Recent Posts

Wildfire Safety Tips

7/21/2019 (Permalink)

California has been hit with wildfires years in recent years so to keep residents of Carmel Valley and Rancho Santa Fe safe here is a guideline on what to do if a wildfire is approaching your property.

  • Keep all windows and doors shut at your property.
  • Cover any openings in the property (vents, windows, etc.) with duct tape and/or plywood.
  • Place your car facing forward out into the driveway so you don’t need to back out.
  • Place important documents and positions inside the car.
  • Make sure to keep your windows closed in your car.
  • Turn off propane and/or natural gas, place any propane barbecues into the open away from any properties or structures.
  • Turn on all the lights in the house and outside the house.
  • Move anything that can ignite easily away from windows and doors.
  • Place a ladder on the roof of the property.
  • If you own a lawn sprinkler place it on the roof and turn it on.
  • Move any combustible material away from property or any structures.
  • Find out information on evacuation locations and if they have any restrictions on things you can bring such as pets.
  • Keep an ear to the ground and keep up with local news through radio or TV regarding the situation.

Outline for Repairing a Fire Damage

7/16/2019 (Permalink)

picture taken from http://challisrestorationservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Fire-Damage-Kitchen-copy.jpg

The remediation professional will evaluate for signs that the property is safe to enter, checking for structural damage. Smoke and soot cause damage to the property after the fire has been dealt with and will need to be cleaned off. Soot stains depending on how long the soot has stayed on a surface but is removable but can leave a stain behind. Mold and mildew can become an issue due to water being used to extinguish the fire. Rust and corrosion are both issues that can affect even small electronics that need to be dealt with care to avoid electric shock. To improve air quality a professional will place an air scrubber and air mover to remove particles detrimental to your health. All surfaces affected by smoke and fire damage are cleaned using cleaning products specifically geared towards cleaning surfaces affected by smoke and fire. Soot and debris are removed from the property further improving air quality. Personal possessions are removed to decrease risk of contamination. Any residual water is removed to try and mitigate the risk of the water being absorbed by the property’s structures. Usually air movers and dehumidifiers are used to ensure that the affected area is completely dry. The last step is to deodorize with cleaning products and devices that remove odors.

Best Ways to Avoid Water Damage

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

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Keep gutters clean, cleaning gutters biannually avoids blockages. Blockages in gutters can cause overflow. Overflow can create standing water and damage the homes foundation. Make sure to keep downspouts clean, secure, and pointed away from home.

Keep an eye out for vegetation that is close to utility pipes. Vegetation, while a great addition to making a property more pleasing to look at, can cause problems for pipes as roots can wrap and break pipes.

Know the location of the water main at your property if any issue arise it can be quickly turned off. If leaving for an extended amount of time, make sure to shut off the water main.

If experiencing a leak, make sure to investigate and try to fix as fast as possible. There is a certain risk if a leak is left unchecked. The main issue for leaks that occur over an extended amount of time is mold and mildew.

Maintain washing machine hoses as they can become old and brittle which can cause leaks.

Install water detection devices near water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, under sinks, basically anywhere water can be flowing in the house.

Make sure water pressure coming to your housing isn’t too high. Residential systems water pressure systems are designed to handle from 40 to 70 psi. If water pressure exceeds 70psi it is recommended to install a pressure regulator to lower water pressure.

Monitor water bill, if your water usage becomes abnormally high without water usage change, then you might be experiencing a leak and further investigation is needed to find the issue.

Signs of Mold in Your Residence

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

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Mold can cause serious medical issues and, in some cases, cause structural damage to the property. If you suspect mold, make sure to act promptly as having mold in a residence is a serious issue. If mold is visible than the issue is usually worse than it seems, visible mold is an indicator that mold can be inside the structures of the house. Physiological signs of mold include common cold or flu-like symptoms, frequent nosebleeds, trouble breathing, and headaches that seem to be worsening. If the property has a history of flooding and/or a musty damp smell I could mean mold is growing. Mold usually thrives in places where water or moister tend to collect, so keep an eye out for moister or water around appliances that use water. When mold starts growing the situation can only get worse. If you suspect mold growth in your property don’t hesitate to give SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ E Rancho Santa Fe a call. Our staff is on the ready to make any mold issue “Like it never even happened.”

Water Removal and Property Drying Importance

7/10/2019 (Permalink)

photo taken from http://www.theactiveclass.com/tips-for-selecting-a-water-damage-restoration-service-company/

The most common form of water damage that occurs in Southern California is usually not from natural disasters. The usual culprit of almost all water damages in Southern California are plumping issues. Just because water damage isn't caused by a significant natural disaster doesn't mean that your property will be any less affected by improper handling of a wet floors, walls, and etc. Timing is everything for mold not to grow, so please don't hesitate to give us a call at any sign of potential water damage.

SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe is filled with professional and courteous staff that will tackle the problem from a multi step approach. If there is any stagnant water it will be pumped out. If the walls and carpet or floors are saturated with water they will be removed. Then the team places equipment to dry out the structure of the building.

The equipment used are usually dehumidifiers and fans. The dehumidifiers are industrial grade, not the same as the ones found on fancy cigar boxes. The fan are also industrial grade, the fans produce so much air flow they can probably power a light aircraft.

We here at SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe are available 24/7 and eager to help make your problem "Like it never even happened."

Got odor?

6/7/2019 (Permalink)

Can you smell that?!

SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe has all of the specialty equipment you need to treat foul or any odors. Whether an odor smells good or bad, we must understand how the customer perceives the odors. Our goal is to eliminate any odor the customer considers may be unpleasant to them. Removing odors can present challenges at times, Our technicians use many different procedures, deodorization products and equipment devices to eliminate unwanted odors. It is always best to remove and clean the source of offending odors, deodorization will depend on factors such as the location of the odor, the type of source of the odors, as well as the severity. Our technician use all EPA registered products disinfectants, sanitizers and sterilizers. 

Crime Scene Clean-Up

6/5/2019 (Permalink)

When out of the norm events happen, we are often left in question on who to call and what to do. If the event happens in your home, business, commercial building or even your car. SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe is ready at all times for unfortunate type of events and situations that happen. We are here to help remedy the following, crime scene clean up, homicide clean up, trauma scene clean up, emergency vehicle decontamination, bio-hazard waste disposal as well as hoarding clean up. SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe is certified through the Nation Institute of Decontamination Specialist and trained to use all the appropriate chemicals and proper dispose of bio-hazard materials.

Need Bio-hazard Cleanup Services?

Call Us Today – (858) 756-5655.

Customer Services Excellence

5/29/2019 (Permalink)

One of many happy customers

SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ East Rancho Santa Fe is ready to answer the phone ready to help. Our goal is to exceed customer service from the first initial call, to the end of the completion of the job. We will answer any of your questions to the best of our ability to make you feel secure in your time of crisis.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask you several questions to determine what the problem is and help guide you in the right direction.  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.

We do our best to accommodate our customers as far as scheduling, to working with their insurance companyies and even in some cases 3rd parties. Our greatest success is seeing our customer happy and satisfied back in their home "Like it never even happened." 

Weekend weather

5/29/2019 (Permalink)

Sunny days

SERVPRO of Carmel Valley NE/ Rancho Santa Fe wants you to make the most of your weekend so here is a snapshot of what to expect for this weekend. May gray is reaching an end here and the sun is finally peeking out for us yay!!! Sunscreen is a must this weekend to stay protected from the sun’s rays. We often forget how powerful the sun can be. The sun can sometimes cause wear and tear on caulking of the seals of windows and doors around the home. To protect your home from this type of damage check the windows and doors for any cracked caulking in the seals to ensure that excess moisture stays out. If in fact excess moisture sneaks into your home it can cause odors, especially on curtains near windows, mildew. If excess moisture is not treated properly it can cause mold as well.

Smoke Damage

3/21/2019 (Permalink)

Do you believe that only a professional should take care of smoke damage? Once the flames are put out and the firefighters leave, people think that the fire damage left over should be easy to take care of. However, knowing how to clean smoke damage the right way takes years of experience to master, which means that you should leave the job for experienced professionals.

One powerful thing that a fire can leave behind is ash residue. Aside from the fact that this could hurt your lungs, ash residue can cause extensive corrosion on the structure as well. Ash residue is also not an easy thing to get rid of; it easily spreads around the place and the smallest amount of it can cause further damage to your furniture and to the remaining structure. It causes discoloration on any kind of surface and can also cause metals to tarnish.

And what happens when you fail to get rid of all this ash residue on your own? You’ll find yourself overwhelmed when the damage has spread out, increasing your costs and making you wish you left it to the professionals the first time.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – (858) 756-5655