Humidity is NOT Good for Your Home!

4/27/2022 (Permalink)

If you suspect that your home has microbial growth, we suggest you call our team at SERVPRO of the Lake of the Ozarks at 573-346-7200.

The flowers start to blossom as the weather transitions from the winter weather to the summer heat. This is why our team is here to help with all of your microbial growth remediation needs. The increase in overall humidity levels during the warm summer nights increases the total moisture levels in your home/business. When you have an increase in humidity in your home, it also runs the risk of condensation on your windows which is the perfect condition for mold growth. These are the standard ways mold will grow and simple ways to prevent it from happening to you.

Mold Behind Pillows and Furniture

If you have your pillows close to/touching the wall and you notice a discolored black shade, this is an indicator that there is mold growth. There could be multiple factors causing microbial growth. Still, two simple suggestions to prevent this is to leave the pillows with a 3-4" air gap between the walls and cushions. Whereas the long-term solution could be purchasing a long-term, constant flow exhaust fan, such as the Panasonic WhisperGreen, which lowers the overall humidity levels in your home.

Mold Growth in Dead Spots

The way that air flows creates dead spots in certain spots of your home, leaving cold air in the corners of the room from the bottom to the ceiling. This is caused because airflow patterns are unable to make 90-degree turns. This cold air leads to condensation and, in return, creates perfect conditions for microbial growth.

Growth on Furniture 

Suppose you have furniture lined up against a wall. In that case, you run the risk of making perfect microclimates that are the ideal conditions for mold growth. This type of mold growth only comes from homes with a relative humidity of 70% or higher. These conditions are created from the limited airflow. The cool exterior walls provide the condition, and the couch makes the perfect surface.

Condensation on Window Frames/ Window Sills

Let's say you are unsure how to tell if your home is naturally humid. One of the easiest ways to tell is when you have condensation on the window frames. This is common in homes with condensation collecting on single-pane aluminum windows. 

How Fire Sprinklers Work

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know that our team is available 24/7 to help you through your family? Don't hesitate to call our team of professionals; we are Here to help.

Hello Lake!

It’s one of the Digital Marketing Support Coordinators, Jacob, here to talk about something I learned while attending Michele Presley’s CE Class. I will talk about how fire sprinklers work and how they turn on during this blog. During Michele’s class, Understanding the Restoration Industry: Property Fire Damage Restoration, I was FLAPERGASTED about all the new information I learned! 

Did you know that it’s not smoke that sets off a fire sprinkler system; in fact, it’s the heat from the fire? I know I might sound young and naive, but I thought smoke set the system off. If you can imagine, this class taught me A LOT! 

How A Fire Sprinkler Gets Set-Off

1. A fire starts for whatever reason it may be, which causes the air above it to heat up immediately. 
2. Science taught us that hot air rises as cold air sinks, and as the fire grows, it causes more heat to rise to the ceiling. 
3. When the fire reaches 155 to 165?, it causes the liquid-filled glass bulb to burst, or in some systems, a metal link melts, which sets off the sprinkler. 

Floating that Carpet!

2/23/2022 (Permalink)

Floating carpet is a leading technique that our team uses at SERVPRO of Lake of the Ozarks to dry carpets completely.

Being a part of the restoration industry has taught us that a nightmare that our clients never experienced is flooding and their carpets. If carpets don’t get adequately dried, then the risk of microbial growth becomes a factor. But don’t you worry, our team of professionals has leading strategies to provide excellent results to bring comfort to our clients. Our top method is called “floating carpet,” and yes, it does sound like a scene from Disney’s “Aladdin.” This technique is achieved by having an air mover directly blowing air underneath the carpet at each corner. The carpet is held into place by clips on the air movers to help achieve the wave motion. You should know that we use our proprietary software to provide the total amount of air movers needed. Having too much air directed onto the carpet can create a rough floating motion, resulting in the tac strip separating from the backing. We recognize that you can attempt this at home and if you do, make sure you supervise the drying process to ensure you aren’t damaging the carpet. If you want our team to come and float your carpets to ensure they are thoroughly dried, call us at (573) 346-7200.

Floor Warping 101

2/23/2022 (Permalink)

If you notice something isn't looking or feeling right regarding your hardwood flooring, please call SERVPRO of Lake of the Ozarks at (573)346-7200.

Moisture Moisture Moisture! 

Do you regularly monitor the moisture readings in your home? If not, SERVPRO of Lake of the Ozarks has the equipment and industry-leading strategies to provide results for our clients. Moisture creates significant problems for your wood flooring, with a skew of terms that go along with the different terms.

Cupping

Cupping is when the surfaces of the water-damaged boards form a concave shape. Another way you can tell that the wood flooring is cupping is when the sides of the board are higher than the middle of the board. Cupping is caused when an increase in moisture content saturates the bottom of the boards. You should note that moisture affects flooring types in different ways and that if cupping appears randomly, we suggest having our team take a look as there could be a bigger underlying problem. 

Buckling

There are multiple ways buckling occurs, some being when moisture is located below the surface of the flooring, flooding, and leaks are all ways buckling can occur. If you suspect that your flooring is experiencing buckling, the way to tell is if the flooring boards create grooves and peaks. 

Peaking

Peaking and buckling get mixed up because it forms a peak when floorboards buckle. Peaking is different because it's an entire flooring section, whereas buckling is one or two-floor boards that include a single peak. What causes this expansion problem is a poor installation that, when you combine it with the flux of humidity in your home, creates a contracting and expanding of the floorboards. 

Knowing the Water Source

2/22/2022 (Permalink)

Depending on the leak source, you can either have a sanitary or unsanitary source.

At SERVPRO, we focus on making our clients’ lives easier after they face a disaster. We can do this because our crew can look at the different circumstances to provide insight into the procedures needed for each water job.

We place each water job into three categories: Category 1: clean water, Category 2: Gray Water, and Category 3: Black Water.

Category 1: “Clean Water”

A category one water job is a leak from a clean source such as a toilet with no feces or urine. This category requires fast action as this can go from unharmful to harmful if the water can sit, providing perfect conditions for microbial growth.   

Category 2: “Gray Water”

A category two water job is when the leak comes from a contaminated source. We suggest that our client doesn’t expose themselves or ingest the water because of the chance of health effects.

Category 3: “Black Water”

We suggest that our client avoid exposure to this type of water contamination for this category. Our crew will be dressed in full hazmat suits to ensure their health and safety aren’t compromised. The source of the leak has some contamination, such as water from beyond the toilet trap, a toilet with feces, or standing water that has noticeable microbial growth. 

REMOVING MOISTURE PROCESSES

2/1/2022 (Permalink)

Be Careful in Wet Floor Environments

REMOVING MOISTURE PROCESS

We look at two factors when looking at a project that involves water damage. These include the Type of Material and the Degree of Wetness.

The process begins when we evaluate the variation of each material's “permeability” or the ability for water to pass through the material. The degree of wetness refers to the moisture movement by indicating the type of water being addressed.

These liquids will be presented in three possible forms:

1. SURFACE WATER

Surface water can be found on a material's surface. This can be a liquid, will be visible and can evaporate. When cleaning this type of water, the first step is to physically remove the moisture. We perform this process by using mechanical extraction equipment. This is completed by using equipment that produces different airflows. This equipment will moderate temperature and humidity, while evaporating the remaining water.

2. FREE WATER

Free water can be found within a material, but it hasn't yet bonded to the chemical bonds of the material. The moisture will be located in cavities, open pores and other air spaces within these materials. Free water is a liquid that can generally be seen when the material is darkened. It can also be evaporated. When extracting this type of water, we use lower humidities and warmer temperatures. Monitoring these factors help maintain the rate of evaporation which ensures the liquid can evaporate.

3. BOUND WATER

Bounded water is a little more problematic as it is absorbed by the material and gets held by the chemical bonds. Due to the chemical bond holding in the moisture, you will have to release it before it can evaporate. Unlike the other types, controlling the airflow on the material won't be successful. The fabric will successfully dry fastest when it is warmed, and it's essential to keep the surrounding humidity very low. Due to the chemical bonding, this type of absorption takes the longest out of the three types.

ALL of these can be problematic. The knowledge of WHAT to look for is what separates SERVPRO from our competitors. Our Project Managers will go to a water-damaged job site and be able to evaluate what needs need to be met and then disperse our technicians immediately out to the field with the right equipment to get the job done.

If you find yourself in a water leaking mess, please reach out by CALLING SERVPROat 888-886-5195 or the local Lake of the Ozarks branch at  (573) 346-7200.

The Lake's 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Lake of the Ozarks 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 - 573-346-7200

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 Lake of the Ozarks has 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)?