Recent General Posts
The science behind drying a space
SERVPRO fans are strategically placed throughout the residence
Did you know there is actually a science behind the process of drying? Having the knowledge of psychometrics is essential to restoring a water damaged structure to its preloss condition. While your initial reaction may be to grab a few towels to mop up the mess and place a fan or two around the damaged area, SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn is trained in the science of drying and follows strict industry-approved standards to help lower the chances of secondary damages, like mold. If your home or business suffers water damage, SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn will:
- Inspect the building to detect every component that is wet, to help prevent secondary damage from happening.
- Measure how much moisture is in wet materials and monitor weather the materials are drying properly.
- Speed up Mother Nature by using professional drying equipment
What exactly does it mean to help “speed up Mother Nature”? A wet building can often dry naturally because the environment always seeks equilibrium. When materials are we, moisture will naturally move to drier air at the surface of the material—but only if the air is, indeed, drier. The only problem is, nature takes too long and secondary damages may occur while the building is drying out.
SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn has the tools and equipment to help Mother Nature along, including equipment to help dry hardwood floors, tough-to-reach spaces, inside walls (pictured below), and much more. SERVPRO also uses state-of-the-art monitoring equipment, and a proven scientific process to help speed the drying process of your home or business.
The bottom line? SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn has the training and equipment to help make your water damage “Like it never even happened.”
The Silent Killer
You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels, it can kill a person in minutes. Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide, or CO, is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas, created when fuels, like gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas and propane burn incompletely.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning. It is estimated another 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. All people and animals are at risk for CO poisoning, with some groups—including unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems—being more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide.
An excess of CO, leading to CO poisoning, can result from faulty furnaces, or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or idling cars left running in garages.
Symptoms of CO Poisoning:
- Dull headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Blurred vision
- Loss of consciousness
Taking some basic, precautionary steps can help eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Protect yourself by reviewing the following tips, provided by the United States Fire Administration.
- Have fuel-burning appliances, like oil and gas furnaces, gas or kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves inspected by a trained professional every year.
- Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace. Never use your oven or stove to heat your home.
- Make sure all fuel-burning vented equipment is vented to the outside to avoid CO poisoning. Keep the venting for exhaust clear and unblocked.
- If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if the garage doors are open. Make sure exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.
- Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
- Only use barbecue grills outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Some grills can produce CO gas. Never use grills inside the home or garage, even if the doors are open.
- Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the home.
SERVPRO 2019 APPRECIATION DAY
2019 check presentation. Represented here are members of the American Red Cross Maine, and Marketing Managers from 3 Maine SERVPROS.
We came up with the idea of an “Appreciation Day” twelve years ago and every year it has continued to grow and evolve. It is a day for us to thank insurance adjusters, agents, property managers, real estate agents, and other professionals from all over Maine. This event is our opportunity to show our appreciation to these individuals, because without them, none of what we do would be possible. Over the past twelve years, we have raised over $125,000 for the American Red Cross of Maine’s Local Disaster Relief fund.
This year we were able to raise $16,700 for local Maine Chapters of the American Red Cross.
SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn would like to thank our local area businesses that help contribute to our event. Restaurants and swag was donated to help auction off as well as a "live auction" to generate more to donate. Hole sponsorships from around the community also helped. SERVPRO of Lewiston/Auburn was able to bring in over $5,000 with corporate and hole sponsorships.
For Immediate Service in Lewiston-Auburn, Call SERVPRO
SERVPRO of Lewiston-Auburn provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster. We can respond immediately to your emergency and have the expertise to handle your restoration or cleaning needs.
- 24-Hour Emergency Service
- Faster to Any-Sized Disaster
- Highly Trained Restoration Technicians
- A Trusted Leader in the Restoration Industry
- Locally Owned and Operated
- Advanced Restoration and Cleaning Equipment
Have Questions? Call Us 24/7 – 207-783-2500
Whether your home needs emergency flood damage or your upholstery cleaned, you can depend on us. Our technicians have extensive cleaning and restoration training and can make your property look its best. Learn more about our residential services:
- Water Damage Restoration
- Fire Damage Restoration
- Mold Remediation
- Storm Damage Restoration
- Cleaning Services
- Building/Reconstruction Services
There's never a convenient time for fire or Water damage to strike your commercial property. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration services we have the training and expertise to respond promptly with highly trained technicians to get your property back to business.
- Commercial Water Damage Restoration
- Commercial Fire Damage Restoration
IICRC Certified Firm
SERVPRO of Lewiston-Auburn is an IICRC firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.
IICRC Certified Firms must
• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.
The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry
The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.
Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.
About SERVPRO of Lewiston-Auburn
SERVPRO of Lewiston-Auburn 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 and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: 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.
March is RED CROSS MONTH - Get out & Donate!
Marketing Managers, Tiffany Poland (SERVPRO of Lewiston Auburn) and Holly Merrill (SERVPRO of Portland) having a blast at our 2016 SERVPRO Convention.
March is National Red Cross Month!
SERVPRO is a proud supporter of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder program.
Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross brings help and hope to people in need, thanks to heroes like you. Whether you donate funds, donate blood or volunteer, we depend on your support to make a difference in communities across the country.
Each year, the president of the United States proclaims March "Red Cross Month.” We use this month as a chance to honor and celebrate the everyday heroes who help us fulfill our mission. This March, we encourage you to uncover your inner hero.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. This month is a time to recognize everyday heroes.
Be a hero today!
March is RED CROSS MONTH
Founded in 1881, the American Red Cross is a charitable organization that relies on donations and volunteers to carry out their mission. Whether it is disaster relief, blood donations, military family support, or training and certification in CPR, lifeguarding, first aid and more, the Red Cross is committed to helping those who need it most. The American Red Cross is part of the Global Red Cross Network, the world’s largest volunteer network found in 187 countries, according to redcross.org.
Every year, March is declared Red Cross Month by the President of the United States. The American Red Cross celebrates by honoring the “everyday heroes” who support and carry out the mission of the Red Cross by donating, giving blood, taking class or volunteering.
SERVPRO began partnership with the American Red Cross in 2013, and became an official Disaster Responder partner in 2016. The Disaster Responder program provides families and individuals immediate support, comfort and assistance when a disaster, such as a house fire, happens to them. Disaster Responders also help communities prepare for disasters ahead of time by participating in preparedness activities such as the Smoke Alarm Installation Campaign.
By the Numbers
- Around 3.1 million people donate blood through the American Red Cross
- The American Red Cross collects and processes about 40% of the nation’s blood supply to approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.
- Volunteers constitute about 90% of the American Red Cross workforce, making it possible to respond to nearly 70,000 disasters every year, most of them home and apartment fires.
Source: The American Red Cross
Continuing Education Classes
SERVPRO of Lewiston Auburn offers both credit and non-credit courses for insurance agents, insurance adjusters and real estate professionals. The CE courses provide you with information to better service your customers.
We offer in-house classes for a group of 6 or more that are certified through the State of Maine. These programs are designed to improve the knowledge of your staff regarding emergency mitigation.
Insurance credited courses include Understanding the Restoration Industry: Property Fire Damage Restoration, Understanding Mold in the Restoration Industry, Restoring Contaminated Buildings, Mitigation Awareness and Response Seminar, Ethics, and Biohazard Cleanup.
Real Estate credited courses include Understanding Mold in the Restoration Industry.
If you would like to book a CE class for your office or join one of our existing classes, please contact our office at 207-783-2500 and ask for Tiffany. If you would like more information on these courses please email Tiffany at Tpoland@SERVPROlewistonauburn.com.