September Is National Preparedness Month: What Are You Doing To Be Prepared?

9/4/2017 (Permalink)

National Preparedness Month is officially here!

Now is the perfect time to start talking about all the ways in which you can be prepared!

Have you and your family sat down and discussed an emergency plan at home?

If not, you should plan a time this month to all sit down together and come up with an emergency plan! Plan out various escape routes in the event there is a fire or some other disaster in your home. This is especially important to do if you live in an area of Southern California where wildfires are common - September does bring the Santa Ana winds after all! When making plans for escape routes and for evacuations, don't forget to include your pets! If you do any practice escape drills, practice with your pets; You don't want to forget about your furry friends!

You should also be sure to create an emergency pack if you don't already have one. An emergency pack can be used if your home loses power or if you are forced to evacuate your home. Not sure what to put in your kit? We've already created a list for you here.

Know the facts.

Disasters can be pretty scary, especially when they're unexpected. Take some time this month to learn about various disasters that can happen where you live. Ready.gov has a list with information regarding most forms of disasters. The more you know, the more prepared you'll be. Being prepared can help you remain calm when disaster strikes! 

The Summer Heat May Be Affecting Your Home’s Appliances

7/24/2017 (Permalink)

You know those hot summer days when you can feel the sun sucking away all your energy? Well, the same thing can happen to your household appliances during the summer too. When the weather gets hot, there are some preventative measures you can take to protect the systems and appliances in your home.

The higher temperatures outside can create a buildup of moisture on your appliances inside. This extra moisture can cause appliances to degrade faster, and can potentially cause electrical shocks. Appliances can also sweat, causing water to settle around cords and wires. It can also flood the interior of the system, which can potentially lead to mold.

You also must be wary of your appliances overheating. Appliances may have higher surface temperatures, and can lose function when overheated, or require more electricity to work properly. Most appliances use more energy during summer months because they have to work even harder to maintain a cool temperature themselves.

AC Units often have to work harder in the summer because in addition to cooling your home, they also work to remove moisture from the air. Consider installing a dehumidifier with your HVAC system, or using one in rooms where it gets hottest. The dehumidifier can remove moisture from the air and allow the Air Conditioner to work solely on cooling your home.

You should also maintain regular cleaning/maintenance of your unit’s filters and coils in order to ensure that it is working properly. The same should go for your fridge/freezer. Dirty coils can lead to overheating, which could leave you without an AC unit or a fridge.

Your fridge should also be kept somewhere cool (avoid hot garages). Once you find the right place for your fridge, be sure to give it ample breathing room. The fridge needs enough room to release heat, but you don’t want that heat to become trapped and cause the unit to overheat and stop working.

You should maintain regular upkeep and maintenance of all of your household appliances all year long, but it's especially important to be mindful of how they can be affected in this summer heat. Should you require emergency services, call SERVPRO of Tustin 24/7 at 714-480-1340

When should you dispatch SERVPRO of Tustin to a job site?

12/8/2016 (Permalink)

Guide to when you should get a crew on-site ASAP:

For Water Damages
- If standing water needs to be extracted.
- If contents or structure are wet and require drying and/or dehumidification.
- If mold or mildew have started to form requiring drying, cleaning and/or treatment with
antimicrobials.
- If sewage has backed up and requires removal, cleaning, deodorization and sanitation of the damaged area.
- In all cases, influx of water must be stopped. SERVPRO does no plumbing work.

For Fire Losses
- If smoke or soot cleanup of structure is required (contents cleaning will likely be homeowner responsibility)
- If deodorization is required.
- If an emergency board-up for security purposes is required and the glass repair company for the building does not do emergency board-ups.

For Wind Damages
- If inside cleanup of glass or debris is required (SERVPRO doesn’t replace glass).
- If it results in water damage (see above water loss requirement).
- If emergency board-up for security or to prevent further damage is required.

For Miscellaneous
- If vandalism act requires cleaning, drying, or inside debris removal.
- If mold & mildew treatment or sanitizing is required.
- If suicides or other body cleanup and/or deodorization is required.
- If deodorization is needed for skunk, chemical, or other odor sources.

Reassure everyone that help is on its way. Make sure your on call person and customer service department staff knows to call SERVPRO of Tustin in the event of an emergency. There are a number of SERVPRO offices in Orange County, but SERVPRO of Tustin has the staff, equipment and experience to deal with the concerns unique to a Home Owners Association

Give us a call at
714-480-1340
For service or more information.