SERVPRO Addresses Water Damage to Reading Home Structural Materials

3/22/2023 (Permalink)

No matter the size of water damage in your Reading home, we have the equipment to handle the situation.

Water Cleanup Services and Water Damage Prevention for Your Reading Home

Clean water damage is one of the most common categories of disaster in United States homes. It can be distressing to suddenly find water pouring into a Reading home from a leaky pipe, a sink overflow, or a malfunctioning washing machine.  Fast, effective drying strategies are necessary to prevent moisture from impacting property and create a welcoming mold environment.

SERVPRO water damage cleanup professionals in Reading remediate moisture exposure 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Restoration technicians use commercial-grade tools to quickly return affected residences to a clean and safe pre-damage condition with minimal disruption to homeowners' schedules when possible.

Why Leave Water Cleanup Tasks to Professionals?

While water remediation seems easy enough on the surface, the truth is that it often entails more restoration activities than homeowners might realize. Mopping up water from a pipe leak and calling a plumber to address the source might alleviate most of the issue. Still, moisture can linger in walls, ceilings, floors, or baseboards, creating mold growth or potential structural damage. Over time, this excess humidity can lead to more costly repairs because it has had more time to affect the property.

Homeowners can do the following to reduce the risk and effects of water damage:

• Take photos of the damage as soon as it is detected, and have pictures of the property before damage occurs, if possible
• Check vulnerable areas regularly, especially appliance supply lines and plumbing in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry areas
• Call a restoration crew as soon as possible to mitigate damage
• Avoid touching water that may have contacted electrical systems 
• Contact utility providers when needed for assistance shutting off utilities like water and electricity safely

SERVPRO can remedy moisture that reduces home comfort and functionality while minimizing the time necessary to restore structural materials and belongings.

Eliminating Water Damage from Reading Properties with SERVPRO Solutions

Technicians can inspect the property with such tools as thermal imaging cameras and moisture sensors to formulate an effective drying plan. They can then deploy portable, back-mounted, or truck-mounted extraction equipment depending on the water volume. Specialized carpet wands can also remove water from carpeting, drapes, and upholstery.

Structural drying is greatly accelerated after extraction and is accomplished with the help of air movement and dehumidification units. SERVPRO techs can implement sealed polyethylene drying chambers in open spaces with small areas of moisture exposure for maximum efficiency. Sanitation is achieved with the help of EPA-registered biocide solutions, which can aid in microbial remediation. Drying also ensures that conditions become unsustainable for mold growth.

After cleaning and drying moisture, SERVPRO professionals can focus on rebuilding properties to a pre-damage condition. This process includes:

• Installing and re-seaming carpeting
• Implementing new drywall and baseboards where needed if the original materials are not restorable
• Repainting walls
• Making necessary repairs to compromised structures like waterlogged, irreparable subfloors

Odor control, which includes dozens of air cycles with high-powered ventilation box fans, keeps the air fresh and clean before and after deodorization and restoration. SERVPRO can also inspect and make necessary repairs to plumbing and electrical components, depending on the situation. 

Homeowners that need a crew that can remediate water damage can contact SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189.

Water Cleanup in Reading Homes Happens Fast with SERVPRO

3/21/2023 (Permalink)

Don't let water damage go unchecked in your home. Call SERVPRO for help to avoid further damage.

Reading Homeowners Trust SERVPRO with Water Cleanup 

Water damage incidents due to ceiling leaks, burst pipes, or plumbing issues can cause extensive damage to your property. If water cleanup of your reading home does not happen fast, the residual water can continue compromising the structural integrity of building materials. Professional restorers like SERVPRO use a multifaceted approach to ensure that water is removed from your property as quickly as possible and that the damage is minimal. 

When SERVPRO techs arrive for water cleanup at your Reading property, the immediate goal is to identify the extent of damage and chalk out a restoration plan. We use state-of-the-art moisture sensing equipment to detect moisture in structural components of your home and create a drying plan that can effectively restore the moisture level to the pre-damaged conditions. 

Role of Inspection Devices in Water Restoration 

The first step of restoring your water-damaged home is scoping, which involves locating the areas of the structure into which water has intruded and defining the extent to which the structure and contents have absorbed moisture beyond normal moisture levels.

SERVPRO techs use several devices to track moisture within a structure. Some of the instruments we use include:

• Moisture sensors
• Thermal imaging cameras
• Moisture meters
• Thermo-hygrometers

While moisture sensors can detect moisture trapped in carpets and pads, thermal imaging cameras can monitor the moisture in building materials. These cameras can also help the SERVPRO restorers understand how water travels through the structure. 

The thermal imaging cameras detect evaporative cooling and thermal capacitance of wet materials. As water from wet surfaces evaporates, it produces a cooling effect causing temperature changes between damp and dry areas. 

Thermal Imaging Cameras Offer Several Advantages 

Thermography used by SERVPRO techs offers several advantages over other methods of moisture detection, including:

• No destruction to the building
• Ability to inspect difficult-to-reach areas
• Inspect more areas in less time

Call SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 for a trustworthy water restoration service.

Reading Homeowners Need Results with Water Damage Repair

9/22/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage? SERVPRO is prepared with restoration equipment and experienced technicians.

SERVPRO Makes Reading Properties Like-New with Water Damage Repair Service

A tub overflowing, appliance malfunction, flooding, or hidden leaks, can severely deteriorate your building materials. Not only do you want to avoid costly damage, but you also have to be sure that black mold and musty odors do not develop. Knowing that you have a trained team to repair all the damage is a relief when you have water-related issues in Reading. Here at SERVPRO, we take pride in working with area residential and commercial customers to ensure they get the results they deserve. 

When it comes to water damage repair in Reading, SERVPRO always works to restore versus replace whenever possible. However, there are times when controlled demolition is a must to reach affected areas without adding unnecessary damage. Some of the ways that controlled demolition help with water damage repair include:

• For soaked drywall, we may make flood cuts to remove saturated materials to replace and refinish to make it look new again.
• When there are areas behind walls where water is found, we can use boreholes to release the water and then implement drying measures to ensure the cavity is thoroughly dried.
• Scoping all areas with moisture meters allows us to find places where moisture must get addressed rather than having to pull out cabinets or rip up the flooring.  

Water damage comes in various forms, from saturated porous materials to water stains on walls and ceilings. With any injury, our team always addresses the cause to ensure no further destruction develops. Everything is then finished, repainted, and brought back to pre-water event condition. Our Odor Control Technicians (OCT) get to work ensuring that no foul, musty odors get left behind – making your home “Like it never even happened.”

Do you have questions about water damage repair and how the process works? Call us at SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 and speak with a member of our team.

Small Steps You Can Do Before Our Experts Arrive At Your Water Damage Disaster In Kutztown

7/19/2022 (Permalink)

You can get a hold of our crew at (610) 779-8189 any day of the week.

Water Cleanup Experts In Kutztown Talk About Things You Can Do Yourself After A Disaster

The Reading, Pennsylvania area, is most known for that recognizable square on the classic board game Monopoly. However, the region brings about a rich culture and history throughout it, which gets noticed by its residential neighborhoods, historic properties, and commercial districts. Many of these buildings that the area is known for can get jeopardized in the event of a plumbing failure. If water cleanup does not get conducted promptly, structural issues can take place.

Across the country, the statistics say that 37% of homeowners have suffered losses from moisture damage. However, if water cleanup inside your Kutztown home takes place quickly by a professional company such as SERVPRO, the costs of the restoration process can get significantly reduced. Whenever moisture enters your dwelling, it is wise to call in professionals. Still, there are several things that can be done to help with the process.

Whenever water enters a structure, the longer it stays inside, the worse the issues can become. Removing H2O while it is in its liquid form is much easier than eliminating it once it penetrates your building materials and contents and evaporates into the air. Our SERVPRO technicians have at their disposal advanced equipment to extract water from your structural components. However, you, as the homeowner, can also remove liquid water to help prevent future issues as soon as you notice spillage coming from plumbing failure.

As soon as you notice water pouring out into the interior of your house, start trying to remove it. If the water can get quickly soaked up, use towels or a mop to keep it from soaking into your flooring materials. If you have a floor drain, use a squeegee to push standing water into it. If your carpets get wet, use a wet/dry vac to vacuum up as much liquid H2O as possible.

Once you vacuum up as much water as possible, it is wise to place fans around the areas to speed up the drying process. If you ever suffer from a plumbing failure inside your Exeter, Hamburg, Boyertown, or Morgantown home, call SERVPRO of Reading for assistance. You can get a hold of our crew at (610) 779-8189 any day of the week. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Prevent Further Water Damage From Striking Your Home By Calling SERVPRO

6/22/2022 (Permalink)

Protect your home and its foundation by calling SERVPRO immediately if you suffer water damage.

Water Cleanup Services and Water Damage Prevention for Your Reading Home

Preventing water damage to your Reading home is much cheaper than repairing it. Water is the number one culprit which can weaken the foundation, the core strength of your home. Severe structural damage can eventually occur with water damage. Damp wood also invites carpenter ants and termites plus creates the growth of mold.

Preventing water damage to your home in Reading can be done with a few easy strategies. However, if you are already in a situation where you need water cleanup services and restoration for your home, SERVPRO can help you any time you need. As a professionally trained remediation company, we waste no time drying your home to its usual day-to-day condition.

One thing that helps greatly is to ensure you have good drainage. Poor drainage causes your foundation to weaken, creating cracks and uneven settling. Pathways for water to enter your home development as well. Keep your gutters clear of debris, and ensure that the downspouts direct water five to ten feet away from your home. Your yard should also be sloped a minimum of six inches over a ten-foot span going away from your foundation.

When water has seeped in through your foundation, you need SERVPRO to help you clean up the water damage in your basement or crawl space before the structure of your home suffers too much damage. In a case like this, we may need to use structural cavity drying equipment to allow us to direct airflow into the cavities of your home’s walls. These machines replace moist air with dry, warmer air, increasing the temperature of the surfaces and lowering the vapor pressure. Doing so increases the rate of evaporation.

Dehumidifiers are also used to take water vapor out of the air. Lowering how much water vapor is present reduces the humidity ratio and increases the evaporation rate. We continue this procedure until your structure and the contents in it are dry.

Keep an eye out for any leaks in your home as well. Persistent leaks lead to mold growth, rot, and even insects, as mentioned above. The sooner you find a leak, the less chance for additional damage there is. Darker spots under sink cabinets by piping, toilets that wobble, ceiling stains, and visible drips are all signs of leaks. Once a year or more, check your roof for any look for missing, loose, or damaged shingles. Caulking which is cracked, needs to be repaired, and also look for any leaks around flashing.

SERVPRO of Reading is ready to assist you in drying your home in Gilbertsville, Hamburg, or Boyertown after any water damage emergency. Once you realize a problem, do not hesitate to call us at (610) 779-8189 so we can help you.

Overcoming Humidity During Reading Home Water Removal

5/19/2022 (Permalink)

Looking for a restoration company? Look no further, SERVPRO is just a call away at (610) 779-8189.

Environmental Water Removal Helps Reading Homes

Water removal services are a critical element of nearly every restoration project in this niche that SERVPRO handles. While many consider the work of extracting standing water from flooring surfaces to be a valuable element of recovery, it is equally important to assess the growing moisture content in the environment, which could also cause concerns.

Hazards of Humidity

Humidity is always a focal point of water removal in Reading homes because of the damage that excessive moisture content can produce. Not only are wet environments destructive to all exposed structural elements, but there is the added probability of mold development if appropriate measures are not taken to regulate relative humidity.

Managing Moisture Content

Managing moisture and eliminating humidity from the environment requires several tools and equipment from our inventory. Each element in this equation works from one machine to the next, with movers evaporating water, dehumidifiers trapping moisture and removing it, and heaters amplifying all aspects of the drying process. Collectively, this phase involves these tools:

• Air movers
• Desiccant dehumidifiers
• Low-grain refrigerant dehumidifiers
• Portable electric heaters

Monitoring Drying Progress

One of the essential elements of removing humidity from the drying equation is to make sure that the water weight of the atmosphere is within an acceptable parameter. Often the goal in this situation is a humidity rate that cannot facilitate mold growth and no longer poses any threats to structural integrity.

As vital as water extraction efforts are for the standing water in your home on flooring, we must also focus on the methods necessary to pull moisture from the environment. Our SERVPRO of Reading team has sophisticated tools and equipment to absorb and exhaust moisture content to the outside of the property. Give our specialists a call today at (610) 779-8189.

Our Experts Explain Our Water Damage Restoration Process In Your Reading Home

3/20/2022 (Permalink)

Team SERVPRO arrives on the scene with the water removal tools and expertise to tackle the water damage situation in your family home. Call us 24/7.

Weighted Extractor Water Removal In Reading Homes

When it comes to water and moisture removal for Reading properties, one piece of equipment cannot handle all of the jobs necessary to fully restore affected homes. While our technicians often lean heavily on the use of air movers and our desiccant dehumidifiers for moderately sized water loss incidents, other specialized tools and machines can have a substantial role in returning a residence to preloss condition after considerable water damage.

We know the importance of arriving with all of the necessary equipment and personnel to get started on water removal immediately in your Reading residence. Mitigation is a vital step to protecting your property against costlier restoration and recovery options, and the longer that damages persist, the more widespread and devastating they can become. With carpet being a staple flooring option for most modern homes throughout the area, and the magnetism of this material for damages and saturation, it is not surprising that our SERVPRO team has specific equipment designed to address this saturation.

Weighted extractors are a unique addition to our recovery tool inventory and can work quickly to help preserve and protect carpeting when possible. These units are often remote-controlled and feature a heavyweight roller that can maneuver through damaged carpeted areas. This machine and its density work to force moisture and saturation to the surface, where it can get collected by the high-powered onboard vacuum system.

One of the advantages of a weighted extractor is the depth that these machines can often reach. Other drying methods can often only affect the fibers of carpet and to the base of this material, but not affect subflooring and padding. This extractor approach can remove considerable volumes of this saturation and prepare your carpets for a procedure known as floating by our high-velocity air movers.

We have a steadily growing inventory of recovery equipment designed to make restoration and mitigation as efficient and cost-effective as it can be. You can count on our SERVPRO of Reading professionals to utilize this equipment to reduce restoration times and keep our work under budget. Give us a call anytime at (610) 779-8189.

Is Water Removal From Materials in Reading Challenging?

3/4/2022 (Permalink)

Our technicians are skilled in effective water removal techniques. We are here 24/7 - 365 days a year to take your call.

With Several Tools and Devices for Extraction and Moisture Removal, Our SERVPRO Team can Efficiently Restore Many Damaged Reading Homes After a Disaster.

When many Reading homeowners consider water restoration obstacles after a disaster, standing water becomes the most glaring concern. As challenging as these aspects can be, especially without the efficient and powerful tools in the restoration and recovery arsenal of our SERVPRO team, water trapped in porous materials can often be more difficult to address. Several materials often quickly become exposed to moving water after a disaster, and depending on their porosity, they can begin absorbing moisture and direct water immediately.

Water removal in Reading homes is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, each situation requires careful evaluations to determine the best machines and devices to overcome specific obstacles. With how quickly these conditions can change and worsen, this evaluation must occur as soon as possible to ensure that the appropriate extractors and water removal tools make it to the job site for use as soon as our technicians are ready for them. Absorbed water can most typically impact these types of materials in homes:

• Carpeting
• Wood Flooring
• Wall Systems
• Cabinetry and Vanities

How Can SERVPRO Overcome Saturated Carpets?

Carpets are a typical installation in area homes, making it a material that SERVPRO professionals anticipate in residential settings. Our extraction approaches vary slightly depending on the fiber count and thickness of the carpet itself, as short pile carpeting (glue down) absorbs less water than plusher options. The restoration of carpets to ultimately dry the flooring material typically requires a combination of several water removal tools exclusively designed for this softer flooring. Some of the standard devices and machines used in this process include:

• Carpet Wands – Wet vacuums and pumps are already a versatile implement of our extraction and water removal approach, so the inclusion of specialty attachments like carpet wands is an extension of their power and potential. These attachments are a focused vacuum head used on the surface of carpeting to pull the majority of moisture from the fibers and backing material. 
• Weighted Extractors – When it is possible to protect the carpet, the padding, and the underlying material, it is critical to reducing these elements' oversaturation as soon as possible. The best approach for this is a weighted extraction option that utilizes a technician's weight on a stationary or ride-on unit. The heft of the machine and the operator press the carpet and padding against the subflooring to force moisture to the surface for removal.
• Floating – Once the majority of the moisture has gotten removed by weighted extraction, floating the carpet by placing a centrifugal air mover between the carpet and padding layers dry both materials simultaneously.

What Strategies Exist for Saturated Wood Flooring?

Wood flooring can often be one of the more considerable obstacles for drying technicians responding to your home's water disaster. Cellulose in the planks and panels of this type of material promotes a faster absorption rate despite any barrier that might initially exist with finished wood floorings such as lacquer, varnish, and polyurethane. Certain water removal practices and tools in Reading are ideal for restoring and protecting wood floors, including:

• Drying Mats – Mats slowly draw out moisture from exposed planks in a controlled manner, allowing for continual monitoring to prevent over-drying. Placing drying mats perpendicular to the planks' seams offers a greater drying area that ultimately requires less direct mat coverage. 
• Tenting – To amplify this mat approach's effectiveness, we can use plastic sheeting anchored to dry portions of the flooring with tape or other weights to infuse the workspace with dry, warm air.
• Controlled Demolition – It is possible that there is no other suitable solution but to remove oversaturated materials. This controlled demolition process reduces wicking and absorption into neighboring planks.

Is Cabinetry Worth Protecting?

Fixtures like cabinets inside your kitchen and bathroom can often be heavily impacted by standing water, leaks, and high humidity. Particleboard is a standard material composition for these cabinets in most homes, which can be readily replaced rather than restored. The decision on whether a cabinet or vanity is worth the time to dry and restore comes down to information 

collected about:

• Cost/Worth of Original Material
• Time to Dry
• Similar Material Availability

No matter how impacted your home might be by a water disaster, you can rely on the fast and knowledgeable response of our SERVPRO of Reading team to help. With our inventory of industry-leading equipment and evolving practices for efficient drying, we can work to protect as much of your home as possible after a loss. Give us a call at (610) 779-8189.

SERVPRO Checks for Water Cleanup Electrical Hazards in Reading

2/4/2022 (Permalink)

Regardless of the possible electrical hazards and debris in the water, team SERVPRO can help. Contact our experienced technicians for water cleanup.

Submerged Electrical Wires Are Dangerous in Reading Homes after a Water Leak

Water is highly conductive and creates dangerous conditions when exposed to electrical wires in Reading. Water leaking from faulty plumbing, overflowing laundry machines, or sinks can find its way into the internal wiring systems of your home. A wet floor with electrical cords submerged in water can short circuit. Electrical outlets submerged in water are another dangerous source of electricity for anyone stepping into the water without taking proper precautions.

SERVPRO provides water cleanup services to clients in Reading. We are onsite in less than four hours from your initial call to our office, and we respond 24/7 to all emergency calls. Whenever water is involved, there are multiple risks that clients and our employees must be aware of. For example, water can create slippery conditions on flooring and stairs. The water source may introduce a variety of chemicals or biological materials, viruses, and bacteria. There are also potential electrical hazards that can cause significant injury under the right conditions.

Our technicians perform a complete inspection to identify all of the potential hazards. If electrical hazards are identified, we will arrange for a licensed electrician to thoroughly examine and switch off all required circuit breakers to eliminate any possibility of an electrical hazard. Otherwise, we turn off all lights in the damaged area and turn off circuit breakers for these lights and electrical outlets in the room. There could be water inside the walls.

SERVPRO ensures that our team takes the appropriate precautions to protect your family and our employees while providing the services needed to restore and dry your home. Our services include:

• Water damage inspection
• Water clean up in your home
• Water removal services and water damage restoration

Call SERVPRO of Reading in Reading and nearby areas. We can help 24/7. Call (610) 779-8189.

How Does a Sagging Ceiling from Water Damage Get Fixed in Reading Homes?

10/28/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians use the latest technology when it comes to water damage restoration for your home. We are here to help.

Our SERVPRO Team can Help With the Repairs and Restoration of Reading Homes Need After a Loss.

Water damage incidents can occur quickly, but they can also damage your property slowly over time, as is often the case with a persistent ceiling leak. When structural elements start to sag and show water damage, we can help with a comprehensive restoration and build-back solution.

Removing Sagging Materials and Damaged Elements

When water damage in Reading homes results from ceiling leaks, the sagging materials or collapsed elements must get addressed before anything else. Our contractors safely uninstall damaged building materials and clean up the area for debris and heaped bulk materials. Leaving the cavity exposed allows access to our drying equipment to remove moisture.

Moisture Management in Structural Cavities

It is critical to remove water and moisture damage from this affected cavity as thoroughly as possible. Lingering damp pockets created space for mold growth and continued structural deterioration, so we must utilize several pieces of equipment in our inventory to manage this situation quickly. Some of these include:

• Axial air movers
• Centrifugal air movers
• Portable electric heaters
• Desiccant dehumidifiers
• Positive pressure systems
• Surface moisture meters

Reconstruction Services for Reading Homes

We can provide a wealth of reconstruction and build-back services for damaged homes using our general contractor license. In this sense, we would need to focus on the damaged portions of plumbing and make sure this service was safe to re-pressurize after repairs. We could then safely reinstall removed drywall and other materials from this ceiling system.

Ceiling leaks and structural damages, unfortunately, go together, but we have experienced SERVPRO of Reading professionals to help. We are skilled technicians accredited in water restoration and complete with a general contractor license to be a one-stop-shop for repair and recovery. Call us today at (610) 779-8189.

Reading Residents – Never Wait to Call the Pros for Water Removal Services

9/21/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO uses EPA-registered biocides for all water damage restoration services. We specialize in all sizes of disasters.

SERVPRO Limits Damage with Prompt Water Removal and Drying for Reading Properties

No matter the cause of water infiltration, your Reading property needs fast action to remove it before secondary damage develops. SERVPRO knows that the minutes after a water incident are crucial so that you can halt water migration in its tracks. DIY methods alone could lead to material degradation, compromised structural integrity, or the onset of potentially harmful mold and mildew growth. You can lessen worry and cost by contacting our water restoration technicians (WRT) first!

We offer rapid water removal in Reading to ensure your property takes less of a hit. Whether you had clean water from burst pipes or a category three flooding event, we have the methods and tools to get the job done right the first time!

Look to SERVPRO for water removal services at any time, day or night. We are available 24/7 for:

• Water extraction – we tackle the removal of all standing water with the help of pumps, extraction tools, and associated attachments.
• Moisture reduction and drying – strategic placement of industrial fans and dehumidifiers help to restore relative humidity and thoroughly dry your interior. 
• Sanitizing and odor control – foul, musty odors generated from water-related events are no match for our protocols and powerful EPA-registered antimicrobials and cleaning agents.
• Mold prevention - where there is a water emergency, the threat of mold growth is always there. We take the time to follow moisture detection protocols and cleaning to ensure your family is safe from the potential health effects mold and mildew bring.

Our team ensures that controlled demolition gets done whenever you have water damage left behind after water removal is complete. All unsalvageable carpeting, drywall, and other materials get entirely replaced to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Call (610) 779-8189 to talk with SERVPRO of Reading if you need help with professional water removal. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!

Should Kutztown Homeowners Use Water Restoration Services for Small Scale Damage?

8/17/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage may occur in many different ways. SERVPROs water damage restoration service is second to none. Call now for the help you need.

SERVPRO Techs Bring Professional Equipment and Experience to Every Kutztown Water Damage Job

Water damage in a Kutztown home can be a frustrating experience. Many homeowners choose to handle the cleanup themselves, and this can lead to larger issues. 

SERVPRO recommends always bringing in professional water restoration to Kutztown properties. When water enters a home through an attic leak, toilet backup, burst pipes, or another way, it needs to get addressed as quickly as possible, even when only a small area of the home received the effects. 

A wet carpet may feel dry after a homeowner used rags and a box fan to dry it. However, the water may have soaked the backing, entered the pad, and saturated the subfloor. Common problems are seen when water gets left behind include:

• Mold
• Foul odors
• Deterioration of building materials

SERVPRO technicians carefully scope the damaged area in the home and determine exactly where the moisture migrated to. The techs can use their equipment such as probes, moisture meters, and infrared cameras to "see" where they need to focus their attention and give the homeowner the best outcome.  Along with powerful extraction equipment, the technicians have access to an array of drying equipment designed for specific areas such as flooring and devices like the Injecti-Dry for small spaces.

SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 brings professional water restoration services to Kutztown properties. The trained techs are available 24/7 for any size cleanup job.

You Need Our Help When Your Reading Bathroom Experiences a Water Damage Emergency

6/24/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage frequents bathrooms. Inspect the area often for signs of water damage.

Water Damage Restoration for Your Bathroom

Your Reading home can experience water damage from several different sources, many of which you wouldn’t expect. Many times, water can rise from a basement that is flooded or come from a leaky ceiling. Many people do not understand that water damage can come from inside their walls. If you are unsure of where the water is coming from, it could result from your bathroom.

Realizing there is water damage in your Reading bathroom is not a happy event. It is even worse when you have no idea what is causing the leak. You need the professional help of SERVPRO staff, as we are trained to find hidden water and moisture. We take the time to correct the issue and then dry the affected area to prevent additional damage.

Because it is a process that happens over time, most people do not realize water damage is taking place from their shower. If you have an issue, SERVPRO techs use special moisture meters to find where the water is coming from, and we can correct the problem.

Situations That Can Lead to Water Damage

Various reasons can cause water to leak out of the shower. Many times, bathrooms that use shower curtains instead of a door let water escape and drip down to the floor. You can fix this by shifting the bar that holds the curtain further into the shower. You should also ensure that the curtain is pressed against the wall when you start the water to ensure no water leaves the shower.

When the water is too hot or your showers are too long, water damage can occur. When the water is too hot, the condensation and steam build up along the walls, causing water to collect and then drip down to the floor or seep into floorboards. Moisture also accumulates on the walls and lets mold grow, creating more damage.

If you are aware of your shower habits, and you do not see water leaving the shower, and there is no steam collecting on the walls, you could have a leak inside the wall. If the pipes are jolted loose or not tight enough, water can stream out each time they are used.

No matter the reason, SERVPRO of Reading can find where your bathroom leak is coming from in your home in Kutztown, Exeter, or Birdsboro. Once you see an issue, get in touch with us right away at (610) 779-8189, so we can prevent more damage from occurring.

Is a Pack-Out Necessary After Water Damage to Your Reading Property?

5/20/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can provide your Reading water damaged home with a Pack-Out service to protect your belongings and to expedite the water damage cleanup

Trust SERVPRO with Water Damage Restoration of Your Reading Home

Water damage at your Reading home can be due to many reasons such as burst pipes, ceiling leaks, basement flooding, or even sewer backup. While SERVPRO techs can handle minor water damage without much hassle to the homeowners, a move-out might be necessary if the damage is extensive.

A pack-out after water damage to your Reading property involves moving the contents of your home to a remote location, typically our warehouse. SERVPRO technicians take utmost care during this process to avoid any secondary damage. Moving the content can significantly speed up the water damage remediation process at your Reading home.

When is a Move-out Necessary During Water Damage Repairs at Reading?

A pack-out can be a stressful process for the homeowner, but in some cases, it is the best option. Here are a few such cases-

• If the water issue is due to structural damage to your home that needs to be repaired, a move-out can hasten the remodeling process. The sooner it begins, the sooner you can come back.
• If you have expensive belongings in the house that are sensitive to secondary water or mold damage, SERVPRO professionals might suggest a pack-out. Expensive paintings or antique furniture can be protected better if they are removed to a curator for restoration or to our facility.
• If the water damage is due to extensive flooding and the water contains contamination, moving out may be the best option to protect both the residents and the contents

SERVPRO technicians work with you and explain the risk-benefit aspect of a pack-out so that you can make an informed decision.

Call SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 we are here to help you 24/7.

SERVPRO Can Offer Water Damage Remediation in Kutztown

4/26/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO deploys advanced equipment like axial fans during the drying stage of water damage restoration services in Kutztown

Homeowners in Kutztown Can Count on SERVPRO for Emergency Services Water Damage Repair

If your property sustains water damage from leaks or flooding, SERVPRO has the knowledge and expertise to restore your residence. Our years of experience allow us to make all of the necessary repairs that result from any size disaster or water spill.  

Water damage to your Kutztown home can pose threats in a short period.  With advanced equipment for efficient extraction and drying, our team can arrive quickly and get right to work on the mitigation that can save you money and protect affected structural elements from oversaturation.

Equipment and Know-How Matter

We have a large inventory of products, tools, and equipment to remove this water from your home and prevent ongoing damage. Among this gear are air movers, dehumidifiers, axial fans, and portable extractors. Our SERVPRO response team can make water damaging incidents “Like it never even happened.”

A marked difference using the proper equipment is made to reduce claims.  Our expert techs are familiar with all of the aspects of water removal caused by

• . Burst Pipes 
• . Ceiling Leaks 
• . Flooded Basements

SERVPRO of Reading can assist our neighbors in the event of a water emergency. Our response team is available 24/7 to help. You can contact us at (610) 779-8189.

Can Water Exposure Affect Some Parts of the Home Worse than Others?

3/26/2021 (Permalink)

Is your home facing problems dealing with excess water? Call our SERVPRO team for water removal and remediation.

SERVPRO of Reading Can Assess your Property and Mitigate Loss after Water Intrusion

Materials can react differently when exposed to moisture. Gypsum board, for example, is a wood composite that may break apart when water is present. On the other hand, lumber floorboards may absorb water, causing warping, cupping, or buckling. Two critical factors in the amount of harm materials sustain are permeance and exposure time.

Acting fast to limit water damage in your Reading home can reduce damages by limiting exposure time. Quick responses may involve extracting water with a pump or extraction unit. Adjusting temperature and applying refrigerant dehumidification to the home can also reduce exposure times by evaporating moisture at a faster rate.

• Low grain refrigerant dehumidifiers can be beneficial in restoring semi-permanent materials like hardwoods. 
• Moisture is measured by grain per pound (GPP). Reducing air moisture to below 40GPP can significantly advance the drying process.
• Accessing restrictive spaces and applying ventilation through air-movers can dry cavities in the property and significantly reduce damage caused by exposure. 

Limit losses by reducing water exposure. Contact SERVPRO of Reading for water damage help at (610) 779-8189.

Reading Residents Count On SERVPRO Among Water Restoration Companies

12/15/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the skilled technicians your property needs for thorough and effective water removal. Call the experts today at (610) 779-8189.

SERVPRO Has Advanced Equipment and Training That Stands Head and Shoulders Above Water Restoration Companies in Reading

The area now known as Reading did not get this name until around 1748. Previously, this intersection between two essential valleys of the East Penn-Lebanon Valley and the Schuylkill River carried the moniker of Finney's Ford. Later, two transplants from England, Thomas, and Richard Penn, drew up the town's plans and renamed it after the county seat from where they hailed from Berkshire.

When the Brits and the French fought over land claims and the fur trade during the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 until 1763, Reading became crucial during this time as a military base that supported a chain of forts that ran along the Blue Mountains. The town also became the hub of the iron industry. By the time of the American Revolution in 1776, iron ore products' total production exceeded that from English and directly assisted with supplying Washington's troops with the needed ammo and weapons, including cannons and rifles. The town has played a role in holding captured Hessian soldiers from the Battle of Trenton.

The iron ore, coal, and bulk cargo trade were the livelihoods of many early residents of Reading and the need to create an efficient way to transport the materials existed. In the early 1800s, canals were seen as the solution to this dilemma. The Schuylkill Canal completed in 1825, ran north-south, and connected the town with Philadelphia and the Delaware River. A few years later, The Union Canal completed in 1828, and joined the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers, and ran from the city to Middletown, Pennsylvania, which is a few miles south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This was the standard method of moving around raw materials and bulk goods until the railroads' entrance in the late 1880s. 

In the present, Reading is still an industrial city; in fact, the motto of the town is: "Deo Adjuvante Labor Proficit" ("Labor profits with the help of God"), but it no longer relies on canals or railroads as the delivery system. The area also is one of the centers for agriculture, including:

• Field and forage crops 
• Poultry production
• Meat and dairy 

Reading Railroad 

Anyone that plays the board game "Monopoly" has seen Reading Railroad as one of the options to purchase. This company was running from 1924 until 1976 and responsible for many materials throughout the Northeastern United States. However, with the decline of rail delivery systems' need, the company merged with Conrail in the mid-1970s. In the present, some of the top employers in the area are: 

• Reading Hospital
• East Penn Manufacturing Company
• Carpenter
• Penske Truck Leasing

The Reading Prong

The town of Reading is the base of the beginning of the Reading Prong. This geological formation is part of the Appalachian Highlands and formed of mountains containing heavy deposits of crystalline metamorphic rock, one of the oldest types of rocks on the planet. 

The Prong goes through Pennsylvania, the Northern part of New Jersey, and Southern New York, finally terminating in Connecticut. Rocks from the Prong are notable due to their high uranium concentrations, which is the root cause of radon as the mineral decays. The gaseous radon is a potential health hazard inside structures constructed along the Prong. 

Great Places to Visit in Reading

The city of Reading has several cultural institutions of interest. Music enthusiasts can enjoy the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Reading Choral Society. The GoggleWorks Art Gallery and the Reading Public Museum, and the Historical Society of Berks County all have regular exhibitions.

The city had several movie and theater palaces, which are examples of grand design and architecture. However, recession and time took their toll, and in the present, only one of these impressive structures still stands, The Rajah Shrine. The Astor Theatre got demolished in 1998; however, the Art Deco chandelier and wrought iron gates got rescued and are on permanent display inside The Sovereign Center, an arena built on the site of the Astor.

Sister City Program in Reading

The City of Reading and Reutlingen, Germany, formed a sister-city relationship and participated in a yearly student exchange. Students from the local high school can apply to become part of the trade and travel to Germany for two weeks to experience life in Reutlingen while two students from Germany come back to Reading. In 1992, the same program got adopted between Reading and Changzhi, Shanxi, China.

Reading Climate

The year-round weather in Reading is mild. July usually is the hottest month, with temperatures hitting around 80-degrees Fahrenheit and occasionally breaking 100-degrees. Winters are cold and often snowy, with temperatures averaging around 30-degrees Fahrenheit. Flooding from the Schuylkill River is an event that residents stay on the alert for as it is not uncommon, particularly after the remnants of hurricanes or tropical storms rolling through the region. 

How Do Professional Water Restoration Companies Differ From DIY Methods? 

When it comes to water damage cleanup in your Reading home, using water restoration companies such as SERVPRO rather than DIY methods to remove the water and dry your home can make a big difference in the outcome. The technicians undergo extensive training using the standards established by the IICRC ( Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification).

The standard advice for home cleanup of water damage usually involves using towels and box fans to remove and dry the property. This may work to give surfaces the appearance of being dry; however, this does little to nothing to address water that migrated behind walls or under flooring. This water has the potential to cause a host of issues to the structure, including:

• Deterioration of sheetrock from wicking water causing buckling or shearing off
• Foul musty odors that persist 
• Delamination of tile and ruination of laminated or hardwood floorboards
• Potential for a favorable environment for mold growth

The technicians have an array of detection equipment, including infrared cameras and probes to locate water within a structure without the need to open walls or physically inspect the subfloor. The techs can use their extraction equipment to remove water and then follow up with their drying equipment that uses high-velocity air, forcing embedded moisture to rise where their professional dehumidification units capture it. This leads to complete drying of the structure, which gets verified post-drying to ensure no hidden areas of water remain on-site.

SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 stands out among water restoration companies in Reading as a professional firm local residents can count on for any size water damage cleanup needed.

The Attractions and Cultural Venues of Reading

11/20/2020 (Permalink)

We have the tools and equipment to complete water damage restoration in your home.

SERVPRO Can Help Restore Your Home After Water Damage

As the fifth-largest city in Pennsylvania, it is no great surprise that the area has become intertwined with a considerable history and a present press for a better future. Between steps made to improve the economy and living conditions for the nearly 90,000 in the city of Reading, much of these efforts have to do with overcoming hardships through promoting greater reliance on local jobs, industry, and trades. In recent years, Reading and its surrounding communities have reached a point where more time and effort could get poured back into cultural centers, the arts, and live entertainment. The result has been an artistic renaissance for Berks County, and many structures play a role in this.

Historical Significance of Reading 

While most would believe much of the history surrounding Reading is tied up in the namesake railroad line that once passed through the area, more has defined the city over the centuries since its founding in 1748. At this point, Reading would rely most on its iron production and mining, happily supplying George Washington's troops through the American Revolution with supplies like rifles, cannons, and ammunition. The town of Reading would play a critical role as a supply depot for Continental soldiers during this conflict.

Reading has always been an example of the adage 'feast or famine.' During the first few decades of the 1900s, the city would grow immensely, showering in the city's industrial ventures' successes in the Brass Era. In 1940, the nearly 120,000 residents would begin to shrink substantially as once-profitable industries began to disappear. In recent decades, the population has finally turned back to growth, after losing more than 40,000 residents to the peak of the 1930 Reading population at one point in the 1980 census.

Attractions and Cultural Allure

The upturn in population and potential ventures returning to the city means that the economy can again support the boom of artistry, creation, and entertainment. There are multiple venues and structures vital to these efforts and their display. As a visitor or a long-time resident of the Reading area, knowing where to learn about its history and its current artistic exhibitions helps support these projects and individuals. Here are some of the most widely recognized art, education, cultural, and historical centers in the Greater Reading area.

Mid-Atlantic Air Museum

This museum is unique to the area, as it features restored warplanes and one-of-a-kind aviation vehicles for viewing audiences. There are more than 50 planes and aircraft available to view and tour in the museum. Many of these crafts are restored to flying condition and take part in national World War II events showcasing top vehicles from that era.

GoggleWorks Art Gallery

With a unique venue to create and experience art, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts has a clear mission of transforming lives through introducing and implementing art forms. One of the facility's focuses is the education of those that visit, and that is why there are eight studio areas devoted exclusively to teaching. While this is a historic location recognized nationally in 2006, the availability of art mediums and educational opportunities never wanes. GoggleWorks has exhibition galleries for local artists, a theatre, a restaurant, and more than 200 artists working in the building. Admission is always free, excluding special events.

Reading Public Museum

As much of this building is fixated on the history of Reading and Berks County, it is also worthwhile to note that beyond the artifacts and exhibits of early German settlers and Native American tribes, there is much more to explore. The building features an extensive natural history area with more than 25,000 specimens, an art gallery boasting more than 700 oil paintings by artists worldwide, and priceless collections of more than 11,000 first-class specimens of Native American culture.

Colleges and Universities 

In total, there are four colleges and universities in the immediate area of Reading, which can dramatically add to the potential artistic upturn in the region and fairs and festivals. These schools can offer their students varying focuses and career paths, which brings a diverse group of students to the city every semester. These institutions include:

• Penn State Berks
• Alvernia University
• Reading Area Community College
• Albright College

These schools collectively provide an education for almost 13,000 students every semester, explaining how the arts have become such a significant driving force in the communities. Urban renewal efforts have encouraged students to get involved in the beautification of struggling neighborhoods in the city.

When Is Professional Water Restoration Necessary for Reading Homes? 

With Berks County being susceptible to the harsh winter months, and cold snaps like the Polar Vortex in recent years, under-insulated pipes and fixtures can break, crack, and burst. Even without substantial water disasters, a persistent drip or excessive moisture might still be too considerable to clean and recover on your own.

With the Delaware Valley home to more than 420,000 people, a job for water restoration companies in Reading is never done. Water disasters encompass the most significant volume of the callouts that experienced professionals like our SERVPRO team receives, so we stay prepared for these situations with pre-stocked trailers and production vehicles in our warehouse. Mobilizing the Green Fleet quickly protects more of a damaged home before the conditions become irreparable or irreversible.

Experienced professionals on our roster can ensure that the work gets done efficiently and thoroughly. Whether it is mitigation tasks like extraction to the intricate steps of thoroughly drying moisture-damaged structural elements and contents, we have the industry-leading equipment to do it. In addition to a growing inventory of quality tools, each of our technicians has a minimum of Water Restoration Technician (WRT) training and accreditation through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC.)

Choosing professional water restoration can ensure that worsening conditions like mold growth cannot occur. Thorough cleaning, drying, and water removal services are only a call away. You can reach our SERVPRO of Reading team 24/7 at (610) 779-8189.

What Has Carpet Maintenance Got To Do With Water Damage In Reading?

8/20/2020 (Permalink)

If you are concerned about water damaged carpets, give SERVPRO of Reading a call at (610) 779-8189.

Why Reading Homeowners Need To Maintain Carpets Before Water Damage Can Occur

Homeowners in the Reading area know how important it is to look after their home décor. From the carpets to the drapes and the woodwork to the wallpaper, well-maintained home décor helps maintain property values. It is typically much more costly to replace something than to maintain it.

Water damage in Reading is a genuine concern. A leaking pipe, a broken appliance, or even water seeping in from a door or window, can wreak havoc with your carpets. You might wonder why we are talking about carpet maintenance – after all, by the time a carpet gets wet, the damage has already been done. However, SERVPRO experts know that looking after your carpet now can make a big difference to any salvage efforts after water damage.

Why is carpet maintenance important?

After water damage, there is a good chance that your carpet will be wet, and frankly not very pleasant. We train our teams to clean and dry damaged carpets and leave them “Like it never even happened.” However, the result we can get from cleaning is dependent upon the state of the carpet. If your carpet is already stained and frayed and worn around the edges, it will be harder to get a good result than if your carpet was in excellent condition.

What should I do to maintain my carpet?

SERVPRO of Reading recommends the following easy steps to keep your carpet clean:

    •    Put doormats at the entrances to your home and encourage people to use them before entering
    •    Ask family and guests to remove shoes at the door and use only slippers, socks or bare feet when walking on your carpet
    •    Vacuum your carpet regularly – every day is ideal but if you cannot manage that at least three or four times a week
    •    Deal with stains as soon as they happen – the longer you leave dirt and stains, the more ground in they become
    •    Steam clean your carpet regularly (always check with the manufacturer before using any chemicals)
    •    We also suggest eep cleaning your carpet at least once a year (again, always check with the manufacturer before using any chemicals)
    •    A well-looked-after carpet lasts a lot longer, looks a lot nicer, and is easier to clean in the event of flood damage mitigation, too.

What can SERVPRO do to help my carpet?

In the event of water damage, our team can help restore your carpet to its former glory. The most common carpet cleaning methods are:

    •    Bonnet cleaning uses a product called Bonnet Brite to deal with light soiling, leaving carpets fresh and dry in thirty minutes
    •    Hot water extraction uses an extraction machine and emulsifying product to deal with light to moderate soiling, leaving carpets fresh and dry in six-twelve hours
    •    Deluxe precondition and rinse is suitable for moderate to heavy soiling and uses a powerful preconditioning product to prepare the carpet for hot water extractions
    •    Rotary jet extraction is very similar to deluxe precondition and rinse, except that instead of a carpet wand, the technician uses an RX-20 extractor for additional agitation to loosen dirt
    •    Showcase cleaning uses a two-step process to shampoo and extract carpets and is suitable for heavier soiling and more severe flood damage

We train our technicians to use each method effectively and clean your carpet to the highest possible standard in the given circumstances. You can rest assured that we will discuss cleaning plans with you before we start.

How does SERVPRO know which cleaning method is safest?

Not every cleanup method is suitable for every type of carpet. The most appropriate method depends on many factors, such as the fibers in the carpet, the wear and tear on it, how dirty it is already, and how much storm damage has occurred.

Our technicians carry out a range of tests to decide which cleaning method is best for you. These include:

    •    Burn tests, chemical tests, and specific gravity tests to identify the type of fibers
    •    Color bleeding tests on multi-colored carpets
    •    Color loss and crocking tests on solid-colored carpets

We also assess your carpet for wear and tear, over-stretched sections, footprints, and trackmarks, fraying, and any other stains or irregularities. We use the test results combined with our assessment of the damage, to decide on the best testing method for the circumstances.

What about carpet drying?

Damp carpets are ideal spots for spore growth, which is why drying is an essential part of SERVPRO water damage restoration. We use a mix of air movers, fans, dehumidifiers, and even air scrubbers to dry and deodorize your carpets, leaving them fresh and clean once more.

If you are concerned about water damaged carpets, give SERVPRO of Reading a call at (610) 779-8189.

Can My Plumber Fix Water Damage to my Reading Home?

7/7/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO knows best when it comes to your Reading water damage. Call us today.

Plumbers are Essential to Reading Homes with Leaks, but a Water Restoration Technician Can Restore Your Home After the Leaks are Fixed.

The age of your Reading home, weather, and topography can all play a role when disaster strikes. Older pipes can burst at a moment's notice, allowing water into your home, soaking carpets, hardwood floors, and fixtures. Once the source of water is under control, and the leak is no longer active, it is best to reach out to a reputable remediation company to repair collateral damage.

In Reading, your partner in water removal is our SERVPRO staff. Failure to address any water left behind by a leak can only set the stage for mold problems later or the proliferation of bacteria. As we inspect your home, we use state-of-the-art equipment to identify problem areas where water might be hiding, and we prepare to extract it. By calling our 24/7 hotline, you access our technical and practical expertise in water removal matters.

Where does water hide after a leak?

Water can seep in visible places such as carpets, but it can also hide within wall cavities or under hardwood floors. Our SERVPRO staff uses infra-red technology to detect excess moisture and proceeds with extraction. Some essential tools to remove water include pumps of varying strength, from truck-mounted to handheld, as well as air circulators and dehumidifiers. Some specialty drying situations could also include the use of the following:

• Injectidry which allows us to circulate warm air behind your walls
• Drying mats which can help dry subfloors
• Freeze drying to preserve documents and paper products

Regardless of your need SERVPRO of Reading is at your service. Call us as soon as your emergency happens and let us be your resource throughout this crisis. Like you, we want to minimize your loss in both time and money, so this event becomes merely a memory. Reach our expert team at (610) 779-8189 and let us leave your home, "Like it never even happened." 

How Expensive is it to Restore Water Damages?

6/16/2020 (Permalink)

Water loss events happen. Call SERVPRO should water invade your home.

SERVPRO Works Efficiently to Mitigate Losses and Apply Cost-effective Water Restoration to your Kutztown Home.

Do I need water mitigation or restoration?

A professional restoration company uses both mitigation and restoration to return your Kutztown home to its preloss condition. Mitigation typically occurs in the first few hours of a water emergency, focusing on preventing your home or contents from sustaining further damages. Mitigation procedures could include removing excess moisture from home or setting up dehumidification and drying goals to avoid mold growth. We may also move contents out of harm's way while the structure is drying so that we can apply specific mitigation to items like furniture- blocking furniture to remove it from water exposure is a standard contents mitigation technique. On the other hand, restoration focuses on returning items that were damaged by a water incident to their preloss condition. A typical restoration procedure is to refinish walls or surfaces once they are clean and dry.

What qualifications do professional water technicians need?

To perform effective water restoration in communities like Kutztown, technicians need to undergo hundreds of hours of training as well as having experience working in residential properties. Our technicians hold qualifications from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certifications (IICRC) as a testament to their expertise. Without certifiable quality, you may find that a water restoration project takes much longer than expected or that your home suffers from secondary damages further down the line. SERVPRO are experts at identifying potential water issues, mitigating, and restoring them. By performing these tasks in time and measuring the results professionally, we can protect your home against recurring problems.

How do I measure the extent of water damage?

• Find the source of water and work outwardly noting wet areas or other visible symptoms
• Place moisture sensors on hard surfaces to assess whether water migration has entered wall cavities
• Use a moisture meter to probe semi-porous surfaces or furniture and evaluate the level of moisture content in materials

Are wet building materials salvageable?

When the construction materials used in your home get wet, they can become hotbeds of microbial growth activity. These can cause unpleasant secondary effects like mold growth as well as unpleasant odors. However, most materials are either inexpensive to replace or resilient to water absorption. SERVPRO can use desiccant dehumidifiers, which use a silica gel to remove moisture from the surrounding area. In an enclosed environment like your home, these dehumidifiers can dry the air to below 40 grains (of water) per pound. At forty GPP, the air is dry enough to draw moisture from wet content. We use this method for drying out furniture, upholstery, and textiles as well as gypsum board or subfloor materials. In some situations, there may be water contamination issues. These issues are problematic because they can affect any materials that absorb water. In these situations, technicians may need to remove building materials and replace them entirely. Usually, building materials that we change are relatively inexpensive. SERVPRO technicians continually return and measure the effectiveness of dehumidification drying to ensure our restoration project remains on-time.

How can you produce time estimates for restoration?

When your Kutztown home suffers from water intrusion, it is understandable to want accurate restoration times to allow you to adapt your schedule. Our technicians can accurately predict the length of time it takes to restore your property by performing in-depth inspections at the beginning of service. However, not all restoration is the same, and sometimes outcomes are not as expected. These variables are tough to predict, which is why SERVPRO technicians monitor results at least every twenty-four hours to ensure that our drying strategy is going to plan. Monitoring relies on observation, inspection using tools, and then documenting the changes. The process of control allows us to produce time estimates or to adjust our drying strategy. Strategy adjustments may include using more powerful equipment or removing physical obstacles like drywall to restore cavities.

How can I prevent mold growth after water intrusion?

• Thoroughly dry the affected area and remove any wet contents to a separate area of the home like a garage
• Use a dehumidifier to complete the drying of wet materials and return regularly to measure the dehumidifier's effectiveness and the overall effect on indoor humidity
• Assess wall cavities and subfloor for potential water migration
• Treat the affected area using anti-microbial chemicals. These can include anti-microbial primer, spray-on washing, carpet cleaners and varnishes

There are several ways that water intrusion can transform your home both during and after the event. To mitigate losses and restore your home, contact SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189.

What NOT to Do After Water Damage to Your Reading Area Home?

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Technicians Urge You to Make Quick Decisions When it Comes to Water Damage Restoration

SERVPRO Technicians Have 2 Main Tips for You During Your Water Damage Crisis

When your home has suffered extensive water damage after a broken pipe or flooding, your first instinct may be to start cleaning up the mess. As strange as it sounds, this may not be the best course of action. If you plan on filing a claim with your insurance company, you’ll need to provide evidence of the damage and get approval before making any repairs. Not only that, hiring a professional water damage mitigation service in Reading, PA, to handle the clean-up and restoration of your home can save you time and money.

1. Don’t Throw Anything Away

Before you throw away any possessions damaged by a broken pipe or flood, you’ll need to photograph or video them, record their make, model, age and condition and allow a claims adjuster to inspect them. It’s also worth letting a water damage expert assess the damage too. They have specialized equipment for drying, cleaning, deodorizing and restoring everything from furniture to photographs, so there’s a fair chance they can salvage damaged possessions.

2. Don’t Try To Remove the Water Yourself

As distressing as it is to see so much water in your home, don’t try to get rid of it yourself. Again, you’ll need to have the damage assessed by an adjuster before you begin clean-up. When you contact your insurance company, talk to them about hiring your own public adjuster to do the assessment as a way to speed the process along.

Experts in water damage mitigation have access to specialized equipment that will make water removal faster, more efficient and much easier than anything you can do on your own. Their industrial de-humidifiers and fans can dry out your belongings before they begin to grow mold, saving you the cost of replacing furniture and carpets.

It’s easy to panic when a broken pipe or other disaster floods your home, causing extensive water damage. Whatever you do, however, don’t throw anything away or try to remove the water yourself until you file an insurance claim and talk to a water damage expert in Reading, PA.

Call SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Boyertown, Exeter, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Learn more about Reading.

Did You Come Home to Find Water Damage in Your Reading Home?

4/13/2020 (Permalink)

Water Loss from a Burst Pipe in Your Reading Home? Just Call SERVPRO for Fast Cleanup and Drying

Reading Property Owners Get Swift Help from SERVPRO after a Water Loss

Many Reading homeowners travel throughout the year to visit with family and friends or for business reasons. While you work to protect your home from anything that could potentially occur while you are gone, you cannot always account for every potential emergency. As unfortunate as it might be, many homeowners return to their property to find widespread damages from a water leak. Given that this situation persisted for days or even weeks without restoration and mitigation work, overcoming the effects can prove too challenging for the homeowner alone.

While it might come as a shock to find your Reading home water damaged upon your return, you must focus now on the steps necessary to restore it entirely. Our SERVPRO rapid response team can help. With effective mitigation strategies to preserve the contents of the property still at risk and premier cleaning tactics to return elements like wood flooring and carpeting to their original condition whenever possible we have the expertise and equipment to make a difference fast.

Following a situation like a persistent leak or a line break, many contents of your home become directly at risk of hazards like mold and microbial growth, oversaturation, and warping/distorting. These conditions can also develop over time. Our experienced IICRC certified SERVPRO technicians can remove the at-risk contents from your home to prevent them from becoming irreparably damaged by oversaturation or fungal growth. Once restoration work completes in your home, these items can get returned to their original positions.

A common effect of a property that has remained water damaged for several days is a persistent odor. While our team works quickly to dry up dampness and moisture throughout the property, it is tools like our thermal foggers that play a significant role in removing the stale scent or musty odor from the property permanently.

Returning to your property to find water damage can be overwhelming for a homeowner. You can always depend on our SERVPRO of Reading to show up quickly with our highly trained technicians and leading equipment to restore your property.  Give us a call anytime you need us at (610) 779-8189.

Learn more about Reading.

Why Call SERVPRO to Remove Water after a Leak or Burst Pipe?

4/3/2020 (Permalink)

Reading Residents Say that SERVPRO Provides Solutions to Home Water Loss Damages

Speedy Water Removal Services in Reading for Our Neighbors Mitigates Damages

When dealing with standing water in your Reading home or business, time is of the essence. You must act as quickly as possible to prevent or limit foundation and structural deterioration. Just as important is safeguarding your irreplaceable family heirlooms, valuable furnishings, and equipment from primary and secondary water damage. Professional water removal services are necessary to ensure that all your property is appropriately protected.

The need for water removal in Reading could result from numerous common issues. Ruptured water pipes, a leaky hot water tank, or malfunctioning appliances, like dishwashers and washing machines, could quickly flood portions of your house. After periods of heavy rains or thawing, excessive amounts of groundwater could seep through basement walls with poor waterproofing and cause issues. Also, natural disasters like river flooding may lead to standing water in your house. Whatever the cause, these problems require fast action, and SERVPRO is well-equipped to handle them in record time.

Are we ready to help? ALWAYS!

Our professionals in Reading are ready to answer your call at any time, 365 days a year. After being notified of your issue, it only takes us four hours to arrive on-site to begin the water removal process.

How do we start?

    •    We start by identifying the water’s source and then determine how to stop it if still leaking
    •    SERVPRO tests to establish its level of contamination if any
    •    After evaluating the extent of your Reading location’s water damage and mold growth, we move and raise your furniture off the wet/damp floor to protect it from further harm
    •    Placement of industrial-strength extractors to remove water from your flooring and upholstered furniture.

SERVPRO’s expert clean-up methods help prevent further secondary water damage in the future. We do this by dehumidifying the air to keep water vapor from affecting your walls, wall art, and furniture. Also, we dry wet carpeting since we strive to preserve and not replace contents, fixtures, and building materials. Finally, using EPA-registered disinfectants, our trained experts minimize destructive bacteria, viruses, and mold.

So, call us any time you need standing water removed from your house. You can trust our highly trained technicians to get the job done right. Contact SERVPRO of Reading today at (610) 779-8189.

Water Loss In Your Reading

1/31/2020 (Permalink)

You can reach our SERVPRO of Reading team 24/7 by calling (610) 779-8189.

How Severe Can Water Losses Be for Reading Apartments?

There is a reason that property owners should move quickly when water threatens Reading homes and apartments. The migration of water losses is deliberate and destructive, which can encompass many areas of a residence and even damage neighboring properties if a loss incident is severe enough inside a single unit. Whether you are dealing with water that has spread to your apartment from a neighboring unit or floor, or the incident began on your property, a fast reaction can save you time and money on the restoration necessary.

In most situations, it is understood that a property owner has roughly 48 hours to address water damage in their Reading apartment before irreparable damage becomes a widespread concern. While there are inevitable areas of the unit that might experience direct damage, such as the deterioration of drywall and wood trim around the source of the water loss, a fast response of qualified technicians like our SERVPRO team can be helpful to reduce secondary effects like mold growth or the migration of water to other areas of the apartment.

As your residence likely features carpeting through most of the unit, this is advantageous for our technicians to slow the spread of water migration to other apartments nearby. With light wands, we can sweep over every exposed point of the carpeted floor to remove much of the moisture trapped in the fibers. While further extraction is necessary, this mitigation technique can slow water migration and also the likelihood of water damaging the subflooring material.

We can utilize our in-house team of general contractors to perform controlled demolition for direct access to both breached plumbing lines for repairs and to help extract and dry structural cavities. Shared walls can be a pathway for water to migrate to neighboring apartments, so it is a priority for our SERVPRO technicians to dry these spaces in the mitigation phase of our recovery.

The severity of water loss incidents varies from one disaster to the next. However, our preparedness for these emergencies can help to reduce your out of pocket expenses and time out of your residence as much as possible. You can reach our SERVPRO of Reading team 24/7 by calling (610) 779-8189.

For more about Reading click here.

SERVPRO has the Necessary Equipment for Water Removal in Reading

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

No matter the size of water damage, we have the equipment to handle the situation.

Water Removal In Reading Often Requires The Use Of Dehumidification Equipment

If your Reading house ever suffers from a plumbing failure or other type of leak, damage to your contents and structural components could result. Once excessive moisture makes its way into the interior of any structure, it is best to call in professional restoration services such as SERVPRO to conduct water removal. Not promptly performing mitigation ensures wet materials inside your home can cause other problems to take place in your entire building.

One major problem wet substances inside a structure can cause is elevated humidity levels. During any water removal project in Reading, our SERVPRO technicians know that removing moisture from the air is just as important as extracting it from your building materials. Any time items inside your house get wet, the moisture evaporates into the air and increases your indoor relative humidity. Once humidity levels rise, damage can occur in other rooms inside your home that were previously unaffected. High humidity levels can also create an environment that activates mold spores that exist around your home.

When attempting to mitigate any moisture-related issues inside your residence, our SERVPRO team starts by measuring the relative humidity in the affected and unaffected areas in the building. We use the levels of the untouched areas to create a goal for the sections of your home that have elevated relative humidity readings. The most effective way to reduce humidity levels is to implement a dehumidification system.

We use dehumidifiers to pull water vapor from the air, therefore decreasing the relative humidity. These machines are each given a rating based upon how many gallons of water they can remove in a specific space in a one-day-period at 80 degrees Fahrenheit with a 60% relative humidity. Dehumidifiers operate best at a higher temperature.  The general rule for rapid evaporation is the hotter you can get it inside the affected area, the better drying and dehumidification will work.

Using industrial dehumidifiers can help speed up the natural drying and evaporation process. If you ever need help at your house to prevent problems associated with elevated humidity levels after a water damage situation, call SERVPRO of Reading at (610) 779-8189. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

More about Reading.

Our Team Has The State Of The Art Equipment Necessary For Your Reading Water Removal

10/24/2019 (Permalink)

We quickly extracted all of the water, and then set out our green drying equipment and after a few days, we had all of the drying complete.

Professional vs. DIY Extraction in Reading Homes

DIY home restoration and renovations are on the rise, but that also, unfortunately, means that many Reading properties are not getting the full drying and recovery that they need after substantial water loss incidents. Our SERVPRO professionals are helping to restore the damages of inadequate drying and cleanup after water losses, and in some cases, contending with mold and microbial growth that can result as well. Knowing your limitations is essential for deciding on whether DIY drying is the right solution for your property.

When you must perform water removal for your Reading home, chances are the migration of moisture and water effects are more considerable than you might think. We are here to help out our customers however they might need, and part of this process is helping to ensure that the appropriate measures get taken to protect their homes after water loss incidents. There are some instances where homeowners can address drying efforts on their own with conventional approaches like towels and air circulation, but substantial loss incidents are often better left to our qualified technicians.

We have a full roster of Water Restoration Technicians (WRT) accredited through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) so that we can respond to water loss incidents in your home almost as efficiently as you can. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and that hinges on our efficient tools and available personnel ready to mobilize at the first contact with our customers.

With instances like water removal and drying, our extensive inventory of equipment is unmatched compared to the drying tools available to homeowners in home improvement locations. We have industrial-grade extraction equipment to match nearly any situation, as well as a large volume of air movers, dehumidifiers, drying mats, and other specialty moisture removal tools to restore your property quickly with limited to no reconstruction.

As damaging as water loss incidents can be, you should be sure that the effects are not more widespread and penetrative than you initially believed. No matter how we can help, give our SERVPRO of Reading team a call today at (610) 779-8189.

See more about Reading.

Our Water Extraction Equipment Will Save Your House In Reading

8/31/2019 (Permalink)

Call us at (610) 779-8189 to have mitigation specialists restore your residence.

After An Overhead Leak, Water Extraction Equipment Pulls Moisture From Every Level Of Your House In Reading

Damaging water typically comes from ground-level flooding or pipes that burst open somewhere in your Reading residence. Rain can also come in through opened spots in the roof or torn vents. New home construction also might call for placing the water heater overhead to save space, especially when a basement is considered too small. Any of these and other situations can let water ruin your home's interior from the top downward.

When mitigating water-soaked homes in Reading, using a variety of water extraction equipment ensures our customers of a thorough job. These different machines and tools include those for measuring the amount of moisture in both materials and the air, forcing the moisture to behave in more beneficial ways, and capturing mechanisms, among others.

We complement our extensive equipment with intensive training. Our skilled mitigation and restoration specialists earn certificates from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), and we quickly gain experience in extracting water from a diverse assortment of homes and businesses.

To determine the places affected by water, we use infrared cameras that reveal the temperature differences between dry and damp materials. Knowing the places that need our attention immediately, we can place air movers in the most effective locations and direct them so that air currents steadily pull moisture out of these materials.

Then, to extract the moisture from the almost saturated air, we use desiccant machines. As air passes through these, the moisture gets trapped so that the air exiting is completely dry. This now-dry air can again absorb moisture that evaporated into the air after being drawn out of drywall, carpeting, and other parts of your home.

Water also becomes trapped inside the walls and above the ceilings of rooms and hallways when its source is located overhead. SERVPRO gets these places dry again, too, after extracting the moisture. The same hole we use to let the water drain lets us use flexible tubing to force dry air into the wall or ceiling's space. We make sure that everything gets dry before damage can increase and spread.

SERVPRO of Reading wants you to know you can rely on us, no matter how large or small your water extraction needs. We also have submersible pumps for pulling water from enclosed areas like crawlspaces and basements, and odor control machinery that eliminates offensive odors at their source. Call us at (610) 779-8189 to have mitigation specialists restore your Kutztown, Exeter, or Birdsboro residence.

For more about Reading click here.

5 Things You Need to Know About Insurance and Flooding

10/11/2018 (Permalink)

Flood can cause a lot of damage to your Reading, PA home

When there is a flood in your home in Reading, PA, one of the first things you should do is call your insurance provider. Making this call can help you figure out if the damage done to your house is covered by your policy. Many water restoration professionals work side-by-side with insurance providers to help you through your claim when you can make one. While every policy may be different, here are a few flooding insurance basics that you should know.

1. Damaged caused by broken pipes is usually covered.

If you wake up to a burst pipe in your master bathroom, chances are the water damaged caused will be covered by your normal homeowner's policy. When an unforeseen event results in a burst pipe, you're covered.

2. Subsequent damage is covered

Initially, a flood may damage your walls and insulation, but as the water spreads it starts to ruin carpet, paint and furnishings. If you have coverage, it will help pay for much of the subsequent damage to ensure you can return your house to normal.

3. The plumbing bill may come to you

Even though your insurance is going to help pay for the restoration, it may not cover the fees to fix the actual leaking pipe. Because plumbing falls under normal home maintenance, your plan may not cover it.

4. Leaking pipes need to be addressed right away

If, however, you knew there was a small leak in your plumbing, but you chose to ignore it, the damage caused may not be covered. You're expected to fix a broken pipe if you know about it.
5. Rising water requires a special policy. If heavy rains send water surging into your basement, you may need to look closely at your insurance coverage. Most homeowner's policies won't cover this type of damage.

A flood can cause a lot of damage to your house. Thankfully, your homeowner's policy and other insurance plans can help you pay for the restoration process.

How To Drain Your Flooded Basement

8/14/2018 (Permalink)

It’s inevitable that some of your possessions may have been damaged in the basement flood.

A flooded basement can be a homeowner’s nightmare, especially when you live in Reading, PA. Whether your home was subject to a natural disaster or there’s been a break in your water line, standing water in your basement can lead to an array of issues:

• Foundation damage
• Ruined possessions
• Water heater and HVAC system damage
• Mold growth

It’s vital to battle your basement flood as quickly as possible to minimize the damage. If you’re not sure how to remove the water on your own, local restoration specialists can do that for you. Otherwise, you can use a submersible pump and sump hose combination to efficiently remove as much water as possible.

Prepare Your House for Pumping

Before you start the process of water removal, turn off your electricity. It’s also important to make sure the source of water has been stopped. If the cause was a burst pipe, make sure it’s been plugged, whereas if your basement flood is from regional flooding, wait until any outside water (in your yard or street) starts receding before pumping.

Begin Pumping Out the Water

Use an extension cord to connect the pump prior to putting it in the basement. Take all measures to keep the cord connection from getting wet; hanging it is highly recommended. Fit a hose to your pump – a garden hose can work, but a sump hose will be much more efficient due to its wider diameter. If flooding is in your insurance coverage, you may be covered for both the pump and hose rentals.

Place the end of the hose facing away from the house and, preferably, on a gradient that leads to a drain or sewer. Carefully lower the pump into the water and begin pumping. Reposition the pump to the lowest level of the basement once the water is only a couple inches high.

Take Small but Important Steps

It’s inevitable that some of your possessions may have been damaged in the basement flood. Likewise, carpet and drywall can need replacing or a very thorough cleaning. Check with restoration specialists in Reading, PA, to help repair damages and assess for further risks. You and your home will be grateful you did. For more information, visit http://www.SERVPROreading.com/.

Who Foots the Bill for a Broken Pipe?

6/28/2018 (Permalink)

A leaky pipe beneath your kitchen sink may be a headache, but it’s nothing a trip to the hardware store and an afternoon of elbow grease won’t fix. A broken pipe, however, can quickly flood your Reading, PA, home. Whether your pipe bursts due to corrosion, freezing temperatures, or a sudden increase in pressure from the supply line, the resulting water damage can be devastating. In the blink of an eye, numerous parts of your home could be destroyed:

• Carpets
• Hardwood or vinyl flooring
• Drywall
• Appliances
• Furniture

The result is a mess you don’t want to take on by yourself. Along with a licensed plumber, your local restoration experts are your best bet when it comes to returning your home to its previous level of comfort and safety. Add these crucial services to the cost of replacing ruined items and you are easily looking at thousands of dollars in expenses. How will you pay for everything you need to get back to normal?

What Insurance Will Cover.

While the cost to fix a broken pipe itself usually falls on the homeowner, the damage to property from the resulting flood is generally included in an all perils homeowners’ insurance policy. This type of insurance coverage protects you against any unexpected hazard not specifically named in your policy as excluded. Even if your coverage is less comprehensive, check to see if water damage is listed among the things covered. Odds are it is.

It may come as a relief that water damage from a broken pipe is usually covered by insurance, but don’t take this to mean that you can slack off when it comes to taking care of your pipes. If you’ve been neglecting your plumbing system by ignoring leaks, corrosion, or inadequate insulation, then your insurance company is likely to deny your claim.

What You Can Do.

If you’re currently facing flood damage from a broken pipe, get in touch with your insurance company as soon as possible. If you’re fortunate enough to have avoided this disaster so far, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage and keep up with your plumbing maintenance.

For more information, please visit us at http://www.SERVPROreading.com/water-damage-restoration.

4 Steps to Fixing a Faulty Flusher

4/24/2018 (Permalink)

The commercial toilet in your Reading, PA, property gets a lot of use, which means that there are likely more opportunities for a toilet overflow. Industrial toilets are often controlled by a flushometer, which can allow for smooth operation via the main water supply. Although this specialized flushing device helps commercial toilets to perform more efficiently than their standard counterparts, they can sometimes malfunction, causing the water to flow non-stop. Here are four steps you can take when troubleshooting an overzealous flusher.

1. Shut Off the Water

The flushometer usually includes a slot for a screwdriver, which may be located on the side. Grab a flathead screwdriver and turn the slot, which can stop a toilet from continually running water.

2. Remove the Lid

Now that you have stopped the water flow, you can screw the lid off of the flushometer. You should use a wrench for this, as well as some type of cloth to protect the chrome surface from scratches.

3. Detach the Flange Cover

Twist the flange cover and pull it off to access the gasket. You can lay down a towel around the perimeter of the toilet’s base for easier cleanup in the event of spilled water.

4. Clean the Gasket

The gasket will probably be full of grime, which is likely the culprit of your flushing woes. In the gasket area, you may also notice a small cavity called a weep hole, which may cause toilet overflow when clogged. Remove the gasket and clean it thoroughly. Then, grab a narrow object and insert it into the weep hole, completely removing any build-up.

A constantly running toilet in your Reading, PA, business is undoubtedly a nuisance, but it is one that should be resolved to prevent toilet overflow. If an ineffective flusher does cause a spillover, you should call in a professional to repair any damage from the toilet flood.

For more information, please visit us athttp://www.SERVPROreading.com.

Assessing Damage From an Overflowing Toilet

1/18/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage from an overflowing toilet is fairly common. Toilets are a necessary part of life, but they can create quite a mess. They can get clogged. Septic tanks stop draining properly. A flooded toilet is always bad news, and sewer damage due to an overflowing toilet or a backflow of sewage in Reading, PA needs to be dealt with immediately.

Stopping the Overflow

When you notice your bathroom is flooding, you need to shut off the water. The toilet shutoff valve is usually located behind the commode. Don’t attempt to flush the toilet until you discover the cause of the problem.

Clean up as much of the water as you can. In most cases, you need to call a sewage company to fix the problem. Backups can be caused by clogs, septic tank backups or excessive rain. A professional can ascertain the cause of your sewage issues and come up with a solution.

Dealing With Sewage

Much of the time, an overflowing toilet can cause sewer damage. The water coming out of the bowl may be considered gray or black water. These categories need to be dealt with differently because they contain contaminants that could make you sick.

You need specialized equipment to sanitize the area. Professionals have decontamination suits and the proper tools to deal with the situation. Regular household cleaners are inadequate to kill the bacteria associated with sewage.

Surveying the Damage

Certain types of flooring are more susceptible to damage. In some cases, your flooring may need to be replaced. If the flooding occurred on a second story, you could have leakage in between the floors. Depending on the level of water damage, you may need to dry the area extensively to ensure no mold grows. Dispose of as much as possible if the cause of the overflow was sewer damage.

An overflowing toilet can be a big headache. Don’t risk it if you are dealing with potentially contaminated water. Consult a sewage damage professional to get the job done right.
Visit http://www.SERVPROreading.com for more information on water damage.

How to Remove Two Feet of Water From a Commercial Basement

11/28/2017 (Permalink)

How to Remove Two Feet of Water From a Commercial Basement

After flooding or a storm, you might not be able to see the floor of the basement of your commercial business due to all the water. Thankfully, there’s professional equipment that can put you back on the road to recovery, such as a sump pump or trash pump. Learn how water cleanup and restoration professionals in Reading, PA can assist you and your business in getting rid of water in your basement.

The Trash Pump

Truck-mounted trash pump equipment utilizes hard suction and a discharge to take care of roughly 200 gallons of water every minute. A few of the most notable and standout features of this type of pump include:

It’s useful for taking care of various solids that might be mixed into the water in your basement.
They are able to prime themselves as long as the water stays above the impeller eye.
They’re easier to maintain, mainly because they don’t have very many components.
Such pumps are widely available in a number of different sizes to better match your specific situation and basement size.

The Sump Pump

With sump pumps, you can lower the water level to about one and a half inches. They use an external intake filter and short hoses to get the job done. One thing to bear in mind with this equipment is the outlet end of the hose has to be positioned either downhill or as far away from soil as necessary, mainly because any water pumped out can find its way back into your basement if allowed to seep into the soil around your building. Even though sump pumps can be positioned underwater, models that use float switches are often more beneficial due to being easier to rig.

The right equipment and the right professional services can help you see the bottom of your basement again. Know your options for the right trash or sump pump for the next strong storm that rolls through. Visit http://www.SERVPROreading.com for more information on water damage.

How to clean your gutters

9/18/2017 (Permalink)

Dirty Gutters?

Cleaning Your Gutters to Avoid Flooding

Take action to keep downspouts running freely before those shade trees start shedding in earnest. One of these guards won’t totally free you of ladder duty, but it could buy you time between checkups.

How to Clean your gutters:

1. Climb a ladder and use a variety of tools to grab and remove the leaves and debris at eye-level.

2. Attach tools to a wet/dry shop vac to suck up the leaves or to blast them out of the gutters.

3. Attach tools to your water hose to spray leaves out of the gutters.

4. Use a long-reaching pole to remove leaves from the gutters while standing at ground level.

Removing the debris from your gutters is important to help your home during heavy rains. Flooding can be mitigated by the gutters being clear for water to flow freely from your rooftop.

Being prepared when a hurricane or flood happens

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Tips on flooding

During a Flood Watch or Warning

• Gather emergency supplies.
• Listen to your local radio or television station for updates.
• Have immunization records handy or know the year of your last tetanus shot.
  • Store immunization records in a waterproof container.
• Fill bathtubs, sinks, gallon jars, and plastic soda bottles so that you will have a supply of clean water.
  • Sanitize sinks/tubs first by cleaning them using a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water. Then rinse and fill with clean water.
• Bring in outdoor possessions (lawn furniture, grills, trash cans) or tie them down securely.
• If evacuation appears necessary: turn off all utilities at the main power switch and close the main gas valve.
• Leave areas subject to flooding: low spots, canyons, washes, etc. Rememberavoid driving through flooded areas and standing water.

After Flooding Has Occurred

• Avoid driving through flooded areas and standing water. As little as six inches of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
• Do not drink flood water, or use it to wash dishes, brush teeth, or wash/prepare food. Drink clean, safe water.
• If you evacuated: return to your home only after local authorities have said it is safe to do so.
• Listen to water advisory from local authorities to find out if your water is safe for drinking and bathing.
  • During a water advisory, use only bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking, cooking, etc.
• When in doubt, throw it out! Throw away any food and bottled water that comes/may have come into contact with flood water.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Use generators at least 20 feet from any doors, windows, or vents. If you use a pressure washer, be sure to keep the engine outdoors and 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents as well.

For more tips on flooding contact your local SERVPRO. 

Like it never even happened 

 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

6/12/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Reading provides 24 hour fire and water damage restoration service in Berks County

SERVPRO of Reading is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - (610)779-8189

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Reading has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Reading

SERVPRO of Reading 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.