The History of Halloween
We all love Halloween and the traditions it brings but most don't know where Halloween originated from or where we get a lot of the traditions from. The word Halloween literally means hallowed evening and was called “all hallows eve” by early European settlers. The earliest known root of Halloween came from the Ancient Gaelic festival Samhain. This festival was held on October 31st when the veil between the living and the dead was thought to be the thinnest. Costumes were worn as disguises against ghosts, though eventually the costume tradition died out but was brought back into popularity by young Scottish and Irish children. The kids found it amusing to use the costumes to scare others which is where we get the dress up tradition. They also enjoyed special feasts and carved lanterns out of gourds which is what eventually evolved into the pumpkin carving we know and love now. As time went on, traditions became more lighthearted and moved some focus off of communicating with the dead and was replaced with fortune-telling. Bobbing for apples became one way for young maidens to “see” who was her future husband. All suitors would be represented by an apple and it was thought that whichever apple she bit into represented her best match. Children in this time would go door to door requesting “soul cakes”. Soul cakes originated from “all souls day” on November 2nd but was eventually incorporated into Halloween and became what we know now as “trick or treat”. Halloween was not celebrated in North America until settlers from Ireland and Scotland made their way over. The earliest days of “Halloween” celebrations in North America were more about celebrating the upcoming harvest than the candy loving holiday we know it as now. By the early 20th century, Halloween had spread over the whole of North America and slowly became the beloved holiday we all know today.
Always remember if you have a spooky situation at your home or business, we're available 24/7 by calling 419-299-3774.
September Is National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. It is a great time for Hancock County residents to take steps now to ensure they are better prepared for any disaster.
“It’s never too late to plan and prepare for disasters,” Governor Mike DeWine said. “Emergencies and disasters can happen
anywhere, at any time, often without any warning. National Preparedness Month is a good time for individuals and organizations to take steps to be better prepared for the next
Here at SERVPRO® of Hancock County, we’re
committed to be with you every step on your journey back from whatever happens. We are always here to help even before a
disaster, rather than spending money bothering people cold calling, handing out candy (which we will be doing at the Halloween parade in Findlay), we want to put our expertise to use at no cost to local businesses with our ERP (Emergency
Ready Plan). The ERP profile is a way to prepare small and medium size companies for disasters before they happen. ERP’s are a great addition to any existing disaster recovery plan as well as a good starting point for companies that have never
developed contingency plans. For more information and or set up an initial consultation, please contact Hailleigh Snyder, Marketing Representative, at 567-301-7022.
ERP’s are provided at no cost to local businesses, because we’re willing to spend our time helping local business owners and managers with their disaster planning. We do this because
experience has taught us that less than 50% of business that did not prepare ahead of time, recover from disaster. But 85% of
companies that have contingency plans manage to get back on their feet. I want to see recovery get to 100%.
In the 2007 flood, we lost far too many businesses and homes in our community “Take a few moments today and make plans to
protect your loved ones,” said Sima Merick, Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. “Knowing what
hazards or severe weather events could impact your area; making and practicing your emergency plans; updating your disaster supply kits – these are just some things everyone can do to be self-sufficient, and to enhance community resilience.”
SERVPRO® of Hancock County is always "Here to Help®"!
Water Damage? Oh No!
Did you know SERVPRO® of Hancock County is available 24 hours a day for all water emergencies, large or small? Dealing with a water loss is extremely crucial! A delay of just a few hours can increase the severity of the water damage. A delay of 48 hours or more can also open your possibility to microbial growth!
24 Hour Emergency Service
Flooding and water emergencies happen on their own timeline, not ours. That's why we're available 24/7/365 to ensure when your emergency occurs, we're available to help!
Check our our quick links for important notes about water losses.
Our highly trained staff is always here to help. Whether you have questions in regards to your insurance coverage, the process of your claim or the processes we use to ensure your water loss is properly cleaned up and dried out. All of our staff are available to help you through out the entire process! We understand that emergencies such as these are never expected and can create other issues! That's why it's so important to contact us as soon as you're aware of any water loss.
Remember we're Here to Help®! You can call us day or night at 419-299-3774 for all your emergency needs!
Can you believe it’s August? Heat, humidity, tornado’s,
back to school and allergies. With the whirlwind, both
literally and figuratively, this month having your plans
and life hacks in order can really save you a lot of time
and stress. Here are some tips to get you through.
Heat: Make sure everyone has plenty of water, keep pets
and kids in the A/C during the hot part of the day. If
your A/C goes out: 50 North, The Red Cross, and the
Public Library are all the places you can go to get relief
from the heat.
Tornadoes: Download a good tornado warning app, the
Red Cross has a free one and NOAA has a pay app.
Make a survival plan with your family and drill
particularly if you have young children. For planning
resources go to https://www.ready.gov and https://
Back to school: local stores may have your school supply
lists. Get kids back in to a regular sleeping habit. Make
sure uniforms or clothing are compliant with the
schools policy. Plan for lunches, vitamins and doctor
visits. Take young children to visit the school before the
first day if you school allows it.
Allergies: August can be rough on anyone with allergies
or asthma, so remember your medications, change your
furnace filter, clean and vacuum regularly. Some
seasonal sufferers find great relief in having their
ductwork and carpets cleaned. Also, keep basements
and crawl spaces dry and ventilated, stagnant damp air
can aggravate allergies and even cause illness.
At SERVPRO® of Hancock County, we’re “Here to
Help®” you can call us at 419-299-3774 with any
School's In Session
School is ready to go in session!
August is here which means it's back to school time! Educational institutions can depend on SERVPRO® of Hancock County. We're available 24/7 to make it 'Like it never even happened®'.
Educational institutions can depend on their local SERVPRO® Franchise Professional for fast, thorough service in the event of fire, water or mold damage. With 24-hour emergency response, SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals provide mitigation, cleanup and restoration services to reduce recovery costs and to help ensure minimal interruption to your curriculum.
Your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professional also provides expert cleaning for emergencies or special needs exceeding routine janitorial capabilities, including stain removal, upholstery and drapery dry cleaning, indoor air quality and vandalism cleanup. Our Franchise Professionals are trained to clean and sanitize building materials, surfaces and contents following restoration industry standards, using professional cleaning products and EPA registered cleaners and disinfectants.
• Fire, Smoke and Soot
•Water Removal and Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation and Remediation
• Catastrophic Storm Response
• Move Outs and Contents Restoration
• Electronics and Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
• Air Ducts and HVAC
• Biohazard, Crime Scene and Vandalism
• Carpet, Upholstery, Drapes and Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls and Hard Floors
If you're in need of any of our services, we can be reached by calling 419-299-3774 or by emailing our Production Manager, Chase Perkins at cperkins@SERVPROhancockcounty.com
We're always Here to Help!
Summer brings the opportunity to all for moving to new homes, new rentals and even new business locations. We're excited to announce that we too are joining in the summer move. Effective August 1st, 2019, we will be moving our business location to a new facility at:
2042 Tiffin Ave
Findlay, Ohio 45840
The last few years have been great for us at our
current location. We've enjoyed the location and out great neighbors! While moving can be very taunting, our staff is excited for this new
opportunity to be located within Findlay proper and to be close enough for our clients to come out and see us! Be on the look out for an open house after we're all moved in.
There's no need to worry should a loss occur at your home or business because in the midst of our move our staff will still be available 24/7 to help with any loss you may have.
You can reach us at:
Chase Perkins - Production Manager
Deborah Mericle - Office Adminstrator
Just remember no matter our location, We're here to help! 'Like it never even happened®"
Fresh mountain air, swimming with dolphins, sipping wine at Martha’s, or taking a stroll on the boardwalk, we all want them, we all need them. Whether you're a mouse ears fanatic or all inclusive resorts snorkeler, vacations are important. Before you pack your suntan lotion and best Hawaiian shirt there's a few things you should really do to protect your home, so we made a little checklist to help you out.
- Turn the water heater to vacation setting.
- Shut off the water main, or all other shut off valves
- Adjust the thermostat (never below 50°)
- Ask someone you trust to stop by and check on your house while your gone
- Make sure all your doors and windows are locked
- Get a timer that turns on and off a lamp or 2 around the same time you would if you were home
- Check your fuse box and make sure your sump pump is working
- Clean out rain gutters
- Check your washing machine, nothing worse then coming home to a musty, moldy load of laundry.
- Stop the mail and newspaper or have someone you trust pick it up.
- Park your car inside the garage
- Turn on your porch lights and or Install motion activated sensors on outdoor floodlights.
- Unplug appliances and electronics to reduce chances of a short.
- Check smoke detectors
- Cut your grass, and if your going to be away too long hire a reputable bonded lawn care company to take care of the lawn till you get back.
- Leave a key with a trusted friend or relative
- Call your credit card company and home security company let them know you’ll be out of town
- Take out the trash, especially anything that might start to stink
- Dispose of any food that could go bad before you return from vacation
If something happens during your vacation, SERVPRO® of Hancock County is always here to help. Our highly trained team can assess the damages, email or text you pictures, and start cleaning or fixing your home, so you can finish your vacation with peace of mind. SERVPRO® of Hancock County is ready for whatever happens with the team and the tools to make it "Like it never even happened."
Life is Good
Life is Good
From the Desk of Owner, Richard Franks:
Life is good
We used SERVPRO® of Hancock County for mold remediation services. We could not have been more impressed and satisfied with the knowledge of the staff, willingness to accommodate, and the finished product. They were understanding to our situation and their industry knowledge helped ease our concerns. There was absolutely no high pressure sales pitches. Their ability to provide concise answers and solutions ultimately sold us on the company and we are glad we chose them.
(Recent SERVPRO® of Hancock County Customer)
Building a successful company that takes care of the needs of customers is what it is all about. For most of my life I was on the front line, traveling to natural disasters, meeting with people impacted by fire, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and even Eagle Creek when it gets out of its banks. For decades, I hauled away damaged walls, carpets, roofs, and closet doors. We helped people connect with the right carpenter, drywall installer, or general contractor. We traveled from Findlay to Fostoria, from Upper Sandusky to Ottawa and across the United States to Texas and Wisconsin. As I get older and find it harder to lug out that extractor full of muck, I find myself actually helping more people then I use to. By spending my time focusing on our mission to develop a team of quality people who focus on excellent service, fairness and mutual respect, we reach and help more and more people every year. I miss the personal face to face satisfaction of restoring someone's home and property, but helping the next generation of mitigation specialists to live out our mission to make Fire and Water damage “Like it never even happened®”, is deeply satisfying, and I know we have the right people when I see reviews like this.
Real Estate Season is upon us!
The hot real estate season is upon us, for insurance agents it’s time to get out there and network with the realtors, and market those
new homeowners. For SERVPRO of Hancock County Heroes, it’s home inspections, spring cleaning and mold remediation season. Everyone knows SERVPRO of Hancock County for Fire
and Water damage cleanup “Like it never even happened.”, but people are often surprised to learn the other services we offer.
SERVPRO of Hancock County also offers:
*Hoarder trash out
*Crime scene clean up
*Medical facility decontamination
*Industrial plant cleaning
*Emergency Laundry pick up and Cleaning
*Ultrasonic parts cleaning
*Board up and tarping services
*Pet and wild animal damage cleanup and deodorization.
*Sewage and biohazard remediation
*Tear gas clean up
*SERVPRO of Hancock County is the only company in Hancock
county equipped to handle anthrax
*House gutting and controlled demolition
*After construction clean up
*Insulation removal and installation
*Paint and sealing services
*Oriental rug full immersion cleaning and rack drying
*Emergency Ready Planning (at no charge)
We’re the pro’s with the training and experience to make it “Like it never even happened.”, others may imitate us but few are prepared for whatever happens.
Biohazard Clean Up
Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can pose serious health consequences. A failure to properly remove such substances can contribute to unhealthy and dangerous environments. SERVPRO® of Hancock County is trained to safely remove biohazards and dispose of them properly in accordance with OSHA and health regulations.
Equipped with the necessary safety apparatus and cleaning products, we can help transform these unhealthy environments back into clean, safe homes and offices.
Please refer to our Biohazard Emergency Tips - Until Help Arrives Guide and follow these tips to protect yourself and your property.
Need Biohazard Cleanup Services?
Call Us Today – (419) 299-3774
The decontamination of a home or business due to trauma, sewage backups, chemical spills, hoarding or other biohazards can be both dangerous and emotional. Specialized training and experience is key when choosing a cleanup company to resolve these circumstances.
We provide cleanup and recovery services for many biohazard situations. These include the following:
- Sewage backups
- Crime scene residues
- Suicide/death accidents
- Homicide cleanups
- Blood cleanup
- Accident cleanup
- Hoarding scenes
- Animal waste/remains
- Chemical spills
- Tear gas cleanup
- Meth lab cleanup
Common Biohazard Scenarios
Sewage backups and dark water intrusions are more than nasty, smelly deposits – these damages also introduce harmful microorganisms into a structure. We remove the sewage, contaminants, and moisture, and help ensure the structure is properly cleaned, disinfected, and deodorized.
We remove and dispose of bodily fluids, tissue and other potentially pathogenic substances resulting from accident, trauma, crime or death. Trained SERVPRO® of Hancock County Professionals clean, disinfect and deodorize the structure.
SERVPRO® of Hancock County realizes many of the chemicals used in the production of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine are volatile and can leave harmful residues throughout a structure. We follow federal and state guidelines to properly clean all surfaces.
24 Hour Emergency Service
We are available 24 hours a day—our highly trained technicians are standing by. We have the qualified trained professionals who are ready to respond to these incidents. We will always treat your property and the people involved with the greatest empathy and respect in the face of trying circumstances.
We are proud to serve our local communities:
- Benton Ridge
- Upper Sandusky