Recent Posts

Recent Storms near Cambridge, New York

9/8/2023 (Permalink)

Recent Storms in Manchester VT

Many are aware of the devastating storms we have recently had near our small town of Cambridge, NY . In less then 1 hour over 6 inches of rain occurred. Many homes and businesses were had several inches of water that was devastating to all. We here at SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington Counties  were proud to be there to restore our community back to the way it was. 

The faster our crew can arrive to the scene the better the outcome will be for your home or businesses so calling us immediately is essential. The longer water sits the lingering moisture prolongs the deterioration process making it more then likely that some of the structure will be unrepairable and need to be removed. This can also lead to secondary damage such as mold growth.

SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington Counties offers highly trained professionals and state of the art equipment to help you recover from a flood damage. We are available around the clock and are open 24/7 to assist you at any time! 

SERVPRO is the Best Choice for Cleaning Your Contents!

9/8/2023 (Permalink)

A fire in your home can be devastating especially when some of your valuable contents get damaged! Your items are valuable to you and we here at SERVPRO understand and respect that! We take pride in taking care of your items as if they were our own. 

                Contents such as clothing or other items that have been damaged, but not destroyed by a fire can sometimes be restored by dry cleaning and other methods to remove soot and smoke smells. This process is called content cleaning, and we here at SERVPRO are content cleaning experts!

                There are two ways we classify contents soft or hard. Soft contents include items such clothing, bedding, leather goods, uniforms, etc. These consist of items that are made from fabric or other soft materials. Hard contents include items such as furniture, electronics, antiques, sports equipment, etc.

                There are several different cleaning methods that are used depending on the type of items that need to be cleaned and what would be the most affective. Dry cleaning is often used to remove light soot/residue on pre clean clothes. Wet cleaning is used to remove heavy residue. Foam cleaning is used for upholstery fabrics and the spray and wipe method is used on items that may be damaged by the wet cleaning process. There also is immersion cleaning is used for contents that can be submerged in cleaning products. Abrasive cleaning is only used on some hard surfaces when other methods have not been successful.

                Prior to cleaning your contents we will send out a fire restoration crew chief who will examine your belongings and determine which items are salvageable and unsalvageable, this is called content analysis.

                In some cases pack outs are needed and this requires us to pack out all your damaged salvageable belongings and move them to our facility for cleaning. Items that have been cleaned are then kept in a storage container until they are ready to be packed back and delivered back to the homeowner.

                Here at SERVPRO our team of highly trained fire restoration team members are eager to help you and your family in a time of need. We know how valuable your items are and we have the system, equipment, cleaning products, and knowledge to restore your belongings. If you experience a fire and need assistance please call us at 518-677-3444.

What is a Flash Flood?

9/1/2023 (Permalink)

Building Completely Flooded. We are Here to Help! Give us a Call 518-677-3444

What is a Flash Flood?

                What is a flash flood? A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas, usually caused by heavy from sever thunderstorms, hurricanes, or collapsing of human made structures like dams. The National Weather Service defines flash flooding as flooding that begins within 6 hours of heavy rainfall.  They also recommend people get out of the area of the flash flood and not attempt to face it or cross its paths.

                What makes these floods so dangerous is how rapidly they can occur and how fast moving the water can be. Flash floods are serious and many loose their lives yearly from them. There are several steps however you can take to keep you and your family safe during a flash flood!

  1. Have an emergency plan and kit ready to go.
  2. Follow evacuation orders immediately.
  3. Stay up to date on weather forecasts.
  4. Do not attempt to walk and or drive near flooded areas.
  5. If it is too late to evacuate your home call 911 and move to the highest point in your home.

We here at SERVPRO know the seriousness of flash floods and we are always here to help. If you’ve experienced any water damage due to a recent storm, give SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/ South Washington County a call and well make sure to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Vandalism Cleanup for North Rensselaer/ South Washington County Hotel

9/1/2023 (Permalink)

Vandalism at Onsite Location Give us a Call 518-677-3444

Vandalism is the willful or malicious destruction or defacement of public or private property. Vandalism includes graffiti, breaking windows, knocking over ones property, “keying” vehicles or walls etc.  As a business owner vandalism can be a very upsetting event to discover in your building. It ranges from relatively minor pranks to malicious destruction of property. According to the U.S Small Business Administration just one single act of vandalism on average costs over $3,000.

                Property damage caused by vandalism such as a broken window, can cause serious property damage such as mold if not handled in an efficient and a timely manner.  Which can ultimately, if not taken care of lead to permanent damage to the structure. When a building is left unattended, it may be found with broken windows, broken doors, graffiti, and even fire damages in some cases.

As a business and property owner finding you building in a state like this can be devastating. We here at SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/ South Washington Counties is a group of highly trained professionals who are equipped to clean and restore your property quickly and effectively, allowing you to resume your daily activities. SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/ South Washington Counties is an IICRC certified business that you can trust to service your business for vandalism and graffiti cleanup. We know how important restoring your business is to you and we want to help. Our professionals will act quickly to remove vandalism from your home or commercial spaces. We are a 24/7 emergency service business that will be there to help and restore your business back to "Like it never even happened." So do not hesitate to give us a call at (518)677-3444 if you have experienced any property damage caused by vandalism.

We Can Take On Any Winter Storm!

9/16/2022 (Permalink)

Demolition being done on a home that had a water damage. If you experience damage from a storm to your home or business, please call us at 802-375-1500!

With winter and cold weather just around the corner we here at SERVPRO of Bennington & Rutland Counties want you to be prepared! 

A winter storm is typically occurring at extremely low temperatures where precipitation forms snow or sleet, or even rain that freezes and turns to ice when hitting the ground. A winter storm can be life threatening so it is important to be able to differentiate the different possible storms for your safety!

                Blizzards are a combination of blowing snow which creates low visibility. Blizzards are dangerous storms that can have an accumulation of a lot of snow fall on the ground. If you get stuck in a blizzard for a long period of time it can lead to hypothermia and even frostbite.

                Snow Flurries usually last for a short period of time but vary with intensity. Typically, they are light and within a few seconds of hitting pavement the snow usually melts right away.

                  A Snow squall although it is brief can cause some major safety concerns. They are short intense snowfalls that come with strong winds and greatly impact your visibility of your surroundings. So be careful when driving in situations like this!

                Ice storms are storms that cause at least a fourth of an inch of ice forming on the ground or exposed surfaces.  Ice storms create extremely poor driving conditions, so you want to be extremely cautious if you get caught driving in an ice storm. Tree branches and power lines also have been known to fall during ice storms due to the weight the ice puts on the, which can cause them to snap.

                No matter the winter storm or damage that occurs from it we here at SERVPRO are here to help! If you experience damage from a storm to your home or business, please call us at 802-375-1500.

What Should You Do as a Homeowner After a Storm

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Servpro Storm Logo Call us at 518-677-3444!

Lately we have seen our fair share of rainfall here in New England! And significant rainfall can lead to flooding and ceiling leaks. Whether you have a basement flooding or have secondary damage from moisture getting into your home, SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington Counties can help!
No matter the severity or extent of the damage we have a team of skilled professionals who are faster to any disaster. Stormwater events are usually categorized into two groups.
• Category 2- this is when water comes through a window, or a ceiling and the contamination is not as significant.
• Category 3- generally involves basement flooding’s with groundwater which contain several harmful microorganisms, fecal matter, and other contaminants.
The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a situation like the ones described is to give us a call! The faster we are notified the faster we can be on site and start the mitigation process and decrease the amount of damage in your home.
Once we are on site we will:
1. Extract standing water if there is any.
2. Remove unwanted/unsalvageable contents.
3. Use our state-of-the-art equipment including meters to determine which other areas may be wet.
4. Set up drying equipment and sanitize the structure.
5. Dry and clean contents.
6. Perform any demolition that is needed.
7. Provide reconstruction resources/services as needed.
We are a 24/7 emergency service team who is eager to help you in any disaster! If you experience a water damage from a storm, give us a call at 518-677-3444!

Biohazard- The Impact of Infectious Disease in the Commercial Enviroment

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Crew Wearing Proper PPE Call us for all your commercial or residential Biohazards cleanups!

In today’s world more and more infectious diseases are becoming a trend that no one seems to get away from. This story is going to give you the knowledge to understand the seriousness of infectious diseases and what we can do to lower the levels of contamination. As we all know every year there is a new case of a bug and/or super bug and we are sometimes unsure as to how they get to us. As the populations increases throughout the world, we see more public areas developing. For example, shopping malls, restaurants and public transportation are at its highest capacity. Therefore, the more social interaction the larger the impact of contracting an infectious disease. No matter where the infection originated, there is no way that it can be controlled unless someone implements a plan of action to stop the spread. There are infectious diseases that are only contracted from animal to animal, as well as human to human. However, today we are seeing that there are infectious diseases transmitting from animal to human. This means diseases are mutating. When a virus mutates there is no plan of action because we don’t have the capabilities or education on how to fight it. It only comes after the after the spread that we begin to build a plan of action and fight the spread. We see if every day, in our countries, states etc. Everyone needs to do their due diligence when it comes to infectious diseases. 

We here at SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/ South Washington Counties specialize in biohazard cleanup and have several years' experience cleaning up biohazards on a commercial level. If your business needs a biohazard cleanup do not hesitate to give us a call at 518-677-3444.

How to Choose a Commercial Restoration Contractor

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Servpro Logo Call us at 518-677-344!

When a disaster happens in a business, whether it be a pipe leaking, sewage back up, mold spores, or maybe just an odor lingering these situations need to be handled professionally. However, how do you choose which restoration contractor? When searching for a trained restoration contractor is can be challenging to find the correct one. It is important to determine your needs so that you are able to contact the right restoration contractor. You many experience situations like the following: if your basement flooded you would want to contact a water mitigation contractor. If you have a backup into your commercial building of outside water or sewage, you would want to contact a water mitigation contractor. If you have mold growing in your office building, you would want to contact a mold remediation specialist. If you have experienced a puff back from your heating source, or a structural fire has happened, you would want to contact a fire restoration contractor. SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington has a workforce that is fully trained and certified to help with the handling of all your, water mitigation, fire restoration, and mold remediation needs.

Do Your Due Diligence

In today’s world, we look to the internet to find companies, research websites and examine reviews on different companies. Some also like the more traditional route and seek word of mouth references. Both are equally important in finding the right restoration company that fits your needs. SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington has a website that is easy to navigate and links of customers leaving testimonials, blogs, etc. We always recommend reading all our reviews, and all our testimonials to understand WHY SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington is the right professionals to contract. If your find it challenging to do research on the web, please do not hesitate to make a telephone call and ask for references from our office staff here at SERVPRO North Rensselaer/South Washington.

When you property is experiencing a damage, there is cost and time, plus an array of other questions that should be asked before hiring on a restoration company. Some Questions might be:

  1. Do you have an estimated cost on this job?
  2. Do you have a license to perform this kind of work?
  3. Are there any additional hidden fees associated with this job?
  4. How long will the job take?
  5. What kind of chemicals do you use and are they harmful to children, pets, etc.
  6. Who will be in charge of this job and how many on his/her crew?

Please deep in mind, again we are available for all questions you may have and please never hesitate to ask a trained professional here at SERVPRO of North Rensselaer/South Washington. We are Always Here to Help. Just give us a call at (518)677-3444.

Tips to Prepare for a Hurricane

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Hurricane season is fast approaching. Here are some things you should do to prepare before the storm:

  • Review your local authority’s plan to prepare and respond to hurricanes so you are aware of how it will impact you and your family
  • Create a plan that includes where you will evacuate to, how you will receive emergency alerts and warnings, and how you and your family will communicate with each other
  • Stock up on emergency supplies that could last up to 5 days
  • Prepare a “go-bag” in case you need to evacuate with short notice
  • Prepare and protect your property
  • Prepare financially

Prepare the following:

  • Emergency food and water supply
  • Emergency medicine supply
  • Emergency power sources such as flashlights, candles, extra batteries
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Important documents, including medical documents, wills, passports, and personal identification’
  • Safety and personal items

Even if you are not in a hurricane-prone location, share this information with your friends and loved ones so they are prepared for this upcoming hurricane season. If you are in a hurricane-prone location, make sure your neighbors and community are also prepared.

Preparing for a Winter Storm

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Snowplow, plowing snow. Snowplow, plowing snow on snow covered roads.

Are you ready for a severe winter storm? It’s important to know how to keep your family, home and self safe with winter storm season approaching.  Here are a list of things to do:

  1. Stock your food pantry with non-perishable items in case you lose power.
  2. Buy bottled water in case your pipes freeze and you have no access to tap water.
  3. Fill your prescriptions and pick up hygiene items
  4. Build an emergency kit include items such as first aid items, flashlights, batteries, a fire extinguisher, matches, candles, cash, travelers’ checks, important family documents blankets and sleeping bags.
  5. Stock up on ice melt and check your tools
  6. Prepare for a power blackout.
  7. Make an emergency communication plan with family
  8. Protect your water pipes
  9. Seal your windows and doors
  10. Check or install new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  11. Prepare your yard
  12. Ready your car
  13. Stay informed
  14. Be careful