Frozen Pipes – Tips to Prepare for Winter

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

With temperatures dropping it's important to be prepared. Plumbing breaks and flood damage can be incredibly costly, so preparation is key to keep your pipes from freezing. Follow these easy steps to prevent expensive plumbing repairs.

Water Main: 

Locate your house’s water main shut-off valve. In case of a water emergency, you will need to shut off all water flow to the home, and this time-saving knowledge could save you thousands in case of a burst pipe.

Exterior Pipes: 

Locate all outdoor spigots and drain.  Drain and store all of your hoses. Locate all other exterior pipes and shut down supply lines.  Install insulated pipe sleeves on exterior supply lines. 

Attic, Basement and Crawl Space Pipes:

Install pipe sleeves on both cold and hot water pipes in attics, basements and crawl spaces. 

Cold Air Entry Points: 

Seal the outside of your home with caulk or insulation.  Check your exterior envelope for air leaks and cracks to help prevent frozen pipes and boost heating efficiency in the winter. 

Have water damage from a frozen pipe? Call Us Today at 781-980-7060.

Ice Dam Removal Service

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is the ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof which prevents melting snow from draining as it should. The water that backs up behind the ice dam can leak into the home and cause damage to walls, floors, ceilings, insulation, and other areas. Most ice dams occur on the lowest edge of your roof. 

There are 6 warning signs for ice dams:

1.     Your home has had ice dams in the past.

2.     You see roof ice– icicles forming on the edge of the roof, or off the front edge of the gutter.

3.     Ice is coming through the soffit.

4.     Ice is forming behind the gutters (if gutters are present).

5.     You see ice or water on the exterior wall.

6.     You see water coming through the frame of a door or window.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree offers safe, professional snow and ice dam removal services for your home or business. Our experienced team will be onsite within a matter of hours, saving you time, effort and costly repairs later. Don't wait until it's too late. Call us today and have the job done safely and done right. 781-980-7060

Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Winter Storm Damage?

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

All policies vary so please read the specific coverages, terms, provisions, exclusions, and conditions of your policy itself.  However, here are some typical coverages of homeowner’s insurance relating to winter storm damage:

Ice Dam Insurance Coverage

Very few insurance policies cover ice dam or snow removal from your roof or anywhere else on your property for that matter. However, interior or exterior damage caused by an ice dam on your roof is typically covered. As with any insurance claim, call the claims department immediately and take photos of the damage.

Frozen Pipes Insurance Coverage

Not all companies pay to have frozen pipes thawed by professionals, though some will. Most policies cover pipe replacement and water damage. The coverage may not apply if you turned the furnace off for the winter without winterizing the house and its contents.

Interruption of Services

If you lose power during a storm, an all-risk homeowner’s policy usually pays for spoiled food, repairs to damage caused by loss of power, and appliances damaged by the outage. Many policies also will pay for shelter when you lose power for extended periods during the winter. If you lose heat and fail to take steps to prevent pipes from freezing, your policy may not cover the resulting damage.

Have water damage from a winter storm? Call Us Today 781-980-7060.

The Basics of Cleaning After a Fire Loss

11/9/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage is never expected and can turn your world upside down. Here at SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree, we have fire and restoration trained professionals and resources to get you back on your feet in no time.

The process always begins with an evaluation of what items can and cannot be cleaned. We take great care to treat your fire damaged home and belongings with great care and use a multi-step cleaning process to salvage as many items as possible. We use both dry and wet methods of cleaning to achieve the best results. Dry methods of cleaning consist of dry sponging, HEPA-vacuuming and using a Masslinn dust cloth for cleaning delicate content. Our wet methods of cleaning consist of using both a cleaning agent and a deodorizer. The deodorizer has both a masking and a pairing agent. The pairing agent removes the odor and the masking agent leaves a refreshing smell. By using both of these fire restoration cleaning products, our process helps to eliminate both the dirt left behind from the fire as well as preventing any lingering smell from returning.

After a fire it's difficult to know what the first step should be to get back on your feet. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is here to help. Take a deep breath, and call us at 781-980-7060. We work hard to restore your home to pre-fire condition so you can feel like it never even happened.

Fire Safety Tips For Your Home

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

Many home fires can be avoided if proper fire prevention techniques are in place. Here are some fire safety steps to implement in your home and prevent the need for fire damage restoration.

1. The first thing that you need to do is educate yourself on the different types of smoke detectors that are on the market. There are two kinds of smoke detectors on the market, ionization and photoelectric. Ionization smoke detectors are best used for detecting the smoke that is given off from flaming fires where the photoelectric smoke detector is best for detecting the smoke particles given off from smoldering fires. The National Fire Protection Association will tell you that most deaths in home fires are due to smoke inhalation. However, since each alarm is equipped to detect different types of fires, and there is no way to determine which kind of fire will break out in a home, it is best to purchase both.

2. You need to have a fire extinguisher in your home. If a blaze does happen to break out in your home, you are probably going to evacuate and not attempt to battle the blaze, but that does not mean you should not keep a fire extinguisher in your home. The fire extinguisher is like a tool, you want to have it and better it just sits there, and you never have to use it than need it and not have it there when you need it. Sure, fire extinguishers are kind of unsightly, but if you are stuck in a fire and flames block the only exit, that fire extinguisher is going to be the best-looking thing you have ever seen!

3. Every home must have a fire evacuation plan, and you need to practice it a few times a year, especially if you have children. There is nothing more tragic than a family escaping a home fire only to have a member of the family-run back into a burning home because they think they are going to get someone who they believe to be still in there but is safely somewhere else. Make sure everyone in your family knows the evacuation plan from the home in the event of a fire and make sure everyone knows where the family is supposed to meet. Explain the value of staying at the meeting place and waiting there, and practice, practice, practice that plan.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree professionals are industry leaders in fire restoration services nationwide. Should disaster strike, we can help: 781-980-7060.

Commercial Water Damage

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

A leak in a commercial structure can cause water damage as well as several types of additional damage, including the growth of black mold. Here are five major risks that may result from water damage in a commercial property if water damage cleanup and restoration are not handled promptly and properly.

1. Warped or distorted building materials or contents: This type of damage falls between primary and secondary damage. If items are not necessarily ruined by the water itself but by the conditions caused by the leak, the damage can be said to be secondary.

2. Ruined electronics that may be dangerous to operate: Water can corrode and damage electronics in a commercial property. Once again, water damage is the primary cause, but other consequences can result from device malfunction or shorting.

3. The development of mold: Mold is one of the major secondary risks that can result from water damage. Black mold has a reputation as one of the most potentially dangerous consequences of water damage that is not thoroughly dried.

4. Bacterial contamination: Depending on the type of water involved in a leak and whether this water was contaminated, a secondary risk of bacterial contamination may arise. Cleanup experts can eliminate this risk by disinfecting areas and items affected by a leak that involves gray or black water.

5. Insect infestations: Leaks that are not addressed in a thorough and timely manner can also lead to infestations of silverfish, termites, or other insects that cause additional damage to a structure.

If your commercial property has experienced water damage, you should hire a service that specializes in cleaning up and providing water damage restoration. These experts should be able to minimize or prevent all types of damage which may result from the presence of excessive moisture or high humidity levels within a structure, including black mold.

Call us at 781-980-7060 for more information on commercial water damage.  

Why you need SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree after a fire

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

After a fire you may need SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree fire services very quickly in order to prevent damage from spreading through your property.

Say a fire burns a hole in your roof for instance. This could then lead to a situation where you have rain coming in through your ceiling and ruining your property more – the longer you leave this the more the extent of the damage is going to increase and thus you need to get SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree emergency services whenever possible rather than waiting for the problem to get more severe.

SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree will assess the damage and put a plan together.  We offer board-up services along with the clean-up.  During the clean-up we can address both the fire and water damage at the property.  

During this fire damage restoration process, we will ensure the removal of any odors that can linger after the smoke has been in the room. This might involve carpet cleaning as well and will often need to address adjacent rooms as well as those directly affected by fire damage.

Finally, the clean-up part of the fire damage restoration process will also involve the removal and disposal of items that are too badly damaged to be repairable. If you have furniture for instance that has absorbed a lot of contaminated water, or if you have carpet that has been badly burned… in these cases often the best case scenario is just to throw these things out and to replace them with new items.  

Water, Fire, Mold & More!

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Water, fire and mold can cause permanent damage if not handled right away. That is why SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is available for 24-hour immediate assistance. Our team is always on call to arrive at the scene of a disaster when it happens so that we can decrease the amount of damage to your property and save you time and money.

Your commercial property is an asset that requires safe and timely restoration. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is a full-service general contractor that can handle any size disaster. There is never a need to call in any other company. Our team of experts are skilled and experienced in cleaning up water, fire, and mold, and can perform any extent of reconstruction. SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree can handle it all – from start to finish you can rely on our professional team. Some of our specialties include:

• Water Extraction
• Sewage Cleanup
• Smoke & Soot Removal
• Mold Removal & Remediation
• Construction & Reconstruction

Don't Get Left Out in the Cold, Time to Weatherize!

9/21/2022 (Permalink)

Don’t Get Left Out in the Cold, Time to Weatherize!

Fall is here!  With changing leaves and pumpkin spice in the air, winter is right around the corner.

Is your home, office or place of business ready?  Check out these Tips for Fall Maintenance.

Mold Inspection – Mold issues can arise during the fall and winter, due in part to condensation on walls and windows within our homes.  Eliminate mold HVAC risk, improve your family’s health and have a peace of mind with an inspection.

Weatherize Windows and Doors – Use weather stripping and caulk to seal out drafts.  Not only can this lower heating bills, it can also help keep insects and other “critters” out.

Inspect Your Roof – Be proactive and prevent expensive emergency repairs.  Look for trouble spots and learn how to locate a leak from inside.

Check Your Insulation – Adding insulation is one of the most important and beneficial ways to prepare your home, office or place of business for winter.  The potential money and energy savings make it well worth the effort.

Inspect and Clean your Gutters – Cleaning your gutters at least twice a year will result in better protection of your roof, your walls and foundation of your home.

Adjust the Temperature – Setting your thermostat as low as comfortable when you are home and turning the temperature down while you’re away can help save money.  A programmable thermostat can make it easy to set your temperature.

Tune Up your Heating System – Cleaning and servicing now can help save you money later.  Remember to check your furnace filter and replace it as necessary.

As always, SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree is here to help you through the process or in the event of an emergency. Call us at 781-980-7060.

From Start to Finish

7/1/2022 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree we are committed to making the rebuilding process for our customers as simple and organized as possible. After the removal of the effects from water, fire, or smoke damage, our Reconstruction team steps in to finish the job; leaving your home or business in the condition it was prior to the incident. This means it will seem “Like it never even happened.”

Our Reconstruction Project Manager (RPM) will take the lead on handling any of your construction needs, from rebuilding your home or business to its original condition, to installing any and all remodels and upgrades that you, the customer, request.

As construction begins the RPM will work closely with you and your insurance adjuster to guarantee the highest level of satisfaction and most time-efficient execution of any and all construction requirements and needs. Our service will start with replacing the home or business back to its original condition, but also allow for any changes or upgrades to the property at your request. We will communicate directly with you to inform you of the coverage to be expected from the insurance agency, and then offer you a range of options from professional and effective contractors from all trades to remodel your property. This will afford you the opportunity to make any alterations to your property that you desire during the reconstruction phase. This will save you time and money on any of those home or business improvements you may have been putting off!  

The reconstruction process is one that may seem intimidating to many homeowners and/or business owners, but we at SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree assure you that this is our specialty. Our mission is to leave you with the home and/or business you recognized before any damages, as well as to remove any stress or strain associated with handling a construction project on your own. Our services will allow you time to consider any remodel upgrades without the hassle of juggling contractors and insurance adjuster requests and needs.

The RPM will be in contact with you daily to keep you apprised of the job schedule and progress as well as take the time to sit with you and discuss your options. It is important to us that you can trust and rely on us during construction. Our RPM is always available to speak with you, either over the phone, via email, or in person, at your request.

We at SERVPRO of Milton/Braintree hope that you choose the experts at emergency restoration to complete any and all jobs with our Reconstruction division.  Please visit our website, follow us on Facebook, call our main office at 781-980-7060.