Emergency Readiness Plan

9/20/2022 (Permalink)

It isn’t always possible to be prepared for unexpected events such as a sprinkler system malfunction or a burst pipe. The damage caused reaches beyond the obvious initial extraction and repairs; it can have resounding impact on your operations and even put a halt on business altogether affecting everything from your employees and clients to your profits.

The best way to lessen the impact is to have a readiness plan in place just in case. With a plan the response is faster and when dealing with the flow of water, this can make a huge difference between minor damage and major reconstruction.

SERVPRO of Vigo offers such a plan for your business.  We collect your information and prepare an Emergency Ready Profile that is tailored to your unique needs. The ERP includes valuable information at your fingertips in a moment’s notice.

• Emergency Action Checklist
• Emergency Contacts
• Utility Information (shut off locations, contact information)
• Primary Contact Information (work authorization contact)
• Insurance Contact Information
• Property Overview
• Building Access Information

This information is documented in your ERP and provides photos and instructions to help locate main shut offs and navigate the points in your business that you rarely even access until there is a problem.

Contact SERVPRO of Vigo at 812-242-9611 to schedule an appointment, review your business needs, and allow us to create your personalized Emergency Ready Profile

Restoring Commercial Properties Is One Of The Services SERVPRO Is Great At!

9/20/2022 (Permalink)

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges

Flooding and water damage at commercial properties in Terre Haute 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.

About SERVPRO of Vigo County 

SERVPRO of Vigo 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.  

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.

Call SERVPRO of Vigo 812-242-9611

When Dealing With Smoke Damage Insurance, Here Are Some Pointers

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

Recent fire in downtown Terre Haute Indiana

Every commercial building owner needs to have insurance in the event of a disaster. Smoke damage could force your business to shut down operations. Even if you need to close for just a week, it could be enough for you to lose out on significant revenue. A thorough insurance policy can help tremendously with smoke cleaning costs and other essential expenses, and here are some tips for making sure you can have peace of mind in the event a fire ever occurs on your property in Vigo County.

1. Make Sure Your Insurance Covers Fires

All insurance policies are different. You need to make sure your specific policy covers fire damage. If you are presently unsure of what your policy covers, then you need to contact your agent to double-check. In the event you do not have any insurance that covers property damage, then you need to add it to your policy posthaste.

2. Be Detailed With Damage Documentation

A fire of any size will most likely cause some amount of smoke damage around the property. This documentation should include:

• Location of damage
• Overall condition of the building
• Description of damaged items
• Date damage occurred
• Any injuries involved
  
  

You will need to provide all these details within a certain amount of time, so do it as quickly as possible. Make sure to take plenty of photographs as evidence.

3. Pay Professional Cleaning Experts

Another thing to take care of right after a fire to handle soot damage is to hire a professional remediation service. Without an expert, more damage could occur, and your insurance may not cover damage that technically occurs further down the line. Ultimately, you should pay for the cleaning service, and have your insurance agency reimburse you later.

You may not be able to prevent every fire, but you can increase your chances of recovering more successfully. Having a thorough insurance policy will be a major asset if you ever need to pay for smoke damage repairs.

Restoring your Commercial Property after a Water Damage Event

3/2/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial Water Damage Events Present Unique Challenges

Flooding and water damage events at Terre Haute 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 Vigo

SERVPRO of Vigo 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.

The Importance of Preparation Brought To You By SERVPRO

1/16/2022 (Permalink)

If you ever suffer a plumbing failure at your place of business, call SERVPRO!

Any building that has water running to it poses the risk of having a leak at some point. Over time plumbing fails and appliances malfunction possibly causing commercial water damage to take place in your art gallery. Issues related to water are the second most frequent cause of insurance claims in the United States. Also, about 20 percent of all insurance claims have to do with some type of moisture-related problem. The good thing is that about 93 percent of all of these issues, including commercial water damage, could have been prevented.

Being prepared for any disaster can greatly reduce the severity of an issue that occurs. Once a commercial water damage situation takes place, mitigating the problems quickly will reduce the overall cost of the project. When our SERVPRO team arrives at a business such as your gallery, we start restoration procedures as soon as we can. However, sometimes we need access to things like water or electricity shutoffs that can be difficult to find. When we start a project, we always get work authorization, and we know we sometimes have to go through certain channels.

One way to avoid these types of issues is to contact SERVPRO today and establish us as your official restoration contractor. We can come into your art gallery ahead of time and get all of the information we need in case a disaster takes place in the future.

Our technicians will locate all of the water and power shutoffs and record them in a file we save for your business. We also will get all of the needed chains of command and contact information so that we can quickly get work authorization if a problem arises.

Once we are your designated as your restoration contractor, you will have our contact information so that you can get a hold of us immediately after you notice a problem with your building. We can then respond with your file in handing already knowing all of the things we need to know to begin work promptly.

If you ever suffer a plumbing failure at your place of business, call SERVPRO! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help you! 

When Water Damage Happens, Keep Clam & Call SERVPRO

11/21/2021 (Permalink)

Kitchen of a Vigo church after removing the damaged flooring.

When arriving for church on Sunday, this Vigo church's congregation was in for a big surprise. They stood in aww as water gushed from the kitchen when they opened the door.

After our crews arrived on site and were able to assess the damage and create a scope of work, the customer gave us the go ahead to get started on the work.

There is a technique in water damage restoration and our crews are highly trained in them. 

1. The water removal process begins almost immediately and removes the majority of the water. We use powerful vacuum units to quickly remove the water.

2. We then set air movers and dehumidifiers for proper drying. We go by the drying standards IICRC to ensure that properties are properly dry.

Our goal is to prevent secondary damage in all situations.

Does Your Business Have a Continuity Plan? (Part 1 of 2)

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

If a disaster hits your workplace and you suffer storm damage as a result, don’t be caught unprepared. Put together a plan for continuity in advance!

Protecting your business from a natural disaster requires that you take the necessary steps to prepare your workplace and your workforce. Could you access copies of your critical business documents, insurance papers, and financial information after major flooding? Would you know how to start up again after disabling storm damage? Creating a business continuity plan is vital to ensure the longevity of your company.

Here are some basic steps to start a plan: 

• Complete and document an analysis of a potential issues.
• Document what would be required to recover core business processes.
• Identify a team of your employees who would manage if your business were to be interrupted.
• Develop relocation plans and document recovery procedures.
• Hold training and practice exercises.
• Create and test emergency communication plans.

Recovery Strategies. 

When creating a continuity plan to address damage, consider full-loss and partial-loss scenarios. How long can you run your business if you don’t have access to a building? Does your staff have the ability to work from home or from another location? Document your recovery strategy, and include manual workarounds to plan for technology or machinery loss. Here are some things to review and consider:

 Increasing production at other locations (if applicable)

• Use of third-party vendors to cover gaps
• Telecommuting
• Use of another location
• Prioritization of workflow to complete critical deliverables

Does Your Business Have a Continuity Plan? (Part 2 of 2)

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

If a disaster hits your workplace and you suffer storm damage as a result, don’t be caught unprepared. Put together a plan for continuity in advance!

Flood Insurance.

An important component of a recovery plan is flood insurance, which can offer compensation for repairs that result from flood damage. Flood insurance may be available for business owners through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Cleanup.

The final step in your Terre Haute, IN, business continuity plan is knowing who to call for help with cleanup. Reach out to a local, professional, clean-up crew, and look for one that is available on call and has relationships with insurance providers.

If a disaster hits your workplace and you suffer storm damage as a result, don’t be caught unprepared. Put together a plan for continuity in advance and get back to business as soon as possible.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROvigocounty.com/.

Is Your Sprinkler Malfunctioning?

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

Finding the cause of a problem can help you keep your landscaping beautiful and your building safe from external flooding.

The landscaping at your commercial property in Terre Haute, IN, often makes the first impression on clients entering the building. Keeping your irrigation system working properly is therefore vital to maintaining your company’s image. Broken sprinklers can be detrimental to the plants they’re designed to care for. If left unchecked, they can also cause flooding problems for which you will need to hire a water mitigation specialist to handle. When sprinklers malfunction, there are several steps you can go through to determine what the underlying cause may be.

1. Determine Type of Problem. 

Irrigation problems tend to fall within two main categories. Hydraulic problems are the result of an issue with the way the equipment works. They may be due to a cut pipe, debris in the line or a technical problem with one or several of the sprinkler heads. Electrical problems have to do with getting power to the components that need it. Checking the timer or making sure the irrigation system is fueled from a working outlet can be some of the first things you do when you suspect that the problem is electrical. 

2. Determine Scope of Problem.

Is your whole system out, or is it just malfunctioning in one zone? If, for example, pressure is low in one zone, a pipe in that zone could be clogged. If, however, it is low everywhere, the problem is probably closer to the main source. Determining how large the problem is can help you narrow down the causes quickly.

3. Determine Cause of Problem.

Any number of things can cause irrigation issues. If some of the components are poor or worn out, you are likely to experience leaks. If a rock is blocking the water’s path, the system has to work harder to get the flow to the sprinkler. It is a good idea to contact a qualified professional to help you determine the cause if it’s not immediately evident.

Finding the cause of a problem with your irrigation system is important. It can help you keep your landscaping beautiful and your building safe from external flooding.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROvigocounty.com/.

What Is the Purpose Of Workplace Inspections?

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

If you have fire, water, mold, or asbestos issue give SERVPRO a call today!

A thorough routine scheduled investigation of your building can help reduce a large loss at your home or business. This is an example of a rusted pipe causing sewage to flow into a basement of a commercial building.

According to www.cchos.ca this is why workplace inspections are effective and important.

Why are workplace inspections important?

Workplace inspections help prevent incidents, injuries and illnesses. Through a critical examination of the workplace, inspections help to identify and record hazards for corrective action.

What is the purpose of inspections?

Inspections are important as they allow you to:

• listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors

• gain further understanding of jobs and tasks

• identify existing and potential hazards

• determine underlying causes of hazards

• recommend corrective action

• monitor steps taken to eliminate hazards or control the risk (e.g., engineering controls, administrative controls, policies, procedures, personal protective equipment)

If you have fire, water, mold, or asbestos issue give SERVPRO a call today!

SERVPRO Tips: Fire and Smoke Can Both Be Damaging

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke damage is usually a covered loss in many commercial property insurance policies. Even if the fire that led to smoke or soot damage in your property in Terre Haute, IN occurred in an adjacent business, your insurance should still pay out when you have smoke cleaning performed. If you want to eliminate all traces of smoke in your business or property, here are three steps that you can take to have the air quality restored.

1. Check with your insurer. Some commercial property insurance policies include coverage for damage caused by smoke. Other policies may not have this coverage. Before you schedule commercial cleaning or remediation services, you should check with your insurance provider and make sure that they will cover most, if not all of the cleaning costs with the company that you are considering to hire.

2. Schedule a smoke damage consultation. A consultation with a restoration company that specializes in cleaning up smoke can help you determine the extent of the cleaning process. Experts can inspect your business or commercial property and come up with a plan that will get rid of every trace of smoke or soot damage.

3. Have smoke cleaning performed in and around the property. Smoke cleanup may involve dry or wet cleaning of hard non-porous surfaces and the use of a machine such as an industrial air scrubber, thermal fogger, or an ozone or hydroxyl generator. Each of these machines has different requirements in terms of whether or not evacuation is necessary, side effects, and the duration of the cleaning process.

If you have recently experienced smoke damage in a commercial property located in Terre Haute, IN, you should start the cleanup process by asking your insurance company about your options. Once you know which restoration companies and services are covered by your commercial property policy, you can make the best decisions regarding restoration.

For more information call us at SERVPRO of Vigo (812)242-9611. 

SERVPRO Tips: The Importance of Planning For Safety In The Workplace

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

While you may have experienced your first fire drill at your local school in Terre Haute, IN, that doesn’t mean your emergency escape learning is complete — nor is that of your employees. Implementing a proper emergency drill system within your workplace can drastically reduce the likelihood of a casualty or injury when an actual disaster does strike your building. To build a proper drill experience, you’ll need to:

• Assign specific tasks and roles to each employee taking part beforehand
• Go over your escape plans verbally on a regular basis
• Create and enforce accountability procedures during each drill
• Identify the location and use of emergency equipment (fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc.)

When it comes to safety in the workplace, give us a call at SERVPRO! We can help you plan for disaster, and should the unthinkable happen, we are faster to any disaster and we will help you make it "Like it never even happened."

Call us at (812)242-9611

SERVPRO is here to help when your church is damaged by water

9/23/2020 (Permalink)

Accidents happen all the time, but there are many instances in which they can be costly mistakes or take time to repair. Since some churches are rarely used regularly throughout the week, something as fundamental as forgetting to turn off the water in a faucet could have catastrophic results before someone returns a couple of days later.

Mostly, churches have relied on the volunteer work of people to handle repairs or help clean up messes that might occur within the building. The congregation might be diversified, but in situations involving substantial water damage to your church, you can easily see the need for professional action. A company is going to have the tools and resources to quickly rectify the damages and get the affected area ready for use.
 
Our experienced and professional SERVPRO team can work quickly from the time that you call to assess the extent of the damage and put together a plan to restore the area. Communication is an active component of the process, helping you to both understand the restoration process as well as listening to your concerns. By working closely with your priorities and suggestions, our team operates efficiently to make the problem “Like it never even happened.”
 
The SERVPRO technicians we dispatch to the site have the tools and experience to start repairing the damages to get your church ready for services or events. Getting the water up is the first step in the process, and depending on the severity of the pooling, this process is done with either wet vacuums or with portable pumps. Air movers are used to completely dry the affected area, where a closer assessment can get done for structural damages and other areas in need of restoration or repair.
 
You cannot account for accidents like a sink that was allowed to overflow in a common area or bathroom for your Phoenix church. What you can count on, is the emergency response team we have at SERVPRO of Vigo County.

Call us at (812)242-9611, we can make it like it never even happened.

SERVPRO Tips: When it is time to return to work after a flood

9/23/2020 (Permalink)

When a flood occurs in a commercial building, it’s a common concern of business owners when they can resume business. Ultimately, it depends on how severe the flood damage was as well as if the damage was caused by black water. Flood restoration experts generally have a process in place that allows your business to resume in as little time possible, although some of the phases are deemed not safe.

Commercial Flood Cleanup

While the commercial restoration company is doing the initial cleanup from the flood damage, it’s not safe for the employees to be there. Water becomes contaminated with bacteria causing a serious health hazard. It is wise to keep all personnel stay away from the building during this phase.

Demolition After Commercial Flood

The restoration company will likely have to do some demolition to preserve the property after the flood damage. Demolition removes any property affected by the black water. This phase includes eliminating drywall, insulation, carpet and any furniture affected. During this phase, it is also not safe for staff to be present.

Sterilizing Commercial Building

During the sterilization phase, all the affected property undergoes scrubbing and disinfecting to make sure everything is sanitized. The sterilization phase consists of very strong chemical cleaners, requiring anyone who isn’t trained and complete with the proper wear remain absent.

Commercial Reconstruction

The reconstruction phase includes replacing all items compromised during the demolition. At some time during this phase your restoration company will give you the green light to resume business.

Commercial Flood Restoration Company

It’s very common when a flood produces black and gray water so it is wise to allow a certified disaster recovery team to take care of the flood cleanup and restoration, like SERVPRO of Vigo County.

When water attacks your business, call SERVPRO of Vigo County

9/21/2020 (Permalink)

Like other types of water damage, commercial flood damage brings its own unique challenges. Water is heavy, and the more exposure formerly dry structural materials have to it, the more weakened they become. Factor in the potential toxins or even sewage groundwater has the potential to contain, and the need for expedited mitigation for the property becomes even more crucial.

When SERVPRO technicians handle commercial flood damage in a business, they usually close the property and put up barriers with a two-fold purpose of preventing cross-contamination as well as limit foot-traffic for safety from issues such as slip-and-fall accidents on wet floors.

Locating Water Damaged Structural Components

During restoration services, the technicians scope the water loss affected areas of the property to determine all areas with elevated moisture. When needed, controlled demolition tactics such as removal of sheetrock through flood cuts and disposal of wet insulation are necessary for thorough drying. Water-affected building materials such as baseboards, carpet, and flooring that do not have the potential for sanitization require disposal.

Packout When Necessary

After scoping the property, SERVPRO technicians make a fast decision regarding currently unaffected items and often a pack-out to either a secure on-site storage pod or usage of off-site storage is the best choice to save stock, office furnishings, equipment, and other items from prolonged exposure to elevated indoor humidity and risk of contamination.

Vent Inspection and Cleaning

If the HVAC system was running after flood damage, the potential for the ventilation system to contain airborne contaminants is a concern, and thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ductwork is standard.

Return to Sanitary Standards for Reopening

SERVPRO technicians have the equipment and proprietary solutions to bring properties to disinfected levels that are less rigorous than hospital operating rooms. In most cases, this level of disinfection is not necessary for most commercial operations and the techs clean water-affected surfaces eradicating 99.9% of bacteria and microbes to ensure the property is safe for employees and the public once again. 

SERVPRO knows commercial flood damage requires expedited action to limit downtime and destruction to a business or residential complex. The certified technicians work until the property is returned to its preloss condition "Like it never even happened."

Give us a call today! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help get you back to "Like it never even happened."

We serve Vigo, Clay, Parke, Sullivan and Vermillion counties. Call us today at (812)242-9611.

Why SERVPRO? We are an IICRC Firm

9/19/2020 (Permalink)

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

IICRC Certified Firms must:

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.

• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.

• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.

• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.

• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

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

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

About SERVPRO of Vigo County

SERVPRO of Vigo County 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.

We serve Vigo, Clay, Parke Sullivan and Vermillion counties, call us today at 812-242-9611 to make it "Like it never even happened".