SERVPRO Commercial Services

12/11/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of La Mesa & Lemon Grove provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster in San Diego County. 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

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. Learn more about our commercial services: https://www.SERVPROlamesalemongrove.com/commercial-restoration-services

Commercial Water Damage Restoration
Commercial Fire Damage Restoration

The Importance Of Insurance

12/11/2019 (Permalink)

Mostly everyone has insurance for their car and for their health, and sometimes for their pets too! Having insurance for our homes, whether we rent or own, is important too.

Although 95% of homeowners have a home insurance policy, according to a survey conducted by the Insurance Information Institute in 2014, only 37& of renters had an insurance policy. Having renters insurance is becoming a more common requirement in leases now. 

Some people may think it isn't worth having renters insurance, however it is very affordable at generally less than $20/month. Renters insurance policies usually cover personal contents such as furniture and jewelry lost or damaged due to fire or water damage, or theft. Some policies also help cover the cost of living expenses while your residence is being restored.

Take care to also be informed of what your policy includes. For example, earthquakes and flooding from outside water are rarely included and would be a separate policy.

If you don't have insurance, the costs can be excessive. At SERVPRO of La Mesa & Lemon Grove we offer competitive pricing and will do our best to work with your budget.

Black Mold - Toxic Myth

12/11/2019 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores are nearly everywhere in the natural world, both indoors and outdoors. This makes it impossible to completely remove all mold spores from a home or business. Some mold spores are harmless while others can be toxic. Mold remediation doesn't mean that all mold spores will be removed, but rather that they will be reduced to a more natural baseline. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is false. So how do you know if the mold in your house is harmful? Certified mold hygienists can take a sample of the air and determine the different types and levels of mold spores. A commonly heard term is "toxic black mold". But is it really toxic? The scientific name for what is referred to as black mold is Stachybotrys chartarum. The term "toxic mold" is inaccurate. According to the CDC, "While certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can produce toxins (specifically mycotoxins), the molds themselves are not toxic, or poisonous. Hazards presented by molds that may produce mycotoxins should be considered the same as other common molds which can grow in your house. There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions has not been proven. We do not believe that one needs to take any different precautions with Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), than with other molds." 

If you discover mold growth in your home, it means there is a problem with water or moisture. The source should be resolved and the mold can then be remediated and reduced to normal levels.

Commercial Emergency Services

12/11/2019 (Permalink)

Water and fire damages tend to occur when we least expect them to. For commercial properties, speed is of the essence to ensure business operations can resume as soon as possible. The same goes for commercial residential buildings. We recently had one of our client's commercial buildings catch on fire, affecting several units. We responded right away to perform emergency services. Our technicians boarded up doors and windows to ensure the property was safe and secure. Although the HOA ended up filing an insurance claim for the structural damage, the contents are considered homeowner responsibility. With multiple units affected this means we have to work with different insurance companies, multiple claims, and various adjusters. SERVPRO of La Mesa & Lemon Grove is prepared and ready to handle all types of large, commercial losses. We have the experience and organization needed to properly and efficiently handle this type of work. If your business or commercial property experience a water or fire damage, give us a call!

Commercial Building Emergency Tips

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

If your commercial property were to suddenly experience a fire or water damage, would you and your employees know what to do? Having a prepared plan is extremely important, as well as everyone knowing the plan.

The first step to creating an emergency plan is to answer some basic questions. Would you or your employees know what to do first? How will you ensure everyone's safety? Start with answering these questions, then put them together to create an emergency plan for the building. A few important things to include in this plan are safety for everyone, an easy to follow set of procedures to follow, and how to carry on with business in order to avoid a disruption in cash flow.

Having an emergency plan and making sure everyone is aware of it is important.

Is Your Business Ready For An Emergency?

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

If you own a business and suddenly have a water or fire damage, would you and your employees be prepared?

SERVPRO of La Mesa & Lemon Grove offers the ERP: Emergency Ready Profile. It is a useful tool that can help prepare your business for any potential emergency. The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile serves as a quick reference document, detailing important building and contact information. It can be an ideal supplement to any existing emergency preparedness plan. Rather than simply reacting to a disaster, businesses can be proactive by establishing a relationship with a restoration company. SERVPRO of La Mesa & Lemon Grove is a leader in fire and water damage response and can help you get your property back in working order.

The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile offers the following:

• A free assessment of your facilities emergency preparedness.
• Secure information in one location that will help you get back into your building following a disaster.
• Facility details such as shut off valve locations, priority contact information and identification of the line of command to authorize emergency work to begin.

Wireless Emergency Alerts

12/6/2019 (Permalink)

What is a WEA? Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) is a public safety system that allows customers who own compatible mobile devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area.

The WEA allows authorized national, state, or local government authorities to alert the public of multiple safety concerns. Since 2012, when the WEA was first launched, the system has been used over 49,000 times to warn the public of missing children, dangerous weather, and other critical situations.

The alert will pop up on your phone screen looking like a text message, with a short message.

The WEA is used for the following types of situations:

• extreme weather warnings
• local evacuation
• amber alerts
• Presidential alerts during a  national emergency

Visit https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/wireless-emergency-alerts-wea for more information and FAQs.

Christmas Tree Fire Hazard

12/6/2019 (Permalink)

If you had a real Christmas tree growing up you may have heard about the potential fire hazard they bring, but why? These are the top 3 reasons according to the National Fire Protection Association. The number one reason is that 44% of Christmas tree fires are caused by faulty electrical distribution or lighting equipment. Make sure to check your lights each year for any damaged bulbs and avoid using extension cords. The second reason is that a heat source, such as a candle or space heater, were too close to the tree. Always check the area around your tree, as well as anything flammable near your candles and space heaters. Additionally, 44% of holiday decoration fires are caused by a heat source. The third Christmas tree fire cause is due to intentionally set fires. Make sure if you are going to burn your Christmas tree, that it is done safely outside away from any structures, trees, or other flammable materials. If you happen to experience a fire in your home whether it is due to a Christmas tree, holiday decor, or cooking, give us a call!

Winter Has Come

12/4/2019 (Permalink)

It was just a few weeks ago when temperatures were in the 80's with the sun shining. The past week has brought a lot of rain and we are so thankful for it given the amount of forest fires this season. For the month of November San Diego received more rain than Seattle, Washington. Can you believe it? With this large and unexpected sudden downpour of rain, flooding is imminent. We have put together a few tips below on making sure you are ready for possible flash floods:

• Purchase flood insurance if you live in a potential flood zone. Many basic insurance policies do not cover flooding.
• Set up a sump-pump in your basement with a back up battery in case the power goes out.
• Elevate electrical components that can become a hazard if they get wet.
• Pay attention to flood alerts and prepare to have detours on your commute home from work.

If your home experiences water or flood damage, we are here to help!

Another Dry Fire Season

11/7/2019 (Permalink)

As Southern California enters its fall and winter season, many fires have already engulfed the area. We haven't had much rain in the past 7 months, raising the danger for wildfires extremely high. The dry ground and Santa Ana winds combined are a dangerous combo. Additionally, the Santa Ana winds bring dry air. The risk of wildfires is expected to remain high for the rest of the year, according to the National Weather Service's (NWS) Wildland Fire Potential Outlook, which forecasts "above normal significant wildfire potential" for November and December in parts of Northern and Southern California. Although we are out of a drought water-storage wise, the land is critically dry. Luckily San Diego hasn't experienced an extreme fire since The Witch Fire in 2007. However many people in LA County live in the wild lands that are susceptible to wind-whipped fires.