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Keep Business Going When You Are Prepared for Commercial Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Harlingen/San Benito

10/20/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage can bring absolute chaos to your commercial building. When water intrudes, it doesn’t really matter where it comes from, the disaster could knock your business off track.

Internal sources of flooding are a common source of water damage in buildings and may involve a burst pipe, sprinkler system failure or a leak in the roof. Water intrusion can equal losses to your inventory, soaked floors and shuttered parts of your building.

External sources of flooding are also a severe risk that can damage your property. In this part of Texas, everyone is in a flood zone. Flooding rains and levee failures are some of our top risks, but wildfire burn scars also pose a threat for flash flooding.

Due to our high risk, it is crucial to prepare our businesses before a disaster can strike. Where the water comes from doesn’t matter when you have put mitigation efforts into place.

Know Your Building’s Layout

One of the best preparation steps you can take is getting to know your building well. Become familiar with the layout of your business and locate water shutoff valves so that you can take quick action if a pipe failure or leak happens. You should know how to turn off the main water valve as well as the fire sprinkler system valve.

Inform your employees on where these valves are and how to shut them off, and designate several people to take responsibility for this task in your emergency plans. Stopping the source of a leak can prevent extensive damages and make a big difference in your repair bill.

Know the Types of Water Involved

When your business has a flooding emergency, it is essential to know what kind of water has caused the flood in order to respond appropriately and safely.

White water. Plumbing failures result in flooding that is not considered contaminated or dangerous. These kinds of floods are safe to manage by yourself when they are not large events.

Gray water. Gray water flooding happens when a sink drain or toilet overflows. This kind of water is contaminated, but is not considered hazardous.

Black water. When a sewer backs up into your building or flooding is created during a storm, it is considered black water. This kind of flooding is dangerous and potentially toxic and cleanup should be handled by a professional.

Take Action Quickly

If your building does take on floodwaters of any kind, the quicker you respond, the more losses you can mitigate. Find the source of the water intrusion and shut off any water valves that may be involved.

Open windows and doors surrounding the affected area to increase air flow and promote drying, and alert everyone in the building.

Once you are able, document the damage. Take pictures and make notes that can help with your insurance claim. You may also use these to consider ways that you could add additional reinforcements to your building and prevent another event from occurring.

Remember to Be Patient

Water damage that is visible is probably just a partial view of the total damage. Start checking your building for signs of hidden damage by looking for walls that have mold and floors that have buckled. These are red flags of deeper issues that should be handled fast.

If your building is damaged by water damage, call SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito as soon as you are able. Our experienced professional staff is available 24⁄7 with the training and equipment to get your restoration started quickly.

The drying process can be lengthy depending on how big the flood was, so remember to use some patience as your space is cleaned and sanitized. Our team will be with you through each step of the process so that your business is up and running again quickly.

When disaster strikes your commercial property, we’ll be there to help clean up and get you back in business quickly. Reach out 24⁄7 to get started!

24 hour Emergency Water Damage Service

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Water Flooding Water Flooding

SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito 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 - (956) 277-0645

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 Harlingen/San Benito has the 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)?

About SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito 

SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito 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. 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.

How Long is Too Long?

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

When dealing with water damage time is key! The thing that most people think is if I can’t see the water then it’s not doing damage to my property, and that is completely wrong. It’s the hidden water that does the most damage. As soon as a water damage occurs things in your structure start to get ruined. If you have any pets and they made accidents on your carpet, and you thought they you cleaned it up properly, well the smell gets trapped in the pad underneath the carpet and once water contacts the carpet the hidden odors become released. Also, most of your electrical appliances can get ruined, paper items tarnished, and certain furniture can stain the carpets. These problems occur in minutes after the water damage occurs. Some people think I dried up all the water that I can, and I don’t see any visible water so there is no more damage occurring, well that is also false, water migrates, especially in porous materials because the pores in the substance absorb water fast. Items that are porous are things such as drywall, concrete, and most of the studs. So when a water damage happens to you please call us at (956)277-0645 our phones lines are always open and we always have a team ready to help you in your time of need!

When Storms or Floods Hit the Rio Grande Valley, SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito is Ready

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quickly with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit the Rio Grande Valley, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of over 1,700 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito Today 956-277-0645

Maintenance of trees during windy season

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Having trees in front of your house makes the property look welcoming and endearing, but there are some cons to having a tree as well. Having a tree on your property near your home brings shade to your yard and fun adventures for your kids. Trees also tend to grow a lot and sometimes get out of hand. This is when trees can be bad if they are too close to your home. If one day it is super windy, and the wind causes your tree starts to sway and the branches start to scrape up against your house or your roof, and damages end up happening to your home and you try and call your insurance agent to see if they will cover the bill for the damages because of the wind. They won’t be able to help you with the cost of the damage because they will tell you that is lack of maintenance on your trees. So SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito would like to remind you to make sure that you are trimming your trees regularly to prevent this from happening.

Emergency Readiness Plan

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Hurricane season is just around the corner so as business owners it is crucial to have an emergency plan. Well, here at SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito we offer an Emergency Readiness Plan for your company. This program helps you as a business owner feel at rest when something does happen like a pipe burst, or an electrical fire, or even a hurricane, because the sooner you respond to the emergency the sooner you can get back to business as is. The Emergency Readiness Plan consolidates all of your building information into one application that can be found on your phone or computer as well as a hard copy folder. It shows you were all the shut offs are and your account information for your utilities so if you need to contact them you have it all in one place and you don’t have to go digging through your filing cabinets trying to find out all that information. The two “R’s” Restore and Replace, most people always think that oh just tear everything out and get me all new items, but this process is very expensive because most insurance policies will only help you to get your business to preloss conditions, so everything that you want new you will have to cough up more money to pay for the new items. With restoration is key our team can restore your items and make them look exactly like they looked before the disaster happened. We can also get your business up and running in no time. So if you would like your company to receive an Emergency Readiness Plan call SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito at 956-277-0645. We are open 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Restoring Your Commercial Property After a Water Damage Event

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding and water damage events in the Rio Grande Valley 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 Harlingen and San Benito

SERVPRO of Harlingen and San Benito 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.

Who is SERVPRO and why choose us?

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

The fairly typical scenario we’ve probably all had the misfortune to witness: broken/leaky pipe. It’s more of a common occurrence than I first believed. It’s a major pain to deal with. More so out of inconvenience than anything else. It’s not really that large of a situation to call up your insurance company and file a claim.

The last thing you want to have to do is file a claim and mess with your insurance. So, what do you do?? Guess you grab some towels and buckets and cancel your weekend plans, right?

Guess again! Not so fast!

You may ask: “Well what’s the harm in picking up the mess? It has to get done, right?”

The issue is really about all the things that are lying beneath the surface… behind the walls, under the carpet/tile. The things we don’t see.

  • Do you have pets? No matter how well you’ve cleaned up after them, they leave behind all kinds of germs and bacteria, and when they come back into contact with water, those harmful toxins are reactivated and can leave foul odors/stains, or even worse… get you and your family sick.
  • What year was your home built? This may seem like a pointless question at first, but it really helps us find out what tools we’re gonna need to get the job done the right way. See, in the early ’90s, there was a large amount of Chinese Dry Wall being used in home construction. The difference in this type of drywall is that it is a lot more dense, heavier and may even contain metal. This plays a big role in how long we’d need to leave drying equipment set up.

         The type of insulation of your home is another factor to consider. Carpet? Type of carpet pad? Type of tile? Ceramic? Subfloor? Plank wood floor? You get the idea.

  • Relative Humidity. Well you can just open a window, right? That’ll dry it out, right? Relative Humidity. That’s the difference between humidity in the home vs. outside the home. And the difference in whether you might get mold or not. Unless you have the equipment to test the moisture levels in the air, then it may not be the best idea.

You may be able to mop up the surface, but that’s as far as most will be able to reach. It’s the water you don’t see that becomes the problem. Can’t exactly mop behind your walls, or under your tile. A few weeks may go by and you’ll notice a funky smell that never really goes away… and that’s when you’ll know: mold.

Although at first thought, it may seem like unnecessary, fancy solutions to a simple problem… it’s honestly way more than that. Getting in front of the problem to prevent secondary damage is what SERVPRO does best.

So next time you experience any kind of unexpected mishap, test us out and see what SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito can do for you.

Commercial Services For Rio Grande Valley Business Owners & Managers

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

There is no job too big or too small for our SERVPRO team.

Our services are available those in property management, retail, education, healthcare, hospitality, food services, government/military, manufacturing/industrial and many more!

For our commercial customers, we offer a myriad of services such as

  • Water/Fire restoration
  • mold remediation
  • storm and major events
  • disaster recovery
  • COMMERCIAL CLEANING*

SERVPRO of Harlingen / San Benito offers cleaning services ranging from cleaning restaurant hoods to removing biohazard contaminants. We have the specialized training and products to get you back to business in no time at all. Our cleaning services include the following:

  • Air Ducts and HVAC
  • Biohazard and Sewage
  • Trauma and Crime Scene
  • Carpet and Upholstery
  • Drapes and Blinds
  • Ceilings, Walls, and Hard Floors
  • Odor Removal and Deodorization
  • Vandalism

If you or someone you know would benefit from our services, feel free to call SERVPRO of Harlingen/San Benito at (956) 277-0645.

*Remember: call direct and avoid the lines!

We are also offering No Cost Assessments and No Cost Emergency Response Plans. Our services are available 24/7/365 and we will always execute our jobs with promptness and professionalism.

Find and like our page on Facebook at SERVPRO Facebook.

Protect Your Home From the Threat of Lightning | SERVPRO® of Harlingen/San Benito

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

You likely already know how essential it is to prepare and maintain fire safety supplies in order to protect your loved ones, but even with the best-laid plans, the weather may change everything in an instant.

Lightning was the cause of at least 70,000 damage-related insurance claims in 2020, and it is estimated to strike close to 6,000 times every single minute. This clearly shows that lightning is a high risk we should all do our best to prepare our homes and our lives for.

What is lightning?

A giant spark between the air and the ground is what we know as lightning. Thunderstorms and lightning go hand in hand, but lightning also occurs due to the extreme heat of a forest fire, the heaviness of a snowstorm or the extreme of volcanic eruption.

A sudden bolt of lightning can strike out of dry, sunny skies, too. This phenomenon is known as “dry lightning,” and it creates a dangerous situation as the heat of the strike meets dry grass, trees or other vegetation and starts a wildfire. Lightning is a possibility in every single season, so preparation is key to preventing damages and staying safe.

<h3your-home-from-lightning-fires">Protecting Your Home From Lightning Fires

Lightning can do a lot of damage to a home, and even has the potential to start a fire. A fire from a lightning strike would likely start in your walls or attic, and it can be caused by either the intense heat of the strike itself or an electrical surge that occurs when the strike passes through your home wiring.

A fire may not be immediately detectable, but the sound of the strike will be.

If an incredibly loud noise has shaken your house, look around for signs of burn marks, singeing and smoke. Call the fire department if you do find anything, and check with an electrician to ensure the wiring in your home is safe after the all-clear has been given.

In order to give your home some protection from lightning, consider adding a metal rod, or lightning rod to your roof. This conducts the electricity of a lightning strike into the ground rather than into your house.

A whole-home surge protector is another great preventive tool for your home’s protection. This is added to your main electric panel by an electrician. This kind of surge protection can go a long way in reducing the risk that a strike will cause a surge that could kill your appliances and spark a fire.

<h3lightning-strikes-nearby">When Lightning Strikes Nearby

Every year, approximately 9,000 wildfires are the result of a lightning strike. The intensely high heat of lightning means that these fires move fast and threaten a great deal of land once they are burning. Regardless of the time of year, a dry season means a high risk.

Make sure your landscaping stays free of vegetation that is dead or dying, and think about using defensible zones in your yard to protect your home by diverting fire away when lightning does strike nearby.

Make sure every level of your house has a working smoke detector so you and your family are alerted as fast as possible.

If you do have fire damage, call SERVPRO at any time, day or night. We are ready to take on every part of the restoration process with industry-leading equipment and extensive experience. It is our goal to get you back to life as normal.

Have you experienced smoke or fire damage in your home? Call us today to get the restoration finished fast.