Holiday Fires

12/5/2024 (Permalink)

Fires can occur at anytime however we see more of them around the holidays

Most homeowners are aware holiday decorations should be used with care. Each year, statistics tell the story of the fire danger resulting from frayed wires, proximity to heat sources, and lights left on unattended. But disaster recovery specialists SERVPRO® wants homeowners to know that the danger of fire caused by holiday decorating, and by Christmas trees specifically, actually increases after the holiday. Citing research from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)*, the fire and water damage experts at SERVPRO say while four out of five Christmas tree fires happen in December and January, the 10 days with the highest average number of fires were all after Christmas Day.

"For many families, preparing for the holiday season is a very busy time," said Sue Steen, SERVPRO Industries, Inc. chief executive officer. "Come December 26, it's tempting to relax and stop watering the Christmas tree, replacing bulbs in outdoor lights and tucking indoor garlands back into place. Dry greens, open sockets and decorations that slip dangerously close to light sockets or fireplaces can all increase the risk of fire in the days after the Christmas holiday."

The American Christmas Tree Association** quotes Nielsen research that says Americans purchased 21.6 million live Christmas trees in 2011. That number is significant because, according to the NFPA, Christmas trees remain the number one culprit in holiday fires. Forty-three percent of Christmas tree fires happen in December, but January is close behind, claiming 39 percent -- numbers that demonstrate the danger of allowing Christmas trees to dry out during and after the holiday season. Tragically, Christmas tree fires are particularly deadly, claiming on average one life in every 40 fires compared to an average of one death per 142 total reported home fires.

Steen encourages homeowners who choose to decorate with live Christmas trees to be diligent about watering their trees both before and after the holidays. "When a Christmas tree dries out, it takes only a single spark from the fireplace, a draft that blows a candle flame too near, or a carelessly held cigarette to turn your holiday celebration into a tragedy," says Steen. "Beyond the damage from the fire itself, a Christmas tree fire, like any fire, can result in extensive smoke and water damage throughout your home, and can even be deadly."

As the holiday season moves into full swing, SERVPRO reminds homeowners to take common sense precautions based on a clear understanding of the potential danger to help prevent holiday traditions from turning into a holiday nightmare.

Firefigher Challenge League

11/5/2024 (Permalink)

We were honored to be apart of the 2024 Firefighter Challenge League

We were honored to be a part of the 2024 Firefighter Challenge League. The World Championship was held out the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

Firefighters from all over the world come here to compete. The following is a brief overview of what each contestant has to complete.

Stair Climb - competitors carry a 100-foot, 42-pound hose up six flights of stairs (replicating a five story building), without letting it touch the stairs;

Hose Hoist - competitors pull a 42-pound “donut” roll up a five story tower using a hand-over-hand motion and place it into a box.

Forcible Entry or Keiser Force machine — move a 160-pound beam using a nine and a half pound shot mallet until it moves five feet.

We enjoyed being a sponsor and volunteer at this event. We looked forward to helping out again next year!  

Winter Is Coming

1/3/2024 (Permalink)

A picture of a frozen pipe that results in a water damage

Now that Christmas and New Years has passed its time to shift our focus to Winter. Although the weather has warmer then usual for this time of year, colder tempertures are now on the horizon. With dropping tempatures comes the risk of frozen pipes and water damage.

Bursting pipes alone can result in thousands of dollars in water damage, including the amount of damage that can be done from a flooded basement or flood damage in other parts of your home.

Another important and dangerous winter issue is ice dams that collect on the roof. Ice dams are created from snow melting from a warm part of the roof back down to a cold spot where the water refreezes and forms a dam. The ice dams continue to build up over cold days leaving a pocket for water to sit and leak through the roof.

Here are some preparation tips to protect your home this winter:

Make sure to insulate pipes. Pipe insulation can cost as little as $0.50 per liner foot according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety.

Clean out gutters. By making sure there are no blockages in your gutters you can avoid ice dams, which cause water to back up and flow into the house.

Ensure there are no broken seals around windows and doors.

Check the roof for leaks or cracks in seals. These cracks usually form around vent and chimneystacks. Snow, which is mostly likely to collect on the downwind side of the roof, can cause damage to shingles.

The Dangers of Frying a Turkey

12/4/2023 (Permalink)

The fire department drops a frozen turkey into a fryer

We were happy to partner up with fire department to demonstrate the dangers of dropping a frozen turkey into a fryer. If you are cooking a turkey make sure it has plenty of time a thaw. Do not drop it in the oil quickly. You want to ease it down slowly. Make sure your fryer is outside and you have a fire extinguisher present.

We offer continuing education throughout the year for insurance agents and adjusters. We provide classes that cover water damage and mold, but our most popular class is always the thanksgiving fire remediation class.

After the class is complete we head outside where the fire department already has the oil heated up. They drop a frozen turkey into the fryer and what happens next is crazy.

Here is a really good video of the event this year. The fire department does great job showing you what can wrong when frying a turkey. While also giving you great advice on how to do it the right way.

Turkey Fire  

2023 PigFest

11/3/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Storm Trailer

SERVPRO of Cheatham, Robertson, & Dickson counties was proud to be a part of PigFest 2023 in Hendersonville. This is our 4th straight year being involved in the event and we look forward to continuing to be a part of it!

This year we had a booth set up right beside Mary's Magical Place. Our job was to pass out paint and materials to kids so they could paint parking spots. It was very cool to see some familiar faces from pervious years that came back to touch up their parking spot.

IF you have never came to PigFest in the past id high recommend going next year. There is great food for purchase as well as some free samples. It is some of the best BBQ you will have!     

National Preparedness Month

9/5/2023 (Permalink)

Contact your local SERVPRO about their free emergency plan

When September arrives most people think about the weather cooling off and the return of football. At SERVPRO September is a big month because its officially the national preparedness month. Its a simple reminder to be prepared for any emergency or disaster.

Most people assume hurricanes are the only disaster and rarely are prepared if they don't live by the ocean. However flooding, fires, and tornadoes can happen anywhere in the world so its important to have a plan in place.

We recommend using some of these tips to make sure you and your family are prepared for any type of emergency.

- Have an emergency meeting location

- Keep emergency contacts saved in your phone 

- Keep copies of important documents in multiple locations 

If you own a business please reach out to your local franchise and ask them about the free emergency ready plan. We are happy to come take a look at your business and customize an emergency plan. This includes documenting main shut offs and organizing emergency contacts.    

Indoor Air Quality

8/1/2023 (Permalink)

Maintaining good indoor air quality

One of the most commons calls we get during the summer is for mold inspections. Mold can cause a lot of different issues within a house or building. It can affect the structure as well as cause health problems for those living inside. This blog will focus on some tips to have good indoor air quality and help prevent mold growth.

1. Vent bathrooms, kitchens, toilets and laundry rooms directly outdoors. Use energy efficient and quiet fans.
2. Avoid locating furnaces, air conditioners and ductwork in garages or other spaces where they can inadvertently draw contaminants into the house.
3. Properly vent fireplaces, wood stoves and other hearth products; use tight doors and outdoor air intakes when possible.
4. Vent clothes dryers and central vacuum cleaners directly outdoors.
5. Store toxic or volatile compounds such as paints, solvents, cleaners and pesticides out of the occupiable space.
6. Minimize or avoid unvented combustion sources such as candles, cigarettes, indoor barbecues, decorative combustion appliances or vent-free heaters.
7. Provide operable windows to accommodate unusual sources or high-polluting events, such as the use of home cleaning products, hobby activities, etc.
8. Use sealed-combustion, power-vented or condensing water heaters and furnaces. When natural-draft applications must be used they should be tested for proper venting and should be located outside the occupiable space when possible.
9. Put a good particle filter or air cleaner in your air handling system to keep dirt out of the air and off of your ductwork and heating and cooling components.
10. Distribute a minimum level of outdoor air throughout the home, using whole-house mechanical ventilation.

For other information or to schedule a HVAC or ductwork cleaning call us today!

What To Do When You Have a Water Damage

7/25/2023 (Permalink)

Removal of water from a customers home

If your home or business just experienced a water damage this blog is for you. I'm sure a lot of questions are running through your head about who to call or what to do next. The first step is to call your local SERVPRO so they can inspect the damage to see if a claim needs to be filed. Why SERVPRO is on the way here are some tips to help minimize the water damage.

Water Damage from Clean Water:

• Shut off the water source if possible or contact a plumber if you cant find the source.
• Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building.
• Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping or using towels.
• Put furniture on blocks to prevent the bottom from getting wet.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture and wet carpeting.
• Do not enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. 
• Don't use a household vacuum to remove water. This could cause electrical shock or damage to the vacuum.

Water Damage from Contaminated Water (i.e. Sewage, Outside Water, etc.)

• Avoid all contact with sewage and any items contaminated by sewage.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with contaminated items.
• Do not walk through damaged or wet areas. This could increase the possibility of spreading contamination.
• Do not use the HVAC system or fans to dry the structure, as this could spread contaminated air.
• Do not use any products for personal hygiene or cleanliness if exposed to the contaminated area.

Fire Prevention

7/25/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO preparing to clean a house fire

Fires are one of the worst events that can happen to a home or business. Often they are unpredictable and sudden. However, there a few things you can do to help prevent a fire. While this doesn't guarantee you will never have one, it drastically lowers your percentage.

 -Inspect Smoke Detectors

When a fire starts a working smoke detector can not only save you money, but it could also save your life. It is recommended to test them monthly and frequently exchange the batteries. It only takes a few minutes to test them and its recommended to completely replace the detectors once every ten years. If your house has more then one floor its best to have detectors on each level and especially one close to each sleeping area.

-Watch Your Appliances

Stoves, washing machines, and microwaves all make our lives easier. However, when not used properly they can easily start a fire. Its recommended to clean these appliances regularly and not to use them when nobody is present.

-Be Extra Safe in The Kitchen

Recent studies have show that over half of house fires start in the kitchen. It’s important make sure you keep a fire extinguisher in close reach of the kitchen. Grease fires are most common in this area. It’s important to know that you must treat a grease fire differently than a regular fire. Never use water to put out a grease fire. Instead try to cover the fire with a heavy metal lid or dump baking soda directly on it.

-Don’t Smoke Inside

We don’t recommend smoking period. However, if you do please step outside and dispose your cigarette butts in a safe place.

-Have A Plan

Even if you follow all these tips there is still a chance your home could experience a fire. It’s smart to have an emergency plan in place. If you don’t already one the best time to make one is now. Choose a safe meeting place outside your house. Establish escape routes from every room of your house. Finally make sure everyone in your home knows where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them properly.  

What Causes Mold?

7/25/2023 (Permalink)

Serpvro specializes in mold removal

If you have ever spent any amount of time in a crawlspace odds are you have been in a moldy environment. Crawlspaces are not the only spot in a home where mold can be present, but it is the most common. This is because the conditions in a crawlspace is perfect for mold growth. This blog will focus on those conditions and what you can do to help prevent mold growth.

- Water Intrusion

This is the number one cause of mold. This can come in many different forms. The most common are roof leaks, frozen water pipes, wet foundations, and outside water. Water is the key ingredient for mold growth. its important to make sure all leaks are stopped immediately and the structure is dried out properly.

- High Humidity

Leaks aren't the only cause of mold. High humidity is also a main contributor to mold growth. You really wan to keep your indoor humidity below 60%. If you are having trouble with high humidity you might want look into purchasing a dehumidifier.