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Water Damage Prevention, Inside and Out | SERVPRO of Geauga County

3/25/2024 (Permalink)

water and moisture damaged ceiling next to roof window When you find water damage in your home, call SERVPRO of Geauga County to help restore your space to preloss conditions!

Water damage is one of the top ways that homes are damaged across the nation. It can come into your home fast and furious from a flood, or drip silently into your walls and floors from a hole the size of a pinhead in one of your pipes. 

There is no doubt that we require a great deal of water to run our lives. We want water to be on demand, but when it tries to take over, it can be devastating to our homes and our lives. The good news is that we can take quite a few steps to keep our homes prepared for water Mother Nature or anything else brings. 

Prepared on the Outside

In order to stay safe from floods, heavy rains and other storms, we need to prepare the outside of our homes. Stopping water before it can ever do damage is the best way to prevent the need for costly repairs, and your yard can be a great first line of defense. 

Rain and floodwater need to be encouraged to move away from your house as quickly as possible, so make sure your yard has a slight slope. If you have a particular area of your yard that consistently stays wet, consider adding organic material that will help with water absorption. Gardens are another great way to ensure water stays out of your home. 

Along with your yard, your gutter system is another great line of defense against water damage. Your gutters do a lot for your home from the top down by preventing water damage to your roof and your basement. Help them out by keeping them clear of debris. 

Every fall and spring, spend time cleaning out leaves, sticks and anything else that could cause a blockage. During the winter, make sure ice dams don’t form by clearing excess snow and icicles off of your roof. 

Prepared on the Inside

Just like some simple maintenance on the outside of your home can go a long way in preventing water damage, taking some action inside your home is a great way to avoid needing costly repairs. 

Check window, door and basement sealing at least twice a year to ensure water can’t seep in through cracks. While some simple caulking can keep your windows and doors safe, you may need to have your basement professionally sealed if you start noticing visible cracks. Consider adding a sump pump to your basement as well. This will pull water out before you are left with a flood. 

Check under sinks and around tubs and toilets weekly to catch drips and potential leaks before damage sets in. This might seem excessive, but a single leak can drip several gallons of water in a day, leaving your walls and floors susceptible to structural damage and mold growth. Even splashes coming from a shower or tub can cause damage over time. 

Make sure your water lines are well-sealed and you have long enough shower curtains to keep water off of the floor. Check under your refrigerator, washing machine and dishwasher, too—leaks like to hide out long-term under these large appliances. Replace worn-out seals or water lines that are showing signs of wear and tear to prevent damage later. 

Preventing water damage should be part of your regular home maintenance, inside and out. Keep your home safe and dry with these simple steps. 


If you have water damage in your home, contact us for fast restoration, 24/7.

Bainbridge Is Seeing Green

2/26/2024 (Permalink)

Have you ever wondered about the green SERVPRO trucks you probably see driving through Bainbridge, OH? You may know the service teams clean up sewage and water, for both businesses and homeowners, but you probably didn’t know the teams also provide nationwide disaster recovery help.

No matter what type of storm strikes, or whether the disaster is citywide or covers part of an entire state, the SERVPRO disaster recovery teams can assist. Both the corporate personnel and franchise employees have proven time and again that they are ready to help at a moment’s notice; so, no matter where the flood, fire, or other disasters may strike, the team members are there to provide a quick storm response.

For more information on Water Damage visit http://www.SERVPROgeaugacounty.com/

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today 440-564-7266

Storm Respose in Geauga County

2/20/2024 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Geauga County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of Geauga County arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 – 440-564-7266

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

  • Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
  • Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
  • Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
  • Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

  • Drywall begins to swell and break down.
  • Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
  • Furniture begins to swell and crack.
  • Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
  • A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

  • Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
  • Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
  • Metal begins to rust and corrode.
  • Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
  • Paint begins to blister.
  • Wood flooring swells and warps.
  • Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

  • Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
  • Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO of Geauga County

SERVPRO of Geauga County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Rain, Snow, You Never Know in Geauga County

11/30/2023 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Geauga County, we specialize in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and utilize specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we can respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost. Plus, who does not want to have the #1 Restoration Company handling their loss?

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit Geauga County, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of approximately 1700 Franchises across the country. We also have a network of elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today 440-564-7266

Emergency Services in Geauga County

9/28/2023 (Permalink)

Flooding and water emergencies don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. SERVPRO of Geauga County provides emergency cleaning and restoration services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—including all holidays.

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO of Geauga County arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 – 440-564-7266

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

  • Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
  • Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
  • Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
  • Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

  • Drywall begins to swell and break down.
  • Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
  • Furniture begins to swell and crack.
  • Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
  • A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

  • Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
  • Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
  • Metal begins to rust and corrode.
  • Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
  • Paint begins to blister.
  • Wood flooring swells and warps.
  • Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

  • Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
  • Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO of Geauga County

SERVPRO of Geauga County specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Flooding in Geauga County

9/13/2023 (Permalink)

The majority of flood damage in the United States is the product of simple failures, such as those from pipe breaks or supply line breaks. This means that many flood damage losses in the United States are completely preventable. The problem is that too many property owners do not recognize the severity of damages caused by water. Any time a property owner notices water in their home or water in their business, it is imperative to call in a professional restoration company to immediately begin taking measures towards the restoration of the flooded home or business and the mitigation of water damage. With timely restoration and mitigation efforts, almost all flood damage is completely reversible. But even after the first 24 hours after water in a business or water in a home appears, the chances of a successful restoration or mitigation of the water damage begin to drop. After one week without property intervention in the flooded home or business, the chances of the property incurring massive, permanent water damage is all but assured. In the worst cases, this often involves the total write-off of the property. But with timely action, the restoration company can almost ensure the water cleanup will be a success. It's important to remember that the single most important step in successfully saving and restoring a flooded home or business is for the property owner to call in a professional restoration company.


Once the call to the water cleanup company is made, the team should arrive on site within a few minutes. Once there, they will immediately begin surveying the extent and severity of the water in the business or water in the home. They will go to the source of the pipe break or supply line break, cutting off any active leaks and seeing the extent of possible seepage. Using sophisticated tools, such as hygrometers and infrared detectors, the team will carefully inspect the area around the original supply line break or pipe break, getting a feel for the extent to which water may have seeped into out-of-site places.

The next step will be to begin the removal of any standing water in the home or water in the business. This will be carried out using heavy-duty vacuum equipment that can remove thousands of gallons of standing water each hour. The water removal portion of the cleanup process generally only takes a few minutes to an hour.

Next, the team will begin drying the premises. They will take extra care to ensure that all moisture is removed from the area of the original supply line break or pipe break. The drying step may take the longest of any of them.
Afterwards, all furniture and surfaces will be scrubbed to ensure no mildew is allowed to form. Finally, they will clean, sanitize, and disinfect. Lastly, they will ensure drying goals have been met and remove any equipment.

For more information, please visit http://www.SERVPROgeaugacounty.com 

Commercial Flooding in Chardon, Ohio

8/22/2023 (Permalink)

After torrential floods rage through Chardon, OH, and your commercial property, you may be facing considerable repair costs. From draining away dirty water to content cleaning, expenses can mount quickly. However, a flood damage and cleanup service can perform a variety of jobs and offer you options that may save you money and allow you to reopen your business sooner than projected.

1. A Multitude of Services

Flooding can cause serious damage to a building, from ruining its roof to soaking carpeting. Hiring contractors and flooring experts separately can be costly and take weeks. However, a storm damage service may be able to perform a variety of tasks, from draining away black water to tearing out damaged drywall to providing mitigation for a damaged roof, saving you time and money.

2. Restoration vs. Replacement

The cost of replacing items after flooding can be considerable. However, a company that offers restoration services may be able to defray this expense by salvaging and cleaning your office furniture, important documents, and inventory. Dry, foam and abrasive content cleaning processes can be applied to different materials to ensure they are restored to a like-new condition. You may want to make a list of what you would like restored so your technicians can advise you about the cleaning of each item.

3. Swift Mitigation

Standing water and other damage caused by flooding can cause problems that have far-reaching effects on your commercial building. However, having a storm damage and cleanup company on hand can provide you with quick mitigation services that might reduce repair costs. These often include sealing off areas affected by flooding, isolating mold patches to prevent the spread of spores and using portable sump pumps to drain water away from areas that contain sensitive equipment.

Flooding can cause costly damage to your Chardon, OH, business. However, retaining a service to assist you with mitigation, repairs and content cleaning after a water emergency can save you money and make the process of restoration easier.

Fire Recovery for your Geauga County Business

8/15/2023 (Permalink)

Fire Damage and Loss Prevention 

In the devastating event of a fire in a business, there are many things that must be done for fire cleanup. Fire damage can leave extreme amounts of soot damage, air quality problems, and smoke damage. Commercial fire damage and fire loss can also be incredibly harmful to a business. Regardless of the amount of damage, it's of the utmost importance to have a professional assess the damage.

The fire damage can be damaging to one's health, especially if there is smoke damage. The air quality from the fire in the home will not only cause you harm, this but can be fatal to pets. Commercial fire damage can harm a business and its reputation if the fire cleanup isn't handled properly. It's not easy to explain to employees and customers that there's been a fire in the business.

The valuation of fire loss is typically handled by insurance adjusters. They will assess the estimate of fire damage and fire loss to determine an amount that will cover the fire cleanup and if your insurance policy will cover it. After the assessment is done, the insured should call a fire cleanup company to provide them with an estimate. The company will restore the property, so the air quality, smoke damage, and soot damage are handled properly.

Fire loss from a fire in a business is certainly something that nobody wants to deal with. Hiring a qualified professional to take care of the matter is paramount. Not only will the job be done safely, but the restoration process should yield results as if there was never a fire in the business. While these events are never a good thing, help is available to make the process of the fire loss a little more bearable. Visit http://www.SERVPROgeaugacounty.com for more information on fire damage.

Fire and Smoke Damage in Bainbridge, Ohio

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

In large fires, if you didn’t have effective content storage to keep out the flames and smoke, you’ll likely have to deal with ruined clothing, furniture, appliances, electronics, and a host of other things. Fortunately, dry-cleaning services in Bainbridge, OH, can often help restore your items. There are also other content cleaning methods to get your items back to a usable state.

1. Professional carpet cleaning can help salvage your flooring. Your carpets can bear the huge brunt of a house fire in Bainbridge, OH. It’s not just the flames that can destroy flooring; smoke and water damage can also make carpets unsalvageable. However, there are experienced, reputable carpet-cleaning companies that have the tools and skills to remove the odors and even restore your carpets. Make sure you include carpet and floor cleaning in your content cleaning efforts following a fire.

2. Dry-cleaning can save your clothes. Smoke damage can wreak havoc with your wardrobe, but all hope is not lost. Choosing a top dry cleaner will help ensure that the awful smoke smell is gone from your clothes. A regular cycle in the washer won’t do. Make sure you take a trip to the cleaners.

3. Professional ultrasonic care can help with non-porous items. For those items damaged that weren’t protected in content storage, professional cleanup and restoration companies are your best source. They can handle all your cleanup needs. The pros will use ultrasonic tools and methods to tackle even the most challenging items. They can even clean smoke-damaged materials and items.

Turn to the professionals to help with your dry-cleaning and content cleaning after a fire. They can help restore all the items not protected by content storage.

Geauga County Commercial Water Damage

6/26/2023 (Permalink)

Commercial property owners in Geauga County know that at one time or another they’ll likely have to deal with storm damage. In the event of storm damage, here are four steps to help you stay on top of things.

Extraction of Water

If a storm has left you with standing water, then that water will have to be pumped out or extracted before any repair or restoration can begin. The extraction of water should begin as soon as possible to reduce damages to the buildings structure as well as any contents.

Removal of Damaged Materials

Once you’ve removed the standing water, you’ll need to remove those items that are water damaged and those that are still holding water. This may include the removal of contents or pulling out carpet and other floor coverings to protect your subflooring. The tear out of wet materials will need to be completed before any repair or restoration begins.

Drying of Structure

Once everything that can be removed has been, and any tear out needed has been completed, you’ll still need to allow the remainder of the building to dry out. Walls and ceilings may look dry, but they’re generally constructed of porous materials that hold water inside; even once the surface is dry. Powerful dehumidifiers help to draw out water that may be hidden. The drying of the structure will need to be tested to ensure that it is completely dry before repairs can begin.

Restoration

Once the repairs / restoration begin, hidden damages may be exposed. You’ll want an experienced contractor who can recognize and address these issues right away.

Water damage from a storm doesn’t have to be a catastrophe, but it does require proper drying out, tear out, and storm restoration, to maintain the safety and aesthetics of your building. Be sure you follow all the steps to keep your property in top condition after damage from a storm.


Visit http://www.SERVPROgeaugacounty.com for more information on storm damage.