Home Insurance May Cover Cutler Bay Water Damage

6/21/2022 (Permalink)

No matter how your home or business is impacted by water damage, you can call on our technicians in Cutler Bay day or night for help.

Insurance Can Cover Water Damage Incidents and SERVPRO Restoration in Cutler Bay

Homeowners suffering from sudden water damage incidents like burst pipes and appliance failures may be relieved to know that their insurance more than likely covers these incidents. However, the logistics of cleaning and making necessary repairs can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Cutler Bay restoration companies can perform these tasks in property owners' stead per their insurance policy.

Cutler Bay SERVPRO water damage mitigation professionals provide around-the-clock cleanup and restoration with EPA-registered antimicrobial solutions, industrial-grade extractors, powerful drying equipment, and effective odor control tools. SERVPRO also performs build-back services wherever necessary to return an affected property to a pre-damage condition free of excess moisture and odors.

Types of Water Damage Situations Covered by Home Insurance Policies

Homeowners must understand what is covered under their policy to get the most out of it when disaster strikes. While coverage terms vary per policy, home insurance typically provides compensation for the following types of water damage:

• Water saturation from fire suppression
• Accidental overflow of fixtures like toilets, bathtubs, and washers
• Vandalism that could cause water damage
• Plumbing leaks, pipe bursts, frozen pipes, and structural defects

Some weather-related water damage may be covered, though compensation may only apply to the home's interior. Some policies may also cover mold growth that results from covered water damage situations. Homeowners are encouraged to talk to insurers about the terms of their policies before damage occurs. Floods, meanwhile, require a different kind of insurance, typically via a policy provided by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

When disaster strikes, home occupants benefit the most from contacting their insurer as quickly as possible and documenting damage if it is safe. After that, homeowners can consult with a restoration team.

SERVPRO's Water Mitigation Process Can Maximize Savings and Minimize Costs

Local SERVPRO restoration technicians can inspect, clean, and rebuild properties affected by water damage to render as comprehensive a service as possible. This procedure is often accomplished without requiring homeowners to leave their homes or contents being moved off-site for restoration.

SERVPRO water mitigation typically includes the following procedures:

• Inspect damaged surfaces with moisture sensors and meters. Based on temperature changes, sophisticated thermal imaging cameras can check moisture behind walls, ceilings, and floors.
• Extraction with portable and truck-mounted extractors. These units, which feature heating, pump, and vacuum systems, can remove wastewater from flooring with specialized attachments and sanitation solutions. Extraction also prepares drywall, upholstery, drapes, and subfloors for drying.
• Structure and contents drying are implemented with centrifugal or axial air movers and low-grain refrigerant or desiccant dehumidifiers. These systems coordinate to pull excess moisture out of surfaces and into the air, pass it over low-grain refrigerant coils or desiccant materials, and isolate condensation into collection trays for disposal in a treated sewer
• Deodorizing with ultra-low volume foggers can dispense water or solvent-based deodorizers as a fine mist that chemically bonds with and eliminates odor-causing particles. Sanitation with OSHA-approved biocides also aids the odor control process.

After performing mitigation, SERVPRO technicians and contractors can complete the necessary structural restoration tasks. These can include reinstalling insulation, refinishing or repairing flooring, mending drywall, and repainting walls. SERVPRO can also provide more specialized care, such as electronics cleanup and document drying, as needed.

Property owners can call SERVPRO of Cutler Bay at (305) 278-8484 for cleanup that returns homes to a state that feels "Like it never even happened."

Cutler Bay Homeowners Grapple with Fire Odors

6/21/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage can be overwhelming when it happens in your Cutler Bay home. Call SERVPRO right away after an event.

Cutler Bay Residents Can Call SERVPRO for Fire Restoration and Malodor Removal

In small-scale incidents, home fire damage can leave behind lingering stains and odors that homeowners in Cutler Bay cannot entirely mitigate. Unfortunately, some DIY solutions can chemically alter soot or spread stains and residues, which can, in turn, worsen malodors. These cleanup strategies can also impact home insurance claims.

SERVPRO technicians in Cutler Bay can render fire damage cleanup according to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification's (IICRC) standards. Mitigation includes contents cleanup and necessary structural repairs to improve home comfort and indoor air quality after a fire.

How Can Homeowners Deal with Fire Damage Odors?

While some do-it-yourself approaches can have the opposite of the intended effect, there are several steps homeowners can take to minimize smoke odors and prevent fires from spreading before they occur.

• Make minimal contact with burnt surfaces or items near where the disaster occurred. Cooking fires, particularly those that include the ignition of proteins like meat or fish, leave behind odorous, greasy residues that are nearly invisible to the naked eye. These require specialized cleaners to address in full. Contacting items after a fire can unintentionally spread protein residues and odors.
• Avoid using wet cleaning solutions on soils. Homeowners are also advised to avoid cleaning smoke damage by hand, as this can accidentally smear soot or turn soils acidic on metals.
• Keep HVAC clean. When a fire does flare up, soot and debris accumulate in vents and can spread odors. Smoke damage can prove incredibly impactful on indoor air quality for HVAC systems that have not been cleaned or serviced in over a year. SERVPRO performs HVAC inspections during cleanup to ensure that vents are clean and free of malodor-causing soils, which can collect dust and dirt that can also impact ventilation and odor control

Homeowners are advised to document damage after it occurs if it is safe to enter the property after a fire. Photos and videos are essential for getting the most out of an insurance claim. Contact the insurance company as soon as possible after disaster strikes and occupants' safety is guaranteed. Property owners do not have to wait for a claims adjuster to arrive before contacting a restoration company like SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Fire Cleanup Restores Affected Surfaces and Contents

Cutler Bay SERVPRO fire damage professionals certified by the IICRC can perform the following tasks:

• Document damage to property and take inventory of affected items per room to aid homeowners and claims adjusters
• Perform cleanup of light fire soils with dry cleaning sponges and mild detergents before moving on to more heavy-duty mitigation
• Perform HVAC cleaning with agitation tools, EPA-registered sanitation solutions, and deodorization of sheet metal and duct board vents with ultra-low volume foggers
• Address heavy char on surfaces with alkaline cleaners that cut through acidic soot and abrasion blasting with such media as dry ice and soda ash, which can also reduce fire odors
• Clean protein residues with specialized enzyme digesters, which turn filmy amino acids into water-soluble byproducts that can be cleaned and deodorized

Homeowners seeking emergency-response cleanup can reach out to SERVPRO of Cutler Bay at (305) 278-8484 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster and prepared to salvage damaged properties.

Musty Odors in a Cutler Bay Home can Indicate Mold

6/21/2022 (Permalink)

Contact our IICRC certified mold damage remediation team in Cutler Bay for an assessment today.

Cutler Bay SERVPRO Remediation Techs Can Clean Mold Colonies and Spores with 24-Hour Services

Mold damage can easily be identified, even by the untrained nose, by its uniquely stale odor, typically in humid, warm rooms. Combined with limited ventilation, these conditions can allow microbes to spread quickly through a Cutler Bay property. Homeowners are advised to avoid DIY remediation solutions to prevent inadvertently spreading mold spores.

Cutler Bay SERVPRO mold remediation professionals are trained in mold cleanup and related disciplines, including water mitigation. This education and training, which abides by Institute of inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards, ensures that property owners receive thorough remediation services per their insurance policy.

Identifying the Early Signs of Mold Growth

Homes that have suffered pipe leaks or appliance issues that have allowed excess water to penetrate the property can have microbial growth in as little as 24 hours after the initial exposure. However, many water damage incidents linger longer than this due to their scale or location. Residents may not be aware that an issue is present until spores have spread significantly.

Early signs of excess microbial growth include:

• A highly distinct, musty smell
• Dark green, brown, or black spots or stains on walls, ceilings, or other contents
• Condensation or higher levels of humidity compared to other areas of the home
• Water stains on surfaces in the residence that do not dry
• Slow-drying moisture in areas with low ventilation

These warning signs can all point to mold contamination that can cause damage to a building's structure and contents without thorough remediation. While restoration teams cannot guarantee total mold removal due to spores existing in all spaces, they can lower mold populations to levels comparable to or lower than pre-contamination conditions.

SERVPRO can also render structural repairs and replacement services that return the affected property to a pre-mold state. This added service lowers the risk of microbial proliferation even more than just cleaning surfaces and removing debris.

SERVPRO's Constant Availability Lowers Property Damage Due to Mold

SERVPRO restoration techs are ready to respond to homeowners' calls 24 hours a day, every day of the week. This availability includes weekends and holidays because disasters do not occur conveniently.

This response is highly beneficial for a variety of reasons, including:

• A faster response minimizes damage to belongings and structures and stops further mold growth
• IICRC Certified SERVPRO restoration professionals can safely remove spores from the property without the risk of secondary damages that can sometimes result from DIY solutions
• Technicians coordinate with homeowners and insurance adjusters to remove unsalvageable belongings and streamline claims filing
• SERVPRO also renders specialized cleaning services that target materials homeowners may be unsure how to clean
• SERVPRO's detection tools can reveal the full extent of mold growth before remediation and perform a more thorough cleanup.

After performing an inspection of the affected area and formulating a restoration plan, technicians can establish containment for microbes and lower air pressure in contaminated rooms. These alterations prevent spores from traveling through doorways or vents and enable a comprehensive cleanup with EPA-registered biocides and HEPA-filter vacuums.

SERVPRO technicians remediate humid conditions that encourage spore growth with moisture extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers. They can also implement odor control services to eliminate that unpleasant mold odor, which can linger even in the presence of dead spores.

Homeowners can count on SERVPRO of Cutler Bay to return their property to a "Like it never even happened" condition when they call (305) 278-8484.

The Right Fire Restoration Services Save Cutler Bay Businesses

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Our trained professionals can determine your commercial site’s level of fire damage and completely restore your business.

SERVPRO Offers Full Fire Restoration in Cutler Bay

Cutler Bay businesses suffer fire damage and therefore require different remediation services. Materials may be partially or fully consumed by fire, possibly damaged by heat, fire and smoke residues may cover and impact them, and fire-fighting efforts might further harm them. Regardless of the type of damage, SERVPRO can usually help.

SERVPRO has been successfully performing all types of fire restoration work in Cutler Bay for many years. Over that time, company fire damage restoration teams have dealt with all levels of fire damage, ranging from relatively minor cosmetic issues to significant structural impairments. SERVPRO’s skilled technicians have evaluated fire and smoke damage, performed smoke remediation work, and completed overall fire restoration projects. The specific remediation services that we have provided to accomplish these efforts are:

• Mitigation, like emergency drying, the winterizing of plumbing, and boarding up/fencing in impacted properties, which serves to protect fire-damaged buildings and prevent further damage
• Structural cleaning, which works to remove residues and odors from impacted structural components like attic rafters, ceilings, baseboards, walls, and floors
• Contents cleaning that removes smells and residues from business property located within the affected facilities
• Specialty restoration that attempts to save/restore contents, like rare artwork, photographs, luxury furniture, designer clothing, or electronics, that are delicate, expensive, or irreplaceable
• Reconstruction, which involves repairing or entirely rebuilding destroyed parts of your commercial structures

Once our trained professionals have determined your commercial site’s level of fire damage, they select only the restoration services necessary to return your business to its preloss state.

So, whenever your business suffers fire damage and needs fire restoration work, remember that your neighbors at SERVPRO of Cutler Bay can help. We are fire remediation experts dedicated to doing your job right and saving you time and money. Call us anytime at (305) 278-8484 for assistance.

What Water Damage Does To Personal Belongings In Previously Flooded Palmetto Bay Homes

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Palmetto Bay homes with visible water damage received the care necessary to restore them.

Water Damage Restoration

Some of the homes in Palmetto Bay that became waterlogged during the last hurricane could begin showing residual effects of those horrific weather conditions. Especially true of houses that seemed only to have slight amounts of cosmetic damage, signs of the destruction can slip under the radar of visual inspections and then show up later.

Palmetto Bay homes with visible water damage received the care necessary to restore them. However, some homeowners and residents might find that increased humidity and higher moisture levels eventually damage their personal belongings. This can happen when the ground remains saturated in depressions near the home or because hidden pockets of moisture become trapped slowly and evaporate into the property.

Water damage can easily cause your belongings to rot and crumble, develop stains and odors from microbial activity or dyes, stick together, and do many other things you probably would like to avoid. SERVPRO can help with all of these issues and more. We know how to mitigate the problem from the water source to the cleaning and restoration of your valuable personal possessions.

Many people collect items as hobbies; sometimes, these collections come at a high price. The loss of one can entail a great deal of difficulty locating a replacement. Because of their age or the limited number the company produced, some items are irreplaceable.

While water easily damages homes and belongings alike, we also use water and specialized cleaning agents to undo much of the damage condensation and increased moisture levels produce. Cleaning and laundering with unique techniques and agents may take time, but the effects leave belongings in preloss condition. Water damage does not need to mean that you lose your prized collectibles when we perform the detailed work required.

Cleaning one at a time, rinsing well until no residue remains, then ensuring each is dried carefully by blotting with a soft cloth, followed by air drying, can save collectibles made from metal, wood, ceramic, glass, and other substances.

We can restore other items in your home that might seem beyond repair. We at SERVPRO take restoring your belongings seriously. Even when water contains pathogens, we have the training and experience to ensure your property returns to you free of microbes.

SERVPRO of Cutler Bay has the tools needed to perform the above, plus the equipment to restore your home to a dry condition to prevent future water damage. Our 24-hour services are available to you by calling our local number, (305) 278-8484, any day of the year.

Water Damage Can Create Many Problems In Cutler Bay

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Homeowners know that water damage can be especially troublesome.

Water Damage Problems

Many things exist that can damage your home. Fire, storms, and even tiny organisms, when in sufficient number, can create problematic situations in your home.

Cutler Bay homeowners know that water damage can be especially troublesome. Water flows in almost every direction and can even seep uphill when there is an absorbent material that facilitates this movement. Where water can flow, damage can be found.

When water makes contact with metal, rusting can start taking place. Outlets near the floor are often impacted this way by flooding. If the metal is part of an electrical system, this can lead to problems with electrical shock or even fire. Both can be deadly and need to be prevented by replacing anything affected. Other metal items in your home might be door hinges, screen doors, drawer tracks, cabinetry knobs and handles, and much more.

When water seeped into a home from a leaky roof or misaligned gutters, water can discolor walls and ceilings, causing plaster to crumble and pose choking hazards to younger children and toddlers. Pests that may have been present but largely unnoticed within the walls or attic can find their way into your living space. While their presence means they are no longer hidden and can now be dealt with, having them around your family is not healthy.

Carpeting, upholstery, and longer drapes can become damaged by water. This can cause these textiles to become weak and brittle, rotting, in essence, right in front of you. High humidity levels can bring this on, and often the culprit is an absence of a dehumidifier. Other ways that increased humidity might happen are poor or incorrect venting of the clothes dryer or the bathroom fan.

The first step to mitigating any damage is discovering the source of the excess water. Flooding does not need to be present for a home to have water damage. For experts who know what needs to be done every step of the way, call SERVPRO of Cutler Bay. We are always here, 24/7, at (305) 278-8484 to take your call.

SERVPRO Provides Commercial Fire Damage Restoration in Cutler Bay

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Rely on the SERVPRO experts to expedite the fire damage to your Cutler Bay commercial business. Let's keep our doors open.

Need Commercial Fire Damage Restoration in Cutler Bay – Call SERVPRO

Commercial fires in Cutler Bay can occur anytime, destroying buildings and contents and, at minimum, placing employees' lives on hold while your business recovers from the loss. After commercial owners and operators get over the initial shock of the fire, there are many significant decisions to make. How long will you be out of business? Can you set up temporary operations? Will insurance cover the loss? Who will assist with the restoration of all of the fire damage?

SERVPRO provides fire restoration for commercial customers in Cutler Bay and the surrounding area. These are difficult questions to address. We can assist commercial owners with these questions and help them recover from a devastating fire.

We can assist with any size of disaster and can bring in sister franchises with disaster recovery teams to help with demolition, cleanup, repair, and restoration of the damage caused by a fire. We can also store items at our facility or a designated temporary facility while recovery is underway. Many firms continue with limited operations at these temporary facilities while repair and restoration are completed. We even provide generators to run electrical equipment, including portable AC equipment.

Our building services team encompasses many trades needed to recover from a fire. We can save you time and help manage the total cost of the loss. Our administrators will work with your insurance adjuster to handle the paperwork documenting the damage and the ensuing charges related to the repair and restoration work.

Our SERVPRO team is ready to help our commercial clients at a moment's notice. Our services include:

• Commercial fire damage clean up
• Smoke damage and odor remediation
• Restoration done expeditiously

Call the commercial fire damage restoration specialists from SERVPRO of Cutler Bay and nearby areas for assistance. We can help 24/7. Call (786) 751-6963.

How To Prevent Water Damage in Cutler Bay

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Mitigating water damage in your Cutler Bay home by SERVPRO can minimize lost belongings

Preventing Water Damage with SERVPRO

Homeowners have many different responsibilities when it comes to taking care of their homes. One of these responsibilities includes regular maintenance. We know that this can sometimes seem to be an ongoing task, and this is because it is one. The importance of doing so can be seen rather quickly when neglected areas of a home start having problems.

Water damage in your Cutler Bay home is relatively inexpensive to prevent through regular maintenance but is often extremely expensive to repair. Making it a habit to check water lines for wetness, puddles on the floor in bathrooms, and moisture under cabinets is a great start. In addition to that, you should include inspecting your washing machine hoses and your ice maker's water lines.

Your home's exterior can also be a source of problems leading to water damage. SERVPRO recommends that your gutters be kept clean and free of debris. Blockages can cause water to spill over the gutter's edges and up against your home's exterior, allowing water to seep into your home. Repairing gutters can often prevent this from happening.

Windows that have gaps around the frames can also permit water to enter your home. If window frames block the water only partway, this can channel water into the interior of your wall. Windows do not always require replacements, but can often be repaired by weatherization methods.

The roof can also be a location that collects water, even in the winter. Gaps in between shingles, loose vents, and other situations can give water from rain and melting snow access into your home. This water will travel down, into your living areas and can result in stained ceilings and walls.

SERVPRO technicians can help you in locating trouble spots and areas of your home that you might otherwise overlook. For areas such as basements and crawlspaces where humidity is an ongoing concern but has no particular source that can be controlled, we recommend the installation of low-maintenance dehumidifiers.

To help you prevent water damage from affecting your home, contact us, SERVPRO of Cutler Bay, at (786) 699-8194.

Crucial Mold Information for Cutler Ridge Homeowners

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Mold remediation should never be delayed when spotted in your Cutler Ridge home--call SERVPRO

Mold Damage Can Affect Your Cutler RidgeHome Quickly

Mold can wreak havoc on your home and cause health effects. In a short time, it can cause significant damage to your home and personal property. This is why if you discover you have a mold problem, it needs to be handled by professionals such as SERVPRO as soon as possible.

Mold damage in Cutler Ridge can be quite serious if it is not handled promptly, and it is a good idea that you also understand things about mold itself, how it grows, and what it can do to your home if left alone. It is always a good idea to have professionals come in as well to clean up the mold.

Mold consumes organic materials, which include fabrics, dust, fiberglass resins, drywall, dyes, glue, wallpaper, wood, paint, or anything else that can keep it growing. It can also live in the cold. Have you ever found mold in your refrigerator? It has been shown through research that as long as the temperature is higher than forty degrees Fahrenheit, mold can grow and spread.

Mold also grows very quickly. It can start growing in your home in as little as twenty-four to forty-eight hours when there is a moisture problem present, with a billion spores growing on just one foot of drywall. Mold can also lead to insurance problems. With so many thousands of lawsuits that are related to mold being filed, a majority of general liability and property insurance companies now do not include mold insurance in their policies.

Mold can destroy your home, dramatically lowering its overall value. Plus, exposure to mold spores can happen through ingestion, inhalation, and direct skin contact. Mold can cause health effects, even when the spores are dead. Worst of all, mold is sneaky and can grow behind drywall panels, in fiberglass insulation, and behind wallpaper. Just because you cannot see the problem, does not mean that one does not exist. This is another reason you need our professional technicians at SERVPRO to clean up your home’s mold damage.

Do you have a problem with mold in your home? Even if you believe it is a small problem, make sure to call us at SERVPRO of Cutler Bay right away so that we can come and appropriately assess the mold damage in your home. We are available any time of day and any day of the year by calling (786) 699-8194.

Protect Against Winter Mold Damage in Cutler Bay

4/24/2022 (Permalink)

Mold damage can quickly surprise you. Contact SERVPRO at the first sight of mold in your home. Our technicians have the tools to tackle the job.

Prevention is Key When Mold Damage is the Issue

People do not associate Florida with cold winters or deep snow drifts, so it is easy to assume that Cutler Bay residents need not concern themselves with winter preparation. However, it is still essential to protect against fungal growth in winter as that is a problem that might arise at any time of year. The winter months in Florida still have high humidity compared to other places in the United States, and humid conditions are unfortunately the perfect breeding ground for mold spores. SERVPRO recommends homeowners take steps to protect against winter mold damage.

The fungus has the potential to cause mold damage in Cutler Bay homes. The microscopic spores spread through the air and can even enter the home through HVAC units, on clothes or shoes, or on the fur of household pets. Spores can grow wherever they find a source of moisture, and organic material to use as food, such as paper or drywall. Humidity is a problem in our state all year round, which is why we recommend precautionary measures.

It is a good idea to invest in one or more dehumidifiers for the home. A dehumidifier draws extra moisture from the air and condenses it so you can empty the water down the drain.

Always make sure your HVAC system is working efficiently, as HVAC systems provide a prime breeding ground for mold to grow. Do not allow water to pool within the system; remove it immediately and carry out any necessary repairs.

It is also a good idea to keep your home well ventilated. Open doors and windows from time to time to let air circulate.

Always be mindful of places in your home where water pools or where you notice condensation dripping on walls or other surfaces. Bathrooms and kitchens both tend to be damp, and basements and laundry rooms are often damp, too. Take steps to wipe away excess water, and deal with any faults such as broken pipes, dripping taps, or leaking windows immediately.

Call SERVPRO at the first sign of mold. Our IICRC-certified technicians are on hand to wipe, scrub, and HEPA vacuum spores away, and we equip our staff with dehumidifiers to dry affected areas.

For help with mold remediation in Franjo, Palmetto Bay, Perrine, Goulds and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of Cutler Bay at (786) 901-7024 today.