Facilities That Complement Fire Damage Restoration in Durham

5/10/2023 (Permalink)

Seek professional assistance from SERVPRO to address repairs to you fire damaged property. Call us today!

Where to Take Care of Your Welfare During Durham Fire Restoration  

Accessing the things you need as you facilitate fire damage restoration at your property can be challenging. Seeking assistance from SERVPRO addresses the things needed to repair your Durham property. You can broadly categorize those needs into what you require to complete the repairs and those that cater to your well-being.

For your welfare during and after fire damage restoration at your Durham home, you can rely on other businesses and institutions domiciled in this area of North Carolina, known for its scholarly and technological institutions.

Finding a way to relax after a loss incident is a good idea, especially when professionals work hard to resolve your problems. Within Durham, some ways to relax include teeing off at the Hillandale Golf Course or testing your resilience rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club. You can also spend time outdoors without choosing a specific activity at Twin Lakes Park, Piney Wood Park, or West Point on The Eno Park.

Accommodation Amenities in Durham

Even when the fire damage does not burn all the rooms, you might still need to evacuate your home until it is fully restored. You don't have to go far since the Durham area offers several quality accommodation facilities with different amenities to suit your every need. Some notable establishments to check include:

• Millennium Hotel Durham
• Hilton Garden Inn
• 21c Museum Hotel 
• DoubleTree Suites 
• Rizzo Center

You may need several supplies in the aftermath of the fire incident. Luckily the Durham area is well-served by several national stores like Target on Renaissance Parkway, Lowe's on Fayetteville Road and William Penn Plaza, The Home Depot on Mt Moriah Road, and Walmart Supercenter. 

When SERVPRO of North Durham handles fire damage restoration, the process runs conveniently, allowing you to take care of other issues - call (919) 467-0880 for timely assistance.

Handy Services Durham Professionals Can Offer After Fire Damage

3/28/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has experienced technicians with the equipment and expertise your Durham home needs after fire damage. Give us a call right away.

Full-Scale SERVPRO Services Ease Durham Fire Mitigation

Fire damage is easily identifiable because of the blackened or charred surfaces left in the affected areas. Some materials also deteriorate entirely, leaving only fine ash as residue. Cleaning and replacing materials resolves most of the issues. However, some of the problems in your Durham home go beyond the scope of simple cleanup and replacement. To address these cases, you need assistance from a resourceful service provider.

An incident that leaves your Durham home with fire damage can involve various dynamics, including personal injuries as people escape the burning house or fatalities in extreme cases. Unexpected spreading of residues precipitated by house utilities such as the HVAC is also a likely problem and severe microbial growth when moisture from firefighting accumulates in hidden sections of the structure.

Extra services for fire restoration may require:

• Bioremediation
• Duct cleaning
• Mold remediation
• Reconstruction

Since SERVPRO fire restoration technicians have access to various personal protective equipment (PPE), we can readily respond to any task involving hazardous materials before resolving regular fire damage.

Some processes may be necessary to finalize fire restoration to preloss conditions. Cleaning air ducts is one of the required finishing actions. If left unaddressed, they can redistribute residues back into the house later, causing physical soiling or affecting the indoor air quality. Another issue that might affect indoor air quality is mold if the moisture used in quelling the fire is not adequately dried off. These two problems do not always occur, so our SERVPRO technicians first inspect your property thoroughly before deciding whether to resolve those issues.

Easing the Challenges of Fire Restoration

Cleaning up the air ducts or other sections of the HVAC system is a challenging task. It is necessary to section off and place the return and supply lines in a negative air pressure system. Our SERVPRO technicians use a vacuum to extract the residues. We also use rotary brushes to help dislodge any stubborn soils. Some duct sections may be challenging to reach for a thorough cleanup, and the best solution for such areas is to seal the surfaces using an appropriate compound. Our technicians use a ULV fogger to mist the sealing agent ensuring a uniform coat.

Regular structural materials can also pose challenges, especially when the exposure to heat and flames is significant. For example, charring that compromises the integrity of structural support material or surface panels necessitates replacements. Tearing down entire sections or rooms to remove the deteriorated materials can push the costs beyond acceptable levels. Our SERVPRO technicians can facilitate controlled demolition so that you can replace only the deteriorated materials. We can also help find and supervise local tradesmen to facilitate necessary reconstruction.

Stubborn odors can stretch your home’s recovery from fire longer than you expect. Contrary to what you might believe, odors are not just in the air or on the surface of materials. They can emanate from volatile molecules deeply embedded in materials. The odor molecules constantly escape into the air, thus replenishing the bad smells you experience. Therefore, you need a deodorization approach to neutralize all odor molecules and penetrate deep into materials to reach all sources.

Potent deodorization methods:

• Dry fogging
• Photocatalytic oxidation
• Ozone exposure

SERVPRO of North Durham responds fast and with the right resources to address fire damage “Like it never even happened.”

A Cooking Accident in Durham Needs Fire Restoration Experts

1/30/2023 (Permalink)

Dealing with the aftermath of a fire in your kitchen can seem daunting. One call to SERVPRO can set you on the right track. We are standing by 24/7.

Get Your Kitchen Back with Fire Restoration

Cooking for family and friends over the holidays can bring everyone closer and create a sense of warmth and happiness. Many people come back to Durham at this time, making it even more meaningful. When an accident happens while cooking and a fire spreads, it's time to invite SERVPRO's fire restoration team to your home.

We can restore your kitchen to its former functional state within a short time in Durham with expert fire restoration services. We reduce the mess to manageable phases, making the entire process fast and stress-free for you and your family.

Here is how our teams work together to make the restoration process much more manageable:

• Cleaning up of cooking gear,
• Washing down of walls and other surfaces,
• Addressing debris and destroyed items, and
• Deodorization of your kitchen and adjoining areas.

Many items used for cooking and preparing meals also require regular washing. We can wash these items in our ultrasonic water bath system for a quick and thorough cleaning. Other objects, like towels, might do well with special agents included during regular laundering.

Smoke and soot from burning food cling to surfaces like walls and ceilings. We use powerful agents that cut through this layer of deposited soot and leave a fresh scent behind. We can apply this to other surfaces, such as appliances and countertops.

Fire also burns other things, and where this occurs, we need to gather and dispose of such items. Doing so prevents soot from spreading and contaminating future delicious meals you prepare.

Fire can produce both pleasant and unpleasant odors. Smelling your favorite meal cooking will never be the same as long as the heavier aromas of burning food linger. The sharpness of burning food can ruin anyone's appetite. Scent is a large part of taste, and bad odors mingling can destroy an otherwise delicious dinner. We can perform different methods to safely eliminate a fiery meal's stench.

Call SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

SERVPRO Brings Professional Equipment and Expertise to Durham Fire Damage

8/28/2022 (Permalink)

After a fire in your home, call SERVPRO for professional help. Our technicians will make it “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO Answers Calls for Fire Damage Cleanup in Durham 24/7

Many fires in local properties get limited to a portion of the property. One of the most significant issues in this type of fire cleanup is to prevent odorous soot particles from traveling to other home areas. 

SERVPRO technicians have many applications to address the odors left behind by fire damage in Durham homes. A common complaint from property owners is smelling fire odors in areas of their homes unaffected by the initial fire. 

Consumer-grade products fail to remove these smells because, during a fire, the hot air expands and forces odorous soot particles deeply into porous surfaces, including walls and furniture. Cleaning agents and equipment such as the Esporta Washing System help remove all traces of the fire from the house.

Masking odors does not work long-term and allows odors to spread. Passive smoke odor removal includes many of the following actions: 

• Replacing HVAC filters and cleaning ductwork
• Using thermal fogging devices to neutralize embedded odors
• Washing fabrics and upholstery 

SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 has long experience handling fire damage restoration in local Durham properties.

Skip DIY Fire Damage Restoration and Calling in Skilled Services in Durham

8/28/2022 (Permalink)

If fire damage strikes your home, you need to deal with it quickly. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for professional advice. We are standing by.

Fire Damage Restoration with SERVPRO Gets You Certified Techs Handling Your Durham Property’s Clean Up

Water & fire damage restorations indeed take many intricate steps from start to finish. Even if you have some experience with cleanup, it is essential to know that even the smallest amount of soot left behind in fire damaged homes can leave a lingering reminder of the event that took place. SERVPRO handles fire and smoke damage with years of proven success in the field, which gives Durham property owners peace of mind.

Smoke remediation, deodorization, and sometimes detailed controlled demolition will all be part of a project for fire damage restoration in Durham. SERVPRO works to address soot and smoke residue along with total deodorization of your interior and belongings. It is vital that all musty odors from moisture left behind from extinguishing the flames get addressed as well.

Just a fraction of the technology SERVPRO may use during your fire restoration project includes:

• Gels, beads, and vapor-releasing agents to help mask unpleasant odors.
• Cleaners enhanced with enzymes to break down odorous particulates, making them easier for our filtration units to absorb them.
• Air scrubbers and ozone generators that work to neutralize foul odors quickly.

With any fire event, part of the house fire cleanup often includes controlled demolition and the removal of charred, unsalvageable debris. All of this work gets executed by highly-trained and licensed contractors. Depending on your needs, this process may include:

• Minor repairs like drywall replacement, re-painting, and new carpet installation.
• Major repairs like total reconstruction in one or more rooms of your home.

When you need fire and smoke damage restoration and cleanup, you can trust our team at SERVPRO of North Durham. Call us at (919) 467-0880 when you need an emergency response.

Prevent and Mitigate Bathroom Fire Damage Incidents in Durham

7/25/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO fire damage restoration service can make your Durham bathroom look "Like it never even happened."

Trust SERVPRO to Fully Restore Your Home after Fire Damage

Bathroom fire damage incidents are rising, and the fire department data can prove that. Most of these fires occur when the exhaust fans we install in our bathroom malfunction for one reason or another. Their work is to prevent mirrors from steaming up, deal with fogged windows, and stop damp walls --simply put--reduce the humid air inside a bathroom, especially after a shower. Sometimes they can prove vital when removing unpleasant smells.

As the fan runs over an extended period, lint and dust settle on it and insulate its motor. The insulation causes heat to build up, and any spark can quickly ignite the lint. Within a short time, the fire can spread to any combustible material nearby, such as cosmetic towels. That is why our SERVPRO team advises you to clean the bathroom exhaust vent and tile walls where dust is likely to settle to prevent fire damage to your Durham home.

We encourage you to work with our SERVPRO technicians when your property suffers fire damage. We know your structure requires a thorough cleaning, but we first perform a pretest before settling on appropriate restoration procedures. In situations with lighter soot deposits, repainting and refinishing might be unnecessary. Deep soot deposits may force us to prepare the area for repainting.

Typically, smoke leaves behind unpleasant odors that our SERVPRO technicians work towards eliminating. Using thermal foggers, we can dispense deodorants with odor-neutralizing properties. We strive to improve IAQ. We also perform pack-outs of contents and belongings when we believe your contents will likely get additional damage while the restoration work is in progress.

SERVPRO of North Durham is an industry leader offering commercial and residential cleaning and restoration services. Call us at (919) 467-0880.

Fire Damage and Soot Cleanup from Electrical Incidents in Durham

5/26/2022 (Permalink)

Sooty residue from an electrical fire in a Durham home gets Cleaned up by SERVPRO.

Light Bulbs, Furnaces, and Wiring Often Are the Culprits Causing Home Fire & Smoke Damage

Common reasons for electrical fires in Durham can include light bulbs, lamps, and light fixtures. Installing a light bulb with a wattage too high for the lamp you are putting it in is a leading cause of electrical fires. Check the minimum recommended wattage on any lamp or fixture, and do not go above the recommended amount. Sometimes, a fire occurs when a paper or cloth is placed over a lampshade; the material heats up and ignites.

A fire in your Durham home from a faulty light fixture or bulb can cause a lot of fire damage fast. Hopefully, it was contained in the room it began in, but even then, you still have smoke and soot, possibly in other areas of the home which need to be cleaned. A SERVPRO crew is always here to help you in an emergency, as we have the necessary equipment and training to help you recover from a fire. 

Not all soot residue is the same. Some kinds are easier to clean than others, and our technicians are trained to clean the four main types – wet, dry, fuel oil, or protein smoke residues. More kinds of materials are restorable in dry smoke conditions than wet. Dry residues carry few aerosols and deposit dry, small particles on surfaces. Dry smoke does not stain surfaces as deeply, either, and the odor is less pungent. Therefore, we need less aggressive cleaning procedures to remove dry smoke residues. 

Wet smoke residues are harder to remove, so restoration is also more difficult. A higher proportion of aerosols like solvents, varnishes, and other liquid components are in wet smoke. Wet smoke also moves slowly, giving it more time to get into crevices and enclosed areas. 

Protein residues and fuel oil soot are likely not present for a fire like this. Protein residues mainly come from kitchen fires, while fuel oil soot happens after a furnace puff-back. The cleanup of spiderweb-like residues on the ceilings and walls needs professional help to limit smearing.

SERVPRO of North Durham is trained in cleaning all kinds of soot and smoke residues. No matter the type of fire you had in your home in Chester, Upland, and Orange Factory, we can clean and restore your home when you call us at (919) 467-0880.

Useful Information About Fire Damage For Durham Residents

4/1/2022 (Permalink)

Regardless of the room affected, dealing with fire damage can be difficult. Team SERVPRO can help with great technicians and the right equipment.

By Relying on SERVPRO Your Durham Property Gets the Best Cleanup and Restoration Possible

If your property suffers a fire damage incident, you need to act fast to mitigate the damage and return it to its preloss state. At this time, quick inspection is necessary to know what you need to repair and what is salvageable. If you work with professionals in Durham, then there are high chances of having a quick recovery.

Timing is crucial when dealing with a fire damage incident in your Durham property. When the cleanup starts immediately, you stand a better chance of avoiding permanent damage and salvaging most of the items. It explains why most restoration companies like SERVPRO work 24 hours a day and readily respond if you give them a call. Remember these are emergencies which you should not take for granted.

One of the first things that our technicians do when you call them is to perform a fire testing and assessment. We conduct this process in every room as we check item by item to assess their degree of damage. The breadth of this inspection is dependent upon the degree (no pun intended) of the damage. At this point, we identify the fire type and select the most suitable cleaning method. It is the stage where we determine what should be replaced and what is salvageable as we do a complete inventory that covers all your contents.  We do stress that you as the customer, and your insurance adjuster if applicable, make the final decision on tossing materials and possessions.

The next step that our SERVPRO team performs is fire mitigation. It involves protecting the unaffected locations and where necessary treating any metallic materials in the site so that they do not suffer permanent damage as a result of acidic soot. Additionally, we remove any charred contents from the area and perform HVAC cleaning. We also determine whether there is a need to pack out some of your items to prevent possible damage and for off-site cleaning.

To eliminate the odors that are common after a fire, our SERVPRO technicians neutralize them through deodorization. Apparently, not all the smells come from the same source, and that means we have to identify the causes and remove them where possible. We usually use thermal foggers or Ultra Low Volume Foggers when dispensing the deodorizing agents into the target locations. For mechanical methods of changing the structural components of odors we can also use hydroxyl and ozone generators.

SERVPRO of North Durham responds to storm, mold, fire and water damage disasters irrespective of their size. Call us at (919) 467-0880 at any time of the day and be served by a trusted industry leader.

Protecting Present Day and Historic Durham Properties from Fire Damage

1/12/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO provides excellent fire damage cleanup and restoration for Durham and many of its landmarks like Duke University

Many Large Structures and Properties in Durham Require a Fast Fire Recovery Response

North Carolina has a proud and detailed history going back for hundreds of years, and Durham has been a considerable part of that. While the municipality was not incorporated until 1869, the area's settlements and inhabitants go back much farther. Many historic properties exist within the city borders and in the metropolitan area. These old structures require the protection of city officials, the historical society, and even professional fire restoration companies like our SERVPRO team. Fast response to emergencies can keep these attractions open and available for tourists, residents, and students in Durham.

Duke University Campus in Durham

While it has not always been named Duke, the school was established more than 180 years ago in 1838. According to the records from the fall semester of 2019, the college was an educational home to nearly 16,000 students between its undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Those who spend years under the Blue Devil banner also contribute to Durham's growth and evolution, its shopping centers, and its restaurants. This is especially true with areas like the Shops at Erwin Mill and the University Shopping Center on 70.

There are multiple attractions of the University and its campus that can appeal to those who do not attend the institution. For example, the famous basketball venue, Cameron Indoor Stadium, hosts the ACC Duke Blue Devil team through many sold-out matchups. This building is a Basketball Museum and Athletics Halls of Fame for those looking to learn a little about the decorated history of Duke athletics and their time with the conference.

Historic Districts of Durham

In total, there are 19 protected historic districts and areas throughout Durham. Each of these has several structures that have been included in the National Register of Historic Places. Each of these individual districts and portions of streets within the city has its own story to tell. However, some of the most popular and visited of these revered areas of the municipality include:

• American Tobacco Historic District
• Burch Avenue Historic District
• Downtown Durham Historic District
• Morehead Hill Historic District
• West Durham Historic District

Durham Cultural Centers and Museums

When you consider how the city was born shortly after the American Civil War, it makes sense that North Carolina and the Durham area became a battleground between the Union and the Confederates. To chronicle the site's history and the continued development and evolution of art and entertainment, the city has multiple cultural centers and museums for visitors to see. Each of these structures has numerous exhibits detailing Durham's growth and the accomplishments of some of its talented sons and daughters.

• Museum of Life and Science – This entire facility is designed to inspire a love and fascination with science and biology that public schools do not have the time or resources to help instill in youth. There are many exhibits ranging from the farmyard and the hideaway woods to areas devoted to space travel, dinosaurs, and harnessing wind power.
• Museum of Durham History – This is one of the most comprehensive museums for learning about Durham's glorious and sometimes violent history. Exhibits are timely and thoughtful, such as the long-running 150 faces of Durham, which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the city, or the show celebrating the 19th amendment and the suffrage movement at the centennial year of its passing in 1920.

Attractive Retail Experiences for the City

As the fourth largest municipality in North Carolina, and part of the Research Triangle, it is not surprising that so many retail locations exist to attract travelers to the area. While there are multiple smaller establishments like the Durham Farmers Market that have been in action since the late 1990s, offering the best of the area's abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and crops, the primary revenue from retail comes from the larger shopping centers in and around the city. The Streets at Southpoint are an excellent example of this, as there are more than 150 stores and services in this area off of Fayetteville Road. After more than two years of construction, the site quickly became a premier shopping destination for Durham. The building features a 70 ft. glass wall separating indoor and outdoor portions, as well as multiple anchor stores.

What Must Happen First When Dealing with Fire Damage in Durham?

The first steps that get taken after a fire gets extinguished in your Durham home are the most important, as these dictate the continued damage to the property. If you can mitigate these damages, the overall costs and time restoration can be minimized. With our relationship with so many insurance providers in the area, our SERVPRO team is often notified of the need for cleaning fire damage in Durham homes before extinguishment is even completed. The faster that we can reach a property once it has been cleared for our technicians to enter prevents unnecessary ruining of your personal belongings and more considerable structural combustion and destruction.

Emergency services combine the expertise of our Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and our cleaning technicians accredited from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC.) Air quality control and fire debris removal are among the primary first steps that must occur to make the residence safe for restoration to begin, even if it is not safe for the occupants of the house to return.

Content management is another critical aspect of early mitigation for fire-damaged Durham homes and properties. While much of the cleaning and recovery can happen through on-site cleaning or relocation to safe areas of the structure, some items and belongings can benefit from pack-out to our SERVPRO facility nearby for more concentrated cleaning, deodorization, and secure storage.

Fire disasters do not have to become total losses. Our SERVPRO of North Durham can help get you back home as quickly as possible when you call (919) 467-0880.

What to Expect in a Fire Restoration Project in Durham

10/8/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO after you experience a fire incident, we have training in fire & smoke restoration, odor control, upholstery & fabric cleaning.

Common Causes of House Fires

A fire can cause untold damage to a home, leaving you homeless or worse. Even so, you can never be truly prepared for a house fire. The only thing you can do is attempt to minimize damages by bringing in the pros. A fire restoration process should reverse the adverse effects of the fire so you can go back to normal as soon as possible.

Common causes of house fires in Durham, NC include:

• Unattended cooking equipment
• Heating systems
• Candles

Assessment

A restoration company should send an assessment team to the scene as the first thing after receiving a house fire call. These are the guys who will inspect the fire and smoke damage throughout your Durham home. They will also identify materials that can be salvaged and those that cannot. At the end of it all, you should have an accurate quote for the job.

Tarping and Sealing Begins

When all the paperwork is out of the way, the fire restoration service should start sealing and tarping. It’s the part where they close any holes on the exterior walls and roof to prevent further impact from the elements. For example, if the firefighters break windows while putting out the fire, the team will seal them to prevent further water damage from the rain.

Damage Cleaning and Rebuilding

The real restoration starts with removing furniture and other fixtures in the house. It is also the point where the restoration company rebuilds the structure, runs utility lines and finishes the home. However, not all companies will do the construction work. Some will only offer the cleanup package then walk away.

As a homeowner, a house fire is probably the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Thousands of dollars can go up in flames in minutes, and the only thing you could do is call the firefighters and a fire restoration company. Contact SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 for expert fire damage service. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

SERVPRO’s Fast Fire Damage Restoration Service Saves Durham Homes

10/1/2021 (Permalink)

You need a team you can trust after a fire strikes in your home. Call SERVPRO right away.

How do SERVPRO Techs Clean Smoke and Soot Residue During Fire Damage Restoration of Your Durham Home? 

Smoke and soot residues can interact chemically over time with surfaces causing irreparable damage. SERVPRO techs use various methods and cleaning agents to minimize this damage during fire damage restoration of your Durham home.   

The type of cleaning agent that SERVPRO techs use during fire damage restoration of your Durham home depends on several factors. One of these factors is the pH of the residue. Restorers use pH paper to determine the acidity or basicity of the residue before any decision is made regarding a cleaning agent. Knowing the pH of the soil enables the SERVPRO techs to know how to attack it with the right cleaning agent. 

Why do SERVPRO Techs Determine the pH of Surface Residues During House Fire Cleanup in Durham? 

pH plays an important role in determining how a smoke residue can interact with a given surface in your Durham home. As a general rule, SERVPRO techs use acidic cleaning agents to neutralize basic soils and alkaline cleaning agents to neutralize acidic soils. 

Several by-products of combustion can produce acids. For instance, when plastics burn, they form chlorides that combine with moisture to create hydrochloric acid. Similarly, carbon dioxide, one of the most common constituents of smoke, combines with water to form carbonic acid. Acids can slowly erode and discolor the surfaces over time. 

It is equally important to restore the pH close to neutral after the restoration process is completed. Doing this helps to prevent the color bleeding and browning of surfaces, mainly textiles. 

If you wonder who to call to handle fire damage to your home, call SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880. 

SERVPRO Offers Many Fire Damage Cleanup Services for Durham Homes??

9/6/2021 (Permalink)

A fire damage is devastating. Let SERVPRO of North Durham help with the damage.

Professional Fire Damage Cleanup Protects Your Family and Your Durham Property

Firefighters do everything they can to put out a fire when called to such an emergency in Durham. Their job includes spraying water onto exterior areas of your burning home, as well as opening up the roof to manage the flames better. The mixture of water, smoke, soot, and destroyed belongings can overwhelm anyone.

Such destruction needs someone who can make sense of your home's situation in Durham, starting fire damage cleanup as soon as possible. Our technicians understand that you want to save as much as possible after such a disastrous and traumatizing event, but some items do become damaged beyond repair. Whenever you encounter an item that we have placed in this category that you would like for us to try extremely intensive restoration techniques, we can discuss additional options with you.

How does SERVPRO handle Items in a Durham Home Fire?

Generally, we categorize everything as destroyed, restorable, or undamaged. Completely destroyed items require inventory sheets, both for your convenience in replacing such items and also for insurance claims. Another category includes items that might require additional measures, often requiring approval from insurance adjusters. The basis for most decisions rests on the cost-effectiveness of restoration vs. replacement costs.

To protect your family from the toxins produced by many of the items that burned or became intensely heated, we use different methods to remove the soot and smoke residues from surfaces that otherwise suffer no damage. Heavy soiling is not isolated on surfaces only, as spider tags can accumulate overhead. These often appear in corners and can steadily produce odors.

We also eliminate the increased moisture that plagues a house after the fire department finishes. Areas that never burned can end up soaked from the water used to put out the fire. A quick response can salvage much of these items, if not all. Our training and experience in similar situations help us guide you toward the most effective recovery possible. This includes time spent, as well as expenses.

SERVPRO of North Durham wants to assist your family recover from fire damage by providing effective cleanup measures. Making your Durham, Gorman, or Rougemont  home safe again is one of our many goals. Call us at (919) 467-0880 for the help your house needs.

Odor Control for Your Durham Home After Fire Damage

7/13/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can restore the smoke and soot from your home. We are always on call!

Fire Damage Restoration Includes Odor Control

Even a small fire in your Durham home leaves behind various types of damage to clean up. You not only have to deal with what the flames burned, but you likely have water from the firefighters who helped put the fire out, and you have smoke and soot damage. It is not wise to leave any of it lingering for long before restoration is started, as more damage continues to occur.

Odor control goes a long way after your Durham home has suffered fire damage. At SERVPRO, we have the training and skills necessary to perform odor control thoroughly and correctly so that the smoke odors are no longer present in your home.

Containment During Fire Damage Restoration

Various techniques are used in controlling odors. There are multiple phases to an odor control system. The first phase is called containment. Our goal is to block or contain odor molecules from vaporizing back into the air. We spray a chemical deodorizer onto materials causing the odor. The chemical makes a barrier that slows down or stops odor molecules from evaporation off the source material. We directly spray the smoke residues on charred areas with an odor counteractant using a pump-up sprayer.

Vapor Control

The next phase is vapor control. SERVPRO techs counteract odor particles that became airborne before the spraying for containment. We apply products made to release deodorant vapors into the atmosphere. They counteract the malodor vapors they contact in the air. Vapor control is quite effective in fire damage cases.

Thermal Fogging

The last phase of odor control is thermal fogging. We dispense solvent-based deodorants using thermal fogging equipment. They pass through a heated area and are combusted. Combustion breaks the deodorant solution down into very small particles. Because of the small size, the particles can go anywhere the malodor particles are paired with the malodor and neutralize it by changing the chemical composition. Dry fogs quickly penetrate and deodorize because of the small particle size. Most of it evaporates within a few hours. The last thing we do in the fogging procedure is ventilating the treated area.

SERVPRO of North Durham can come quickly after your home has suffered from fire damage. We can clean and repair all the damages for residents in Durham plus deodorize the smoke odors left behind when you give us a call at (919) 467-0880.

A Bountiful Harvest in Durham Sets the Scene for a Warm and Inviting Thanksgiving

11/15/2020 (Permalink)

It will be exciting to see the community at the Ole-Time Farm Fest for a fun day!

Spend the Day Learning, Bonding, and Having Fun in an Historic Durham Site

The Ole-Time Farm Fest at Bennett Place in Durham, taking place Saturday, November 21, 2020, between 10 AM and 4 PM, is the perfect opportunity for some family fun. Put away the cell phones and tablets and get ready for some games and contests from the mid-1800s. The small fee, $5 for those 17 and over, and $3 for those 4 - 16– goes directly toward Bennett Place’s upkeep and is greatly appreciated. For more information, call (919) 383-4345

To add to your enjoyment, Bennett Place also offers the following to the public:

• Free picnic area, with tables available on a first-come-first-served basis,
• Forested trails where the Bennett Farm was once located,
• Gift shop with several items, including those that reflect the Civil War.

Fire damage is still a threat to the modern home. However, SERVPRO of North Durham knows how to mitigate damage and make it “Like it never even happened.” Call (919) 467-0880 for professional fire damage mitigation.

What Procedures are Necessary During Fire Cleanup Exercises In Durham?

9/27/2020 (Permalink)

Cleaning a fire-damaged property requires a combination of different approaches to deal with all forms of soiling caused by the incident.

SERVPRO Can Help You Prepare As Well As Perform the Fire Damage Cleanup Processes Your Durham Property Needs

Cleaning up a property damaged by fire is a multi-stage process because you have to remove the materials introduced by the combustion process, the firefighting effort, and the people that move around the premises in the aftermath of the fire. That is why SERVPRO plays a pivotal role in identifying problem areas and performing the necessary restoration procedures for your Durham home to regain its preloss state.

What stages must the fire damage cleanup crews complete in Durham properties?
    •    Moisture management
    •    Initial cleanup
    •    Removal of damaged materials
    •    A thorough cleanup
    •    Deodorization

You may not associate fires with water, so the issue of moisture management may not be high among your priorities as you plan to clean your Durham property after a fire. However, moisture can build up in your house in many ways starting with the fire suppression process whereby gallons of water might be pumped into your house to stop the flames. Even if other forms of firefighting, such as application of foam, are used, thus avoiding water, you might still need to address moisture issues. For example, openings such as shattered windows can allow rainwater intrusion. Fires also mess with the electrical systems, so your property might not be heated after the fire, and thus moisture can accumulate from condensation.

Whatever cause leads to the moisture accumulation at your house, finding a way to reverse or prevent its adverse effects is essential. One such effect is the deep setting of loose soils deposited on surfaces. Our SERVPRO crews assess the circumstances to determine which action can produce the desired result. Some of the solutions we pursue include:
    •    Water extraction
    •    Dehumidification
    •    Heating the building

Why is it necessary to perform initial cleaning during a cleanup exercise?
In properties badly damaged by fire, carrying out some limited-scope cleaning is necessary. What you need to clean on such a scope varies depending on the specifics of the incident. When our SERVPRO technicians restore extensively damaged properties, we perform initial cleaning of items that the occupants might need in their temporary abode. Alternatively, we can do the initial cleanup to protect items if full restorative cleaning might be delayed. In such cases, we pre-clean carpets, porcelain, furniture, and metal items. Initial cleaning utilizes simple methods such as vacuuming, wiping, or dusting the affected materials. We might also apply protective substances such as a thin film of oil on metallic surfaces to safeguard them against the corrosive effects of soot.

Which materials need removal during cleanup?
Moving materials from a fire damaged property is a common thing. For example, you might need to move items to an external storage facility or your temporary accommodation. However, regarding clean up, removal involves the demolition of the materials damaged irreversibly. Fires usually damage drywall, ceilings, and insulation, among other light materials, necessitating such teardown. Removing damaged materials requires the right tools to avoid damaging structural supports or other materials that might be retained after restoring the building.

Which areas need cleaning for the property to be fully restored?
    •    Surfaces such as walls and ceilings
    •    Furniture and upholstery items
    •    Appliances
    •    Utilities such as air ducts and electrical cables

Fire spreads residues like ash, soot, and other smoke by-products all over the property. The cleaning process should remove or neutralize all the unwanted residues, restoring the property to its preloss state. Our SERVPRO technicians seek to understand the problems first before starting the cleaning. For instance, before cleaning surfaces such as walls or ceilings, we establish whether cleaning is the only restoration process required or the surface needs to be refinished. We also establish how severe the soiling is so that we can establish the right cleaning approach.

We utilize various solutions to achieve the desired outcome, including:
    •    Dry cleaning sponges
    •    Compressed air
    •    Brushes
    •    Vacuum cleaners

Cleaning with materials such as dry cleaning sponges or using compressed air removes residues without introducing any chemical agents to the soiled material, making them perfect solutions for removing residues without affecting the underlying material. A cleaning sponge is made with porous materials that absorb the soils from the surface when pressed firmly on the surface.

Some types of soiling, such as the wet smoke residues, require chemical agents to dislodge them from materials. In such cases, mild or moderate agitation is also essential, which can be done through brushing during wet cleaning.

Cleaning a fire-damaged property requires a combination of different approaches to deal with all forms of soiling caused by the incident, “Like it never even happened.” Call SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 to help.

How Damaged is Too Damaged From Fire to Restore Wood Furniture?

9/14/2020 (Permalink)

If you need a company you can trust! Call SERVPRO of North Durham today for any fire damage remediation needs.

SERVPRO technicians have a vast selection of cleaning agents and solutions for use in the restoration of wood furniture post-fire in Durham properties.

Even if covered in icky black soot, the wood furniture in your Durham home may have restoration potential. If you see any of the following problems, the piece probably needs refinishing for reuse, and restorative treatments will not be enough. 

• Blistering of the wood finish
• Staining that affects the wood grain
• Cracking from exposure to heat may be a candidate for repairs on a case-by-case basis

Can My Pets Remain in the Home During Fire Damage Restoration?  

The best way to know if it is safe to remain in your Durham property during fire damage restoration is to talk to the first responders and get their opinion. In most situations, homeowners get advised to avoid the area where the fire happened and stay elsewhere. The reason for this is soot has the potential to be an irritant and is unhealthy to breathe for both people and pets. Birds, in particular, are susceptible to stress from both soot and the cleaning agents needed to remove smoke damage from surfaces. 

SERVPRO techs work on improving the air quality during the cleanup and restoration process. The use of negative air that works to port away airborne contaminants is a commonly used tactic. Air scrubbers are machines that have a labyrinth of HEPA filtration, and they work to capture airborne particulates that are smaller than the human eye can see. This latter method frequently gets applied with the use of containment around the work-site to inhibit the potential for cross-contamination. 

When your home needs fire damage restoration, SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 stands ready to come to your property 24/7. The certified techs have the training and equipment to make any size fire and smoke damage, "Like it never even happened."

What Can A Professional Fire Restoration Company Do For Me?

7/31/2020 (Permalink)

We understand the need for rapid response and restoration to minimize the loss of your property. Call us right away we are available 24/7.

If Your Durham Home Has Experienced A Fire SERVPRO’s Technicians Can Clean, Repair and Restore Your Home to Pre-loss Condition.

With over 27% of all fires occurring in homes, the danger is very real. A house fire can happen to anyone. If your Durham home needs emergency fire mitigation, we are available 24/7.

 What should I do first after a fire?

Once your family is safe, and the firefighters have everything under control, the first thing you do is contact your insurance. Next, you call a restoration team that handles all aspects of fire damage cleanup in Durham. SERVPRO’s Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified and fire, and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) are well trained and have years of experience dealing with fire restoration. Immediate intervention is necessary to prevent secondary damage from occurring.

Scope and Assessment

Upon arrival, the crew chief will start doing a scope of the home. Through this assessment process, the damage to the interior, structural elements, and content gets documented. An immediate plan of action is written up. Restoration is the goal and is typically more cost-effective than replacement. 

Beginning the Cleanup

Before cleaning and restoration begin, the crew will work on removing debris and charred structural elements. We can properly dispose of these items, so you don’t need to worry about getting rid of any waste. We then take steps to:

• Care for your personal belongings and contents – If the fire is limited to a small area, items may be kept on site but moved to a different area. If required, we will do a pack-out and move the content off-site to our warehouse, where trained restoration technicians clean your belongings.
• Examine structural elements – We make sure the structural part of your home that has been affected is safe. If portions need to be replaced, we take care of that too.
• Provide soot removal – Soot can cause corrosion and bond quickly with certain types of surfaces. Water from putting out the fire can add to the situation. Our team knows how to remove soot from the tiniest cracks and crevices.
• Cleanup water damage – Water intrusion is a problem with any fire that requires firefighters to handle the scene. We extract any standing water, plus we use moisture detectors to find and remove hidden water.
• Get the crew cleaning – Ceilings, walls, and other surfaces are each assigned to crew members. They then use the proper cleaning techniques needed for that particular area to remove dirt and soot.
• Deodorize and sanitize – Foul odor from smoke damage can embed itself into everything from furniture to insulation. We have special chemicals and procedures, such as thermal fogging, that removes the odor. We also make sure everything gets sanitized.

 What Can Your Company Salvage?

SERVPRO understands how important the content of your home is to you. It’s not just a bunch of “stuff” that happened to be in a fire. It’s personal, some of it holds special memories and some things are simply irreplaceable. We can’t promise to restore everything in a house with fire damage, but we can guarantee to restore everything we possibly can. This includes things such as:

• Clothing
• Personal items such as jewelry 
• Dishes and household goods
• Furniture
• Appliances 
• Carpets 
• Tools
• Toys and children’s belongings

Why Do I Need a Professional Fire Restoration Company?

Fire damage can be far worse than you imagine, even in a minor fire that is restricted to one area. Smoke and soot can spread into the smallest spaces. HVAC systems help carry the sediment throughout the home. If it is a major house fire, the task of cleaning up would be overwhelming to the homeowner. Firefights use not only water but chemicals to put out the blaze. This means knowing how to handle those chemicals safely. Safety is one of the main reasons you need a fire restoration company like SERVPRO. You need the professionals because the typical homeowner does not have access to the advanced technology, heavy-duty equipment, and industrial-strength cleaning agents they do.

Entrust Your Home to A Company That Understands You

 A fire can happen in a heartbeat. Your once-normal life is now in shreds. As homeowners and family members, we understand that. As trained professional technicians, we know how to help. Contact SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 for expert fire damage service. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

4 Steps To Take When You Smell Natural Gas

5/27/2020 (Permalink)

A gas fire will likely create a mess in your home

Consider The Following Steps If You Smell Gas

A gas fire in a home is something that can often be avoided with the right actions. The key is to know what to do if you smell natural gas in your house in Upland, NC. A little bit of knowledge will go a long way toward keeping your loved ones and your property safe from a devastating fire.
There could be a number of reasons you smell gas in your home. Some situations are relatively easy to address, while others demand the help of professionals. Consider the following steps if you smell gas:

1. Locate the Leak
Safely investigate the most likely sources. Is a stove burner on without the flame? Has the pilot light gone out on a gas appliance? In these situations, you can simply turn the burner off or relight the pilot light and you will be a hero for the day.

2. Shut Off the Gas
If the leak is coming from another source, such as a gas line, shut off the valve if you can find it. Residential gas lines typically have shut-off valves in a number of locations throughout your home, in part to prevent a home gas fire. Once the gas is off, increase ventilation in the home and then call the gas company for repair.

3. Consider Evacuation
It is not safe to stay too long in a house that has a gas leak. A gas explosion could result. Therefore, you may have to make a determination on when to get out of the house and let the experts take over. If the smell of gas is strong or if you cannot find the leak it is probably time to evacuate.

4. Contact Remediation Experts
A gas fire will likely create a mess in your home. For professional cleanup, call a local fire mitigation franchise to rid your home of fire, soot, and smoke damage.

Advanced Odor Control Technicians for Fire Damage Restoration Available in Durham

10/30/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians stay updated and educated on all certificates for all your Durham damages.

Our Technicians know exactly what is needed for your Fire damage in Durham.

While removing charred materials from your building may seem like a chore, the real challenge for restorers is to control malodors. When fires occur, materials in your home, release toxins and chemicals into the atmosphere in the form of smoke. These toxins can manifest as thick, odorous residues left behind on walls and ceilings after a fire. In some cases, such as when synthetic materials are involved, these soot deposits can be challenging to clean and release unpleasant odors long after the flames are gone.

Homeowners with fire damage in Durham should avoid entering the property until a fire marshall has cleared it for safe entry. There is potential for significant structural weakening during a fire, and buildings with significant fires can collapse after a fire is put out. In the majority of cases, it is safe to enter the home once harm-causing gases have dispersed. This dispersal can sometimes take an hour or longer to complete.

In the immediate aftermath of a property fire, you should reach out to your insurance provider as well as a trusted professional restorer. While there are specific steps you can take to speed up the restoration procedure, some areas need professional expertise. Small steps may include the opening of windows, light vacuuming of dry soots as well as covering contents with tarps or old sheets. These steps can ventilate your property while also ensuring falling soots or debris do not cause additional harm to carpets and contents.

Once a SERVPRO restorer has arrived, they can help to guide you through the various cleaning methods needed to get your home back to a pre-fire condition. Generally speaking, thicker deposits should be left to your fire and smoke restoration technician (FRST.) These deposits can require specific cleaning agents as well as cleaning techniques to ensure they are not spread further around. If you have specialist restoration requirements, such as electronics or document recovery, you can point these out to your technician. 

Once the cleaning effort is complete, you may find that smokey odors remain in the property. SERVPRO odor control technicians (OCT) are adept at removing, masking, or neutralizing these odors. As a general principle, odor control works best when the method of dispersal matches the odor-causing event. In fires, odors are often caused by hot gases, so we use thermal ultra-low volume (ULV) fogging equipment to disperse solvent in a way that mimics smoke. This equipment can be used in small contained areas or throughout your home.

Containing and controlling odor after a fire can be a challenging process. Contact SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880.

To learn more about Durham, click here.

Three Circumstances That Can Impede Fire Damage Restoration in Durham

10/7/2019 (Permalink)

No matter the damage, SERVPRO can restore your home. Call us today!

Factors that Can Complicate Fire Damage Restoration in Your Durham Home

A house fire can be expensive, especially if your home is large and contains many valuable items. Every fire is unique based on its composition, cause, size, and residue. Some fires involve multiple and complex chemical reactions. The way these factors combine affects how we handle fire damage restoration.

Cleaning up your Durham home after fire damage is a multiphase process. It is crucial to start the process quickly to prevent further damage. Waiting for even a day can compound the cost and restoration time required. Some factors that can complicate the fire restoration process include:

There is a presence of flammable materials.

If your house has many wooden structures, textiles, combustible chemicals, and other materials that do not resist fire, the fire probably consumed many of them. Metal, concrete, and other fire-proof surfaces may not have sustained a lot of heat and flame damage. However, acidic soot residue can cause the metal to corrode or discolor.

The fire damage has affected several rooms or areas.

If gases, liquids, or easily combustible solids caused the fire, it might have affected several rooms. Smoke may also have traveled to different areas, including the attic. Cleaning the attic after fire damage is challenging since the surfaces are porous, making removal of residues difficult.

There is water damage besides fire damage.

Water damage might happen after a fire if the firefighters used gallons of water to extinguish it.

Fire damage restoration requires a systematic approach to reduce the stress on your part. Our SERVPRO team can assess your home and take the right steps to restore it to the preloss state. We can deal with the burned structures and contents and the smoke and water damage.

Understanding the kind of fire and residue produced from it is critical to creating a plan to restore your house. Whether your home has dry smoke, wet smoke, protein residues, fuel oil soot, or other chemical compounds, our team has the tools and experience to clean up the contents and structures property.

We choose the most suitable cleaning technique based on the affected surfaces. For instance, when removing residues from materials that can sustain damage if saturated with cleaning products, we use the spray and wipe technique. The spray and wipe technique is a wet cleaning process where we apply the cleaning product using a spray bottle. After spraying, our technicians use a clean white towel to wipe the surface. Another technique that our SERVPRO Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians (FSRTs) can use is foam cleaning. It is suitable for cleaning upholstery fabrics that could shrink when damp or whose dyes are likely to bleed during cleaning.

Should you need fire and smoke damage restoration services in Gorman, Rougemont, or Bahama, call the team at SERVPRO of North Durham. We can make the fire loss appear “Like it never even happened.” Our helpline is (919) 467-0880.

More about Durham.

Call Our Professionals For Help After A Fire In Your Durham Home

9/12/2019 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

Fire Damage In Durham Gets Fast Help From SERVPRO

After fire damage hits a residence, the probability of lessening loss is dependent upon a few factors such as:
    •    The types of materials damaged in the fire
    •    Use of and amount of water in the home from fire extinguishing efforts
    •    The attempt of any DIY cleanup methods, in some cases, this can worsen fire loss
    •    Amount of time passed since the fire occurred

SERVPRO handles fire damage cleanup in local Durham area residences with compassion. We know it is hard to find anything positive about the situation when all you see around is charred possessions and structural components. Our Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Technicians know how to use our array of specialized equipment and training in proprietary cleaning methods to reduce the amount of fire loss.

We inspect each item before removal as a fire loss to ascertain if the potential is there for restoration. Many nonporous things may look unsalvageable, but with a process such as immersion cleaning, they can return to its pre-damage condition. Our professionals communicate with both the property owner and adjuster to ensure we always work within the budget, and our technicians remove nothing from the residence without permission.

After the removal of charred debris and cleanup of smoke residue along with soot removal, we also ensure that no residual odors are left behind. We have various methods of odor control and most importantly, we also inspect and clean the ductwork in the home if necessary for complete odor neutralization.

When SERVPRO technicians complete the fire cleanup and odor control efforts, we give the homeowner and the adjuster a report detailing our actions during restoration services complete with photographs and notations of whether the item was a loss or restored. This information assists with expediting insurance claims.

SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 stands ready to assist local property owners with restoration services after any type of fire damage, and we make it “Like it never even happened.”

For more about Durham click here.

Our Technicians Discuss How To Avoid Damage In Your Durham Kitchen After A Fire

7/9/2019 (Permalink)

In case of a fire incident in your Rougemont, Orange Factory, or Rocky Knoll property, call SERVPRO of North Durham to help.

Fire Damage Technicians In Durham Talk About Preventing Kitchen Fires

According to statistics, the local fire department receives around 50 structure fire calls each year. Fortunately, fire damage occurring inside your home can often be prevented by following certain safety practices. Several of these structural blazes ignite during cooking, and according to the National Fire Protection Association, 66 percent of kitchen infernos start by unattended cooking. The statistics also say that 62 percent start from stovetops.
 
Once a problem starts inside your kitchen, it can quickly spread and cause fire damage inside your Durham home in rooms other than the blaze's source. Once objects burn inside your kitchen, it is wise to call in a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO. After you, the homeowner extinguishes the fire, things you do to try to fix the problems could make issues worse. For example, cleaning soot residues with the wrong chemicals can smear the soot and cause more damage to the surface you were trying to clean.
 
The best thing you can do yourself is to prevent a fire from starting in the first place. Many kitchen blazes can be avoided by never leaving the kitchen while you are cooking. Keeping your appliances, including your oven and stove clean can also prevent unwanted grease fires from igniting.
 
Our SERVPRO experts also recommend that you regularly test smoke detectors and make sure that they have operable batteries and are working at all times. It is wise to have a smoke detector located just outside of your kitchen. If detectors get put inside the kitchen, they could go off during cooking when any amount of smoke enters the kitchen. If they are close to but outside of the kitchen, then they should not go off unless an actual kitchen fire starts.
 
It's smart to have a fire extinguisher that has been checked close to the kitchen area. Putting out a fire shortly after it starts can reduce the total amount of damage suffered by your home's building materials and contents. Once the fire gets extinguished, it is then good to call in our SERVPRO technicians so that we can assess the situation for you.
 
In case of a fire incident in your Rougemont, Orange Factory, or Rocky Knoll property, call SERVPRO of North Durham to help. You can reach us at (919) 467-0880 any time. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more about Durham click here.

After A Fire, Contact Our Crew To Restore Your Home In Durham To Pre-Damage Condition!

4/9/2019 (Permalink)

The sooner you call us at (919) 467-0880 the better, as any settled smoke and soot can continue to create additional damage.

Fire Damage Restoration In Your Durham Home

Fires are often in the news and are not all that uncommon. To keep your home in Durham safe, there are things you can do to protect you and your family. When you set aside some time to make a plan and go over some fire safety tips with everyone in your home, you can help prevent a disaster before one starts.

When you’ve gone through a fire in your Durham home, it is overwhelming, no matter how severe the fire damage is. At SERVPRO, we understand this is a stressful time, and we want to help in any way we can. As a professional remediation company, we can assist you in restoring your home fast so you can get back to life as normal and begin to put the disaster behind you.

To help keep you and your family safe, you should start by ensuring that you have enough fire detectors in your home and that they are all working correctly. There are two main types – photoelectric and ionization. The photoelectric fire detectors work to detect a smoldering fire, while the ionization works better to detect flames. Many experts recommend you have both types, but whichever you decide upon, it is a good idea to make sure they are interconnected.

When the smoke has settled on your walls and ceilings from a fire, SERVPRO technicians have different procedures we use to clean it up right. For all types of ceilings that have non-grease-based soiling with light-to-medium damage, we use a dry cleaning sponge. It can also be used to pre-clean non-grease-based soils in excess before we wet clean. Wet cleaning is used on metal, painted, or wood ceilings that have heavy dry soot or ash residue or residues which are light-to-heavy and oil-based.

Lastly, we can use peroxide active cleaning to clean acoustical or other porous and nonporous ceilings, especially ones which have heavy nicotine and tar soiling. Ceilings that are blown and textured could have their coating dissolved if we treat them with wet, aggressive cleaning procedures, so we use this method instead.

An additional thing you should do around your home is look for fire-prone areas throughout your home. A significant step to take is keeping your dryer vent clean. Not only should you clean the lint out each time you dry a load of clothes, but also vacuum out the duct underneath the lint trap regularly for any lint trapped underneath.

SERVPRO of North Durham wants to help your family restore your home in Gorman, Rocky Knoll, or Orange Factory after any fire. The sooner you call us at (919) 467-0880 the better, as any settled smoke and soot can continue to create additional damage, so do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Click here for more about Durham.

When Your Home In Durham Suffers Foul Odors After A Fire, Our Crew Can Help!

3/19/2019 (Permalink)

No matter the time, our technicians can help you with your fire damage problems.

SERVPRO Can Help You Rid Your Durham Home Of The Malodor Fire Damage Leaves Behind

Fire damage can leave many remnants of the flames that burned inside of your home. Ash, soot, and smoke are some of the more obvious signs of a fire but, even after all of those symptoms have been removed, the smell can still remain behind. However, it is comforting to know that professional help, which can address all aspects of the fire damage inside of your home, is never far.

The fire damage inside of your Durham home happened inside of your bedroom, from an unattended candle. The candle was close enough to a scarf that hung from a wall-mounted rack to catch it on fire and, from the scarf, that fire spread to the numerous accessories hanging from the rack, such as other scarves and hats. By the time you found the fire in your room, it had not done catastrophic damage. However, it did manage to burn most of the articles on the mount, as well as some of the makeup products that had sat on the dresser beneath it, alongside the candle.

When you reach out to SERVPRO for help with the damage in your bedroom, we make it a priority to arrive at your home as soon as we can. Once there, we can begin cleaning up the ruined remains of your clothing, as well as the ruined cosmetic products. The wooden clothing mount, the wall itself, and your dresser all had soot stains, but our IICRC-certified SERVPRO techs can clean them. By using a spray-and-wipe technique alongside an effective lubricative cleaning solution, our technicians can chip away at the soot.

Once the physical evidence is removed, all that remains is the smell that the fire left behind. The very particles in the air carry the scent with them, so the only option is to try and neutralize them. Thankfully, SERVPRO can use a thermal fogger to do just that. A thermal fogger dispenses a vaporized agent that can attack the foul smell at a particle level and remove it from the air, leaving your bedroom “Like it never even happened.”

If fire damage has left a foul smell behind in your home, do not wait. Get in contact with SERVPRO of North Durham by dialing (919) 467-0880. No matter the time, our technicians can help you with your fire damage problems.

Click here for more about Durham.

How You Can Prevent Fire Damage In Your Durham Home

1/24/2019 (Permalink)

Reach out by calling (919) 467-0880, and we will dispatch our team and equipment to your home as quickly as possible.

Preventing Fire Damage To Your Home In Durham

It is not uncommon to watch the news and see a home affected by fire damage and you always hope it never happens to you. Electrical fires can be the cause of the disaster, but very often we can help control the onset of a fire ourselves just by being cautious in our own home. As always, being proactive is the first line of defense in avoiding a disaster.

At SERVPRO we want to help you avoid fire damage to your Durham home, and we recommend being vigilant about any open flames you have in and around your home. Whether you light a scented candle or barbecue with your friends, you must always be careful of open fires and keep them away from any curtains or other materials that might easily burn. On top of your own caution, it is important to install smoke detectors throughout your home so you may quickly take action to ensure the safety of your family and home.

However, what do you do when a fire actually happens, and you are left to deal with the aftermath? Our SERVPRO team is equipped and trained to address the remaining smoke damage and soot resulting from the fire, as well as any water damage caused when flames were extinguished. By using specialized techniques and equipment, we do our best to clean each surface and restore it to its original state. When you see our team in action you will observe that each item is cleaned in a different way depending on its composition and condition- we may use a foam cleaner on upholstery while we will use a spray on other surfaces. All of this is done deliberately and based on industry best practices and our own expertise.

Once we have been able to remove as much of the damage as possible, it may be time to deodorize your home, an important step in returning everything to how it was. At SERVPRO we rely on the latest advances to achieve this final step, including ozone technology to essentially neutralize the odors in your home.

At SERVPRO of North Durham, we hope you will never experience a fire in your home. However, we are ready to spring into action 24 hours a day, 7 days a week should your home fall victim to fire damage. Reach out by calling (919) 467-0880, and we will dispatch our team and equipment to your home as quickly as possible.

Click here for more about Durham.

Learn How SERVPRO Deals with Fire & Smoke Damage in Durham Residential Homes

12/20/2018 (Permalink)

Restoring your home from fire damage should be your #1 priority. Call SERVPRO of North Durham to get the process started.

Overcoming Smoke Damage Throughout Your Durham Home

Many Durham homeowners do not know that smoke damages from a fire can occur in various ways and affect their home differently than others. Without this standing knowledge of the conditions that fire can present to their property, they wait until the damage can get more closely assessed before contacting professional restorers to recover the house. From the time that fire gets extinguished at the home, smoke and other effects spread quickly through even unaffected areas to present a broad hazard to those still living in the house.

Fire/smoke damages within your Durham home require professional restoration from experienced technicians. Our SERVPRO team has extensive training in fire and smoke restoration to offer our customers cost-effective and efficient solutions to the effects of a disaster on their property. We can arrive quickly with air quality equipment to help improve the atmosphere within the house before and during the restoration work to come.

The first time that our team arrives at your property following a fire, we establish an understanding of the spread of the damage throughout the house with our full personal protective equipment. We can assess potential risks and hazards in the environment this way without compromising the safety of our SERVPRO technicians. With this assessment, we can determine the worst air quality concerns and set up equipment like hydroxyl generators to begin purifying the air and working to reduce the harsh odor often left behind by combustion.

Cleaning up smoke damage is also a chief concern of our technicians on site, as the residue left from dry and wet smoke can stain or irreparably damage fabrics, carpeting, and other materials and surfaces throughout your home. We have industrial-strength solvents and high-powered vacuums designed to remove the sediment from smoke damages from the fire.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

While many effects can threaten your property after a fire, smoke damages often pose the greatest concern to homeowners and the families. Our SERVPRO of North Durham fire restoration specialists can help. Give us a call anytime at (919) 467-0880.

For more on Durham, click here. 

What SERVPRO Can Teach You About Odor Removal After A Fire In Your Durham Home

10/23/2018 (Permalink)

Home fires can be an extremely trying and frightening experience even after the fire has been put out.

Fire Damage Restoration In Durham Includes Odor Removal

Home fires can be an extremely trying and frightening experience even after the fire has been put out. Often, homeowners lose some of their personal belongings as well as contents inside the home. Plus, smoke residues can linger if they are not adequately dealt with by professionals. Also, fire can burn or char materials that can cause strong odors and weaken the structure of the home.

SERVPRO fire damage restoration services in Durham can return your residence to its preloss condition when possible. It is best to allow our certified technicians to inspect your home and remove offensive smoke odors. We can employ air scrubbers to eliminate smoke odors quickly. Plus, air movers, high-velocity axial fans, and industrial foggers may be put to use to flush out strong smoke smells. Techs can also utilize odor deodorizers and thermal foggers to neutralize and remove odors from the affected areas. These pieces of equipment also help to enhance the indoor atmosphere.

Charred and burned items such as couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, clothing, and curtains can also cause foul odors inside the property. Our technicians can discard those items with the homeowner’s permission. We clean, sanitize and store every Item that we save and can keep them in a secure storage area off-site until our team completes the job. The crew can also apply odor removing sprays to eliminate odors from contents and materials inside the home.

Also, we can use professional grade cleansers to remove soot, dirt, and debris from various surfaces affected by the fire such as the walls, ceilings and floors and other surfaces like counter-tops and windows. In some instances, the team may employ portable ozone machines to neutralize and remove foul smoke odors. If we use these machines, residents and any pets must vacate the premises until the process is complete due to the strong chemicals.

SERVPRO of North Durham fire damage restoration services can make it “Like it never even happened.” We are available 24/7 and are nearby and ready to serve Durham and surrounding areas that include Orange Factory, Rocky Knoll, Chester, Weaver, Gorman and Marcus Hook. Contact us at (919) 467-0880.

Click here for more about Durham.

Communication About The Processes Of Fire Damage Mitigation And Restoration In Durham

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

When homeowners in Durham face fire damage, many of them just want to get things back to normal.

The Processes Of Fire Damage Mitigation And Restoration

After a traumatizing event in your Durham home involving fire and smoke, many personal belongings need specialized cleaning services, forming one of the more crucial aspects of mitigation and restoration. We clean many items on-site when space permits such activities. When we do not have enough space, we perform this at our facility.

When homeowners in Durham face fire damage, many of them just want to get things back to normal. Explaining each step of the restoration process to our customers can make the time required seem less stressful, as well as less mysterious. How we handle your personal belongings and household items is a relatively straightforward process.

SERVPRO technicians take great dare when packing these items up and filling out inventory lists, typically working in teams to make the work more efficient. These lists are not the only pieces of documentation we provide our customers, though. Each box, of course, has a corresponding label to each entry on the inventory sheets, but other labels can indicate the status of a box's contents.

We ensure that the label on each box provides current information about the contents. These labels inform you about questionable items, damaged belonging, and possible additional claims that need your attention. Questionable items typical cover those belongings that you, the customer, felt might have a chance at restoration and wanted our technicians to attempt cleaning the items. Some of these may become successful, others might break during cleaning (causing them to fall into the additional claims category), and others we leave for you to decide about the outcome.

Damaged items are those belongings we attempt to clean but because of exposure to heat during the fire or the contrast between the heat and the cold of the firefighters' water endure hairline cracks in its material end up broken even more. This is common and many times is not foreseeable by visually inspecting the items it occurs in before cleaning begins. You might still want to keep the item, or you may wish to file a claim on it with your insurance.

Claim items come from either of the two above categories when cleaning either reveals additional flaws, the item breaks further, or our best efforts do not satisfy you. You need to forward a list of these items to your insurance adjuster as soon as possible.

SERVPRO of North Durham can help homeowners in Rocky Knoll save their Bahama, Upland, of Marcus Hook home after it sustains fire damage. Calling our local 24-hour service line at (919) 467-0880 puts you in contact with friendly IICRC-certified technicians who know the importance of communication during the entire mitigation and restoration process.

Click here for more about Durham.

Leaving Your Slow Cooker Unattended Can Lead to a Fire in Your Durham Home

5/11/2018 (Permalink)

Crockpots and Instapots are very helpful for working families. Keep a close eye on them, however and replace if they get old. Contact SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Technicians Understand the Many Aspects of Fire Damage and the Appropriate Specialized Tools That are Most Effective for Remediation

With the long days that people are encouraged to work, it can be very tempting to throw something in a slow cooker in the morning and let it cook all day, but this can cause fire damage. A faulty outlet or old appliances are both common fire hazards inside of your residence. When it comes to the safety of your family and the longevity of your home, it is better not to leave appliances unattended inside of your home, even if they're advertised as an easy solution to dinner after a long day.
 
When accidents happen, it is a relief to know that expert help is not far from your home to help with the fire damage in Durham. We strive to answer your call no matter the time and get to your home as quickly as possible. No matter the size of the fire, large or small, we can find a way to help you and remediate your home.
 
The first SERVPRO employee to arrive at the scene of the fire damage is our estimator. They can go through the damage with you, identify some of the key factors of concern, and answer any questions you may have. While our estimator is walking you through the process, our technicians can arrive shortly after to begin the remediation.
 
SERVPRO has specialized tools to deal with the various categories of damage that fire can leave behind. It is not just ash that is caused by a blaze. Smoke can damage your furniture, clothes, electronics, and other belongings. Soot can leave behind greasy stains on your walls, floors, countertops, and stove.
 
Our IICRC-certified technicians can employ the use of air scrubbers with HEPA filters while we work to remove residues in your kitchen. The air scrubber can remove any odorous particles from the air while we tackle removing the tough stains from your home.
 
Do not delay when a fire occurs inside of your home. Dial (919) 467-0880 to get in touch with SERVPRO of North Durham. When it comes to fire, it is always better to jump straight to action and never to wait.
 
Click here for more information on the city of Durham.

Durham's Fire Damage Restoration Services

4/17/2018 (Permalink)

Cleaning and Restoring Possessions and Structures Are Cornerstones of SERVPRO Services in the Durham Area

SERVPRO Offers Cleanup and Restoration for Durham Properties Post House Fires

Any time something burns inside your Durham home, multiple types of damage can take place. Some materials get burnt so severely that they must get removed and replaced. Other items get partially charred so that they need to get resurfaced and repainted.

Smoke created by the fire often travels to various rooms inside the house leaving behind soils and soot residues. SERVPRO's fire damage technicians in Durham offer a variety of services related to smoke and soot restoration. The full restoration process after a blaze requires following several steps.
 
The first type of service that gets performed after a house burns is mitigation. The goal of mitigation is to secure the structure and prevent further damage. Mitigation includes boarding up windows and emergency drying any water damage that occurred. For large scale building security outside contractors can be called in for those actions.
 
Next, structural cleaning takes place. The purpose of this step is to remove smoke damage from all components and deodorize them. In some scenarios, cleaning contents occurs when items are severely smoke damaged. Sometimes contents get cleaned on the job site other times they get transported to another location to get cleaned and deodorized. SERVPRO offers an excellent pack-out, storage, and rehabilitation service.

In certain situations, specialty restoration services get used to restore specific items. Some contents that need specialists to restore include electronics, dry cleaning of clothing, and resurfacing of furniture. At times artwork requires particular attention to restore to original conditions and can be sent out to a specialized company that excels at this cleaning.

In many scenarios, reconstruction takes place as a final step in the restoration process. In cases of severe fire damage, building contents get burned to the point of becoming non-salvageable. After all burnt materials get removed, the area is painted with a sealant paint so that any remaining foul odors get masked and encapsulated. Then the structural components get rebuilt which at times is more complicated than basic home remodeling.
 
The final goal of any fire restoration process is to bring the home back to preloss conditions whenever possible. For professional assistance with fire restorations services, call SERVPRO of North Durham at (919) 467-0880 seven days a week.

Junior Fire Marshal Program Supports Safety, click for details.

Odor Control For Your Durham Home After A Fire

11/1/2017 (Permalink)

Odor control goes a long way after your Durham home has suffered fire damage.

Odor Control

Even a small fire in your Durham home leaves behind various types of damage to clean up. You not only have to deal with what the flames burned, but you likely have water from the firefighters who helped put the fire out, and you have smoke and soot damage. It is not wise to leave any of it lingering for long before restoration is started, as more damage continues to occur.

Odor control goes a long way after your Durham home has suffered fire damage. At SERVPRO, we have the training and skills necessary to perform odor control thoroughly and correctly so that the smoke odors are no longer present in your home.

Various techniques are used in controlling odors. There are multiple phases to an odor control system. The first phase is called containment. Our goal is to block or contain odor molecules from vaporizing back into the air. We spray a chemical deodorizer onto materials causing the odor. The chemical makes a barrier that slows down or stops odor molecules from evaporation off the source material. We directly spray the smoke residues on charred areas with an odor counteractant using a pump-up sprayer.

The next phase is vapor control. SERVPRO techs counteract odor particles which became airborne before the spraying for containment. We apply products made to release deodorant vapors into the atmosphere. They counteract the malodor vapors they contact in the air. Vapor control is quite effective in fire damage cases.

The last phase of odor control is thermal fogging. We dispense solvent-based deodorants using thermal fogging equipment. They pass through a heated area and are combusted. Combustion breaks the deodorant solution down into very small particles. Because of the small size, the particles can go anywhere the malodor particles are pair with the malodor and neutralize it by changing the chemical composition. Dry fogs quickly penetrate and deodorize because of the small particle size. Most of it evaporates within a few hours. The last thing we do in the fogging procedure is ventilate the treated area.

SERVPRO of North Durham can come quickly after your home has suffered a from a fire. We can clean and repair all the damages for residents in the areas of Bahama, Durham, and Gorman, plus deodorize the smoke odors left behind when you give us a call at (919) 467-0880.

To learn more about the city of Durham click here.

Removing Smoke Odor After a Fire in Your North Durham Home

7/7/2017 (Permalink)

Smoke odor can damage your home and it's contents and should be cleaned by a professional.

If you’ve ever accidentally burned your food instead of cooking it, you know first-hand how smoky your home can become. The smoke detector usually goes off, you open the windows, perhaps turn on a fan. Hours later the smoke smell still lingers, sometimes in your hair, or in the clothes you were wearing.

This is what happens on a larger scale when there is a fire in your home. The soot, and smoke embeds itself into your furniture, clothing and other porous items. Some homeowners attempt to remove the smoke odor themselves with consumer grade retails products and spray deodorizers; only to be frustrated when the smell returns. Smoke particles bury themselves into fibers, fabrics, and other porous items and need a professional deep clean in order to remove the lingering odor.

Some items in the home may only be lightly affected and simply need airing out. If items are covered in soot, it is best not to disturb them and allow our certified technicians to complete the job.

Here are some tips you can use before our North Durham technicians arrive onsite:

• Limit movement in the home to prevent further damage.
• Place dry, colorfast towels or old linens on carpeted traffic areas to prevent more soiling.
• If electricity is off, empty the freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Wipe soot from chrome on kitchen and bathroom faucets and appliances then protect with a light coating of lubricant.
• Do not attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces.
• Do not attempt to shampoo carpet or upholstered furniture.
• Do not attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire or water.

After your home is affected by smoke, contact SERVPRO® of North Durham at 919-790-1222, for our smoke odor removal services that will return your home to normal. Like it never even happened.®

Grilling Safety Tips for Your North Durham Home

5/25/2017 (Permalink)

The leading cause of home grilling fires are failure to clean the grill and leaks in gas/propane grills.

For many families, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the summer season. Grilling competitions and plenty of family gatherings are on the horizon. This also means the increase for fires. While NFPA cites July as the month with the highest number of outdoor grilling fires, May is the second highest month.

SERVPRO® of North Durham wants you to enjoy yourself and have a safe summer season. Here are some stats, do’s and don’ts for grilling.

Grill Facts

• July is the peak month for grilling fires.
• 16,600 people went to the emergency room in 2014 due to grilling related injuries.
• 19% of all fires are due to a failure to clean the grill.
• 23% of outside and unclassified grill fires were due to leaks or breaks
• Gas grills pose a greater fire hazard than charcoal grills.

Don’t

Use a Grill Indoors

            Even small tabletop grills need to be utilized outside. Grills release the deadly colorless, odorless gas called carbon monoxide. They are also a fire hazard. Only use electric grills marked safe for indoor usage inside.

Turn on the Gas While The Lid Is Closed

            This can cause the gas to build up inside the grill. Once you light the grill and then open it there is the potential for it to explode, causing serious injury.

Overload Your Grill with Food

            While it may be tempting especially when feeding a large gathering, overcrowding the grill with fatty items can cause large fire flares.

Leave the Grill Unattended

            Have all your prep work ready so when you are grilling  you do not have to leave the area. Fires double in size every minute. Catching a fire early is key to keeping it from spreading.

Do

Check for Propane Leaks

            When using your grill for the first time after the winter season, you should check your gas and propane grill for leaks. Simply apply a light soap and water solution to the hose and then turn on the gas. If there is a leak in the hose, the soap solution will bubble. Leaks are also evident by a flame that refuses to light or the smell of gas.

Keep Your Grill Clean

            Dirty grills are one of the leading causes of home grilling fires. Be sure to remove grease and any buildup from the grill and in the tray below the grill. Charcoal grill users should allow the coals to cool completely before disposing of coals and ashes.

Place Your Grill on Stable Ground

            The grill should be level on a flat surface.

Wait to Re-Light

            If the flame goes out, turn off the grill and the gas, then wait a minimum of five minutes before re-lighting it.

Have a Safe And Enjoyable Summer

These home grilling safety tips can help prevent fire, injuries, and damage to property. If disaster does strike, SERVPRO® of North Durham is always here, 24/7.

Source: http://www.nfpa.org/

What To Do After A Fire

3/17/2017 (Permalink)

After a fire displaces you from your home, it can be difficult to know what to do next. These tips will get you started in the right direction.

Set-up Shelter  For large scale fires that affect the community, local disaster relief services, such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army, may already be on site. They can be of assistance if you need temporary food, medicines, and a place to stay.

Contact Your Insurance Agent  You’ll need to start a claim. See if your policy has any  ‘Loss of Use’ funding available to cover living and other daily expenses while you are displaced. Be sure to save any receipts during this time, as you may need to have accountability of your spenditures. Once a claim has been placed you’ll need someone to begin the process of restoring your home to its preloss condition. You can contact us 24/7, at 919-790-1222 to handle your contents and structure needs.

Going Back to the Site   If the fire department has cleared your property as safe to return, conduct an inventory of all damaged property and contents. Taking pictures is the simplest way to do this. Attempt to locate any valuable documents and records, and your home safe deposit box.

Take Care of your Finances   During the midst of this loss, you are still responsible for mortgage payments, even if your home is totally destroyed. You will need to notify your mortgage company of the fire loss and they may be able to provide some guidance. 

Your local SERVPRO® of North Durham is available 24/7. We’re always here to help.

Christmas Tree Safety, keeping the Triangle RDU area safe

12/13/2016 (Permalink)

As I pulled up to my local grocery store in North Raleigh today, I noticed employees setting up an area outside to start selling fresh trees. Already? Thanksgiving is a week away, can't we celebrate one holiday at a time? I know, I know, it is the "most wonderful time of the year". I must admit, the joy and nostalgia I experience while decorating my tree and home, the glow of lights sparks memories and warms the soul. With that said, it is important to know that fires unfortunately are common this time of year.  Christmas tree fires account for approximately 13 million dollars a year in damages. Follow these tips from The American  Christmas Tree Association (yes, there truly is an association for everything) for a safe holiday season.

-Fresh trees are less likely to catch fire. Choose a tree with vibrant needles. 

-Place your tree away from all heat sources.

-Properly care for your tree. The tree base should always have fresh water inside to prevent the tree from drying out. 

-Be sure all your indoor and outdoor lights have been tested in a lab by the UL or ETL/ITSNA for safety and throw away damaged lights.

-Keep all candles away from furniture, decor and your Christmas tree

-Bedtime means lights off! Unplug all Christmas lights!

Stay safe and enjoy "the most wonderful time of the year".