Green is Green!

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

This past Sunday there was a fire at Toledo Middle School.  Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire, but not before extensive damage was done to the basement and smoke damage to the above classrooms. 

SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids was called to the scene shortly after the fire to begin emergency services. SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids will be working hand in hand with SERVPRO of Black Hawk county to get the school back up and running before the new year begins in just a couple weeks. 

Even though each franchise is individually owned and operated, green is green and we are always here to help.  It is so nice to have people available and willing to lend a hand to get the job done. 

Within weeks, SERVPRO of Cedar Rapids will be able to make it "Like it never even happened."

Sump Pumps

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Many people are not aware of the problems that will arise if their sump pump is not working properly. There are also many people that do not know how to test their sump pump. Here is some information regarding sump pump maintenance.

Sump pumps are more active during heavy rains or storms. Depending on where you live, your sump pump will run more or less. Sump pumps should be checked at least once a year and probably more if you live in Eastern Iowa because of the chance for many periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Here are some steps to check your sump pump:

1. Slowly fill the pit where the sump pump is with water. Watch for the float to rise, which would cause the pump to activate. Once the pump activates, make sure the water is drained from the pit.

2. If you have a backup pump, you can test it the same way. Make sure the first pump is unplugged first. 

A normal pump will cost you between $150 and $300 to replace if need be. It is better to spend this money than to deal with the mess left behind if the pump fails.  The average cost of a water damage due to sump pump failure will be between $2,500 and $15,000. 

Test your sump pump regularly. It is similar to changing the filters on your furnace or changing the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Sump Pump Problems

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Many people are not aware of the problems that will arise if their sump pump is not working properly. There are also many people that do not know how to test their sump pump. Here is some information regarding sump pump maintenance.

Sump pumps are more active during heavy rains or storms. Depending on where you live, your sump pump will run more or less. Sump pumps should be checked at least once a year and probably more if you live in Eastern Iowa because of the chance for many periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Here are some steps to check your sump pump:

1. Slowly fill the pit where the sump pump is with water. Watch for the float to rise, which would cause the pump to activate. Once the pump activates, make sure the water is drained from the pit.

2. If you have a backup pump, you can test it the same way. Make sure the first pump is unplugged first. 

A normal pump will cost you between $150 and $300 to replace if need be. It is better to spend this money than to deal with the mess left behind if the pump fails. 

Most people do not know if they have sump pump coverage on their homeowners policy. This is another question to ask. If the pump fails and there is no coverage, you will be in a tough situation. 

The average cost of a water damage due to sump pump failure will be between $2,500 and $15,000. This usually involves removing wet carpet and pad, damaged drywall, damaged baseboard, and wet insulation. 

Test your sump pump regularly. It is similar to changing the filters on your furnace or changing the batteries in your smoke detectors

Danger from a Thunderstorm

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

There are multiple variables that make thunderstorms dangerous. During a thunderstorm you should seek shelter indoors. Lightning, wind, and hail are things that cause damage due to thunderstorms. If you are outdoors during a storm you should avoid trees, they could fall on you and they attract lightening, so you have a higher chance of getting struck by lightning. Wind can get up to extremely fast gusts. These gusts of wind have the ability to blow telephone lines, cars, and even mobile homes over. Avoid being near trees, telephone lines, and larger trucks and semis during storms. If it is possible you should try to get to the nearest shelter, even if it is just a gas station it is preferred over a car. Cars are safer than being outdoors. If you are in a car try to park away from trees and telephone poles. For more information on thunderstorm safety

House Fire

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Fires can be especially devastating to your home or business. After the fire trucks leave, your property will likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also widespread water damage and flooding from firefighting efforts. SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals have specialized fire and water damage restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. They also can remove the pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet. When you have something as important as your home experience a fire loss it can be overwhelming. When you call SERVPRO® we will be as helpful as we can in explaining everything to you and being patient with the process. This is something we deal with often so you can expect us to make it, "Like it never even happened."

ERP

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Approximately 50% of the businesses that close due to a disaster, such as fire and flood never reopen!  Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place.  

Preparation is a key component for making it through any size disaster, whether is is a small water leak, a large fire, or an area flood.  The best time to plan for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens.

The SERVPRO® Emergency Ready Profile serves as a quick reference of important building and contact information or can be an ideal supplement to any well-designed emergency preparedness or existing contingency program. It outlines who the proper contacts are for the specific type of loss.  Also shows photos and a detailed description as to where the different turns off are in the building. 

Rather than simply reacting to disaster situations, most prefer proactive measures to establish a relationship with a restoration services company.

By working with SERVPRO to help develop your personalized Emergency Ready Profile your business will receive the benefit of over 40 years of experience in reducing the impact of any natural or man-made disaster. 

SERVPRO is a leader in water and fire damage response and can help you quickly get your property and business cleaned up and back in working order.  

Storm Damage Safety

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

If there is a high wind storm and a tree gets blown over on to your home, what do you do?

First, and most importantly, make sure  that you and your family are safe. Do not try and get on the roof to assess the damage, just give SERVPRO a call to come and check everything out. Leave it for the professionals. 

Next, call your insurance company. For yourself, it is important to know what kind of coverage you will receive from your insurance company. But it is also important for SERVPRO to know because otherwise we cannot give you a proper estimate and let you know how much you will have to pay. 

The most important thing about this situation is knowing this information before something like this happens to your home! 

All about your sump pump

7/2/2024 (Permalink)

Many people are not aware of the problems that will arise if their sump pump is not working properly. There are also many people that do not know how to test their sump pump. Here is some information regarding sump pump maintenance.

Sump pumps are more active during heavy rains or storms. Depending on where you live, your sump pump will run more or less. Sump pumps should be checked at least once a year and probably more if you live in Eastern Iowa because of the chance for many periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Here are some steps to check your sump pump:

1. Slowly fill the pit where the sump pump is with water. Watch for the float to rise, which would cause the pump to activate. Once the pump activates, make sure the water is drained from the pit.

2. If you have a backup pump, you can test it the same way. Make sure the first pump is unplugged first. 

A normal pump will cost you between $150 and $300 to replace if need be. It is better to spend this money than to deal with the mess left behind if the pump fails.  The average cost of a water damage due to sump pump failure will be between $2,500 and $15,000. 

Test your sump pump regularly. It is similar to changing the filters on your furnace or changing the batteries in your smoke detectors.

What makes hail?

7/2/2024 (Permalink)

When rain drops get carried high into the atmosphere where it is very cold they freeze and then come hurling down as hail. According to NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration) hail causes around one billion dollars a year in damage whether it is crops, buildings, or cars. NOAA also has state by state information on damages due to hazardous weather. In Iowa in 2017 there was 14.31 million dollars’ worth of property damage and a whopping 37.20 dollars’ worth of crop damage. If you get caught in a hail storm seek shelter immediately. If you are in a car pull over to the side of the road, try to find a safe place under a bridge to protect yourself and your car. If you are inside stay away from windows.

Lightning!

7/2/2024 (Permalink)

Lightning is a very cool thing to watch. When you watch it, it should be indoors though. National Geographic says that the average American has a 1 in 5,000 chance of being hit by lightning, but 9/10 people survive a lightning strike. Cars and homes/buildings are the safest spots to be when lightning storms are in the area. They have conductors, such as tires and/or metal rods, that can safely transfer the lightning to the ground.  The most common type of lightning is cloud-to-ground lightning. This lightning  strikes the ground around 100 times a second. Each bolt contains up to one billion bolts of electricity. Remember, when lightning is in the area you need to stay inside a building or a car to stay safe.