly start. It does this through the static discharge it gives off when running through the home.

You can also read about the difference between a storm warning and a watch here.

Downtime means lost $$$!

1/7/2020 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, we understand that when a commercial building is struck by disaster, the longer it is closed, the more money is lost. We understand how important it is to get onsite and begin mitigating the issue quickly and efficiently.

A lot of the times, it is also not just important that the building itself be put back together, but also the materials and equipment used on a daily basis.

We have the ability to save items like office furniture, desks, and even documents through Document Restoration. When dealing with a situation like this, our first goal is to restore items rather than replace them. This helps keep costs down for both you and your insurance company. If an item can be saved or restored, it is worth the time that it takes to do so.

We also value great customer service for our clients. Our goal is to be onsite within 4 hours to help minimize damage and begin working with you to find out what where the most important place to start is, and what we need to make #1 priority.

Every commercial business is difference in terms of what their daily needs are. Whether you are a factory, a mom and pop business, a catering service, a hairdresser, or a business run out of your home, we can take care of any situation. We can make it “Like it never even happened,” and make sure your business is back up and running in a timely manner!

Garage Mold Prevention

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

Now that it’s the New Year, it’s time to celebrate by preventing a disaster from happening to your home!

One of the easiest places for mold to begin growing is in the garage. Mold loves a moist, humid climate with little sunlight or ventilation. Your garage has all of the conditions, and it is also somewhere you may not pay as much attention to. Here are some things to do in your garage to ensure the mold stays away this year:

• Look for leaks – Inspect all areas, including the roof, floor, gutters, and pipes. If there are any problem areas, fix them as soon as possible.
• Seal garage door – Check to see if the weather stripping is old and torn, and if so, replace immediately. This will help keep the weather out and keep moisture down.
• Decrease humidity – Since garages naturally have a high humidity reading (typically over 50%), it is important to control this as well as you can. Take the time to use vents and fans to help, and another tip is to leave the garage door open a few sunny hours a day. You can also continually use a dehumidifier to keep the levels down.
• Install waterproof walls – If building or remodeling your garage, you can use mold resistant drywall, as well as waterproof paint. This will cut down on the amount of water retained in the area. You can also use pre-coated aluminum or vinyl siding for even more protection against mold growth.
• Remove standing water – Hopefully, you find none of this in your garage, but if you do, remove with a mop, and let dry as quickly as possible. This will eliminate the source for mold growth.
• Extend gutter downspouts – Gutters and downspouts are the home's first reference of keeping water out of the home itself. Make sure that your downspouts extend at least 10 feet away from the home. This will help redirect the water away from the garage foundation.
• Use waterproof storage – Water is attracted to cardboard, paper, normal drywall, and other porous materials. Using plastic or metal storage containers will help keep water from sticking around in your garage. It also helps keep items inside clean and mold free.

After doing these tips, mold will have a much harder time growing in your garage. If you find any issues that have begun, give us a call at our SERVPRO office at 270-659-0067, and we can come out and preform a mold test to find out exactly what is going on!

Emergency Wash for Fire Damage

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

When a fire is in your home, even if it is promptly put out, the smoke can quickly move room to room and cover a large area with smoke and soot. When this happens, your items can quickly become dirty and unusable until properly cleaned. This is often times hard for families where every room in the home has soot in it or smells like smoke, as they might not have enough clean clothes for the time it takes their items to be processed in out Contents Warehouse.

Noticing this need, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is now doing Emergency Washes to remove this issue.

When soft contents are brought to our warehouse, they are processed as the come in. So, when a new claim comes in, it may take a couple of days before they start the washing process. With an emergency wash, we have homeowners pick out some of their clothes/blankets/towels or any other items they need washed immediately, and we get them done ASAP. In certain instances, we have even had employees wash contents late into the night, so our clients can have their items as soon as possible.

While this is not always necessary, many times it is the best options for families who just need enough of their belongings cleaned to get through a week or two.

While we cannot rush wash an entire household of items, being able to quickly process the basic necessities puts our client’s minds at ease and takes some stress out of the situation. It also cuts down on costs to replace or buy new items until their contents have been fully returned.

January Theme of the Month

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

January Theme of the Month 

Each month, our Marketing Team has a theme we call go by and promote. These themes are based on the weather, time of year, and other things that may be going on within the SERVPRO world.

The first month of this year we are bringing it back to the basics, and talking about how we want to be your FIRST thought when you have any type of disaster cleanup, or even any type of cleaning you do not know how to do. We are best known for our fire and water cleanup, but we can also do mold, rebuild projects, biohazard, hoarding, HVAC cleanings, and much more.

For our insurance clients, let us be the FIRST on site to check out the damage. We can be your eyes and ears, qualify the situation and help your customers make the best decisions possible. The longer it sits, the worse it gets. Call us as soon as you know there is a problem!

Give your local representative a call today: Vicky Matthews, 270-670-2575

Biohazard Cleanup

1/5/2020 (Permalink)

Most of the general public does not realize we do biohazard cleanup as well as fire, water, and mold remediation. “Biohazard Cleanup” is considered:

• Unattended Death Clean Up
• Blood Clean Up
• Homicide and Suicide Clean Up
• Crime Scene Clean Up
• Industrial Accidents
• Animal Clean Up
• Hoarding Situations
• Body Fluids
• Microbiological and Pathological Waste
• And More

We are proud to have a trained staff on hand that can handle trauma that normally occurs in any biohazard situations. When we are called to work on a job site like this, we take every precaution to stay discrete and be very respectful of any situation. We are even able to work at nighttime so looking eyes do not become a problem.

Give us a call for more information and see how we can assist you during this hard time. Our goal is to help ease the heartache you are feeling and be respectful of all parties involved.

Trauma, Crime Scene, Vandalism, and Graffiti Cleanup

1/3/2020 (Permalink)

Did you know that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties offer trauma, crime scene, vandalism, and graffiti cleanup? These are services that many people do not know who to turn to when it happens but needs taken care of as soon as possible when it does. It is also one of the most stressful times in their lives, and at SERVPRO we try our best to improve the situation.

Trauma & Crime Scene:

• When there is a crime scene, as soon as the police are done with their investigation, we are able to come in and restore the area. SERVPRO will dispose of any pathogens or bodily fluids that are found at the scene. After the cleaning is finished, we will also deodorize the area and make sure.

Vandalism & Graffiti:

• While both vandalism and graffiti are very upsetting to home or business owners, SERVPRO is here to help. It is also very important to get it taken care of as quickly as possible. If you have any broken windows in your home, it is important to get these repaired or tarped quickly, so a rainstorm or snowstorm does not cause interior damage. Calling for help as soon as you find the damage is the best way to minimize the issue.

Snow Damage

1/2/2020 (Permalink)

While our winter in 2019-2020 has been fairly mild so far, it does not mean that it is not going to turn nasty by springtime. Before we get snow, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties want to warn everyone about the risk of snow potentially turning into a water loss.

While it typically takes a few days for the snow to melt after a large snowstorm, it can still cause a leak in your foundation once that starts happening. With there being existing or new cracks, it is easy for trapped water to slowly seep in. This also happens quite a bit when the ground is still frozen, since it cannot absorb any water that needs draining. It is important when there is snow present to keep watch, and make sure your home is well protected.

There are also a couple of other things that can happen when water enters your home or business: odor and mold.

Calling a professional company to come out and take a look when water is present is your best bet at making sure each potential issue is avoided. The longer a loss sits, the worse the damage gets.

Call us at 270-659-0067 for a free estimate on any water loss!

6 Tips for Smoke/Soot Damage Cleanup

12/31/2019 (Permalink)

When you have fire or smoke damage in your home, it is a very overwhelming feeling. Many home or business owners feel at a loss, and just want to have the issue taken care of. One of the first things they typically do is contact their insurance agent for advice, then seek help from a restoration company, whether the loss is covered or not. This is typically when we are contacted and asked for advice. Here are our top tips for when fire damage happens:

*We do want to warn you though, when cleaning up fire or smoke, to do a thorough job on the area, you need specialized training. Calling us at 270-659-0067 for a FREE quote. This is your best bet to ensure both the soot and smell is gone from the building. *

1. Remove Smoke Damage

                During any size fire, there will be smoke damage to the paint, wallpaper, or walls themselves. If it has not been sitting quite a while, or is not very thick, you may be able to take it off with scrubbing, a detergent or bleach. Before you put a mixture with water on the wall, make sure to dust the area and take off as much of the dried particles as possible. This will decrease the amount of sticky residue that will be on the walls once you begin cleaning. Many people will want to paint after this has happened but be sure that the surface is as clean and dry as possible before doing that.

2. Limit Activity in Area

                When you limit the activity in the area, this decreases the amount of soot particles that are tracked through the house, and ground into your flooring. Until you are ready to clean, limit touching items that have dust on them. Touching will move the soot around and make it harder to get off your items.

3. Get Rid of Mold and Mildew

                When a fire happens and firefighters are present, they may introduce water, mold and mildew into the home or business while extinguishing the fire. When this happens, it ads even more layers of issues to deal with. With all of these issues present, it is a good idea to get a professional opinion. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties have specially trained professionals for each of these areas; do not hesitate to ask for an estimate. Until help arrives, air out every room impacted, and cover the vents in the rooms so particles do not travel into your air ducts.

4. Replace Carpers & Clean Hard Flooring

                Since carpets absorb moisture, a lot of the time it is best to completely replace to ensure complete cleanliness of your home or business when water has been used to put out a fire. Water can also absorb into hard wood and underneath vinyl flooring, which can cause even more issues. It is important to get any type of flooring dry as quickly as possible.

If you are finding more and more issues when cleaning your flooring, give SERVPRO a call, and we can come help. We even have a floor drying system we can place that can save your real hard wood floors in a water loss situation.

5. Avoid Smearing Soot Into Clothing

                One of the hardest things to clean after a fire loss is textiles (clothing, drapes, curtains, blankets, etc.). Be sure you do not scrub the items or throw them into a regular washing machine. You can call a local dry cleaner and ask what they suggest doing, or you can give us a call and we can do an emergency wash on items you need immediately. We have the Esporta Wash System in house, which can wash much more than a regular washing machine and can take out soot and smoke smell.

6. Scrub, Soak and Clean Dishes

                Your dishes can potentially be some of the most expensive items in your home, and something you do not want to have to replace. You also want to have these 100% clean, simply because they are what touch your food. To clean them, let them first soak in a solution of water and bleach (2 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water) for 20 minutes. Then scrub the items. If this does not take out the smell or the soot itself, cut your losses and toss out the item. NOTE: wooden items are probably not salvageable, since they will soak up water during the soaking process.

For more information, feel free to contact us at 270-659-0067 and we can have someone come out and give you a free quote. Let us make it “Like it never even happened.”

December Theme of the Month

12/30/2019 (Permalink)

December Theme of the Month

With so many holidays celebrated this month, our theme of the month during December was focused on being safe during the holidays. With this time of year being so busy, it is easy for things to slip through the cracks, and we need to remember to take precautions against disasters.

With the number of houses fires this time of year skyrocketing, one of the biggest ways you can prevent a disaster this season is making sure you are continually watering your live Christmas Tree. Follow this link below that shows how quickly your tree can go up in flames when not properly watered:

https://interestingengineering.com/video/this-video-shows-how-your-dry-christmas-tree-can-cause-a-deadly-house-fire

Another thing you can do is before putting your décor items up this year, inspect cords for any tears, breaks or rips. Going ahead and tossing those items will ensure your families safety for next year!

We hope everyone had a great Holiday Season, and we are excited for what is to come in 2020!

Pet Carpet Cleaning Tips

11/4/2019 (Permalink)

Every indoor pet has occasional accidents. For when this happens, you need to be prepared to clean it up as soon as possible!

*REMEMBER: Before cleaning with ANY products, you need to remember to spot test a small area in an inconspicuous spot.*

For Urine Stains: When you find a stain while it is still wet, make sure to blot up any access moisture as quickly as possible. The longer it sits, the worse it will be soaked in the floor, and the farther it will spread. Use clean paper towels to do that. After you get as much as you can up, use a carpet cleaner, or a homemade mixture to soak into the carpet, and start blotting it back up.

Here is a link to a homemade, natural method: https://lifehacker.com/use-vinegar-to-get-rid-of-old-stinky-pet-odors-1520292441

Feces or Dried Stains: Before beginning anything, try to get as much up as possible without pushing it into the carpet even more. After that, use a carpet cleaner, or the above natural mixture to soak the stain. After the stain is sufficiently soaked, let dry for a day, with something covering it where no one will walk through it. After it has dried, use paper towels to gentle remove anymore of the dirt, then vacuum the spot well. This should make the stain “Like it never even happened.”!

If you are not happy with the results of just using a cleaner, call the professionals at 270-659-0067 for a carpet cleaning quote!

November Theme of the Month

11/3/2019 (Permalink)

November Theme of the Month 

With the holidays right around the corner, this begins the time of year when families are spending more time in the kitchen. While most of the time SERVPRO is known for their water cleanup services, a great deal of our calls through the winter months are about different fire or smoke related accidents. When it comes to a claim or self-pay job involving fire, we are able to handle every aspect of what the home owner may need: board up, smoke & soot cleaning, demo, contents inventory and pack out, laundry, soft and hard contents cleaning, & reconstruction. We are able to take you from the beginning stages, all the way to the end. This holiday season let SERVPRO not only be your first call, but your ONLY call. We can handle the rest, and make it “Like it never even happened.”

Q: What is the #1 cause of domestic home fires?

10/29/2019 (Permalink)

A: COOKING!

Fall is the beginning of what many people in the restoration business call “Fire Season”. This is the time of year many people are turning on their fireplaces for the first time, building fires either inside or outside the home, and they are also cooking for large groups more often! Some tips to help keep your kitchen a safe environment without any smoke or fire issues include:

1. Always unplug any countertop appliances when not in use
2. Make sure to keep your stovetop clean and clear
3. Double check everything is off after cooking
4. Immediately wipe up dust or grease from your stove when you notice it
5. Never leave the kitchen while cooking
6. Do not wear loose clothing

It is important not only this time of year, but always, to be careful while using the kitchen. For more information visit: https://www.esfi.org/resource/home-cooking-fire-prevention-tips-619

STORM - Chicago, Illinois 2019

10/17/2019 (Permalink)

There were just a few of the beautiful homes we were able to assist!

The past few weeks, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has been traveling for Storm in Chicago, Illinois!

Over the past few weeks, our team has assisted 22 homes in being torn and dried out for a local contractor to come in and put everything back. When a microburst hits an area like this, it is hard for the local franchises to handle the huge workload that is called into them. This is when they call in backup, and other SERVPRO’s travel to assist in the cleanup.

While this is always a very stressful time for home or business owners, there is no better feeling than seeing professionals available to help put their lives back together quickly, and efficiently.

Even after 3 weeks time, we still have people in Chicago finishing up jobs. At this point, they are waiting on homes to finish drying, they are answering questions, putting together documents, and much more. While our team is ready to be home, this part of the job is always very rewarding.

October Theme of the Month

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

Ask your local marketing representative for a pink, Breast Cancer Awareness pen!

October Theme of the Month

Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on raising awareness of this worthy cause, and also talking about prevention against problems in your home.

When you have a history of breast cancer, it if very important to do regular checkups, and screenings to prevent any problems from going unnoticed.

The same concept applies to your home or business. We have a “Property Screening” tool that is a free service for any of the local businesses in our area, called the Emergency Ready Profile. These profiles only take about an hour to complete, and you have a professional evaluating your property for potential issues.

This is also a great time of year to do a “policy checkup” on all of your properties or items that are insured. Double checking that you have enough coverage is very important in case any time of disaster strikes.

Using Technology During Storm Season

9/13/2019 (Permalink)

Being September, we are right in the middle of Hurricane Season for the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico (June 1^st-November 30^th). Because of this, it is important to use technology to help stay up to date on the weather and keep your family safe.

Store Important Documents Online

There are many different paid and free services where you can store word documents and PDF’s. A couple of these include Dropbox and Google Drive.

Ready.Gov suggested to upload insurance policies, identification for each family member, important medical records, and any information you may need on your pets. Even if you never need these documents during a Storm Event, they still may come in handy in day-to-day life.

Follow News Outlets

Take the time to set up automatic alerts on your phone or iPad to send you the latest Storm updated. Many areas also have text message alerts that would be texted to your phone, even if you are not connected to internet.

Mark Yourself Safe

The American Red Cross has a Facebook program where you can “Make Yourself Safe” in major disasters. This is a quick way to let your family and friends know that you are okay and ease their worries.

Get in Touch

Make sure you have up to date phone numbers in your phone for all emergency outlets. Also have a paper copy somewhere easy to access in your home.

Charge Up

Even when it isn’t Storm Season, always keep a phone charger with you. This can really help you out in a pinch!

For more information, visit ready.gov!  

SERVPRO Now Doing Mold Testing

9/10/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has been handling mold jobs since we opened. While we have been certified to clean up since the beginning, we are now able to do the testing! 

We can have a manager come to your home or business, collect samples, send them off, and get results within about a week. These results will not only tell you that you have mold, but also what type(s) that are present. It will also give you information about the types of mold, and what they can cause. This is great information to have when you are making decisions about your home or business. 

If you have anymore questions about this process, feel free to give us a call at 270-659-0067!  

September Theme of the Month

9/6/2019 (Permalink)

#BeReady #PreparedNotScared

September Theme of the Month 

Do not leave your safety to chance. Plan ahead this September during National Preparedness Month! 

• Create an escape route from your home and business.  
• Sign up for local weather alerts to be sent to your phone.
• Put together an Emergency Contact List.
• SERVPRO also offers a free program for businesses called the Emergency Ready Profile. Contact Vicky Matthews for more information at 270-670-2575.
• Take the time to put together an Emergency Kit. Below are some items to add:

3 days’ worth of food, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, whistle, face masks, plastic gloves, wipes, can opener, flashlights, duct tape, garbage bags, extra medications, checks/cash, change of clothes, file of important docs, blankets, fire extinguisher, toilet paper, local map, full gas can, extra phone charger and extra pet supplies.

#TipTuesday - Lamp Shades

8/27/2019 (Permalink)

This #TipTuesday is about an item that is in each of our homes, lamp shades. 

Have you ever looked at your lamp and realized how much dust has built up and been annoyed at not knowing how to clean it? The answer is simple: lint rollers. Simply go over each area a few times, and the paper will pick up most of the dust/dirt it has collected over time. For the harder to reach places, use duct tape or regular tape.

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For more tips and tricks, follow our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SERVPRO9750, or find us on Instagram @SERVPROTEAMELKINS! 

If you have anymore questions on cleaning, or need to schedule a free quote on your home or property, reach our to us at 270-659-0067. 

Holy Moldy!

8/20/2019 (Permalink)

Even though it’s August, the hot, muggy weather has not slowed down! Here in Kentucky, many home or business owners have noticed discoloration in their buildings. This discoloration could be the growth of a four-letter word no one likes to here: MOLD.

With all the rain and heat we have experienced this summer, many dark, damp places have had the perfect opportunity for growth. In the photo to the right, this corner of a crawlspace had not been checked for mold in quite a while. After our crew got to work, and reached the back corner, they found that this damage was significantly worse than they thought.

Even if you have a tight, small crawlspace, it is important to check it out often. When you catch the problem in the early stages, it is much easier to fix then when it has escalated to this extent.

Q: How long does it take for mold to start developing?

8/18/2019 (Permalink)

A: within 72 hours.

After water enters your home, what is your next move? If there is not a lot of visible water, many times people decide to try to fix it themselves. While some things might be able to be taken care of at home, if you do not get the area 100% dried, something that many people do not think about will start developing in the next few days: mold.

With mold development beginning within 3 days, when you have water damage, you need to take care of it quickly. Because of this, mold is something that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties deal with almost daily. With our climate being rather muggy at times, the moisture in the air can also be enough to trigger growth.

If you believe you have mold in your home or business, give us a call to schedule a quote. We have trained professionals on staff who can help plan the best course of action against the growth!

Home Fire Prevention

8/17/2019 (Permalink)

Almost half of home fires originate in the kitchen area of the home, which 66% of are started with food or other cooking materials burning. With these numbers being so high, it is important to take precautions and constantly be paying attention when anyone is in the kitchen cooking.

Below are seven things to “Be” when in the kitchen:

Be Timely- use a timer to avoid burning food.

Be Smart- use all appliances properly, and check cords regularly for fraying. Also, make sure to never put metal in the microwave.

Be Proactive- Purchase a fire extinguisher for your kitchen, and make sure everyone in the home knows how to use it.

Be Restrictive- restrict children from being in the kitchen without supervision, and make sure any pets will not get underfoot and cause issues.

Be Clean- make sure to wipe up spills on any cooking surfaces. These spills are a great course for a fire to begin. While your stove and counter top are obvious places to watch, don’t forget the crumbs in the bottom of your toaster!

Be Careful- Do not wear long sleeves, as they can easily get dripped in your cooking and make a mess. Also pull back long hair and throw trash away as soon as possible so it does not get on any hot surfaces.

Be Present- The #1 cause of fires is the person cooking stepping out of the kitchen. If you need to leave for any reason, turn off appliances until you return. 

Other sources: 

https://flsamerica.com/blog/7-simple-steps-to-protecting-your-home-from-kitchen-fires-2/

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Top-fire-causes/Cooking

Storm Warning vs. Storm Watch

8/13/2019 (Permalink)

With it being mid-August, we are in the midst of Hurricane Season (June 1^st-November 30^th). With this being the case, there will be many different degrees of storms developing on the coast and in the gulf over the next few months. While these storms do not make their way up into Kentucky, we do receive some of their backlash in the form of rain and thunderstorms. While they are not near as dangerous as what we see on the coasts, severe weather is always to be taken seriously. In the coming months, there will be many different alerts and alarms going out about various weather developments. Two of these are “Storm Watch” and “Storm Warning”. But, do you know the difference between these two?

Watch

When a watch is going on, this means that it is very likely that severe weather could quickly develop.

Warning

Somewhere nearby, a storm has developed, and they are expecting more outbursts in the area.

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While both of these warning should be taken seriously, knowing the difference is important for everyone to know!

https://www.weather.gov/safety/thunderstorm-ww

#TipTuesday - Kitchen Sponges

8/13/2019 (Permalink)

This #TipTuesday is brought to you by the germs in your KITCHEN SPONGE! 

When you are washing dishes or wiping down your counter tops, do you ever think about how fresh the sponge you are using is? While you should regularly replace your sponges, it is very easy to disinfect your current one and make it last a little longer. 

All you have to do is soak the sponge in water, and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Then open the microwave, and let cool down before touching. You can also add some lemon juice to make the kitchen smell fresh! 

When storing your sponge, never put it away while wet. If it is wet in your cabinet, it can not only sprout mold, but spread mold onto everything else in the area! 

How We Stay Organized

8/8/2019 (Permalink)

These are the pods that items are safely packed into for storage!

When it comes to storing contents for a long amount of time, you want to know that your items are safe, and being well taken care of. We get a lot of questions about how we keep everyone’s items separate through both the cleaning and storing process.

We have three commercial warehouses on our property. Two warehouses are where dirty items are taken: one for storage and one for cleaning. In the cleaning warehouse, there are ONLY ONE CUSTOMER’S ITEMS AT A TIME. This ensures that any items that are yours will not get mixed in with another clients.

After they are clean, they are then brought into our “Clean Items” warehouse where delicate items are wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in pods. These pods have barcodes on them which tells us who they belong to. Doing it this way does a couple of things, it ensures that the items stay clean during storage, it makes sure there are no mix ups between customers, and it makes it very simple to find your items the second your home or business are ready for their return. 

Construction Cleanup

8/8/2019 (Permalink)

After building your home or business, there is always a lot of dust, dirt and trash that is still hanging around. Did you know that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties can help take care of this problem? We have cleaning crews that can come in and clean both inside and outside to help make the building usable as quickly as possible. Some of the many services are listed below, you can add or take away any service that your property may not need:

Interior: trash and plastic coverings removal, widow washing, wall dusting, wall cleaning, door cleaning, air duct/HVAC cleaning, kitchen appliances, cabinets (inside and out), counter tops, trip, ceiling fan/lights and more.

Exterior: Outside of windows and doors, doorway, sidewalks, porches, pressure washing, all loose trash, exterior lighting, and more.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call and see if we can make it “Like it never even happened.”

WARNING: Excessive Heat 7/18-7/21

7/18/2019 (Permalink)

Over the next several days, there has been an Excessive Heat Warning declared for Central Kentucky. This means that the temperature will be ranging from 100-110 degrees each afternoon, and that prolonged periods in this temperature are very dangerous. This impacts anyone who will be working, exercising or playing outdoors during this time. This also means that car interiors will be rising to lethal temperatures within minutes.

Drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun, check on your neighbors and the elderly, and either bring your pets inside or make sure they have a cool shady spot to hang out in. It is also important for all animals to have plenty of cool, fresh water. If possible, delay any outdoor activities until it has cooled down, or move them until the morning time.

Take caution over the weekend, and make sure you take note of any signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke!

Guns 'N Hoses 6th Annual Blood Drive Winner

7/12/2019 (Permalink)

Van Robarts presenting the winning plaque to the fire department!

Each year SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties partner with the fire and police departments and the American Red Cross called the Guns 'N Hoses Blood Drive. With 2019 being our 6th year of this partnership, we are excited to announce that the FIRE DEPARTMENT has finally one the competition again! After winning our first drive, they had fallen short to the police department for 5 years straight. We are excited for them, and cannot thank both departments enough for supporting this great cause. 

Even when we are not hosting the drive, it is very important to continue to give blood throughout the year. With someone needing a transplant every 2 seconds, hospitals are continually spread thin. Take the time to help Save A Life! 

#SaveALife #AmericanRed Cross #FireDepartment #PoliceDepartment 

July Theme of the Month

7/3/2019 (Permalink)

July Theme of the Month

We are constantly striving to educate business owners along with the public on all the services that SERVPRO can provide them. After a disaster strikes, 50% of businesses do not ever reopen. SERVPRO wants to change that number. By assisting businesses ahead of time, we are able to prepare you to handle whatever life may throw at you.

After scheduling an appointment, our trained staff walks you through your building and puts together a profile of key information. It is then delivered to you to keep on hand. We will also periodically reach out to ensure all the information is still up to date.

Another way we are here to help minimize damage for both residential and commercial is our emergency 1-4-8 rule:

• 1 Hour to call the customer
• 4 Hours to be on site looking at damage
• 8 Hours to have a verbal briefing

4th of July Fire Safety Tips

7/2/2019 (Permalink)

It’s that time of year again! Many people are already setting off fireworks in preparation of 4^th of July weekend. But are you taking the proper precautions when shooting them off? With fireworks starting an average of 18,500 fires a year, it is important to take cautions when using them this holiday weekend. See below for some of the top tips on how to prevent sparks from flying:

1. Avoid fireworks that are packaged in brown paper: they are only like that for displays.
2. Always have adult supervision, especially when allowing kids to play with sparklers!
3. Back up as far as you can after lighting any fireworks.
4. Never point or throw fireworks at people.
5. Keep water on hand in case of accidents. Also douse used fireworks in water before throwing them away.
6. Do not allow young children to play with or light fireworks.
7. Do not shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
8. Do not touch fireworks that have not fully ignited.
9. Never stand above fireworks when lighting.
10. Make sure it is legal to shoot off fireworks in your area before purchasing or using them.

Follow these tips for a fun and safe 4^th of July celebration!

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Fireworks

https://www.allprodad.com/10-fireworks-safety-tips/

June Theme of the Month

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

June Theme of the Month 

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties Marketing Theme of the Month is focused on all of the technology we use throughout the process of a job going through our system.

All aspects of our process are:

Cloud Based

App Driven

Being app and cloud based, it makes several aspects of our job easier. All jobs are electronically tracked to ensure accurate record of work and billing can be verified. All is also signed on iPhones or iPads, and is instantly sent to our customer's emails. Data is uploaded in real time from each job, so everyone can know exactly what is going on in the mitigation process. Even our Marketing Department is digital. Notes are accessible about clients, jobs, and referral at the office, or while our representatives are on the road.

What causes mold growth?

5/7/2019 (Permalink)

When you find water in your home, no matter situation, it is a terrible feeling and not a fun process to go through. When you’re in this situation, often people try to take care of the problems themselves. When considering this, think about something else water could cause if the damage is taken care of in a professional manner: MOLD.

There are a lot of types of mold out there, and no one likes finding them. One of SERVPRO’s most common calls is from a business owner or homeowner that has discovered suspect mold in their home, and would like to know what it is.  

The category of mold that most people are familiar with is black mold. It can grow in many places. It is most often found in warm, dark, damp places. This could be in an attic, basement, bathroom or more. While you may not have ever experienced any water damage or leaks, only the moisture from the Earth can cause enough water for the spores to start growing. Mold begins growing within 72 hours of the water contact, so it is important to check your home regularly to catch any signs early. 

May Theme of the Month

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

May Theme of the Month:

During the month of May, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on what we deal with most often: Water.

Even most fire jobs also include some type of water cleanup. Typically, when a fire happens, fire fighters spray water on the flames, which causes water damage to happen on top of the fire and soot.

If these water issues are not professionally taken care of, they can cause mold to begin growth

When water issues are detected, it typically takes 3-5 continuous days to dry out the space

Tips to Avoid Water Losses:

• Regularly replace refrigerator, washing machine and dishwasher hoses
• Look under these appliances often for signs of a slow leak
• Regularly check your basement for water leaks
• Look for random water usage spikes on your bill
• Make sure downspouts are directed away from your home or business

9 Things To Do When Moving

4/8/2019 (Permalink)

It’s time to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring! Now that it is warming up, it’s the time of year many people are buying and selling real estate. Below are 9 of the top moving tips:

1. Change the locks: Over the years, most home owners at one time will have had to give a key out to a neighbor or friend. Putting in new locks is the easiest way there are not keys floating around to your home!
2. Change the alarm batteries: This ensures you know exactly how long the batteries have been used and you know exactly when to change them again.
3. Review your home inspector’s report: Reviewing the paperwork will alert you of potential problems you might want to take care of before completely moving in, or filing the papers away.
4. Find your circuit breaker: Find it when you first move it, so you are never trying to locate it in the dark.
5. Deal with any water problems: Water issues can quickly evolve into mold problems. Taking care of them early ensures you do not have to deal with this later!
6. Caulk everything: If you notice areas that could use caulking again, do it before you unpack. It is much easier this way!
7. Plan your emergency exits: Doing this early ensures you do not put any furniture in the way if you ever needed to get out fast.
8. Clean your gutters: While this dull task doesn’t take long, it is great to occasionally do, so you do not experience any issues with it later.
9. Get your carpets cleaned: The easiest, cheapest and best way to clean carpets are if the rooms are completely empty. If you have time before the big move, you can schedule a cleaning ahead and have them clean and dry before you and your items arrive at the home!

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/before-you-settle-into-your-new-home-make-these-changes-immediately

April Theme of the Month

4/2/2019 (Permalink)

April Theme of the Month:

Throughout the month of April, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focusing on promoting ALL of our services, and how we are a one-stop-shop when it comes to your home!

While most people recognize us by our green trucks and think “oh, that is the water damage company”, we are much more than that. While that is the most common type of loss we do, we offer many other services. Some of these include:

-Fire/Smoke Remediation

-Tarping and Board up

-Rebuild and Reconstruction

-Carpet Cleaning

Sewage Cleanup

-Mold Remediation

Even though these are drastically different services, we are all ONE BRAND! This month, our representatives are handing out 3-in-1 desk cleaning tools to remind out clients that we are a one-stop-shop in all aspects. We can handle your claim or job from the beginning to the end!

Removing Smoke Smell from a Vehicle

3/27/2019 (Permalink)

One thing that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties can take care of is deodorizing items or things. We had an employee who had purchased a used car. After a couple of weeks, the “new car smell” wore off, and a smoke smell appeared. Being allergic to the smell of cigarette smoke, she was concerned about being in the car.

We used our ozone machine to help her deodorizer. Within a few hours, the smoke smell was completely out of her car, replaced by a neutral smell. A few weeks later, the car was back to smelling like normal. A year later, the smoke smell is still gone, and the employee has still had no issues with her allergies.

Many times, people are unaware of what all SERVPRO can do inhouse. If you ever have a question about if we can do something or not, give us a call at 270-659-0067 and we can have our team take a look at it!

March Theme of the Month

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

March Theme of the Month:

This month SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is focused on educating the public on how we SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY. We are committed to being onsite as quickly as possible when a call comes in to ensure we prevent as much damage as possible. This, in turn, can save the home owner or insurance company a lot of money.

Our goal is to dry your home or business before ripping anything out. Being able to do this not only saves money, but the headache of trying to put your home back together after a loss.

To remind our clients and contacts of how we are trying to SAVE time and money, our representatives are giving out Lifesavers this month!

Car Detailing and Deodorizing

2/26/2019 (Permalink)

Before & After

Did you know that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties can also help with cleaning your vehicle?

We had an employee purchase a new vehicle, and after a few days, noticed it was starting to smell like smoke. This was an issue because of her being allergic to the smell. Within a few hours we had mitigated the smell, and it was completely gone. Months later, the smell has yet to come back.

We also worked on a brand-new truck where a fire extinguisher had gone off in the backseat, covering it with white powder. Overwhelmed, the owner called us for advice. We were able to get the truck completely clean and back to him within a couple of days.

We have also cleaned out two police cruisers where blood was in the floor and on the seats.

While this is not typically something you think about SERVPRO being able to take care of, remember us if you (unfortunately) have any large messes in your vehicles!

Is it important to sleep with your doors closed at night?

2/15/2019 (Permalink)

Photos taken from the link below

One of the things that most parents want is to be able to hear their children during the night. While this is important, it is also important to think in terms if there is a fire during the night. Cold Springs Harbor Fire Department in New York recently posted some photos of two doors that had been through a fire: one was completely charred, the other was only burned around the edges. The charred door was open during a house fire, while the one that was almost perfect was closed the entire time.

While you might not think that closing doors can do very much, looking at this example, you can see how much it slowed down the path of the fire. Even if it bought you just a few minutes, that can be the difference between getting out unharmed or suffering from burns.

https://www.wltx.com/article/news/health/why-fire-departments-are-urging-you-to-sleep-with-your-bedroom-door-shut/67-d6445bfa-79d8-475b-9431-f87bb563d2c3?fbclid=IwAR3o-btNEboXL8Q0OXtDqG7EJrAI7SDPzhcvV7SdWz9Q4eBzdgmlviQ6XGI&jwsource=cl

February Theme of the Month

2/14/2019 (Permalink)

February Theme of the Month: 

With February statistically being the coldest month of the year, it is also typically one of our busiest months of the year.  

Knowing this ahead of time, this is the month of the year we want to focus on prevention. If you are a home or business owner, “winterizing” your properties ahead of time can prevent a lot of damage.

Our Marketing Representatives are giving out hand warmers this month to remind our contacts to not only prevent building damage, but to also prevent damage to themselves. Just like our January theme, SERVPRO wants to be there when you need them. This includes being there when you are spending time outdoors prepping your properties from the cold. Hand warmers are something you might not have on hand, but having one will make your outdoor tasks a breeze!

Another part of our theme for this month is the fact it’s the month of love. We want our relationship to be “NICE AND WARM” our insurance agents, contacts, customers, adjusters, and community.

Polar Vortex 2019

1/31/2019 (Permalink)

After the first half of winter being so mild, it was joked that we completely skipped it this year. The last week of January has shown us something completely different. With a Polar Vortex hitting the United States, temperatures have been extremely low, and in some parts of the county the wind chill has been down to -43 degrees. Schools, colleges and many businesses across the nation are having to shut down because of this cold spell.  

While many other businesses have been closed, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties have been all hands-on deck. With this being an emergency time of the year, we always have a crew ready to assist when things go wrong.

Continue to trickle water through your lines, open cabinets, and try to keep all of your water lines as warm as possible. If you do see that a pipe has frozen and busted, or is leaking water, feel free to reach out to us as quickly as possible. The sooner we are on site, the more damage we can prevent from happening! 270-659-0067. 

Space Heater Safety

1/24/2019 (Permalink)

In the winter months, many people have a hard time keeping their homes or offices warm. Using space heaters have become increasingly popular over the years, and often times you see them being used incorrectly.

When using your space heater, pay attention to things like:

Is there anything flammable close by?

Can children or pets get to it?

Is there a “shut off” setting if it is tipped over?

Is it on a level surface?

Other things to be wary of is:

Never leave them on by themselves or use them overnight

NEVER use a stove or oven as a heater

Do not use in high traffic areas. The cord could cause a trip and if kicked, it can burn someone.

Check fire alarms every 6 months, just in case of accidents

Make sure you have a fire escape route from each room in the house

Frequently check the cord on your heater for damage or fraying

We are “Green”, figuratively and literally!

1/16/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is a “green” cleaning company. Not only is one of our colors bright green, but we also only use environmentally green cleaning products! When you think about hiring a cleaning company, here are five reasons why you should think “Green”:

“Green” products are safer around your family, including pets

Most cleaning products you buy have large amounts of chemicals that can trigger health conditions, asthma and allergies when it is breathed in for long periods of time. Check  your products at home, and avoid using one that contain toxins, pollutants and suspended carcinogens. Doing this can increase your air quality.  

“Green” products are healthier

When you stop using or buying products with these chemicals in them, you are down to a more natural selection. These products are not only better for your family, and also the environment. Check out companies like: Seventh Generation, JR Watkins, and Mrs. Meyer’s, which are some of the leaders in “Green” cleaning products.

Products are all provided by SERVPRO

We provide all the cleaning products we use, so we know exactly what is in them. When we are on a job, we can also provide sheets of information about each product, so you can be sure we are sticking to our promise of being safe and ecofriendly.

Our restoration company is committed to being “Green”, in all aspects

Along with being committed to only using products that do not impact the Earth, we also work to save as many materials as possible when it comes to any other jobs we do. Minimizing the amount of trash, and chemicals put into our environment is one of our main priorities.

“Green” cleaning is safe for our employees

While we are concerned about each of our client’s health while we are cleaning, we are also concerned what these products are doing to our employees. Along with your safety, our employee’s safety is a #1 priority. If our team couldn’t be around them all day, we won’t let you either.

If you have a disaster on your hands, or just need some help cleaning up, THINK GREEN and give us a call!

FREE Emergency Ready Profiles

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

Don’t you hate that moment when you need a piece of information quickly, but you cannot find it? Searching though papers and emails is never fun, especially when you are in a hurry. The same goes for when you are faced with a disaster.

When a disaster strikes, no matter what kind it is, you need to get professionals onsite as quickly as possible to remediate the problem. The longer you wait, the worse it gets. This is why it is important to have all of your information on hand, up to date, and ready to go. This is where SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties can help. We help you get prepared by providing a FREE service called an Emergency Ready Profile.

One of our representatives comes in and takes the time to gather all the information needed when a disaster strike. This does not take long, but can save you a lot of headache when the time comes when you would need it.

Contact our marketing representative, Travis Hunt, at 270-670-2575 for more information about this FREE program!

January Theme of the Month

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

January Theme of the Month:

In your day to day life, we want you to think of SERVPRO first when you come across a situation where you need to call an emergency services or cleaning company of any type. We want you to always remember us as being #1!

We want you to call us FIRST when a disaster strikes.

We want to be the FIRST professional eyes on the job. We can then assess the damage and decide the best course of action from there.

Our marketing representatives are giving out these bright green ice scrapers this month to remind our contacts that when the weather gets bad, to remember us FIRST!

Even though you might not use us everyday, or even that often, we are nice to be able to count on when it means the most. Just like an ice scraper!

#TipTuesday - Cleaning your Brooms

1/14/2019 (Permalink)

This week’s #TipTueday concerns your brooms:

One of the most overlooked items in your home is your broom. This tool touches the floors all over your home, so you want to make it is clean and not just spreading germs everywhere while you are cleaning up. While it is tougher to clean the bristles made from straw, brooms made with plastic bristles are very easy to sanitize. Follow the directions below to quickly wash yours:

• Simply take a bucket and fill it with water, bleach and dish soap.
• Soak it in the mixture 10-15 minute. When time is up, make sure to rinse it well and let it fully dry.

That’s it! Doing this regularly can cut down on the germs getting spread all over your home and can even make your broom last longer.

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Call SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties for any of your cleaning needs!

Tips to Avoid Frozen Pipes

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Industries partnered with The Weather Channel this year to bring consumers tips and tricks to avoid their water pipes from freezing or busting. The host takes us through each trick to show exactly what to do. These include: putting your garden hose away for the winter and putting on a faucet cover, attach insulated pipe sleeves in your crawlspace or exterior, add insulation to the attic, open up the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to help the air circulate around your plumbing, drip your faucets, and use a fan to move air into colder rooms in the home.

Check out our Facebook page where the video is posted:

https://www.facebook.com/SERVPRO/videos/578010849311157

If you do encounter a water burst, don’t forget to call SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties at 270-659-0067! The faster we arrive on site, the more damage we can avoid.

#TeamElkins Christmas Party 2018

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

On December 11th, Team Elkins got together to celebrate the Christmas Season, and do a fun night of team building. We are thankful for each employee that was able to attend, and for those who could not. Being a 24/7 company gets tough at times, and our team works unbelievably hard each and every day. We want to make sure to take time to celebrate their work ethic, make sure everyone knows that they are appreciated, and their hard work did not go unnoticed. At the party, we worked together as teams during several different games. It was a night full of fun, laughs, and getting to know each other even better. The success of the company is dependent on our team, and how well we work together. Nights like tonight are when we strengthen and create a stronger bond between each person and department within the building.

New Year's Cleaning Challenge

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

Many of us have made resolutions for 2019. One of the biggest categories of resolutions that are made are about cleaning up our homes and lives. While this is a big task, doing small tasks daily can help you keep that commitment to yourself.

Here is our 2019 New Year’s Challenge to help start your New Year clean and tidy! Choose a couple of these tasks daily to complete, and you’ll have your home and life straightened up in no time!

• Toss out of date food
• Clean out your purse and car
• Wash your shower curtains in hot water
• Sanitize all door knobs
• Clean your microwave
• Throw away any single socks or gloves, or any with holes
• Dust ceiling fans
• Check fire detector batteries
• Recycle plastic ware with missing bottoms or lids
• Run “Clean” setting on the oven
• Unsubscribe to emails you no longer care about
• Toss hair products you no longer use
• Purge your phones photos
• Fill out your calendar for the next few months
• Organize your pet products in one place
• Toss expired medicine
• Donate shoes you no longer like or wear
• Sanitize inside and outside of your trashcans
• Toss old makeup
• Organize your cup cabinet
• Trash ragged t-shirts
• Sweep porches or decks
• Cancel unused memberships
• Clean out your dryer vent

Give Back to Your Local Community

1/9/2019 (Permalink)

Everyone loves to support as many local businesses and organizations as much as possible. But did you know there is a way to give back to local non-profits while you are doing your grocery shopping?

After you sign up for Kroger’s Rewards system, when you shop at Kroger, Ruler Foods or use their gas stations, they donate a portion of their proceeds to the local organization of your choice. If you know of a local organization that accepts donations, they can also apply to be on the list of places to donate to.

You simply go to the Kroger website, click on the drop-down menu “Savings & Rewards” and click on “Kroger Community Rewards”. Once there, it prompts you to sign into your account and you can see which organizations you can select your donation to go to. Doing this takes minutes and can benefit the community without you even thinking about it.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

1/8/2019 (Permalink)

When we think about a water or fire loss, we think about people going in and tearing out anything that has any damage to it. That is not what SERVPRO strives to do. Being a restoration company, our goal is to make it “Like it never even happened.”

We want to restore as much of the building materials and items as we can, without having to toss them out. As a restoration company, we fully support Reduce-Reuse-Recycle method. When we are working a job, the first thing we do is figure out what all we can save, and we get to work. Repairing damaged items will always be cheaper than replacing them. Doing this will save either the home owner or the insurance company a good deal of money. It also keeps more trash out of our landfills and helps our environment stay healthy.  

F1rst Responder Bowl 2018

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

We loved seeing our logo featured on the field!

SERVPRO Corporate was happy to be the signature sponsor of the 2018 F1rst Responder Bowl that was held in Dallas, Texas on December 26^th. This bowl game supports local first responders and their families. The goal of the game each year is to have as many first responders in the stands as possible. SERVPRO Franchises from all over the country band together, and purchase tickets for these hard working men and women to be able to go without the stress of having to pay for it. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties sponsored two tickets this year for one of the responders.

Boston College and Boise State University went head to head in the game, but unfortunately while it was 7-0 Boston College, there was a delay of game, which eventually turned into the game being cancelled.

You could almost say it was “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO® Mission Statement

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

Mission Statement:

To develop a team of quality people who focus on excellent service, fairness and mutual respect.

At SERVPRO, our mission is to provide top notch service, while being fair to both us and the customer. When you use our services, from the time we enter your home, from the time we leave, we want you to be at ease that your home or business is being well taken care of. This is why our staff is highly trained and vetted to make sure that we can create this atmosphere anytime we are around. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is always just a phone call away. With our 24/7 service hours, we always have a team available and ready to head your way.

SERVPRO® Purpose Statement

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

Purpose:

To help entrepreneurs succeed.

At SERVPRO, our goal is to make whoever we are working for succeed. This could be your home and putting it back together after a disaster has struck. It could also be a business owner whose livelihood is in jeopardy because the store doors are closed. No matter what your situation is, we want to help you succeed. Every member of our team knows that when we are called, it is one of the most stressful times of your life. We want to be the team you trust to come in and make it better. When it comes to any of the jobs we do, large or small, you are our #1 priority. We want to make sure your needs are put first.

SERVPRO® Core Values

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

 SERVPRO’s Core Values:

• Believe in a Dream- the belief that one families dream to help their local community can turn into a business that impacts communities all over the world in a positive way.
• Grow Relationships- we want to grow relationships through working in the community, networking, meeting clients on site, and going the extra mile with our work.
• Share the SERVPRO Story- the story of a husband and wife that wanted to create something for their children’s future. SERVPRO is still run by this same family to this day.
• Financially Frugal- we want to save as much of your property as possible. Our goal is to restore, not replace items that have been damaged in a disaster. This can save either a home owner, business owner or insurance company a lot of money.
• Follow the System- SERVPRO has a tried and true method behind each type of remediation we do. This means that we follow the system that is proven to work each time. With this proven system, you can count on quality work throughout all franchises in the world.

SERVPRO® Vision Statement

1/7/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO’s Vision:

To be the premier cleaning and restoration company in the world.

When Ted and Doris Isaacson started their first SERVPRO, they only knew they wanted to create something great for their family. Back in 1967, they did not think it would grow into what it has today. Just over 50 years later, SERVPRO now has over 1,500 franchises throughout the world. Now that their small business has grown so much, they have established a different set of goals: to be the best. You can see this throughout the company. As a company, we are constantly improving our techniques and training employees in the newest and best ways available. Our goal is to be the best company out there, no matter where you are. We want to stand out from our competition and be who you call when you are experiencing a loss.

Connect with us on Social Media

12/5/2018 (Permalink)

Did you know that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is on social media? With many of our customers connecting on these sites daily, we wanted to join in the conversation and stay up to date with what is going on in the communities we service. Our goal is to bring value to your timeline with different life tips, cleaning tricks, photos, reminders, community events and more. 

Click the links below to find us on each of these sites: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SERVPRO9750

Instagram: https://instagram.com/SERVPROteamelkins/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/SERVPRO-of-allen-barren-hart-green-and-taylor-counties/

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If you have previously used our services, leave a review below: https://go.thryv.com/site/allenbarrenhartgreentaylor 

Dryer Hack

12/5/2018 (Permalink)

Ever find yourself running low on time in the mornings when you are trying to get ready for school or work? Most people do, especially when kids are in involved. Here is hack that can get rid of the need to pull out your ironing board in the mornings!

1. Put your wrinkled item in the dryer
2. Add in three ice cubes
3. Run on high for 3-5 minutes
4. Promptly take out clothing and either hang up or put on

That is it! As the dryer evaporates the ice cubes, the steam helps to release the wrinkles and will freshen up your clothing. This can save you a lot of time when you are in a hurry!

Follow us on Facebook for more tips like this: www.facebook.com/SERVPRO9750

Glasgow Christmas Parade, 2018

12/4/2018 (Permalink)

On December 2^nd, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties participated in the annual Glasgow-Barren County Christmas Parade! While the parade was rescheduled due to the weather, a huge crowed still attended and stayed throughout the entire duration! We had our SERVPRO golf cart and RV both decked out with Christmas lights, wreaths, and a big green dinosaur that got named Ernie! The best part of the night was when all the children picking up candy would notice the dinosaur, and we could hear them yelling at their parents to look at it also. We had a great time and hope everyone who attended did also!

SERVPRO is a community and family oriented business run out of Smiths Grove, Kentucky. We love when we are able to get involved in the community events that are in our coverage areas. Thank you to the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce for planning this huge event!

Car Detailing - Fire Extinguisher

11/2/2018 (Permalink)

The inside door before we cleaned up all of the dust!

This brand new, four door truck was brought to us after a fire extinguisher went off in the backseat and made a huge mess. The owner did not know how to clean it up, so he called the professionals to make it "Like it ever even happened." In the photo, you see how much of the extinguisher dust got in the front. The back was even worse. 

After a deep detailing in the inside and out, we gave this truck back to its owner in pre accident condition.

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SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is equip to take on the biggest or smallest jobs, even car detailing. Call us at 270-659-0067 for more information about what all we can take care of! 

#HurricaneMichael Damage

10/29/2018 (Permalink)

Collapsed Church Ceiling

#TeamElkins was still working Storm in North Carolina cleaning up from Hurricane Florence when Hurricane Michael hit the coast of Florida, Georgia, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands. Even though we were not finished in North Carolina, we sent one of our crews to Mexico Beach, Florida to help with the cleanup there. Photos were sent back to us, and it was described that it looked like a bomb had went off in that area. Homes and businesses completely gone. No cellular service. Nothing to eat. Traffic backed up everywhere since many roads were still flooded or blocked off. The complete chaos was overwhelming to not only the residents, but to the relief workers also. It will be years before the areas impacted will be fully recovered from Hurricane Michael.

If you want to donate to hurricane relief, follow the link below:

https://www.helpmedonate.org/hurricane-michael-relief-event/donation?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5JSbvNCs3gIV242zCh1aLARWEAAYASAAEgIVhPD_BwE

Toys for Tots - 2018

10/25/2018 (Permalink)

The box at American Martial Arts Academy in Glasgow, KY

Toys for Tots is a charity organization the Marine’s sponsor all over the United States. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has teamed up with the past couple of years, including 2018! This organization helps families afford toys for their children on Christmas Day. They take monetary donations, but what they are most known for is having drop off boxes at businesses for people to buy new, unwrapped toys, and donate them in person. The toys donated are also kept in the community where they were dropped off, so you are supporting local children.

With this organization being volunteer run, SERVPRO is helping take some of the pressure off of the volunteers. We have signed up to have a box at our location, along with reaching out to and dropping off another twelve businesses in Barren County in preparation for this Christmas season.

Those locations include:

1. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties
2. Glasgow-Barren County Habitat for Humanity
3. Alex Rosser – Allstate Insurance
4. Yancey’s Gastropub & Brewery
5. Hosparus Health in Glasgow and Bowling Green
6. Monticello Bank
7. American Martial Arts Academy
8. Highland Ridge Assisted Living
9. Hometown Insurance Agency
10. Main Street Bed & Breakfast
11. Esters Farm Café
12. Glasgow Insurance Agency
13. The Kings Cafe

See their website for more information:

https://www.toysfortots.org/

Campbellsville Volunteer Fire Department Cook Out

10/24/2018 (Permalink)

On Tuesday, October 23^rd, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties set up at the volunteer fire department in Campbellsville to grill out for all the local volunteers and air vac operators before one of their meetings. About 45 of these men and women attended the meeting, and SERVPRO did a small presentation over how we can assist these first responders when disasters strike.

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In the event that you are a victim of a home or business fire, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.  SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will answer the call and react when and where you need us to!

Call us today at 270- 659-0067 to request help and receive a free quote!

Do you have mold in your Bathroom?

9/18/2018 (Permalink)

Have you ever found mold in your home? Especially in your bathroom? Bathrooms are the hardest places in the home to prevent mold growth from happening. Mold loves to grow in small, warm, damp environments. When you run your shower, a lot of moisture gets put into the air along with the toilet holding water and the sink running. Without proper ventilation, all this moisture can sprout mold spores rather quickly. If you suspect mold in your bathroom, here are some of the most prominent places it grows: between the tile, surface of sink and counters, inside cabinets, and behind the toilet.  Checking these places is your first step to seeing if you have mold.

If you find any, this is when you call a professional to see how bad the issue is. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has certified technicians who can come assess the damage for you.

If you do not find any mold spores, but want to avoid getting them in the future, here are some tips:

1. Always use the ventilation fan when showering or taking long baths, and keep it running for awhile after you finish
2. Use a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels low throughout your home
3. Wipe off all surfaces in the bathroom and do not leave wet towels in the floor
4. Check plumbing for leaks

Another product you can use to reduce moisture in the air is DampRid. This product soaks up water in the air and prevents the room from getting musty. It also works well when put in cabinets, so everything stored in the bathroom can stay fresh and clean!

https://www.amazon.com/DampRid-FG60FS-Moisture-Absorber-10-5-Ounce/dp/B00CBLW1MQ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537281634&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=damp+rid&psc=1

Storm #TeamElkins - Hurricane Florence

9/17/2018 (Permalink)

Hurricane Flooding

Before Hurricane Florence hit, the predictions about how much damage it would cause kept changing, and many residents on the coast of North and South Carolina evacuated. Now that Florence has hit the east coast with its full force the past few days, it is time to start putting these cities back together. The amount of damage caused surpassed what the local franchisees could handle, which is when Storm was activated. Storm Teams from across the county have traveled to help clean up the destruction caused by the storm, and so have we. Right now, #TeamElkins is working in North Carolina in the cities of New Bern, Sebree, Trent Woods, and Atlantic Beach. These cities are right off the coast and have been hit extremely hard. Team members have been sending back photos, like the one to the right, of all the destruction and it is devastating to think about. We are happy to be able to help those in need, and plan on staying as long as we can to help with the cleanup.

Is Mold taking over your home or business?

9/13/2018 (Permalink)

Gone down in the Basement lately? Looked under the kitchen sink? How about out in the garage? Look around, is there any wet boxes?  Do you see that yellow, green, black or orange substance? When you do it just may hit you that it may be MOLD! 

We have all seen it and thought, “do I have a MOLD problem?” Not all mold is bad but in some cases it can cause health concerns for a lot of people.  If you experience any kind of water flooding, water leaks, to differential humidity, this can cause mold to grow in your home or business.

Taking precautions is the best way to beat the mold. There are different signs that your home or business may be inundated by this growing machine-

• Can you visibly see the mold?
• Is there a Musty odor? This may indicate mold is present
• Is there a recent event that caused excess water?Any type of moisture problems that may have caused mold growth?
• Excessive humidity

If you answered yes to some of these questions call us today.  We can come out and assess how minimal or over-run the mold may be. We are always Here to Help!

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties

270-659-0067

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

Tips On How To Avoid Spreading Mold

9/13/2018 (Permalink)

Be careful! Without proper training, you could be spreading mold throughout your home.

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

1. Stay out of affected areas.
2. Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
3. Contact SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

5 Appliances That Could Cause A Water Loss

9/13/2018 (Permalink)

Throughout your home there are 5 appliances that if not properly taken care of could cause a large water loss:

Hot Water Heater- The average life of a water heater is around 12 years, and 70% of their failures are because of leaks or bursts. Make it a habit to regularly check for leaks, inspect the anode rods, and piping.

Refrigerator- Your ice maker is the part of the refrigerator that typically causes the most leaks. They also typically leak in the back where you will not notice. If you replace the lines with braided steel alternatives, it could help prevent this from happening.

Dishwasher- Dishwashers are the same with refrigerators as they can cause slow leaks that you may not notice, but can cause significant damage to your flooring. Pulling the dishwasher out and inspecting under it is the best way to avoid long term damage from happening.

Washing Machine- Over half of water damage claims are the responsibility of faulty washing machine hoses. Annually check the hoses for wear and tear, or go ahead and replace them.

Air Conditioner- If you air conditioner is in the attic, once a month go check and make sure it is not leaking. When appliances are out of site, it normally takes longer to find problems. This could cause a slow leak to happen, and cause even more damage before you even realize it is happening.

#WaterLoss #Water

September - National Preparedness Month

9/11/2018 (Permalink)

September of each year is National Preparedness Month. This is the time of the year the Department of Homeland Security encourages home and business owners to prepare for future disasters. Some of the ways that they suggest doing this is by:

• Learn lifesaving skills- such as CPR and First Aid
• Check your insurance coverage policies- They may not cover hazards such as floods, earthquakes and tornadoes.
• Create an escape route
• Start an emergency fund
• Learn where gas and water shut offs are in your home
• Sign up for local weather alerts
• Make emergency bags for each family member
• Consider what to do with pets during an emergency
• Have a designated place for important documents
• Have emergency phone numbers saved in cell phones and posted near house phones

Taking time throughout the month of September to do some of these things could really help you and your family during an emergency.

Fire Prevention Week 2018

9/11/2018 (Permalink)

Mark your Calendars! Starting October 7th through October 13th, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties will join the United States in Observing Fire Prevention Week.  This important week is the longest running public health observance according to the National Archives and Records Administration’s library dating back to 1925. This tradition and annual occasion was signed in a proclamation of recognition by the President of the United States.  This important week also commemorates the “Great Chicago Fire” of 1871.  This horrific event in history left over 100,000 people homeless and killed approximately 250 innocent victims.  This grisly fire was rumored to have started when a cow kicked over an oil lamp.

Don’t wait until October to check your smoke detectors.  See our Blog on “The importance of Smoke detectors.

In the event that you are a victim of a home or business fire, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.  SERVPRO is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We will answer and react when you need us!

Call us today! 270- 659-0067 to request help!

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

https://www.nfpa.org/fpw/index.html

Hops & Horses, 2018

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is one of thirteen cooperate sponsors for the 2nd Annual Hops and Horses in Glasgow, Kentucky on September 6th, 2018. All sponsors will have booths set up giving out prizes and will have interactive games for the kids. There will also be live music with a special guest (Dylan Scott!) and food vendors set up. Last year, thousands of families from Barren and surrounding counties came to see the signature Clydesdale horses put on a parade for everyone. All events are free to the public, besides the food and drink vendors.

SERVPRO is involved with many community wide events, and we are happy to be a part of this one also. We will have a booth set up from 4-8pm with games, and prizes. Bring your family and play some games with us!  

Fire Escape Route for Homes

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

With fall and winter coming, this is the time of the year when people start using their fireplaces again and starting bonfires. While it is fun to use them, they also increase your risk of having a house fire. Take the time to make a home fire escape route for your family before the time comes you would need one. Here is a link to the National Fire Protection Association and some tips on creating a plan that is both effective and child friendly:

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Safety-in-the-home/Escape-planning

Educating yourself and your family is the first step in ensuring their safety in an emergency. Practicing this plan a couple of times is another way to make sure everyone in the home knows what to do. Another good tip would be to practice one time in the middle of the night, so you know your children are able to wake up and remember what to do.

Is your business prepared for an emergency? Let us help!

8/15/2018 (Permalink)

Owning a business comes with a lot of variables. One of these being if a disaster hits, are you able to get back on your feet quickly? Are you fast enough that your revenue does not become impacted beyond what you can handle? Many commercial businesses have a plan in place for what to do, but many do not. Preparing ahead of time can determine how quickly you can be back on your feet after a loss.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has a unique program that can assist you in becoming prepared, our Emergency Ready Profile. These profiles are conducted for free and collect all the important information you would need in an emergency. Having the information gathered ahead of time can speed up the clean up process and help get help on the way faster.

Call our office at 270-659-0067 to get more information and schedule an appointment for your businesses ERP!

Commercial Kitchen Cleaning

8/10/2018 (Permalink)

When a disaster hits your business, you want to be able to open your doors again as quickly as possible. One thing that SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is able to do that not everyone knows about is be able to clean commercial kitchens. Our employees are trained to follow regulations set for the kitchens and be mindful of hazards present. You can trust us in your time of need to clean up the mess and get you ready to reopen quickly, and efficiently. Some of the types of facilities that we are able to assist with include:

-School Cafeterias

-Fast Food Restaurants

-Food Manufacturing Facilities

-Food Distribution Centers and Factories

-Senior Living Facility Kitchens

We are available 24/7, 365 days a year to assist your business.

Call us at 270-659-0067 if you have any questions or want a free quote!

Commercial Tile Cleaning

8/9/2018 (Permalink)

Before & After

Every business is going to have wear and tear on their floors which will cause dirt buildup. If you have tile and grout, you know how hard it can be to get it clean once it is dirty. It is back breaking work, especially if you have a large area that is laid in tile.

We are able to come in and clean your business during or after business hours to make sure that you can stay open throughout the whole process. Many home kitchens are also laid with tile, so we are able to work in homes also.

This photo is before and after we did a commercial tile and grout cleaning, and you can see that the difference we made was amazing. Call us at 270-659-0067 for a free quote!

Smoke and Soot Cleanup

8/7/2018 (Permalink)

Smoke and soot is very invasive and can penetrate various cavities within your home, causing hidden damage and odor. Our smoke damage expertise and experience allows us to inspect and accurately assess the extent of the damage to develop a comprehensive plan of action. 

Smoke and soot facts:

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

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Different Types of Smoke

• Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber
• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.
• Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood
• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.
• Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire
• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions. We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today : 270-659-0067

Clean Homes Sell Faster

7/19/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties were able to send two representatives, Jill Elkins and Van Robarts, to attend the July South Central Kentucky Association of Realtors today. After a sponsored lunch by Citizens First Bank, we had the chance to stand up and speak to a room full of realtors who service the South Central Kentucky area about how we are able to assist in making home sell quickly for top dollar.   

Some of these services include:

• Duct and HVAC System Cleaning
• Carpet, Upholstery, Drapery and Blind Cleaning
• Ceiling, Wall and Hard Floor Cleaning
• Deodorization
• Mold Mitigation and Remediation

With us being able to offer these services to our community, we are able to assist home owners and realtors in the buying and selling process. If you have a home that is in need of a thorough cleaning, call us today to get a free estimate.  

What is Storm?

7/16/2018 (Permalink)

On our social media sites and on the website, we talk about being on Storm a lot. But do you know what that really means? When large disasters strike all over the country, it can become too much for the local SERVPRO to handle on their own. That is when Storm is activated. When the franchise realizes that they need help, SERVPRO Corporate steps in and calls in more teams from around the country to assist.

Not every franchise is able to assist on Storm. You must meet certain corporate requirements and have a certain number of employees available to send. Because we cannot predict when Storm will break out, our franchise is constantly ready to send our employees to help. We have certain machines set to the side that are ready to be loaded, and our employees are warned about the possibility of being away from their families for upon being hired. We also have a special group of employees that love going on Storm, and that know that they will be going if our franchise gets activated.

It is hard to prepare for when disaster strikes, but we strive to be as prepared as possible for that moment. We are always ready to help fellow SERVPRO franchises and help anyone in need.

STORM - Des Moines, Iowa '18

7/16/2018 (Permalink)

Our Storm Crew!

Two weeks ago, our franchise was asked to assist in Iowa on Storm. We were able to send seven employees to assist, and we also hired some temporary workers in Iowa to help with the workload. We were able to run over twenty jobs in the two weeks our employees were there.

Being away from home for long periods of time is hard on many of our employees, but they sacrifice this time to help others. Without everyone pulling together in times of need and helping, these families and businesses would be in a hard place without anywhere to stay or not be able to continue their business.

While most of our employees have returned to Kentucky, we still have several in Iowa to continue checking on jobs that are drying out, picking up our equipment once the buildings finish drying, and taking care of customer questions. These employees are due to return by the end of the week. Upon returning, these employees will enjoy a few well-deserved days off, then will be back to continue helping the community! #TeamElkins

Green County Blood Drive

7/16/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is once again partnering up with the Red Cross to help with a blood drive. On August 2nd, we will also be partnered with the Greensburg United Methodist Church on their monthly blood drive. With the church having blood drives so often, they receive a lot of the same donors repeatedly. We are wanting to give back to these people who are helping save so many lives. We will be sponsoring them all lunch, snacks or dinner depending on when they stop by. We will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, and helping any way possible. Stop by to get some food and SAVE A LIFE! 

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SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. 

Continually Educating Employees

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

#TeamElkins Training Room

In order to stay current with technology, software, and the latest techniques in our Industry, it is important to help our employees by providing the training and continued education that is required.  SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties believes in providing that education on an ongoing basis so they can always be up to date for our valued Customers.  We are always working on the growth and development of our Elite Team so they can assist our customers with the highest level of knowledge and expertise. 

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties 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. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPROs corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Being educated is also a way to cut down time to estimate jobs. For instance, being able to estimate a water job quickly could cut costs down considerable. The longer water sits in a home or business, the more damage it creates. This also can cause mold growth to start.

If in need, Call us today- 270-659-0067

Our Story - Team Elkins

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

Front of our building in Smiths Grove, Kentucky

David Elkins, Owner of SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, started this journey in 2009 with the support of his family. With the help of SERVPRO corporate headquarters and mentors across the country, the dream he envisioned became a reality. David never imagined that in 9 short years he would have added two more successful franchise locations, and would cover 11 counties across the state of Kentucky and proudly be in the top 100 franchises in the nation. Team Elkins was built on a foundation of family values, hard work, dedication and the vision to succeed. Here at SERVPRO Team Elkins, our values and work ethic have not changed over the years. We are very proud to announce that we have grown from a small office in the heart of Smiths Grove, KY to a state of the art facility on the Barren County/Warren County line. This new facility has allowed us to grow our team, better serve the needs of our clients, host meetings for the entire state and expand our services. What started with 5 employees and a box truck, has grown to 35+ employees and over 20 company vehicles making us #FasterToAnySizeDisaster. Growing this quickly enables us to respond quickly to any size job. While water is our specialty, we can also take care of fire, mold, and any other type of cleaning. Trust #TeamElkins with all your clean up needs! 270-659-0067

We are hiring!

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

#TeamElkins Family

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is looking for dedicated, dependable employees! Our open positions include: maintenance, production, crew chief, marketing, construction office and more! Please bring an up to date resume into our office at 12480 New Bowling Green Road, Smiths Grove, Kentucky to apply.

All positions Requirements:

• Effective oral communication
• Basic math skills
• Experience in cleaning/restoration preferred
• High school diploma/GED
• IICRC certifications preferred
• Ability to pass a background and drug test
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds regularly, occasionally up to 100 pounds with assistance
• Ability to climb ladders, work at ceiling heights, work in tight spaces (e.g., crawls spaces, attics)
• Ability to sit/stand/walk for prolonged periods of time
• Ability to repetitively push/pull/lift/carry objects
• Ability to work with/around cleaning products/chemicals
• Ability to travel locally and out of state when necessary
• Ability to successfully complete a background check subject to applicable law

Please email customerservice@SERVPRO9750.com for more information!

10 Ways to Avoid a Water Loss!

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

Flooded Basement

Here are 10 helpful hints to help avoid damage to your home or place of business: 

1. Do not leave electronics on the floor. This includes, iPads, computers, DVD players, etc.
2. Leave a 3 to 4 inch gap between the back of the washing machine and the wall to avoid kinking the hose near the valve connection. Replace your washing machine hose every 5 years.
3. Pay attention to your water bill. A significant increase could indicate a leak.
4. Make sure each resident in your home or place of business knows where the main shut-off is located.
5. Have a professional roof inspection annually.
6. Inspect your plumbing pipes on an annual basis for condensation or obvious leaks or corrosion.
7. After flushing the toilet, remain in the area until the fill valve has finished refilling.
8. Make sure your downspouts are directed 5 to 10 feet away from your house. Clean all build up of debris from downspouts monthly.
9. Chemical drain cleaners can eat away at your pipes. Use a drain snake first. This is suggested every 3-4 months depending on the size of your household.
10. Flush your hot water heater every 6 months to remove sediment. You can call in a licensed plumber to assist.

IICRC Certified Firm & Employees

7/12/2018 (Permalink)

IICRC Badges for Employees

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, green and Taylor Counties has worked hard to be accredited as an IICRC Certified 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 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.

About SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties 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.

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.

One of the rules be receive this certification is that at least one employee on every job site must be IICRC Certified. We strive to keep our employees up to date with trainings, and learning opportunities. If you visit our "Employees" tab on the website, you can see what certifications have been earned by which employees.

If you are experiencing a disaster and needs assistance, call the professionals at 270-659-0067!

Introducing the Esporta Machine

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

Esporta Machine

In the past several months we have been rolling out a new piece of equipment that is going to drastically change the way we clean soft contents. The Esporta Machine is from Canada and has revolutionized the power of a washing machine to clean any type of dirt from soft goods. With employees having to attend special certification training to operate the machine, we have been slowly testing different items and seeing how it works. But we are excited to announce that we have now started using this machine to clean customers contents.

Some of the items the Esporta Machine can clean includes: stuffed animals, clothes, purses, leather, hard items with soft interior (such as helmets), shoes, rugs, and many more. The Esporta Machine also cleans the items to a food grade quality. This is cleaner than what you find in a store.

When a family’s belongings are in jeopardy, we want to be able to save as many as we can. The Esporta Machine is going to help us do just that.

Saving Family Keepsakes

7/10/2018 (Permalink)

Before & After

With our new Esporta Machine recently going live, we have seen great results with the tests we have ran on it. During a house fire, one of the items that the family members are most worried about are their keepsakes: quilts, blankets, and children’s stuffed animals. These soft contents absorb the smoke stench and are often deemed unsalvageable.

What if we were able to save these items, and deliver them back to the customer cleaner than they were before the disaster happened?

We are able to do this with the Esporta. The photo is of a stuffed animal that was deemed unsalvageable by insurance. It was too dirty and could not be saved. Knowing the Esporta was almost up and running, we saved it. This guy was one of the first things washed, and you can see an obvious difference between the before and after.

We are excited to be able to give families back their keepsakes in a cleaner state than before their disaster. It is also going to bring them comfort when going through this tough time of their lives!

Does your Home have a Mold Problem?

7/9/2018 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts: ? Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors. ? Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet. ? Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants. ? Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return. ? Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas. ? Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent. If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 270-659-0067

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties

Guns N' Hoses Blood Drive '18 Results

7/9/2018 (Permalink)

Jill Elkins presenting the Police Chief, Guy Howie, with the winners plaque!

We had a great turnout at the 5^th Annual Guns ‘N Hoses Blood Drive in Glasgow, Kentucky! With changing locations this year, we were worried that our donations would take a hit. But Glasgow proved us wrong, and we were able to exceed our donor goal again this year! Thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to help #SaveLives. We also would like to say thank you to Glasgow United Methodist church for allowing us to use their space, and a thank you to Hometown Insurance of Glasgow for donating food to help feed our donors. This event has a huge impact on the area, and we could not do it without the help of our community.

 For the 4^th year in a row, the Glasgow Police Department has beat out their competition (Glasgow Fire Department) for how many donations they could receive! This year, we had 68 donors, 10 first time donors, and we collected 67 pints of blood. This has the potential to save over 200 lives! These two departments do a lot for our community and are constantly doing more.

Thank you again to everyone involved in this years Guns ‘N Hoses Blood Drive!

Battle of the Badges '18 Results!

7/9/2018 (Permalink)

Battle of the Badges, 2018

Our Battle of the Badges Blood Drive in Campbellsville, Kentucky had a huge turnout this year! We more than tripled our donor turn out from the previous year. Even though it was a close race the entire day to see would come out on top, and we are happy to announce that the Fire Department won by one donor! With this only being the second year we have held this blood drive, we appreciate everyone who came out to help or donate!

A special thanks to Campbellsville United Methodist Church donating their facilities. We really appreciated your help throughout this whole process, and to our American Red Cross Representative, Renee Biggs, who has worked tirelessly to make it a success. Without the help of you all, we could not do it. We are excited to raise the donor goal even higher in 2019!

Thank you again for all the community support!

Prevent Mold if water enters your home!

7/8/2018 (Permalink)

Storm season is here. Every year the entire country experiences different magnitudes of storm damage from Mother Nature. This year if the unexpected happens and you find that Mother Nature has come inside your home in the form of water act fast. It is very important that you dry the impacted area to prevent Mold from forming. If you do see mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the Mold through your home by releasing microscopio mold spores which become airborne and can ciculate throughout your entire home.

In the event you have mold make sure you stay out of the affected areas, turn off your HVAC system and ALL fans, and contact SERVPRO. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today –

(270) 659-0067

2018 Iowa Storm Event

7/8/2018 (Permalink)

The Kollath girls were so kind for taking the time to create these masterpieces for our Crew.

June 25, 2018 Team Elkins hit the road to help aid and assist the flooding and storm damage in central Iowa. Sioux City and Des Moines experienced flooded basements & sump pump failures causing large losses to homes and business throughout the region. Our Team assisted many families in the clean-up effort by packing up contents, hauling off the debris and drying the effected areas.

We could not be more proud of our team who sacrifice time at home to go help others. Storm Team Elkins has been working nonstop to put home and business owners lives back together. We are very grateful to be able to service other communities other than our own.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor counties is there for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

#TeamElkins #SERVPRO9750

4th Annual Dale Hollow Golf Tournament

6/1/2018 (Permalink)

Time to sink a putt!

We hosted our 4th Annual Golf Tournament on May 2nd, 2018. It was held at the beautiful Dale Hollow State Park in Burkesville, Kentucky. We had 19 teams of Insurance agents and adjusters come out to play for a variety of prizes, have lunch and enjoy a sunny day outdoors. The weather was perfect, and we were ecstatic that everyone was able to come out. We are excited to start planning our next tournament, coming Spring 2019! 

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties 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. 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.

How To Easily Clean Windows

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Before and after cleaning. Especially helpful cleaning up pet noses!

Whether it be your home or business, one of the hardest chores is to clean the windows. Here is an easy way to clean them with only four household items:
-Bucket
-Microfiber Cloths
-Water
-Newspapers
1. You take a damp microfiber cloth, and wash the entire window. It will have wet streaks once finished with the cloth.
2. Then take a newspaper, crinkle it up into a ball, and rub the windows. This will soak up the leftover water, and make your windows shine!
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SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event.

If you have a lot of windows and cannot reach them all, call the professionals at 270-659-0067 to come clean them all for you.

2nd Annual Guns ‘N Hoses Blood Drive – Campbellsville, KY

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Help support!

We are excited to announce we have scheduled our 2nd Annual Guns 'N Hoses Blood Drive! We will be holding it at First United Methodist Church in Campbellsville this year! It is always fun to witness the friendly rivalry between the police and fire departments. When you sign in, you choose a side: Police Department or Fire Department. Whoever brings the most donors wins a trophy and bragging rights! The Fire Department earned the trophy during the inaugural year, will the Police Department even the score this year? We will find out on June 26th, 2018 from 12-6PM! 

We will be grilling out hamburgers and hotdogs, be providing snacks, drinks and t-shirts for each donor! Stop by and help SAVE A LIFE! 

Below is a link to the frequently asked question's from the Red Cross: 
http://www.redcross.org/faq/

iPhone Safety Hack

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Share with friends! #SafetyFirst

While SERVPRO typically focuses on protecting your home and business, check out this feature that Apple has placed on all iPhones.

If you are in a unsafe situation, hit your lock button 5 times in a row. A screen will come up with four options: 

-Slide to power off

-Medical ID (if you have this turned on)

-Emergency SOS

-Cancel

When you choose the Emergency SOS option, your iPhone will send the nearest Police Department your current location and dispatch an officer to you. Share with your friends to inform this of this lifesaving feature!

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SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. In the event of an emergency call- 270-659-0067

5th Annual Guns 'N Hoses Blood Drive - Glasgow, KY

5/16/2018 (Permalink)

Come support!

We are excited to announce we have scheduled our 5th Annual Guns 'N Hoses Blood Drive! With such a great turnout the past few years, we are holding it Glasgow First United Methodist Church, so we can accommodate even more donors. This event is always fun to take part in with the friendly rivalry between the police and fire departments! When you sign up to give blood, you choose a side: Police Department or Fire Department. Whoever has the most donors wins a trophy and bragging rights! The Police Department has won the competition the past 3 years straight. Will this be the year the fire department ends up on top? We will find out on June 22^nd, 2018 from 10AM-3PM!

We will be grilling out hamburgers and hotdogs, be providing snacks, drinks and t-shirts for each donor! Stop by and help SAVE A LIFE!

Below is a link to the frequently asked question's from the Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/faq/

SERVPRO® To The Rescue

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

Flooded Basement

After the flooding occurred in Louisiana, SERVPRO's from across the nation were called in to help assist. Many franchise locations across the United States are on stand-by, ready to dispatch crews at any given notice in the event of a storm or catastrophe. The flooding was so severe that most people in the affected areas lost everything they had. Some homes and businesses were deemed total loss and others needed to be completely gutted. We are thankful to be part of a team that is happy to help any time, any place. Team Elkins encouraged our local communities to donate to the American Red Cross to help those in need in Louisiana. Our crew experienced first hand the devastation and loss that occurred from this horrendous storm event. Luckily, SERVPRO is there to make it, "Like it never even happened." 

Did You Know We are Available 24/7?

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

This commercial facility was flooded after recent storms.

With the recent weather, our employees have pulled together as a team from every department to assist with the local storms that affected the area in July. Here at SERVPRO, it takes the help and knowledge from every person on our team to assist our clients. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties have been in high demand after several homes and businesses experienced flooding. When water or fire affect your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. Some may think they have to wait until "normal" business hours to reach a team member. We are on standby 24/7 365 days a year. We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help. Call us today 270-659-0067.

Medical Facility Floods in Columbia, KY

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

The result of heavy rains that moved through the area.

Here at SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties, we undertsand the significance and importance of quick reponse time when it comes to your home or place of business. Our team members are on call and have crews ready to dispatch 24/7. Emergencies happen every day, are you prepared? As a home or business owner, we recommend that you save our phone number in your mobile phone in the event that the unexpected happens to you. Fire and water can take your business or home away but we are here to get it back. We take pride in our work and our customer testimonials will assure you of that. In the picture shown, this is a hospital in Columbia, KY where heavy rains caused a drain pipe to back-up and flood the entire main level. We can't always prevent the disasters from happening so its crucial that we are prepared for whatever may happen. 

It's The Water You Don't See That Causes The Most Damage

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

When home or business owners experience a disaster to their property, often the first step is to start cleaning up the water with a towel, mop or even a shop vac. Although this is very common practice, what about the water you do not see? Just because there is no visible water, doesn’t mean that the area is considered dry. It is very important at this time to call on the professionals at SERVPRO® of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties to make sure your property is properly dried to prevent secondary damage to your flooring, furniture, or even the possible threat of mold growth. Our crews are available 24/7 to help in the event that something unexpected happens. We understand the importance of response time when it comes to water damage. 

24/7 Emergency Water Damage Service

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today – 270-659-0067

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties 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. 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.

 Meet Our Crew http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/crew-photos

Follow These Tips If You Suspect Mold

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

Mold Covering a Shelf

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 270-659-0067 

Restoring Your Commercial Property After a Water Damage Event

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

Flooding and water damage events at commercial properties are often complex with numerous issues that require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a relatively small water cleanup scenario or a large scale event, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area. In many instances, normal operations can continue in a temporary space while we restore your facility.

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges

Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area while working within your budgetary constraints. We understand that every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises in your business, give us a call and we’ll be there fast with the help you need.

About SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. 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.

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/crew-photos

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/restoration-training-certifications

Using Social Media to Stay Safe

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

With everyone being connected with social media profiles these days... Put it to work for you and your families safety! Follow your local weather stations and emergency personnel to get the latest updates as soon as they are available. Twitter and Facebook are both great platforms to find the most updated news in your area. Preparing your social media for disasters today, could give you a few extra minutes when disaster strikes. This could be the difference between your families safety or facing a disaster unprepared. While it is heart wrenching to lose your home and belongings, make sure that your families safety is your #1 priority. If a storm does come your way, call the us at 270-659-0067 to make it "Like it never even happened." 

Emergency Ready Profile

5/3/2018 (Permalink)

If you walked into work this morning, and there were 6 inches of water on the floor and more pouring in, would you know where your water and gas shutoffs were? In many businesses, not every employee knows where these important cut offs are located. It is crucial for everyone to be aware in case the building owner is not around when the steps need to be taken. With 50% of businesses not reopening after a devastating accident, it is crucial for everyone in the building to be able to take the proper steps to save your business. With taking advantage of our Emergency Ready Profile, a SERVPRO employee can come in, and help your business become prepared with this free service. Call 270-659-0067 to set up an appointment today!

Family Heirloom Saved from Fire Damage

3/22/2018 (Permalink)

Before and After:

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is If we can clean customers contents, especially the antique items. The answer is yes, we can! 

We got a call this past week about a fire destroying the inside of a family’s home. This piano was a nonworking family heirloom, and the family was devastated at the thought of having to get rid of it. It was covered in smoke and soot, but luckily still intact. We took it back to our office and started working on saving it. We were able to fully restore the outside of it and get rid of the smoke smell it had. 

We love it when we can save items that mean a lot to our customers. This was one of those times where it is extremely rewarding to work in this industry.

Top causes of Fire

2/4/2018 (Permalink)

Every year catastrophic fires take away our homes, our possessions, and loved ones that we can not replace. The National Fire Protection Association provides lots of education for us to arm ourselves to prevent fires. According to the NFPA the top causes of fire are in the home:

• Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.
  
  
• Smoking is the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths.
  
  
• Heating equipment is the second most common cause of home fire fatalities.

We want you to be armed with information but in the event you fall victim to a house fire don’t hesitate to call SERVPRO. Are fire specialist will be there with you every step of the way. Our specialist will strive to save precious heirlooms and restore your home back to the way it was.

Request help online:
http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

For additional helpful information, visit NFPA-
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Top-causes-of-fire/Cooking

Mary Weldon Library Water Loss

1/8/2018 (Permalink)

Glasgow Daily Times Front Page

Now that winter has hit, we are seeing a lot of burst pipes in both businesses and homes throughout South Central Kentucky. One of the worst places to experience a water loss happened in Glasgow, Kentucky this week: Mary Weldon Memorial Library. The broken pipe flooded both of their floors, and created a huge mess. We were able to get to them within an hour, start extracting water and starting the drying process. The job was so large, it made front page news in the Glasgow Daily Times. We are happy to be able to assist in the time of need!

Team Elkins specializes in the restoration of water damage in commercial and residential properties. Our crew is highly trained and will do everything they can to restore your business to its original condition.

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com
http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/news/glasgow-library-temporarily-closed-after-pipes-burst/article_0b64e1fc-f19a-11e7-aaf5-9bb815f21818.html

Christmas Time!

12/30/2017 (Permalink)

We all took a minute to stop, play, and celebrate some Christmas spirit. Throughout the year our employees have ran to not from every challenge and every disaster. SERVPRO spirit is to help all in need no matter the crisis that comes but at least one day we all got to come together and enjoy a time out. This years Family Christmas party even had a special visitor. Santa came to get all the Christmas lists in order. He even scanned the kids and all of them were on the nice list. This was a wonderful time for all.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties wants to thank our amazing employees for their hard work and sacrifice to make us one of the best Teams in the industry.

When Storms or Floods hit SERVPRO is ready!

12/4/2017 (Permalink)

Our highly trained crews are ready to respond 24/7 to storm or flood damage

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.
Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today - 270-659-0067

How to Protect Pipes in the Winter

12/1/2017 (Permalink)

Water Freezes at 32 Degrees Fahrenheit

With snow in the forecast, here are 5 tips from the Red Cross on making sure your pipes do not freeze or burst during cold weather:

1. Insulate both hot and cold water pipes.
2. Keep the garage door closed if any water supply lines are in the garage.
3. Keep a trickle of water going through the lines. 
4. Leave your thermostat at the same temperature both night and day.
5. Open cabinet doors to help warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.

A burst pipe can cause thousands of dollars in damage because it has the potential to flood your home. If the five tips mentioned above do not protect your pipes, give SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties a call at 270-659-0067!

To read more tips, visit the Red Cross website at:
http://www.redcross.org/…/types-o…/winter-storm/frozen-pipes

#SERVPRO9750 #TeamElkins

Restoring Your Commercial Property After A Water Damage Event

12/1/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and water damage events at commercial properties are often complex with numerous issues that require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a relatively small water cleanup scenario or a large scale event, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area. In many instances, normal operations can continue in a temporary space while we restore your facility.

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges

Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area while working within your budgetary constraints. We understand that every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises in your business, give us a call and we’ll be there fast with the help you need.

About SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. 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.

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/employee-photos

Annual Chamber Golf Tournament

10/9/2017 (Permalink)

We were so excited to be a part of the Annual Edmonson County Chamber Golf Tournament at Shady Hollow Golf Course. It was the perfect day to be on the course, and we enjoyed spending time with the people of our community! We also held a contest for a participant to win a door prize including a cooler, a cup, and an Applebee's gift card. Van Roberts, one of our marketing representatives presented this award to our winner, Rick Brown! We are very excited to participate in this tournament next year, and we plan to be a part of many events in our communities until then! 

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor

Call us Today 270-659-0067!

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/

Severe Mold Damage

10/9/2017 (Permalink)

Mold can grow quickly when water damage is present. Give us call at the first sign of water damage.

Have you ever come across a foul, musky smell in your home or business and had no idea where it was coming from? It's possible this odor could be because of water damage, and water that is not dried up in your home aids mold growth. Mold has the potential to be dangerous to your health, so if your home has a musky smell, call the professionals of SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties to clean it up! Our crew has vast experience dealing with mold remediation, and we are happy to help restore any type of mold infestation in your home or business. You should always leave it to the specialists if you find mold in your home. SERVPRO will completely eliminate the mold and make it look "Like it never even happened." Don't hesitate to give us a call if your home has a mold problem at 270-659-0067!

Water Removal Experts

10/9/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties have been ridding homes of water damage for a very long time, so we know how stressful it can be when you find your home flooded or with water damage. It is common practice for individuals with damage to attempt to clean it up themselves, but then smell a musky smell a few days later. Restoring water damage takes a certain science, which is why our crew is required to go through extensive training before they can repair your home or business. Our training gives us the knowledge and expertise to clean up your property before future damage has an opportunity to occur. Floods can happen at any point, so it's important to be prepared. We recommend that you save our number into your phone so you will be prepared in the case of an emergency! 270-659-0067

Invasion of the Scarecrows Contest

10/6/2017 (Permalink)

Team Elkins' creative scarecrows submitted to the Invasion of Scarecrows contest!

Every year a local chamber of commerce hosts a contest called the Invasion of the Scarecrows. Team Elkins participated in this event and created a couple Halloween themed scarecrows. We thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to show off the skills of our creative employees. There are a multitude of awards given to the best scarecrows. In order to support our scarecrow in winning the "People's Choice Award", you must go vote for our SERVPRO scarecrow at the Allen County Chamber of Commerce before October 31st!

 Our staff is intensely involved in the community and frequently participates and hosts events similar to Invasion of the Scarecrows. We find community involvement essential to our business.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties

http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/

Call us Today at 270-659-0067!

Hope for the Homeless

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Our employees participating in Hope for the Homeless!

REALTORS® Hope for Homeless was established in 2012 by the REALTOR® Association of Southern Kentucky, with the purpose of helping poverty stricken and homeless children, individuals, and families in our community by collecting non-perishable foods, toiletries and money. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties participated in this event by collecting the nonperishable items from other members of the community and by helping the Realtor Association organize the items into separate boxes as you can see in the top right image. We also promoted this event by posting it on our social media and by informing customers of the event by word of mouth. Plenty of items were collected and donated to people in need. This was a great cause that benefited many people. We were honored to be a part of Hope for the Homeless!

Outdoor Storm Safety

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Safety Guidelines

Being outside during a treacherous storm can be extremely dangerous if you do not take the right precautions. The type of environment you are in during the time of the storm influences what precautions you must take.

If you are in an open area, it is important to find low ground. Finding lower ground has potential to protect you in a thunderstorm because lightning usually strikes on higher ground.

If you are on any body of water, you must seek land immediately. Being on open water during a storm is one of the most dangerous places you could be because lightning strikes water at a higher rate.

If you are in a forested area, it is important to seek shelter under a growth of small trees in the lowest area you can find.

If you happen to be stuck in your car during a storm, you must keep your windows closed. You also should stay in the car to provide shelter.

Preventing Mold from Infesting your Home or Business

10/4/2017 (Permalink)

Mold growing inside a home or business can pose health risks and negatively effect air quality. Thus, preventing mold from infesting your home is important to insure the health of your family. There are three essential steps to preventing it- controlling moisture in home, keeping moisture out of the home, and keeping the house clean and cool. There are many methods of completing these steps.

In order to control moisture in the home, you can install a hygrometer in your home, which will measure the moisture levels. Mold grows where their is moisture, so it's important to keep the house dry. Also, you should open a window while you shower to prevent too much moisture from building in the bathroom. Hanging clothes outside to dry instead of in the house also prevents mold infestation by decreasing moisture. The last method to control moisture is increasing ventilation and circulation in your home.

The second step is to keep moisture out of the house. This step has three methods. First, it is beneficial to drain water away from your house to prevent water coming into your house from outside. Second, it is essential to clean the gutters regularly because they are an important part of the system that keeps water away from the house. Thus, they should be well maintained. Lastly, you could install plastic sheets in crawl spaces especially if it has a dirt floor.

The last step in preventing mold is keeping the house clean and cool, and it contains four methods. First, you must vacuum and dust regularly to remove mold spores. Second, running filters or air purifiers is beneficial to preventing mold. Thirdly, opening the windows to allow sun into the home prevents mold because mold thrives in dark places. Lastly, you must maintain the temperature. Mold grows in warm areas, so keeping the house cool will prevent mold.

Fire Prevention Week starting October 8th!

10/3/2017 (Permalink)

National Fire Protection Associaton

During the week of October 8 thru October 14, 2017 the United States and Canada observe Fire Prevention week. Back in 1925, President Calvin Coolidge made the 1st Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week. The goal for this week of awareness is to educate the public to take precautions in preventing potentially harmful and destructive fires and how we can survive. It is getting in front of a disaster that fire can cause and the processes that can reduce emergencies and damage caused by fire.

In the event that your a victim of a home fire, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.  SERVPRO is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We will answer and react when you need us!
Call us today! 270- 659-0067

Request Help!
http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

National Fire Protection Association
http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/resources/education-programs/community-tool-kits/keeping-your-community-safe-and-warm

Water Damage Spreads Quickly!

10/2/2017 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays. Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more. Team Elkins arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7- 270-659-0067

Within Minutes

• Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
• Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
• Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
• Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

• Drywall begins to swell and break down.
• Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
• Furniture begins to swell and crack.
• Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
• A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

• Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
• Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
• Metal begins to rust and corrode.
• Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
• Paint begins to blister.
• Wood flooring swells and warps.
• Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

• Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
• Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

Team Elkins specializes in the restoration of water damage in commercial and residential properties. Our crew is highly trained and will do everything they can to restore your home to its original condition.

Do you have an Emergecy Ready Profile?

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

As a homeowner or business owner it is important to have an emergency plan and contacts close by in case anything out of the ordinary and unexpected happens. In most cases you cannot fathom the amount of stress involved. SERVPRO understands that stress. In most cases people don't think about the unanticipated things that may occur to your business such as flooding, tornadoes, fire, etc. 

Pre-planning is key and SERVPRO has the experience. SERVPRO offers an Emergency Ready Program that is available to you.  Our Emergency Ready Program, also known as an ERP, is the best way to minimize and reduce any interruption in your business following a disaster.  According to the latest industry research, as much as 50% of businesses will not recover following a devastating disaster.  A majority of the businesses that had a preparedness plan in place were able to reopen for business and survive.

By developing a SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile for your business, you can minimize the business disruption. Pre-planning will give you an immediate plan of action and serve as a type of peace of mind insurance policy.  Knowledge of what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation. 

The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile is a NO COST assessment of your facility.  The ERP profile document will contain valuable information that will be needed in the event of an emergency.   We will identify details such as shut-off valve locations, high priority areas, and 1st in line contact information. Our SERVPRO staff will come out at NO COST and walk you through the process. It takes very little time to complete and save a lot of time in the event you ever need it.   This Profile will get you back on track quickly in the event of an emergency or disaster because you will have a plan of action to execute.

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties is your local professional resource to assist you through the process of mitigation and restoration. You will have an industry leader close by and a life line to help you command authorization for the work to begin quickly.  When your business has a quick reference of what, when, how, and who to call, you are able to respond and solve decisions that need to be made efficiently. Our number one goal is to have you re-open for business while saving you time and money.

Give us a call today and set up your ERP!

270-659-0067

IICRC-Water Damage Restoration Technician Certified

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

According to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification,  “Water damage can be deceptive. Water penetrates into structural cavities creating trapped pockets of saturation. The detection of water in these areas can often only be discovered with sophisticated moisture detection meters. Undetected moisture will continue to cause damage. This damage, at a minimum, will cause odors. Greater damage will surface when materials delaminate, shrink, split and further deteriorate to where costly repairs are required.”

SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties believes in education and making sure our entire Staff is trained and obtains as much knowledge in our industry.  When a home or business experiences a major water loss from flooding, our IICRC-certified restorers will arrive with the knowledge and equipment to dry your home or business facility back to preloss conditions.  When water damage has been present for a long period time you increase the possibility of mold occurring. Our staff will carefully monitor the amount of water damage including substructure materials.  This monitoring is to minimize possible mold and prevent health issues. “All IICRC-certified professionals have the training and experience to identify moisture sources, evaluate mold growth (visible or suspected), contain damage, remove contamination and dry materials to ensure that mold will not return.”

When water and flooding impact your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you  24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties

Call Us Today : 270-659-0067

Request help online: http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

http://www.IICRC.org/consumers/care/water-damage/

The importance of Smoke Alarms

8/18/2017 (Permalink)

The importance of Smoke Alarms

In the event of a deadly home fire, a working smoke alarm will significantly increase your chance of survival. Follow these tips to insure your prepared-

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, all throughout the home.  Upstairs, downstairs, basements.  Make sure you have inside and outside of bedrooms.
• Replace the entire smoke alarm every 8-10 years.
• test your batteries monthly
• once a year replace batteries in smoke detectors that are battery-powered and hard wired smoke alarms. (the only exception are detectors that contain 10 year lithium batteries.)
• Install both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.

There will be times that you may be cooking something that puts off smoke.  Even though its tempting, never disable your smoke alarm.  That one time could be a costly mistake.  Never ignore the sound.  Always react promptly until you ultimately know that your safe and there is not a fire.  In the event you are put in that situation, make sure you are safe and leave the building.  Your life is more valuable then the contents inside. 

When fire impacts your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You don't have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you  24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and TaylorCounties

Call Us Today : 270-659-0067

https://www.ready.gov/home-fires

Handling Smoke Damage after a Fire

8/17/2017 (Permalink)

If you are the victim of a house fire, you will be very anxious to clean your home and all the contents that are salvageable.  It is always recommended to take the time to seek the professional and gain their advice. If you don’t, you could be wasting your time and efforts all the while creating further damage.  The very 1st thing you should do is contact your insurance agency immediately once its safe and the fire is completely out.  If your renting your home contact the homeowner next so you can both go over the amount of damage.  Many times your insurance agent may recommend a professional fire restorer who can give you hints to prevent additional damage and help assess what items can or can not be refurbished.  They will provide you an estimate and all available services that are available to thoroughly clean and deodorize your home. In some cases the service may seem expensive but many times these costs will be dramatically less then replacing damaged furnishings and floors.  In the aftermath, you may find items that have been passed down and have an irreplaceable value that can be saved. 

When a fire impacts your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done.  You don’t have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night.  24/7, 365 days a year we guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Don't hesitate, Call us today!  270-659-0067

Commercial Duct Cleaning

8/16/2017 (Permalink)

• The process begins by using patented equipment including a roto-scraper, which automatically adapts to the duct's shape an diameter while traveling through the duct, removing debris and filth before vacuuming begins.
  
  
• Next, a powerful push-pull air delivery and collection system transfers the debris from the ducting to a 16-gallon container.
  
  
• Air is filtered through a HEPA filtration system, removing 99.97 percent of particles in the airstream. HEPA filters capture debris and keep the environment clean.
  
  
• As an optional process, a sealant or coating product may be sprayed to address odor to microbial concerns.
  
  
• Filters will either be cleaned or replaced to remove odor and dirt.

Duct cleaning may not always be necessary. SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties will inspect your HVAC system and ductwork and make recommendations about the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns. This inspection can save you money and provide peace of mind on the health of your HVAC system and ductwork.

In some circumstances, such as after fire, smoke or suspected mold growth, duct cleaning becomes an essential part of the cleanup process. In these cases, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties often restore the HVAC system and ductwork to pre-damage condition.

Call us today -270-659-0067

Guns & Hoses- Campbellsville

8/15/2017 (Permalink)

Guns & Hoses 2017 #SavingLives #RedCross

After the success of the Barren County Guns N' Hoses Blood Drive, we are extended our reach to other counties. Today we hosted the 1st annual Taylor County Guns & Hoses Blood Drive! This year the Fire Department crushed the attendance 3 to 1 against the Police Department. 

For those of you who couldn't make this event, Please find a local Red Cross event and donate. The Red Cross is at a critical level and every donation can save more than one life! l together!

When water or fire impact your home or place of business, call on the professionals to get the job done. You don't have to wait, you can reach a team member any time of the day or night. We are on standby for you  24/7, 365 days a year! We can guarantee that anytime you call, you will get a SERVPRO professional on the line to help.

Call us today- 270-659-0067

#SavingLives #RedCross American Red Cross of South Central KentuckyCampbellsville/Taylor Co. Fire Dept. Campbellsville Taylor County Chamber of Commerce

Round 2 of Heavy Rains re-floods Kansas City

8/7/2017 (Permalink)

As our Storm Team prepared to tie up all the loose ends in Kansas City, Heavy rains came down Saturday night and caused more damage as well as saturating homes and basements that had just dried out.   Thankfully, SERVPRO and Storm Team Elkins was still on hand and able to assist Kansas City residents immediately.  As the calls came in at midnight we were able to rally the troops and be on-site quickly preventing additional damage.   

Our Storm Team assists customers all over the country that have storm Damage and any other type of flood or disaster.

When you need help and you need it fast, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties are there for you. When you have water damage in your home or Business, every minute and detail matters! We are available 24/7 for all emergencies, especially when water extraction and drying from flood water is crucial.

Don't hesitate to call! 270-659-0067

Flood Basement in Kansas City

8/7/2017 (Permalink)

8 feet of water in basement

Shown are pictures of a home that flooded in the recent Kansas City flooding.  There was 8 feet of water in the basement.  Walls, baseboards, all the carpet, and contents were affected by the water damage. The homeowner was an elderly woman and wanted to go through everything before it was thrown out.  Our trained staff worked with her to go through the contents one by one.  She was able to recover lost items that she had thought were ruined and salvage many heirlooms feared lost forever.

Experiencing a major disaster like flooding is not something we deal with everyday.  Unfortunately this is not a ordinary or common service but thankfully SERVPRO is there when you need a company that can act quickly and handle the uncertainty and confusion that is presented to homeowners during a time like this.   This time is also very stressful and many times people have no idea where or who to turn to so poor decisions or no decisions are made which can cost the homeowner a variety of other problems such as financial or health related issues down the road.  Untreated category 3  flood water can lead to a variety of issues such as Mold.

We want every client treated with care and have every question answered while they are going through this very stressful time.  SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties will work closely with the homeowner, insurance adjusters, and everyone that may be included in getting your home back “Like it never even happened.”

If you find yourself in an emergency situation don’t hesitate to call us.  We are available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Call us today: 270-659-0067

Request Help today: http://www.SERVPROallenbarrenhartgreenandtaylorcounties.com/fnol

Heavy Rains causes Flooding in Kansas

7/30/2017 (Permalink)

Storm Team Elkins heading to Kansas

This week Team Elkins Storm Team traveled to Kansas City, MO where heavy rains caused major flooding in the entire area. Many homes and business were damaged by flood water and mud. According to news reports, Thunderstorms had dropped up to 7 inches of rain in just a few hours.

Our Storm Team assists customers all over the country that have storm Damage and any other type of flood or disaster.

When you need help and you need it fast, SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, and Taylor Counties are there for you. When you have water damage in your home or Business, every minute and detail matters! We are available 24/7 for all emergencies, especially when water extraction and drying from flood water is crucial.

Don't hesitate to call! 270-659-0067

Storm Team Elkins Activated!

7/19/2017 (Permalink)

Our Storm Team hard at work!

This week, Northern Illinois experienced spontaneous heavy rain that caused major flooding problems within people’s homes and basements.  A basement is the easiest place for flooding to occur because it is the lowest level of the home or building.  Most basements are built below the ground where a lot of rain will run into.  There are several reasons why your basement could end up flooding: these include…  

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe 
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home
• Storm sewer backup
• Sanitary sewer backup
• Foundation drainage failure
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure
• And many more.

Our Storm Team was prepared and ready to assist in the clean up effort with specialized equipment to ensure that homes were all dry and clear of any other damage or other future problems.  If water damage is not handled correctly and efficiently, it can cause severe damage to your home’s structure in addition to potentially hazardous health issues from mold.  Our entire team worked together to get the trucks loaded and on the road in a moment’s notice so our Storm Team could hit the area ready because the longer you wait, the worse the damage may be.

The bottom line: a flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Allen, Barren, Hart, Green, & Taylor Counties of Kentucky and let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are Flooded Basement Specialists:

• We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a Preferred Vendor to many National Insurance Companies
• We Bill the Insurance Directly – One Less Thing for You to Worry About
• Our Technicians Are Highly-Trained in Water Restoration Techniques
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment

Basement Flooded? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help 270-659-0067