When Was The Last Time Your Business Has Had Their Carpet Cleaned?

12/30/2021 (Permalink)

Need Carpet or Upholstery Cleaning? Call Today – (269)-342-2911

It is a good rule-of-thumb to have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once or twice a year. How often you get them cleaned is going to depend on the color, traffic, and soil build-up of your carpets.

Carpets are known to trap dust, dirt, gasses, pet hair, and other soils. We recommend that don’t wait till your carpet looks really dirty before cleaning. Since the dirt builds up in layers, you don’t want the dirt hiding below the surface to become lodged and damage your carpet. SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo offers multiple cleaning options that fit your upholstery or carpet in your business. Some of our specialized cleaning methods include:

• Bonnet Cleaning: A less aggressive method for short piled carpets.

• Hot Water Extraction: A deeper cleaning method for all carpet types.

• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse: Helps restore deeply soiled areas.

• Showcase Premier Cleaning: The most thorough cleaning method in the industry.

• Dry Cleaning: When color-fastness is an issue.

Need Carpet or Upholstery Cleaning?
Call Today – (269)-342-2911

If Your Business Gets Hit By Vandalism - Check Out What To Do and Don't!

12/30/2021 (Permalink)

If you ever encounter an act of vandalism to your home or building, call SERVPRO right away to help!

SERVPRO Professionals are recognized as leaders at helping property owners quickly recover from fire and water damage. They also provide general cleaning and deodorization services for situations resulting from vandalism including graffiti, egg, spoiled foods and human or animal waste.

If you ever encounter an act of vandalism to your home or building, here are some tips on what to do until SERVPRO arrives:

DO:    

• Hose or wash egg damage from building exterior as soon as possible.    
• Blot freshly spilled food from carpets and fabrics with a dampened cloth or sponge (but don’t over wet). Scrape and blot (don’t rub: it may damage fibers).
• Carefully vacuum glass particles from carpets and upholstery     Save containers, which reveal the composition of spilled inks, cosmetics and paints. 
• Record all damage and photograph when possible.

DON’T:  

• Attempt to remove ink, paint or cosmetic stains.  
• Operate damaged lamps or appliances.   
• Discard wood chips, broken pieces from furniture, porcelain or other art objects.

When Flooding Hits your Commercial Building, SERVPRO Is Here For You

12/12/2021 (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.

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.

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo 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.

Commercial Cleaning & Your Carpets

12/11/2021 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO team has other specialties other than just mitigation and restoration. Our team also specializes in cleaning. We can clean pretty much anything. And one thing our team likes to clean is carpets for your commercial businesses!

A dirty carpet isn’t something any business wants to have. It looks unprofessional and unkept. Luckily, our SERVPRO team will come in and clean your carpet.

We take every job seriously and commercial carpet cleaning is one of them! We offer a variety of different carpet cleaning methods.

• Bonnet Cleaning: A less aggressive method for short piled carpets.
• Hot Water Extraction: A deeper cleaning method for all carpet types.
• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse: Helps restore deeply soiled areas.
• Showcase Premier Cleaning: The most thorough cleaning method in the industry.
• Dry Cleaning: When color-fastness is an issue.

Call your local franchise to schedule a carpet cleaning for your business today.

Disaster Can Be Unavoidable, But SERVPRO Is Here For You

12/11/2021 (Permalink)

Avoiding disaster can be nearly impossible in some situations. No amount of preparation can stop the elements from inflicting devastating damages on your business. In this blog, we are going to cover a few basic steps for maintaining your space to prevent avoidable water-related disasters from presenting themselves.

Our first tip would be to ensure all exposed pipes are properly insulated before the harsh winter months. A broken water pipe can cause massive damages.

Secondly, always have an itemized list of your valuable possessions and their locations in your facility. You may want to consider keeping them elevated to reduce the risk of immediate water damages in the event of a flood. Keep your roof and gutters free of any debris at all times. A gutter congested with leaves creates the potential of dams forming.

Lastly, be sure to have your business covered with a comprehensive insurance plan. It is vital in the event of lost property. Our team is always available to help answer any questions you may have. Give us a call today. We are faster to any disaster and we will make things "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Commercial Edition: HVAC/Duct Cleaning

12/5/2021 (Permalink)

Your SERVPRO Professional can often restore the HVAC system and ductwork to pre-damage condition.

Since the ventilation system is often the biggest culprit in poor indoor air quality, inspecting the ductwork should be a high priority. In most cases, the HVAC system has been operating for some time without much attention. Dirty ducts can circulate odors, contaminants such as mold and irritating dust throughout your building or home.

A routine part of a SERVPRO Professional’s service is inspecting the heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit (HVAC). Keeping the HVAC system and ductwork clean can potentially extend the life span of the equipment by allowing it to operate at peak condition, which may save you money.

Unlike the majority of duct cleaning services, your SERVPRO Professional uses a Portable Ventilation and Air Duct Cleaning System to examine ductwork and make a clean sweep, removing years of dust and grime.

SERVPRO Professionals 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 a fire, smoke or suspected mold growth, duct cleaning becomes an essential part of the cleanup process. In these cases, your SERVPRO Professional can often restore the HVAC system and ductwork to pre-damage condition.

Do You Have An Emergency Readiness Plan?

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

A commitment to begin planning today will help support your employees, customers, the community, local economy, and even the country.

How quickly your company can get back to business after a tornado, fire, or flood often depends on the emergency planning done today. The regular occurrence of natural disasters demonstrates the importance of being prepared for any emergency. While each situation is unique, your organization can be better prepared if you plan carefully, put emergency procedures in place, and practice for all kinds of emergencies. The following are basic measures business owners and managers can take to begin preparing. A commitment to begin planning today will help support your employees, customers, the community, local economy, and even the country. It also protects your business investment and gives your company a better chance for survival.

Develop a Business Continuity Plan
Your organization's risk needs will vary depending on the specific industry, size, scope, and location. Begin by reviewing your business process flow chart, if one exists, to identify operations critical to survival and recovery. Carefully assess your internal and external functions to determine which staff, materials, procedures, and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating. You should also establish procedures for succession of management.

Review Insurance Coverage
Inadequate insurance coverage can lead to major financial loss if your business is damaged, destroyed, or simply interrupted for a period of time. Insurance policies vary; check with your agent or provider about things such as physical losses, flood coverage, and business interruption. Understand what your policy does and does not cover.

Prepare Your Emergency Plan
Your employees and co-workers are your businesses' most valuable asset. Communication is central before, during, and after a disaster. Include emergency information in newsletters, on your company intranet, in periodic employee e-mails and/or other communication tools.

Practice the Emergency Plan
Some disasters will require employees to leave the workplace quickly. The ability to evacuate workers, consumers, and visitors effectively can save lives. If your business operates out of more than one location, establish evacuation procedures for each individual building. If your company is in a high-rise building, an industrial park, or even a strip mall, it is important to coordinate and practice with other tenants or businesses to avoid confusion and potential gridlock.

Secure Your Facility and Equipment
Install fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and detectors in appropriate places. Secure all entry and exit points and plan for mail safety. Plan what you will do if your building, plant, or store is not usable. Secure valuable equipment.

If Your Business Needs Their Carpets Clean - Call SERVPRO!

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

Need Carpet or Upholstery Cleaning? Call Today – (269)-342-2911

It is a good rule-of-thumb to have your carpets professionally cleaned at least once or twice a year. How often you get them cleaned is going to depend on the color, traffic, and soil build-up of your carpets.

Carpets are known to trap dust, dirt, gasses, pet hair, and other soils. We recommend that don’t wait till your carpet looks really dirty before cleaning. Since the dirt builds up in layers, you don’t want the dirt hiding below the surface to become lodged and damage your carpet. SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo offers multiple cleaning options that fit your upholstery or carpet in your business. Some of our specialized cleaning methods include:

• Bonnet Cleaning: A less aggressive method for short piled carpets.

• Hot Water Extraction: A deeper cleaning method for all carpet types.

• Deluxe Precondition and Rinse: Helps restore deeply soiled areas.

• Showcase Premier Cleaning: The most thorough cleaning method in the industry.

• Dry Cleaning: When color-fastness is an issue.

Need Carpet or Upholstery Cleaning?
Call Today – (269)-342-2911

Biohazard & Chemical Contaminants - What To Do Until Help Comes

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo is trained to safely and effectively remove bio hazardous substances.

Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can cause health effects. A failure to properly handle and safely remove such hazards can contribute to unhealthy and even dangerous environments.

Here are some quick Do’s and Don’ts if you encounter a situation where you might be exposed to a biohazard or trauma situation:

Do:

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life-threatening.
• Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated.

Don’t:

• Attempt cleanup of any kind.
• Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids.

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo is trained to safely and effectively remove bio hazardous substances and prepare waste for proper disposal according to OSHA, EPA, and state and local health regulations.

When water damage hits your business, SERVPRO is here for you!

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

Water damage does billions of dollars in damages every year. Everything from small pipe leaks to water damage from firefighting efforts, to natural disasters such as floods, can do extensive damage to property. Without extensive mitigation, this can put businesses at risk of mold and other contaminants, which can affect the safety and comfort of your facilities.

If your business requires commercial water removal, the pros at SERVPRO are ready to handle it fast. This IICRC-certified team has the tools and techniques needed to assist business owners and restoring their property after a disaster occurs. Whether the damage is caused by pipes or other infrastructure issues, this is a crew you can count on to restore your facility to its preloss condition.

Protecting Your Facilities

• Be vigilant. Notice an uptick in water expenses? It may be a plumbing issue. Make sure to regularly inspect your building for damp areas and hire a certified professional to make the fixes required for your property.
• Prepare for disaster. Sandbags, sump pumps, and other preventive measures can go a long way towards protecting your business. Commercial water sensors can also detect and limit the amount of water damage that occurs in your facility by quickly alerting you to damage.
• Check openings and prepare them accordingly. This includes windows, doors, trim, and other gaps and cracks on your property. Use weatherstripping and waterproof caulking, as well as other measures for waterproofing your store.

How SERVPRO Helps Businesses

When SERVPRO comes to your business, they can get started right away on water extraction, drying, and disinfection for your property. If your retail store features carpet and other porous fabrics, SERVPRO back-mounted extractors and rovers can pull moisture out of the carpet and prevent the need for disposal with careful drying. Carpet, in many cases, can be saved from disposal if delamination--that is, the separation of pad from the carpet--has not occurred.

Air movers can be placed every 10 to 16 linear feet at 45-degree angles to dry the walls. If the ceiling is affected, technicians can move ceiling tiles to facilitate the removal of moisture through just a couple of openings. In open areas, plastic sheeting can be used to construct chambers for more effective drying in a contained space.

If disaster does strike, give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help get you back to "Like it never even happened."

Don't solely react to disasters, be proactive!

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

Owning and running a building means that you have a lot on your plate. You probably want to avoid reacting to problems, but instead, nip them in the bud.

When It Comes to Water Damage, How Do You Do That?

Drainage

Bathrooms and kitchens in a place of business get a lot of traffic. This means that your drains and toilets are doing a lot of work, so you should do what you can to keep them flowing and avoid flooding. Have maintenance check on them regularly and consider conducting a camera-scope inspection every so often. Some tips to avoid a clogged toilet:

• Buy thin toilet paper.
• Post signage about what can go in the toilet.
• Provide plenty of labeled waste receptacles.
  
  

Pipes

First, you should look into what type of pipes you have. If they are older, they might be polybutylene, copper, or galvanized iron. These materials are prone to damage and don't usually last long. Please consider replacing if this is the case. Regardless of material, it is important to check them for corrosion or leaks as often as possible, because even the smallest drip can accumulate. Winters can also be hard on pipes, so be sure to keep your building warm enough to avoid freezing and broken pipes.

Fire Sprinklers

Sometimes your sprinklers can be triggered to go off without a fire- a warm light nearby or burnt food in the microwave can do the trick. This can cause water damage, especially if not taken care of right away. You should have a water damage restoration company picked out so you can move forward right away with water repair should something like this happen. Especially if the incident was above a carpet, this may eventually turn into a mold problem.
There's a lot to keep track of in a large building. If you know what to add to a regular maintenance routine and some simple preventative measures, your life could be made a lot simpler.

If disaster does strike, give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and are here to help get you back to "Like it never even happened."

If disaster strikes your business, we are here for you!

11/27/2020 (Permalink)

When your home or business has been damaged by fire, water, or storm damage, the immediate concern should be temporary protective measures such as placing roof tarps to prevent additional damage, and boarding up to secure the building and remove water and debris.

After protecting and securing the structure, professionals at SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo can begin the restoration process. Your home or business may need reconstruction work to get your property back to its preloss condition.

The professionals at SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo can simplify the restoration process by handling both the initial damage mitigation and rebuilding the affected areas. Having one qualified company for the entire process can save time and keeps costs low.

Call the professionals at 
SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo at (269) 342-2911.

Ask The Experts: The Importance of an ERP

11/27/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo is a national sponsor of the American Red Cross' Ready Rating Program, and as part of our community service, we are helping local businesses prepare for disasters. We call these an E.R.P. (Emergency, Response, Plan). One of the best reasons to start an E.R.P. is because disasters seem to happen when you are away from the office or on vacation.

Contained in an E.R.P. are a few of the following: property overview, building access information, contact information, utility information,(shut off locations) and other useful information that we tend to forget about when faced with a tragedy. For more information about starting an E.R.P. for your business today please call SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo at (269) 342-2911 to help prepare you in case of a disaster.

Fires Can Cause Extensive Damage To Your Business

12/16/2019 (Permalink)

Fires can happen without warning and can cause extensive damage to your commercial property. According to the National Fire Protection Association, property damage from fires totaled in about $12 million in 2012. Luckily we have fire sprinklers that are considered one of the most effective fire suppression systems available. When a building sprinkler system is activated by a fire, they are effective 96% of the time according to the NFPA. That's why it is very important for these systems to be in good condition and maintained regularly.

• Be sure to inspect all control valves to ensure that they are open, accessible, properly locked, and free from any leaks. Examine water and air pressure gauges to make sure they are showing normal ranges in good condition.
• Inspect the condition of sprinkler heads for paint, dust, or obstructions.
• Make sure there is an adequate clearance of at least 18 inches from the height of storage to the sprinkler head. This prevents anything from accidentally knocking into it.
• Have at least 6 spare heads that correspond to the type and temperature rate of the heads in use.
• Inspect all fire department connections to verify caps are in place and that no damage is present.
• Check low points on dry sprinkler systems to remove water to prevent freezing.
• Maintain adequate heat within a dry sprinkler control valve room to prevent freezing.
• Always report the damage to any part of a sprinkler immediately.

So give us a call! We are faster to any disaster! We are here and ready to put our experience to work for you! 

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When Water Affects Your Business, SERVPRO Is Here To Help

12/16/2019 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO we understand that when a water emergency occurs in your commercial building it is important that the issues are mitigated quickly and efficiently. That's why our team is faster to any disaster. During these emergencies, it is not just the building that needs to be back up and functioning but the materials and equipment you use on a daily basis that allows your property to run smoothly.

SERVPRO has the ability to save contents such as office furniture, desks, and even sensitive information that may be stored in the office with our Document Restoration. We are in the business of restoring these items that may have been damaged during your water emergency. We always attempt to salvage anything damaged because we understand that it is important to keep the cost down for you and the insurance company as well the value it has to your company. If an item can be saved or restored it is worth the time to do so.  

Our highly dedicated team works tirelessly to treat each of your items with special care to protect. Our crew members are trained to keep your items from damage while we do work. Our content specialists team does wonders with your clean-up on all types of materials.  

Trust that SERVPRO keeps in mind that time down for your business, is money lost. Our dedicated team will work around the clock to make sure your building looks “Like it never even happened,” and your property is back up and running.

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo proudly service the communities of:

Check out our reviews and other information on Facebook, Google, Yelp, and Angie's List.

What is Biohazard Remediation?

11/8/2017 (Permalink)

Biohazard remediation is not a very common call that we receive and is something that rarely occurs, but if it does occur, it is something that SERVPRO West Kalamazoo can handle. We come in to make sure that the biological matter and dangerous odors are eliminated all together so that those contaminates do not spread. Biohazard damages can include offensive odors, trauma scenes, human decomposition, hoarding removal, and gross/filth removal. None of these are pleasant things that you want in your home. These issues are also something that you should not plan on cleaning up yourself, especially at a time that you are grieving.

SERVPRO of  West Kalamazoo is professionally qualified to come in and get rid of the issues that biohazard damage can cause.

Call us @ (269) 342-2911

SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo Certificates

9/27/2017 (Permalink)

Certifications

• WRT - Water Damage Restoration Technician
• CCT - Carpet Cleaning Technician
• CMT - Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician
• RCT - Rug Cleaning Technician
• UFT - Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician
• LCT - Leather Cleaning Technician
• SMT - Stone, Masonry and Ceramic Tile Cleaning Technician
• ASD - Applied Structural Drying Technician
• SRT - Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technician
• IICRC Certified Firm
• OCT - Odor Control Technician
• RRT - Carpet Repair & Reinstallation Technician
• FCT - Floor Care (Hard Surfaces) Technician
• AMRT - Applied Microbial Remediation Technician

The technicians at SERVPRO of West Kalamazoo are up to date in all the certificates listed above. We pride ourselves in being the very best at every aspect of our job to make your loss move along as smooth and quick as possible. Our mission is to help you get back to a normal life after disaster strikes. We want to make it look "Like it never even happened."